Certified Diamonds, Engagement Rings, Wedding Rings and Diamond Jewelry Specialists USA

Diamonds

For centuries, diamonds have been a prized treasure to man. They combine beauty and value, and have come to symbolise wealth, love and achievement. Diamonds are predominantly mined in South Africa, Russia and Canada and then sent for cutting to one of the major diamond centers of the world of New York, Antwerp in Belgium or Mumbai in India. Round brilliant cut diamonds are the most popular diamond shape although fancy cuts such as princess, emerald and marquise cuts, for example, are increasing in popularity all the time. Diamonds are graded - and, therefore, valued - according to the international diamond grading mechanism, also known as the 4Cs, representing cut, carat, color and clarity. In essence, the larger, the whiter and the clearer the diamond, the more valuable it is. Larger, higher quality diamonds will usually come with a diamond grading report which demonstrates all the characteristics of the diamond. Don't assume, however, that all diamonds are colorless - they are not. Natural, fancy colored diamonds such as red diamonds, purple diamonds and green diamonds, for example, are incredibly rare and highly prized and, as such, however, command incredible prices as and when they become available, usually at internationally renowned auction houses in London and Geneva.

Non Conflict Diamonds

In the late 1990s, it came to light that certain African nations such as the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) and Sierra Leone, for example, were the source of conflict diamonds. That is to say that the funds generated by the mining of diamonds in these countries were used for illegal activities such as terrorism and wars against legitimate governments. Thousands of the native populations of these countries - including women and children - were being subjected to horrendous working conditions, often at gunpoint, as they mined diamonds that would ultimately end up in the hands of consumers in the larger, wealthier nations of the world. It was estimated that up to 10% of the global supply chain of diamonds was made up of conflict diamonds. As a result, in the year 2000, the diamond industry put in place a series of self regulatory warranties called The Kimberly Process, meaning that the movement of all rough diamonds is now carefully monitored and logged. Conflict diamonds again hit the public domain in 2006 when the Hollywood Blockbuster movie "Blood Diamond" was released starring Leonardo DiCaprio. It is now estimated that around 1% of all diamonds in the supply chain are conflict diamonds ... although even 1% is too much. The Kimberly Process is by no means infallible, but at least it has addressed the issue to a large extent, which we must all abide by to eradicate the world of this disgraceful trade. DeJoria only deals in non conflict diamonds.

Engagement Rings

Diamonds are most commonly found in diamond engagement rings which are given from man to woman to signify the acceptance of a proposal of marriage, and this tradition is centuries old. Certified solitaire engagement rings are the most prevalent, with the classic style being a single diamond raised off the finger, mounted into either four or six prongs. However, engagement rings displaying several diamonds are now becoming increasingly popular - that is a center diamond often with smaller diamonds mounted into the shoulders and the surround which serve to draw the attention of the eye and accentuate the beauty of the center diamond. Diamond engagement rings represent one of the most emotional and financial investments you will ever make, so do your research and get it right.

Diamond Jewelry

As well as engagement rings, diamonds are also set into other pieces of diamond jewelry such as earrings, bracelets and pendants. Such beautiful pieces of jewelry often make wonderful gifts on special occasions such as an anniversary or birthday. Choose wisely when it comes to the precious metal in which you have your diamonds set, as there is an array of choice available in today’s market. The most popular metals are white gold, yellow gold and platinum. The standards for metal purity differ slightly on an international scale, with the US standard being 14kt (58.5% pure gold) and 22kt (91.6% pure gold). Because all DeJoria jewelry mountings are made in England, our standard is 18kt (75% pure gold) and 950 (95% pure) platinum, which is hallmarked by one of the Assay Offices of Great Britain as your guarantee of purity. Buying diamond jewelry online is the fastest growing trend of the global jewelry market, as an increasing number of people come to realise that they can buy certified diamonds at a cheaper price than they will find in traditional jewelry stores.

Diamond Rings

As well as engagement rings, diamonds can also be set into other types of diamond rings such as three stone trilogy rings, diamond eternity rings and right hand diamond rings, for example. Such diamond rings all have meaning. For example, trilogy rings signify "the past, the present and the future", whereas diamond eternity rings, for instance, are traditionally given from husband to wife to commemorate the birth of their first child together. Many professional diamond specialists are also able to produce customised or bespoke diamond rings, taking your design idea and turning it into reality.

Earrings

Diamond earrings are often simple in design and most often use a single round cut or princess cut diamond mounted into four or six prongs for each ear. When you are choosing your preferred design, it is important to consider not only the mounting for the diamond but also the fasteners. The larger the diamond, the more advisable it is to have screw back fasteners rather than traditional butterfly clips which are held in place purely by the tension of the metal. And remember, when buying diamond earrings, most sets will show the combined weight of the earrings on the ticket. In other words, a set of one carat diamond earrings means that there is half a carat in each ear, with a combined total weight of one carat.

Pendants

Diamond pendants can take many forms, with the most common being single stone solitaire diamond pendants which can use all shapes of diamonds such as round cut, princess cut, asscher cut, emerald cut and pear cut diamonds amongst others. Diamond pendants make the ideal gift for any lady due to their versatility in that they look great not only worn with formal evening wear but also with casual day wear. Depending upon the size and quality of the stone, diamond pendants normally come with a diamond grading report. Professional diamond jewelers will also normally offer matching chains to complement this purchase which will generally be 18" in length.

Bracelets

The range of diamond bracelets available on today's market is vast, the most popular of which are diamond tennis bracelets. These tennis bracelets are usually made with either round diamonds or princess cut diamonds, as these are the shapes which are easiest to match up multiple diamonds. Such diamond bracelets will typically be a standard length of 7.5" although this can often be adjusted if required, depending upon the style of bracelet. Do remember to check the strength of the clasp of your bracelet - this needs to be robust enough to withstand the rigors of daily wear.

Wedding Rings

An integral part of any wedding day is the wedding rings - solid bands of gold or platinum which are exchanged at the altar. Over time, however, an increasing number of more modern designs have come onto the market such as diamond set wedding rings, as many ladies in particular are looking to have smaller diamonds set into their wedding rings, usually to match the shape of diamond in their engagement ring. The same principle applies to profiles of wedding rings in that most ladies will want a wedding ring to match the profile of their engagement ring as a matching set. Those men, on the other hand, who don't already wear a ring of any kind, have more of a free reign when choosing their wedding rings. All DeJoria wedding rings are made in England with hallmarked precious metal, perfect for your special day and beyond.