Super Jeweler

Have you ever wondered how a ring can come in so many sizes? It’s not like a shoe store; a jewelry store doesn’t keep the same ring in 7 different sizes in stock. In some instances, rings can be created in the size you order. For instance, this 1ct diamond eternity band in 14k white gold is a ring that is crafted to an ordered size.

In most cases, however, women’s rings are crafted in a size 7 as this is the most common ring size for women. So what happens if you need a size 6? Or a size 9? As it turns out, resizing a ring is actually a fairly easy process when performed by an expert jeweler.

If you need your ring to be larger, the jeweler will make a cut at the base of the ring – the side opposite the gemstone. This part of the ring is commonly referred to as the “shank” of the ring. At the cut in the shank, the jeweler adds another small piece of gold matching the color and karatage of the ring to increase the circumference to the new size. After the adjustment, the ring is measured with a mandrel to ensure proper sizing. After proper sizing has been verified, the jeweler polishes the entire ring to achieve a uniform shine.

On the other hand, to make a ring smaller, the process is the exact opposite. A jeweler will cut out a section of the shank and mold the remaining ring around the mandrel to the correct size. This process of adding or subtracting gold to resize a ring does not weaken the ring when done properly.

Not every ring can be resized, though. For example, some size 5 rings cannot magically become a size 9. In the rare event that a ring cannot be resized, however, SuperJeweler will contact you with additional options to ensure your satisfaction.

At SuperJeweler, we know that a ring is more than just a piece of jewelry. It is a symbol of love and affection that carries a sentimental value you just can’t put a price on. That’s why our team of expert jewelers at SuperJeweler go to every measure to ensure your ring is just the way you want it… right size and all.

The NW Ayer ad Agency stated that a diamond is forever, here are some of our other favorite diamond quotes:

“I never hated a man enough to give him back his diamond.” – Zsa Zsa Gabor

“Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.” – Confucius

“I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.” – Mae West

“Kissing your hand may make you feel very very good, but a diamond and sapphire bracelet lasts forever.” – Anita Loos, screenwriter Gentleman Prefer Blondes

“Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” – Marilyn Monroe

“I think men who have a pierced ear are better prepared for marriage. They’ve experienced pain and bought jewelry.” – Rita Rudner

“Big girls need big diamonds. – Elizabeth Taylor

What are your favorite quotes, please post them on the SuperJeweler Facebook Page.

Last week, we took a closer look at precious gemstones. We mentioned that some precious gems, such as rubies and sapphires, can be created in a lab. This week, we are going to talk more about that, and why created rubies, sapphires and emeralds just might be the best deal in jewelry.

To start, we have go back to San Francisco during the roaring ’20s. A young man by the name of Carroll Chatham had a curious fascination with growing crystals. After several years of trial and error and a fortunate accident, he created an emerald crystal. To this day, he is credited with discovering the process of creating gemstones in a lab environment by duplicating what has been happening in nature for millions of years.

Today, 90-some years later, technology exists that allows for many gemstones to be replicated in a laboratory. These created gemstones are, indeed, real gemstones as they contain the exact same physical properties as gemstones found in nature. Created gemstones, however, can be put under strict quality standards to ensure perfection, which is something Mother Nature cannot do. The result is a perfect gemstone at a lower cost than what nature can provide.

Of course, we understand the charm of “natural” gemstones At SuperJeweler, we carry both natural and created rubies, sapphires, and emeralds to offer our customers more options in terms of quality, price, size, and origin. Because of this, we fully disclose which gemstones are created so you can know as much as possible about whichever piece of jewelry you purchase from SuperJeweler.

To get a look at the affordability of lab created ruby jewelry, just look at this 4ct Created Ruby and Diamond Ring in 10k White Gold.

Last week, we talked a little bit about colored diamonds, their history, and how they are created (both naturally and with a little bit of human intervention). If you are looking to add a little color to your jewelry box, however, colored diamonds are just one option. Today we are going to talk about precious gemstones, particularly why they are considered precious and how most of them aren’t really stones at all.

Let’s hit the button on the wayback machine and go back to antiquity. Precious stones were seen as precious for a couple of reasons: 1) they were pretty rare and 2) they were almost exclusively reserved for royalty. At that time, and progressing to the present, four stones emerged as being recognized as the precious stones: diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. Beyond that, other stones, such as amethysts and garnets, were known as semi-precious stones.

At SuperJeweler, we tend to disagree with this distinction, believing that all gemstones are precious. To that end, we carry a large assortment of fine gemstone jewelry, from the 12 modern birthstones to other gemstones such as tanzanite and pink topaz.

As was just mentioned, we believe all gemstones to be precious; this is for a few reasons. First, in modern times, we have the ability to create gemstones in labs. And this is not like cubic zirconium is to a diamond. We are talking about actually replicating the exact same chemical properties that make a gemstone as it appears in nature. This helps to drive down costs and creates a scenerio where you could actually pay more for a piece of tanzanite jewelry than you would pay for a similar piece of ruby jewelry. In this context, there is less distinction than ever between what is precious and what is semi-precious.

Now that we’ve cleared the air (or muddied the water) on the “precious” part of precious gemstones, let’s take a closer look at that “gemstones” part. There is a tendency to lump all jewelry-related stones into the “gemstone” category. That’s probably because it sounds sexier than “precious minerals,” but that’s exactly what most gemstones are – minerals that have been cut and polished to create a beautiful luster and shine. There are, indeed, many rocks that are called gemstones, such as Lapis Lazuli. Some still are organic material, such as amber or jet.

One of the most common requests for gemstones comes from those seeking birthstone jewelry or mother’s rings. Each month is associated with a particular gemstone. These associations have changed over time from a traditional list to a modern list. For example, the March birthstone used to be a bloodstone, but is now aquamarine. There are even gemstones assigned to days of the week!

Of course, there are no rules about who can wear what gemstones. We think you should wear what you like. To get some good ideas, we humbly suggest you check out SuperJeweler’s collection of fine gemstone jewelry.

Come back next next time when we will talk about created gemstones.

When we think of diamonds, we normally think of those clear and shiny gems that adorn our favorite jewelry. In fact, diamonds naturally come in most colors of the spectrum. This is because millions of years ago, certain impurities adhered to the carbon molecules that formed the diamond. In time, the constant pressure that forms a diamond from carbon also pressed the impurities, giving the diamond a different color.

Natural colored diamonds are extremely rare and, as such, usually cost a small fortune. Perhaps you have heard of The Hope Diamond, which, at 45.52ct, is one of the most famous diamonds in the world, and certainly the most famous blue diamond in the world.

In the early 1900’s, Sir William Crookes began experimenting with the effects of radiation on diamonds. To his surprise, his experiments created color enhanced diamonds; that is, normal diamonds changed colors when treated with different degrees of radiation. The only downside, and it was a biggie, was that, while these colored diamonds were beautiful, the levels of radiation they possessed made them unwearable.

Still, where one door closes, another one opens.

Crookes’ research led to the understanding that diamonds could, in fact, have their color altered, making colored diamonds accessible to the general public. In fact, in the past few years, a process known as High Pressure High Temperature Treatment (HPHT) has led to the creation of color enhanced diamonds that are both exquisitely beautiful and very affordable.

SuperJeweler carries color enhanced black, blue and brown diamonds, putting the beauty and character of colored diamonds in your jewelry box. In fact, these black diamond earrings are one of our absolute bestsellers! Check them out today.

In our last post, we talked about white gold, specifically answering the question: Where Does White Gold Come From? Another question worth asking before making any jewelry purchase is whether the diamonds are real or fake. (As an interesting aside, a created diamond is not necessarily a fake diamond, but that is a topic for another post.)

In short, there are a number of ways to tell if a diamond is real. Professional jewelers have a variety of options at hand, and each one requires a certain degree of technical expertise and equipment. Because diamonds and cubic zirconium (CZ) reflect light in different ways, an ultraviolet light test is one option.

To tell if a diamond is real, a professional will likely use a tool called a loupe, which is just a small 10x magnifying glass, to take a closer look at the internal characteristics of the stone. Doing this, a professional can easily tell if a diamond is real or fake.

Of course, most people aren’t professionals, nor do they have a loupe lying around the house. For the average person, you can tell if a diamond is real by subjecting it to a very simple heat test.

A diamond, because of its very molecular makeup, does not hold heat. Therefore, if you breathe on a stone and the fog from your breath stays on the surface for a moment, you can be assured that this is most likely a real diamond. Remember, however, it is very important that the stone be absolutely clean before the breath test to ensure you are applying the heat from your breath directly to the stone.

If you want to be 100% sure, though, just buy from SuperJeweler. We use real diamonds in every piece of diamond jewelry we sell. We don’t even carry any kind of CZ jewelry. So all the diamond rings, diamond stud earrings, diamond bracelets and more that you see on our site are 100% the real deal.

At SuperJeweler, we know a few things about jewelry. For instance, we know that we sell white gold jewelry items at 10 times the rate we sell yellow jewelry. And that’s pretty standard among most jewelry retailers. We also know, however, that most people really have no idea just what white gold is or where it comes from. So that’s what we are going to talk about today.

We all know that gold, in its purest form, is yellow. So what exactly is white gold? A while back, we did a post titled What Are The Types of Gold? and we are going to revisit a couple of those points here.

Pure 100% gold is 24k gold. Because pure gold is a very soft and malleable metal, jewelers mix it with alloys to strengthen it. For instance, the popular 14k gold is 58.3% pure gold and 41.7% alloys. So 14k gold is actually less valuable than 24k gold, but is much stronger and will last longer under normal jewelry-wearing conditions.

One of the most common alloys used in white gold is Nickel,which will give yellow gold a whitish tint, but that’s not all. At the end of the manufacturing process, white gold receives a coating of Rhodium, which is another rare metal that gives the white gold a bright, platinum-like appearance.

Because the Rhodium is a coating, however, it may begin to wear off in time. This is completely normal and to be expected of white gold jewelry. In this case, the piece will need to go through a simple re-Rhodium process. (As an interesting aside, Rhodium coating may also be applied to some silver pieces to help reduce tarnishing.)

While we are talking about alloys, we would be remiss if we didn’t address the commonality of Nickel allergies. It is estimated that one-in-eight people have allergic reactions to nickel. If you are among this group, you can try a few things. The most obvious would be to simply avoid white gold jewelry. Some people with Nickel allergies, however, have been able to continue wearing the white gold jewelry they love by simply coating it with clear nail polish from time to time. Still, if you are unsure as to the severity of your Nickel allergy, it is always best to check with your doctor regarding the matter.

And remember, whether your prefer white gold, yellow gold, silver, platinum or even titanium jewelry, you can find it all at SuperJeweler.

Last month, with the passing of Elizabeth Taylor, the world lost a true, larger-than-life icon. While her roles as Cleopatra and her noted philanthropy are what come to mind when many of us think of her, for those of us who follow jewelry, there is another larger-than-life element associated with Elizabeth Taylor: the Taylor-Burton diamond.

While Taylor’s fifth husband, Richard Burton, lavished her with many jewels during their marriage, one, deservedly, gets the most attention. We know it as the Taylor-Burton diamond. Specifically, however, it was the 69.42ct pear-shape diamond. The stone itself was cut from a 240.80ct rough stone with a cleaving process that lasted six months.

The legacy of the diamond doesn’t rest solely with Taylor, however. In 1969, the diamond was put up for auction by a previous owner with the understanding that the winner of the auction would be able to name the diamond. Before the auction, Taylor arranged a viewing of it, so her name was certainly mentioned at that time of the auction. At the end of the auction, however, it wasn’t Taylor or Burton who made the winning bid. Instead it was Robert Kenmore, Chairman of the Board of the Kenmore Corporation, the owners of Cartier, Inc.

The winning bid? $1,050,000. To put that in perspective, the previous record paid for a gem was $305,000–a full $745,000 less. It was promptly named the Cartier diamond.

Still, as Burton was an underbidder at the auction, he was determined to get that diamond for Taylor. So, one evening in a hotel lobby in Southern England, Burton negotiated the purchase of the diamond with Kenmore’s agent… from a payphone. He eventually acquired the diamond under the condition that Cartier could still display the diamond, but under the name “The Taylor-Burton Diamond.” The diamond drew thousands of visitors every day at the New York Cartier location.

Following her divorce from Burton, Taylor announced she sell the diamond again. This time it was purchased in 1979 by New York jeweler, Henry Lambert for the hefty sum of $5,000,000. Taylor used part of the proceeds to build a hospital in Botswana.

The diamond’s current owner is jewelry legend, Robert Mouawad.

You’ve heard the saying, “He’s a diamond in the rough.” And while it’s an intuitive metaphor, it stems from an actual process that takes a diamond from its raw or “rough” state to a pretty gem you love to wear. It all starts with the diamond cut.

The word “cut” has taken on two different meaning in recent years. Often, it is used to describe the shape of a diamond, such as marquise, princess, or emerald. These, however, are not actually cuts; they are shapes. The cut is the exact process of taking a diamond from its rough state to a beautiful gemstone full of fire and brilliance.

Each shape has a specific guideline so that diamond cutters can cut the diamond for maximum brilliance and fire. As an interesting aside, approximately 90% of all diamonds are cut in India, Israel, and New York. The process is broken into several steps: planning, cleaving/sawing, bruting, and faceting/polishing.

Planning. During the planning stage, each diamond is analyzed to maximize the value of the final finished diamond.

Cleaving or Sawing. The cleaving or sawing process involves sawing a rough diamond into smaller pieces to, once again, maximize the finished product. At the same time, it’s this step when parts of the rough diamond that are not gem quality are removed. Cleaving is a quick method of removing a large part of the diamond.

Bruting. This is the initial stage where the shape of the diamond is formed. To do this, diamond cutters place a diamond on a spinning axle, rotisserie style, next to another diamond. This constant contact of diamond on diamond forms the beginning of the shape, as only a diamond can cut a diamond.

Faceting or Polishing. By using a flat spinning wheel covered in diamond dust, each facet is delicately added to thdiamond.

In addition to the physical process that gets a diamond ready to wear, there are a series of transactions that take a diamond from the ground to your ear, finger, or neck. Fortunately for SuperJeweler customers, we are a jewelry manufacturer, so we are able to eliminate many of those transactions and bring beautiful diamonds to you at a far lower price than our competitors can.

If you follow the diamond industry at all – or if you are just one who enjoys being bowled over by world record numbers – put February 26, 2010 on your calendar. This is the day that Petra Diamonds sold a rough diamond for a record $35.3 million. How big was the diamond? 507 carats!

The diamond itself is one of the 20 biggest known high-quality diamonds in existence. One of the most remarkable aspects of this story is that it was actually valued at about $25 million – $10.3 million less than its eventual selling price.

The quality and size of the diamond are believed to be the key factors in the higher selling price, as this diamond has the potential to be one of the most important polished gems in history.

According to Petra, the mammoth gem was purchased in a tender by Chow Tai Fook Jewelry Co Ltd in Hong Kong.

The diamond was mined from the Cullinan mine in South Africa. The Cullinan mine has long had a reputation for producing noteworthy diamonds, including “The Cullinan” – the world’s largest rough diamond at 3,106 carats. That diamond was eventually was cut into the Star of Africa stones now set in Britain’s Crown Jewels.

While we don’t have any 507ct diamonds in our inventory, we do have quite a selection of other sizes for all kinds of diamond rings and diamond solitaire pendants at SuperJeweler.com.