This is a just a short article with random notes about how they "used to do it", as culled from early 1900's sources. As will become obvious from some of the ingredients used, they didn't take a lot of safety precautions back then. Hence, these are provided as a snapshot of history only and we don't recommend using anything but modern cleaners which have been proven safe.
Everyone has their tried and true methods of cleaning jewelry using various commercial products, baking soda and assorted home remedies. Back before the days of ultrasonic cleaners and safe, chemical-based cleaners, our ancestors had some unique approaches to keep their gold and sterling silver sparkling clean.
From the pages of The Boy Mechanic published in 1913:
Jewelry Cleaning
To cleanse articles of silver, gold, bronze and brass use a saturated solution of cyanide
of potassium. To clean small articles, dip each one into the solution and rinse
immediately in hot water; then dry and polish with a linen cloth. Larger articles are
cleaned by rubbing the surface with a small tuft of cotton saturated in the solution. As
cyanide of potassium is a deadly poison, care must be taken not to have it touch any sore
spot on the flesh.
From the same pages of The Boy Mechanic:
To Clean Silver:
A good method to clean silver of any kind is to place the articles in an aluminum
vessel and add a few pieces of zinc. Hot water is added and the silver boiled until clean.
It is best to use soft water. The tarnish is removed by the electrolytic action of the zinc
on the aluminum and the silver, and the latter will take on a bright luster. This method of
cleaning will not injure oxidized or black silver, nor that which is partly oxidized.
Our last item is just something we've always thought was amazing and it's sure to be a hit with antique watch collectors and historical photography bugs the world over!
Making Photographs on Watch Dials
1) Beat to a foam the white of an egg, with the addition of a little ammonia. Add 9 oz.
and 3 dr. of water and beat again. After the egg has settled, filter and let the liquid run
over the dial, which has been previously cleaned with ammonia. When the surplus has
run off, coat with the mixture and allow to dry.
2) A sensitive collodion is now produced as follows: Dissolve 9 gr. of chloride of zinc in
5 dr. of alcohol; add 7-1/2 gr. of collodion cotton and 6-1/2 dr. of ether. Shake the whole
forcibly.
3) Dissolve 23 gr. of nitrate of silver in hot water, add 1-1/2 dr. of alcohol and keep the
whole solution by heating. The silver solution is now added in small quantities at a time
to the collodion, which must be well settled. This, of course, is done in the dark room.
After 24 hours the emulsion is filtered by passing it through cotton moistened with
alcohol. This durable collodion emulsion is now flowed thinly upon the prepared watch
dial, which, after the collodion has coagulated, is moved up and down in distilled
water until the fatty stripes disappear. The water is then changed once, and after a short
immersion, the dial is left to dry on a piece of blotting paper.
4) It is now ready for exposure. Expose under magnesium light and develop with a citrate oxalic developer, or
in the following hydroquinone developer:
Hydroquinone ………… 1 dr.
Bromide of potassium .... 6 dr.
Sulphite of soda .……….. 1-1/2 oz.
Carbonate of soda .……... 2-2/3 dr.
Water ………………….. 14 oz.
5) After fixing and drying, coat with a transparent positive varnish.
It's hard for us to imagine how anyone ever figured that out to begin with! We hope you've enjoyed this look back at a time when people were forced to rely on good old Yankee know-how, common sense and their own ingenuity!
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Live from New York ....
Live from New York ..... it's Bijoux Extraordinaire! Being a jeweler has its perks. Several times each year I travel to distant cities and countries to discover what is new and exciting in jewelry and to meet with some of my favorite gem cutters, goldsmiths and jewelry designers.
Most recently, my destination was the Big Apple and the annual Jewelers of America show. With over 1,400 exhibitors this show is a wonderful opportunity to discover emerging jewelry trends, as well as conduct market research for our jewelry appraisal lab.
Of course, I also never resist the opportunity to acquire beautiful jewels and gemstones for our clients and the Bijoux collection. Following is a brief summary of what I saw, heard and purchased.
Part of the fun of the New York show is discovering new gemstones and cutting styles. One exciting innovation is the faceting of pearls. An inventive lapidary (gem cutter) has perfected a method for gently faceting these delicate gems and the results are astounding! When faceted, white and light colored pearls take on a shimmering sparkle as if they have been inset with numerous sparkling diamonds. For Tahitian Black and darker pearls, faceting creates a stunning optical illusion: a small, dark iridescent pearl appears to be magically floating within a larger pearl. The effect has to be seen to be believed. Naturally, we acquired several of these rare beauties for the Bijoux collection.
What is exciting in estate jewelry? The hottest trend is filigree rings from the Edwardian and the early Art Deco periods. Most often crafted in platinum or white gold, these intricate, lacy jewels are an ideal setting for a diamond or colored gemstone. In New York we purchased several wonderful antique filigree rings. We also discovered a very talented contemporary goldsmith who is working in these antique styles and has mastered the arts of filigree, engraving and chasing. If you would like to view these beautiful antique and contemporary filigree rings, please give us a call (800 770-9440).
The vibrant blues and purples of tanzanite continue to win fans among jewelry designers and consumers. Popular settings for this captivating gemstone include antique-style platinum rings and elegant custom design jewels. Because of increased demand and waning mine production, finer quality tanzanites are becoming more difficult to find in sizes greater than one carat. As a result, the cost of these finer gemstones is increasing.
In contrast, lesser quality and commercial grade tanzanites are readily available and in abundant supply. By exploiting the recent cave-in and tragedy at the tanzanite mines, some unscrupulous gem dealers are attempting to create a false sense of scarcity and manipulate consumers into paying excessive prices for lower quality gemstones. This is occurring in both the retail and wholesale markets. Remember, when buying jewelry and gemstones always be wary of tall tales and big sales.
While in New York we acquired a wonderful selection of fine jewelry, faceted pearls and dazzling gemstones. If you would like to learn more about these exciting jewels, please call to arrange a convenient time to come and visit us.
Most recently, my destination was the Big Apple and the annual Jewelers of America show. With over 1,400 exhibitors this show is a wonderful opportunity to discover emerging jewelry trends, as well as conduct market research for our jewelry appraisal lab.
Of course, I also never resist the opportunity to acquire beautiful jewels and gemstones for our clients and the Bijoux collection. Following is a brief summary of what I saw, heard and purchased.
Part of the fun of the New York show is discovering new gemstones and cutting styles. One exciting innovation is the faceting of pearls. An inventive lapidary (gem cutter) has perfected a method for gently faceting these delicate gems and the results are astounding! When faceted, white and light colored pearls take on a shimmering sparkle as if they have been inset with numerous sparkling diamonds. For Tahitian Black and darker pearls, faceting creates a stunning optical illusion: a small, dark iridescent pearl appears to be magically floating within a larger pearl. The effect has to be seen to be believed. Naturally, we acquired several of these rare beauties for the Bijoux collection.
What is exciting in estate jewelry? The hottest trend is filigree rings from the Edwardian and the early Art Deco periods. Most often crafted in platinum or white gold, these intricate, lacy jewels are an ideal setting for a diamond or colored gemstone. In New York we purchased several wonderful antique filigree rings. We also discovered a very talented contemporary goldsmith who is working in these antique styles and has mastered the arts of filigree, engraving and chasing. If you would like to view these beautiful antique and contemporary filigree rings, please give us a call (800 770-9440).
The vibrant blues and purples of tanzanite continue to win fans among jewelry designers and consumers. Popular settings for this captivating gemstone include antique-style platinum rings and elegant custom design jewels. Because of increased demand and waning mine production, finer quality tanzanites are becoming more difficult to find in sizes greater than one carat. As a result, the cost of these finer gemstones is increasing.
In contrast, lesser quality and commercial grade tanzanites are readily available and in abundant supply. By exploiting the recent cave-in and tragedy at the tanzanite mines, some unscrupulous gem dealers are attempting to create a false sense of scarcity and manipulate consumers into paying excessive prices for lower quality gemstones. This is occurring in both the retail and wholesale markets. Remember, when buying jewelry and gemstones always be wary of tall tales and big sales.
While in New York we acquired a wonderful selection of fine jewelry, faceted pearls and dazzling gemstones. If you would like to learn more about these exciting jewels, please call to arrange a convenient time to come and visit us.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
What is a Reputable Jeweler?
Shopping for a diamond or expensive jewelry item has always been a daunting task. However, shoppers now have a wealth of shopping advice available online. While not all online shopping guides are accurate or necessarily agree, one common recommendation is to find a reputable jewelry retailer.
So how does the typical diamond or jewelry shopper determine which retailer is reputable and trustworthy?
You cannot assume that longevity means a jeweler is reputable. Just because the same family has owned their jewelry store for over fifty years does not equate to trustworthy. Bad advice, inflated prices, low quality diamonds and switching diamonds have made many jewelers wealthy for many years so years in business is not a reliable measure.
A big expensive store or recognized business name does not mean the person you are dealing with is giving you advice that is best for you. Likewise, a GIA Graduate Gemologist or an AGS Certified Gemologist diploma on the wall means the person knows about diamonds and gemstones, but does not guarantee they are giving you the best advice, the best diamonds or the best value.
There is no single sure way to identify a trustworthy and reputable jewelry retailer but there are some excellent indicators.
1) Does the retailer truly listen to you and work to find what you want, which might be different from what they have in their display case? A reputable jeweler is more of a consultant than a sales person. Diamonds and jewelry are not an exact science but you should be able to verify the advice you receive with other expert opinions you find online. Be wary of “tag readers” who know little more about the product they sell than what they read on the tag attached to the jewelry item.
2) Does the jeweler sell diamonds graded by the GIA or AGS, which are the industry leading independent grading laboratories? A reputable jeweler should be stressing the importance of a top level grading report, often called a certification. While very small diamonds typically do not have certifications, any significant diamonds you consider should have a grading report from one of the top laboratories. While reputable jewelers do sell diamonds without certifications, their first recommendations should be diamonds that have grading reports. Not all grading reports are equal in accuracy and consistency so insist on the industry leading certifications for your diamond.
3) Appraisals should not be something used as a selling tactic. Appraised value is usually for establishing estimated retail replacement values for insurance purposes and often bares little relevance to the low retail price you deserve. An appraisal is not the same as a certification, which has no dollar value and is prepared by an independent laboratory.
4) Beware of the “lifetime guarantee” sales scheme. Most of the services promised are already available to you or are of little value to begin with. Insurance is a smart investment for expensive jewelry because it protects your investment from loss, theft and damage. The store guarantees are typically tactics to get you back in the store on a regular basis and tend to draw attention away from the quality of the diamond or the price you are paying.
Buying a diamond is an expensive purchase that warrants doing your homework and research so you can make the best decisions possible. If you enter the diamond buying process with some diamond knowledge and a strategy for determining a reputable, low price retailer, your reward will be years of enjoyment and satisfaction.
So how does the typical diamond or jewelry shopper determine which retailer is reputable and trustworthy?
You cannot assume that longevity means a jeweler is reputable. Just because the same family has owned their jewelry store for over fifty years does not equate to trustworthy. Bad advice, inflated prices, low quality diamonds and switching diamonds have made many jewelers wealthy for many years so years in business is not a reliable measure.
A big expensive store or recognized business name does not mean the person you are dealing with is giving you advice that is best for you. Likewise, a GIA Graduate Gemologist or an AGS Certified Gemologist diploma on the wall means the person knows about diamonds and gemstones, but does not guarantee they are giving you the best advice, the best diamonds or the best value.
There is no single sure way to identify a trustworthy and reputable jewelry retailer but there are some excellent indicators.
1) Does the retailer truly listen to you and work to find what you want, which might be different from what they have in their display case? A reputable jeweler is more of a consultant than a sales person. Diamonds and jewelry are not an exact science but you should be able to verify the advice you receive with other expert opinions you find online. Be wary of “tag readers” who know little more about the product they sell than what they read on the tag attached to the jewelry item.
2) Does the jeweler sell diamonds graded by the GIA or AGS, which are the industry leading independent grading laboratories? A reputable jeweler should be stressing the importance of a top level grading report, often called a certification. While very small diamonds typically do not have certifications, any significant diamonds you consider should have a grading report from one of the top laboratories. While reputable jewelers do sell diamonds without certifications, their first recommendations should be diamonds that have grading reports. Not all grading reports are equal in accuracy and consistency so insist on the industry leading certifications for your diamond.
3) Appraisals should not be something used as a selling tactic. Appraised value is usually for establishing estimated retail replacement values for insurance purposes and often bares little relevance to the low retail price you deserve. An appraisal is not the same as a certification, which has no dollar value and is prepared by an independent laboratory.
4) Beware of the “lifetime guarantee” sales scheme. Most of the services promised are already available to you or are of little value to begin with. Insurance is a smart investment for expensive jewelry because it protects your investment from loss, theft and damage. The store guarantees are typically tactics to get you back in the store on a regular basis and tend to draw attention away from the quality of the diamond or the price you are paying.
Buying a diamond is an expensive purchase that warrants doing your homework and research so you can make the best decisions possible. If you enter the diamond buying process with some diamond knowledge and a strategy for determining a reputable, low price retailer, your reward will be years of enjoyment and satisfaction.
Wholesale Beads for Easy-to-make Earrings
Jewelry assembled out of beads will grab everyone’s attention whether you are wearing it in casual circumstances or whether you choose to display it on special events. But what really gets you thinking about beadwork is that you can take advantage of the available offers of wholesale beads anytime by ordering online and turning jewelry making into an occasion of running your own small business: a business that functions due to the attraction people have towards beautiful or peculiar beads and ornaments. Your business can not fail as long as you provide your customers with innovative or eye-catching ideas for jewelry making which can, in turn, make them feel beautiful or special.
For instance, look at a fast and cost-effective manner of making earrings you can then sell. Of course, your advantage over the competition will consist in a smart option: the idea to buy wholesale beads from an online shop with good prices: gemmall.com. These wholesale beads are less expensive and you can acquire as many as possible, in the same affordable limits, in order to craft a sufficient number of pairs of earrings to guarantee a profit to your investment.
The “attraction through attraction” principle we are talking about functions on the following commonsensical premise: if your jewelry making efforts result in beadwork attractive enough so as to suggest potential customers that by wearing your ornaments their entire appearance will appropriate the same degree of attractiveness, then you are on the right road to a successful business.
Going back to the cost-effective and easy-to-make pairs of earrings your business will promote, you should first take a look at the kind of materials you could use out of an incredibly diverse offer of wholesale beads. Depending on how much money you are willing to invest, you could use simple glass or plastic beads, for the cheaper versions of earrings, and precious metal, gemstones or pearl beads for the more expensive products.
Of course, jewelry making is not entirely based on wholesale beads. Even if beads are the elements that give the final, decorative touch to the resulting beadwork, there are other components that practically offer support for the beads. As a result, for our earrings, apart from the beads of your choice, you will also need ear wires, head pins, a wire twisting tool and a wire cutting tool. Make sure that the ear wires and the head pins are made from a reliable material, such as sterling silver. Don’t be cheap with such parts of the earrings: they will not be quality products if the material breaks only because you were too mean to invest a bit more in more reliable materials.
You also need to be careful with pushing the beads onto the head pin. You will place onto the head pin as many beads you consider necessary for the final length of the earrings. When you are done with the beads, you will use the wire cutting tool in order to cut whatever length of wire is in excess. Be careful: the same as it happens with any other kind of jewelry making, earring crafting requires delicate actions. Make sure that there is some wire left: this part will have to be curled into a small circle with the wire twisting tool.
Next, with the same wire twisting tool, you will open the end of the ear wire and through it you will introduce the small circle you have curled out of the remaining part of the head pin. Finally, you need to see that you fastened the opening of the ear wire around the head pin.
With so many curls and twists, you can now understand why the ear wires and the head pins need to be made out of more resistant materials: weaker ones can easily break, maybe even before you get to actually see how such a pair of earrings looks like. If quality materials are used, no matter the material of the beads employed, the resulting earrings will also meet high quality standards, fit for complying with customer expectations.
For instance, look at a fast and cost-effective manner of making earrings you can then sell. Of course, your advantage over the competition will consist in a smart option: the idea to buy wholesale beads from an online shop with good prices: gemmall.com. These wholesale beads are less expensive and you can acquire as many as possible, in the same affordable limits, in order to craft a sufficient number of pairs of earrings to guarantee a profit to your investment.
The “attraction through attraction” principle we are talking about functions on the following commonsensical premise: if your jewelry making efforts result in beadwork attractive enough so as to suggest potential customers that by wearing your ornaments their entire appearance will appropriate the same degree of attractiveness, then you are on the right road to a successful business.
Going back to the cost-effective and easy-to-make pairs of earrings your business will promote, you should first take a look at the kind of materials you could use out of an incredibly diverse offer of wholesale beads. Depending on how much money you are willing to invest, you could use simple glass or plastic beads, for the cheaper versions of earrings, and precious metal, gemstones or pearl beads for the more expensive products.
Of course, jewelry making is not entirely based on wholesale beads. Even if beads are the elements that give the final, decorative touch to the resulting beadwork, there are other components that practically offer support for the beads. As a result, for our earrings, apart from the beads of your choice, you will also need ear wires, head pins, a wire twisting tool and a wire cutting tool. Make sure that the ear wires and the head pins are made from a reliable material, such as sterling silver. Don’t be cheap with such parts of the earrings: they will not be quality products if the material breaks only because you were too mean to invest a bit more in more reliable materials.
You also need to be careful with pushing the beads onto the head pin. You will place onto the head pin as many beads you consider necessary for the final length of the earrings. When you are done with the beads, you will use the wire cutting tool in order to cut whatever length of wire is in excess. Be careful: the same as it happens with any other kind of jewelry making, earring crafting requires delicate actions. Make sure that there is some wire left: this part will have to be curled into a small circle with the wire twisting tool.
Next, with the same wire twisting tool, you will open the end of the ear wire and through it you will introduce the small circle you have curled out of the remaining part of the head pin. Finally, you need to see that you fastened the opening of the ear wire around the head pin.
With so many curls and twists, you can now understand why the ear wires and the head pins need to be made out of more resistant materials: weaker ones can easily break, maybe even before you get to actually see how such a pair of earrings looks like. If quality materials are used, no matter the material of the beads employed, the resulting earrings will also meet high quality standards, fit for complying with customer expectations.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
A Spence Diamonds Guide to Jewelry and Allergies
Choosing just the right jewelry for you goes beyond how good it looks on you, or how good it makes you feel. Some people have allergies to certain metals, so it helps to understand what to look out for if your skin is extra-sensitive, or you are prone to allergies. In our Spence Diamonds showrooms, we're always ready to answer your questions about how metal allergies can affect you, but in the meantime here's a bit of Metal Allergy 101:
Most often, rashes and infections on your skin caused by jewelry are a result of nickel allergy. Ever had an itchy red spot under a jean stud or watch buckle? Maybe when you had your ears pierced you developed an unusually uncomfortable reaction?
Nickel is the metal that causes the most rashes. And it is also quite commonly used in almost anything metal, for e.g. jewelry, kitchen utensils, scissors, paper clips, keys and of course the coin by the same name. Nickel has a more whitish appearance, so such metals as white gold, silver and all kinds of silver-colored metals (other than sterling silver) can and likely do contain some amount of nickel. 18 or 24 carat yellow gold does not contain nickel, but 10-carat yellow gold may have traces of nickel, too.
How Do You Know if You Have an Allergy to Nickel?
The first sign of nickel allergy is red and itchy skin, in the areas that have come in contact with metal, such as under a ring or necklace. Later on, tiny water blisters appear, making the skin moist and even oozy, and can even cause it to peel off. At this point, you probably want to be searching for jewelry that cooperates with your skin a little better. If the condition carries on for a long time, your skin may become red, scaly and cracked, and the rash can spread to other areas of your skin that have never even been in contact with nickel! So it's worth doing your homework on how to avoid such a reaction.
Some Good News, Some Bad News
The bad news first: Once you've become sensitive to nickel, you're likely to stay that way for the rest of your life. The good news is that over time, you may become less sensitive to nickel allergy. But there is hope as there are still plenty of metals that you can safely wear, including 18 and 14 carat gold, sterling silver, and a number of other hypo-allergenic metals. In addition, if you discover an allergy to nickel with an existing piece of your jewelry, Spence Diamonds offers an electrochemical process called rhodium plating that coats the ring and protects your finger from exposure to nickel. It is a very easy and very common process that will not harm your ring in any way. If you'd like to know more, we'd be happy to answer your questions about rhodium plating in one of our showrooms.
If you think that you might have an allergy to nickel, ask a member of our staff in one of our Spence Diamonds showrooms to help you select an item that will not only add a bit of sparkle to your life, but will also be safe and comfortable next to your skin.
Most often, rashes and infections on your skin caused by jewelry are a result of nickel allergy. Ever had an itchy red spot under a jean stud or watch buckle? Maybe when you had your ears pierced you developed an unusually uncomfortable reaction?
Nickel is the metal that causes the most rashes. And it is also quite commonly used in almost anything metal, for e.g. jewelry, kitchen utensils, scissors, paper clips, keys and of course the coin by the same name. Nickel has a more whitish appearance, so such metals as white gold, silver and all kinds of silver-colored metals (other than sterling silver) can and likely do contain some amount of nickel. 18 or 24 carat yellow gold does not contain nickel, but 10-carat yellow gold may have traces of nickel, too.
How Do You Know if You Have an Allergy to Nickel?
The first sign of nickel allergy is red and itchy skin, in the areas that have come in contact with metal, such as under a ring or necklace. Later on, tiny water blisters appear, making the skin moist and even oozy, and can even cause it to peel off. At this point, you probably want to be searching for jewelry that cooperates with your skin a little better. If the condition carries on for a long time, your skin may become red, scaly and cracked, and the rash can spread to other areas of your skin that have never even been in contact with nickel! So it's worth doing your homework on how to avoid such a reaction.
Some Good News, Some Bad News
The bad news first: Once you've become sensitive to nickel, you're likely to stay that way for the rest of your life. The good news is that over time, you may become less sensitive to nickel allergy. But there is hope as there are still plenty of metals that you can safely wear, including 18 and 14 carat gold, sterling silver, and a number of other hypo-allergenic metals. In addition, if you discover an allergy to nickel with an existing piece of your jewelry, Spence Diamonds offers an electrochemical process called rhodium plating that coats the ring and protects your finger from exposure to nickel. It is a very easy and very common process that will not harm your ring in any way. If you'd like to know more, we'd be happy to answer your questions about rhodium plating in one of our showrooms.
If you think that you might have an allergy to nickel, ask a member of our staff in one of our Spence Diamonds showrooms to help you select an item that will not only add a bit of sparkle to your life, but will also be safe and comfortable next to your skin.
Right Hand Ring
Talking about right hand ring which is a new concept that has evolved and booming in the diamond industry, however to broaden the definition of “Right hand Ring” it is a fashion statement for today’s career and independent women who have a flair for fashion diamond ring, which flaunts their purchasing power with a carefree attitude and a creative mind accompanied with a sense of style. In other words it’s an expression of ones unique personality who prefers to be a “face in a crowd”.
A Right hand diamond ring stands for a woman’s success, freedom, confidence, vibrant, stylish and want to be a part of the glamorous world. The idea of wearing a right hand diamond ring is for fun and celebrate liberation in men oriented world, however women prefer a unique Right hand diamond ring in order to co-ordinate with their wedding and engagement rings; or some women prefer a ‘one of a kind’ diamond right ring for themselves. The selection of a right had diamond ring can vary in terms of different material, gemstone, style, color but all that matters is the gleaming diamond sitting on your right hand and dazzling everyone’s eyes with its beauty and uniqueness.
So if you want to be the talk of the town, choose from the newest right hand rings that are classical and elegantly designs in platinum or white gold set with diamonds. We also encourage men to buy a right hand diamond ring as an ideal gift for their beloved or an appreciation of their personality and qualities. It is an ideal gift to surprise women out of the blue and make them cry with happiness and get a chance to be embraced; however it also an apt purchase for men in love in order to express their love by bending down on your knees to make that ‘Proposal of Love’ with a diamond right hand ring a remembrance for her lifetime.
Right hand rings are designed more like cocktail rings, featuring clusters of smaller diamonds. Right hand rings are intended to showcase the individuality of a woman, worn on the fourth finger and sometimes the little finger. Hence we conclude by saying that irrespective of the season, occasion, time, place right hand diamond ring appeals women’s sight and serves as an ideal ‘patch up’ gift to raise her brows in shock with happiness in order to for give you for making her sad, after all a ‘Right Hand Diamond Ring’ is a woman’s best friends.
A Right hand diamond ring stands for a woman’s success, freedom, confidence, vibrant, stylish and want to be a part of the glamorous world. The idea of wearing a right hand diamond ring is for fun and celebrate liberation in men oriented world, however women prefer a unique Right hand diamond ring in order to co-ordinate with their wedding and engagement rings; or some women prefer a ‘one of a kind’ diamond right ring for themselves. The selection of a right had diamond ring can vary in terms of different material, gemstone, style, color but all that matters is the gleaming diamond sitting on your right hand and dazzling everyone’s eyes with its beauty and uniqueness.
So if you want to be the talk of the town, choose from the newest right hand rings that are classical and elegantly designs in platinum or white gold set with diamonds. We also encourage men to buy a right hand diamond ring as an ideal gift for their beloved or an appreciation of their personality and qualities. It is an ideal gift to surprise women out of the blue and make them cry with happiness and get a chance to be embraced; however it also an apt purchase for men in love in order to express their love by bending down on your knees to make that ‘Proposal of Love’ with a diamond right hand ring a remembrance for her lifetime.
Right hand rings are designed more like cocktail rings, featuring clusters of smaller diamonds. Right hand rings are intended to showcase the individuality of a woman, worn on the fourth finger and sometimes the little finger. Hence we conclude by saying that irrespective of the season, occasion, time, place right hand diamond ring appeals women’s sight and serves as an ideal ‘patch up’ gift to raise her brows in shock with happiness in order to for give you for making her sad, after all a ‘Right Hand Diamond Ring’ is a woman’s best friends.
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Why Jewelry Stores Dislike Knowledgeable Customers
For decades, jewelers have had enjoyed the position of being the "keepers" of the knowledge about diamonds and gemstones. They stood behind jewelry counters and shared little tidbits of information about jewels to shoppers. The jeweler seemed to be talking down to the shopper, making them feel as if they should be grateful to even be in the store or touch the precious gems in the display case.
This monopoly of knowledge went hand in hand with the monopoly of supply. The only way you could purchase a diamond or precious gemstone was to buy in a jewelry store. The prices were artificially high with markups of 100% to 300% of wholesale costs. The factors that differentiated stores included the ornate decorations, the fancy display cases, and elaborate storefronts. Life was simple and very profitable for the jeweler. The shopper came in, the jeweler said this is what you should buy, and the shopper paid the price because they had no other options. Can you recall any poor jewelers before the millennium change in the year 2000?
It was about this time that the most feared word in the jeweler's vocabulary began to change the industry forever. That word was Internet. Suddenly there were competitors springing up who could supply diamonds and jewelry delivered to your door, often at prices lower than could support the high overhead of the jewelry store. However, the greatest fear was that the hidden knowledge of diamonds and precious gemstones was available to any shopper who wanted to spend a little time researching online.
The jeweler of the past said here is what I have and which one do you want to buy? Then came the knowledgeable shopper armed with printouts of online diamond advice. Instead of simply asking for a one-carat diamond, the shopper now has a detailed list of requirements that all but guarantees that nothing in the store will meet their requirements, regardless of the price.
It is common for a diamond shopper today to say, "Here is what I want and I expect the lowest price in the country." Then they present their list of requirements for their round diamond:
1) Carat weight exactly 1.27 because our first date was January 27th
2) At least G color
3) VS2 clarity but I do not want to be able to see anything under the microscope
4) Must have a GIA grading report dated in 2006 with Excellent cut grade
5) No fluorescence
6) At least Very Good for polish and symmetry
7) Girdle has to be Medium (nothing more or less will do) and faceted
8) Laser inscribed with the GIA number
9) Must be able to take to an independent appraiser who agrees with all grading
10) I need it in two days
Their parting remark is that they are shopping these same requirements with twenty other retailers and are going to buy from the one with the lowest price.
This is the jeweler's nightmare because this is not how their business works. Their jewelry store caters to the impulse buyer who will come in, see something beautiful and buy with only a few encouraging words from the sales clerk. Spending hours of work to find the specific diamond the shopper wants and then paying the shipping and insurance to get it shipped next day is just more work than they want to do for a sale. Instead, they complain and wish for the return of the good old days, when Ma Bell controlled the telephones, gas was 59 cents a gallon and the secrets of the diamond industry were safely behind the jewelry counter.
Fortunately, for diamond and gemstone shoppers there are a new breed of diamond retailers available who not only encourage diamond education; they enjoy working with shoppers who know exactly what they want. These diamond brokers have access to the diamonds on the wholesale market and know how to find diamonds that meet the shopper's requirement. Best of all, the diamond brokers have much lower overhead than a jewelry store so can find the exceptional diamonds at very low prices.
The competitive marketplace always seems to produce sources for services and goods that consumers demand. The online diamond broker is well suited to serve today's well-knowledgeable and demanding diamond shopper.
Source: http://www.diamondsourceva.com
This monopoly of knowledge went hand in hand with the monopoly of supply. The only way you could purchase a diamond or precious gemstone was to buy in a jewelry store. The prices were artificially high with markups of 100% to 300% of wholesale costs. The factors that differentiated stores included the ornate decorations, the fancy display cases, and elaborate storefronts. Life was simple and very profitable for the jeweler. The shopper came in, the jeweler said this is what you should buy, and the shopper paid the price because they had no other options. Can you recall any poor jewelers before the millennium change in the year 2000?
It was about this time that the most feared word in the jeweler's vocabulary began to change the industry forever. That word was Internet. Suddenly there were competitors springing up who could supply diamonds and jewelry delivered to your door, often at prices lower than could support the high overhead of the jewelry store. However, the greatest fear was that the hidden knowledge of diamonds and precious gemstones was available to any shopper who wanted to spend a little time researching online.
The jeweler of the past said here is what I have and which one do you want to buy? Then came the knowledgeable shopper armed with printouts of online diamond advice. Instead of simply asking for a one-carat diamond, the shopper now has a detailed list of requirements that all but guarantees that nothing in the store will meet their requirements, regardless of the price.
It is common for a diamond shopper today to say, "Here is what I want and I expect the lowest price in the country." Then they present their list of requirements for their round diamond:
1) Carat weight exactly 1.27 because our first date was January 27th
2) At least G color
3) VS2 clarity but I do not want to be able to see anything under the microscope
4) Must have a GIA grading report dated in 2006 with Excellent cut grade
5) No fluorescence
6) At least Very Good for polish and symmetry
7) Girdle has to be Medium (nothing more or less will do) and faceted
8) Laser inscribed with the GIA number
9) Must be able to take to an independent appraiser who agrees with all grading
10) I need it in two days
Their parting remark is that they are shopping these same requirements with twenty other retailers and are going to buy from the one with the lowest price.
This is the jeweler's nightmare because this is not how their business works. Their jewelry store caters to the impulse buyer who will come in, see something beautiful and buy with only a few encouraging words from the sales clerk. Spending hours of work to find the specific diamond the shopper wants and then paying the shipping and insurance to get it shipped next day is just more work than they want to do for a sale. Instead, they complain and wish for the return of the good old days, when Ma Bell controlled the telephones, gas was 59 cents a gallon and the secrets of the diamond industry were safely behind the jewelry counter.
Fortunately, for diamond and gemstone shoppers there are a new breed of diamond retailers available who not only encourage diamond education; they enjoy working with shoppers who know exactly what they want. These diamond brokers have access to the diamonds on the wholesale market and know how to find diamonds that meet the shopper's requirement. Best of all, the diamond brokers have much lower overhead than a jewelry store so can find the exceptional diamonds at very low prices.
The competitive marketplace always seems to produce sources for services and goods that consumers demand. The online diamond broker is well suited to serve today's well-knowledgeable and demanding diamond shopper.
Source: http://www.diamondsourceva.com
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