It’s funny, I’ll bet that those of you who’ve never seen a jeweler at work have no idea what kind of tools we work with, but you’d probably be surprise at just how many dental tools we use. In fact quite a few of the tools that I used when I did designs on pieces of gold manually with a spinning diamond (diamond cutting) I did with one of those dental foredom drills! I guess it’s kind of like a Dremel drill but more powerful. Anyway … the jewelery tool suppliers likely bought some of their supplies from discount dental equipment suppliers because I swear 25% to 50% of the tools and products that jewelers use are the same ones that dentists use too.

I bet you never thought that nice teeth and beautiful jewelery had something in common? LOL

Now what should I do with my old “jewelry” equipment?

This weekend my husband and I are going to go to the Canada Blooms Show downtown. I haven’t been to that Gardening show for a few years now. I’m going to bring my camera and my video camera and I expect that I’ll have lots of material for my gardening blogs after a day long visit! I’m sure I’ll also manage to find a few new plants to buy as well, as I always do at these kind of shows. Even though my garden is pretty much jam packed with plants!

While we’re downtown we might visit the jewelry district to look at watches. My husbands watch stopped working a while ago and he’s always liked momentum watches so maybe we’ll find him a new watch too.

Are you as happy as I am that Spring is almost here?

I think I’m starting to wish I was working in the jewelry trade again.

Oh yes, I used to be a jeweler. No – not a salesperson behind a counter. I actually made jewelry, cast gold, cut designs into rings, pendants and bracelets with a diamond cutter, gold plated and so on. My husband was a jeweler (trades person like me) as well.

My sister and I used to work together with our respective businesses. She was and still is a jewelery engraver. So our customers would come in and I’d put a design on their jewelery or make a mold so they could mass produce a piece and then my sister would engrave the finished work once one of our customers clients purchased a piece.

We worked in a building filled with jewelery trades people, from those who specialized in setting stones, to gem sellers who’d open a bag and drop it on a desk letting the loose diamonds scatter, to people like myself who cast gold into pieces of jewelery and so on.

It was a tough business. I loved it and I hated it. During the busy season I’d sometimes work 18 hours a day. I had to because once January, February and March hit things really slowed down and if you didn’t make your money over Christmas you’d be in for some tough times.

Anyone else work in the jewelery trade now or in the past? If so, did you enjoy it?

WEIGHT

It is often misunderstood that, while diamonds are measured in carats, gold is measured in karats. This is an indication of the purity, rather than a measure of the weight or the size. Rings made of 14k gold actually consist of 14/24 pure gold which makes it about 58% pure. Platinum’s purity hase a measurement scale between 900 and 950 out of 1000. This translates to a 950PT wedding ring being 95% pure platinum.

Note that the remainder is often comprised of chemically similar though equally valuable metals. While lower numbers can be found, they won’t be found in fine jewelry wedding rings.

A diamond, by contrast, is measured in carats (ct), ranging from near zero and up. 1 carat = 200 mg, a measure of mass. A diamond that is less than one eighth of a carat is considered a chip. Partly, the reason is the difficulty of faceting and polishing such a small stone in order to bring out a diamond’s effects.

A diamond that isn’t fully faceted or properly shaped is known as a “chip.”. They can result from accidents or the crystal structure that makes cutting and polishing nearly impossible. But the smaller the stone, the more difficult this becomes. So, most chips are in the range stated.

The Cullnan diamond, weighing in at about 3106 carats, is the biggest individual gem-quality diamond ever discovered. It was cut down into the egg-shaped stone that sits in the scepter of England, itself about 525 carats.

But there are many other factors that influence the cost and look of a fine diamond intended to sit in an engagement ring or wedding band.

CLARITY

A diamond is judged by professionals on how ‘clear’ it is, and the stone is then placed into a category.

FL, IF – Flawless, or Internally Flawless represents the highest grade in this area. Such stones are extremely rare and hence invariably very expensive.

VVS1, VVS2 – These ratings represent a diamond which is only ‘very very slightly included’. ‘Included’ means, essentially, occluded or cloudy. Inclusions of non-diamond material or structure are responsible for lack of perfect clarity. Despite the ominous sounding word, these gems are very high quality. The flaws can only barely be seen under 10x magnification.

VS1, VS2 – Very Slightly Included ratings represent high quality stones. No flaw is visible to the naked eye.

SI1, SI2 – Slightly Included gems contains flaws that are visible under 10x magnification and may just barely be seen by those with very sharp eyes. Beyond having good eyesight, though, one needs to know what to look for. Generally, non-experts won’t notice much of anything.

I1, I2, I3 – These are mediocre quality stones that may still look very nice. But they have visible flaws when one looks closely that will reduce the brilliance of the stone’s appearance.

COLOR

Clarity is actually a separate measure from color. Diamonds are usually considered a colorless stone, but diamonds come in a wide variety of colors. Fashions change and in one era what might be considered a flaw will be highly valued by the next generation. The color is produced by small ‘impurities’ mixed into the carbon structure that makes up diamond.

A 200-carat blue diamond in the Smithsonian (the Hope Diamond), for example, is valued not only for its unusually large size. Its rare and pure color is also a significant factor.

Blue, pink and yellow are among the most common colors found in ring stones.

D stones are completely colorless and correspondingly rare.

E diamonds are also considered colorless. Any impurities are in trace amounts detectable only by experts with special tools. Still very rare.

F are also graded colorless, but a slight color may be seen by an expert.

G-H are near colorless. Non-experts can detect some shading if they look closely, but these can still be high quality diamonds.

I-J Near colorless diamonds in which the color is slightly detectable. Still a very good value.

K-M are stones in which the color is highly noticeable. Observe, though, that these ratings are for diamonds that are ranked according to how little color they have. As a result, many will find a yellow diamong quite beautiful.

What’s important is to have the color be uniform. Small spots of color are still considered a flaw by most everyone. Of course, that too is simply a matter of taste and some future trendsetter may decide such diamonds are worth even more.

CUT

It is challenging to give a ranking to the quality or price of a diamond based on the cut of the gem. This is due to the fact that detemining the “best” cut is really a matter of personal preference. The different cuts – round, oval, square, princess – are all equally beautiful and choice simply depends on personal preference. Other common shapes are the Marquise (a type of elongated stone), the Pear, Emerald cut, Trilliant (a wedge shape), Radiant, Cushion and Heart shaped.

Diamon experts have much more specific criteria and will evaluate the different angles and the facet numbers. The Radiant, for example, has 70 facets while the Trilliant has 25 on the crown and 19 on the pavilion. But these details need not concern wedding ring buyers.

A reasonably traditional type of ring is the antique ring setting.  A lot of people love this setting and it is still very popular today.  Within the antique engagement ring style there are many settings for you to choose from all of which display a passionate and charming collection of reproduction vintage style settings made of white gold and platinum.

Below are details of some jewelrs you may want to take a look at.  They provide a wide selection of styles to choose from and give lots of information.

Diamonds USA is a great place to start your process of looking for the finest antique engagement ring setting.  There is a large selection of rings available for you to make the perfect choice.  The range covers, gemstone, diamond, plain, unique, contemporary, Celtic, designer, hand braided, two tone and custom styled rings.  There is also a large choice of wedding bands, including diamond set wedding bands available for you to chose from.  This is a company that has a huge array of choice for both engagement and wedding rings and one that you can completely trust. Because there is no middle man involved, the savings are passed onto the customer.  You are able to buy beautiful engagement and wedding jewelry at great prices because you are dealing direct with the supplier.

Fine Jewelers is another jeweler you may wish to visit if you are looking for an antique engagement ring setting. They aim to help make your decision of choosing the perfect engagement ring as easy as possible by providing a large selection for you to choose from. Their range is constantly updated which means there will always be something new for you to view.   However, one thing dies remain constant about this company.  As far as engagement rings are concerned the company is undoubtedly one of the most well respected and popular jewelers around the world and I am sure you will definitely want to take look at their range to see if there is anything that catches your eye!

The use of cultural symbols in jewelry can create this special combination of beauty and meaning. Jewelry with Roman numerals, in particular, can keep close a memory of the special times and people in your life.

Roman numerals are a numbering system originating in ancient Rome based on seven letters given values as numbers. Any number can be created with a combination of these seven letters. While thousands of years old, Roman numerals continue to be popular today and are a wonderful way of giving gravity and meaning to a special number or date.

Romanesque symbols evoke boldness, strength, longevity. It represents permanence and tradition. Roman numerals are enduring, solid, time-honored.

The straightforward and elegant lines of Roman numerals create an artistic and attractive design on their own. They communicate confidence and steadfastness that combine with their meaning to create a very meaningful piece of jewelry.

Roman numeral jewelry helps us embrace moments in time – birth, graduation, first date, engagement, marriage, and other special memories. It can celebrate either a beginning or a culmination. As a gift, it can be a deeply personal message to the recipient. Or, celebrate with a gift to yourself for a achieving a goal or marking the day that changed your world.

Whether a Roman numeral ring, pendant, bracelet or charm, date jewelry allows the wearer to hold a personal moment close. The special date is always with you, but you choose whether to share its meaning. Your statement can be open and public or kept private and discreet with only your and a few others knowing the true meaning.

A simple numeral can create hidden and deeply personal meaning in a piece of unique jewelry.

Another aspect of choosing a diamond tennis bracelet is how well it will coordinate with your earrings, pendants, necklaces and rings. If you want the focus on your diamond tennis bracelet, choose additional pieces of jewelry that flatter and accent the sparkle and beauty of the graceful addition to your wrist.

Your diamond tennis bracelet should speak a language all its own when coordinated with your clothes. A little black dress looks great when paired with a diamond tennis bracelet. Diamond studs on your ears can make heads turn.

Tennis bracelets were originally worn as an accent for a sporty fashion statement. With sportswear, wearing a diamond tennis bracelet set in silver or gold takes your fashion statement to a new level. It shows everyone that you are as relaxed in jeans as you are in diamonds.

White gold diamond tennis bracelets make wonderful gifts for those who mean most to you. As a graduation gift, it’s a memento of a milestone in your grad’s young life. Diamond jewelry is a traditional tenth anniversary present. For this, a diamond tennis bracelet is perfect. Just as a diamond engagement ring speaks of love and a future together, a diamond tennis bracelet for a tenth anniversary is a symbol of your love and commitment.

If you are looking for a good investment for the future, diamonds never lose their value. Choosing the right diamond carat weight can help the bracelet become a great investment.

Though tennis bracelets are worn mainly by women, many men like the class a tennis bracelet can add. Men’s tennis bracelets are much more masculine. Imagine your man’s face when he receives a diamond tennis bracelet to accent his wardrobe? If he likes to add a dash of sparkle, a diamond tennis bracelet in a chain link design is for him. For a unique idea, choose matching design for his and her.

Now with a variety of discount jewelry supply stores there is now a way for you to enjoy the beautiful pieces feature din the pages of glossy magazines for much less than the retail prices. Look around and there are a variety of a discount jewelry supply stores that stock fantastic designer pieces. You can find very high quality jewelery for affordable prices that will allow you to buy more for less.

Wholesale Prices

Wholesale suppliers have been a godsend to fashionistas everywhere for a while now. If you already buy designer handbags, shoes, and clothes from wholesalers then you can start doing the same with jewelery. Even better is the fact that some discount jewelry supply stores will sell you jewelery at prices that beat even wholesale prices.

When you are looking for cheap discount jewelry you should look for stores that sell products for less than wholesale prices. A good way to check if these stores are the real deal is to do a quick search of a few fashion forums. Google the company name and see if there is any bad press.

Most of the time you can rely on discount jewelry supply stores to provide you with good bargains. If you would like to be cautious then order only one piece to verify that the company is genuine and then if you’re right, go nuts.

You will soon be able to fill your jewelery box with pieces from a discount jewelry supply store while never paying retail prices. Saving on jewelery will let you furnish the rest of your wardrobe with other great things that you couldn’t before.

Buying from discount jewelry supply stores is also a great way to buy presents for people. If you would like to buy a special present for more than one friend to mark an occasion then this is an affordable way to do it. You can present a group of friends with the same piece of designer jewelery and it will always be a reminder of a special day you all shared together.

It can be hard to get a grip on anything for your wedding because there are so many different decisions and you already have enough on your mind so it can definitely be difficult.

If you want handmade bridal jewelry for your wedding, which is not uncommon because it is so genuine and unique when compared to the jewelry that most brides wear, there are a few jewelers in particular that you are going to want to check out.

Blue Heron

For the most gorgeous handmade bridal jewelry, you will want to visit the Blue Heron site. They even feature handmade bridal jewelry that is diamond bridal jewelry, which is really quite extravagant.

From classic pearls to sparkling crystals, precious metals to fine gems, they have the perfect jewelry that will add that finishing touch to your special day, your wedding day.

The artist is Emily Palm, and with over a decade of experience originating in the time honored trade of ship building, she has that kind of eye for detail that is necessary for something like jewelry to be crafted so beautifully because she has such an attention to detail.

The marriage of wood and silver, of gemstones and gold, is made real in her skilled hands and you know that you can always find the perfect handmade bridal jewelry piece when you shop here.

Fresh Collections

The Fresh Collections Company is another great option if you are looking for handmade bridal jewelry. They are an independent jewelry design boutique and on their site you can browse their handmade jewelry, beaded jewelry and bridal jewelry collections. Their selection is always being updated with new, modernized jewelry so you can always check back and find new pieces.

Each of their piece is completely handmade and originates from a visual inspired by a beautiful gemstone, complimentary color combinations and exotic travel destinations or whatever other element provokes their creativity.

No matter if you have certain preferences for your jewelry, certain colors that you would like to work with or a certain style that you want to go for, you will be able to find it here.

There are so many tremendous options out there when it comes to bridal jewelry, so you should definitely take some time to see what is out there and find the perfect pieces to finish off your beautiful outfit and make you that blushing bride that you imagined of being your whole life since you were a little girl.

If you are shopping for a bridal jewelry set you are going to want to make sure that you choose just the right piece for your wedding day which is one of the most important days in your life. It can be hard to decide on a single bridal jewelry set but if you know what the right things are for you to do here, you shouldn’t have any problems.

Jewelry holds a true special place in the celebration of a marriage, and is used to symbolize your love for each other…and of course it makes you into the beautiful bride that you want to be.

When it comes to your jewelry, you can get anything from a tiara or necklace to earrings and a bracelet. Or maybe you want a bridal jewelry set that includes all of these, it is really up to you and your own personal preference.

Try Some On

If you want to find the right bridal jewelry set for yourself, the best way to go about it is to try some on. Sure you can see some here and there that you may think look pretty, but unless you try them on yourself and see how they look against your skin tone and with your dress, you are really not going to be able to make the best decision here.

Any respectable jeweler will allow you to try different jewelry pieces on, including bridal hair jewelry, so that you can see how you like them.

Get Opinions

You should always bring someone with you when you are trying on something like bridal hair jewelry, so that you can get opinions other than your own. Bring your best friends or even your groom along for his point of view…just don’t let him see you in the dress!

You can even make a real event of it and get all your bridesmaids in on it with you. These days, you can even have people see the jewelry as you are trying it on without them even being there, what with cell phones and digital cameras. So even if you have some members of the wedding party or friends who can’t actually go with you while you are trying to find that special jewelry, you can do it this way.

Your jewelry is going to play a major role on the way you look on your wedding day, and no bride is complete without jewelry.