Opals, unlike many other precious stones, aren’t a type of crystal at all but a mineraloid which is typically found in the crevices and fissures of stones. Most true opals come from Australia, with only about 3% of them coming from other areas of the world. Naturally white in color, opals can reflect and refract [...]
If you’ve ever seen an advertisement for right hand diamond rings you’ve probably wondered had the same question as everybody else. After all, can’t a ring can be worn on either hand interchangeably? Fortunately you aren’t losing your marbles, the whole purpose of the right hand ring, and specifically a right hand diamond ring, is [...]
Diamonds are our most prized precious gem. But brown diamonds have never enjoyed the popularity of the clear variety. Although diamonds come in a range of light to strong yellow browns, clearer diamonds are usually seen as more desirable. However true chocolate diamonds, which have a stronger hue than found on the normal diamond color [...]
Rings featuring alternative gemstones are of interest to anyone wanting to save money, but also anyone looking for something just a little different! Some of these alternatives, such as lab created diamonds or moissanite jewelry, are well known – others, like citrine, are less popular but no less beautiful! So what is Citrine? Citrine is [...]
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Alexandrite is an interesting gemstone, being one of the most recent gems discovered in nature. Named for Alexander II after it was first identified in Russia in the 1830s, the most unusual property of this gemstone is its ability to change color dramatically depending on lighting. The color can vary between purple-reds through to blue [...]
In my article about lab created emerald rings, I looked at a few simple, elegant solitaire style ring designs. These are great for engagement or dress rings alike, but there is a simple way to enhance the appearance of any solitaire or plain band ring, which is to use a ring enhancer. Ring enhancers come [...]
Moissanite jewelry is a popular choice for many consumers looking for an alternative to more expensive diamond jewelry. A beautiful stone in its own right, Moissanite is similar enough to a diamond that it can be used in place of the more expensive stone. It pays to do your research though, and the question of [...]
Just a few more points to consider, following my previous article about Moissanite. Identifying Moissanite Because of the higher dispersion factor (ability to split light into rainbow colors) that gives Moissanite its signature fire, it can be easily identified when compared to a natural diamond. Anyone who has seen a few real diamonds would also [...]
Moissanite (pronounced moy-sun-ite) is an alternative simulated diamond that has been of increasing interest over the last few years. With a fascinating history – it was discovered in meteorite fragments in 1893 – this mineral is actually extremely rare in nature. In fact there is so little, and the pieces are so small, that any [...]
Of all man made gems, lab created Emeralds benefit the most from being produced artificially. Emeralds that have been sourced naturally are known for their high level of inclusions, which is the technical term for imperfections in the stone. Most natural Emeralds must have these cracks filled in using silicon or other industrial sealants. Not [...]
In my opinion, lab diamonds (as well as natural diamonds) are some of the most beautiful gems around. It sounds a bit odd, but I can happily sit looking at a diamond for 15 minutes, just shifting it around in the sunlight to see the rainbows. Having said that, there is a lot of other [...]
In this article we’ll be taking a look at a wide variety of simulated diamonds. These are also known as synthetic diamonds, so called because they “simulate” the look of the real thing. And I might add that they do this quite well. A simulated diamond is very different from a true lab created diamond. [...]
It is very important to understand the difference between lab created diamonds (and other created gems) and their imitation counterparts. Unfortunately, many dealers sell the latter under the banner name of “lab created” but this is in fact untrue. This is because they do not fit the definition of being made of 100% of the [...]
They say that the type of setting a diamond is put into is reflective of the marriage which it represents. Is this true? Who knows, but it’s easy to believe that there is an element of truth to this. After all, anything can be a symbol. In this article we’ll examine the different settings for [...]