American Gem Society Blog

The American Gem Society is a non-profit trade association of fine jewelry professionals dedicated to consumer protection, education, ethics and integrity.


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Emerald: May’s Birthstone

By Anna Samsonova, CGA, Ben Bridge Jewelers

 

The Pantone Color of the Year is making a huge comeback!

 

Often imitated, never duplicated. It’s a phrase that describes emeralds, May’s birthstone, very well. Since the beginning of time emeralds have been a hot commodity. Cleopatra is believed to have had a huge love and admiration for the gemstone, although most of her collection turned out to be peridot.  Roman Emperor Nero is believed to have had sunglasses made of emeralds, however this is unlikely due to their included and cloudy nature.

Nero’s supposed sunglasses were a representation of the stone’s power. Emeralds are mythically believed to help the eyes and open them to the future. Emerald is Spring’s stone; it signifies life force and has been associated with fertility.Loose_Emeralds

Just like many Sapphires are heat treated to improve their appearance, most emeralds are oiled to improve theirs. This type of treatment is a normal and accepted practice in the world colored stone industry, and has been done in the same way for centuries. It is important to take extra care when cleaning your emerald jewelry. Use a soft toothbrush with warm soapy water instead of putting it in an ultrasonic cleaner which can damage or change the oil filling.

Emeralds, like diamonds, have a variety of interesting inclusions that make each stone unique. Their inclusions are sometimes called jardin, meaning garden (French), because when you look under a microscope they can look like beautiful mossy plant-life. These inclusions are not only beautiful, but can also aid in the identification of country of origin.

Most emeralds are now being mined in Columbia, Zambia and Brazil. Up until very recently, there was an Old West atmosphere surrounding the emerald mines in Columbia. Emeralds are very important to their economic structure and people will sometimes kill to get them.

Color is also a very important factor in the world of emeralds. Very slightly bluish green is the richest and most sought after color. All emeralds, regardless of color and inclusions are beautiful in their own way, just like May babies.Emeralds

Click here to find a jeweler near you that sells emerald jewelry!


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My Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

By Denise Chislett, RJ, Underwood Jewelers

 

Everyone wants the best for their Mom! Here are some jewelry gift ideas to help you this Mother’s Day.

 

My Mother is my best friend. She brought me into this world and gave me everything she could, even when I didn’t deserve it (oh, the teenage years!). My Mother didn’t do the best she could for me. She did the BEST. My Mother isn’t a fancy woman. She is beautiful and down to earth. She is simple, elegant and most of all she is one of the funniest people I know. She never had “nice things” when she was growing up and so she appreciates everything from big to small. I bought her a beautiful turquoise and sterling silver necklace for Mother’s Day which will compliment her red hair. Even though it’s only $100, she’ll love and cherish it because it’s from me.

How will you honor your Mom this Mother’s Day? What piece of jewelry will best fit her personality? Here are a few ideas from big to small:

1) For the woman who says don’t get her anything; This woman is humble. She does the dishes, cleans the house, folds your laundry and doesn’t expect a thank-you. Get her something that shows how much you appreciate her and that your world wouldn’t be the same without her. She is the Center of Your Universe. Check out this Forevermark diamond halo pendant by A. Link. They come in a variety of different sizes and price points. She can wear it every day with jeans and keep it on when you take her out to dinner in her little black dress. Like her; it is versatile, simple and elegant. ($4800 below)Center_of_my_Universe_Mothers_Day

2) For the Fashionista: Emerald is the Pantone color of the year. Everyone’s wearing it in Hollywood! Get her a beautiful emerald ring or some chandelier drops emerald earrings (chandeliers are hot right now!). Show her you listen and notice the trends. ($3400 below)Mothers_Day_Gift_Emerald

3) For the sporty Mom: She may drive a mini-van, but she can beat you in an arm-wrestling contest hands down! She’s practical, cute and has a lot of spunk! She likes adventure and trying new things. This woman keeps you on your toes! Check out these “Flavors” bracelets by A. Link. They feature diamonds on a rubber band. She will be sure to stand out at the gym in these! (Pictured below: Chocolate $675, Coconut $895, Orange $675)

Mothers_Day_Flavors_Bracelets

Diamonds are timeless; passed on from generation to generation. Everyone wants the best for their mother because she gave you the best. There is no amount of money or jewelry that can repay the value of love my Mother gave me. This woman took me to countless dance lessons, played Barbie’s with me, gave me a bell when I was sick so she would hear me, taught me how to drive a car, and even took a loan out to send me to New York to train in classical ballet. I wish I could give her everything she gave me. I tell her this all the time and she replies, “Don’t worry, you’ll be changing MY diapers some day!”


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April Birthstone: Diamond

By Anna Samsonova, CGA, Ben Bridge Jewelers


“Diamonds ARE a girl’s best friend,” especially if you were born in April!

 

Since the beginning of time diamonds have been associated with strength, love and purity.  They are symbols of eternal love and great status. Many of us know of famous diamonds and their stories, from the infamous Hope Diamond to the Koh-i-Noor Diamond (both diamonds reputedly hold a curse to those who own or wear them).   Most people think of diamonds as clear gemstones and they can indeed be quite clear, but can also be quite colorful. Diamond colors range from blue and green to red and purple and even black.  There is a diamond color to match any outfit a person wears.  Learn more about the April birthstone here!

The name diamond comes from the Greek “Adamas”, meaning “invincible” or “unconquerable” and it is one of the oldest substances on earth.  Diamonds are the hardest mineral in existence and have many uses industrially cutting, polishing and sawing other substances.

No two diamonds are alike, just like fingerprints and snowflakes. What makes your diamond so unique are its different characteristics (also known as the 4 C’s: Cut, Color, Clarity, Carat). Learn about all of the 4 C’s here!

Clarity refers to the inclusions in a diamond which is what makes some of them particularly unique and identifiable. The inclusions can form shapes that your imagination can take as anything from a heart to a hummingbird. Diamond facets can act like mirrors in a fun house and can reflect inclusions like a kaleidoscope. My favorite diamond inclusions can even host other stones such as garnets. According to the Zodiac, April babies are as unique as the birthstone which represents them!

April Birthstone


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Considerations Cutters take when Shaping Diamonds

NEI Group Ring

Photo courtesy of NEI Group

Today’s blog post is written by American Gem Society member, By Marc Nanasi, from NEI

Diamond professionals swear that Cut is the ‘C’ which has the most influence on a diamond’s beauty,and interestingly enough, it is also the only C that is controlled by humans (a diamond’s color, carat weight, and clarity are dictated from the rough stone found in nature). What most people don’t realize about cut is the extensive amount of consideration that goes into the cutting process.  Cut can influence a diamond’s value by up to 50%!

The decisions which have the largest affects on the final outcome are made by the ‘planner’ before a single cut is made.  When the planner is presented with a rough diamond, the outside has a frosty texture, so he marks a few locations to polish “windows” in to the diamond.  These transparent polished surfaces are referred to as windows because they serve as openings for the plannerto look through to try and get the best idea of what is going on inside the diamond.  The planner must do his best to see everything and determine the optimal shape, size, and orientation of the soon to be cut diamond. All of these decisions are quite tricky, so only the most skilled and experienced cutters do the planning.

Today, diamond cutters use technology that scans the rough diamond to help guide the planner.  Through the use of cameras and lasers, planners can be shown the possible outcomes of diamonds and how much weight will be lost .  This technology does not replace the expertise and careful consideration of the planner, rather it serves as an additional tool.

Remember, every diamond is different,so any rough diamond can have up to nine types of internal characteristics, in any shape, of any size, and in any place.  Most rough diamonds are formed as an octahedron so the rough diamond can be optimized by cutting them into two polished diamonds.

Once the planner determines the various possibilities, he chooses the diamond that will yield the highest return. In evaluating this, he takes into account current market prices, consumer preferences as certain shapes are more in demand than others.  The planner will also need to determine whether it is worth cutting a smaller diamond with fewer inclusions rather than a larger, more included one.  For example, a particular piece of rough diamond could be cut in to either a flawless .70ct diamond or a VS1 1.10ct diamond.  The job of the planner is to make these tough decisions, based upon what is more valuable and more desirable?

This is just the start of the diamond’s journey.  Now that its future is planned, it can begin to be cut and polished.  The diamond’s brilliance is just waiting to be unleashed.


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What Causes Diamonds to Break

Marc Nanasi with NEI Group is today’s guest blogger.

Could My Diamond ‘Break’?

It’s easy to think that diamonds are invincible, after all, they rank as the hardest substance known to man on the Moh’s scale.  Unfortunately, diamonds are not without their vulnerabilities.

When it comes to diamonds breaking, there is good news and there is bad news.  The bad news is that no diamond is impervious to breaking, but the good news is that it is an extremely rare occurrence.

Three stone diamond ring by NEI Group

Image provided by NEI Group

The most important step comes when selecting your diamond.  Diamonds are formed within the earth and usually have identifying characteristics within them.  These characteristics (otherwise known as inclusions) act as a fingerprint foryour diamond, butcertain types of inclusions could compromise your diamond’s structural integrity.

The most important things to watch out for are the placement and size of two particular types of inclusions: feathers and cleavages (most AGS reports describe the nature of the diamond’s inclusions, and plot them in a diagram).Both of these inclusions are preexisting natural breaks in the diamond crystal. The difference between the two is that a feather breaks against the grain of the diamonds atomic structure, and a cleavage breaks along the grain.  This does not mean that you should pass on every stone displaying these types of inclusions, you should, however, take note and decide whether a piece of the diamond looks like it could snap off.  Usually, the risk of breaking a diamond is greater when these types of inclusions are near an edge or point of the diamond, or when they extend to the surface of the diamond.

Diamonds break when they are subjected to impact, and sometimes, when there is a buildup of pressure inside the stone (called strain), a slight tap in just the right place (or just the wrong place) will result in the stone breaking so the pressure can escape.  To make matters more interesting, most of the time there is virtually no way to tell if a diamond has internal strain.  It is very rare for a diamond to break like this, but it is still important to be careful when wearing diamond jewelry.  Take care to avoid wearing your jewelry if you plan to be particularly active with your hands (i.e. rock climbing, boxing, gardening).  Have a safe place to keep your ring while you do the dirty work!

Diamonds are formed through intense heat and pressure, and should be durable and last more than a lifetime, but it is important to care properly for your diamond.  Selecting the right diamond and caring for it, will allow you to enjoy it for generations to come.


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Engagement Rings Get Technicolor

JCK, one of the jewelry industry’s premier magazines, just published this article on trends in the bridal jewelry market. We love the look of a traditional solitaire engagement ring, but brides want a halo with their veil–make that a halo engagement ring. Other notable trends: colored gemstones, like sapphire and aquamarine. One of our favorites is by AGS Member Jack Abraham,  the emerald and ruby halo engagement ring featured below.

Image


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PERFECT PROPOSAL TOOLKIT OFFERS LAST MINUTE VALENTINE’S PROPOSAL

perfectproposal

If you are planning on popping the question, this one is for you: If you haven’t heard about our Perfect Proposal Toolkit, check it out. The Toolkit, available through February 15, 2013, offers a quirky collection of tips and suggestions for planning the perfect proposal, as well as a contest to win a trip to Las Vegas.

Perfect Proposal Website
Located at americangemsociety.org/Groom2B, the online resource offers consumers fun and unique suggestions for traditional and non-traditional proposals, recipes for romantic dinners, a list of the top mistakes to avoid when proposing, proposal trends, and many more tips on Pinterest and Twitter.

Perfect Proposal Hotline
The hotline, 1-855-GROOM2B (476-6622), provides recorded recommendations including tips on planning the proposal, how to select a quality diamond and what to do if things don’t go as planned.

Perfect Proposal ContestThrough a partnership with Vegas.com, The Official VEGAS Travel Site™, the Perfect Proposal Contest, americangemsociety.org/Groom2B, gives entrants the opportunity to win a three-day/two-night trip to Las Vegas (airfare, hotel, show tickets and dinner,) along with a $1,000 gift certificate, valid at any of the 1,700 AGS member jewelers in the country. Ideal for those who want to get married, or, spend a weekend honeymoon in Las Vegas. Full contest rules are listed on the contest website.

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