Jewelry

There is no reason fine jewelry shopping should be anything but fun, informational and ultimately satisfying. But research shows consumers find buying fine jewelry one of the least enjoyable shopping experiences. With a little preparation, education and thought, we guarantee buying jewelry will be exciting…

The following guide will not only tell you how to buy jewelry, but will give you gift giving tips every shopper should have before heading to the jewelry counter or making an online purchase.

Know your budget:

Don’t get in over your head with a knickknack or trinket that will break the bank or make them afraid to wear it.

Know the occasion:

• If you’re not about commitment but want to impress them with a gift of jewelry, word to the wise: stay away from the ring category. A ring, no matter what the design, is loaded with symbolism that screams “I’m in it for the long haul.” A nice necklace or pair of diamond studs might be the better choice in this case.
• Right Hand Rings are the perfect self-gifting occasion to celebrate a promotion, graduation, or “just because”. It’s also a great friend-to-friend or mother-to daughter gift. Think female power!
• The “go big” calendar moments are of course Valentine’s Day and the December holidays.

GIFT GIVING:

Jewelry can be the most important gift you give a loved one.

The best way to avoid awkward gift giving is to study what your significant other likes. What do they usually wear? Do they compliment others on the way they look? You know how to make them laugh, so you can surely pick up some tips on their personal style. Take notes and bring what you know on your shopping trip.

Know their size (mainly for ring purchases):

Find a ring they currently wear (not the one on their finger, you do not wish to give away the surprise), trace the inside and bring it to your jeweler.

You can always size the ring later, but you do not want to be an Indian Giver, if even for only a short while.
Don’t be a tease…

Know Your Gold:

Jewelers have selected gold as their precious metal of choice because of its softness, natural beauty, resistance to erosion or tarnish, and ease of workmanship. Gold is so soft and malleable that it can be melted and shaped to create virtually any design.

The gold content in a particular alloy is expressed in karats (abbreviated as K or KT). Generally, the higher the percentage of gold content, the softer (and yellower) the piece. The karat weight system used for white gold is the same as that used for yellow gold (white gold is mixed with different alloys to give it a white color).

To determine the karat weight of a particular piece of jewelry, look for the quality mark. Generally, pieces will either bear the stamp of their karatage based on the U.S. or European system. The U.S. system uses karat designations (24K, 18K, 14K, 10K, etc.) Europe uses number designations which correspond to the percentage of gold content. For instance, 10K is marked “417″ for 41.7% gold; 14K is marked “585″ for 58.5% gold; 18K is marked “750″ for 75%gold, etc.

Common gold karatages (karat weights) and the corresponding percentages of actual gold:

• 24K represents pure gold (100%) and is rarely used in jewelry.
• 21K is 21/24ths gold content, or 87.5% gold. Jewelry of this karatage or higher is rare in the United States, although it is far more common in parts of Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
• 18K is 18/24ths gold content, or 75% gold. This is a popular karatage for higher end jewelry in the United States, Europe and other regions, and its usage is expanding in North America.
• 14K is 14/24ths gold content, or roughly 58.5% gold. This is by far the most commonly used karatage in the United States (and perhaps the world) and provides a nice balance between gold content, hardness/durability and affordability.
• 10K is 10/24ths gold content, or 41.7% gold. This is an increasingly popular karatage sold by many U.S. mall jewelry chains, department stores, discount stores and other mass market venues because it offers budget-conscious consumers precious metal jewelry at more affordable prices than the standard 14K. It is also the lowest gold content that can be legally marked or sold as gold jewelry in the United States. Often used in rings because they tend to be worn every day and experience many knocks and thus require an exceptionally strong alloy.
• 9K is 9/24ths gold content, or 37.5% gold. This is a popular karatage sold by mass marketers in England and other regions, although it cannot be marked or sold as gold jewelry in the United States.

When shopping for diamonds:
Keep in mind that the value of a Diamond is determined by the “4 Cs” of cut, color, clarity and carat weight.

Cut:
refers to the execution of the diamond’s design, the skill with which it was cut, the quality of its polish, and the overall symmetry of the stone. Diamond cuts are broadly graded as Ideal, Excellent, Very Good, Fair or Poor. A well-cut diamond releases the inner brilliance of the stone and projects its maximum amount of fire and sparkle. A poorly cut diamond allows light to leak out the sides or bottom rather than reflecting back to the eye, resulting in a “dull” diamond that may even have some “dead” spots inside.

Color:
refers to the presence or absence of color in white diamonds. As a rule, the whiter the stone, the greater its value. Even a slight tinge of yellow or brown could have a negative impact on a stone’s value. Most diamonds are graded on the GIA color scale that begins with “D” for colorless and continues all the way down to “Z”, with the color becoming more visible as you move down the alphabet. Stones in the D-F color ranges are considered the most valuable because they are the rarest.

Clarity:
refers to the presence of surface or internal flaws within a diamond caused during its formation. External marks are known as blemishes, while internal ones are called inclusions. Diamonds are graded for clarity on a scale ranging from “F” for flawless (no blemishes or inclusions visible under 10x magnification) to “I” for imperfect (inclusions visible to the naked eye), with numerous grades and subgrades in between. The best diamonds, of course, are flawless, but these stones are exceptionally rare and therefore very costly.

The GIA grading system today

The GIA diamond grading scale is divided into six categories and eleven grades.[1] The clarity categories and grades are:

 
• Flawless category (FL) diamonds have no inclusions or blemishes visible under 10x magnification.[2]
• Internally Flawless category (IF) diamonds have no inclusions visible under 10x magnification, only small blemishes on the diamond surface[2]
• Very, Very Slightly Included category (VVS) diamonds have minute inclusions that are difficult for a skilled grader to see under 10x magnification.[2] The VVS category is divided into two grades; VVS1 denotes a higher clarity grade than VVS2. Pinpoints and needles set the grade at VVS[1]
• Very Slightly Included category (VS) diamonds have minor inclusions that are difficult to somewhat easy for a trained grader to see when viewed under 10x magnification.[2] The VS category is divided into two grades; VS1 denotes a higher clarity grade than VS2. Typically the inclusions in VS diamonds are invisible without magnification, however infrequently some VS2 inclusions may still be visible to the eye. An example would be on a large emerald cut diamond which has a small inclusion under the corner of the table.[1]
• Slightly Included category (SI) diamonds have noticeable inclusions that are easy to very easy for a trained grader to see when viewed under 10x magnification.[2] The SI category is divided into two grades; SI1 denotes a higher clarity grade than SI2. These may or may not be noticeable to the naked eye.[3]
• Included category (I) diamonds have obvious inclusions that are clearly visible to a trained grader under 10x magnification.[2] Included diamonds have inclusions that are usually visible without magnification or have inclusions that threaten the durability of the stone. The I category is divided into three grades; I1 denotes a higher clarity grade than I2, which in turn is higher than I3. Inclusions in I1 diamonds often are seen to the unaided eye. I2 inclusions are easily seen, while I3 diamonds have large and extremely easy to see inclusions that typically impact the brilliance of the diamond, as well as having inclusions that are often likely to threaten the structure of the diamond.[1]

1. ^ “Diamonds and Diamond Grading” course material – Book 11, Grading Clarity, Gemological Institute of America, 2002
2. ^ What is the GIA Clarity Scale for diamonds? GIA website, accessed December 7 2006
3. ^ Pagel-Thielsen, Verena G.G., F.G.A. Diamond Grading ABC: The Manual Rubin & Son n.v., Antwerp, 9th edition, 2001, ISBN 3-9800434-6-0.

Know the return policy:
There is ultimately no guarantee your jewelry gift is going to hit a home run. Most stores, whether they are online or in the mall, have a return policy. Don’t be afraid to ask your salesperson. With a little preparation, education and thought, we guarantee buying jewelry will be exciting…
 
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