Elizabeth Taylor was famous for many things. An acclaimed actress who had parts in many major TV shows and movies, her name is known worldwide. But it’s not just for her acting that she is well known. As well as collecting movie roles, Taylor also collected jewelry. She didn’t actually buy much of it, however. Instead, the men she dated, and sometimes married, just kept buying it for her. And it wasn’t just any old…
Continue readingA photographer is no longer just engaged for the duration of the wedding day. More and more of us are now choosing to record our engagement for posterity. An engagement is a wonderful, precious event, so why shouldn’t we have a physical memento of the occasion? But, whereas a wedding album writes itself, in many ways, an engagement shoot isn’t quite so self-fulfilling. So how do you make sure your engagement shoot turns out to…
Continue readingThe term “marquise” isn’t one we hear a lot in today’s diamond world. We do hear terms like the football, boat, eye, and navette all of which, collectively make up the family of marquise cuts. The Origins of the Marquise Cut Despite its relative lack of use compared to more popular modern cuts, the marquise has been around a long time. Unusually, though, for diamond cut types, it isn’t named for any actual corresponding shape.…
Continue readingNovember Birthstone: Topaz And Citrine November, like a few other months, has more than one birthstone. Perhaps the reason why is because of their remarkable visual similarity. Although topaz occurs in many colors, yellow to brown orange are the most common. This has historically meant confusion with citrine due to the similar range of colors. It is actually only relatively recently that the two have become distinct gemstones with no crossover. Myths About Topaz and…
Continue readingAlthough not a term which is used in everyday life by the general public, those with an interest in diamonds will use the phrase “triple excellent” when talking about certain diamonds. Triple excellent is also known as Triple X. But what exactly is triple excellent? Beyond The 4 Cs By now, most people are at least aware of the 4 Cs of diamond grading. Cut, clarity, color, and carat weight are the fundamental elements of…
Continue readingMarriage 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. Here is our guide on how to propose! But there are still a loose set of basic rules which…
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. Learn everything that you need to know about H Color diamonds. 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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