The Great Expert Blog

This Xmas demonstrate to your dearest ones how much you love them with a stunning matching set of jewelry from John Hardy. The range of collections offered in silver is so large that you can be quite sure of finding a great piece for even those individuals who are invariably tough to please. Thus — avoid any disappointment this Xmas - since you can be sure they’re going to be delighted with a gift from any John Hardy collection!

The gentlemen’s jewelry ranges include numerous different pieces in silver and gold. Whilst still maintaining the same unique attention to detail associated with John Hardy, this collection features a heavier feel and a more masculine design. So, this holiday season choosing a gift will not cause you any problems. No matter which style of jewelry a woman might favor, this original jeweler has something wonderful that will suit every taste. Classic items are offered in the range and are suited to women who go for timeless elegance. For the positively daring woman, there is a range of bolder styles. Whichever it shall be, all of the ladies’ ranges have cuffs, earrings suitable for day wear and evening wear and a variety of lengths of chains. What about the kids? John Hardy has a phenomenal range of children’s jewelry. Apart from the size, every item has been produced to the same unrivalled quality as any other adult piece by John Hardy. Bracelets, small earrings and pendants are just a few of the gift ideas for kids.

It’s invariably awkward to select a really special gift for a infant. So, this year, the wonderful goblets, christening spoons or rattles made by this designer jeweler are stunning options. The Bamboo collection is perfect for anyone who would like to make ecologically aware gift choices. When an individual purchases anything from this innovative range, some of the sale is used to plant sustainable crops in the South Pacific islands. Every item is separately marked with the amount of young bamboo plants planted before shipping. This initiative has a vast selection of items to suit every taste, so it’s easy to please your friends and family and do your bit for the planet too. So be sure you check out the marvelous collections on offer from John Hardy and make your shopping trip simple this holiday season.

Earrings come in many forms, and the complexity of the style reflects the sophistication of the wearer’s taste. One of the most elegant and complex designs is the chandelier cut. Chandelier earrings - as they are simply called - are a more complicated variant of the drop earrings, which are usually made of just one stone or material. Chandelier earrings may be a mix of two or more stones, or an elaborate web of stones and metal. They are longer than drop earrings and often reach far down the neck area without touching the shoulders.

“Chandelier” in itself sounds bulky and reminds one of the heavy cascading lights in party halls and fancy ballrooms. But take the bulk out of the equation, get the shape and apply it to fine threads of silver or gold, and you’ll have unique and exotic pieces of jewelry guaranteed to cast light upon the most formal occasion!

The beauty of chandelier earrings is attributed to how it accentuates the length of the neck. The subtle swaying of the jewelry also creates a hypnotic, almost melodic effect. Chandelier earrings are perfect complements to evening gowns and cocktail dresses, clothes that emphasize feminine curves and lend grace to languid movements.

Celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Sandra Bullock, Julienne Moore and Jennifer Lopez have been known to wear signature chandelier earrings at public events. The ever-popular J-Lo, especially, has appeared in many a music video with different cascade-style ear ornaments.

In fact, earrings such as this could be considered an indispensable part of formal wear. No jewelry collection is complete without at least a pair of elegant chandelier earrings. For those special occasions where a woman must look and feel especially sophisticated and ladylike, she should consider wearing flowing jewelry. She will find to her delight that it is a true sensual experience, as much as it is a stunning visual treat.

Sam Serio is an Internet Marketer, musician and a writer on the subject of jewelry and gemstones. For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of “How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off.” This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at www.morninglightjewelry.com.

From pocket watch to a fashion accessory. What was once, in the earliest years of portable watches, considered to be unsuitable for gentlemen and only for ladies, has grown today into a fashion utensil that everyone has. Meanwhile, the wristwatch is no longer just a tool to tell which time it is. It is a designer piece and can indicate much more than the time.

A great deal of mechanics in a small housing

The first confirmable portable timepiece was constructed in 1500. This was not a wristwatch, but more of a pocket watch. Through technical advance, which made it possible for people to house mechanics in an increasingly smaller space, the required parts of the clockworks were able to be brought into a manageable form. In this way, the first pocket watch was born, which at the time was still the size of an egg.

The computerized wrist watch from Japan

A totally different watch came onto the market in the 1970’s from Japan, which had built its own watch industry. The new wrist watch from Japan was no more set on a mechanical basis, but on a computerized control. This wrist watch extended its range of capacity quickly. The wristwatch no longer just showed the time. The small timepiece on the wrist now also knew the date, the day of the week and even knew whether a leap year was involved.

The wristwatch as jewelry

Nowadays, the wristwatch is no longer just a watch. The wrist watch has turn into a fashion accessory. Wristwatches come in all colors and shapes conceivable. One can also get compatible watches from every fashion collection. The current watches are dominated by the correct fashion trends. Despite these various trends, there is something for every taste. The tiny watches, which need spectacles to tell the time, and the extravagant large watches, which make it hard to walk upright. In any case, one thing is sure: science is still likely to make so much progress - that the wristwatch will be seen on the wrists of people for a long time, to respond to the question as to what time it is.

Diamond clarity and diamond cuts are two of the most important qualities you should look for when buying diamonds.

Diamond clarity refers to the defects a diamond may have. Most diamonds have some kind of defect; only a rare few are flawless. The defects of a diamond can be either internal or on the surface. If the defect is internal it’s called an inclusion; if it’s on the surface it’s called a blemish.

Depending on how many inclusions there are, how big they are, what color they are, where they’re located and how well they’re seen, a diamond’s value may or may not be affected. When you’re looking at a diamond ask the jeweler what the clarity grade is and ask to see it under the loupe. The grade will tell you more about the clarity and the loupe will allow you to see the diamond under a greater magnification.

Diamond cuts are just as important, if not more important than diamond clarity when it comes to buying diamonds. The cut of a diamond refers to its shape as well as the symmetry, angles, polishing, and proportions of the diamond.

Diamond cuts depend greatly on the skill and patience of the diamond cutter. Some diamond cutters are willing to do their best every time hence a much more beautiful diamond. But if he starts getting sloppy the quality of diamond will decline.If a diamond is cut properly it will refract the light that enters it right back through the top. If the angles are cut properly the light reflected back at you will make for a beautiful, sparkly diamond.

Diamond cuts also include the Polish of a diamond. Polish marks are caused by the polishing wheel used by the diamond cutter. They’ve been described as looking like streaks on a window after it’s just been cleaned. Each diamond will have a polish grade to tell how large or small the flaw is. These polish marks are important because if they are extremely visible they take away from the transparency of the diamond.

When looking at the diamond cuts grade you should go for excellent or very good. Each of these cuts is considered to be beautiful and not too pricey.

The best value, when it comes to diamond clarity, is: slightly included, and very slightly included diamond grades. These grades mean that the diamonds have a slight inclusion but nothing that’s going to take away from the beauty of the diamond.

So…you’ve been looking to purchase a quality tanzanite on the internet and you need some help determining what characteristics you should be looking for in a quality gem. This article is intended as a resource to help guide you through a successful tanzanite purchase by avoiding many of the common pitfalls that some consumers become entangled. These pitfalls can often leave a sour taste in your mouth and make you a little head-shy about purchasing tanzanite online.

I am aware that several of our happy tanzanite clients have had bad previous tanzanite purchasing experiences, and some, in my opinion, were downright awful. The common themes in their communications include:

Didn’t really “know” the seller as good as I should have…

Color in hand was significantly different than the image shown online…

Didn’t read the “fine print”…

Wanted to return the tanzanite and the seller charged a hefty re-stocking fee…

Didn’t understand the importance of clarity, tone, hue and saturation before making my tanzanite purchase…

And the list goes on and on… If you have not been through an experience like this, either you’re a really web-savvy consumer or you have just been plain lucky. Many tanzanite consumers have thrown a lot of their hard-earned dollars into gems that are of significantly less value than the money they have spent. This is unfortunate for them and quite disappointing to the “good guys” within the gemstone industry.

How many times have you wanted to know that you are making the correct assessment of a potential tanzanite that you intend to purchase online? I have been asked this question frequently and I am amazed that a large percentage of consumers simply do not do the necessary homework before making a buying decision. Certainly not due to the lack of credible resources that are available to the consumer, many people simply let the “want” of an immediate purchase get ahead of their good judgment.

Let’s start with a generic list of things to consider in the process of making a tanzanite purchase. The “generic list” includes such items as the “5 W’s,” namely, Who, What, Where, Why, When. If your inquiry covers several or even all of these questions, you have made a good start in obtaining the necessary information you need in making a wise purchasing decision on your next tanzanite.

Who you are considering doing business with and where they are located can tell you much about a tanzanite retailer. Is the tanzanite retailer headquartered domestically or are they a foreign company with an online presence? This fact is generally known/disclosed at the time you make payment, but not always. The whole foreign vs. domestic issue is another discussion altogether, but you need to decide in your own mind what you’re most comfortable with. Some foreign companies use a domestic mail drop to ship their tanzanites. On the surface, they appear to be a domestic company, which would willingly submit to FTC rules and regulations, many of which protect you as the consumer, but some foreign companies couldn’t care less about these guidelines. So, it never hurts to ask the question. This will help you to avoid the smoke-and-mirrors game that many foreign sellers implement in their marketing strategy. I know of one company, in particular, marketing gemstones that has many concurrent reincarnations, as I like to call them, on the internet at the same time. They have many websites, all with different looks, and sell essentially from the same inventory. While this type of masked marketing is not in and of itself “bad” nor “dishonest,” it sure makes it difficult to get the answer to these first couple of questions and creates confusion for many tanzanite buyers. Who am I considering doing business with and where are they located? You might want to cat around on google a bit to find available information and maybe even get some references. Testimonials and referrals represent a major portion of our business and we willingly share our customer references/experiences on our site to make our reputation “real” for would-be clients. Good stuff! So, understanding who you are about to do business with and where they are located provides you with a foundation of knowledge from which to proceed in the process of obtaining your first/next tanzanite.

The What question may be answered by simply taking a look at the overall quality range of tanzanites the retailer is offering on their site. Does the tanzanite retailer carry low-grade tanzanites, high-grade, or a broad range of quality? This should speak volumes to you. There are many retailers that simply carry the lower grades of tanzanite for a cheap price and show out the best of these grades as top-quality stones. When you view the pictures of these stones, you may think you are looking at “AAA” color, relative to other tanzanites listed, when in fact you may still looking at run-of-the-mill tanzanites that may be slotted a bit higher in the color range than the others. And yes, there are a LOT of these types of stones available for around $300/ct by a growing number of vendors. The statements regarding the quality of this material are often exaggerated and the pictures on these stones may not even be close to representing the actual item. Caveat Emptor, which is a Latin phrase meaning: “Buyer Beware!” Good advice for us all. Other considerations related to What include a thorough understanding of the retailer’s “fine print.”

The Why question is really self-explanatory…. because you want to own a quality tanzanite. Right? In addition, you probably want to try to understand why the company, whose tanzanite you are viewing, is in the tanzanite business. What I mean by this is…other than the obvious reason, to sell a product for a profit, do they appear to have a good business interest in tanzanite or does the seller just offer it as another line of gemstones on their site. Your interests would be best served by shopping with a retailer that has a good stake and large general emphasis in tanzanite. This will provide you with your best chance at viewing a nice collection of gems from which to choose and competitive pricing. Additionally, I recommend that you purchase from sellers that are more than happy to work with you on a custom order. If they are hesitant to do this, it may mean that they are getting their tanzanite from other retailers (vs. a tanzanite sightholder or supplier) and don’t want to mess with an order like yours because they simply can’t turn around a custom order quickly. It is then possible for you to find yourself purchasing a stone which is only close to what you really desire. Why settle for something “close” when you are getting ready to drop a chunk of hard-earned change on a tanzanite?

And finally, the When question deals with such inquiries as: When will my order ship and by what method (carrier)? Are there any extra fees when shipping gemstones? When do you restock your tanzanite inventory? When is the best time of year to purchase? You get the idea. By asking these types of questions, you get to know your retailer better and can pave the way for a long-term, successful relationship with your tanzanite dealer.

In summary, it is important that you have a good understanding of the company from which you wish to make a gemstone purchase AND their quality and price are in keeping with your overall expectations. In our company’s experience, we have found it amazing how much repeat business we have done with our valued clients over the years by simply providing answers to these basic questions.

Hopefully, you will make many wise tanzanite purchases in the days, months and years to come. Tanzanite is a truly incredible gemstone, but you owe it to yourself to get the facts FIRST before adding a gorgeous tanzanite to your collection. I encourage you to put this “purchasing model” in place to avoid the common pitfalls and disappointments of making incorrect buying decisions on your next tanzanite purchase.

john

John McQueen is a long-time rockhound, lapidarist (gem faceter), internet entrpreneur and acclaimed freelance writer on various topics related to the gemstone and jewelry industry. For more information on purchasing fine tanzanite and other quality gemstones and jewelry on the internet, please visit his site at: www.eTanzanite.com

If you are ring shopping you may be thinking gold, or possibly platinum, but a titanium ring may not have crossed your mind. More and more brides and grooms as well as people who like to wear jewelry in general are turning to titanium as their metal of choice. A titanium ring is durable, strong, practical, and most importantly, great looking. Especially if you are looking for a ring to symbolize eternity, you cannot go wrong with titanium.

A huge advantage that a titanium ring has over some of the other, softer metals is that it will not wear down, get scratches or bend easily. People who do a lot of work with their hands or work with heavy equipment while wearing a ring will appreciate this feature.

Some people have very sensitive skin and are not even able to wear gold jewelry without discomfort because it is an allergen to them. But, a titanium ring is even more hypoallergenic than a gold ring and jewelers are recommending them to their customers who have had skin problems in the past.

One of the fun and more unique features of titanium is that it can be colored. You can have your titanium ring made in black, gold, copper, or even red or blue. It is really up to you, so you can be as creative as you like.

A concern that many people have with putting a stone in a ring is that the brackets will come loose and the stone will be lost. You can have your stone in a titanium ring set with a tension setting which essentially “squeezes” the stone in the brackets. Because the titanium ring is hard the brackets will not loosen. Some people choose to have matching stones put around the entire ring, while some have several multi-colored stones or a single stone setting.

Engraving, etchings, and inlays of different metals or different colored titanium are also easy to do in the hard titanium and they will not wear down like on some gold rings. Titanium also does not tarnish.

If you are interested in other types of titanium jewelry like earrings, bracelets and necklaces you will find a wide selection available with the same contemporary styling as the rings.

Where can you find titanium jewelry? If you go online you will find a number of different sources where you can get a good idea of what is available on the market. Take a look.

Eriani Doyel writes articles about Jewelry and Merchandise. If you would like to know more about a titanium ring visit flring.com

Any type of jewellery, gold, silver, diamonds, gemstones or alloys, tends to worn next to the skin and will therefore become covered with oily debris formed by dead skin cells. Dust and grit them becomes clogged into this. Also if you wear a ring when doing the washing up and do not wear rubber gloves, a greasy film will coat the backs of any stones and the inside of settings.

Most gold jewellery can be cleaned in warm, soapy water and gently brushed using an old toothbrush. Eighteen carat gold and above does not usually become tarnished and is not harmed by household chemicals. Lower carat gold is easily damaged by chlorine based bleach and cleaning products, which can cause stress corrosion cracking.

Platinum can be cleaned in the same way as the high carat golds. The patina that develops over a period of time can be removed by a professional jeweller who will repolish it back to its original high gloss look.

Silver tarnishes easily and the only effective way to clean it is by using proprietary silver cleaning solutions such as a silver dip.

Jewellery manufacturers use ultrasonic cleaning tanks which are a mixture of ammonia and detergent with the ultrasonics providing agitation to speed up the cleaning process. Many jewellery stores now sell small ultrasonic domestic cleaners, but experience has shown they are on a par with the warm, soapy water method and no more effective.

It is very difficult to damage diamonds because of their hardness, but take great care that two do not rub together as they can scratch and cause abrasion to each other. Caked on grease and other dirt on the backs of the stones should be removed with warm soapy water and an old toothbrush, rinsed and dried with a lint free cloth. Also make sure that your diamond jewellery is stored in a jewellery case and individually wrapped.

Gemstones should be treated in the same way as diamonds. But take care when cleaning any sort of stone set jewellery that you do not do this in a washbasin or sink as if any stones loosen they will go straight down the drain.

Gary Ingram runs The Diamond Store.co.uk.
An online store that provides advice on keeping and owning all kinds of Diamond Jewellery.
From specialist Engagement Rings through to advice on how to avoid blood and conflict diamonds

When it comes to estate jewelry there is always much discussion about what is and what is not estate jewelry. The definition is really quite simple. Estate jewelry is jewelry acquired from the estate of another person, who can be living or deceased. The simple definition of estate jewelry is jewelry that is previously owned.

Contrary to what many believe looking good doesn’t have to cost a fortune - just buy estate jewelry! And save plenty!!

There is often much confusion with both dealers and consumer. There is some false myths floating around that estate jewelry is antique jewelry. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Although many pieces of estate jewelry are antique, many pieces are also vintage, retro, or fairly modern. That’s why searching for estate jewelry can result in some terrific buys!

Estate jewelry also does not mean fine jewelry. Estate jewelry can be costume or fine and is found both ways.

Throughout the ages and even today a perfect gift for a woman was a piece of jewelry. There is also a distinction made of women who wear jewelry. It seems to set them a class above other women. Why has never been determined. It’s simply been a cultural norm for centuries.

We often take our clues as to jewelry popularity by watching what the celebrities are wearing. Next time you are watching television take note of how many pieces of jewelry the stars are wearing that are from another era. Celebrities are very fond of estate jewelry!

Antique jewelry is normally classed as jewelry that is pre 1920, while art deco, vintage, and retro are often grouped together and denote the era from the 1920s to the 1950s. Estate jewelry can be from any of these eras.

If you are looking for classic jewelry like your grandmother may have worn consider searching jewelry sites that sell antique and estate jewelry. If you are collecting jewelry you should pay special attention to the estate jewelry sites who have a wide range of designer marked pieces. Collecting can be expensive so make sure to set a budget.

If you are looking to complete your wardrobe and hate looking like everyone else, estate jewelry is an excellent choice. Here you will find variety and beautiful pieces from many different time periods. The chances of finding another wearing the exact same jewelry piece as you are drastically reduced.

You can look unique and stand out from the crowd with estate jewelry. You also can choose between fine jewelry and costume jewelry. The prices are very reasonable and the costume jewelry of past eras has a much higher quality than modern costume jewelry.

The designs and styles were more highly refined and much classier. Costume jewelry of past eras was designed not only for the general population but also for the rich and famous. Many design ideas were inspired from fine jewelry pieces of the era.

So the next time you are looking to add glamour and sophistication to your wardrobe remember to have a quick search on line for estate jewelry. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with your options!
See I told you looking good doesn’t have to cost a fortune!

Sher from Estate Jewelry International has been serving customers for over 20 years, providing fashion, jewelry, and wedding help. Please visit us at www.estatejewelryinternational.com/

Sterling silver is a whitish gray colored metal. This metal is considerably less expensive compared to metals such as gold, platinum and titanium. Compared to metals like gold, titanium and platinum, silver is a much softer metal. It does not have the hardness that the other metals do. However, silver is not usually preferred as a wedding ring as silver is more prone to oxidization compared to other metals. This can sometimes cause the silver to turn black. Silver wedding bands are usually preferred if it is best worn as dress jewelry, worn occasionally over the weekends. It is not generally recommended for everyday wear and is therefore not recommended for a wedding ring.

Silver also scratches very easily. Even though gold also scratches silver is still the most susceptible to scratches compared to gold. Compared to silver and gold, titanium and platinum are more scratch resistant. However, silver polished wedding bans can easily be re-polished at a local jeweler. It is suggested to get the rings polished about each 12 months to keep them looking their best. Sterling silver men’s wedding bands are available in simple models as well as in a variety of designs. Silver rings can have a textured ring finish such as a satin finish texture or can be engraved. A textured finish or a detailed engraved ring can help to lessen the appearance of scratching from wear.

Silver wedding bands can be found in comfort fit so as to keep the wearer comfortable. Also, these comfort fit wedding bands can slide easily without injuring the skin in the process. Silver rings can be cut of from the fingers very easily in case of emergencies. This is because the metal is highly malleable and soft.

Mens Wedding Bands provides detailed information about men’s wedding bands, men’s diamond wedding bands, men’s gold wedding bands and more. Mens Wedding Bands is affiliated with Moissanite Rings.

The diamond can be selected first or last, there is no right or wrong order. Some people prefer to choose their diamonds first and then find a setting that will accentuate its beauty. Others choose to pick out the setting initially and then search for a diamond, or diamonds, that will adorn that setting. And there are still others that find it much easier to buy a diamond engagement ring that is already finished completely.

Diamonds all look beautiful. Even cheap diamonds can look elegant and classy. If you want your diamond engagement ring to look as elegant as you’ve always dreamed it would be the most important thing is to locate a fine setting. It’s this choice of setting that will determine whether the finished product is a worthy purchase. Your choice of diamonds and setting is very important because ideally you won’t get a second chance at choosing your diamond engagement ring.

Many women choose diamond engagement rings that have three stone settings. These rings will usually include one center diamond and two smaller offset diamonds. Three stone settings are very popular and can include either prong or bezel settings which can be made of 14k or 18k yellow gold, white gold or platinum.

Some women prefer classic solitaire settings that may include 4 to 6 prongs, bezel or cathedral settings. There is a wide assortment of solitaire settings. As a general rule the more prongs you have the safer the diamond engagement ring sets. You certainly don’t want to lose a diamond because one of the prongs breaks off. So this is something to consider when choosing your setting.

When shopping for a diamond it’s important to purchase a certified stone. A certified diamond has been evaluated by an independent expert that will give it a quality rating for its cut, color, clarity and carats. This is the surest way to purchase a high quality diamond. After finding a center diamond and complimentary diamonds to your liking the next step is to find that beautiful setting you’ve always dreamed of.

Another thing to consider when shopping for a diamond engagement ring is the current trend. Many women will end up purchasing a style of ring that is currently popular only to find out 10 years later that it’s no longer in style. You have to remember that this wedding ring will be worn forever hopefully so choosing a classic style may be more to your liking.

It’s also smart to consider the practicality of the engagement ring. If you plan on wearing the ring daily it may be wise to purchase a sturdier ring that can withstand the daily rigors of your job or activities. You should determine the amount of wear and tear your ring will endure and select a ring that is up to the punishment.

Other things to consider are the metal your wedding band or engagement ring will be made from. Some women prefer the look of yellow gold while others prefer white gold. Some forego gold altogether and go with platinum, a very popular style these days. Or you can go with a combination, a two-tone gold with some yellow and some white. It’s purely a personal preference.

But something to consider is that two-tone gold may be easier to match with other jewelry that you may wear. Another question that brides-to-be often have a hard time deciding is whether or not they should buy a name brand ring or not. It’s usually fairly easy to find comparable rings cheaper if you do not go with a name brand. On the other hand it’s sometimes nice to be able to flaunt an expensive name brand ring. The choice is yours.

This article is brought to you by My Diamond Engagement Ring, an online source for qualitysolitaire diamond engagement ring settings. For more information please visit My Diamond Engagement Ring.