Size matters: Diamond experts have estimated that American women think

When it comes to engagement rings, budget and personal choice are usually the two biggest factors that influence a couple's decision.

But ultimately, it seems that size really does matter when it comes to that oh-so special accessory - and according to jewelers, the lure of having a rock on one's finger can turn even the most conservative jewelry wearer diamond crazy.

Opinions on size, and what really counts as a 'big' ring, vary however - so Who What Wear asked five diamond experts to reveal what the average American woman considers 'big', with many revealing that the size of diamond given to Meghan Markle by Prince Harry is pretty much perfect.

The royal proposed at the end of last year with a three to four carat diamond he sourced in Botswana; and according to the experts, many women view three carats as 'big', meaning Meghan's rock is ideal in the eyes of most.

To put this into context, Kim Kardashian's ill-fated Lorraine Schwwart knuckle-duster that Kanye West helped design contained a 15 carat diamond - more than five times the size that the average woman sees as 'big'.

It was famously stolen during a robbery in Paris in February 2017.

Meanwhile, Meghan Markle's ring designed by Prince Harry contains a three to four carat center stone that the royal picked up in Botswana.

'Although we often find that a woman may know what a certain diamond size 'sounds' like, she doesn't always know what it looks like,' Krista Beerman, Director of Merchandising at Hearts on Fire told WWW.

And she also revealed that women living on the West and East coats typically go for bigger stones than someone living in the middle of the country.

She added: 'On average, a two-carat is definitely a head turner, and overall women perceive this to be a big look!'

CEO of Ritani Brian Watkins agreed: 'The average engagement ring has a carat weight of just over one carat, so we'd say anything upward of two carats would be considered large for a ring.' (Dailymail)

THESE PERFECTLY IMPERFECT DIAMONDS ARE BUILT FOR QUANTUM PHYSICS

IN THE MID-2000S, diamonds were the hot new thing in physics. It wasn’t because of their size, color, or sparkle, though. These diamonds were ugly: Researchers would cut them into flat squares, millimeters across, until they resembled thin shards of glass. Then they would shoot lasers through them.

Probably the most valuable bauble of all was a minuscule diamond mined from the Ural Mountains. “We called it the ‘magic Russian sample,’” says physicist Kai-Mei Fu of the University of Washington. The diamond was extremely pure—almost all carbon, which isn’t common in this messy world—but with a few impurities that gave it strange quantum mechanical properties. “It had been chopped up among academic groups,” says Fu, who worked with a piece. “You know, take a chisel, chip some off. You don’t need much.” Those properties were promising—but the physicists only had a handful of diamonds to study, so they couldn’t run too many experiments.

That’s not a problem any more. These days, Fu can just go online and buy a $500 quantum-grade diamond for an experiment—from the company Element Six, owned by De Beers. They’ve long grown synthetic diamonds for drilling and machining, but in 2007, with funding from the European Union, they started making exactly the kind physicists need. And not just physicists, any more: Today, the supply of synthetic quantum diamonds is so abundant that lots of fields are exploring their possible uses.

The first field to benefit was quantum computing. Quantum computers—which theoretically should compute certain tasks exponentially faster than regular computers—encode information in quantum mechanical properties such as spin or polarization. These properties can be very unstable. But if you encode information inside a diamond by manipulating its impurities with a laser, the gem’s crystal structure actually protects and preserves that information. Physicists are working to make adjacent impurities interact in a controlled way to execute a primitive algorithm.

Element Six grows these perfectly imperfect diamonds in furnaces at nearly 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Starting with a seed diamond, the company’s engineers pump gases—something carbon-containing, like methane, along with hydrogen and nitrogen—into the furnace. As the gas molecules heat up, they separate into single atoms, some of which land on the seed diamond. A few choice nitrogen atoms sneak in, and the hydrogen keeps the carbon layer growing in the right crystal structure. “Carbon doesn’t really want to be diamond,” says Matthew Markham, a scientist at Element Six. “It really prefers to be graphite.”

At Harvard University, physics grad student Jenny Schloss programs Element Six diamonds with lasers and measures how nearby magnetic fields interfere. But before she can do that, she has to mess the diamonds up even more.

The diamonds Element Six sells have nitrogen impurities—but what Schloss’s group needs is a hole right next to it, called a nitrogen vacancy. (Disclosure: Schloss is a friend from college.) So they send their diamonds to a small New Jersey company called Prism Gem. Most of its business goes to jewelry companies, who ask them to create colored diamonds by knocking carbon atoms out with beams of high-energy electrons. But physicists can use the same process to create more useful holes in their research diamonds.

Prism Gem will shoot electrons at the diamonds for hours—sometimes days—to create the right number of holes. “Typically, scientists know what technical specifications they’re looking for. They’ll send us information on how many electrons they need per centimeter,” says Ashit Gandhi, Prism Gem’s chief technology officer. “Jewelry is more subjective. They’ll ask for light green, dark green, pink, or whatever.” After sitting under the electron beam, Schloss’s diamond, originally tinted yellow from nitrogen impurities, turns pale blue.

Her group then bakes the diamond again, which causes the holes to migrate next to the nitrogen impurities to create the coveted nitrogen vacancy center. Its final color ranges from clear to pink to red, depending on how many impurities they want.

With the quantum diamond supply chain in place, physicists have been able to study and fiddle with the gems in many iterations of experiments. But it’s been a slow process turning the diamond impurities into connected bits that can compute. “The verdict is still out,” says Fu. “Only two quantum bits [in diamond] have ever been connected. Until things become more scalable, I don’t think anyone can say it’s a definite thing.”

But by understanding the diamonds in more detail, researchers have inadvertently come up with another possible use for them. Harvard physicists Mikhail Lukin and Ronald Walsworth—Schloss’s research advisor—knew that when hit with a laser, a nitrogen vacancy diamond would emit different amounts of light if it was near a magnet. The diamond could function as a type of magnetic sensor—one that wasn’t as bulky as current sensors, which also need to be cooled to temperatures near absolute zero.

So in the early 2010s, Lukin and Walsworth’s research team started using the diamonds to study nerve cells, which emit magnetic fields when stimulated. They started with a squid nerve cell, thicker than a human hair. Grad student Matthew Turner traveled to Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory, where he excised long, thin white neurons from fresh squid, put them on ice, and jumped on a bus back to the lab to measure its magnetic field under electric stimulation.

Later, the team switched to studying neurons in marine worms, which they could keep in a tank in the lab. About a year ago, they published a paper on the sensitivity of their diamonds to study those neurons. Now, they’re using the diamonds to study magnetic fields given off by human heart cells. (Wired)

Smartphone with diamond screen set for 2019 release

The first phone with a diamond screen will be launched in 2019. This will help address the concern that most smartphone owners face: dropping your phone and cracking the screen. The solution comes from Akhan Semiconductor and it uses laboratory grown diamonds to create a product called Miraj Diamond Glass.
These new, strong screen is intended to be able to cover and protect a smartphone's fragile electronic display. Current smartphone screens are created from toughened glass, which are specially developed shatterproof coatings sometimes supported by sapphire crystal toppers. However, all current screens are prone to damage depending on the force or point of impact.

Interviewed by CNET, Adam Khan, who is the CEO of Akhan Semiconductor states that his new generation of screens, formed of the diamond glass, will be stronger, harder, and cleaner than anything seen previously. Khan's company specialized in growing diamonds for use in electronics.

In terms of what the additional strength means in practice, this is likely to be screens that are between six and ten times tougher than even the most robust 'Gorillas Glass' smartphone screens in current use. The use of diamonds will also prevent damage of the materials underneath the screen, such as any LED panels or sensors.

The toughness not only comes from the naturally hard properties of diamonds, strength also relates to the arrangement. Akhan Semiconductor researchers have developed a nanocrystal pattern that arranges the crystals in a way that avoids alignment along crystal planes. The alternate arrangement guards against the formation of cracks, offering enhanced protection from an impact event.

For 2018 a process of fine tuning is taking place, leading up to the first commercial runs production. The final round of tests are designed to assessthe durability of the glass and ways to minimize the light reflection rate.

The first production runs in 2019 are expected produce 10 and 30 million screens. While this sounds a lot, Apple alone sells between 70 and 80 million iPhone devices per quarter. This means the screens will remain a premium product for several years. (DigitalJournal)

Shrinking gems a headache for diamond industry

The diamond industry has a size problem.
Instead of splashing out on a ring or necklace featuring one big, bright diamond, shoppers are increasingly choosing pieces with several, smaller gems, which are often lower quality. And selling jewellery with smaller stones has been a good way for retailers to save money.
As a result, the diamond content in jewellery has been shrinking since 2011 back to a level last seen almost a decade ago, creating a headache for miners. It’s part of the reason the jewellery industry has been struggling to grow. The amount spent on diamond jewellery items has stayed at about $80bn a year since 2014, according to De Beers.
“Falling diamond content looks likely to continue,” said Anish Aggarwal, a partner at industry consultant Gemdax. “It’s possible that even if diamond jewellery demand increases, the underlining diamond demand does not.”
Less money is being spent on diamonds partly because jewellers are cutting back amid higher overheads and other costs, Aggarwal said. Also, Asian consumers are increasingly accepting lower quality stones.
The anaemic growth has forced gem producers to respond. Top miner De Beers raised its 2017 marketing budget to $140m, the highest in almost a decade. The campaign reversed spending cutbacks that followed the collapse of De Beers’s monopoly in the early 2000s, leaving the industry splintered and unwilling to pay for promotion that could aid rival miners.
The sector also launched the Diamond Producers Association lobby in 2015. The group, which raised its budget almost 10-fold last year, was set up to revive the glory days of 50 years ago, when slogans like "a diamond is forever" were ubiquitous in popular culture.
Gem prices have been pressured in recent years following an industrywide credit crunch and as younger consumers drifted toward other luxury items such as electronics. While an index of rough-diamond prices has increased in the last few months, it’s still more than 40% below a peak set in 2011.
Consultant Bain & Company warned in December that demand could stagnate for another decade unless the industry increases spending to lure consumers. Aggarwal agrees that more advertising is needed.
“The diamond sector still underspends substantially on marketing compared to other luxury products,” Aggarwal said. There is a “need for marketing, to help grow diamond-jewellery demand, ensure diamonds are the product hero and, importantly, to drive polished prices upwards.” (fin24)

One of the Biggest Diamonds in History has been Discovered in Lesotho Recently

One of the biggest diamonds in history has been discovered in the mountainous kingdom of Lesotho in southern Africa.
Gem Diamonds (GMDMF, -1.52%) found the 910-carat stone, about the size of two golf balls, at its Letseng mine in the country. It’s a D color Type IIa diamond, which means it has very few or no nitrogen atoms and is one of the most expensive stones. The diamond is the fifth-biggest ever found.
The Letseng mine is famous for the size and quality of the diamonds it produces and has the highest average selling price in the world. Gem sold a 357-carat stone for $19.3 million in 2015 and in 2006 found the 603-carat Lesotho Promise.
“This exceptional top-quality diamond is the largest to be mined to date and highlights the unsurpassed quality of the Letseng mine,” Chief Executive Officer Clifford Elphick said in a statement.
Gem did not say how it will sell the diamond or what it could be worth. Its value will be determined by the size and quality of the polished stones that can be cut from it. Lucara Diamond Corp. sold a 1,109-carat diamond for $53 million last year, but got a record $63 million for a smaller 813-carat stone it found at the same time in 2015.
“The pricing of diamonds is hugely variable and driven by a multitude of factors,” said Ben Davis, an analyst at Liberum Capital Markets. “But assuming that there are no large inclusions running through the diamond, we initially estimate a sale of $40 million.”
Gem’s mega discovery follows news last week that it had found 117-carat and 110-carat stones. It will be another boost for the company that dropped to a record low last year after prices for its stones fell and it was forced to close a new mine in Botswana. Gem rose as much as 18%, the biggest intraday gain since 2010, and traded at 93 pence by 9:06 a.m. in London.
The three large discoveries will raise investor confidence that the company has overcome a shortage of large stones and that it can recover the biggest diamonds without breaking them. Gem found at least seven stones bigger than 100 carats in 2017 and five the year before. It recovered a dozen exceeding 100 carats in 2015.
The biggest diamond discovered is the 3,106-carat Cullinan, found near Pretoria, in South Africa, in 1905. It was cut to form the Great Star of Africa and the Lesser Star of Africa, which are set in the Crown Jewels of Britain. Lucara’s 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona is the second-biggest, with the 995-carat Excelsior and 969-carat Star of Sierra Leone the third- and fourth-largest.

Human Ashes to Diamond

In a new and unique way to remember loved ones, people can have human ashes made into a diamond.

It may sound like something out of a science fiction movie, but more people are doing it, and one of the only companies in the United States that makes these diamonds is just north of Houston, in Conroe.

A struggle many families deal with is what to do with an urn full of a loved one's ashes.

"There is a lot of guilt, because you don't want to hide it or put it in a closet, but what do you do with the cremated remains?" said Christina Martoia, from Algordanza Memorial Diamonds.

Isaias Vega with Del Pueblo Funeral Homesaid people want more when it comes to saying goodbye.

"The younger crowd always wants to seek something new," Vega said. "Some want to know: When you do a cremation, is that it?"

One option is to have the remains made into a genuine diamond.

"The diamond has always been a symbol of love," Martoia said. "They get to keep their loved one with you wherever you go. That's just so special."

Algordanza Memorial Diamonds in Conroe uses only human ashes to create a one-of-a-kind diamond with a blue hue.

"Nothing is added," Martoia said. "We don't manipulate the color of the diamond, so they will tend to range from a clear to a deep blue. They will always have that sort of blue hue within them, and that is from the element boron. The more boron someone has in their body, the more blue the diamond will be."

More people are opting for cremation after death. In 2017, nearly 50 percent of Americans were cremated instead of having a traditional burial. That is up from about 10 percent in 1980.

There are many reasons for this, which include the cost of a burial and that people move around more, meaning they don't have roots in one place.

"Really, every day I look at it and think about it, it's just beautiful," Martoia said.

Martoia said she knows firsthand how having a memorial diamond can help with grieving someone you love.

"On the 10th anniversary of my dad's passing, I had a memorial diamond made. What is really special to me about my memorial diamond is that every time I show it to someone, I get to talk about my dad," she said. "It's such a great, great way to pay tribute to his life. I always get compliments about it and it makes me happy to remember his life."

The remains are sent to a laboratory in Switzerland, where a high pressure, high temperature machine is used to create the diamond. The longer the diamond sits in the machine, the bigger it can become.

"It's something that will last forever, that you can pass on for generations, to really remember your loved one and as a family heirloom, really," Martoia said.

Algordanza Diamonds start off at around $3,000. They have also had clients turn their pet remains into diamonds. However, they do that work at a different facility. (KPRC Click2Houston)

The $3,000 Burger are sold at Pauli's

When ordering a burger, one often chooses between fries and onion rings. At one North End restaurant, you can get an extra ring with your order — an engagement ring.

For those who want to make sure their engagement is well done, Pauli’s, a fast-casual Italian spot in the North End, is offering diners a real gem of a deal this Valentine’s Day: Buy one of Pauli’s Big Boy burgers for the low, low price of $3,000, and the restaurant will stick a 7/8 carat Neil Lane engagement ring from Kay Jewelers in the bun for free.

A $3,000 burger special for Valentine's day at Pauli's

“Nothing says ‘I love you’ quite like Boston’s best burger topped with a princess cut ring framed by round diamonds on a band of 14k gold,” reads a press release. “For $3,000.00, savor the flavor of Pauli’s Big Boy Burger, and simmer in sweet bliss, if they say yes!”

Pauli’s press release adds that customers must reserve the special dish 48 hours in advance and that this offer is “sure to sell out.” So for those of you whose significant other has been waiting for you to say those four magical words (“Valentine’s Day burger proposal”), don’t miss the chance to make his or her dream come true.

1,111 Carats Diamond was bought by "The King of Diamond" Graff

LESEDI La Rona, the largest diamond discovered since the iconic Cullinan diamond in the previous century, has been sold to upmarket British jeweller Graff Diamonds for $53m.

The sale price was in excess of the highest bid offered for the diamond at a Sotheby’s auction in 2016 when Lucara Diamonds, the mining firm that discovered 1,111 carat gem, elected not to sell the item.

“We took our time to find a buyer who would take the diamond through its next stage of evolution,” said William Lamb, CEO and president of Lucara Diamonds in a statement. He described the discovery of Lesedi La Rona as a “company defining event”. It was discovered at Lucara’s Karowe mine in Botswana which is renowned for yielding large diamonds.

Laurence Graff of Graff Diamonds described the purchase as “… a momentous day in my career” and that he was “… privileged to be given the opportunity to honor the magnificent natural beauty of the Lesedi La Rona”. The $53m consideration equates to $47,777 per carat. Lesedi La Rona translates as ‘Our Light’, a name given to the gem following a poll among Batswana.

“The stone will tell us its story, it will dictate how it wants to be cut, and we will take the utmost care to respect its exceptional properties,” said Graff.

Attention will now turn to how the proceeds of the diamond will be allocated by Lucara Diamonds which has established a track-record for dividends.

Lucara warned shareholders in August that owing to its mining contractors’ lack of equipment availability in the second quarter could see full year production as much as 14.5% lower than guided.

Reporting for the quarter as well as its half-year numbers today, in which interim earnings came in at eight US cents per share compared to 17c at the interim in the 2016 financial year, Lucara said full-year production would be between 265,000 to 285,0000 carats compared to previous guidance 290,000 and 310,000 carats.

Putting Standard on Natural and Synthetic Diamond

Leading groups in the diamond and jewelry sectors have collaborated to publish a universal standard to use when referring to natural diamonds and synthetics. 

The Diamond Terminology Guideline is a reference on diamond vocabulary for all sector organizations, traders and retailers to use, nine industry bodies said in a joint statement Tuesday.  

The document stipulates that the words “diamond” and “gemstone” imply natural origin. The industry should use “synthetic,” “laboratory-grown” or “laboratory-created,” and should avoid the terms “real,” “genuine” and “authentic,” when describing such man-made products.

“Protecting consumer confidence is of paramount importance to the long-term success of our industry,” World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) president Gaetano Cavalieri said. “The Diamond Terminology Guideline is an important tool in achieving this, by helping standardize the terminology used to clearly distinguish between diamonds and synthetic diamonds, in all communications, among ourselves and with our customers.”

The guidelines are based on the ISO Standard 18323 for jewelry and on CIBJO’s diamond Blue Book, which are internationally accepted benchmarks in the field.

The parties that created the document, in addition to CIBJO, are: the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC), the Diamond Producers Association (DPA), the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), the Israel Diamond Industry (IDI), the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA), the US Jewelry Council (USJC), the World Diamond Council (WDC) and the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFBD). 

(Source : Rapaport)

Nature's Beauty Collection of Sustainable Jewelry

Celebrities and top Hollywood wardrobe stylists admired baubles from the Diamonds With A Story "Nature's Beauty Collection of Sustainable Jewelry" at the StyleLab Suite, which took place during Golden Globes week.

Celebrities including Betsy Brandt ("Breaking Bad"), Garcelle Beauvais ("Arrested Development"), Sherri Saum ("The Fosters"), Sandrine Holt ("House of Cards"), Ambyr Childers ("Ray Donovan"), Mollee Gray ("Teen Beach Movie"), Angela Kinsey ("The Office"), Kate Flannery ("The Office"), Kate Linder ("The Young & the Restless") and others, got a coveted private appointment to preview and borrow pieces from this special collection.

The "Nature's Beauty Collection of Sustainable Jewelry" is made of gold from the Kennecott Utah Copper mine in the US, with white and rare champagne diamonds from the Argyle Diamond Mine in Australia, also sustainably and ethically mined. The collection was inspired by the natural colors of the diamonds used and the sustainability story. The champagne diamonds represent earth and nature, and the designs accentuate the warmth of the colors with the incorporation of yellow gold.

Here's a look at some of the pieces favored by celebrities:

Sherri Saum was excited to wear a two-tone bangle with 4 carats of champagne and white diamonds, priced at $6,999.

Angela Kinsey was eager to try on the same bangle, but she also added a two-tone swirl design cocktail ring, priced at $1,499. Betsy Brandt admired the same ring, which perfectly complemented her dress she was wearing at the suite.

Ambyr Childers was ogling a wide cocktail ring with pave diamonds, priced at $1,999.

Garcelle Beauvais couldn't take her eyes off a dramatic pair of linear drop earrings with diamonds, priced at $4,999.

Watch the red carpet to find out who's wearing these fabulous baubles to the Golden Globe Awards and parties.

THE FOUR C's in Buying Diamonds

Buying a diamond ring can be intimidating. What do you look for? How much should you pay? Should you buy online or in a store?

Demystify the process by learning about the four C's: carat, color, clarity and cut. This system of grading diamonds was developed 60 years ago by the Gemological Institute of America.

Then do some research online or visit jewelers. You'll soon understand your options. Here's a primer on the four C's and other advice.

THE FOUR C's

—Carat is a weight measurement. A 1-carat diamond weighs 200 milligrams. But there's no ideal size for a diamond. It depends on your budget and taste. Some women want a big rock; others prefer a delicate, less blingy look.

Small diamonds are cheaper than large diamonds. A ring with three small diamonds totaling 1 carat costs less than a single 1-carat stone of similar quality.

—Color is graded by letter, starting with D for rare, colorless diamonds. E and F are considered excellent, but G or H diamonds will look just as good to the naked eye.

Farther down the scale, you'll notice differences. "If you put a K color beside a G color, you'll notice more yellow in the K," said Russell Shor, senior industry analyst for the Gemological Institute.

—Clarity measures diamond flaws, called inclusions, which might appear as tiny spots, clouds or cavities in the stone. The clarity grade SI stands for "slightly included." VS is a better grade, "very slightly included." VVS is even higher, "very, very slightly included." Most inclusions in the VVS-SI range cannot be seen by the untrained eye "unless someone tells you where it is," Shor said.

—Cut measures workmanship, rather than a diamond's inherent qualities. The way a stone is cut enhances sparkle and luminosity and can hide flaws. The best cut rating, ideal, is rare. About a third of diamonds are rated fair, good or very good.

THE FORMULA

What should you look for in each of the C's?

"The one thing you should not trade off on is the quality of the cut," said Shor. "Even a nice color stone, if not well-cut, will be dull and lifeless. But if it's a middle color — like K — and it's got a real excellent cut, it will pop and flash with all the sparkle that diamonds are famous for."

After choosing the cut, "balance the color, clarity and carat weight based on your personal preference to find the best diamond for you and your budget," said Amanda Gizzi, spokeswoman for Jewelers of America.

For example, for $2,000, you might pick a 1-carat, K-color stone with a slight inclusion, or a half-carat, G-color, with a very slight inclusion. An L or M-colored diamond at that price "will get you a 2-carat honker, but you'll definitely notice the yellow and you'll see some inclusions," said Shor.

View galleryFILE - In this May 16, 2010 file photo, Prince William …
FILE - In this May 16, 2010 file photo, Prince William holds Kate Middleton's hand with her engageme …
Consumers pay $3,500 on average for engagement rings, according to Jewelers of America. On the low end, Shor recommends spending at least $700 to $1,000 to get "something that's not too small and of reasonable quality, a respectable half-carat stone."

It's easy to compare options online. At BlueNile.com, set your price range, then play with carat size and the other C's to see tradeoffs.

Many websites list the four C's for every ring they sell. Brick-and-mortar stores should be able to provide grading reports, whether from GIA or another expert lab.

SHAPE AND STYLE

Engagement rings traditionally feature gold bands with a center diamond, though some have smaller diamonds on either side. Melissa Colgan, senior style editor for Martha Stewart Weddings, says the engagement ring that Prince William gave to Kate Middleton, a large sapphire surrounded by diamonds, has increased interest in rings with other gemstones.

Diamonds can be cut into many shapes. Round, the most common, offers "the biggest bang for your buck because the difference between the raw and cut diamond is smaller," Colgan said. But she said unusual shapes with retro looks and names like marquise, Asscher and pear are having a resurgence, partly because celebrities are wearing them.

Whether a shape is flattering depends on your fingers. "If you have long thin fingers, you can wear something like Asscher or princess that is more square-cut," Colgan said. "If you have shorter fingers or muscular hands, marquise or oval will elongate your fingers." But long nails don't mix with oval: "It looks like you've got a weird nail in the middle of your hand."

ONLINE OR BRICK-AND-MORTAR?

Many major brands, including Macy's, Kay, Zales, Tiffany and even Costco, sell diamonds both online and in stores.

Some retailers sell online only. Gemvara.com's site is fun for customizing designs. Just click to see how a ring looks with diamonds and sapphires, versus diamonds and rubies, or with white versus yellow gold.

Blue Nile has sold engagement rings to 325,000 couples over the Internet, including one for $1.5 million.

Nervous about ring size? Blue Nile will mail a free plastic ring-sizer with no obligation to buy. Blue Nile also has a 30-day return policy, no questions asked, though fewer than 10 percent of customers take advantage of it, according to company spokesman Josh Holland.

Many retail stores offer 30-day returns with no penalty as well. That's important for surprise proposals in case the bride-to-be says no, or if she says yes but wants a different ring.

These days, though, couples often shop together for a ring.

"It's perfectly OK to say, 'Let's just go and look at things together,'" said Colgan, of Martha Stewart Weddings. "This way she knows what he can afford and he knows aesthetically what she wants."

Some customers prefer online shopping so they won't be pressured by an aggressive salesperson. But most diamond rings are bought in person, according to Jewelers of America, citing the 2011 Wedding Report, which found that only 11 percent of engagement rings are bought online. Most people want to see, touch and try before buying.

A new online retailer called Ocappi.com offers to bridge the gap between in-person and online shopping by mailing out "try on rings" made from silver and cubic zirconia. The replica rings let you see how different styles, shapes and carats look on your finger, something that's impossible to judge from most websites. You can order up to six replicas at once. As long as you return them, there's no charge and no obligation to buy the real thing. Ocappi pays shipping both ways.

Some buyers prefer brands they know and trust, whether Macy's or Tiffany. Others want to go local.

"For some people, they want to have a relationship with a jeweler, or they want to buy something where their parents bought their rings," Colgan said.

For an intense shopping experience, try Manhattan's diamond district on 47th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues. It can be intimidating: Salesmen literally stand on the street, pitching customers as they window-shop. But if you've done your homework, shopping here can be fun.

ESTATE SALES AND INVESTMENTS

In 2011, a 33.19-carat diamond owned by Elizabeth Taylor sold for $8.8 million. The same stone was $305,000 in 1968. But that's an exception: The average diamond does not appreciate much, if at all.

"A diamond will never become worthless, but I would not buy a stone for $1,200 thinking I'm going to get $2,000 back for it at some point," Shor said.

Does that mean estate-sale rings are a bargain? Shor says "older stones can be a bargain," but cautions that stone-cutting has improved with computers and robotics, so older rings may not have "the quality of workmanship" found in modern diamonds.

It's also a matter of taste.

"I think some of the old-cut jewelry is so incredibly beautiful," said Colgan. "They're not quite as shimmery or blingy but they have a really sweet sparkle. There are also girls out there who want an estate look because they identify with a certain decade and they don't want something blinged out."

Jewelers who specialize in estate collections are not hard to find, but be careful buying from a Sunday "everything must go sale."

CONFLICT-FREE DIAMONDS

In the 1990s, concerns arose that some African diamond mines supported rebel movements undermining legitimate governments. The U.S. and 79 other countries agreed to a set of rules called the Kimberley Process to ensure that diamonds sold within their borders are "conflict-free," meaning they do not come from mines supporting rebel activity, according to this definition.

Some organizations like the Anti-Slavery Society and the Responsible Jewellery Council are working to raise awareness of issues not addressed by the Kimberley Process, such as harmful environmental practices or child labor in diamond production. Interested consumers should ask retailers about their involvement with these efforts.

Lucara Diamond Corp. announced the recovery of a 257-carat diamond

The big finds are continuing at the Karowe diamond mine as Lucara Diamond Corp. announced the recovery of a 257-carat diamond from the Botswana mine.

So far this year, the company has recovered 47 diamonds larger than 50 carats, of which 14 exceeded 100 carats.

The latest discovery will be sold at tender in the fourth quarter of this year.

"The Karowe mine continues to outperform with the consistent recovery of large, high value diamonds,” said William Lamb, president and CEO of Lucara.

“The recovery of this magnificent 257-carat diamond, along with the recovery of a significant parcel of larger stones over the past six months, strengthens our understanding of the resource at Karowe.

"Revenues generated from the sale of these diamonds will be used to reduce debt and strengthen Lucara's balance sheet,” he commented.

Lucara also announced that all the lots at its sixth rough diamond tender of the year had been sold with strong results. “With the challenges currently facing the rough diamond market, the demand for the high-quality goods produced by Karowe has remained consistently high,” said Lamb.

The 2013 Emmy Awards wearing Johnathon Arndt Jewels

Carrie Underwood looked amazing on the red Carpet this year at the 2013 Emmy Awards wearing Johnathon Arndt Jewels. Carrie underwood wore a one of a kind Johnathon Arndt diamond necklace hosting 126 Carats of Flawless Diamonds valued at 18 Million Dollars with a matching pair of 14.35 Carat Flawless Diamond Studs valued at 3.2 Million Dollars. Johnathon Arndt also designed a stunning 4 Million Dollar 12.18 Carat Flawless Pear shape diamond solitaire ring which Carrie Underwood elegantly wore on her right hand.  The 2013 Emmy Red Carpet welcomed Carrie Underwood and over 152 carats of Flawless Johnathon Arndt Diamonds.

Driven by passion and inspiration, Johnathon Arndt and his husband Newman Arndt traveled the world to realize their vision. The Founders and Owners sought the finest jewels the world had to offer. Johnathon and Newman's consuming love affair with jewels is expressed in the perfection with their designs.

Johnathon Arndt Gallery of Jewels catapulted into the national spotlight when they formed an alliance with the Academy of Country Music and The Country Music Association. Jewelling the Oscars, the Golden Globes, the Emmys, the American Music Awards, the Billboard Music awards, the Grammys, and many other international red carpet events.

Diamonds are forever

All around the world and across many cultures, diamonds are considered to be prestigious and exclusive pieces of jewelry. But what is it about the diamond that manages to appeal to so many people and win over the hearts of women?
 
A special exhibition at the Diamond Museum in Ramat Gan attempts to solve the ancient mystery. 

According to Yehuda Kassif, the Diamond Museum's curator and art director, diamonds came from aristocracy and monarchy and associate their owners with that world.

"When you take into consideration their beauty, magic and radiance, you have the ultimate prestigious product," he says.

Eli Avidar, managing director at the Israel Diamond Institute Group (IDI), explains that a diamond does not have a temporary value like a pen or anything else: "It is very significant if you inherit a diamond ring that belonged to your grandmother's grandmother." 

Various African jewelry designs are exhibited in the Diamond Museum, combining diamonds and gold worth about $3.5 million.

One of the more important pieces of jewelry in the exhibit, says Kassif, is a very expensive jewel that is worth about $1 million. It contains 507 grams of gold and about 4,000 diamonds weighing 85 carats. 

Reyne Gauge: Turning Your Neglected Jewelry Into Cash!

It's a new year, and you're looking for ways to pay off your Christmas credit card charges, or to just get rid of old credit cards with the "new" interest rates.

Part time jobs, selling items on Craigslist/eBay, and planning a Spring garage sale are all great ways to generate extra cash to help reduce your debt. Another opportunity is to look in your jewelry box for things you have had for a long time, but perhaps have no sentimental value and/or are no longer in style.

Gold is continuing to rise and that old engagement ring, or gold rope chain can possibly mean cutting your credit card debt in half or wiping one out altogether.

What are some things to consider when selling your jewelry?

Tip #1 - Determine what you have.

Some pieces may be "fine" jewelry (meaning gold or platinum, with fine gemstones or diamonds), and some may be costume. Check for any markings on the clasp, interior or back of a piece of jewelry. These will tell you if it is gold or platinum, and what quality the gold is (9kt, 10kt, 14kt, 18kt, etc.). If you determine that it's gold or platinum, the next step is to visit your local jeweler to determine what the stones are. Keep in mind, though, that not all gold jewelry is marked. If your item isn't marked, yet you feel it is quality, you may want to have your local jeweler test it to determine whether it's gold or just gold plate.

Costume jewelry can sometimes be valuable, too. There are numerous books in the antiques & collectibles sections of your local bookstore or library to help you investigate the value of costume jewelry.

Tip #2 - What's it worth?

Once you know what you have, you have to determine how to price it. In many cases, if you have something where the stones are small, chances are you won't retire by selling it. To collectors, the interest might not be there -- yet the skyrocketing price of gold might even make it worth scrapping, as it would sell for more as scrap than to a jewelry collector. You can check online for the going price of gold on that day, weigh your item and then calculate what it would melt for.

If the stones are of a larger size, it would be best to have a local jeweler look at them to determine if the color and clarity are desirable. If the color is good, you will want to have it graded. The Gemological Institute of America is the most recognized grading company for diamonds. They can determine the true color and clarity, and provide you with a certificate that will help you obtain top dollar for your stone.

If you already have a GIA certificate on your jewelry, or you obtain one from GIA, you can visit the website Blue Nile to get an understanding of what your diamond currently retails for. You can search by cut, clarity and color to find your exact diamond (or one very close), to determine what price you should be asking for your stone.

Tip #3 - Should I sell to a dealer?

If you don't want the hassle of people coming to your home to look at your jewelry, or if you don't feel like you have the knowledge to talk in depth about what you have -- and you're willing to take a little less to sell it immediately, instead of potentially weeks from now -- a dealer might be your best option. If you have never worked with an estate jewelry dealer in the past, visit Google and type in a keyword search for Estate Jewelry Dealer (insert your town here). Spend a day setting appointments to see their buyers, and take your jewelry to a few to see who is willing to offer the best price.

Tip #4 - Can I sell it privately?

You can try your hand at being a dealer by listing your item in the Sunday classifieds, or Craigslist.org. Make sure, if you list it on Craigslist, to include a good digital photo of the item in your listing. You might also meet interested buyers at a public place, such as a bank, for safety.

Tip #5 - What about online? -- Maybe eBay?

If you want to sell your item on eBay, you need to make sure you list all the important information about the item so that potential buyers know what they are looking at. You'll want to include: Size of item, condition of the item, a brief description of the item, markings -- if any, and what the weight of the item is. Also, it's important to include several digital photos.

Tip #6 - Quality photos.

Quality digital photos need to show potential buyers every aspect of the piece. These include: Full image, backside image, a close-up of the detail, and a close-up of any markings. Make sure to take a photo of the item on a plain background. Do not include cute doilies or flowers to enhance the item -- it detracts from what you want the buyer to focus on.

Tip #7 - Should I contact an auction house?

If you have an array of top-of-the-line pieces (big diamonds, designer pieces, collectible watches), you might consider contacting an auction house. For higher end merchandise, they can cast a bigger net to potential buyers. Make sure to ask questions up front, such as 1) When is your next sale? 2) What commission rate do you charge? 3) Do you charge for photography fees? 4) How much is insurance on my item? 5) Do you charge buy-back premiums? Once they give you an estimate for your item, and you begin to deduct the above listed variables, you can then determine if it's worth consigning your jewelry.

Tip #8 - What do I call my jewelry?

The best way to describe your jewelry would be to use the era (such as Art Deco), the type of item it is (e.g., brooch) and what the medium is (carat gold, and if it has stones); for example: "14kt Art Deco Brooch with Diamonds." This helps potential buyers determine quickly if they are interested and want to know more.

Tip #9 - Do I need an appraiser?

If you have just a few items, you can probably figure out the value of your items by using the suggestions above. If you have a large collection, you might consider hiring a jewelry appraiser. A great online source for locating a nearby appraiser is the International Society of Appraisers.

Oklahoma snow: As the snow thaws, Valentine's Day jewelry sales heat up

Ice is more than the frozen stuff coating streets and windshields lately. It's also the sparkly diamonds jewelry retailers have stocked and ready for Valentine's Day shoppers this weekend.
Valentine's Day sales are typically last-minute, and with the holiday on Monday this year, jewelry stores say they expect to be busiest today, Saturday and Monday. Many stores will be closed Sunday.
Snow kept Naifeh Fine Jewelry closed three days in the past two weeks, and many customers were snowed in as well. So owner Valerie Naifeh said potential shoppers have been getting e-mailed photos of jewelry to help them pick the perfect piece in the virtual world.
“We don't let the weather get in our way too much,” Naifeh said.
Many customers have been interested in special, one-of-a-kind pieces — a good indicator that the economy has improved because they are more costly, she said.
According to the National Retail Federation, the average person will spend $116.21 this year on Valentine's Day merchandise, an increase of 12.8 percent compared to 2010. American consumers are expected to shell out $3.5 billion on jewelry this year, up from $3 billion last year.
More than 17 percent of people will buy jewelry for their loved one, the federation found.
Coleman Clark, president of B.C. Clark Jewelers, said Valentine's Day shopping hadn't picked up yet, but the weather was likely deterring early shoppers.
Items from David Yurman, Ippolita, John Hardy and Pandora will probably be top sellers, he said. B.C. Clark also carries flower vases in its gift department, which make a nice addition to a bouquet of flowers, he said.
Clark said diamond stud earrings and diamond pendants are a good choice for any Valentine.
“Nothing states your love like diamonds,” he said.
Charm bracelets have been the big seller at the new Pandora store inside Penn Square Mall, according to store manager Tania Smith. The popular bracelets have been around for a decade, but many Oklahomans are just discovering them because of the new location, which opened Nov. 23.
Bracelets start at $65 for sterling silver, and charms range from $30 to $850 depending on the style; some are just for Valentine's Day.
“There's something in the collection for pretty much every budget,” Smith said.
At Lewis Jewelers in Moore, owner Glenn Lewis noticed more men have been shopping for engagement rings this year.
“A lot of guys are stepping up to the plate and buying engagement rings,” he said. “I think there will be a lot of surprised girls out there this week.”

Bed worths £4million

FORTY winks in the world’s most expensive bed will set you back an eye-opening £100,000 a wink.
The £4million Baldacchino Supreme bed features 107kg of solid 24ct gold with the option to customise the headboard with diamonds.
Handcrafted from chestnut, ash and cherry wood, it is so pricey only two will be made by British designer Stuart Hughes.

Dad-of-two Stuart, 39, from Liverpool, who has already sold one of the beds to an Italian businessman, said: “I’ve never worked on anything like it. It’s the sort of thing only the super rich can afford – billionaires who have everything. The bed is stunning.”
Stuart has a reputation for gold-plated excess.
His £22,000 iPhones have been snapped up by the uber rich, including Stefano Gabbana.

Dispute over Mich. diamond gets new day in court

The case of the missing pink diamond was revived Wednesday when a federal appeals court restored a lawsuit that accuses a Michigan jeweler of swapping the gem for a cheaper stone.
The ruling overturned a lower court's order that tossed a lawsuit filed by Victoria Harris of Saginaw. She insists that a Saginaw jewelry store replaced her 2.35 karat pink diamond with a less expensive diamond when she had her wedding ring cleaned and enlarged in 2002.
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 decision, said Harris had supplied enough evidence to at least allow a jury to decide if J.B. Robinson Jewelers is liable. It's not clear how much she thinks the original diamond was worth, although the lawsuit seeks more than $75,000.
J.B. Robinson has denied any theft. An expert hired by the jeweler said the ring's prongs and settings could not hold a rock as large as Harris had claimed.
Harris presented affidavits from three people familiar with the original ring who said it had a pink center.
"There is no dispute that the diamond presently mounted in Harris' ring is colorless," Judge Richard Griffin and Judge Judith Barzilay wrote. "This testimony, which must be viewed in the light most favorable to Harris, supports the allegation that Harris' diamond was replaced."
But dissenting Judge Ralph Guy Jr. said Harris' claims "are nothing short of preposterous."
Guy noted that even Harris' husband said the ring looks like the one he purchased for $395 in 1973. The lawsuit, the judge said, is "long on emotion but short on plausibility."
Harris, 64, did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment Wednesday. She acted as her own lawyer at the appeals court and when the case was in federal court in Bay City, where it now will be returned.
J.B. Robinson's parent company, Sterling Jewelers Inc. of Akron, Ohio, declined to comment.
In her lawsuit, Harris said she was shocked when she went to pick up the ring.
"This is not mine!" she wrote. "There's too much glittering and sparkling and it's small. ... They ripped out a piece of my heart."

Vanessa Minnillo Reveals Engagement Ring

Former MTV host and Entertainment Tonight correspondent Vanessa Minnillo and former boy band star Nick Lachey announced their engagement this week. On Friday Minnillo revealed her engagement ring.

The ring, from designer Bader & Garrin, is described as platinum with an Asscher cut diamond featuring trapezoids along the side. The stone size is speculated to be 4 carats. The estimated price of the ring
is approximately $125,000.


Lachey and Minnillo celebr

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ated their birthdays on Tuesday with Minnillo turning 30, while Lachey turned 37 on the same day. Lachey was previously married to singer and actress Jessica Simpson, whom he starred with in a popular MTV reality series. This is the first marriage for Minnillo. A date for the wedding has not been set yet.

GEM Diamond -- interm result

• Revenue’s were down 10% at US$103.9m yoy, EBITDA was down 29% yoy to US$18.5m taking profit before tax to US$7.8m down 57% yoy.  EPS stood at 2.18c/share down from 3.6c/share, and EPS from continuing operations were down more substantially from 9.38c/share to 1.72c/share.  Profit for the period was down 27% at US$6.125m.  The figures for 2009 were restated for the reclassification impact of accounting for discontinued operations.

• The worse financial performance was partially a consequence of diamonds held over from 2008 into 2009, a one off royalty payment received from an offtake agreement then in place, and the sale of polished diamonds produced in beneficiation trials by Letseng.  Consequently, on a like for like basis, revenues have in fact risen by US$17.3m.

• Letseng diamonds have seen prices increase as with the rest of the diamond industry, and are up 32% yoy to US$1,728/carat. Non fancy yellow production from Ellendale has seen prices increase by 182% to US$144/carat, although this was partially a consequence in changes to the mine plan as there are significant differences in value per carat from different parts of the deposit.
• At the end of June, the company had no debt and US$108.3m in cash on hand, of which US$89.6m is attributable and US$4.8m is restricted.  The cash position is down 5% yoy.  During the period, investments into property plant and equipment stood at US$7.2m, and a further US$22.5m was invested in waste stripping in both mining operations.
• The company sees its results adversely impacted by strong currencies in South African and Australia, although significantly higher diamond prices have offset this to a large extent.  Cash reserves remain robust and the elimination of costs on care and maintenance projects and cost savings initiatives of producing operations should have a positive impact on future earnings.
• The company is looking to increase production at Letseng and evaluate underground potential as well as minimising diamond damage at the mine.  Management is also looking to proceed with license application and development of an underground mine at Gope as well as increase the resource base at Ellendale.  External growth opportunities are also being evaluated.

Conclusion:  The company has suffered from high currency rates at operations but stronger diamond prices have rescued it.  The results are down substantially year on year, although this has been attributed to a number of factors.