Charams and Charm Bracelets, Amazing Jewels.
July 3rd, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
The charms on a charm bracelet become like a story, showing off some of the most important moments you’ve had in life. Although the charms that you have on the charm bracelet look lovely, more than likely they mean more than just a little charm on your bracelet. They actually represent some of the most important times in life for you.
Generally people like starting a charm bracelet to mark a significant event in their lives or most of the times such charm bracelets are gifted. The actual bracelets are known as the starter bracelets. Then when an important event occurs you can add on a charm to help you remember that specific event. Charm bracelets are great gifts, such as giving one to a new mom. She can then use that bracelet as a way to document the important “firsts” in the life of her baby. Great charms to use include bottles, pacifiers, or even booties.
For hundreds of years charms and charm bracelets have been around and used on a regular basis. At one point in history they were thought to be special amulets, used to help get rid of evil eye and other forces of evil. They were worn as status symbols by pharaohs in Egypt as well. The advent of the 20th century saw Queen Victoria wearing these bracelets with items like crests and beads and they became immensely popular.
These days people prefer charms and charms bracelets for different reasons. Some use them as a fashion statement and others have them as a special keepsake. No matter the occasion, charms and charm bracelets make wonderful gifts. They are great gifts for a daughter on her graduation from high school or a birthday. Many best friends wear identical charms bracelets to represent their friendship. Some times mothers wear charms bracelets with one charm for each of her children.
You can get some nice charms and charms bracelets from online stores or real time stores like fashion stores jewelry stores and even departmental stores. If you are looking for good charms, try a flea market or check out gift shops when you can.
There are different sizes of charm bracelets. The size determines the available links that you can use. You do have the ability to remove or add on links to the bracelet if you need to. Different charms have different meanings so you need to choose your charms with care. Go with an elephant and this is a charm speaking of memories cherished, while a key charm will represent that you have a home that his happy.
Over time the charm bracelet will grow. As the charms get added on to the bracelet they almost become a part of the owner’s personality. Various themes can be used on these bracelets, depending on your preference. Those who enjoy the sea may go with a sea themed charm bracelet, while those who enjoy animals may decide to go with a bracelet full of various animal charms on the bracelet.
In some cases charm bracelets are passed down for generations and become a special heirloom of the family. They are treasured because they show off so many memories that have been recorded by charms over the years.
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How We Love those Diamonds in the Rough
July 2nd, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
A dynamic diamond is the hardest naturally occurring substance known to man and when combined with the brilliant fire of the cut and polished finished product, has made diamonds one of the most valuable gemstones in the world.
Diamonds are pure carbon, just the same way lead pencils used to made from graphite which is also pure carbon, it is the way the carbon atoms are arranged which makes the difference between cheap, dull graphite or brilliant, fiery diamond. Diamonds are formed at great pressure and temperature inside the earth; at least 50 miles below the surface where the pressure is so intense that the carbon atoms are compressed together into an extremely packed formation and which gives diamond its strength. Diamonds are brought to the surface as a result of the natural, geological processes of the earth or more usually, are sought in some of the deepest mines in the world.
Brazil and India used to be the principal sources of diamonds with their gemstones being sourced from rivers and gravel deposits which had come to or close to the surface naturally. In 1870, Kimberlite rock was discovered to be richly laden with diamonds in South Africa and now, huge masses of rock are mined and processed to extract the diamonds it contains. To put it into some perspective, for one carat of polished diamond over 250 tons of Kimberlite ore must be mined and processed – now you understand why diamonds are so expensive!
Once extracted from the ore, the rough diamonds must be sorted and processed further. Processing includes cutting and polishing as at this stage, the diamonds resemble pebbles you would encounter on a beach and are nondescript in appearance. Cutting and polishing the rough diamond brings out the internal fire and beauty of the diamond, however, it is how a diamond is cut which determines the level of light which enters the stone and is internally reflected before exiting the diamond – this level of internal reflection is what adds to the sparkle and brilliance of the stone so cutting a diamond properly is essential or it will appear dull.
After being cut and polished, diamonds are then graded according to a system know as the “Four C’s”. The Four C’s are – Carat (or weight), Cut, Clarity and Color. A carat is equivalent to 0.2 grams but you must take care not to confuse diamond size with weight – a carat is a measure of weight and not size; a smaller looking diamond may very well be a larger weight of a much larger diamond simply because of composition and the way it has been cut. The cut, as we have seen, determines how much light enters and internally reflected within a diamond thus bringing out the fire or brilliance – too shallow a cut, where the diamond is not deep enough to allow the internal light reflection, will mean the diamond looks dull instead of fiery – this is a poor cut and underlines why diamond cutting is a highly skilled art.
Clarity refers to how clear and flaw-free the diamond is; diamonds will contain flaws which may be foreign matter enclosed within the diamond when it was forming in the earth or bubbles of gas and even internal faults where the carbon atoms have not uniformly bonded together. The presence of flaws affects the visual appearance of the diamond but also influences how light will travel and internally reflect within it; for these reasons, a flawless diamond is considerably more valuable than one with flaws.
Finally, color – diamonds can come with a yellowish tinge or at the other end of the scale have no color whatsoever – no color means a brighter and fiery brilliance whereas the yellowish tinge will dampen the brilliance of the diamond. The less color a diamond has the more valuable it is and the more you are going to pay for it.
This article is provided by DanforthDiamond.com a leading authority on wedding rings, engagement rings and fine jewelry. Danforth Diamond provides wisdom and advice to help you choose the right ring at the right price. Visit DanforthDiamond.com or call 877.404.RING
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Tips to get the perfect pearls
July 1st, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
For thousands of years pearls have been worn by the rich, and given to loved ones as extravagant gifts. Traditionally worn by brides, for thousands of years they have been a symbol of love, purity and perfection. Nowadays pearl jewellery is available to more people than ever before, and you no longer need to be royalty to afford it. Pearls of all shapes, sizes and colours are grown on farms and with so many varieties to choose from any bride-to-be has no trouble finding the perfect pearls to match her wedding gown. In fact, there are so many different types of pearl that it’s not easy to know which to choose, so here are a few things to look out for:
Pearl type – The two types of pearl are saltwater and freshwater. Saltwater pearls are farmed in the sea, and are usually larger and more regular in shape than the freshwater variety. They are also usually more expensive because of this. Freshwater pearls are farmed in lakes and rivers, usually smaller and often less regular in shape, though they come in a large range of different colours.
Size – When buying pearls, size really does matter. The bigger the pearl, the more expensive it will be. Saltwater pearls are usually the bigger variety, and are more highly sought after.
Nacre – Pearls take years to form inside the shell of an oyster. When an irritant gets into the shell the oyster produces nacre, which builds up in layers forming the pearl. The thicker the nacre coating, the more durable the pearl will be as jewellery. Some cultured saltwater pearls are ‘beaded’ with a larger nucleus which speeds up the process and ensure a round shape. Most freshwater pearls and all natural pearls are formed entirely of nacre, which is why their shape is often less regular.
Luster – No pearl is perfectly shiny like glass but they do have a certain reflective sheen to them, called the lustre. Pearls with this shimmery surface are the most popular type.
Colour – Pearls in their natural state come in various shades of white, pink and lilac although you can now get cultured pearls dyed in almost any colour. A pearl necklace made of matching naturally-coloured pearls will cost more than dyed ones, as it can take a long time to collect enough matching pearls for a whole string.
Shape – When we think of the ideal pearls, we normally imagine that they are all perfectly round and shiny. In reality this is rare, and these round pearls are very expensive as they are highly in demand. Small cultured pearls tend to be more rounded and some of the larger ones have been formed around a bead to help the shape develop. Irregularly shaped pearls are still used to make unique jewellery and pendants.
Matching – It can be hard to find enough pearls of the same size, shape and colour to make a whole necklace, so a string of regular naturally coloured pearls is more desirable and will be more expensive.
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