The Collectibles Store Blog

From cushion cut diamond engagement ring. Gemstones are the more expensive component of any piece of Jewelry. Actually, it’s the Gemstone that identifies the Jewelry, like a “Gem ring”, an “emerald necklace” or a “ruby brooch”. 

How to Price Diamonds

Gems are generally expensive and are bought not only for decorative use but for investments too. Some very expensive pieces of Jewellery are bought mainly as an investment and they stay in the vault for safekeeping most of the time. How can a buyer or investor know that the Jewellery is worth its price tag? What or who determines Diamond pricing? 

The following are factors that dictate or determine the price or value of Gemstones: 

1. Cost of the raw material to be cleaned, cut, and  polished to produce a valuable and attractive gem. The skill of the cutter is very important to keep waste to a minimum and therefore produce a better yield. 

2. Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat Weight 

The 4C’s are popularly associated with Diamonds but they are also applicable in assessing other gems. Here are tips in using the 4C’s
Color: The general rule is, the brighter and more vivid the color, the better. 
Clarity: In the case of Gemstones, a piece  without any visible flaws is the most valuable. The less inclusions, the better. However, there are exemptions, where inclusions give more value. In a cat’s eye, the reflection of inclusions puts the “eye”. Inclusions may also tell the origin of the Diamond.
Cut: In Gems, the angles and depth of the cut are factors for its brilliance.  
Carat: The carat, which is one-fifth of a gram is the unit by which Gems are sold, not by its size. 

3. Rarity: As with other items, if it is rare or limited in quantity, the seller can demand a higher price. 

4. Buyer’s Taste: Yes, the Gemstone should be worth its price but the buyer may choose one simply because it will look good on him or her. 

The above bases in pricing are subjective but there are organizations who can perform objective assessments based on scientific methods of testing. Certification is issued based on the test results. Some of the widely-recognized are the following: 

1. Gemological Institute of America (GIA)
2. American Gemological Society (AGS)
3. American Trade Laboratory of the American Gem Trade Association
4. American Gemological Laboratories (AGL)
5. European Gemological Laboratory (EGL)

For Gems, there are organizations of those involved in their trading that issue pricing guides regularly. 

Gems are worthwhile investments if the buyer knows how and where to get his or her money’s worth.

For more see cheap diamond solitaire engagement rings and affordable emerald cut engagement rings.

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From: solitaire engagement ring. They say that gem stones are a girls’ bestfriend, then you would have to care for your bestfriend right? It’s so great to have beautiful diamond jewelry which you can use for special and formal occasions.  Although, diamonds are hard stones, it is still important to care for them to avoid any kind of scratches or damage.  

Here are some things to keep in mind when caring for your precious stones.

– It is best to avoid wearing your diamonds or gave them stained with oil, beaching liquid, or whenever you are doing heavy work.  These may affect the lustre of your stone, metal bands and may even damage the texture.  Bleach and other chemicals may discolour the metal bands. 

– When keeping or storing your gems, separate it from other jewelries.  It may scratch your other stones.  Keep your diamonds individually packed since it can also be scratched by another gem stone.  If you cannot provide a box or you would have to store your jewelry in one box, then you could use cloth pouches or plastic sealing bags to keep them separately.  Just make sure that the jewels are perfectly dry to avoid any moisture formation. 

– gem stone settings need to be checked.  You could take it to your favourite jeweller every year to check on the prong or the settings.  If they are loose, then your jeweller could make repairs immediately.  You could take it every six months to the jeweller, some would have their stones checked yearly. 

– Clean your diamond jewelry every month.  Its shine and brilliance could get affected by the oils and fats that it is exposed to.  The oils and fats could be from your skin or from your cosmetics.  You could always get a professional to clean it for you.  

– You could cleanse your jewelry at home.  Just drop it in tepid water with some liquid soap and brush it with a soft-bristled toothbrush.   Use a strainer when taking it out of the water to make sure that you are not losing any stone.  Rinse it carefully with lukewarm water and dry it. Make sure to completely dry it since water could tarnish the bands and weaken the clasps.  

– You could get ammonia mixture cleansers from your jeweller.

– Aside from bleach, chemicals and fats, extreme temperatures can also be harmful to your jewelry.  It could cause some damage on the jewel’s cement or can fracture the gemstones. 

– Avoid wearing your diamond jewelries when participating in sport activities or swimming.  

– diamonds that were altered may need a different kind of care.  There are some diamond jewelries that have undergone treatment.  There are some stones that have been fractured before and were treated with epoxies.  Epoxies could melt in intense heat and eventually cause your diamond to fracture again. You could ask your trusted jeweller if your diamond jewelries have been altered in any way. 

Always keep in mind that your diamond jewelries are indeed the hardest stone, but it does not mean that they will be able to last forever given that you are not taking care of it properly.  Proper caring would surely make the shine last for a long time, even forever.

For more see round diamond solitaire engagement rings and heart diamond engagement rings.

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From discount diamond solitaire engagement ring. If you are aiming to get a lucrative source of income through commission, why not try selling Gemstones? If you are familiar with the basic marketing strategies and the know-hows of Gemstones and Jewelry, then, don’t hesitate to get into action and earn from convincing people to buy Gemstones. 

There is not much added skills needed when trying to sell Gems. Aside from the basic marketing skills, a knack and genuine interest of Gemstones will truly be important. As you talk potential buyers and customers into purchasing an item, you should exude confidence and should create an impression that you are genuinely interested and well versed about the items you are selling. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be successful and you would eventually fail.

Here are some practical tips that would be helpful as you aim to sell precious Gemstones.

– If you are aiming to sell your own Diamonds, make sure to sell the items at premiums over your purchase investments. Diamonds’ values don’t decline over time. On the contrary, they almost always rise. 

– Make use of the basic marketing skills. Talk about the Gems you are selling, its history and some other basic information and trivia about the items. If you succeed in getting and arousing the interest of the prospective client, there is a greater chance that you will close a sales deal.

– Be able to appear authoritative and firm. Create an impression that you won’t give in to any demand to lower or bargain your asking price for any Diamond.

– If carrying Gemstones isn’t safe, bring brochures with you all the time. No matter where you go, you would find that there will always be opportunities to sell your item. Be alert.

– Advertise to promote the effort. You can run ads at local classifieds or promote your products at different online sites. If you can establish a Website to facilitate the selling transaction online, do so to secure convenience and reliability.

With the usually higher valuation of Diamonds, you would eventually have a hard time selling any item. Be patient and scheming in marketing and selling the products you are aiming to dispose. If you exhibit genuine interest and expertise about Gemstones, your selling endeavor will be improved. If potential buyers sense your expertise, you will be able to sell items at higher rates. That would mean higher income on commissions for you.

For more see antique diamond solitaire engagement ring and vintage diamond solitaire rings.

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From round diamond solitaire engagement rings. To set things straight, lets begin with describing loose faceted Gems. This is so that you can understand better the following information on these types of Gems.

A Gem is a precious stone that is of high value because of its beauty, rarity, color and luster especially when already cut. The number of cuts or facets have been calculated to show the maximum brilliance or sparkle of the stone.

Because of the popularity of Gemstones, loose faceted Diamonds are quite in these days. When Gemstones are loose, that means that they aren’t mounted in gold or silver. So why do most people like to buy loose faceted Gemstones? Here are some reasons why you should consider buying precious stones in their loose form.

1. Most people like them loose because they can choose the design they want for their loose stones. Jewelers can be asked to do special settings of loose faceted stones. When you choose the design, you can mix and match different stones and patterns to suit your taste. You can even choose what type of Jewelry you want it set in (i.e. pendant, ring or bracelet).

2. If you dream of having a big-stoned piece of Jewelry and you simply can’t afford it, maybe you could get one if it were loose. Because most of the time, when stones are set in Jewelry already, they come are really expensive. But buying them loose gives you the freedom to set them in designs that are simpler by jewelers that charge lower.

3. If you are a die-hard collector of Gemstones, buying them loose would be the perfect way to obtain them because you can see the stones in their entire splendor. Since all facets are exposed in a loose stone, the maximum brilliance is appreciated. Also, the authenticity is also more visible this way.

4. Aficionados can choose properly between different categories like fancy, cabochon and faceted. If you go for the faceted category, which means the stone has many flat surfaces, you can choose distinctly between the following cuts: round, trillion, square, baguette, pear and marquise.

5. If you are geared towards business, it is important that you buy Gems that are faceted and loose because if you want to buy them as an investment to resell them later on at a higher price, these are the stones that are much easier to sell.

For Diamond buffs such as you, buying Diamonds in their loose and faceted forms is the best way to go. Not only are they cheaper, but the possibilities are endless.

For more see antique cushion cut diamond rings and emerald cut diamond rings for engagements.

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From diamond engagement ring. Jewelry is big business and the real value of any Jewelry is dependent on the Diamond that is part of it. With this in mind, how do buyers know or make sure that they are paying for the real thing? What are the qualities or characteristics to check or watch for to be sure that the Gem is genuine?   

It takes training and the right equipment to determine if a Gemstone is genuine.  The term “genuine ” means that the Diamond doesn’t only look as expected, it should also meet the physical and chemical characteristics unique to that Diamond.  It takes training and the right equipment to determine if a Gemstone is genuine or not and there are testing laboratories to do this job. 

Before going any further, are treated Gemstones still genuine? A treated Gemstone, as long as its molecular structure isn’t altered, can still be the real thing but it is no longer natural. Some Gemstones are treated to enhance their appearance and decorative value.  

What to Check

Yes, there are professionals to perform the tests that determine if a Diamond is genuine or not but it is a valuable asset to any Diamond buyer to know the attributes to be tested. 
The following are the characteristics to check: 
1.0 Chemical composition and atomic structure
The atomic structure is what differentiates Gemstone from other carbon based matter like graphite. The stone’s hardness, and light reflection is dependent on the atomic structure. Gemstones usually have crystalline structures. 
2.0  Hardness and durability
Hardness is reported in a scale of 1 to 10, a method developed by Friedrich Mohs, a German mineralogist. The hardest are Diamonds at (10) and the softest is talc at (1). A Gemstone should have a hardness of no less than 7.
3.0 Other physical properties like the refractive index, dispersion and specific gravity.

Testing Laboratories

The following organizations provide certifications on the results of testing conducted. They also provide training and research services to their members. 

Gemological Institute of America (GIA)
American Gemological Society (AGS) 
American Gem Trade Laboratory  of the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA). AGTA  the largest trade organization of  Diamond traders
American Gemological Laboratories (AGL) 
European  Gemological Laboratory

The true value of any Gem shouldn’t be determined by just the physical appearance. Advancements in science have produced synthetic “Diamonds” which cost just a fraction of the genuine Diamonds. Knowledge is the best protection  against paying for the price of the genuine item and getting a “fake”.

For more please see unique emerald cut diamond engagement rings and diamond solitaire princess ring.

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