Engagement Rings Bergen County
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All About Diamonds ​

The brightest part in a woman’s life, diamond, is an allotropic form (different form) of darkest of the elements in the periodic table. The most fought for of all the gems, the diamonds, have a long romancing history. Welcome to the exciting world of diamonds and diamond education. ​MarketDiamond has a bloody history right from Cleopatra to the famed Koh-I-Noor which at the earliest recorded date, 1526 AD, weighed 793 carats before being reduced to 186 carats by the lapidary Borgio. Today De Beers monopolizes diamond production and trade which is around 130 million carats annually. A diamond is weighed in units of carats and a carat originally meant the weight of one carob seed. The present standard carat is, however, metric and equals 0.2 gm or 1/42 of an ounce. ​

Diamonds mined out (mainly in South Africa and Botswana) can’t be sold directly as these are raw. The 4Cs which stand for carat, clarity, color and cut of diamonds, determine the quality and price of these gems. Carat: A carat equals 0.2 gm in weight and further divided into 100 points. This means a quarter carat equals 25 points and is written as 0.25 ct. It is hard that one can avail a diamond weighing a carat or above these days. It is almost always in fractions of carats now.Clarity: Clearer the diamonds higher are the costs. Tiny inclusions (impurities due to presence of other minerals) mask the brilliance. While costing, the numbers of inclusions, their colors, positions are considered. Fewer the inclusions, greater is the reflection and higher is the value. Clarity is graded from I3 to VVS1, starting from Very Noticeable Inclusions to Very, Very Slightly Included, in decreasing order.Color: The best color for diamond is having no color. White light passed through it will come out in rainbow colors. Although most diamonds look colorless they are slightly yellow or brown with subtle shades. Proximity to being colorless raises the value.Cut: Cut is the dictator of a diamond’s value. A best cut diamond reflects all the light without allowing it to pass through giving it the brightest of shines. ​The best cut diamond has 57 facets (cut and polished faces) with 33 of them being on the top half, crown, and the rest on the pavilion, bottom half. Mathematically this gives the total reflection. The best cut diamond will have a round shape with the pavilion having an included angle 600 albeit there is a complex guidance chart for cutting diamonds.
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Bridal Jewelry: Fulfilling a Wedding Tradition

‘Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.’ This is a saying that many brides take to heart when considering their wedding trousseau. From wedding gowns, accessories and motifs, brides from all walks of life throughout the years have tried their best to stick to this formula. It’s interesting to note that bridal jewelry can follow this adage, too.‘Something old’ could most often be a piece of bridal jewelry that is a family heirloom. Sometimes the groom would give to his bride a ring or another piece of jewelry that had once been owned by his mother, grandmother, or past brides in his family. Maybe the bride would wear her own mother’s antique jewelry or some other gem that has been handed down to brides in the family from generation to generation. One thing is certain, wearing such bridal jewelry would reinforce a sense of family, tradition and continuity in a wedding ceremony.‘Something new’ hardly needs any explanation. Thousands upon thousands of bridal jewelry stores, both the Internet e-commerce sites and bricks-and-mortar stores, offer a dazzling array of accessories to make the bride shine on her wedding day.

The would-be bride can choose from among various jewelry pieces one or several items that she would wear at the ceremony and which she could treasure and keep as a memento of that most special day. At first thought, ‘something borrowed’ doesn’t seem applicable to bridal jewelry. After all, a bride would most probably want to wear her own jewels and not have to borrow and then return them. But for women who want to add to the accessories that they will be wearing on their wedding day without having to spend thousands of dollars more to buy new ones, renting jewelry offers a practical solution. Many establishments rent out antique or estate bridal jewelry, including necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, and only the rental fee plus a refundable deposit need to be paid. Finally, for that ‘something blue’ in a bridal jewelry ensemble, there are several gemstones that fit the bill. Depending on the shade of blue that she wants, a bride can opt for a necklace, bracelet, or earrings that are accented with sapphires, aquamarines or blue pearls. Hair ornaments or tiaras with other blue-tinted stones such as agate and topaz are also beautiful accessories for the bride. The bride is the belle of the ball on her wedding day and it is important for her to look her best on that special occasion. Bridal jewelry, chosen tastefully and worn properly, will complement her wedding dress and make her look as radiant and as beautiful as any bride should be.

Bridal Jewelry - Don't just wear it for the wedding

Selecting the most beautiful bridal jewelry to match your dream wedding gown is so important to finishing off your bridal look.  Most brides wear their bridal jewelry for the wedding day only and then store it in a jewelry box or chest, never to be worn again.  Wearing your bridal jewelry after the wedding can bring back all of the warm memories you shared with your groom on that special day.  The best part of owning your bridal jewelry is that it can be worn again, cherishing that day each and every time it is worn.   A great time to “dig out” the bridal jewelry you wore for your wedding is on your anniversaries.  Most couples dress up and do something special together each year to mark their wedding anniversary.  Why not accessorize your formal attire with the bridal jewelry you wore on your wedding day.  

Most brides choose white, ivory, clear pearls or crystals.  These are great for the wedding, because traditionally a bride wears a white or ivory color and these colors of pearls and crystals match the wedding gown perfectly.  It happens that your crystals can be worn with any dressed up outfit, as clear crystals match everything you can wear.  White or ivory pearls and crystals are just as easily matched, they look great with every color.  Surprise your groom on your next or first anniversary by wearing the bridal jewelry that you wore for your wedding day.  Men don’t notice much, but the bridal jewelry that was worn for your wedding day will bring back special and treasured memories for him as well.   ​When you spent your allotted budget on your bridal jewelry, it didn’t mean that you had to put it away after the wedding.  Wearing your bridal jewelry over and over is a great idea to make your moments together a little bit more special.  Make the most of your bridal jewelry, go out and celebrate your love, wear your beautiful bridal jewelry. See us for the best selection of jewelry: www.engagementringsbergencounty.com.


Diamond Anniversary Bands ​

A diamond anniversary band celebrates the everlasting nature of love and is a beautiful reminder of long cherished memories. Beautifully crafted and well-designed unique diamond anniversary bands make for the perfect gift to express your love for each other. Whether you buy a pair of anniversary bands or buy an individual band, these rings celebrate those years of togetherness and the moments spent together.  Have you given your wife or your husband a ring ever since you exchanged wedding bands so many years ago? Why not show her/him your true feelings and buy for them a high quality, affordable jewelry piece such as an anniversary ring? The diamond anniversary band will be much more than a piece of jewelry. It will be a special and cherished token of your love, appreciation, thoughtfulness, and everlasting commitment to your partner.   Diamonds are a woman’s best friend and that’s an open secret.

Only women really know what they want, which is exactly why the diamond anniversary bands available at our store have been hand-crafted by a team of extremely talented and experienced designers in modern and sleek designs. Each diamond-studded band reflects timeless beauty, magnificence, elegance, and grace. ​Our diamond anniversary bands and wedding bands are made from precious metals such as gold, silver, and platinum adding a touch of exclusivity to each piece of jewelry.  Diamond anniversary bands come in a range of designs and options and have small diamonds that run along around the entire band symbolizing the ‘forever’ commitment in your marriage. Moreover, your choice is not limited to diamonds for anniversary bands. You can have a band studded with the stone of your choice to symbolize any particular anniversary or anniversary milestone.  



How To Avoid Diamond Scams ​​

When it comes to diamonds, there are numerous scams to avoid. Most scams are minor, but there are some major ones that come up from time to time concerning the buying and selling of diamonds. Scams occur simply because most people who buy diamonds – for whatever reasons – don’t know that much about diamonds. Therefore, they are easily fooled.A common scam that most jewelry stores participate in is the Carat Total weight scam. The tag on the piece of jewelry, usually a ring, only states the total carat weight of all diamonds in the piece, instead of listing the total weights separately for each diamond. This leads consumers to believe that the main diamond in the piece is actually bigger than it is. Ask what the total carat weight of the center stone is. ​Also beware of fractions. Jewelry stores are allowed to round off diamond weights. This means that if the jeweler tells you that it is a ¾ carat diamond, it is probably between ½ and ¾ carat - but closer to ¾.Jewelry stores often run ‘fluorescence’ scams to varying degrees. Referring to a diamond as a blue-white diamond is such a scam. A blue-white diamond sounds very unique and special, but in fact, this type of diamond is of lesser quality - even though the jeweler will try to make you think you are getting something special. Jewelry stores also like to show their diamonds in bright lights. Lights make diamonds shine. Ask to see the diamond in a different, darker type of lighting as well.Some truly unscrupulous jewelers target those who want appraisals on diamonds that were given to them as gifts or that werepurchased elsewhere. They will try to tell you that the diamond is worthless, or worth less than it actually is worth – and offer to take it off your hands or trade it for a much better diamond, along with the cash to make up the difference. This is called low balling. Get a second, third, and even a forth opinion before taking any action. Another common dirty trick is to switch the diamond you have chosen and paid for with one of lesser quality and value when you leave it to be set in a piece of jewelry, or leave a diamond ring to be sized. The only way to avoid this is to do business with one trustworthy jeweler. Avoid jewelers that you have not done business with in the past.There are many more scams that jewelry stores commonly pull on unsuspecting consumers. Just use your best judgment, and purchase your diamonds with the utmost care and consideration.
Diamond Valuation

Quickly learn the facts and tricks used in diamond valuation. Find out what you should look for when buying diamonds or diamond jewelry. There are four “C’s” in determining the valuation of a diamond: Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat weight.

1. CUT: Judging the ‘cut’ of a diamond refers to the pricing of a diamond in accordance with how that diamond is sculpted and shaped to allow for a maximum shine and a heightened ability to reflect light. Cut can be difficult for a layperson to evaluate, so it is important to get your diamond professionally appraised and to obtain a AGS or GIA Certificate to verify the quality of the cut. A diamonds cut can also affect its durability.    

2. COLOR: If you are shopping for a diamond wedding ring or a diamond engagement ring, then it is important that you pay close attention to the value of a diamond’s color. A Diamonds ability to refract light is dependant on its degree of whiteness, making the whitest of white diamonds considerably more valuable than there lesser-white counterparts. Many experts name color as the number one criterion to consider when purchasing a special diamond for a special occasion.  ​

3. CLARITY: Real diamonds generally tend to have small flaws such as tiny inclusions, air bubbles, or traces of other minerals inside the stone. While the presence of these tiny imperfections become the key factor in determining a real diamond from a fake, the quality and value of a diamond depends very much on a diamonds clarity. The best kinds of real diamonds have imperfections that can only be detected under a skilled diamond graders 10-power microscope.     

4. CARAT WEIGHT: The ‘carat’ is the common unit weight measurement for diamonds, where one carat is equal to 200 milligrams and 142 carats equal one ounce. The bigger the rock, the more carats it has, and the more carats it has, the more expensive it becomes. Many feel that the size of the diamond is just as important as the other ‘C’ criterion.

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All You Ever Wanted To Know About Earrings But Were Afraid to Ask

It is thought that earrings date back to 3000 BC where they originated in Asia and appeared in 2 formats, one being the simple hoop earring and the other the more elaborate pendant earring.The oldest earrings ever found by archaeologists were discovered in royal graves in Iraq and date back to around 2500 BC. Gold, silver and bronze hoop earrings have also been found dating back to 2000 BC in Crete. In those days it was customary to bury jewellery with the dead.In 16th century in the New Kingdom of ancient Egypt a type of earring called an earplug became fashionable and these fitted snugly into a wide stretched hole in the earlobe. This type of piercing is seen on the sculpture of Tutankhamen. Poverty in the Dark ages meant that work with precious metals dwindled although some goldsmiths preserved designs that were to later emerge in 7th century Greece. The most popular earrings then there were the pendant type and they often featured a bird or likenesses of the gods Eros and Nike. ​In the 2nd century during the Roman Empire, earrings became a popular way for rich women to show off their wealth and the use of precious gemstones in the jewellery also became more popular.During the Middle Ages, earrings became less popular and practical due to the popularity of elaborate hairstyles and headdresses.  In fact for a time it was considered immoral for respectable married woman not to have their heads covered in public.In 16th century Italy, hairstyles changed with hair being swept away from the face leaving ears exposed although for another 100 years things stayed the same in England, Spain and France with the wearing of high collars keeping earrings out of fashion.By the 17th century, earrings became very fashionable accessory for the well dressed lady across the whole of Europe.

One of the most popular designs of those times were the very large heavy pendant type earrings called girandoles which were great favorites of Queen Victoria. These earrings required a substantial amount of precious metals and gemstones and so were very heavy, which meant that most people that wore them suffered from elongated earlobes. Although earrings were popular with wealthy people throughout the ages, they were also popular with poorer people who adopted their own styles which were less elaborate and made from less expensive materials. It wasn’t until the 20th century that earrings were completely revolutionized. Different fittings appeared such as screw and clip on as well as those for pierced ears and it also became the norm for women to wear earrings in the day and not just for special occasions. The 1960’s marked a massive change for the wearing of earrings when designs became completely unrestrained and it became common to see men also wearing earrings although most only usually wear one earring. Women began to collect earrings and with so many designs available the choices were endless.Today the choice is even greater and the popularity of earrings increases with many people now having more than one set of piercings in which to display their jewellery. Modern materials such as titanium and different types of plastics have also become popular in the making of earrings because of their lightness, design possibilities and in the case of titanium because of its hypoallergenic qualities.There is now a never ending choice of different types of earrings from modern trendy cheap and cheerful everyday earrings to the more expensive gold, silver or platinum earrings inlaid with diamonds and other precious gemstones. Come see us at www.engagementringsbergencounty.com for the best selection of earrings.