Rotendaokab Articles

When choosing pearls there are a number of things to consider besides just the quality of the pearls. While there is no right or wrong way to chose pearls, here are a few tips you should consider.

Necklace Length – You can buy pearl necklaces in a number of different lengths. Generally speaking, shorter necklaces flatter long necks, while long necklaces are nice for smaller necks. The lengths and names are as follows.

Collar – 12-13″

Choker – 14-16″

Princess – 17-19″

Matinee – 20-25″

Opera – 26-36″

Rope – 37″ or longer

The most popular is the Princess length since it is a good length for both long and smaller necks.

Pearl Color – The pearl color does not affect the value of the pearl, instead it is completely in the eye of the beholder. Most people buy pearls that best match their skin tone. People with light skin usually buy white or pink pearls while people with darker skin tones tend to buy black or lavender pearls. In America, white pearls are the most popular, while in Asia, silver are the most sought after.

Pearl Sets – When buying pearl jewelry you should consider if you want an entire set, or just a certain piece. If for instance, you buy the necklace, and then later decide to buy the bracelet / earrings they may not match as well as if you had bought a set. Even if you buy the same size, and color, the style may not be the same. Some stores will allow you to buy the individual pieces of a set. So if you want to buy the other pieces at a later time, they will still match.

Owner of Strictly Pearls.

Written by, James Dunn – http://www.strictlypearls.com

“Go with what you love” is her familiar advice for budding entrepreneurs.

Maria “Rosie” Hernandez, the 31-year-old founder of Roots by Art, gave me that advice. She knows about fashion-forward styles.

More importantly, she knows how to combine art & jewelry.

Rosie has been around art studios, design lessons and getting creative all her life. She loves going shopping, but still she prefers making her own pillows, home decor and obviously: her jewelry.

Everywhere I go people ask me where I got my jewelry and I love the feeling of being the best walking advertisement.

I think people like her jewelry because is different and fun to wear. She is not afraid to mix quality and creativity.

Now she is bringing her art to the next level.

“you need to see my new jewelry website,” Rosie told me a couple of weeks ago.

Since then, the company Web site (www.rootsofart.com) has been flooded with comments and questions.

“Keep in touch, we will have creativity & good taste for a while!”

Diamond beauty versus cost: What is the best combination?

Better quality diamonds are more brilliant and beautiful, but they command higher prices as well. This article explains how to find the best value in diamond stud earrings: the brightest diamond for the lowest cost.

For those who can afford it, we recommend an excellent cut diamond of G-H color and “eye-clean” clarity. This is a moderately priced diamond, but earrings of this quality will produce the same dazzling shower of light as those costing thousands of dollars more.

There are three simple reasons: first, it is the excellent cut that breathes life and sparkle into a diamond. Second, most experts agree that a G-H color appears colorless when mounted, so spending more for D-E-F color diamonds isn’t necessary. Third,a diamond of SI2 clarity is “eye-clean”, meaning it has no flaws visible to the naked eye, but costs a lot less than the higher clarity grades.

Excellent bargains with only a slight compromise in beauty can be found in the I1 Clarity range as well, as long as the cut is good and the color is in the G-H range.

For those who are on a budget, don’t feel embarrassed to buy diamonds of a lower quality. All diamond earrings sparkle when they are worn on a woman’s ear, and let’s face it: for the same price, many women would rather wear 1 carat studs of a lower quality than 1/2 carat studs of a higher quality.

Fast Fact: there are many good websites to purchase diamond stud earrings. Our top recommendation, however goes to a specialty site www.diamondstudsonly.com. They sell the same color, clarity and cut grades for about 25% less than the typical “sale” price in a retail jewelry store (and other internet stores), and they back it up with a price comparison tool that allows you to view prices for earrings of the same quality on many other major internet jewelry sites. You will also have the security of their free insurance against loss of any kind for a full year.

Choosing the right Color:

The finest diamonds are colorless, rare and expensive. On the GIA grading scale, D-F are considered colorless, G-I near colorless and any grade J or below shows an increasingly yellowish tinge. Beyond the preference for a whiter stone, however, the color of a diamond does not affect its brightness or sparkle.

Fast Fact: Most experts agree that, when mounted, diamonds in the “G-H” range appear colorless, and represent a much better value than “D-F” stones which command significantly higher prices.

Choosing the right Clarity:

Diamonds with fewer flaws (inclusions) are rare and therefore more highly prized. In many cases, these flaws don’t detract from the beauty of the diamond because they are invisible to the naked eye.

Fast Fact: Any grade “SI2″ or above has inclusions that are “eye clean”, not visible to the naked eye. An “I1″ grade can be an excellent value, particularly if the inclusion is on the outer edge. “I2″ grades can still exhibit a fair degree of fire and light. “I3″ grade diamonds are noticeably more opaque or dark to the naked eye.

Choosing the right Cut:<

More than any other attribute, it is the Cut that makes a diamond brilliant and beautiful. A diamond that is well cut reflects light internally and displays a dazzling shower of light back through the top of the stone.

Fast Fact: When viewing a diamond, look directly into the center: if there are dark facets in the center or a dark ring around the center, or if the diamond appears opaque, it is probably due to poor cut.

Brilliance, Dispersion and Scintillation:

The secret of a diamond that is properly cut is that it returns a measurably greater amount of light, which is displayed as brilliance, dispersion and scintillation. This is the true measure of a diamond’s beauty.

Brilliance: The total amount of white light, both external and internal, returned from the diamond to the eye of the observer.

Dispersion: Flashes of color, or fire, particularly when viewing a diamond in strong, direct light.

Scintillation: Reflections and flashes of white light from the diamond’s surface as the diamond, observer or light source moves.

Click here to view photos along with the above presentation

Submitted by: Lauren Stomel

The Articles of Engraving – Information for the engraving consumer

Copyright (C) Shayler Engraving 2004 All Rights Reserved

Purchasing engraving or an engraved gift can be a daunting task. An inexperienced buyer is presented with more questions than

answers. An unprepared consumer may be forced to make hurried decisions they later regret. A little preparation is definately in order.

..(1) Have you selected your engraver?

You may find a store where you can purchase an item that also has limited engraving capabilities. This type of store usually relies on pre-programmed systems to perform their engraving rather than skill or expertise. This is a good option if the results meets your expectations.

A more common scenario is to purchase your item at one store and then look for someone to engrave it.

Unless you are knowledgeable on the subject, it is a good idea to select an engraver before you purchase your item. The engraver can advise you before you purchase as to what to look for and whether or not they would be willing to do the job. They may be able to refer you to a reputable dealer that you can trust, or talk to the dealer you are considering to ensure that the resulting product is as you expect it to be.

Many engravers and jewelers will not engrave articles they do not sell. There are valid reasons for this:

…a. First and foremost, they may not be able to replace the item if the customer is not satisfied or something goes wrong.

…b. The engraver may not have the necessary tooling to perform the task requested.

…c. The engraver may lack the confidence or expertise in the particular area of engraving required. There are many forms of engraving. Most engravers do not specialize in all areas. You may need to be referred to another engraver better equipped to perform the task.

..(2) Is the item worth engraving?

Professional engraving is expensive. It takes many years experience to develop the skill and to collect the tooling necessary to do the work. It is not unusual for the cost of the engraving to exceed the cost of the item by many times. Only the consumer can decide if the finished article will be worth it to them or not.

..(3) Is The Item Engraveable?

Items that lack certain qualities can be ruined by attempts to engrave them. Many items today are not solid metal but are cast in an inexpensive alloy and plated finish. In most cases quality plating can survive some engraving processes but more often than not the plating will peal or allow corrosion under the engraving causing severe problems down the road.

It can be difficult even for an experienced engraver to detect the quality of an item before the cutting begins. An item made of a poor metal alloy covered with a gold plating will look and feel real nice but when the engraving starts the plating separates from the base metal and the item is ruined.

Quality may be reflected in the cost of the item. If you are considering engraving an inexpensive item you will probably not be satisfied with the results. Do not be fooled because the item is expensive. Many marginal quality items have been sold to unsuspecting customers at to high a price.

Purchase your item from a reputable dealer who will guarantee your purchase is engraveable. One that will refund your money as well as your engraving costs if a quality problem occurs.

..(4) Can your item hold all you want to engrave on it?

Be realistic. The more engraving you put on a small area the harder it is going to be to read. We have equipment in our studio that has the ability to engrave letters so small they look like dots. This is interesting but what is the value? Engraving usually involves a sentiment the purchaser would like to be readable. Try to keep the message as short as possible. Font choice will play an important part as well.

..(5) Have an idea what you want to say…

It is not fair to expect the engraver to create your message. Most are more than happy to help you craft your words to fit the item but the you must have a good idea of what you want to say.

Have your ideas written down. You will be making many choices during your conversation with the engraver concerning fonts, layout or design, you do not want to forget what you want to engrave or be incorrect in your information.

With a little preparation, the purchase of engraving can be a very enjoyable and satisfying experience.

Bill Shayler is a professional engraver as well as the owner of Shayler Engraving and shayler-engraving.com, a company specializing in the art of engraving. For more information, please visit: http://www.shayler-engraving.com/