Education
THE ESTATE DIAMOND JEWELRY EDUCATION LIBRARY
Understand the jewelry you love.
Expert guides to antique jewelry, diamonds, and rare gemstones. Learn what to look for, understand the details that matter, and discover the stories behind extraordinary pieces.
Explore by topic
A few great places to start
Six selected reads for thoughtful buyers and curious collectors.
Benjamin’s Guide to Buying a Diamond
Learn what to examine beyond the 4Cs, from light performance and condition to grading reports and value.
How Experts Authenticate Antique Jewelry
Explore the construction, materials, hallmarks, and wear that experts examine when assessing an antique piece.
Buying a Genuine Art Deco Engagement Ring
Explore the design details, craftsmanship, and questions to consider when choosing an original Art Deco ring.
Vintage Diamond Cuts and Shapes
Get to know the cutting styles, facet patterns, and individual character of vintage and antique diamonds.
Cartier Art Deco Jewelry: A Collector’s Guide
Explore the designs, craftsmanship, and collecting considerations behind Cartier’s Art Deco creations.
Princess Diana’s Engagement Ring
Discover the history, design, and lasting fascination surrounding the famous sapphire and diamond ring.
01 / 5 GUIDES
Buying and Identifying Fine Jewelry
Start with the questions that help you buy confidently, from terminology to evidence of age and authorship.
Benjamin’s Guide to Buying a Diamond
Learn what to examine beyond the 4Cs, from light performance and condition to grading reports and value.
Antique vs. Vintage vs. Estate Jewelry
Understand what these terms mean and how they help describe a piece’s age and history.
How Experts Authenticate Antique Jewelry
Explore the construction, materials, hallmarks, and wear that experts examine when assessing an antique piece.
Understanding Gold Hallmarks
Learn to interpret the stamps that can reveal gold purity, assay information, and clues to a piece’s origin.
Understanding Jewelry Maker’s Marks
Discover how a maker’s signature can help identify the workshop or jewelry house behind a piece.
02 / 6 GUIDES
Jewelry Eras and Antique Craftsmanship
Recognize the periods, techniques, and finishing details that give antique jewelry its character.
The Seven Jewelry Eras
Trace the changing styles, materials, and craftsmanship of jewelry’s major historical periods.
Buying a Genuine Art Deco Engagement Ring
Explore the design details, craftsmanship, and questions to consider when choosing an original Art Deco ring.
A Guide to Georgian Jewelry
Discover the handwork, settings, and distinctive character of jewelry from the Georgian period.
Edwardian vs. Art Deco Jewelry
Compare the delicate detail of Edwardian jewelry with the geometry and contrasts of Art Deco design.
Understanding Milgrain
Look closely at the tiny beaded edges that give many antique rings their distinctive finish.
Understanding Filigree
Explore the fine metalwork that brings lace-like detail and lightness to antique jewelry.
03 / 6 GUIDES
Antique Diamond Cuts
Explore the individuality of older cutting styles and compare the details that distinguish them.
Vintage Diamond Cuts and Shapes
Get to know the cutting styles, facet patterns, and individual character of vintage and antique diamonds.
Old Mine Cut Diamonds
Explore the proportions, broad facets, and distinctive appearance associated with the old mine cut.
Old European Cut Diamonds
Learn the identifying features of this classic cutting style and what to consider when comparing stones.
Rose Cut Diamonds
Discover the domed facets and understated sparkle that make rose cuts so distinctive.
French Cut Diamonds
Explore a geometric cutting style often found in the fine details of antique and Art Deco jewelry.
Emerald Cut vs. Asscher Cut Diamonds
Compare the outlines, proportions, and visual character of these two step-cut styles.
04 / 6 GUIDES
Understanding Diamond Quality
Understand the grades and measurements, then learn how they relate to the diamond you actually see.
Understanding Diamond Color
Learn how color grades work and what to consider when choosing the appearance you prefer.
Understanding Diamond Clarity
Understand inclusions, clarity grades, and the difference between a grading result and what you can see.
Diamond Carat Weight and Size
Understand carat weight and why two diamonds of the same weight can look different in size.
How Big Will a Diamond Look on My Finger?
Explore how diamond shape, proportions, and finger size influence the appearance of a ring.
Understanding Diamond Fluorescence
Learn what fluorescence is and the questions to ask when evaluating a diamond that exhibits it.
How to Read a GIA Report
Get familiar with the measurements, grades, diagrams, and terminology on a diamond grading report.
05 / 6 GUIDES
Rare Gemstones and Fancy Color Diamonds
Look more closely at exceptional color, origin, treatments, and the documentation behind a rare stone.
Michael’s Guide to Kashmir Sapphires
Explore the color, history, origin, and documentation that matter when considering a Kashmir sapphire.
Afshin’s Guide to Burma Rubies
Discover the characteristics, treatments, and origin considerations behind these highly sought-after rubies.
No-Oil Colombian Emeralds
Understand why origin and clarity enhancement are central questions when evaluating a fine emerald.
Natural Saltwater Pearls
Explore the rarity, characteristics, and identification of natural saltwater pearls.
Understanding Fancy Color Diamonds
Learn how hue, tone, and saturation shape the appearance and grading of colored diamonds.
Buying a Fancy Yellow Diamond
Explore yellow diamond color grades and the details to consider when choosing a stone.
06 / 5 GUIDES
Ring Settings, Metals, and Design
Compare the details that influence how a ring looks, feels, and wears.
The Anatomy of an Engagement Ring
Learn the names of a ring’s components so you can describe and compare designs with confidence.
Engagement Ring Settings and Styles
Compare the principal setting styles and find the details that suit your taste.
Prong vs. Bezel Settings
Compare how these settings frame and secure a stone, along with their appearance and practical trade-offs.
Platinum vs. White Gold
Explore the differences in composition, appearance, maintenance, and everyday wear.
Understanding Cluster Rings
Discover how arrangements of smaller stones create the distinctive shapes and presence of a cluster ring.
07 / 5 GUIDES
Protecting and Caring for Your Jewelry
Make informed decisions about fit, resizing, insurance, and the everyday care of a treasured piece.
Insuring Your Engagement Ring
Understand the coverage questions, documentation, and appraisal considerations to discuss with an insurer.
12 Mistakes That Can Ruin an Heirloom Ring
Learn which everyday habits and handling mistakes can put a treasured family ring at risk.
Understanding Ring Resizing
Explore how resizing works and why a ring’s design and materials affect the available options.
How Should an Engagement Ring Fit?
Learn the signs of a comfortable, secure fit and when to ask a jeweler for guidance.
When to Take Off Your Engagement Ring
Identify the activities and situations when removing your ring can help protect it.
08 / 5 GUIDES
Great Jewelry Houses and Remarkable Stories
Explore influential designers, celebrated jewels, and stories worth discovering.
Cartier Art Deco Jewelry: A Collector’s Guide
Explore the designs, craftsmanship, and collecting considerations behind Cartier’s Art Deco creations.
The History of Cartier
Follow the people, milestones, and designs that shaped one of the world’s most celebrated jewelry houses.
Princess Diana’s Engagement Ring
Discover the history, design, and lasting fascination surrounding the famous sapphire and diamond ring.
Aldo Cipullo and His Jewelry
Meet the designer behind some of the twentieth century’s most recognizable jewelry creations.
The Story Behind EDJ’s Record-Setting Dreidel
Go behind the creation of an extraordinary jeweled dreidel and its record-setting story.
09 / 3 SERIES
Complete Article Series
Go deeper with individual guides to diamond color grades, diamond clarity, and the birthstones for every month.
Diamond Color
Explore the D through M color grades, one guide at a time.
Diamond Clarity
Compare clarity grades and understand the terminology used to describe them.
Start with the diamond clarity guide
The complete VVS diamond guide
Understanding SI3 clarity
SI3 is not a GIA clarity grade.
Birthstones by Month
Find a meaningful gemstone and explore the guide for your birth month.