Jewelry Buying Guide
Fine jewelry is an investment that can last for generations. Click on the links above to learn more about the history of the precious metals and stones that encompass most fine jewelry today. You will also find tips on shopping and caring for your jewelry. To shop for jewelry now, click here.
Diamonds
For easy reference, Unique Dichroic Jewelry has added the terms Value, Traditional, Premiere, and Certified to some of the classic diamond pieces on site to help you decide what quality is right for you.
Certified
Unique Dichroic Jewelry.com finest jewelry is set with Certified Diamonds, certified by national diamond grading laboratories.
Premier
Premier Diamonds are the highest quality diamond jewelry featured onsite.
Traditional
Traditional Diamonds offer incredible jewelry that balances quality and value.
Value
Value Diamonds give you great jewelry at an affordable price.
Diamond Shapes
Round, Princess, Marquise, Emerald, Radiant, Asscher, Oval, Pear, Heart, Cushion
Diamonds are graded by using the 4 C's: Color, Clarity, Carat, and Cut. The value of a diamond can vary greatly when any one of these grades change.
Color
Traditionally, color in a diamond is graded based on a lack of color. The hues graded in ''white'' diamonds are actually faint tones of yellow, brown, and grays. An alphabetical scale starting at D and ending at Z is used to evaluate the color. Imagine two glasses of water; one clear -- the other containing a few drops of lemonade -- and you will begin to get an idea of the differences in color grades. The following color scale is an approximate representation of color saturation.
D, E, F:
Colorless
G, H, I:
Near Colorless
J-K:
Faint Color
L - R:
Noticeable Color
S - Z:
Obvious Color
Fancy Color
Once the color saturation moves beyond the range of the scale (Z), or has a completely different hue than yellow, brown, or gray, it then becomes a Fancy Color diamond. Fancy colors are graded on how much color and how strong it is. Diamonds come in every color of the rainbow including blue, pink, and yellow, purple, black and many more. In general, fancy colored diamonds are more rare than colorless diamonds.
Clarity
Clarity is the grade that describes the inclusions and blemishes of the diamond. The fewer inclusions and blemishes a diamond has, the more valuable it is. Clarity can also have a direct impact on how much brilliance a stone has. If there are too many inclusions or they are in certain places of the diamond, the inclusions can block the light from reflecting and diminish the beauty of the diamond.
The following clarity grades are listed from highest to lowest: Flawless
(FL)
Flawless diamonds show no inclusions or blemishes of any kind inside or outside of the diamond.
Internally Flawless
(IF)
Internally Flawless diamonds do not have internal inclusions but can have some external blemishes, such as a miniscule scratch.
Very Very Slightly Included
(VVS1 & 2)
Very Very Slightly Included diamonds inclusions that are minute under 10X magnification. A trained gemologist would have significant difficulty finding any inclusions under magnification.
Very Slightly Included
(VS1 & 2)
Very Slightly Included diamonds have minor inclusions which are moderately difficult for a trained gemologist to see with 10x magnification.
Slightly Included
(SI 1 & 2)
Slightly Included diamonds have inclusions that can be somewhat easily seen by a trained gemologist with 10x magnification. The inclusions should be extremely difficult for a trained gemologist to see without magnification.
Slightly Included
(SI3)
A few Diamond Grading Laboratories include an additional grade to cover stones that fall right on the border between SI2 and I1.
Included
(I1, 2, & 3)
Included diamonds have inclusions that are noticeable without magnification.
Carat
Carat is a weight measurement of diamonds. It is abbreviated ct or CT and sometimes TDW which means Total Diamond Weight. DTW is used when a piece of jewelry is set with multiple diamonds. It is sometimes difficult for the average person to equate carat weight with an actual size. With that in mind, we have included a very brief guideline for comparing carat weight to millimeters. This is only intended for ideal cut round diamonds. The depth of the diamond (shallow or deep), the shape, and how it is cut can cause significant variations from these approximate measurements.
Cut
Cut is divided into Shape, Proportion, Polish, and Symmetry. Shape and Proportion are all of great importance when cutting a diamond to its most brilliant appearance. Depending on how deep or shallow the diamond is cut; the face up appearance of the diamond can vary greatly. This will also have a significant effect on how a diamond scintillates, or shines. The Polish is how well light enters and exits the facets of the diamond. Symmetry can describe both length to width ratio and also depth percentages.
Conflict Diamond Free:
We actively supports the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme to help eliminate the sale of conflict diamonds. We guarantees that all diamonds offered for sale on our site have been purchased from legitimate sources not involved in funding conflict, in compliance with United Nations Resolutions. We certify that, to the best of our ability, any diamonds offered for sale on our site are conflict free, based on personal knowledge or written guarantees provided by the suppliers of our diamonds.
Pearls
Nothing compares to the elegant beauty of a smooth sleek pearl. Pearls are versatile in that they can dress up a little black dress for a night out on the town, or complement jeans and a blouse at a PTA meeting.
The vast majority of pearls in the market are cultured (farm grown). A cultured pearl is a real pearl that grows due to humans placing a piece of shell, bead, or tissue inside the mollusk. The origin of a cultured pearl can make a large difference in the overall price point. The different types of pearls and their corresponding characteristics and grading systems are listed below.
Freshwater
These pearls are cultured in fresh water. Almost all of this type of pearl is nacre growth that can range between 2 to 13 mm, with the average being 6-7 mm. These pearls are white when harvested but can be dyed to any color in the rainbow. Usually freshwater black pearls can have rainbow iridescence, a unique characteristic of freshwater pearls.
Pearl Grading Scale for:
Freshwater
AAA
Pearls are very close to round and have a high luster. These pearls are carefully matched in size, color and overtone when appropriate to the piece of jewelry. Pearls can have slight blemishes on the surface that are noticed only when looking closely on the pearl.
AA
Pearls may be potato shaped and have a medium luster. These are fairly uniform in size, color and overtone. Pearls may have some blemishes on the surface.
A
Pearls are irregularly formed potato shaped and have a low to medium luster. These pearls can be noticeably inconsistent in size, color, and overtone. These pearls may have noticeable blemishes and wrinkles on the surface.
B
Pearls have low to poor luster and can vary greatly in shape, size, color, and overtone. These pearls have obvious blemishes and wrinkles.
*Please note that there can be variances in the grades. Variances in color or shape may be intentional and therefore would not be a restraint on the grade.
Akoya, Tahitian & South Sea
Akoya : Ranging from 2-10 mm with an average of 6-7 mm these cultured pearls are generally spherical in shape. The colors range from white to cream, all other colors are assumed dyed. Akoya are the traditional pearl found in strands.
South Sea : These cultured pearls usually range from 10-20 mm and average about 13 mm. The colors for South Sea pearls are beautiful white, cream, and golden colors that are completely natural.
Tahitian : These cultured pearls are naturally grey, silver, or black pearls that generally range from 8-16 mm. The most sought after Tahitian pearls are black with a peacock overtone.
Pearl Grading Scale for:
Akoya, South Sea & Tahitian
AAA
Pearls have a high luster and are gracefully shaped. They are precisely matched in size, color, and overtone when relevant to the piece. The pearls can have minute differences that are barely visible for most people.
AA
Pearls are nicely shaped and have a medium to high luster. These pearls have good uniformity in size, color, and overtone. Pearls can have slight blemishes on the surface that are noticed only when looking closely at the pearl.
A
Pearls are fairly even shaped and have a low to medium luster. These are fairly uniform in size, color and overtone. Pearls may have blemishes and/or wrinkles on the surface.
B
Pearls are intermittently shaped and have low to poor luster. The size, color and overtone may vary within each strand. Pearls may have blemishes and wrinkles on the surface.
*Please note that there are variances in the grades. For example you can have a shape other than round such as drop shaped or banded, etc. and still have an AAA grade.
Other types of Pearls:
Mabé (pronounced mah-BEE) : This is an assembled blister pearl that contains a nacre dome top, polymer inside, and a mother-of-pearl back. Mabe pearls are graded based on the Akoya grading scale.
Keshi Pearls : These are a flat to baroque shaped by-product of the culturing process that can occur in both freshwater and saltwater. These pearls are graded based on the grading scale corresponding to the type of pearl mollusk.
Pearls range in their quality just like any other gemstone. To help you decide what type of pearl you would like to purchase we have put together a small education and grade scale. Pearls are graded on 7 value factors: Size, Color, Shape, Luster, Surface Quality, Nacre Quality and Matching.
Size : The size of a pearl is measured in millimeters (mm). There are 25.4 millimeters in an inch. So, a 6 mm pearl is a little less then ¼ inch.
Color : The colors in a pearl can range from white to black and many in between including pink, purple, cream, golden, peacock and many others. Some special effects of color are overtone (translucent color that lies over the main body color of the pearl) and orient (iridescent colors in the pearl).
Shape : The most sought after shape of pearl is round. It is also the most difficult to culture and therefore the rarest. Other shapes include: Drop, Button, Oval, Baroque, Coin and Circled.
Luster : This is the way light travels through the pearl and reflects back to the eye. The easiest way to see luster is to look at the ''mirroring''; of reflections in the pearl. If you look for the light spot on the pearl, the sharper the reflected images are, the higher the luster grade will be.
Surface Quality : Most pearls have blemishes just like diamonds. Blemishes on a pearl can be spots, pits, scratches, etc.
Nacre Quality: This is the actual substance that covers the pearl. It is microscopic layers created by the mollusk. The quality of a pearl's nacre is based on thickness and evenness.
Matching: The matching of pearls only comes into play when you are making a strand, set of earrings, or other such instances. Even in strands you can have unique pearls that don't match and are beautiful pieces of jewelry in their own right.
Colored Gemstones:
Gemstones have captured the imagination of the people since the beginning of time. From the ancient civilizations of Egypt to the most modern cities of today, gemstones have been desired and valued for their depth of color and brilliance. The endless variety of nature's bounty continues to astound even the most distinguishing connoisseur.
Colored Gemstones, just like diamonds, can be classified and evaluated by the ''four Cs'': color, carat weight, cut and clarity.
Color
Color is the most important factor in evaluating gemstones. Gems with the brightest and most vivid color will usually have the highest value. Specific gemstones only occur in a certain color range. For example, you will never see a Peridot in an emerald green color due to the chemical and physical properties of the stone. When evaluating color, you need to evaluate the saturation of color in relation to the known colors that the gem occurs in. It would be unfair to grade that same Peridot as a very weak green because it is not the same green that an Emerald can be seen in. Within each gemstone variety, a clear, medium-tone, very intense and saturated primary color is generally the most preferred.
Carat Weight
As in diamonds, colored gemstone weights can be expressed in carats, but generally, gemologists prefer to use specific gravity, the ratio of the gemstone density to water's density, in discussing gem weights. Specific gravities of gemstones vary with their chemical properties; for example, a one carat round brilliant diamond of typical proportions will be approximately 6.5 mm in diameter, while a round brilliant ruby of the same size and proportions will weigh approximately 1.55 carats. Since two stones of the same weight can be of different sizes, colored gemstones are usually measured in millimeters instead of carats on our site. Larger gemstones are more rare and more expensive than comparable smaller gemstones. As with color, the rarity of larger stones depends on the type of gemstone. For example, large rubies and emeralds are extremely rare, while amethyst and tourmaline are often found in sizes up to 10 carats.
Cut
How a gemstone is cut determines the final beauty of the stone. A master gem cutter can look at the rough gem material and determine what slight differences in cutting angle will yield the most brilliant stone. The precise angles and proportions are not as specific in colored gemstones as they are in diamonds. Diamond cutting focuses on maximizing brilliance. Colored gemstone cutting is centered on maximizing color. Quality cutting can make the difference between a nice stone and a stone that takes your breath away!
Clarity
Gemstones contain inclusions that can provide proof of their natural origin. Inclusions can also help determine if any treatments have occurred on a particular gemstone. As in the other ''Cs'', clarity is relative to the type of gemstone evaluated. Some gemstones usually occur with few to no inclusions. Others, such as emeralds, are known for their inclusions. A flawless emerald would be nearly priceless while a flawless aquamarine would be fairly standard. As with diamond grading, 10x magnification is used by gemologists to evaluate clarity. The final assessment is made with the unaided eye.
Caring for Colored Gemstones
When possible, avoid wearing your gemstone jewelry when you are involved in activities that could cause it damage such as yard work, sports or at any time where you will be in contact with harsh chemicals. Chemicals, such as chlorine can harm your jewelry with extended exposure. The best way to clean your colored gemstone jewelry is to rinse it with warm water. If needed, you can gently brush the stones with a soft brush, such as a tooth brush. Rinse your jewelry thoroughly, and lay it on a soft cloth to dry. Opaque gemstones like lapis lazuli, turquoise, malachite should just be wiped clean with a moist cloth. These gemstones can be porous and may absorb soap and chemicals, which may build up inside the stone and discolor it.
We recommend you visit your jeweler at least once a year to have your jewelry professionally cleaned. The jeweler can also check the setting of your gemstones to make sure the prongs haven't been bent or weakened. You'll find that clean stones heighten the sparkle of your jewelry.
Metal Types
What is better, platinum, white gold, or yellow gold? What is rhodium? Is it permanent? What are the new jewelry metals: titanium, stainless steel and tungsten?
All have their pros and cons, with aspects that can appeal to all of us. Learning about their differences will help you understand their various attributes.
Platinum
Platinum is a ''white'' toned metal that is usually pure. If it is 950 parts per thousand or more, it is considered pure. If it is lower, it is an alloy. Most Platinum onsite is 950 Platinum. Platinum is a denser metal then gold, making it more durable and heavier. Platinum will scratch easier than gold, but the metal does not wear or chip away. Platinum is considerably more rare than gold and therefore more valuable. It will always have a worn or ''antique'' look from daily wear and tear, which some people prefer. It can be taken to a jeweler and polished to a bright finish for those who like the shine.
Yellow Gold
Yellow gold is the classic jewelry metal. Pure gold is usually too soft for jewelry, so other metals are added to form gold alloys which are hard enough to fashion into wearable jewelry. The metals combined with the gold will determine the color or tone of the alloy. While yellow remains the most popular color, white, pink or rose, green and blue are also available. Gold alloys are measured in karats, often abbreviated kt or simply k -- 24k is pure gold (100 percent); other common alloys are 18k (75 percent), 14k (58.3 percent) and 10k (41.7 percent).
White Gold
White Gold is actually yellow gold mixed with white toned alloys to give it the silver appearance. Because gold is naturally yellow, white gold does have a slight tint of yellow to it. To give it the bright shiny white finish we all know, all white gold is rhodium plated. This is a process that is done electrically and actually fuses to the gold. This plating does not chip off but does wear over time. It can be, and is recommended, that you have your white gold rhodium plated anytime you want to have it look new again.
Gold Filled
Looking just like solid gold, Gold-Filled is actually bonding a thin layer of gold over a brass core. The gold covers the brass surface, which prevents tarnishing, and is a far thicker layer than gold plated components. Even though the gold content is thicker it is not all the way through and therefore must be stated as gold filled.
Gold Plated
Gold plating is a layer of gold, 10kt or more, over a base metal. This process is done by flashing or dipping in the gold. It is not bonded like gold filled or rhodium plating and, therefore, has the potential to wear or chip off, but offers the same look as solid gold at a much lower cost. Many watches, for example, are gold plated because it would be impossible for most people to afford a solid gold watch. Regardless of the thickness of the plating, the piece must clearly state that it is gold plated.
Vermeil
Vermeil is a special type of gold plating using silver as the base metal. Vermeil pieces must state clearly that they are vermeil.
Silver
Silver is also a soft metal and is commonly alloyed with other metals to make it harder. For silver to be sterling silver it must be 92.5 silver and less then 7.5 other metal.
Titanium
Like gold and silver, titanium is an element; unlike gold and silver, it is never alloyed. Because it is the hardest metal known, titanium rings cannot be resized, but, it is exceptionally good for certain things -- such as watches that are worn constantly -- as it has the least chance of damage. It has a slightly darker shade than white gold or platinum. The surface can be scratched and brushed or it can be polished and buffed to a high shine.
Stainless Steel
Stainless Steel is an iron alloy that has at least 10 percent chromium, making it less susceptible to oxidation (rusting). Other metals may be added to make it harder and more durable. Because of the hypo-allergenic properties and high resistance to corrosion, it is used in many medical instruments and is a great metal for body jewelry. Stainless steel has a darker tone than silver.
Tungsten
Tungsten carbide is a much heavier and denser metal than silver and titanium. Tungsten is an element that can be mixed with carbon and other trace elements to form a powder which is cast under high temperatures and pressure and finished with diamond tools. Tungsten carbide is the hottest new look in fashion jewelry.
Each metal has a special look. Some like the white with their skin tone while others say that yellow will never go out of style. No one can say what the best metal is, except you.
Birthstones:
The following is the most popular list of birthstones in use today. Any of these gemstones can be worn and enjoyed by anyone, no matter what your official birthstone.
|
Month
|
Color
|
Stone
|
|
January
|
Dark Red
|
Garnet
|
|
February
|
Purple
|
Amethyst
|
|
March
|
Pale Blue
|
Aquamarine
|
|
April
|
White (Clear)
|
Diamond
|
|
May
|
Bright Green
|
Emerald
|
|
June
|
Cream
|
Pearl, Alexandrite, Moonstone
|
|
July
|
Red
|
Ruby
|
|
August
|
Pale Green
|
Peridot
|
|
September
|
Deep Blue
|
Sapphire
|
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October
|
Variegated
|
Opal, Tourmaline
|
|
November
|
Yellow
|
Golden Topaz, Citrine
|
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December
|
Medium Blue
|
Turquoise, Blue Topaz, Zircon,
Tanzanite
|
