When diamonds are discussed, the visual image that comes to mind is one of clear, white diamonds. Colored diamonds, however, represent another segment of the diamond market that is becoming popular.

Diamonds are a girl's best friend, goes the old Marilyn Monroe song, and there are very few women who can resist a diamond's charms. This beautiful stone, with its relationship to romance and love, offers many women the sentiments and extravagance they long for. However, today's diamond lovers are looking for more than just the typical round, white diamond of years past. Now, women are interested in the many colored diamonds available.

There are a restricted number of colors that diamonds can come in. These range between steel gray, white, blue, yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, brown and black. The most expensive and rare of all of the colored diamonds is the red diamond, but all of the colored diamonds can be expensive. It all depends on their cut, clarity and carat weight (color is different, because colored diamonds do not fall within the color rating scale). Blue is the second most rare and expensive diamond. Diamonds such as the vibrant Hope diamond fall into this category.

Yellow and pink colored diamonds are some of the most popular colored diamonds, made that way because several celebrities in recent years have had engagement rings made with these colors. They are not as rare as red diamonds (most diamond dealers will never see this color of diamond) or blue diamonds (these are rare as well and are only mined in two specific spots in Australia and South Africa), but yellow and pink diamonds can be just as beautiful.

The price of a colored diamond is determined differently from that of a colorless or white diamond. With a colorless diamond, the lighter the stone is the higher the quality. It is the opposite for a colored diamond – generally the darker the hue, the more expensive and higher the quality of the diamond. Yellow diamonds can range in price from starting at about $10,000 all the way up to $20,000 per carat (diamonds less than .8 carat are often up to 20 percent less costly). Pink diamonds can range from $10,000 all the way up to $250,000 per carat for a pink diamond that is rated “fancy vivid”.

Choosing to purchase colored diamonds can be an expensive proposition. These diamonds are not as common as the white or colorless variety, and so they can be hard to find. This, of course, makes them even harder to afford for you and me. They make a great statement, however. If you really want to wow the woman you love, buy her one of a fancy colored diamond.

Perhaps not a few Americans watch fans must sometimes regret they were not born some generations earlier. If they'd been around in the late 19th century, they very well could have seen firsthand the heyday of the U.S. pocket watch industry, when they quality of its outpost was unsurpassed. A few decades later, in the 1920s and '30s, they could have seen the flowering of U.S. wristwatch design.

A current exhibition called American Watchmaking at the National Watch & Clock Museum in Columbia, PA., enables watch aficionados to see much of what they missed. It tells the story of how, in the 19th century, American watch companies adopted a new system for mass production that depended on interchangeable parts that for a brief period made the U.S. industry the equal of its Swiss counterpart.

The exhibit, which has a total of 95 watches, also highlights American railroad watches. And it shows how American companies were major producers of military watches and made superb marine chronometers that were vital to the U.S. effort in World War II.

Replica wrist-watches of s

Diamond Solitaire Ring – Size Does Matters

A diamond solitaire ring is a ring with only one diamond and nothing else to distract the attention from that magnificent solitaire stone. A solitaire ring loves to seek attention by its wearer, and not crowded by its competitors as, a solitaire enjoys standing all by itself well grounded in the ring and boosting its beauty to its wearer. Solitaire diamond represents ultimate in jewelry, so the size of a solitaire has to big to stand and jut out from others. Solitaire is a summary of magical and divine love.

A diamond solitaire is well known for its clarity, cut, setting and its modesty yet aggressiveness. It strives to make a direct place in your heart by cutting down the competitions from all the sides; it loves to fight for its dignity and right. A solitaire diamond ring is timeless and classic when a single stone is placed in a ring, which makes the ring simple, elegant and comes in a variety of shapes to complement any woman's fashion sense.

The solitaire ring will glorify the beauty of the diamond, so the size of the solitaire plays a very important role and it has to be in proportion to the size of the bride. The solitaire is the traditional ring style but you can find a great variety within the shape of the stone and the color of the setting. Round cuts are probably the most popular and are always in style but there are others to choose from too. The shape you choose is purely a matter of personal taste.

Owning or operating a small jewelry business - no matter what type of jewelry or where it is - can be a challenge, but it really takes a special kind of person to operate a home based jewelry business. Most people who run their own home business probably have asked themselves at some point, "What do I want from my business? What do I want from my life?"

I asked myself these same questions seven years ago. At that time my daughter was entering kindergarten and my son was in preschool. I was spending three hours a day in my car commuting to a job, and during the short days of late fall and early winter, I didn't see the light of day at home until the weekend. More importantly, I was losing three precious hours a day that I could be spending being creative and being with my family.

Although there are many answers to the question above, the clear-cut choice for me was the need to spend more time at home on what I truly love to do and being with my family. By being honest with myself, I was able to make the courageous leap from being employed by someone else to starting my own jewelry business.

You might think that a home based jewelry business is the ideal situation, but working at home can - and will - be challenging. You may find yourself working longer hours due to the fact that the survival of the business is totally your responsibility. Because your studio is in your home, you and your family may feel an intrusion of the business upon your personal life, especially if you have clients come to your house.

Before embarking in a home based jewelry business, you must first honestly, critically answer the following three questions:

1. Are you disciplined enough to set and meet work schedules?
2. Can you make a transition from home to business during the work hours you set for yourself, and from business to home during off hours?
3. Can you deal with the isolation of working from home?

Discipline plays a large part in answering the first two questions. At times there will be distractions at home. For example, you may become more aware of dishes that need to be cleaned, laundry that needs to be washed, the lawn that should be cut, or even the weeds that have to be pulled. This is where you must set your work schedule each day, and stick firmly to it.

At the end of your work schedule, you should keep your focus on your home life once you call it quits for the day or you may find yourself burning out quickly. It's extremely difficult not to run to the office to pick up a phone call, play a message on the answering machine, or read a fax that just came over, but with a bit of practice you will soon realize that the work you put down at 5 p.m. will still be there for you in the morning at 9 a.m.

In answering the third question, you no longer work for a company where co-workers and staff are available for support. Nor do you have an endless stream of company supplies and materials at your disposal.

This is where setting yourself up with a network of confidants can be helpful. Surround yourself with people that are reliable, knowledgeable and possibly veterans of the craft. Join your local or state guild of craftsman. Get to know the other artists in your community. When you attend fairs or shows, get to know some of the other artists. Find a friendly forum on the Internet where you can bounce ideas off other members or trouble shoot a problem. You already found one site with great resources!

Other sources may be your local Chamber of Commerce, and manufacturers and suppliers of small business technologies and products. The Chamber can provide networking opportunities for you with other business members of your community, some of whom may be in a similar situation that you now find yourself.

Once you have committed to running a home based jewelry business, it should be treated as a separate entity from the rest of your house. Whether you are using a garage, a basement, or a spare room as your studio space, you should maintain a professional environment in your work area. Rooms such as the bedroom or kitchen, in my opinion, are not suitable for a professional set up because they do not afford your business privacy and separate space from the rest of the house.

If you are going to take this seriously, then you will need a more permanent solution, a situation where you can leave your wares out without being disturbed by family or curious pets. In addition, your business should have its own phone line, mailing address and bank account. This makes tax time much less complicated and it will appear to the IRS that you are a REAL business versus a hobby.

Many home based business owners are honestly unaware of Federal, State and Local regulations. A good place to start is by consulting with your CPA or local tax authorities for specific recommendations appropriate to your individual situation. Finding out this information is important when considering what type of business you will run from your home.

Zoning regulations may not allow you to run certain types of businesses from a residential home - for example, the manufacturing of certain goods or using equipment like a torch or kiln.

You should also respect your neighbors and the type of neighborhood you live in. By having a home based jewelry business, there will more than likely be an increase of traffic in your immediate neighborhood from your clients, suppliers and any mail services you use. Keep in mind that you must register your business with the proper authorities.

Owning and operating a home based jewelry business is a lot of hard work, but it can also be very gratifying, especially when you realize that the things you're looking for in life are being made possible by your dedication to this idea.

One of the most positive advantages I have found by running a home business is being able to say, "Yes, I can do it." In addition, not only do I see my children off to school in the morning, but I'm there for them at the end of their day.

Pearl engagement rings are a classy alternative to diamond engagement rings. And speaking of classy, let me tell you about the tooth test, which involves rubbing the pearl up and down your front tooth to determine if the pearl is real. Cultured and natural pearls will feel rough against a tooth, while imitation pearls will feel smooth.

The process of how a pearl comes to be is pretty cool, if I do say so myself. Pearls are created when an object such as a small rock enters an oyster or mussel. The oyster/mussel than covers the object with something called nacre and a pearl is eventually created. The amount of the nacre coating is dependent on the mollusk, the water composition, and the length of time that the irritant is left inside to develop. As nacre thickness increases, so does the quality and durability of the pearl.

Natural pearls are fairly rare and typically the whole process is helped along by man.... resulting in cultured pearls. The only difference between natural and cultured pearls is that with cultured pearls, the external irritant such as a small rock is purposefully added into an oyster/mussel by man, thus triggering the pearl creation process. The only other difference is that natural pearls are more expensive since they are more rare. Another way to categorize pearls is whether they are freshwater pearls or saltwater pearls. Saltwater pearls are more rare and hence, more expensive.

When people think about pearls, they typically visualize small, white round beads. Yet, unbeknownst to many, pearls come in a wide variety of sizes, colors and shapes. For instance, there are some pearls that are large, green and possibly even tear-drop shaped.

One of the downsides to a pearl engagement rings, is that pearls are definitely more delicate and fragile than other gemstones and need a lot of TLC.

Nothing spells out class quite like Harry Winston Engagement Rings. I've never stepped foot inside a Harry Winston Store but truth be told, I might be a little intimidated.

Winston may be most famous for once owning the Hope diamond which he donated to the Smithsonian Museum in DC. I've seen the diamond firsthand and it is awe-inspiring!

Harry Winston established his company in 1932. He apparently had a love affair with diamonds....feeling immense joy when acquiring a new bauble and deep depression when selling one of his pride and joys. Harry's son Ronald Winston is currently chairman of the company.

Unlike other jewelers, Harry Winston is hands on from start to finish with their pieces. The whole process of cutting, polishing, designing and creating the finished jewel is conducted in the Harry Winston 5th Avenue building in NYC. Their jewelry and engagement rings are like no others when it comes to quality, craftsmanship, and prestige.

Image has always been of the utmost importance to Harry Winston. Harry Winston has draped some of the world's biggest celebrities in diamonds. Who could forget Bennifer's enormous pink diamond engagement ring. Ben Affleck loved Harry Winston jewelry enough to also present Jennifer Garner with a 4.5 carat Harry Winston ring. Paris Hilton briefly sported a canary yellow Harry Winston diamond, when engaged to a man with her same namesake. You may have heard of the Taylor-Burton diamond, a 70 carat pear shaped rock? Hands down, the celebs love Harry Winston. Perhaps this is because Harry Winston covers celebrities in diamonds for some of the largest, most glamorous red carpet events like the Tonys, the Emmys, and the Academy Awards. And their prices are high enough to keep most of the riff-raff out of their stores and from the majority of commoners from wearing their designs.

From what I've heard, entry level pricing for 1 carat Harry Winston engagement rings begin at around $15,000. And forget about buying a little token item. Most everything in the store sells for over $10,000. If you are dead-set on a Harry Winston ring and are a "want champagne on a beer budget" kind of individual, consider getting a local jeweler to make a replica ring.

Don't be disappointed but you won't find a Harry Winston store located at your local mall. There are only a handful locations in Switzerland, Japan, France, Hawaii, Nevada, California, Florida, and New York.

Cartier engagement rings start in the affordable $4,000 range and skyrocket to the millions. Thus, allowing for both Joe Schmo down the street and Joe Millionaire alike to be able to purchase a bauble from Cartier. Still too steep? At least everyone can afford to become a member of the Cartier Club. ...all it takes is signing up on their website http://wwww.cartier.com to receive their free newsletter....... hmm...sounds a little more exclusive than it actually is, huh?

Cartier is a long time player in the jewelry industry. They've been around since the mid 19th century. Cartier's roots were planted in Paris by founder Louis-Francois Cartier. The famed NY branch on the oh so fancy fifth avenue, was established in the early 20th century.

Cartier's creations have been worn by royalty and celebrities across the globe. Legends such as Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe have donned Cartier jewels. They are known for their outstanding quality and design and their name is synonomous with luxury.

Go to the Cartier website and take a look at Cartier's regular jewelry collection. Specifically, find the rings in the trinity collection: They are so cool and sleek. They feature three intertwined rings of various precious metals and diamonds. (I'll put these on my birthday wish list). I don't think these classic pieces will ever go out of style.

Under the bridal collection on the Cartier website, they offer "classic," one-stone rings ranging from .5 carat to many many more. All engagement rings appear to be made out of platinum although they may offer more choices at their store sites. They also offer "creative" engagement rings made of platinum which are significantly more embellished. The same "classic" and "creative" classification system is used for their wedding bands which are presented on their website in platinum, white gold and gold metals. Custom wedding bands can be created within fairly short notice...... most likely for a sweet price. Their rings appear to be a well-balanced mix of modern and antique combined together for a contemporary look.

Diamonds are by far the most popular gem in the jewelry market and they are designated by Carat. The question then becomes, what is the valuation process for these gems.

Diamonds are arguably the most valuable substance on Earth. From jewelry to other more practical applications, diamonds are an important part of everyday life. Jewelry made with diamonds is the most expensive part of the diamond industry with many factors going into the relative cost of the diamonds. So, what is the valuation process?

There are four C's to regard when purchasing a diamond: clarity, color, cut and carat weight. Clarity refers to the purity of a diamond – how cloudy it is, if there are any inclusions (small specks), cracks or other abnormalities in its looks. Clarity is graded in 11 steps as follows: F – Flawless (best), IF – internally flawless, VVS1 – very, very slightly included 1, VVS2 – very, very slightly included 2, VS1 – very slightly included 1, VS2 – very slightly included 2, SI1 – slightly included 1, SI2 – slightly included 2, I1 – included 1, I2 – included 2 and I3 – included 3 (the worst grade, where there are obvious inclusions to the naked eye).

Color refers to how colorless the diamond is, and it is also graded on a scale. It does not take into consideration fancy colored diamonds, such as blue or yellow, rather, these are all grades for a typical clear diamond. Grades D,E,F,G,H,I are all degrees of colorless (white diamonds), J,K,L – near colorless (white), M – faint yellow, N,O,P,Q,R – very light yellow, and S,T,U,V,W,X,Y,Z – light yellow in color (worst grades),

Cut has to do with the shape that the diamond is cut in, which can range from round to oval, princess (square) to heart shaped. These three, along with the fourth C – carat weight all, determine the valuation per carat. As a general rule, the list below shows how much different carat weights are worth. Larger diamonds are harder to find, so even if you have two small diamonds that add up to a large weight, they will never cost as much as one single large carat diamond. Happy diamond shopping!

Throughout antiquity, man has assigned themes to events and things. Gem fall within this category and here is a brief explanation of what each is associated with.

There are many different areas of gift giving that offer ways to convey special meanings. For centuries, a gift of certain types of flowers has been able to show the receiver just what you think of him or her. Gemstones also have this type of ability, because the different types of gems, along with their colors and cuts, often convey a thought to the receiver. The subjects conveyed are greatly varied, depending on the area of the world you're in, and your beliefs.

Of course, one of the most common sources of associations can be found with birthstones. The twelve months each have at least one corresponding gemstone, and these were set forth in 1912 by the National Association of Jewelers. These gemstones are as follows:

Most people think of diamond jewellery as having sparkling white stones but can we get other colours? Yes we can but most of them are white diamonds turned another colour from treating them. Today you can have your white diamond turned another colour for about $400. But how would you like your engagement ring made with a blistering, vibrant pink diamond and a natural one at that! Well, the Argyle diamond mine in Western Australia will supply that to you as well as yellows, browns and blue.

Diamonds come from the earth’s mantle and move to the surface in what are called pipes which are made from kimberlite or lamproite rock. There are diamond deposits in every state of Australia.

The Argyle diamond pipe was found in 1979 a very short time ago. In 1983 construction began on the main open cut diamond mine and processing plant. Even before the plant was commissioned some fifteen million carats of diamonds had been found as alluvial deposits in the region. Since then the Argyle diamond has made Australia one of the world’s largest producers of diamonds and now annually produces around one third of the world supply.

Argyle diamonds come in a variety of different colours but are broken up into three main categories: pink, champagne and white. The colours range from grey, yellow, brown, orange, green and reds as well as intermediate colours. The best are the colorless or the ones which exhibit a distinct and vibrant colour which are named fancies. Pink diamonds are rare and this mine produces the most dependable supply in the world.

The best of the Argyle diamonds are processed, cut and polished in Western Australia and that is a comforting aspect when we know that there is no conflict with these diamonds. You can be sure that no child in a third world country has laboured for these and no adult has been forced to mine them by some rebel soldier under penalty of death.

Moonstone is an orthoclase feldspar which is used for making porcelain and scouring powder. It comes in a range of colours: white, grey, yellow red and blue.

When it is pearly or opalescent it is called moonstone and the most sought after have a beautiful blue sheen. It can also show a cat’s eye or star effect found in some stones.

Part of its mystery is the belief that it helps some people to see the future. Lovers could put the stone under their tongues and tell what their relationship would be like in the future.

Supposedly it is a beneficial stone for women , helping in the menopause time. It is the blue moonstone which seems to have all of the qualities of the other colours. Its lore is closely associated with the moon.

It was given the name moonstone as it often resembles moonlight. Moonstone is best cut into cabochons rather than facets. When you turn moonstone around you get a play of light which gemologists call adularescence. The feldspar variety that it comes from is called adularia.

The blue stone is almost exclusively found in Sri Lanka but this source is almost depleted which makes the stone even more expensive.

Although the source of the blue moonstone is depleted there are still other colours which are plentiful and still being mined. There is the silver-white moonstone as well as the rainbow moonstone which are well priced in most people’s reach.

The best way to get your loved one the diamond ring she'll love and cherish for always is to let her choose her favorite diamond ring herself. But if you are worried she'll pick out a ring with the biggest diamond in store or you simply want to get down on your knees and surprise her with that big question, then the second best thing is to choose for her.

Buying a diamond engagement ring is pretty tricky since you are a man. Here are easy guidelines for you to follow before heading out to a jeweler's in town or visiting an online jewelry store. Just make sure you're well-prepared and know how to buy a diamond ring before you really buy one.

1. Do you know what kind of metal does she like to wear? - Every woman is different. While some prefer gold jewelry, others adore white gold and platinum. Have you noticed her jewelry? Is her necklace in gold or silver color? What about her earrings and bracelets? If they're all the same, and she kind of wears them all the time, then that's her favorite. So, when you buy her a diamond ring, you'll have to look at either the ones in gold or the ones in white gold or platinum. Note that white gold is cheaper than platinum. It will be a lot easier for you.

All pearls are formed when a small object finds its way into a oyster and becomes an irritant. As a natural reaction the oyster coats it with a substance called nacre and it is the continual covering of this nacre which we call the pearl.

There are two types of pearls. Natural and cultivated. Natural pearls are those which nature has formed by itself. The irritant has gotten into the oyster through some crevasse or small opening and irritated the oyster to form the nacre covering.

A cultivated pearl is made by the deliberate insertion of a foreign substance, often another piece of shell, to the oyster and then nurturing it for a number of years until a pearl is made.

Whereas the natural pearl can be many different shapes and sizes and even colors, the cultivated pearl tends to be round or spherical in shape although coloring can be added to ensure the pearl is of a particular hue or color.

Pearls are formed inside the body of oysters. The mollusk deposits layer of nacre, a combination of crystalline and organic substances, when any irritant or parasite enters or placed inside its body. Over a period of time with nacre building up in layers and layers, the pearl is formed.

All the pearls sold in USA and in other countries around the world are cultured pearls and are known by various names such as freshwater pearls, akoya seawater pearls etc. Natural pearls are rarity.

The bead-nucleating technology of producing cultured pearls was developed and perfected by Kokichi Mikimoto of Japan in early 20th Century. Japan is famous for producing akoya cultured pearls but recently China has become the leading source of all cultured pearls - freshwater and akoya pearls.

Difference in cultured and natural pearls can’t be made with naked eyes; however, distinction becomes very prominent when seen through x-rays. Cultured pearls are used in pearl jewelry as well as in cosmetics. One should also be careful about imitation pearls.

Swatch watches arise when the Swiss watch manufacturers begun losing the market share they previously had. A crisis began in which a great chunk of the traditional manufacturers bowed down and declared themselves bankrupt and others moved to luxury watches manufacturing.

Swiss Watches For The Masses?
The dream of Swiss watches for the masses seemed over and buried. In 1983 though the miracle named Swatch emerged. The basic principle behind their selling policy was that if the watches had the right price, buyers would prefer a made in Switzerland watch.

Swiss Quality At Affordable Prices
The basic mean of reducing costs was to make the manufacturing process fully automated, use cheaper materials and keep the design simple. In fact a Swatch is an example of minimalism by using only 51 components. Compare that with a traditional watch which has a least 100 and you will begin to see the whole picture. As a matter of fact a Swatch watch has a cost making which is 5 time smaller than that of a traditional watch

Short History

Soon after their launch Swatch watches took over the world. In 1984 they managed to sell 2.3 millions of them. In the mid 80’s they took over United States with those infamous Swatch stores. Sky seemed to be the limit.

They were fashionable and cheap. Their fashionability soon had though a boomerang effect and soon after these watches came out of fashion. Nonetheless their sales are rather high to this date and the Swatch company is the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the world.

Contrary to popular belief the name Swatch in itself does not derive from “Swiss watch”, but from “second watch”. This company grasped the moment when pop culture was at its height and became an integral part of it. A Swatch watch is a disposable one. Nothing reflects better this thinking than their early success.

The 90’s came though and a new sense of welfare was established. The irrational exuberance of the 80’s was over once for all. Swatch attempted to change their image accordingly without much success though.

As the company moved on into the new millennium, the acute need of finding the authentic and original in everything we buy found its way in the corporate thinking of the Swatch executives. Nowadays Swatch watches may appear where you don’t expect them as the group purchased a lot of Swiss luxury brands. The quest for cheap watches is hopefully over, the quest for quality has just started.

Amber is a fossilized tree resin from ancient forests. Many centuries ago resins trapped debris such as insects or air bubbles creating intricate designs of nature. Thus Amber, which is in fact a fossilized pine tree sap, is like an ancient antique from historical times. Over the years it transforms into a warm and golden, or green colored organic gem.

Demand is especially strong for amber with insects captured inside. According to David Federman, author of The Consumer Guide to Colored Gemstones-- "Amber is like a time capsule, made and placed in the earth by nature herself. It has helped paleontologists reconstruct life on earth in its primal phases. More than 1,000 extinct species of insects have been identified in amber."

The two main sources of amber on the market today are the Baltic States and the Dominican Republic. Amber from the Baltic States is older and therefore preferred on the market, but amber from the Dominican Republic is more likely to have insect inclusions and is therefore more interesting.

Properties of amber
Amber is an amorphous hydrocarbon. It is an organic gem which is warm and golden, honey, butterscotch, lemon, or green colored. Since amber is a product of nature, therefore it is common to find air bubbles, insects, or small particles in amber jewelry. Such objects are not considered flaws, but rather a trait of genuine natural amber. This is what gives amber its distinctive quality.

Amber jewelry
Highly prized for centuries by kings and nobles, today amber occupies a prominent place in contemporary jewelry design and is sold in exclusive boutiques throughout Europe.

Exotic amber jewelry can be found on the market. Amber Jewelry Air bubbles reflecting sunlight like glitter, insects, and specks of prehistoric life - all have been trapped in the beautiful gem. No two pieces of amber can be alike, each is unique and different. Some pieces may be smooth and perfectly polished cabochons while some could be rough, raw amber pieces. Some would be clear and see-through, and others with thousands of air bubbles reflecting sunlight like glitter.

Anyone who has even tried to buy a diamond has probably heard of the four c's of a diamond. So, what exactly are the four c's and why do the matter so much for the person who buy the diamond? Well, the 4c's determine the quality of the diamond and therefore - it's worth. Let's take a closer look at these four quality parameters and understand them a little better:

Clarity - describes the clearness or purity of a diamond. It is determined by the number, size an shape of the flows, or imperfections, inside and outside the diamond. The clarity is expressed by a scale of clarity level. The highest level is F - which means "flawless" diamond (very rare). On the other side of the scale there's the I3 clarity degree, which indicates a diamond with very notable imperfections. The scale goes from I3, to I2, I1, SI2, SI1, VS2, VS1, VVS2, VVS1, IF and finally - F. Be aware that the clarity level of a diamond may change over time for many reasons.

Color - The color of a diamond is another factor that should be looked at when determining it's worth. Not all diamonds are clear in color, and some have a yellowish color to them. The color scale starts at D,E,F,G,H and I levels, which represent colorless (transparent) diamond, D being the most colorless. After that, J,K and L represent a diamond which is near colorless. M, N,O,P,Q and R represent a faint light yellow diamond, and the S,T,U,V, W,X,Y and Z letters stand for a light yellow diamond.

Cut - the beauty of the diamond is to a large extent, derived from the quality of it's cut. An ideal cut will reflect most of the light that hits the diamond, thus causing it to shine and look very beautiful. A poor cut will make the diamond look lifeless and in many cases a small diamond that has an ideal cut will look much better that a bigger diamond with a shallow or a heavy cut. In many cases, the cut has a great effect on the diamond's price. One might ask - if the cut is so important, why aren't all the diamonds cut in a prefect way? The answer to that is that the rough diamond doesn't always allow the diamond cutter to cut it in an idea way because rough diamonds are found in different shapes and sizes.

The jewelry of ancient Egypt has fascinated the world for centuries. The beautiful designs in gleaming gold with brightly colored inlays have never gone out of style. Not only are they beautiful in themselves, but they also evoke the mystery and aura of ancient Egypt and its pharaohs, gods and goddesses.

Modern Egyptian artisans make stunning jewelry today, inspired by the artifacts from ancient tombs. In gold or silver, and in necklaces, rings and bracelets, the unique style and beauty of ancient Egyptian jewelry is available today, and can be personalized for each wearer in fascinating hieroglyphics.

The two most common forms of Egyptian jewelry are the Ankh, the ancient hieroglyphic symbol of Life, and the Cartouche, the symbol which enclosed the name of a pharaoh in ancient Egypt.

Ankh – the ancient Hieroglyph symbol for Life

The ankh symbol is one of the best known and beloved symbols in the world, classic and simple in its form. Pre-dating the cross and even most pagan symbols by thousands of years, the ankh has survived to this day as a powerful symbol of Life. Both the form itself and the timeless meaning have a wide appeal, and the ankh is often worn as an affirmation of life itself.

Cartouche – the symbol of divine royalty

The ancient Egyptians believed that their rulers, the Pharaohs, were descendants of the gods. While the name of anyone could be spelled out in hieroglyphs, only the names of royalty, or, in a few cases, gods themselves, would be encased in the cartouche symbol. The cartouche symbol, or shem, was originally round, and became elongated over several centuries, probably to accommodate the longer names of later pharaohs. The shape signifies a rope encircling the pharaoh’s name and then tied at one end. This symbolized the pharaoh’s divine rule over all that is contained in the cosmos.

Today, modern Egyptian artisans make beautiful cartouche and ankh jewelry, which can be personalized with the wearer’s name or other message in intriguing ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. Egyptian art is known for its bright, rich colors as well as its stylized forms, and the jewelry is no exception. Finely crafted gold or silver jewelry with bright inlays of stone or richly colored enamel create a unique and remarkable look that is classic and timeless.