Kim G

The modern American celebration of Mother’s Day reaches its 100th anniversary this year on Sunday, May 11th. Its history, however, can be traced back over 2,000 years.
The Greeks held a celebration for Cybele, the Earth Mother, “The Mother of Gods”, each year near the vernal equinox. Virtually all cultures included in their pantheon a figure representing the power of the birth giver.
The holiday in this country originated through the efforts of Julia Ward Howe after the Civil War to establish a day on which women could combine their voices in protest of war, the Mother’s Day for Peace. The holiday as a day strictly to honor our nation’s mothers began in Grafton, WV in 1908. It caught on quickly, probably because it was so deserved, and in 1914, President Wilson officially recognized it as a national holiday.
Gifts of appreciation extended on Mother’s Day have traditionally included flowers, jewelry and/or a dinner out. In fact, the holiday is the single largest dining-out occasion in the U.S. each year.
Jewelry gifts for Mother’s Day traditionally commemorate her children. Especially popular in this fashion is the mother’s ring, a ring set with birthstones representing each child.
Unfortunately, such mother’s rings have a couple of shortcomings. Some birthstones such as blue topaz and opal wear more quickly than rubies and sapphires. The color of these gems is often not complimentary when set close together, either. These problems can be offset by a wise choice of ring design, though. Some gold designs, such as those emulating ribbons or flowers, provide recessed areas in which these more fragile stones can find shelter.
Setting the stones in a pendant, perhaps a nugget made from family gold, solves the wear problem nicely. An intricate design can also help disguise the color clashes, as well.
Women with one or two children often choose jewelry with their children’s initials. Script letters in particular make attractive pendants. A signet ring engraved with the children’s initials also makes a lovely and very durable gift.
Mothers of abundant families often enjoy charm bracelets with which to remember their offspring. A good strong-linked charm bracelet can also provide space for charms registering grandchildren and special accomplishments. Most women don’t choose to wear these daily, but keep them nearby whenever they need a memory fix.
Lockets are also popular Mother’s Day gifts, allowing her to share the visages of her loved ones with her friends. Make sure, though, to use an appealing photo– no Alfalfa hair, punk night out, or spinach on the teeth!
Those with unlimited budgets have even more options. How about a hand-carved cameo? One can set you back a few thousand dollars. An engraved or enameled family crest ring (you do have a family crest, don’t you? Me neither) is not a small investment, either.
This Mother’s Day, I’m sure mom would appreciate a little bauble from her children, and jewelry is always a good choice. It won’t substitute though, for what she really wants – remind her that you love her, for crying out loud. And set aside some time to spend with the one that spent so much of her life making yours possible.

Kim G

Pigeon blood. Not exactly the words that conjure up thoughts of overwhelming love and affection, especially when giving a gift to your beloved, but it should. Why? Because true pigeon blood, red-blue, is the ideal color of the most popular gemstone symbolizing love; the ruby.
The birthstone of July, the ruby is most often given during Valentines Day because the simple red color historically denotes love, passion, and joy. Looking through jewelry stores or on-line sites, the selection and setting possibilities are endless. Rubies rank a 9 on the Mohs Scale, second only to diamonds, and are considered a precious gem. In fact, the best quality rubies are actually rarer than diamonds, and can be found set in all kinds of precious metals; from silver to gold and platinum. When choosing rubies as a gift of love, consider giving a pendant in your metal of choice so that the fiery stone that can be worn close to the heart.
Within the rubies themselves are many different tones, shades, variations and qualities. The first thing a shopper will notice is the color. If what you see before you is a pink, cloudy looking stone, walk away. The highest quality natural rubies will be a true red, or a red that will have a slight black, blue, or purple undertone; hence the name ‘pigeon blood’. These different color undertones will help identify where the gem was mined, and all are of good value. If, however, the gem you are looking at is light and almost pink in color, or at the opposite end of the spectrum, if the gem is almost pure black, then that is not the ruby for you. Something to keep in mind before you shop; a natural, small, high-quality ruby will more expensive than a large, poor-quality ruby.
It is perfectly acceptable to ask the jeweler to show you the gem under a microscope, just as you would when purchasing diamonds. Here is the main difference between scoping diamonds and scoping rubies; rubies are expected to have a fair number of natural inclusions. If the gem you are scoping does not, either the gem is completely false and you should walk away, or the gem is a lab-created stone.
Lab-created gems are gemstones formed in perfect conditions in laboratories. They are spot-on for color and quality and are considerably cheaper than natural gems making them ideal for price conscious shoppers, but there is one flaw; they are too perfect. Not having any natural inclusions within the gem is a dead give-away that the gem was created under perfect conditions rather than mined from nature. That isn’t to say that lab-created gems don’t have their place in the jewelry market; quite the opposite is true. Lab-created gems are perfect for those who wish to give a large ruby of good color at a lower price. Just keep in mind that the seasoned jewelry owner will not be fooled by the gem’s appearance.
Why give a natural gem that is flawed when you can give a lab-created gem that is not? Natural beauty in gems is not to be misplaced. Flaws are to be embraced as part of the hallmark of where the gem has been on its way to find you. When deciding upon lab-created or natural gems, keep in mind the wearer. Giving a natural ruby to the person who has been with you through rough times, and knows your flaws as well as you know theirs, is symbolic of how deeply you love. When a love is so pure, the flaws do not distract from it; they enhance it.

Kim G

Working at a jewelry store years ago I assisted a customer in picking out a lovely emerald ring. Standing beside her was her fiancé when she spotted the perfect deep-toned emerald-cut emerald, accented on the sides by channel set diamonds. “This is it!” she cried. “This is my wedding ring!” Admittedly, I was slightly confused until her fiancé agreed. “You’re right,” he said, “those diamond rings just weren’t ‘you’.” They went on to explain that their life was full of adventure, with a deep appreciation of the outdoors, and couldn’t think of a better way to remind them of their shared interests than wedding rings that would remind them of nature. What else could they choose but a brilliant green emerald?
In the past few years, America taken a cue from other cultures and has witnessed the growing trend in bridal fashions that include either omitting diamonds entirely or accenting the diamond center stone with various colored gems. Gone are the days of monotone bridal sets. In this day and age, couples rings are made from various colored metals; no longer all gold. Many times couples are opting for rings that don’t match each other, instead finding rings that suit them as individuals. Couples have gone beyond choosing various colored metals for their rings and are now choosing various colored gemstones as well. But how can you choose the right colored gem for your fiancé?
The obvious choice would be to choose her favorite color or her birth month as an accent stone. But looking deeper, you might want to consider using the stone from the month you first met, or as the story regales above, something that reminds you of a shared interest. Good advice to follow here; if your shared interest is a particular football team (such as the Minnesota Vikings), be sure you are both really committed to the team before choosing amethyst (purple) and citrine (gold). You might want to re-think that choice and keep it simple with one color.
Another option is choosing a color based on her best feature. The first thing you first noticed about her was her brilliant blue eyes? How about complementing her diamond with sapphires, blue topaz, or iolite? Was it her red hair that made you weak in the knees? Choose ruby, fire opal, or garnet.
Looking even deeper than all of that, you might want to choose an accent stone based upon the symbolism of the gem. Sapphire is considered the gemstone of the sky because it was believed that the world sat upon an enormous sapphire and it was reflected in the blue of the sky. Does your love for her soar beyond the birds of the air? In ancient Rome, green was the color of Venus, the goddess of beauty and love. By offering an emerald as an accent to a diamond, you are proclaiming your beloved as your goddess. Do you have a deep religious affiliation? It was believed that Noah used a garnet lantern to help him steer his ark through the dark night. Choosing a garnet as an accent will tell her that through all uncertainty, the two of you will weather the storm, two by two.
When none of these ideas seem to fit, take a step back and think about her personality. Is she feisty? Think red. Is she cool and collected? Choose blue. Is she warm and loving? Orange or yellow. Feminine? Pink. Whatever color you choose will be the right compliment in her wedding ring for the simple reason that you took the time to really think about it – after all, that’s the most important thing.

Kim G

Ancient Persians once thought that the earth was set upon an enormous sapphire, the reflection of which could be seen in the sky.  This romantic idea has endured the discoveries made throughout time and has secured the sapphire’s place as one of the most sought after gemstones. 

            The sapphire is September’s birthstone and ranks a 9 on the Mohs Scale, which means that the durability of a sapphire is tied with the ruby and is second only to the diamond.  Most often gifts of sapphire are popular for those who celebrate a birthday in September, however, the ancient trend of giving sapphires as an engagement ring is making a slow comeback; one that started in the 1980’s when Price Charles presented Lady Diana with an engagement ring of sapphire surrounded by diamonds.  The stone itself is said to symbolize sincerity and faithfulness which makes it an excellent and unique choice. 

            Gifts of sapphire can be found in an endless array of settings using various precious metals.  Due to its durability, this gem is ideally suited for placement in a ring, as it is able to hold up to everyday impact.  The ideal marriage of a fine gem with a fine metal would be to place the sapphire in platinum, a timeless metal that will hold its shape and luster. 

            When searching for sapphires, the average buyer can be overwhelmed by the variety of gems.  A sapphire is a sapphire; blue is blue, right?  Not really.  First of all, sapphires can be found in every color; from blues to pinks, oranges, yellows, and even white.  Every color, that is, except red.  Why?  Because red sapphires are known by a different name – rubies.  The sapphire and the ruby are from the same corundum family of minerals and that is why sapphires and rubies are often paired and displayed together.  They are nature’s siblings.  Sapphires other than the traditional blue color are known as fancy sapphires.  Fancy sapphires offer a beautiful variety of colors for the buyer to choose from, however they are considered slightly less valuable.  The traditional blue sapphire is more desirable among collectors, but even within that one color, there are endless variations. 

            When shopping for a blue sapphire, the buyer will be faced with everything from pale sky-blue to dark navy-blue and everything in between.  Top quality sapphires are royal blue with no gray, black, or green overtones.  A completely internally flawless stone is next to impossible to find and must be kept in mind when viewing the gem under a microscope.  Try to think of the inclusions as natures watermark on where the gem has been on its way to you so as not to see the gem as flawed, but rather stamped with Mother Nature’s seal of approval. 

            Star sapphires are a unique occurrence as it is the flaw that makes the stone valuable.  What makes the star effect in the sapphire is a tiny, needle like inclusion in the gem.  The stones are cut to a cabochon shape (dome) to enable the dancing star effect in the middle of the gem to be visible.  Used most often for men’s fashions, the star sapphire is becoming an increasingly rare gem.  

            How can sapphires be so rare when a buyer can find them at every store and on-line?  Two reasons: 99.9% of all natural sapphires are now heat-treated to enhance their natural colors and hide flaws; and lab-created gems are widely accepted and easily obtained everywhere.  Lab-created sapphires will have a few tell-tale signs, however – they are less expensive, often are large in shape, and the color will be a spot-on true royal blue.  As always, buyer, know exactly what you are paying for when shopping for the highly revered sapphire. 

Kim G

Throughout time, different gemstones have come to represent different meanings. Some are said to ward off evil, bring luck to the wearer, and even protect against intoxication. Some gems are fabled to be favorites of royalty, pirates, or sailors due to their mystical properties. Somewhere along the line, specific gemstones have been chosen for their special meanings to represent the traditional gifts given on specific wedding anniversaries.
The most commonly known milestone anniversaries are the 25th (silver) and the 50th (gold). What many overlook is the numerous gemstone anniversaries; the first of which is the 14th anniversary – the agate. While many argue that an agate is a rock, it is indeed a gemstone; in fact it is the Minnesota state gemstone. Ranging in color from browns, reds, and grays, the agate is known for its bands with an eye in the middle; similar to tree rings. Agates can be made into display pieces or fashioned into jewelry and is said to symbolize watchfulness and protection due to the eye in the center. Another lesser known gemstone is given for the 16th anniversary. The peridot is bright olive green in color and is fabled to be the favorite gem of pirates. Geographically, peridot can be found wherever there are volcanoes. This makes them a wonderful symbol for a marriage that has survived trials of the first years together and has come thus far sparkling. Aquamarine is the traditional gift for the 19th anniversary. The gemstone of sailors and mermaids, the word ‘aquamarine’ literally means ‘sea water’. For this anniversary, the gem represents the sea into which the mermaid has called the sailor to remain with her for all time.
We then skip eleven years and find ourselves at a milestone anniversary, the 30th, for which the traditional gift is pearl. The symbolism of pearls is highly overlooked when given as gifts. Often given to young brides, the pearl is actually the ideal gift for an established marriage because it is one of the very few gemstones that are not ‘stones’ at all. Grown rather than mined, the pearl forms slowly and its true beauty is only revealed when sought out from deep within the water. This gem is the perfect symbol for the depth of love and understanding that a couple can only reach after a significant amount of time together.
Other milestone anniversaries include the 40th (ruby) and the 45th (sapphire). Actually formed from the same mineral corundum, rubies are the traditional color of love and sapphires the color of serenity.  Turquoise is given for the 55th anniversary and is a reminder of an oasis that is couple-hood. Turquoise can only be found in the desert, and only then near water. It is this natural state that reminds the couple of the sanctuary that can be found within their love.
A couple reaching their 60th anniversary is revered for their commitment to grow old together. The gem symbolizing this growth is the emerald; an everlasting emblem of renewal. Known for its deep green color, the gem can be found in almost every region in the world and is a reminder of the beauty of nature and growth of the most basic level that is life on this planet. No matter the trials and tribulations, nature continues to reinvent itself – as does the couple reaching 60 years together.  The most powerful gemstone symbol of endurance and strength is, of course, the diamond.  Representing the 65th and the 75th wedding anniversaries, the diamond is the gem by which all others are measured.  No natural substance on the face of the earth can compare to the strength and brilliance of the diamond. A sign of beautiful transformation over time, the diamond represents the aged married couple in a way that is unsurpassable and leads to the affirmation of the quote: “Is there anything more beautiful than young love? Yes; old love.”  When searching for anniversary gifts, seek out the possibilities that lie within giving a traditional gem. The thought you’ve put into giving a gift that is symbolic of your love and life together with be treasured always.

Tom B

One attribute that differentiates humans from other animals is our ability to understand symbolism. Symbols have been an important aspect of jewelry virtually since the first proto-human put a string and a shell together, and symbols remain an important motif in today’s ornamental wear. One symbol often used in rings, earrings and pendants is the Claddagh — two hands holding a crowned heart between them. This Irish symbol has come to represent a range of affiliations, from friendship to marriage. Jim Morrison, legendary singer of the 60’s band The Doors, helped popularize the design as a wedding band. The elements are said to represent love, friendship and loyalty. While the design originated in the 1600’s, it is no doubt an extrapolation of earlier motifs. The name comes from the Irish village of the same name.
Another popular design is the Celtic knot, either as a raised pattern on a sold background or as intertwined gold threads without backing. The design can be traced back at least as far as monk’s illuminated texts such as the Book of Kells dating back to the 8th century.As you might expect, the knot motif has always been associated with attachment and devotion, and therefore is often used in wedding bands. Artisans continue to enjoy pushing the boundaries of intricacy with the knot design. A favorite extrapolation of the knot theme is the ribbon and bow, a festive design that is particularly appropriate for holiday wear.
Continuing on the Irish theme, another design often given in friendship is the clover, or shamrock. The three-lobed design hearkens back to St. Patrick’s conversion of the Irish in the 400’s, when it is said he adopted the shamrock to represent the Holy Trinity.
A design that transcends any single country is the heart, familiar to us all as the ultimate symbol of love, as well as a container for fine chocolates. The heart as the foundation of human qualities, both good and not-so-good, can be traced back to the earliest passages of the Bible, and plays an equally important role in other ancient religions. The fact that our heart symbol does not really resemble the human heart has led some to propose that it represents Eros, the love bound with fertility. A less complex interpretation suggests it derives from the outline of a kissing couple.
Religious symbols have always been popular in jewelry. In the west, the cross has been cast and forged into innumerable variations. Other symbols such as the yin-and-yang of Zen Buddhism, representing the harmony of the male and female principles, are also common themes for rings, pendants, bracelets and earrings.
Finally, we see a number of designs based on nature. Flower rings, with the delicate petals of roses often reproduced in pink gold, are particularly attractive. Interwoven vines or wheat berry designs are the perfect ornamentation on running designs such as bands or bracelets.
The joy of symbol jewelry comes from the understanding that the giver intends the recipient to understand that his regard, devotion, friendship and/or love is as immutable as gold. Quite a message from such a small but pretty gift!

Sheri L

Jewelry is a popular gift choice that can fit into every special occasion. Not only is it beautiful and romantic, jewelry endures while flowers and candy are soon gone. You don’t have to spend a fortune to find the perfect piece of thoughtful jewelry. Whether you decide on heart shapes, sentimental engraving or red, violet or pink gemstones for your loved one, be sure you make your gift unique and personal.

Perfect Presentation

A heart-shaped locket pendant necklace is classically romantic, but is still unique and personalized when you take the time to fit special photographs inside and have a sentimental engraving done on the back of the pendant. Smaller jewelry items such as a ring, a charm, cuff links or stud earrings can be carefully wrapped in tissue paper and strategically placed along with the pieces of candy in a heart-shaped box of chocolates.
If a light-hearted approach is the way to your loved one’s heart, caboodles of candy conversation hearts surrounding a piece of jewelry in the presentation box can make for a fun surprise when the box is opened. If the color of the jewelry suits it, you can use red cinnamon candy hearts in the box if you’re looking for a more dramatic and elegant statement. A gift of a charm can be playfully romantic when it’s accompanied by a hand-made card written by the recipient’s “Prince Charming.”

Hearts and Flowers

When buying heart-shaped jewelry, consider your love’s style. Would she prefer the sparkly elegance of a pave heart, the classic appeal of a puffed heart or the modern appeal of a twisted, freeform heart? Think about her favorite jewelry for clues about metal color as well as style. Besides heart-shaped pendants, rings and earrings, you may also want to consider a heart-shaped watch or a bracelet with a heart motif.
If your loved one loves flowers, you can give lasting flowers in the form of jewelry. Floral-motif necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings and more are available in many different styles and price ranges. Floral engraving can also be added to the outside of plain rings or pendants and you may want to include both your own and your loved one’s initials into the pattern for a custom design.
Romantic Colors

If your love adores red, you can opt for a ruby, garnet or red cubic zirconium, depending on your budget. If your sweetie prefers pink, consider rose quartz, cubic zirconium or pink tanzanite. Purple tanzanite is a pretty possibility for those with a passion for purple. Amethysts may be a welcome alternative for those with February birthdays since amethyst is a popular birthstone for this month.
What if the piece of jewelry you have your eye on is not a color traditionally associated with romance? In that case, a little creativity and heartfelt sentiment on your part can turn it into a thoughtful and memorable gift. For example, you can give a blue sapphire, or other blue gemstone, piece with the message “I feel blue without you.”

Tom B

I was fascinated while watching the Oscars recently by the diamond jewelry, such as the 40-carat diamond necklace from The House of Winston worn by Gwyneth Paltrow. Many of the glitterati were festooned with pieces on loan from various jewelers hoping to curry favor with the beautiful people and their fans, enormously expensive pieces that set the cameras on fire every time they caught the light.

I’ve never had the nerve to borrow anyone’s diamonds, but then again, the most formal event I attend these days is a basketball game. Even there, though, many in the stands (and some on the floor) glitter with diamond simulants.
Glitter, from diamonds and their simulants, I think, is a 20th century contribution to common man. In fact, the notion that the average person could even wear a diamond is recent. For thousands of years, the stone’s primary role was to provide a currency for commerce between rulers, a way of paying favor to military victors, and a method of bartering for fertile daughters. In the 13th century, for example, France’s King Louis IX restricted diamond jewelry to the aristocracy. The stone was worn only by men until 1477, when the Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave a diamond ring to Mary of Burgandy.

The word diamond derives from the Greek adamao, meaning, “I subdue”. Since the diamond is the world’s hardest known substance, it truly does subdue all others. Personally, I favor the Sanskrit name for diamond — ‘varja’, meaning thunderbolt. I like the idea of wearing a thunderbolt on my finger.

In the last hundred years, though, many simulants have been developed that allow any of us, regardless of income, to shine like a movie star.

The first commonly used diamond substitute was glass. Jewelers found that adding lead oxide to the glass made it shine more brightly. Adding foil to the back of these glass gems gave us the popular rhinestone. They didn’t match diamond’s fire or durability, but were cheap enough to use in profusion.

Then, late in the 19th century, the French learned to grow clear spinel and sapphire crystals. These could be faceted like diamonds, wore better than glass, and soon found their place as substitutes in better-quality jewelry. Neither, however, had nearly the light-refracting properties of diamond.

In the 20th century, more sophisticated substitutes were discovered. The most widely known is that star of cable television, the cubic zirconia. CZs are very inexpensive and wonderfully bright stones, used in profusion in faux- bling (the word gaudy no longer has any meaning). However, CZs are not very durable, especially in rings, and the least amount of dirt dulls them.

In the past ten years, an excellent diamond stimulant,the Moissanite, has come into common use. The gem, silicon carbide, was first discovered in the remnants of the meteor that formed Diablo Canyon in California. Over 100 years passed before man learned to grow the crystal commercially.

Moissanite has a number of advantages over other diamond simulants. It is very hard (92% that of diamond), clear, colorless, and approximates diamond’s sparkle. It is also a tenth the price.

So today there is glitter available at any price point, allowing us to indulge our urge to sparkle. That’s a good thing.
In fact, my wife recently asked me, why, if she could get almost as much sparkle from diamond substitutes as diamonds, we should buy a diamond? As I thought about her question, a scenario kept replaying in my head. I saw a young girl opening her mother’s jewelry box, picking up her mother’s engagement ring, or her grandmother’s. The thing aboutdiamonds is, as the hardest substance on earth, they are as near eternal as anything we can ever hold. In the movie playing in my head, I couldn’t envision the girl putting her mother’s ring on her finger and saying to herself, ‘this was my Mom’s Moissanite.”

A diamond is many things; currency, love, glamour, bling. But other stones can stand in for a diamond in those roles. To hold precious memories, though, a diamond is truly matchless.
So shine on, any way you wish. You deserve to sparkle.

Tom B

Of the classic four C’s of diamond grading (cut, clarity, color and carat weight) the hardest for buyers to get their minds around is cut. The weight of a diamond is a simple matter for a scale. Color becomes apparent when the gem in question is set alongside a grading set that shows the range of hues commonly found in diamonds; lighter than that one, darker than this one. Under a microscope, the tiny inclusions that interfere with a stone’s clarity stand out like a blond hair on the suit coat of a man with a red-headed wife.

Cut is much more complex. A modern round brilliant diamond has 58 separate surfaces or facets, each of which has an ideal proportion and orientation to the others. Because of this complexity, there is not a clear-cut rating of cut to match that of color and clarity.

However, the ideal of a well-cut diamond is simple- One cut to guide light through it that produces the most brilliance and fire possible.

Think of this analogy. Suppose you lived in the desert and wanted to heat a tank of water to do laundry. If you had a bunch of mirrors, you could set them around the tank, arranging them so that sunlight was reflected directly on the tank. Enough beams of light and you could have that water boiling merrily away.

If, however, some of the mirrors slipped, sent light into a sandstone rock face or into the sand underfoot, the water may remain tepid. There are a lot of ‘tepid’ diamonds on the market, flat and lifeless.

To continue with the mirror analogy, the ideal cut for a brilliant diamond arranges those mirrors perfectly to bounce light from facet to facet and produce flashes of light as the stone is rotated.

A round brilliant that is cut to ill proportions might show a fish-eye-like ring inside, or a dark spot in the center of the stone, or other detracting flaws.

You might ask, if a diamond cut to modern proportions is so appealing, why aren’t all diamonds cut this way? The answer is cost. When the cutter sizes up a rough diamond, he is looking to get as much value from it as possible. Often, the crystal will have inclusions (carbon spots, crystal feathers, and the like,) that would end up in the middle of a standard-cut brilliant, ruining the fire of the stone. To cut around these to reach the clear areas from which a brilliant cut can be made could require wasting a large portion of the stone. However, by fudging on the proportions, by, for example, cutting the gems a little wider and a little shorter, two or three so-so stones can be produced. As long as customers are willing to pay for such stones, and aren’t willing to pay the difference to buy a diamond with ideal proportions, this method maximizes producer profit.

There are dozens of other ‘fancy’ cuts of diamonds, such as the rectangular emerald, the marquise (like a cat’s eye), the pear and the oval, all of which also have ideal proportions for maximum fire. However, larger stones in these styles are less popular and therefore not as prevalent in your local jewelry store.

So what can you do to assure the diamond you’re considering is well cut? Ask your jeweler to show you a well-cut stone. Note how the facets are symmetrical, the girdle (the outside edge) is neither fat nor knife-thin and uniform, how the proportion between the upper part and lower part of the diamond is roughly one to three. Most importantly, though, look at it face on. Does it fire?

For my money, I’d rather buy a smaller stone with excellent conformation than a larger one with goofy proportions. Regardless of what some in our bling bling world would have you believe, size and beauty are not the same thing. And proportion is the key.

Tom B

Gold is gold, right? A rich yellow, the color of a field of sunflowers or a bottle of Chateau d’Yquem sauterne.

But have ever compared the color of you wedding band against 24-carat gold artifacts from ancient civilizations? Then you many not be surprised that the world gold encompasses a wealth of hues, from green to rose and even purple.

Of course, pure, 24-carat gold is always the same color but we rarely encounter 24-carat gold jewelry. Pure gold is a very soft metal, capable of being stretched into amazingly thin foil sheets, even to the point that it becomes translucent. In a ring, it would very quickly lose its shape.

Therefore, most gold jewelry is made from gold alloyed with other, more durable (and usually less expensive) metals. Since gold is the only yellow metal, any alloy will change the color of gold.

The most common form of gold, 14k yellow, is a paler shade of yellow due to the addition of silver and a bit of copper. The same metals are added in lesser amounts for 18k gold, more common in European jewelry, and 10k, often found in men’s bands when heavy wear can be expected.

The most common alternate color for gold is white gold, an alloy that became popular first in the 1920’s when a shortage of platinum coincided with art deco’s enthusiasm for white jewelry. White gold can be made with several different recipes. The most prevalent has been copper/ nickel/zinc, which yields an adequately white gold that is relatively easy for jewelers to work with.

However, some people have an allergic reaction to the nickel in white gold, so other alternatives have been developed. The most popular of the non-nickel alloys for white gold is a palladium/silver/copper/zinc mix, which makes a fine white gold, albeit harder to work with and more expensive, since palladium is even costlier than gold.

Goldsmiths have found ways to extend the color range beyond these two, however. Red/pink/rose gold, produced by bumping up the copper content in the gold alloy, while not truly red, has a distinct cast in that range.

By deleting copper and using only silver as the alloying metal, gold takes on a striking pale green hue. The combination of yellow, green and rose gold is often used in tricolor chains and rings that intertwine the three gold hues.

Other unusual forms of gold include purple or amethyst gold (gold and aluminum), blue gold (gold and iron), and black gold (gold and a variety of additives). However, each of these has shortcomings in durability and workability, so I wouldn’t recommend them for use in rings or chains.

If you have a taste for the unusual, why stick with yellow when there is a rainbow of gold waiting for your display?