How to choose that perfect pearl?

Strand of pearls are known for their elegant beauty & have fascinated women all through the ages. This article throughs light on important features that you need to consider while selecting a pearl necklace.

Basically there are 4 types of pearls; Tahitian, SouthSea, Freshwater & Akoya pearls. Except for freshwater pearls all other type of pearls originate in oceans and are considered more valuable compared to freshwater pearls because of their high luster & rarity.

As is common for any other gemstone, a pearl’s value is determined by its quality. Pearls are rated according to their quality as A, AA, AA+, AAA & AAA+ with AAA and AAA+ being the best in terms of quality & value.

The other factors which are taken into consideration while judging the value & quality of pearls are; it’s:

1. Nacre
2. Surface
3. Luster
4. Shape
5. Size & Matching
6. Color

Nacre:

Maximum attention while buying a pearl jewelry is put on pearl’s nacre thickness. Nacre is a coating which pearl oysters produce for covering pearl’s nucleus. Nacre is the key which decides how long the pearl will last. While purchasing you should look for a pearl that is having nacre thickness of minimum 0.4mm.

Luster & Surface:

Luster is the amount of light that gets reflected from the surface of the pearl. Pearls with mirror finish, high luster & clean surface are more valuable.

Size & Shape:

Price of pearls bigger than 7mm varies a lot on the actual size of the pearl. Most commonly used pearls are round in shape and are considered most desirable.

Matching:

In pearls bracelets & necklaces, matching means the ways in which all of the pearls in the necklace or bracelet are similar. As it is very hard to find enough similar or identical pearls for making a completely matched pearl necklace or bracelet, those which have such matching features command top price.

After deciding about the size, type, quality & color of the pear you are looking for, take your time to shop around and find that perfect pearl bracelet or necklace.

Diamond Certificates

Certification for diamonds is invaluable as they provide detailed information about the diamond’s credentials. Certificate is like unique fingerprint of any diamond, which is the source of important information for any jeweler, trained gemologist or costumer.

A certificate contains complete quality description for a diamond & also includes details about its weight, color grade, shape, proportions, fluorescence, measurements & finish grade. The certificate also confirms that the diamond is genuine.

However, a diamond certificate is useful only when it has been issued by any reputed & independent laboratory with no financial interest in the diamond.

As a costumer, if you have never heard of the laboratory that is providing the grading report, then don’t hesitate in asking about their credentials. Also, the grades from such unknown laboratories won’t be similar to ones provided by GIA or HRD.

So at the time of purchasing a diamond it is important to look at the certification & also the laboratory which has provided the certificate to be assured about its quality and grade.

Let us now look at some of the popular diamond certification providers:

1. Gemological Institute Of America (GIA)
2. American Gem Society (AGS)
3. International Gemological Institute (IGI)
4. European Gemological Laboratory (EGL)

Gemological Institute Of America (GIA):

Gemological Institute of America was the first to develop an internationally acceptable diamond grading system. The institute also introduced the first grading report & played a lead role in setting diamond quality documentation standards around the world. The Gem Trade Laboratory of Gemological Institute of America issues these reports for majority of high quality diamonds which are over 1 carat in size.

The GIA certificate states the diamond’s carat, color, cut, clarity, weight and also its shape, table & depth percentages, measurements and grades the symmetry & polish.

American Gem Society (AGS):

American Gem Society laboratories serve an international clientele of wholesale suppliers, retail jewelers, manufacturers and diamond cutters. The Diamond Quality Document of American Gem Society provides a cut grade for brilliant, round cut diamonds and provides additional information about all the four C’s related to diamond grading. The diamonds are rated on a scale of zero to ten.

International Gemological Institute (IGI):

IGI with more than 250 staff members issue annually over 400,000 gem reports. International Gemological Institute has 3 distinct products; Identification Report, Information Appraisal Report & the Diamond Report.

European Gemological Laboratory (EGL) :

European Gemological Laboratory has specified standard procedures and criterion for consistency & accuracy in their Diamond Consultation and Certification. The main clientele for EGL is dealers, manufacturers, craftsman and wholesalers; however, they do not sell gems or diamonds and are totally independent of any specific diamond selling group.

Some tips on how to clean your jewelry

Your fine & precious jewelry can easily become dull & dirty & it is important to take proper care to keep them sparkling & shiny.

Wrong methods of cleaning can cause damage to your jewelry items, so in this article we will look at some points on how to properly clean them to keep them shining all the time.

1. At the time of cleaning or showering it is important to take the jewelry off as a film could form on it & gradually it will attract dust, dirt & other contaminants.
2. Using a snub free 100% cotton cloth is advisable for cleaning the jewelry.
3. Many commercial cleaners are nowadays available but you should properly read the instructions before using them.
4. Do not clean with bleach! Bleach is an oxidizing agent which reacts with the metal & causes it to become brittle.
5. Some chemicals such as denatured alcohol, ammonia, chlorine bleach, acetone & turpentine are very harmful. These can pit the surface or make the jewelry dull.
6. Do not use toothpaste; the abrasives in it can easily damage the metal surface. Toothpaste also abrades the surface on softer stones such turquoise, lapis and amber.

By taking the following precautions you would be able to keep your loved jewelry sets in good condition for years to come.

Month wise division of birthstones

Many people believe that gemstones have mystical powers which are bestowed on the wearer. As for example, cool blue sapphire means that the person wearing it remains cool even under pressure while fiery & passionate people wear a red ruby.

With time people started relating gemstones with zodiac signs or months of the year and those who were born in that month were believed to have qualities resembling that of the birthstone or gemstone that was linked to that particular month.

At present the official birthstone list from American National Association of Jewelers, Jewelers of America, has been officially adopted in 1912.

The modern birthstones & their respective birth months are:

1. Garnet - January
2. Amethyst - February
3. Aquamarine - March
4. Diamond - April
5. Emerald - May
6. Pearl - June
7. Ruby - July
8. Peridot - August
9. Sapphire - September
10. Opal - October
11. Yellow Topaz - November
12. Blue Topaz - December

Apart from these, the traditional birthstones also exist like Mystical birthstones with Tibetan origin & Ayurvedic birthstones.