Jewelry Education
 

Jewelry Measurements

If you have ever purchased or shopped for a piece of jewelry online or in a catalog, perhaps you have noticed that most companies measure the size of their jewelry in millimeters, not inches. For many U.S. buyers who do not use the metric system on a daily basis, this causes difficulty in being able to accurately guage the size of a piece of jewelry in their mind, and can result in disappointment if the piece is much larger or smaller than they imagined.

However, the following chart will help you to accurately determine how large a piece of jewelry or a gemstone truly is, so you will better understand the dimensions of the piece you are looking to purchase:

1 mm = approximately 1/32" 21 mm = approximately 13/16"
2 mm = approximately 1/8" 22 mm = approximately 7/8"
3 mm = approximately 1/8" 23 mm = approximately 15/16"
4 mm = approximately 3/16" 24 mm = approximately 15/16"
5 mm = approximately 3/16" 25 mm = approximately 1"
6 mm = approximately 1/4" 26 mm = approximately 1"
7 mm = approximately 1/4" 27 mm = approximately 1 1/16"
8 mm = approximately 5/16" 28 mm = approximately 1 1/4"
9 mm = approximately 3/8" 29 mm = approximately 1 1/8"
10 mm = approximately 3/8" 30 mm = approximately 1 3/16"
11 mm = approximately 7/16" 31 mm = approximately 1 1/4"
12 mm = approximately 1/2" 32 mm = approximately 1 1/4"
13 mm = approximately 1/2" 33 mm = approximately 1 5/16"
14 mm = approximately 9/16" 34 mm = approximately 1 3/8"
15 mm = approximately 5/8" 35 mm = approximately 1 3/8"
16 mm = approximately 5/8" 36 mm = approximately 1 7/16"
17 mm = approximately 11/16" 37 mm = approximately 1 1/2"
18 mm = approximately 3/4" 38 mm = approximately 1 1/2"
19 mm = approximately 3/4" 39 mm = approximately 1 9/16"
20 mm = approximately 13/16" 40 mm = approximately 1 9/16"


For comparison purposes, here are the diameter measurements of some common items:

Dime = 17mm

Penny = 19mm

Nickel = 21mm

Quarter = 24mm

It is also important to make sure that you understand the definition of what the specific measurement is for. Here are some commonly misunderstood definitions:

Diameter: The distance of a straight line segment passing through the center of a figure, especially of a circle or sphere, and terminating at the edges

Circumference: The size of an item as given by the distance around it.

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Gold Education

The purpose of this guide is to give a little information on fine gold jewelry and what makes it such a highly valued, precious metal.

Gold is an attractive, ancient precious metal that has been highly valued for the past 5500 years. The reason being is that gold won't tarnish, rust, or corrode, and though it's very strong, it is also the most malleable or softest of all metals.

Purity of Gold

100% pure 24 karat gold is way too soft for everyday wear, so it is alloyed with other metals like, nickel, copper, zinc, platinum, and silver to make it stronger and capable of being made into fine jewelry like the examples above. The actual purity of gold is measured by karatage in 24ths, meaning 24 karat gold is 100% pure gold. 14kt. (58.33% gold), 18kt. (75% gold) and 10kt. (41.66% gold) are the most common gold alloys used in American jewelry.

Gold Color

The color of gold is determined by the type of metal alloys included and the percentage of each alloy.

Yellow Gold: 18 karat gold is 75% pure gold and has a very rich yellow color to it. 14 karat gold is less precious at 58.3% gold and has a yellow color that is not as rich. 14k gold is most commonly used in cases where strength is most important, like in earring backs and bracelet clasps.

White Gold: This is an alloy of gold and either silver or palladium (platinum). Jewelry made with white gold will have a slight yellow color. Therefore the finished jewelry is plated with Rhodium, a shiny, white metal, to give it a white finish. The Karat percentages are identical for both yellow and white gold.

Price Of Gold

Gold has been consistently rising in value for some months now for many possible reasons. The price of gold jewelry is dependent upon the purity of the gold used or karat weight, as well as the design and construction of the piece of jewelry. Now would be a good time to invest in gold because I don't think it it going to get any cheaper any time soon!

Gold Care

Keep your gold jewelry away from harsh chemicals such as chlorine and cleaning fluids. This will reduce daily abrasions and prolong gold's luster. To clean gold jewelry, use a mixture of warm water and detergent-free soap. Wash gold gently with a soft-bristled brush. Store gold pieces separately in soft cloth bags or original boxes to protect them from the exposure to harsh daily elements.

Thank you for reading this guide. I hope that you have gained a little more information about fine gold jewelry

 

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Diamond Education

The Diamond is the birthstone of April and the anniversary gemstone for the 10th and 60th years of marriage. Diamonds were discovered in India in 500 B.C., and the name "diamond" comes from the Greek word "Adamas" which means unconquerable - suggesting the eternity of love. Since ancient Greece, diamonds and diamond jewelry have been the traditional symbol of love, and the ancients believed they were hardened dew drops, splinters from the stars or crystallized lightning. A diamond is the hardest substance known to humankind, and is made of a crystallized carbon that has unique powers of light reflection. Since diamonds are composed of a single element, they are the purest of all gemstones.


The Structure of a Diamond
Proportion refers to the angles and relative measurements of a polished diamond. More than any other feature, proportions determine a diamond's optical properties. Studies have shown that table size, crown angle, and pavilion depth have a dramatic effect on a diamond's appearance.

Symmetry is a grading term for the exactness of shape and placement of facets. Variations in symmetry include off-center culets and tables, poor facet alignment, misshapen facets, out-of-round girdles, and wavy girdles.



Reflection Refraction
A) When a ray of light touches the surface of a diamond, part of the light is reflected back, this is external reflection. B) The rest of the ray penetrates the stone and is then reflected toward the center of the diamond. This is known as refraction.


The Value of a Diamond: The Four C's


Shape (Cut)


The Cut is the factor that determines the brilliance of a diamond. A classic round brilliant cut diamond has 58 facets : 33 on the top, 24 on the bottom, and the culet (1 point at the bottom). Each of the diamond's facets must be placed in exact geometric relation to one another when the stone is being cut. Quality diamonds must be properly cut and not "spread", which means that the proper proportions are compromised to make the diamond weigh more.


Clarity


The Clarity of a diamond is based on the number, location, size, and type of inclusions found in the stone. An inclusion is an imperfection or trace mineral in the stone that is visible under the magnification of a jeweler's loupe. The fewer inclusions the diamond has; the clearer, more brilliant and more expensive the diamond will be. A "Flawless" diamond is one that has no inclusions and is extremely rare and valuable.

COLOR


Colorless and near-colorless diamonds are the most valuable. Though most diamonds may appear colorless to the naked eye, the majority of diamonds contain slight traces of yellow or light brown when viewed under a jeweler's loupe. Depending on the stone's size, a single increase in color grade can boost the value of a diamond by thousands of dollars per carat. A traditional engagement diamond is usually colorless or near-colorless.

In nature, diamonds can also occur in shades of red, pink, blue, green and deep yellow - These are called "Fancy diamonds". In the United States and around the world colorless diamonds are graded on an alphabetical scale, introduced by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). "Colorless" or "rare white" diamonds are of color grades D, E and F. Diamonds of color grade D are very rare, and extremely valuable.

Carat Weight


The weight of a diamond is measured in carats (ct.). Each carat is divided into 100 points. For example: 1ct.= 100 points, 1/2 ct. = 50 points. Points in a fraction are measured within acceptable ranges. For example: a 1/2 ct diamond pendant may have a range of + or - .04 points. In other words, the total diamond weight may vary from .46 to .56 points and still be considered a 1/2 carat. Here are the most popular carat fractions and their approximate decimal equivalents:

1/10 - .08 - .12
1/5 - .18 - .22
1/4 - .23 - .28
1/3 - .29 - .36
1/2 - .47 - .53
3/4 - .72 - .78
1.0 - .96 - 1.04
11/4 - 1.21 - 1.28
11/2 - 1.44 - 1.56

The carat weight alone is almost meaningless unless you also consider the cut, clarity and color of the diamond. A large diamond is not very valuable if it lacks brilliance, purity and high-grade color. However, since larger stones are rarer than smaller ones, diamond value rises exponentially with carat weight. Therefore, a diamond weighing 3.0 carats, will always be worth more than three 1.0 carat stones of the same quality. No two diamonds are exactly alike, and you must weigh all of the factors - color, cut, clarity and carat weight - when making your diamond jewelry buying decision.

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Gemstone Education

Garnet

Aren't garnets those wonderful deep-red gemstones you often find in antique jewellery? Well yes, to a certain extent, a deep, warm red indeed being the colour most frequently found in garnets. Sadly, however, far too few people are aware that the world of the garnets is far more colourful than that. Spectacular finds, especially in Africa, have enhanced the traditional image of the garnet with a surprising number of hues - even if red does continue to be its principal colour. Thanks to their rich colour spectrum, garnets today can quite happily keep pace with changes of style and the colour trends of fashion. And thanks to the new finds, there is a reliable supply of them too. So in fact this gemstone group in particular is one which gives new impetus to the world of jewellery today.

The Amethyst

Its colour is as unique as it is seductive, though in fact this gemstone of all gemstones is said to protect its wearer against seduction. The amethyst is extravagance in violet. For many thousands of years, the most striking representative of the quartz family has been a jewel coveted by princes both ecclesiastical and secular. Moses described it as a symbol of the Spirit of God in the official robes of the High Priest of the Jews, and the Russian Empress Catherine the Great sent thousands of miners into the Urals to look for it. In popular belief, the amethyst offers protection against drunkenness - for the Greek words 'amethystos' mean 'not intoxicated' in translation. A more apt stone for the month of February, particularly if there is to be plenty going on in the way of carnival celebrations, could thus hardly be wished for.

Aquamarine

From the light blue of the sky to the deep blue of the sea, aquamarines shine over an extraordinarily beautiful range of mainly light blue colours. Aquamarine is a fascinatingly beautiful gemstone. Women the world over love it for its fine blue shades which can complement almost any skin or eye colour, and creative gemstone designers are inspired by it as they are by hardly any other gem, which enables them to create new artistic cuts again and again.

Diamond

It really is not our job here at the International Colored Gemstone Association to tell you all about diamonds. However, diamond is the modern birthstone for April, so we would like to take this opportunity to say a few words about fancy coloured diamonds, which are more to our taste than the colourless type: they're rarer, more valuable, and a great deal more colourful (although the colours do tend to be a little on the pale side).

Emerald

Emeralds are fascinating gemstones. They have the most beautiful, most intense and most radiant green that can possibly be imagined: emerald green. Inclusions are tolerated. In top quality, fine emeralds are even more valuable than diamonds.

Pearls

Pearls are organic gems, created when an oyster covers a foreign object with beautiful layers of nacre. Long ago, pearls were important financial assets, comparable in price to real estate, as thousands of oysters had to be searched for just one pearl. They were rare because they were created only by chance.

Ruby

Which colour would you spontaneously associate with love and vivacity, passion and power? It's obvious, isn't it? Red. Red is the colour of love. It radiates warmth and a strong sense of vitality. And red is also the colour of the ruby, the king of the gemstones. In the fascinating world of gemstones, the ruby is the undisputed ruler.

Peridot

The vivid green of the peridot, with just a slight hint of gold, is the ideal gemstone colour to go with that light summer wardrobe. No wonder – since the peridot is the gemstone of the summer month of August.

Sapphire

In earlier times, some people believed that the firmament was an enormous blue sapphire in which the Earth was embedded. Could there be a more apt image to describe the beauty of an immaculate sapphire? And yet this gem comes not in one but in all the blue shades of that firmament, from the deep blue of the evening sky to the shining mid-blue of a lovely summer's day which casts its spell over us. However, this magnificent gemstone also comes in many other colours: not only in the transparent greyish-blue of a distant horizon but also in the gloriously colourful play of light in a sunset – in yellow, pink, orange and purple. Sapphires really are gems of the sky, although they are found in the hard ground of our 'blue planet'.

Opals

All of Nature’s splendour seems to be reflected in the manifold opulence of fine Opals: fire and lightnings, all the colours of the rainbow and the soft shine of far seas. Australia is the classical country of origin. Almost ninety-five per cent of all fine opals come from the dry and remote outback deserts.

Citrine

Many people have come to know and love this stone under the name gold topaz, or Madeira or Spanish topaz, although in actual fact it has very little in common with the higher-quality gemstone topaz - except for a few nuances of colour. Thus the history of the citrine is closely interwoven with that of the topaz, and coincides with it completely when it comes to the interpretation of alleged miraculous powers. However, the citrine is a member of the large quartz family, a family which, with its multitude of colours and very various structures, offers gemstone lovers almost everything their hearts desire in terms of adornment and decoration, from absolutely clear rock crystal to black onyx. And it does so at prices which are by no means unaffordable.

Blue Topaz

This beautiful, durable, affordable stone makes for a popular alternative to aquamarine. Sky Blue Topaz, Swiss Blue Topaz, London Blue Ttopaz are names used in the gem trades to refer to the depth of color. Sky Blue is the lightest while London Blue is the darkest blue. The principal sources for topaz are Brazil, Sri Lanka, Russia, Australia, Africa, Mexico and Pakistan.
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