Tuesday, December 28, 2010

How to Sell Your Diamond Ring

Diamond rings
Most advertising campaigns by De Beers feature their famous slogan “A Diamond is Forever." Consequently, women seldom sell a diamond and often feel uncomfortable buying diamonds previously owned by other women. There is a sentimental aspect to diamonds that is very different from other tangible assets like boats, houses or automobiles. However, there are occasions when consumers need to sell their diamonds and, unlike the used car market, there is not a well-developed method for consumers to sell their diamonds.
As a consumer, you face some unique challenges when trying to get the best price for your diamond in a safe and comfortable manner. Your starting point is to know exactly what you are selling. This is much easier if the diamond has a grading report from a major laboratory like the GIA or AGS. You have more of a challenge if there is no formal grading report. In this case, you need to find an independent appraiser who can evaluate the diamond and determine its quality and potential value.
Once you know your diamond’s specifications, you can find the current retail asking price by checking with online retailers to see what similar diamonds are selling for in today’s retail market. It is unlikely you will be able to get the going retail price for your diamond. Selling your diamond at 80% to 90% of that amount would make it sell quicker. Be realistic about your expectations. The lowest cost online retailers, not the expensive jewelry stores with double the price, set the value of your diamond.
You now know your target price and simply have to figure out how to find the right buyer for your diamond. There are several options available to sell your diamond and you need to determine which is best for maximizing your money and safety while minimizing your time and effort.
Your first thought might be to go to the closest jewelry store or pawnshop and sell them the diamond. The key to remember here is that they do not need your diamond. They can get all the diamonds they want on the wholesale market. The only reason they will buy your diamond is if the price is a fraction of the wholesale price. They hope you need the money bad enough to take 25%-50% of what you could be getting for your diamond elsewhere. They might offer you a little more if you “trade up" to something in their display case. However, this often results in you paying more for the new diamond and receiving less for your diamond than if you sold it elsewhere.
Several online brokers specialize in buying diamonds and estate jewelry from consumers. They typically have you ship the diamond to them so they can determine the amount they will pay you. All too often, this amount is much less than their preliminary estimate so you must either pay the return shipping, or accept their price. If your main priority is getting money fast, this is a valid option. If your main priority is getting top dollar for your diamond, there are better selling methods available to you.
Auctions like eBay are very popular for selling jewelry items but there is so much low quality jewelry listed, it is hard for potential buyer to find your quality diamond. You are competing with jewelry retailers whose entire business is selling on eBay so they are experts at writing the descriptions (often with exaggerated quality), taking impressive pictures and shipping their items. Even if a bidder does find your item, the odds of getting your target price are slim to nil because other retailers are advertising items with similar descriptions for about half the amount you want. Notice I did not say they are advertising similar quality, just similar descriptions. Do a search for diamond rings with GIA grading reports and you will see the vast majority of diamond rings have paperwork from sources you have never heard of before.
Other effective ways to find a buyer are classified ads in local newspapers and bulletin boards at church or work. The challenge is reaching enough people to find at least one buyer willing to pay your price. You have to be careful when doing this kind of transaction, especially if selling to a stranger. Do the transaction in a safe place and be sure you have a valid form of payment. You do not want to hand over your diamond and end up with a phony cashiers check or bad personal check.
Some jewelry stores and online retailers will sell your diamond on consignment. Online retailers with a local presence have an advantage in that they have large numbers of diamond shoppers on their website plus walk in traffic that can see your diamond in person. They also have lower overhead and prices so you can get a bigger share of the selling price. With jewelry stores often marking up prices over 100%, your share is likely to be less than half of the selling price.
Just be sure to get a written description of the item you are giving on consignment and the minimum amount you will accept for your diamond. All too often sellers are not being able to get their jewelry items back from a store or only receive a fraction of the amount they expected from the sale. However, if you have patience and a low priced, trustworthy retailer to broker your diamond, you have an excellent chance of getting an excellent price for your diamond without the hassle and safety issues of selling it yourself.

Monday, December 27, 2010

How to choose engagement rings without diamonds

An "engagement" diamond rings is a very important purchase. Many people say that the cost of an engagement ring should be three months salary. However choosing a ring because it is very expensive doesn't necessarily show what your love means to you. The ring should fit her personality, it should be a reflection of her and your love for her. Generally we think of engagement rings as diamonds, this doesn't have to be the case. There are some beautiful alternatives to diamonds which can be more affordable and fit your girlfriend's personality better than a clear stone.

The traditional engagement stone in England is the sapphire. Blue sapphires are absolutely beautiful stones, they range in color from almost clear to almost black. Second in hardness to diamonds (the hardest mineral on earth), sapphires will last a lifetime in an engagement ring. Sapphires also come in a variety of different colors; yellow, pink, purple, orange, or greenish color. The value of a nice deep blue sapphire is comparable to that of a diamond. Another good option for an engagement ring is a ruby, they have the same chemical make up of sapphires therefore they have equal longevity. The traditional 55th wedding anniversary stone, the emerald is a good choice if your girlfriend is fond of green. When choosing an emerald take care in checking it for defects as they can affect its longevity.

When picking an engagement ring, you don't have to go with the traditional diamond. Where diamond is the hardest stone and will outlast any other stone in the long run, there are alternatives. You do however want to choose a stone that will last a lifetime. It is not a good idea to choose a stone simply because it will save you a lot of money. A cubic zirconium for example may be dirt cheap but it will come far from withstanding the tests of time. It is best to stick with sapphires, rubies and emeralds as alternatives to diamonds. With those three stones you have an entire rainbow of colors to choose from. In general a sapphire will run at a lower price then the other two stones mentioned. With all of these stones you will save a bit of money compared to a diamond.

There are options for engagement rings without diamonds. Make it personal and unique. An engagement ring displays what your girlfriend means to you. It is your love manifested in physical form. Shop around and do your research. Don't just go out and buy a ring because you were offered a deal that you could not pass up. Put serious thought into the style of the ring as well as the stone that you want in the ring.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

How to select suitable diamond ring settings that suits your choice

In order to get the best designer collection of the diamond rings one should be aware of the best setting technique which suits your choice the most. The way the stone is held inside the setting plays an integral role in the shape and size of ring. The main aim of using the diamond rings settings is to mount the diamonds in it securely and also let the light to flow through the diamond to give it maximum brilliance. There are many setting techniques available in the market. Few of them are explained as below :

Prong Setting: In this type of setting, the prongs are connected to head or basket of the ring also called the central setting. Its main aim is to form a secure grip so that each prong extends upward and outward from the head. It is available in V-shape. It is usually used for pear shaped and Princess cut diamonds. Mainly used for Solitaire diamonds.

Channel Setting: In order to design the ring with round diamonds this type of setting is used. If there is no center stone at all this setting can be used. It protects the wear and tear of the diamond as none of its edges are exposed.

Pave Setting: Here diamonds are laid on the surface of the ring and cover the entire space as the pave does. It looks like the bed of the gems on the ring which gives a shimmering look. A well designed perfect ring should look like a pave covered with diamonds.

Bead Setting: The diamonds are placed in the style of the pave but they are spaced slightly apart in this setting type. Diamonds used are a bit bigger in size. It is only through the variable shapes of the diamonds the ring is designed which gives a very unique look

Cluster Setting: In this type cluster of smaller diamonds is mounted on the ring to give any desirable shape e.g. a flower. The stones are arranged to give a very airy look but at the same time they are tightly mounted. Shape of the finger plays a very significant role in choosing this setting as it looks different on different hands

Flush Setting In this setting type diamonds are arranged in such an order that they are very well flushed within the surface. Bigger stones can be easily and securely mounted with this type of the setting.

By choosing any of the setting types best designer mens engagement rings can be made. But at the same time if your are designing it for someone else. It is better to select the type of stone and the style of the jewelry according to the person’s choice.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Black Diamond Rings - Why Do They Have a Unique Appeal in Women's and Men's Jewelry?

Black diamond rings are probably one of the most dramatic ways to wear colored diamonds. Until relatively recently, very few people had even heard of them even though they have been around for millions of years, just like their white counterparts! Found in only a few locations world wide, they are very rare and the best black diamonds frequently command premium prices higher even than rare fancy yellows!

Diamonds are elemental carbon, which formed into a unique lattice crystal under high temperatures and pressures within the Earth's crust. However, in the case of black diamonds, a small amount of carbon charcoal impurity remained which subsequently colored the forming gemstone crystal. Thus, the black gemstones are flawed natural diamonds which, until their opaque color became fashionable, were generally regarded as poor quality unsuitable for jewelry, and discarded!
However, celebrity interest in colored diamonds, including black ones, fuelled interest in these dramatic gemstones. Their strong opacity and deep hues coupled with their brilliance and sparkle make them true statement pieces. When set into rings alongside white gemstones, they can look truly stunning especially when accessorizing that little black dress!
In fact black diamond rings can be found in many settings. Smaller gemstones can be set pave style into cascades of gold to give a wonderful impact. Or they can be set into a striped arrangement alongside white gemstones. Larger fancy blacks look wonderful as the central gemstone in an otherwise white diamond cluster, or as the centrepiece in a trilogy ring.
Black diamonds certainly add chic sophistication and elegance to any outfit!
But they do not only appeal to women! Men too are increasingly buying black diamond jewelry. These gemstones are strikingly eye-catching when set into white metals such as white gold or platinum. Their intense color means that even smaller stones can be set directly into chunky jewelry, such as signet rings. And such strong statement pieces make natural adornments for men!
Despite the rising demand, black diamonds are still rare. Happily, gemologists can now increase the intensity of naturally present hues of appropriate clean gemstones by subjecting them to high temperatures and radiation mimicking natural diamond formation conditions. This results in a so-called color enhanced natural diamond. However, this process can only be carried out on those diamonds with appropriate hue and hue saturation characteristics.
All this means that fancy blacks are not going to flood the market any time soon! So if you are looking for black diamond jewelry, you can be confident that it will hold its value well enough to become and heirloom piece!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Diamond Jewelry, Pearl Jewelry, Wedding Rings, Pearl Necklaces for Memorable Ocassion

The diamond necklace, diamond bracelet, diamond pendants, diamond rings, diamond earrings can be the perfect gifts on all occasions. The elegant designs in diamond jewelry can be eye-catching and attract people. The attraction towards diamonds is not just limited to women, there are some men too who are attracted towards diamond jewelry and would like to have it for themselves. Diamond jewelry is suitable at any age and with any dress. The diamond jewelry always looks exclusive and sophisticated on any occasion. People nowadays prefer designer made contemporary diamond jewelry. There were times when people used to like traditional jewelry more. Now people prefer modern diamond jewelry with the blend of traditions. If you are really in search of jewelry which suits your personality, then the exclusive diamond jewelry can be perfect choice for you because elegant collection of diamond jewelry suits every human personality. You can wear diamond earrings, diamond pendants, diamond rings, diamond necklaces, diamond bracelets to enhance your personality. Not only the outfit but the jewelry is also important to boost your appearance on any occasion.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Diamond Rings Can Talk For You

The purpose and benefits of diamond rings can be used for many different reasons. It can be used as a friendship engagements, birthdays, and of course weddings, and much more. A lot of people use them for friendship to let a person know that they are special to them. Sometimes it does not matter how long they may have been close friends or whatever they may be. People may have been together for months and may already know that this may be the person they want to be with.

This ring is also used for engagements. When two people are in love they feel as if they want to spend the rest of their lives together. They try to find the best one possible because they can make a great impression. Just about every woman love diamonds so it really would not be hard to make an impression. They also say that a diamond is a girl's best friend.

Then there is a wedding of course. A proposal comes along with a diamond. They both can bring happiness. It makes one feel obligated to the other. It lets them know that they have nothing to worry about. It brings a form of stability in a relationship which one may need. A lot of times people feel as if they are not wanted or needed.
They can also change people. Sometimes people may change for the better and sometimes for the worse. Someone may change for better because they may not be use to having anything. This can change a person's whole perspective and not take things for granted. A person may change for the worse because they may start feeling themselves too much. When a person is not use to something they do not know how to act when they get it. Their attitude changes about everything. They do not realize that just as quickly as they get something it can be taken.

Rings should not make someone change for the worse. They should make someone appreciate things. A person should be able to realize what they have and not what they do not have. By receiving diamonds you should realize then that this person loves you and this is their way to show it.
Sometimes people may not know how to come out and actually say that they love you. This may be why they go out and buy diamonds. Others may be scared of rejection. They are afraid that if they say that they love you, then you will not say it back.

We sometimes have to remember that most people are like us. They want to hear the words I love you. They probably are appreciative for the gift but would rather hear the words. A lot of people do not realize that although it is only three words, those words are the strongest words you will ever hear. It may mean a lot to someone because it is not something to take for granted.

These three words could make someones day. Sometimes you may be having a hard time thinking about where the relationship is going. Then you hear the words I love you and then you are given a diamond rings. Your frown is then turned into a smile.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Diamond Rings for your loved One's

Diamond rings are symbol of romance, commitment and everlasting love. Engagement rings are worn on third finger of the left hand and it indicates that you are getting married soon. It represents a new beginning of your life and a future which is full of new hopes and dreams.

From many centuries diamonds are considered as a symbol of true love and you can find wide range of beautiful designs in diamond engagement rings and you can select according to your choice. But before buying your engagement ring you must review the main four factors which are color, carat, cut and clarity. These four factors help you in finding the ideal diamond engagement ring. Among all these four factors the cut of the diamond is the most important factor. The cut of diamond determines its brilliance and sparkle and also plays a very significant role in price of the ring. Another C which is the carat is the weight of diamond and is measured in carat. Color of diamond also plays a very significant role in the price of the ring. You can find diamond in fancy color but always remember that colored diamonds are expensive compare to colorless diamonds.

You can find diamond engagement rings in different settings, designs, shapes, colors and size. If you are looking for something different then you can buy traditional solitaire engagement ring which comes in heart shape also. Always remember that classic diamond ring is made of two parts one is diamond and the other is setting. If you want the best value of your money then make sure that you find the perfect setting for your ring.

It is very important to select engagement ring very carefully because it is worn by your lady for lifetime. You must be careful before selecting the material and size of the ring. Before purchasing the ring ask the size of her ring finger but if you are planning of giving her a surprise then you can know her size by asking her relatives, family or friends.

You can buy your beautiful engagement ring from online stores there are many stores which help you in selecting perfect engagement ring for your beloved. You can find three stone rings, vintage engagement rings, platinum engagement rings and gold engagement rings. All these rings help you to express your emotions in your own special way. The great advantage of purchasing from online stores is that you can find engagement rings at very reasonable prices. You can add sparkle and shine to your relationship with diamonds.