Rio Grande and the Land of Enchantment | Social Media for the Jewelry Industry - My Jewelry Boom by Eugene Brill

Rio Grande and the Land of Enchantment | Social Media for the Jewelry Industry - My Jewelry Boom by Eugene Brill

Since 1944 Rio Grande has been successful in bringing customers the best in jewelry findings, gemstones, tools, jewelry supplies and equipment, and the packaging and display items essential to a successful jewelry business. Through their print jewelry catalogs (count them, there’s four!), and also through the online shopping experience, Rio Grande offers an unequaled selection of top-of-the-line products, competitive pricing, excellent service, ordering convenience (live operators in Albuquerque or 24/7 online) and fast product delivery.

Charles Koll Jewellers - Imagine More

Social Media and Effective Crisis Communication

Social Media and Effective Crisis Communication by Eugene Brill - Social Media Expert

San Diego Natural History Museum presents: ALL THAT GLITTERS

San Diego Natural History Museum presents: ALL THAT GLITTERS

How to Recognize a Non Conflict Diamond

How to Recognize a Non Conflict Diamond. Submitted by Eugene Brill at MyJewelryBoom - Social Media Expert

Personalized Jewelry Insurance

Don’t you find buying jewelry insurance to be confusing? Do you add it to your home owner’s policy? To your umbrella or renters policy? What about the deductible and premium increases when you have a claim? What value is used to insure your jewelry…is your premium based on replacement or appraised value? What does your insurance agent know about jewelry anyway!

Well, I found a better solution to insure your jewelry…designed with the consumer in mind. The Q Report joined forces with an insurance industry leader that excels at delivering world-class coverage and personal service. The jewelry insurance is provided by Chartis through its Private Client Group, which specializes in property and liability insurance for successful individuals and families. Only approved jewelers and licensed agencies may participate in this jewelry insurance program.

The Q Report provides you with a personalized, bound booklet which describes your jewelry and watches in detail and ensures that if you ever lose or need to repair your insured jewelry items, you need to go no further than your Q Report. The detail contained in the Q Report will enable your jewelry insurance premium to be based on the price you paid for your jewelry, not an inflated appraisal. Usually, your appraised value is more than your purchase price and your replacement cost…which is good, but that also means you pay more in insurance premiums.

Let’s look at some of the benefits of this kind of jewelry insurance:
• You get a nicely bound informational booklet
• Detailed specifications about your jewelry prepared by your jeweler
• A color photograph of your jewelry (key for identifying your jewelry)
• All your appraisal information—including diamond certification details
• Complimentary re-evaluation of your jewelry every year
• A stronger relationship with your jeweler and ongoing advise on caring for your jewelry

That’s all good, but what sets this jewelry insurance apart from the other options available in the market today? This is what really got my attention:
• No deductible—is that possible? Apparently so
• This jewelry insurance policy offers immediate and worldwide protection. That means, you are covered from the minute you leave the jewelry store (no waiting period); and as a US resident, you are covered anywhere in the world—no matter where you lose your jewelry
• No paperwork to complete for items valued up to $35,000; your jeweler takes care of everything
• A secure web site where you can view all the details of your insured jewelry items

Now, as a jeweler myself, I found the next benefit intriguing. The Q Report offers a 125% replacement value. What that means is that if a loss occurs and your jewelry item’s market value has increased and now exceeds your insured amount (with inflation and the price of gold going up its very possible), you can be reimbursed up to 125% of the insured amount. That’s impressive, and really important if you want to protect your investment. A jewelry purchase is not only an emotional investment, but also a financial investment—protect it!

More information available at The Q Report or call 800-354-3193

Boom Media Adds Top SEO and E-commerce Specialist Eugene Brill

Boom Media, the pioneers of building customized story board social media campaigns and optimizing social media strategies, announced the promotion of Eugene Brill to Vice President of Emerging Media and Search Engine Optimization.

Boom Media Adds Top SEO and E-commerce Specialist Eugene Brill

The History of Diamonds

The History of Diamonds

Legends about Diamonds

Diamonds have been the subject of wonder and marvel since ancient times, mostly for their shining brilliance and tough surfaces. As with most of the world's natural wonders and formations, several different cultures have told and recorded a vast array of legends regarding diamonds. The first written testimony regarding diamonds was made by the Ancient Romans, referencing the diamond trade in another country. The word "diamond" is actually derived from the Greek word for "unconquerable."

Ancient Greeks and Romans thought of the diamonds as the tears of the Gods, or small bits of rubble from fallen stars. It was also told that the mythical being, Cupid, shot people with diamond-tipped arrows in order to make them fall in love with each other. When worn, diamonds were said to bring light into life, easing the burden of fears and worries. The Hindu people said that diamonds were born when lightning was dashed upon boulders. Some ancient Jewish cities used diamonds in trials. If the diamond brought before a person darkened and dulled, then the person was guilty.

If it glimmered more brilliantly, then the person was innocent. Unfortunately, the method doesn't apply to a non conflict diamond, as there is no way to recognize the origin of the jewel once it is cut and polished. All precious jewels, especially during the Renaissance and the Middle Ages, were considered to possess magical powers. People wore them as protective amulets and charms rather than glittery trinkets. It was believed that diamonds protected the wearer against demons and evil forces.

It is also said that they defended houses from storms, natural disasters, and the plague. They were also rumored to lighten the heart, ease mental disorders, and provide good luck. Diamonds were also extremely valuable to kings, who believed that sovereignty was their God-given right. Diamonds, most likely because of their shine and their hardness, were said to be blessed by God and given powers beyond human comprehension. Kings donned diamonds on their breastplates. Rich and upper class soldiers also owned diamonds, making them appear as formidable warriors to other warriors on the battlefield.

There was no such thing as "best value diamonds," as diamonds were acknowledged as expensive status symbols, and consumerism wasn't quite around in the same way during that day and age. Diamond powder is also a legendary method of assassination. Many of these stories might have been encouraged by the owners of diamond mines to discourage their laborers from stealing diamonds by swallowing them in the mines and regurgitating them upon returning home.

Sultan Bajazet of Turkey was rumored to have died of internal wounds after his son dumped copious amounts of diamond powder into his food. In 1532, it was thought that gems had magical healing properties, so Pope Clement VII was given several spoonfuls of crushed jewels by his doctors, including a generous amount of diamond powder. He died as well, though this might have been from the illness that they were originally attempting to cure

How to Recognize a Non Conflict Diamond

Many people are absolutely devastated when they learn about conflict diamonds. They think about their engagement ring, their glittery jewelry, and all of the diamonds that they have admired over the years. The brilliance of these pieces is diminished greatly by their bloody history. Diamonds that come from countries in a state of insurrection or rebellion are often obtained by violent and inhumane means.

Tyrant groups take over mines and the villages nearby, forcing villagers into slavery and intimidating their families with murder, rape, and amputation. They sell these diamonds to industrial country and use the money to buy weapons and fund illicit activities. However, there are many places around the world and some parts of Africa that mine clean diamonds through peaceful means. A large part of the money helps support the economy and some reconstruction. It is possible to get a jewelry piece made from a non conflict diamond from most major diamond retailers, if you know what to ask for.

However, there is no way to know for sure if a diamond is non conflict. Once the rock has been cut and polished, it is impossible to tell where it was mined. Thus, for a diamond to be "non conflict" certified, its mining, cutting, polishing, and shipping must be extensively recorded, regulated, and double checked. The jeweler that you go to should have a license and official paperwork in order to prove that the diamond did not come from a conflict area.

There are four questions you should ask the salesperson whenever you buy diamond jewelry. The salesperson should be able to answer these questions, as blood diamonds are a huge issue in the diamond industry, so everyone involved is fairly familiar with them in the same way that they are familiar with diamond quality issues, such as GIA diamond appraisals. If the salesperson cannot or does not answer any of these questions, then you should politely take your business elsewhere.

The first question is, "How can I know for sure that these are non conflict diamonds?" A guarantee from the store is not enough, if a diamond is non conflict then it will have gone through the Kimberly Process, and the salesperson should have some nice papers for you, with embellishments and special textures to prevent forgeries as best as possible. There also might be a certificate or something along those lines that indicate that they only sell non conflict diamonds. Several Canadian diamond retailers or retailers that sell Canadian diamonds will have this.

The second question is, "Do you know where the diamonds you sell come from?" Many countries in South Africa, such as Sierra Leone, Liberia, and The Democratic Republic of the Congo are known conflict areas, so diamonds from them are most likely to be blood diamonds. If you are extremely knowledgeable about blood diamonds, then you know that some areas of Africa actually have clean diamonds that are good for the local economy. However, if you aren't heavily researched, it might be best to stay clear away from the region.

It also helps to have your diamond certifications straightened out; for instance, GIA certified diamond rings are not necessarily non conflict diamonds. The third question you should ask is the retailer's policy in buying and selling blood diamonds. If you are dedicated to this cause, then you might want to only support jewelers who refuse any association with blood diamonds. The fourth request is to see a guarantee from their diamond suppliers that the rocks they sell are clean.

Famous and Valuable Diamonds Throughout History

The name "diamond" is a variation of the Greek word "adamas," meaning "invincible."

Some older famous diamonds include the following: the Kohinoor, weighing 106 carats, one of the crown jewels of Great Britain; the Regent or Pitt, weight 137 carats, belonging to France; the Orloff, which is mounted in the Russian imperial scepter, weighing 199 carats; the Florentine yellow diamond, which weighs 137 carats; the Star of the South, weighing 129 carats.

Large stones found in the late nineteenth century in South Africa included the following: the Victoria or Imperial, which weighed 468 carats when found, and 236 when cut. It was later recut to 190 carats, however. The Stewart weighed before and after cutting 296 and 123 carats, respectively. The Tiffany diamond, which is of a brilliant yellow color, weighed 287 carats before and 125 carats after cutting.

The Green Dresden diamond weighs 50 carats, and the blue Hope diamond 45. The Colenso diamond, presented to the British Museum in 1887 by John Ruskin, weighs 133 carats. The Excelsior diamond, found at Jagersfontein in 1093, weighted 650 carats and was renamed the Jubilee, weighing in at 245 carats.

The Culinan or Star of Africa diamond found at the Premier mine, Transvaal, was the largest stone ever found, weighing 3106 carats or about 22 ounces, and measured 4 by 2 ½ by 2 inches. This stone was presented to King Edward VII by the Transvaal Government and was cut into nine large stones and into 96 smaller brilliants, the largest two weighing 540 and 317 carats, respectively.

The largest African stone found in recent years, known as the Jonker diamond, was discovered by Jacobus Jonker in 1934 in stream gravels near the Premier mine. It weighed 726.25 carats when found but has since been cut. The Vargas diamond was discovered in Brazil in 1938, weighing about a ½ carat more than the Jonker.
Beginning in the late eighteenth century many experiments were made with the hope of synthesizing diamonds and many claims have been made for its synthesis. However it was not until 1955 that the General Electric Company made authenticated diamonds. The synthetic diamonds were small and not suitable for cutting into gems. However, they were produced in competition with small natural industrial diamonds.

Diamond-Buying Tips

Many people do not know what they are looking for when they set out to buy a piece of diamond jewelry, especially if it is their first time buying an engagement ring or a present for a loved one. It can be an overwhelming and intimidating process, going into retailers, looking at all of the different, delicate, expensive pieces. You've probably braced yourself to pay more than you want to, but you would like to avoid paying too much. The first thing is to remember not to buy a diamond simply because it looks like it costs much less than the other pieces in the store.

If the person you are buying the jewelry for has absolutely fallen in love with a piece that you and your family most certainly cannot afford, be firm. As the salesperson if there are any other pieces like it or research online, but don't spend money you don't have and can't get over a piece of jewelry. Be an intelligent shopper. There are hundreds of millions of beautiful pieces of diamond jewelry in the world, the one expensive one that appeals most at the time is neither the best nor the only on out there. You can keep it in mind as something to save up for, but practice discretion.

Just because it's a diamond doesn't mean it's valuable. In fact, much of the diamond's value simply comes from the demand and mystique associated with it. There are several extremely low-quality pieces of diamond jewelry that are advertised for twenty bucks and worth less than five. Similarly, just because something is advertised as "on sale," doesn't mean that it's the best price or the best diamond piece out there. Best value diamonds have an essential jewelry combination of quality and price, both of which should have equal influence in your decision.

Just because the store has a certificate for a certain loose diamond or piece of jewelry doesn't necessarily mean that it is high quality. Many official reports on a gemstone are written in such a way that only professional gemologists and dedicated gem collectors can understand what they mean. The certificate being presented to you can say that the diamond is the poorest quality that a diamond can be, or it can say that it is a beautiful example to diamonds everywhere. You wouldn't know though.

If you are trying to buy a piece of jewelry made with a non conflict diamond, keep in mind that while the diamond certificate is an extremely good indication as to the cleanliness, it is possible to bypass and forge such documents. The certificate is as much of a guarantee as you can get, but shipments of blood diamonds sometime slip into the shipments of non conflict diamonds. In addition, while the 4 C's (Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat Weight) are widely known and highly marketed, they are only a fraction of the variables that go into consideration when a diamond is being rated.

Don’t let the 4 C's be the deciding factor in your diamond purchase. When you are looking at the cut of the diamond, keep in mind that it should not be too shallow or too deep. The perfect diamond will be able to reflect all of the light that it is exposed to. Diamonds with a heavier carat weight are more expensive than those with a lighter weight, but you do not want to buy a diamond that is too low quality. GIA diamond rings and other diamond jewelry are generally a safe bet, but you should be sure that you understand the certification.

Clearer diamonds are also more expensive, since they are the most attractive and light travels through them better than a slightly cloudier diamond. Color is determined on a letter scale. Diamonds rated between D and F is considered to be colorless, between G and J is close to colorless, but not quite. Diamonds that are between K and N have slightly yellowish hues. T and Z are light yellow. This is because yellow is the most common color found in diamonds. Many diamonds that appear to be colorless actually have a slight yellow tint. "Fancy" colors, which are not slightly yellow, can include vivid yellows, blues, and pinks.

Determining Best Value Diamonds

Diamonds are very expensive, which is why anyone who buys a diamond wants to make sure they are getting best value diamonds for the money they spend. When you buy a diamond from a jeweler, whether it is a retail location or a wholesaler, it should be accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.

There are many ways in which diamonds are analyzed to determine whether they are conflict or non-conflict diamonds. Conflict diamonds come from parts of the world where the sale of the diamonds is used to finance wars and acts of terrorism.

Such diamonds are not permitted to be imported into the US, Canada, and European countries. To make sure that such stones are best value diamonds in this regard, there is a process called the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.

The stones at GIA diamond rings have been analyzed and assessed by GIA, which is the world’s largest non-profit gemological research institute. This institute grades only loose diamonds and when you are satisfied that you have a best value diamond, then you can choose the setting for the ring.

The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme is not an appraisal of the value of the diamond, as you find with GIA diamond rings and GIA appraisals. Instead it is a certificate attesting to the fact that the diamond you purchase has not been mined or bought from one of the countries on the list of those associated with blood diamonds.

This process lays down a minimum requirement for the shipping of diamonds all over the world and must accompany diamonds shipped into the country, especially from African countries. In this way, you know that you have best value diamonds in that no one has been harmed in the mining process and that the money from the sale will not be used for killing.

Appraisal of the diamonds is the best way to find if you have best value diamonds. GIA diamond rings and IGI appraisals look at four main features of the diamonds in order to assess its value. This is called the four C’s of diamond rating and each stone is assigned a letter grade according to the system.

The GIA actually instituted this system of rating that is now used internationally. The report you receive is very thorough and covers just about everything you want to know about the diamond you have purchased or are considering purchasing.

The four C’s of best value diamonds refer to the cut, clarity, carat and color of the diamond. Just because a diamond is white and shiny does not mean that it is of good quality because there may be imperfections in the stone that only a certified gemologist can discover.

Many people look at the carat of the diamond, which is its weight, but the other features are just as important. There are five main cuts of diamonds, for example, and if the cutter is a master at the trade, then cuts will be done to perfection. A poorly cut 2-carat diamond may not be as good a value for the money as a smaller size with a perfect cut.

The closer a diamond is to having no color whatsoever, the greater its value. Diamonds that are pale yellow in color are not the best value diamonds to buy because these have a lower rating on the scale. The most highly rated diamonds are those with the letter grades of D, E and F. However, there are also fancy diamonds which are very valuable showing colors of pink, green, blue and bright yellow. These are very rare and are therefore very expensive.

Buying GIA Diamond Rings Online

You can get a better deal on diamonds when you shop online for the best value diamonds. Online retailers do have GIA diamond rings that come with an appraisal report from the Gemological Institute of America attesting to the authenticity of the diamond and its value. Although there is a wide selection of such rings at a regular jewelry store where you can look at the ring and the diamond as well as try it on, you have the advantage of much larger choice of exotic rings and colored diamonds when you shop online.

In order to shop for GIA diamond rings online, you do need to have a basic understanding of the four C’s of diamonds in order to understand the descriptions that accompany the rings and loose diamonds. There are also online sites where you can purchase loose diamonds and those that have GIA appraisals. These certifications also adhere to international standards for diamond appraisal and grading and are accepted all over the world.

The four C’s are the standards used in grading the diamonds used in GIA diamond rings and refer to the cut, color, clarity and carat of the stone. The online retailers will have this information listed with the picture of the diamond. The carat of a diamond is its weight and even the tiniest gem has a carat.
There are various diamond cuts of GIA diamond rings, which depend to a large extent on the shape of the rough diamond.

Eight-sided rough diamonds are usually cut into round diamonds in which the table has the shape of an octagon. In grading and appraising each cut, there are certain characteristics that the gemologists will look for. A Marquis cut, for example, has 58 facets. A round cut also has 58 facets – 33 on the crown and 25 on the pavilion. In an ideal cut, there is no facet on the cutlet, reducing the number to 57. The appraisal of GIA diamond rings follows the American Standard of diamond cuts.

In this standard there are certain percentages and angles for each aspect of the diamond. The gemologists use a perfectly cut diamond as their comparison sample and through the use of precise instruments they arrive at an appraisal. In general four gemologists appraise one diamond at different times. This ensures that your diamond rings or jewellery has gone through a complete study by an independent process.

Your name is not connected to the diamond in any way throughout the process and it is known to the gemologists only by a number. The only part of the process on which the gemologists may differ is in determining the color of the diamond. Contrary to what the majority of people believe, all diamonds are not clear and most do have a trace of yellow in the color. When determining the color, powerful microscopes are used and the gemologists have to come to a consensus about the color.

On the appraisal report of GIA diamond rings, the color grade is shown as a letter. D is the highest grade, so receiving a report with this letter does not mean that the diamond has a reduced value. It is exactly the opposite. D means that it is virtually colorless. Diamonds that have large traces of yellow in them have the grade of between T and X, even though you will not be able to detect this coloring without the use of a high-powered microscope. The letters Y to Z are reserved for fancy diamonds, which do come in various colors and because of this they are quite expensive.

More on diamond appraisals

The report on GIA diamond rings or IGI appraisals also gives details on the cut of the stone and its shape. The weight, which is the carat, of the diamond will be listed along with its precise measurements. Diagrams of the diamond in the report will show the angles of the stone that were measured.

In addition, gemologists look at the clarity of the diamond, which tells how well the diamond catches the light and reflects, refracts and disperses it. This part of the report basically refers to the sparkle and shine of the stone as it sits in the setting of the ring.

GIA grading reports on diamonds have earned international recognition so that if you have a diamond that you want to sell, the buyer will receive all the information attesting to the quality and authenticity of the stone. These reports are praised for the incredible amount of accuracy they contain about the appraised diamond.
If your GIA diamond ring contains a diamond between 0.15 and 1.99 carats, you will receive a Diamond Dossier. This gives you the same type of information about the stone as you would receive in a regular grading report, but it is presented in a more compact format. For security reasons, this dossier will also have the identification number of the certificate imprinted by laser.

Since buying diamonds and diamond jewelry results in a high price, you really do need to have an appraisal to accompany your GIA diamond rings or a non conflict diamond. For insurance purposes, you would need to have this document as proof of the cost of the diamonds in order to take out an insurance policy on them.

To have your diamonds appraised by the GIA you can contact them directly or bring your stones to any jeweler to have them sent to the GIA. If you inherit a diamond ring or buy one at an estate sale, you may want to know the estimated value of the ring. While the GIA can appraise the stone, you will need to have it taken out of its mounting in order to have the work carried out. The GIA can advise you of the best setting to choose for the ring.

An Overview of GIA Diamond Rings Appraisal Reports

When you look at the diamond rings in the showcase at a jewelry store the salesperson will likely tell you that they are GIA diamond rings or the that stones are EGL loose diamonds. You smile and nod even though you haven’t a clue what all this means. GIA is an acronym for the Gemological Institute of America and EGL is an acronym for the European Gemological Society. Both are international institutes that appraise diamonds.

Even though a jeweler will tell you the rings you are looking at are GIA diamond rings, this means the diamond has been appraised by the GIA and not the complete ring. It is necessary to know that the stones have been appraised so that you know you are buying best value diamonds and that they are most likely have a money back guarantee. Diamonds sold with such a guarantee are worth what the jeweler is charging for them.

When you send diamonds to the GIA for appraisal, you will receive a comprehensive report on the analysis. The color will be assessed and assigned a letter grade ranging from D to Z, with D being pure white diamonds.

You can have GIA diamond rings with a slight tint in the diamond, which may bring down the price, but does not take anything away from the beauty of the stone. In order to see the differences in color from white to faint yellow, you would have to use the same precise lighting methods that are used in the laboratory setting.