Marriage proposals, like nostalgia, aren’t what they used to be. Gone are the days when a man’s position was enough to secure a maiden’s hand in marriage. Today, proposals can consist of anything from a simple question in a private setting, to a full-on, no holds barred flash mob in the middle of a busy street. But there are still a loose set of basic rules which you should consider before proposing. Or, if not…
Continue readingDiamonds are all graded on the relative quality in 4 categories, Clarity, Color, Cut and Carat weight. These 4Cs are used worldwide when appraising diamonds, and each is given a rating on a well-defined scale. VVS represents a score of the clarity of a diamonds. Clarity is a measure of how clear or “clean” an individual diamond is. It is unaffected by the color of the stone, and simply measures the level of flaws and…
Continue readingOctober is another month that has more than one birthstone. Opal is remarkable for its ability to display just about any color in a variety of light conditions. Although known since the days of Ancient Rome, it was the discovery of significant deposits in Australia in 1956 which really put opal on the map. Tourmaline is another colorful gemstone. Although there are a number of gems which occur in several colors, few occur in such…
Continue readingWe are all conditioned to think that diamonds are very white in color. In reality, though, with the exception of the very whitest D color diamonds, most have a slight yellow tint. The key is how yellow the tint is, and whether you can see it easily or not. On the GIA color scale, any diamond from D-J is colorless to the naked eye. Beyond this, it becomes easier to see any trace of color.…
Continue readingScavenger hunts proposals are beautifully simple. At least they are if you’re a participant. If you’re a planner, they can be terrifying. Not the concept, that’s simple enough, but keeping them engaging throughout multiple stages. And praying that the end was worth the effort for all concerned. Such hunts are becoming more popular as a way of proposing, and you’d think the very specific aim would make it easy. It can, though, be trickier than…
Continue readingBack before units of measurement became standardized, weights for different things came from different scales. Some of these survive today, such as measuring a horse’s height in “hands” or still using the Troy Ounce to weigh gold. Another is the carat for measuring the weight of a diamond.
Continue readingH color diamonds generally come under the heading of near-colorless. They don’t match the non-color standards of D, E or F diamonds, but it’s unlikely all but an expert eye would see even a hint of color. They are probably the ultimate compromise between quality and cost. By not being colorless, the price drops quite sharply, but they will look colorless in almost any setting.
Continue readingEngagement rings, indeed all rings, are available in a variety of setting types. Traditionally, the “big two” settings have been prong and bezel. Both settings are materially, and visibly different, and both perform very different roles. Some cuts better suit one or the other, as do different diamond weights. But what are the pros – and the cons – of each?
Continue readingWe’ve all seen the videos on YouTube of a spectacular and meticulously planned proposal. But what if that’s not your style, or it’s not what your partner would appreciate? What if a flash mob would just prove embarrassing? Or if dropping to one knee in a restaurant would cause more concern than joy?
Continue readingPeridot, the August Birthstone, is about as close to a “homegrown” gemstone as we have in the US. Unusual in that it only really occurs in a single color, peridot is quite different from most gemstones.
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