Understanding Jewellery - 3rd Edition

A classic Antique Collectors' Club title, Understanding Jewellery is now available in a revised and fully updated third edition and is unique in explaining why jewellery values vary and the individual points important for each category. Explanations are given in a straightforward, uncomplicated manner with a text largely linked directly to specific illustrations. This makes the assimilation of the information much easier than in traditional text dominated books. The authors, both jewellery experts, evaluate many millions of pounds worth annually and thus handle a complete cross-section of what is available on the market. They have specially selected the hundreds of superb colour illustrations to show what to look for and, equally important, what to avoid. Whether interested in the history of fashion, deciding what to buy or simply to enjoy a visual feast of beautiful objects, this book will serve as an invaluable reference and represents outstanding value. This book is an excellent guide to

Price: $89.50

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What To Keep In Mind When Buying Diamonds

With the gifting season soon upon us, some lucky recipients will be receiving diamond jewelry that shall be cherished for a long time. Diamond gifts are also the go to gifts not just at Christmas but are also great anniversary gifts or for engagements. Diamonds are a girl's best friend. The following are what to keep in mind when buying diamonds.

Proper research is required before any diamond purchase. A diamond purchase should never be rushed and a little research is required to learn about each piece that you are considering.

First Diamonds

Over 2800 years ago, the first diamonds were mined in India. The stones mined today are very old - at least 900 million years old. The oldest diamond is documented as being over 3 billion years old. No two stones are alike. Diamonds are each entirely unique.

Buying Diamonds - The 4 "C's"

The 4 "C's" are used by jewelers to determine the value of a diamond. Learning what these 4 "C's" will help you get the most value for your money especially if you have started looking for a Christmas gift or an anniversary gift.

1. Clarity

The clarity signifies how clear the diamond is when you look though it. Most diamonds have some level of flaws or inclusions although some of these may not be easily seen without a jeweler's magnifier. A perfectly clear diamond is very rare. When you are looking for the perfect diamond jewelry present, determine if you can see any dark spots in the stone.

2. Cut

The cut describes how the angles on the gemstone are set by an artisan to ensure the best light reflection. We all like a diamond with great sparkle and the cut determines the level of sparkle. A well cut gemstone shows how beautiful the gemstone is and will be more valuable than a poorly cut gemstone. It will not be as shiny or brilliant.

3. Carat

It makes sense that larger diamonds will cost more that smaller diamonds even if the amount of total carats is the same. A single one carat diamond will cost more that two diamonds set in a ring that add up to one carat because larger size diamonds are much harder to find and are highly valued when found. Diamonds lose almost half their size when they are cut.

4. Color

Color is a personal choice although colorless or white diamonds which are very rare and are highly valued are more expensive. The various colors that diamonds come in include green, yellow, pink, blue, etc.

Appraisal

You need to know how to read certificates that come with the gemstones that describe the various details of the diamonds that you purchase. Any diamonds that you purchase should come with an appraisal. You can even have a diamond that you purchase appraised by another jeweler to confirm or refute the validity of the appraisal that you received. There are also various independent jewelry appraisal organizations. If a jeweler can provide an appraisal performed by these independent organizations, this is an ideal situation.

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Gift Giving Tips and Ideas

Giving gifts has become a part of our social life. We celebrate every special occasion of our lives with parties and gift-giving. Gift-giving is always associated with occasions. We give gift according to what the occasion or celebration is. If it's a birthday, we give gifts that the birthday celebrant likes. If it's a wedding, we give gifts that both the couple can use. If it's Valentine's Day, we give flowers and/or chocolates.

If we give gifts, we must also consider the preferences of the receiver. If the receiver has a passion for gadgets, you can give gifts like mobile phone, laptop, mp3 player, portable DVD player and other gadgets. If the receiver likes trinkets and crafty things, you can give her a set of beads, craft book and/or craft tools as gift. If the receiver has a passion for music, know what kind of musical instruments he like and give it accordingly...you must not get wrong with this one, a guitarist can appreciate it if you give him a new guitar than a new keyboard.

If the receiver loves jewelries, you must also know what kind of jewelry she prefers. Does she like to wear bracelets than necklaces? Or does she loves stud earrings than chandelier ones? Or does she love wearing chunky bangles than simple bracelets?

Of course, every receiver must appreciate the gifts they receive...as what the saying goes, "it's the thought that counts" but it is also much better if we give them gifts according to what they like. Also remember that our gifts vary according to whom we are giving gifts to and of course, our budget. If you're buying gifts with a tight budget, you can still make the receiver happy by giving him/her other alternative gifts. If the receiver likes to receive an expensive set of beads but you don't have a budget to buy that gift, you can still opt to give her a book about beads instead. Of course, a book is not what she really wanted to receive for now but it is still related to her preferences and passion in beads. This also applies to jewelries. If the receiver wanted to receive elegant chandelier diamond earrings but you don't have a budget for its expensive price, you can still give her studded diamond earrings instead. It is much cheaper but hey, it's still diamond and it still looks elegant! And no woman can say no to diamonds, right?

Now, since we are talking about diamonds, don't you know that there are many diamond gift ideas out there? You just have to be resourceful to find them. When I say diamond gift ideas, they are those gifts that have diamonds in it. They don't have to be diamond jewelries but they can also be in the form of corporate gifts with diamonds. You can give a diamond watch, or a key holder with diamonds or a diamond paper weight. Whatever gift you give, they can all look great and elegant if they have diamond details.

If you want to give diamond jewelry, you also have to be aware if the jewelry will look good on the person you are giving it to. Diamond choker necklace will look wonderful on a person with long neck while women with shorter neck will look stunning in long necklaces. If you want to give earrings but not sure how will it look on the person you are giving to, you can be safe by giving her classic earrings like diamond stud earrings. Classic diamond stud earrings will look great on anyone. Be it princess cut diamond earrings or round diamond earrings, they still look stunning on anybody and they can be a perfect gift for any occasion.

Other stunning and exquisite diamond jewelries are diamond rings and diamond pendants. From a classic solitaire pendant to elaborate diamond pendant, they can still glam up any simple necklace. Nothing can be more stunning and exquisite than diamond jewelries.

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Getting a Diamond Gift For Your Girlfriend - The Facts You Must Know

If you decide to buy diamond as a gift for your girlfriend, care must be taken during the selection process. Diamonds are beautiful jewelries, and they are also investment, as the value of diamonds holds over the years. A diamond is certified by laboratories by its color, cut, clarity and carat. This certificate is the key to identify the value of the diamond, a must have in diamond purchases. Nowadays, people might like to shop online for its convenience and the competitive pricing, see our advice here for choosing diamond vendors to reduce the chance of being scammed.

The color of the diamond will determine how much light that can go through the gemstone. You can see more sparkles from a colorless diamond, and therefore its higher value compared to other colored diamond. The reflection quality of a diamond depends on its cut. Diamonds are mostly cut with fifty-eight facets. It is the different angles and finishes of the cuts that give the diamond the ability to brilliantly reflect the lights. A bad cut can affect the durability of the diamond, causing it to break unpredictably. A too thin a cut will cause the light to escape the diamond and lose its shine. The clarity of a diamond is very important in determining its value.

Inclusions of different sizes might occur during a diamond's formation process, they reduce the clarity of a diamond and its ability to reflect lights. A flawless diamond is rare and therefore is more expensive. The perfect clarity of a diamond has to be validated by a skilled diamond grader under a 10-power magnification microscope. The weight of a diamond is measured in carats. One carat is equivalent to 200 milligrams. The smaller measure of a diamond is called points, a carat has 100 points. So if you get a one and a half carat diamond, it has 150 points.

Now you have an idea of the criteria of selecting a diamond, you can first go to the store, and deciding what shapes and sizes that you might like. Compare the prices on similar diamonds across the stores. A diamond is not brand dependent; you have to look into its certificate. A diamond grading report, or commonly known as a diamond certificate, comes from Gemological Institute of America (GIA). It certifies the color, cut, clarity and the weight of the diamond. GIA is independent of the jewelers. It issues the birth certificate of the diamond. You have to pay for it sometimes, it shouldn't cost much, it authenticates your diamond and it is important to have for reselling. You can check whether you are overpaying by looking at the information on the certificate. If you decide to insure your diamond, you need to present your certificate.

You can choose to shop for your diamond online, there are more choices, and you can get better pricing. However, care must be taken in making the purchase, so you don't lose your money. Once you have decided on a diamond, you need to check on the seller's credentials. Do some research on the customer reviews about the seller on the internet, find out whether there is any consumer complaint with the Better Business Bureau? What about the seller's policies on returns, refunds, and upgrade services? It is also important to find out whether the purchase price includes any additional services such as mounting, sizing, and free shipping. Before you make the payment, ask for a diamond grading report from an independent laboratory such as the GIA, HRD, EGL or AGS.

You can use a reputable escrow service if the purchase involves a large sum of money. Some escrow services could provide appraisal on the diamonds. Once they validate the true value of the diamond, they will complete the transaction by sending the merchandise to you, and releasing the fund to the seller. Diamond is the most beautiful gift you can give your girlfriend. Hopefully you find this article useful in helping you to purchase a diamond gift for your girlfriend. Go on and amaze her with the beautiful diamond.

Visit Gift for Girlfriend for more information.

Vivien Wu is passionate in helping people finding the right gifts for their girlfriends and their friends and families. Comes see the latest ideas on gifting at http://www.giftsforgirlfriend.biz

How To Buy Birthday Gifts For A Woman

If you ask your lady friend what she wants for her birthday you probably won't get a straight answer from her. The best thing to do is to avoid her advice on this. Usually she will tell you something different than what she is feeling. What she really wants is for you to surprise her with a great gift and shower her with love.

Think about it, should I buy her that or not? If you go shopping with your girlfriend then you will need to pay close attention to the small hints she may offer up. She might say something like, those are absolutely beautiful. They are too much, I'll pass. Sometimes she might hint at something out of your budget, so it is best to avoid it and keep listening. You might run in to a case where the same item is priced differently because it is slightly different, please hesitate to buy it. Giving her perfume seems to be a popular choice since it is something she can use all the time.

DIY presents are a great way to save money that you don't have, just make sure it looks decent. How about organizing a special date to get professional photographs together? Women always love letters so that is another option. Make sure that you using writing rather than a printer. The neatness of your writing doesn't matter because it is the thought that counts.

A diamond gift is a perfect idea. A diamond necklace or set of earrings would suit the occasion perfectly. Don't choose anything too crazy and try to stick with gold or silver since they are classic colors adored by everyone around the world. You shouldn't give her a ring if you don't want to make a wedding proposal. A ring is often seen as a marriage proposition.

Think of a special time when you were together and she was most happy. Think about a specific date that she often speaks about and take her there with surprises waiting. She will absolutely love it. Don't drag her somewhere that she isn't going to enjoy. You could pamper her all day and treat her as if she were the queen of the world.

Don't be scared about trying to please her, you should know all of the little things that she likes and dislikes. She will like a personalized gift since she will be able to cherish it in her heart. Ensure that the gift won't create tension or unwanted feelings and you will be set.

If she is a wild girl then maybe a zebra print comforter or zebra print bedding would bring a smile to her face. Just make sure that she can match it with her current bedroom setting.