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A gem for your jewel? Bling it on for Valentine's Day |
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Written by James A. Fussell, McClatchy-Tribune
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Friday, 09 February 2007 |
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It don't mean a thing if you ain't got that ... bling! (Doo-wop doo-wop doo-wop doo-wop ...)
Who doesn't love a little sparkle on Valentine's Day? So to help out, this year we had a little rock talk with Tom Tivol, president and CEO of Tom Tivol Jewelry and Gemstone Appraisals in Leawood, Kan. The subject: jewelry trends — and what to look for when buying diamonds.
Trends? Several this year.
Men are buying single diamonds as pendants and pairs of diamonds for earrings.
"The diamonds used are often a combination of traditional diamond studs, which can be attached and detached from diamond dangles, which makes the earring dressier for evening wear," he said. "It's like buying two diamond earrings in one purchase, and it reflects the importance of diamond dangle earrings in the world of fashion."
Many popular diamond pendants and necklaces, Tivol said, are now styled in a series — three or five stones, sometimes in a straight line, other times in a circle. Hearts and rubies are also big this year.
When buying diamonds, Tivol said, make sure you're doing it the right way. Some tips:
Look for a jeweler who has experience, integrity and the ability to teach and not just sell. Forming a partnership with a reputable jeweler can help a customer learn how cut, color, clarity and carat weight affect the beauty, enjoyment and lasting value of a diamond.
Consumers would do well to look beyond the documents often supplied with a diamond and understand issues of quality.
"For instance, lab documents will provide the clarity grade — but do not explain the relationship of size, location, number and types of flaws and their relief," Tivol said. "This information is not only important to the clarity of the diamond, it is extremely important for beauty and value."
Buying a rock on the Net? Tivol is not opposed, as long as you're careful.
"Some of the stores on the Internet have fine-quality diamonds at good prices," he said. Take the diamond to an independent appraiser/gemologist to check it out before you finalize the deal. Make sure you can get your money back if a significant problem is found.
And, finally. Prime rib taste on a bologna budget? What to do?
"Here's what you don't do," Tivol said. "You don't buy a big diamond of low quality, because there's minimal beauty and no lasting value. It is far better to reduce the size of the stone and still buy one that's beautifully cut and of modest rarity."
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THE FOUR C'S OF DIAMONDS
The four C's — cut, color, clarity and carat weight — identify the characteristics that give diamonds their individuality. Each plays a part in the quality and cost of your diamond.
Cut: Refers to the placement and proportion of the facets, or surfaces. The facets reflect light and contribute to the diamond's sparkle. When a diamond is cut to good proportions, light reflects from one facet to another, then radiates through the top of the stone.
Color: The color grade of a diamond refers to the degree of color present in the diamond. Most diamonds have a slight trace of yellow, brown or gray body color. With the exception of a few fancy-colored diamonds in deep shades of blue, red, purple and pink, the colorless grade of diamonds is the most rare.
Clarity: Because of minute traces of minerals trapped in a diamond during the crystallization process, every diamond is unique. These natural characteristics, called inclusions or blemishes, give the diamond individuality. Clarity refers to the number, color, size and position of inclusions.
Carat weight: A diamond's weight is the simplest of the 4 C's to measure. A carat is equal to 0.2 grams. Each carat is divided into 100 points. A quarter carat has 25 points, written as 0.25 carats. | Only registered users can write comments.
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