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1. How
much is a one carat diamond?
2. What is the
difference between platinum and white gold?
3. How do I know
that this diamond is natural?
4. What is the
“XYZ” grading laboratory? (not
GIA or AGS or even EGL)
5. What is the
difference between fine jewelry and designer
jewelry?
6. What is tension
setting?
7. Can a diamond
be chipped or broken?
8. Why is a one
carat sapphire smaller than a one carat diamond?
9. What is the
difference between 14k and 18k gold?
10. What metal
would be the best choice for sensitive ears?
11. What is the
difference between precious opal and an opal
doublet/triplet?
12. What is a
created gemstone?
13. What are common
diamond treatments?
14. What are common
gemstone treatments?
15. How should
I clean my ______ jewelry?
16. What is my
birth stone? |
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How
much is a one carat diamond?
Probably the most asked question
with the most confusing reply.
A one carat diamond in ringuality can range
from 2,500.00(J-I1) to 12,000.00 (D-Flawless).
Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to
this question. Our typical process for engagement
ring diamonds is to first establish the
clients criteria for the stone. This gives
us the ability to show our client a range
of stone sizes and qualities all within
their chosen budget. We’ve found giving
each client an opportunity to access the
quality of the stones for themselves and
to choose characteristics preferred by the
recipient will aid the client in making
an informed decision.
I have had clients that say for instance
“I want the biggest diamond I can
get for 7,000.00”. On the contrary
I have clients that may ask for “the
best diamond I can get for 7,000.00”.
As you may have guessed, these are two completely
different diamonds. The first being a large
diamond, color, clarity, and cut will be
sacrificed. The second diamond being very
fine quality, colorless, high clarity and
ideal proportions for cut, polish and symmetry
the diamond will be significantly smaller.
See Diamond Information Section or Diamond
Buying for Rookies.
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What
is the difference between platinum and white
gold?
Platinum is white
and gold is yellow. White gold is whiter
because of alloys and plating. Platinum
is a naturally white ore. Platinum is very
dense, about 60% more dense than gold. The
atomic structures of the metals are completely
different. White gold has the same or very
similar structure to yellow gold although
most will agree that the added alloy will
make the white gold more brittle. Gold will
scratch and must be polished out, when it’s
polished a small amount of metal is lost.
While platinum being denser will also scratch,
the platinum will remain as one with less
metal loss in the polishing process making
the metal more durable but not any harder.
Many people will say platinum is harder
so as not to have to explain the differences.
In actuality platinum is softer than 18k
or 14k gold. It will scratch easily and
over time platinum will acquire a greyish
patina. It will take longer to completely
scratch a gold or white gold ring, but with
every scratch a small amount of metal is
lost. What makes platinum so desirable is
not its scratch resistance but its metal
memory. Platinum is the obvious choice for
a prong setting due to the density and durability.
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How
do I know that this diamond is natural?
Only a diamond accompanied
by an accredited laboratory certificate(GIA,AGS,EGL)
is proof of it being entirely natural. With
so many diamond treatments and synthetic
diamonds on the market today it is not an
option to buy a “un-certed”
stone. Even a GIA Graduate Gemologist (the
most prestigious degree given by GIA) can
not be 100% sure of a diamonds authenticity
unless they have a laboratory quality infrared
spectroscope i.e. an exceedingly expensive
piece of equipment not available in most
retail jewelry stores.
*See FAQ13 common diamond treatments
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What
is the “XYZ” grading laboratory?
(Not GIA or AGS or even EGL)
With the necessity
of certificated diamonds come more and more
diamond laboratories. It seems like every
day there is a new lab on the market. Some
may be accurate, but most are not. The following
are the opinions of our GIA Graduate Gemologists
on staff.
GIA Gemological
Institute of America
Most of the
diamonds you will see in the trade will
be GIA certified. This certificate is the
most prestigious. GIA is known worldwide
as the innovator of diamond grading. They
have been credited with the invention of
the D-Z color scale as well as the FL- I3
clarity scale and the “4C’s”
of diamond grading. GIA is the foremost
authority on diamond grading. Not only are
they the oldest and most well respected
lab but they also have more on staff gemologists
to grade diamonds than any other lab available.
Every diamond will go through the hands
of at least seven graders, making absolutely
sure the final grades are of the utmost
accuracy. Many if not all of the most important
stones in history have been given a GIA
certificate.
AGS American Gem Society
With the
average consumer knowledge base growing
exponentially, and with so much more information
available then ever before, the savvy consumer
is now much more concerned with diamond
cut. Cut at one time was the least understood
of the 4C’s of diamond grading. Now
cut is appreciated and has taken its place
as the most valuable and important of the
4C’s. AGS laboratory has been credited
with this relatively new turn of events.
AGS was the first gemological laboratory
to issue a cut grade on diamonds sent to
them for grading reports. AGS laboratory
is using the very same color and clarity
scales as GIA but they have added a diagram
of the actual diamond providing not only
depth and table percentages but also crown
and pavilion angles, girdle percentages,
crown height percentage and pavilion depth
percentage. The additional information provided
by AGS has earned them world wide recognition
as the authority on cut. Due to the tremendous
amount of traffic at GIA some industry professionals
feel that there may be discrepancies and
prefer to send their diamonds to receive
an AGS certificate. Also if the particular
diamond in question is cut magnificently
many trade members will choose AGS in order
to receive the prestigious AGS 0 cut grade.
Meaning the diamond not only has ideal proportions
but ideal polish and symmetry.
EGL European Gem Laboratory
Although
this certificate has made its place into
the top three, in many professional gemologists’
opinion it is the least scrutinous certificate
of the three. EGL certificates have gained
popularity in recent years due to the push
from some retail jewelers. EGL certified
stones are the least expensive of the big
three certificates for a jeweler to provide
and as you may expect you get what you pay
for. When comparing EGL diamonds make sure
to check the color and clarity grade against
GIA or AGS certificated diamonds. Not to
say all EGL certificates are not accurate,
some may be, but in my experience you should
expect one to two grades variance. EGL diamonds
will appear less expensive, but don’t
think you’re getting a deal by any
means. On average an EGL G-VS2 is equivalent
to a GIA H-SI1 so the price difference will
be slim to none.
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What
is the difference between fine jewelry and
designer jewelry?
Designer jewelry is
a term that has been mis-used for generations.
Fine jewelry is technically jewelry made
from precious metals such as platinum, gold
and in some cases sterling silver. Fine
jewelry may contain precious gemstones,
synthetics, imitations or created gems.
For the most part fine jewelry is manufactured
on assembly lines and in sweatshops in other
countries working as a siphon on the US
economy. Designer jewelry is another entity
in and of itself. A designer piece of jewelry
will contain only the finest metals and
gemstones. Designer jewelry is art. It is
not mass produced, and has limited availability.
Designers work hard to ensure their designs
are viewed in only the most reputable stores.
Each designer we work with has begun as
an artist and through industry recognition,
trade shows and industry award programs
have earned the recognition of jewelry designers.
We pride ourselves on the craftsmanship
that goes into every piece of jewelry we
sell. The artists that we choose to represent
are the best of the best, originators of
the style of jewelry they produce. Every
piece of designer jewelry has been hallmarked
with the designers stamp in order to separate
the originals from “knock-offs”.
With the American tradition of making everything
bigger and cheaper, manufactures are constantly
mimicking designs that artists create. (The
sincerest form of flattery is imitation.)
For this reason we do not “knock-off”
jewelry. As it is with making anything cheaper,
you’d be doing just that. With jewelry
especially, it is taking a great risk to
cheapen a product. If the same amount of
time and energy, quality of materials are
used in an imitation, the price would reflect
that and would be more expensive than the
original designer piece due to the lack
of professional equipment. We feel that
it’s difficult enough in this world
to succeed as an artist without talent less
jewelers bastardizing your art. We must
give credit where credit is due. When making
a jewelry purchase, please take time to
research the design originator. Most retail
help will give you the information if asked
properly.
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What
is tension setting?
Tension setting
is a process of setting diamond, ruby or
sapphire by pressure. This process has been
developed and patented by Steven Kretchmer.
The idea behind the science is that the
center stone has no prongs or metal coverage.
The stone is almost completely exposed for
maximum light return. The science of tension
setting calls for a much more complex explanation.
Each ring is made specifically for the stone
that will be set. The width, depth and weight
of the ring will be predicated on the size
of the stone you wish to set. The ring is
then cast in a “closed” position.
A hydraulic machine is then utilized to
open the ring, and the stone essentially
sets itself. The alloy’s Steven is
using are of his own invention. The alloys
work as both a hardener and a spring effect.
(think spring gold like a money clip) The
ring is also put through an annealing process
to further harden the product. The finished
product secures your stone with 12,000 pounds
of pressure per square inch. The number
then will extrapolate out to less pressure
exerted on the stone itself. Do keep in
mind, a finer stone must be used to ensure
breakage does not occur during the setting
process. Steven Kretchmer reserves the right
to refuse any stone for any reason. In conclusion
tension setting is the most secure setting
available on the market. There are no prongs
or findings, no solder joint or assembly
in the process of making these rings therefore
there is a much less chance of damage to
the ring during casual wear.
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Can
a diamond be chipped or broken?
Diamond is the
hardest material known to man ranking a
10 in hardness on the mohs hardness scale.
It is exponentially harder than sapphire
ranking a 9 on the mohs hardness scale.
Although the material is hard, it is not
indestructible. In every diamond exists
four cleavage planes, these are the very
same planes a diamond is cleaved on in the
cutting process. They are completely invisible
to standard observation. If struck hard
enough on one of the planes it is possible
to chip, break, or even cleave your diamond.
This is a very rare occurrence, but it is
not impossible. As with all fine gemstones,
care should be taken when wearing a diamond.
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Why
is a one carat sapphire smaller than a one
carat diamond?
A carat is a
measure of weight, not size. Sapphire and
diamond have completely different chemical
compositions. Sapphire has a more dense/heavier
specific gravity. A one carat diamond is
about 6.5mm when cut properly. A one carat
sapphire can vary in it’s diameter
due to the cutting process. When cutting
diamonds cutters are trying to maximize
proportions/brilliance and yield. When cutting
colored gemstones the cutter evaluates the
stone in a different way. The cutter examines
the stone to orient the best color forward.
A colored gem must be cut for body color
and weight retention therefore the depth
and diameter will vary depending on where
the best color lies in the rough crystal.
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What
is the difference between 14k and 18k gold?
The quantity
of gold is expressed in karats (K or KT).
Pure gold is 24K; 18K gold is stamped 750
(750/1000) meaning it contains 75% gold
and 25% alloy (non-precious metals). In
14K gold the stamp will read 585 (585/1000)
58.5% gold and 41.5% alloy. As the karat
weight decreases, the metal becomes harder
more durable and less yellow. When purchasing
gold jewelry, look for a stamp that indicates
the karat mark. For allergy reasons the
less alloy or base metal the more hypo-allergenic.
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What
metal is the best for allergy prone clients/
sensitive ears?
The purest metal
available for fine jewelry is 24K (1000/1000)
gold though some people are even allergic
to gold itself. Platinum is completely hypo-allergenic
due also to its purity (usually 950/100
or 900/1000) these two precious metals are
best for allergy prone people. Something
to think about… some people will acquire
allergies during pregnancy, these type of
allergies will usually subside after a while.
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What
is the difference between precious opal
and opal doublet/triplet?
There are many
grades of opal available in the trade today.
Quality of opal will range from common white
opal to black opal. There are dramatic price
differences between common opal and black
or crystal opal. For this reason some opal
manufacturers will assemble a stone to appear
as if it’s a black opal when in fact
it is a common white opal. There are numerous
creative ways that people have done this.
Most common is an opal doublet, this is
when you take a very small sliver of common
opal and glue it onto a black plastic or
black chalcedony backing. The color of the
opal then appears dark and the play of color
more pronounced. Another way to enhance
the appearance of common opal is to assemble
an opal triplet. An opal triplet is made
in the same way an opal doublet is assembled
except then a colorless piece of rock crystal
quartz is glued to the top of the opal giving
the opal more stability. There is nothing
wrong with purchasing an assembled opal,
as long as you know what it is you’re
purchasing. We do not assemble any opals
what so ever, at Unique Design we sell only
the finest black and crystal precious opal
loose stones and opal inlay jewelry. Precious
opal in its finest quality can be more expensive
than diamond.
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What
is a created gemstone/diamond?
A created gemstone
is a gemstone with all the physical and
chemical properties of a natural gemstone
but is grown in a laboratory. Created is
a nice word for synthetic. It is very difficult
to impossible for a layman to identify natural
vs. synthetic gemstones, for this reason
Unique Designs does not by choice sell created/synthetic
diamonds or gemstones. They are available
by request. There are many different processes
to create diamonds and gemstones. For further
information on these processes consult a
GIA graduate gemologist.
Imitation gemstones?
Imitation gemstones are just
that, imitations. Plastic, glass, or lesser
expensive gemstones enhanced to appear as
more desirable gemstone.
Assembled gemstones?
Assembled
gemstones are different gemstone pieces
assembled to appear as a finer gemstone.
For example colorless sapphire crown + colorless
sapphire pavilion + blue epoxy = blue sapphire.
Always check for separation planes in colored
gemstones under magnification.
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What
are some common diamond treatments?
Unique Designs
does not by choice sell treated diamonds
of any kind. They are available on request.
As a business we’ve chosen to supply
only natural un-treated diamonds. Diamonds
can be treated in a variety of different
ways. When treatments are disclosed properly
they can be attractive alternatives. But
when not disclosed can be fraudulent. High
pressure/high temperature (HPHT) treatment
is a relatively new treatment that places
a diamond into a controlled environment
and increases temperature and pressure to
mimic a diamonds natural state of formation.
This process can dramatically lighten the
color of a diamond. So far there are no
durability concerns with this treatment.
Laser drilling is another common treatment
you may run into in the trade. Laser drilling
is a process involving first drilling into
the diamond and hitting the inclusion you
wish to remove (sometimes this can take
several tries) and then boiling out the
trace element at extremely high temperature
or a boiling acid treatment to remove residue.
This treatment not only decreases value
but can also pose a durability threat in
a diamond. It is advised to take care in
working on jewelry containing laser drilled
diamonds. Fracture filling is similar to
laser drilling in the sense that the idea
is to remove inclusions except in fracture
filling ideally the diamond has a surface
reaching fracture. Fracture filling can
also be combined with laser drilling. After
the treater has access to the inclusion
they then fill the fracture with a glass
like substance to make the fracture appear
less noticeable. This can have a major effect
on durability, and value. It is not advised
to use ultra-sonic cleaners or torch heat
on fracture filled diamonds. Another diamond
treatment that has become readily available
is diamond irradiation. Irradiation can
change the color of a diamond to a completely
different color. Irradiated diamonds can
be an affordable alternative to fancy colored
diamonds as long as the treatment has been
disclosed. Irradiation does not pose a threat
to durability but the color can be altered
by further irradiation (x-ray) or torch
heat.
Note: GIA will
not certificate treated diamonds.
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What
are common gemstone treatments?
Gemstone treatments
are much more prevalent and accepted in
the jewelry industry now than ever before.
Many gemstones have some kind of treatment
either before or after cutting. For example
roughly 90% of all corundum (ruby and sapphire)
on the market has been heat treated. This
usually takes place directly after the mining
process. Rough sapphire and ruby are put
into a high temperature furnace to lighten,
darker or even out the color. This is typical
of most gems and accepted as routine enhancement.
Some gemstones are altered by a combination
of heating in a reducing environment and
chemicals. This is a treatment that
must disclosed as it changes the value of
a gemstone significantly. This type of treatment
can dramatically change the color of a gem
to the extent of making a colorless sapphire
blue. Untreated gemstones are exceptionally
rare and command top prices. Only an accredited
gemological laboratory can certify that
a gemstone is entirely free of heat treatment.
Origin reports are also available from some
laboratories.
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| How should I clean my
______ jewelry? Diamond
jewelry
Diamond jewelry
can be cleaned with any ammonia based cleaner.
Jewelry cleaner is typically scented, colored,
ammonia water. For difficult cleaning jobs
you can use a soft bristled tooth brush
or sonic-care brush. Most jewelers use an
ultrasonic cleaner which is heated ammonia
water vibrating with ultrasonic waves followed
by steam. If necessary you can use high
pressure steam like an espresso machine.
Colored Gemstone jewelry
Most colored
gemstones can be cleaned with a small amount
ammonia based cleaner and water. For more
difficult cleaning jobs you can use a soft
bristled tooth brush or sonic-care brush.
As a rule of thumb, do not use steam or
an ultrasonic cleaner on colored stones
other than ruby or sapphire. Some
Opal and other organic
jewelry
Opal and
organic gem jewelry (pearls, chalcedony,
shell, turquoise etc)has to be cared for
entirely differently than most colored gemstone
jewelry. Many organic stones are porous
therefore they should not be submerged in
cleaning products, ultrasonic cleaners or
even water. Avoid exposure to cosmetics,
oil, perfume and chemicals. Avoid sudden
abrupt temperature changes. Protect opal
and other soft stones from impact, knocking
or scratching. Remember to remove organic
jewelry before exercising, bathing, yard
work, dishes or other household chores.
Clean organic jewelry by rubbing with a
soft cloth. For difficult jobs, use only
very mild soap (a drop of dove or ivory
dish soap) and water and a tooth brush very
lightly to remove oils.
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What is my birth stone?
| Month |
Birthstone gem |
Birthstone organic |
Color |
| January |
Garnet |
|
red, green |
| February |
Amethyst |
|
purple |
| March |
Aquamarine |
Bloodstone |
light blue |
| April |
Diamond |
Quartz |
colorless |
| May |
Emerald |
Chyrosprase Chalcendony |
green |
| June |
Alexandrite |
Pearl |
purple/green, various |
| July |
Ruby |
Onyx |
red, black |
| August |
Peridot |
Sardonyx |
green, banded |
| September |
Sapphire |
Lapis |
blue |
| October |
Tourmaline |
Opal |
Various |
| November |
Topaz |
Citrine |
yellow |
| December |
Tanzanite |
Turquoise |
p blue, turquois |
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Copyright
© 2007, Unique Designs. All rights reserved. |
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