There isn't a more beautiful ring than the classic one carat solitaire. Its simplicity is something to behold. The one carat diamond is the perfect size to stand on its own, any smaller or larger and it just doesn't look as appealing. These days everything seems to be geared toward bigger is better, but with a solitaire diamond that is not the case. If it is too big it can look gaudy or fake, and if it is too small it can have people reaching for a magnifying glass to see it.

The classic one carat solitaire ring can be given for so many different occasions. It can be used as an engagement ring. Its simple form can be a perfect match to almost any type of wedding band. It can be given for romantic holidays like anniversaries or Valentine's Day. It is also the perfect Christmas gift.

Before shopping it is a good idea to do some research on the internet to get a feel for prices. If you don't know what kind of prices you are going to find, you might be shocked when you get to the jewelry store.

When shopping for your diamond there are several factors to consider, which are cut, clarity, color, and carat. You have already decided on the carat, now it is time to decide on the other issues. Clarity is determined by the absence of flaws. Some flaws or inclusions are visible to the naked eye and they block the reflection of light making the diamond less brilliant. These stones can be cheaper and sometimes the inclusions are so small you don't even see them without some kind of magnification.

The color of the stone is important. The clear diamond will reflect more light and is more valuable. Also the color of the setting can have an influence on the color of the stone. It is better to go with a setting that is silver in color to really set off your stone. A gold tone can make your diamond look yellow. The best light to look at a stone is in sun light. If the jeweler won't let you look at the stone in the sunlight you probably shouldn't buy it.

Cut is another issue to consider. When you buy a solitaire ring most often you want a cut that will really show off the brilliance of a stone. The more facets that are in the stone, the more light it will reflect. So with that said, the best cuts can be the round, princess, or marquis. You want to have a stone that is either round or has good dimensions to have the best possible reflection from the light.

Diamonds were born in dying volcanoes. As the molten lava in the necks of these volcanoes became solid, the tremendous heat and pressure acted on the carbon that was present in the lava. The heat and pressure forced the carbon atoms to line up in eight sided crystals. It is this shape that gives diamonds their special qualities. Not all volcanoes contained carbon in their lava. For this reason diamonds were formed in only a few volcanic regions.

The hardened lava plugs in the necks of the dead volcanoes are called pipes. As the centuries passed, the rock in the upper portions of the pipes broke down, forming soil. Some of the diamonds were washed into streams and valleys below the volcanoes. In some parts of the world, erosion wore the old volcanic pipes completely away.

Historians believe that the earliest diamonds came from India. Several diamond deposits were known and worked in ancient times in the region of Hyderabad in central India. These diamonds were bought and sold by traders in the city of Golconda. The name Golconda later came to be used to mean any rich mine.

In the 1720s, large diamond deposits were found in Brazil by miners looking for gold in the Jequitinhonha River. More than a century later, in 1867, children playing along the banks of the Orange River at Hopetown found the first South African diamond. The stone weighed about 22 carats. In 1869, a stone almost four times larger was uncovered in a stream east of Hopetown. This led to a diamond rush in South Africa and the discovery of the famous Kimberley fields.

Today most of the world's diamonds come from South Africa. Many other countries also contain deposits, and new fields are constantly being discovered. Huge diamond fields were found in Siberia in 1956. There even are diamonds in the sea. Dredges that work like vacuum sweepers suck the diamond bearing gravel from the ocean floor off the southwest coast of Africa.

Diamonds are mined by digging out weathered lava soil from volcanoes. They also are recovered from gravel deposits in streambeds. Many mines close down after the soft layer at the top of the volcanoes has been removed. Mining diamonds deep in the pipes is often too expensive for the small amount that can be recovered. Only pipes that are especially rich in diamonds are deeply mined.

Blasted rock and earth that contain diamonds are full of gravel as well as diamonds. The mined material is crushed and then mixed with water. The mixture is rocked back and forth on a sloping steel table that is thickly covered with grease. As the table rocks, the gravel slides down the slope and off the end and the diamonds stick to the grease. Skilled sorters can then pick out the diamonds.

We've all seen them at arts & crafts fairs. They sit behind their booth's tables, their nose buried in a book, their eyes averted from potential customers approaching their displays, their body language uninviting and uncommunicative.

And, we've all heard them complain about how poor sales were.

I hear it all the time. . . I make beautiful jewelry and that should be enough for it to sell. WRONG! Your jewelry will not sell itself.

Any artisan who wants to be successful selling their creations at an arts & crafts show must find a way to excite their customers and to offer a reason to appreciate and value their creations.

Your customers must be educated by you, the artisan, why they should value and desire your work.

One method I have found to build sales at shows is to choose one key area I want to educate customers about, work-up the "lesson" prior to a show (practice it out-loud to yourself), and then focus on giving that "lesson" during a show as often as possible.

For example, I was having much less success selling my jewelry with cabochons in it than the jewelry with facetted gemstones in it. People just did not perceive the value of the cabochon gemstones.

I developed an educational talk about cabochons--why are certain gems cabbed and not facetted, why these gemstones are valuable, why my particular cabochons are unique and desirable, the process I go through to make a cabochon.

I focused on working the talk into my conversations with customers. I related my story about how I learned to make cabochons. I had a mentor who was in his mid-90s when he began teaching me the skills I needed. He was intent on passing his knowledge and skills on to someone who would appreciate and use them. I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time and as a result I was able to present this type of jewelry to my customers. People became excited when I passed on some of his experiences and how many of my cabochons came from rock specimens he had left to me.

When customers were looking at jewelry with facetted gemstones, I would find a way to introduce one piece with a cabochon and then launch into my talk. They might be looking at a purple facetted gem; I would introduce them to a purple cabochon piece. They might be looking at a facetted Golden Topaz for a November birthstone; I would introduce them to a Bloodstone cabochon as an alternative birthstone for November babies. They might be undecided which color of facetted gemstone would "go with more"; I would introduce them to a multi-colored jasper cabochon.

Success! My sales of jewelry with cabochons increased dramatically. I had successfully introduced my customers to cabochons, had increased the perceived value of the cabochons in my customers' eyes, and had gotten them as excited about cabochons as I am.

The next show, I chose a different topic to focus on--the value of purchasing a handmade chain that is fully soldered instead of one made of unsoldered links. Again, by the end of my show I had increased my sales of handmade chains.

I now have a series of these informative talks available for any show and use them as the opportunity presents itself. I can launch into any of these talks without hesitation.

The key for you as the artisan is to know your topic, feel comfortable with your talk, and to be truly, authentically excited about your topic. Keep it real--you will not have success spouting disengenuous information or trying to build enthusiasm for something you lack passion for.

Explain to your customers something new and interesting. Do not tell them that the piece of jewelry is valuable; explain to them why it is valuable.

An educated customer is one that will trust you, appreciate your jewelry, will buy from you and will become a repeat customer.

Are you looking for a unique birthday gift idea? Have you ever been perplexed by what birthday gift to give to her?

Birthday comes once a year, and every birthday is truly special for a lady in her life. It is hard to choose a right birthday gift for her no matter whether she is your mom, sister, girlfriend, wife, or daughter.

Just like flowers and chocolates, jewelry is the favorite gift for all women, but it will last long to remind your love when she wears it.

As birthstone for June, pearl is especially special for a lady whose birthday falls in June. It makes your June birthday gift truly thoughtful and personal.

Pearl jewelry is versatile and timeless in fashion. It can add elegance to the glamorous evening gown; it can add attractive to sportswear; it can also add a successful "executive" touch to the business suit. Suitable for each different occasion, pearl is a gem that make women drool over.

A poetic metaphor for life, pearl is also the most symbolic one among all gems. Unlike diamonds or gold, pearl is the only gem created by a living creature. Pearl carries special meanings for women with different ages, making your birthday gift truly meaningful.

* A pearl gift for your sweet heart symbolizes purity and innocence. The name "Margaret" (or other forms like Margaret, Margarita, Marguerite, Peggy, Maggie, Gretchen, Gretal and Rita) means "pearl" in Roman, indicating purity, innocence, sweetness and child of the sea. The pearl necklace you offer will become a young girl's everlasting gift.

* A pearl gift for a special lady in your life reflects unique taste. Each lady is unique, so does pearl. The Romans use the word unio represent a large and perfect pearl; unio also means unique attesting to the fact that no two pearls are identical.

* A pearl gift for your admired lady of wisdom, health and longevity. Ancient astrologers associated pearls with the moon that symbolize wisdom. Like human's wisdom, the pearl is timeless allure. Pearls are also believed to offer health and longevity; they have been used to treat a variety of ailments for over two thousand years.

When it comes to jewelry, a little knowledge goes a long way. This introduction to gemstones is as good a place to start as any in your quest to understand and buy quality jewelry.

Jewelry is one of the most popular gifts in the world. Whether you're giving someone an engagement ring, a birthday present or a holiday gift – jewelry is always a welcome sight. Both women and men enjoy receiving precious gold, silver and gemstone jewelry; watches, bracelets, rings, necklaces and earrings are all great choices for either gender. When it comes to gemstones, there are a few more things to consider than when you're just purchasing a precious metal.

First of all, it's important to note that gemstones are often associated with certain occasions. Diamonds, for example, are usually given for romantic occasions, such as engagements and weddings. Colored stones may be given for many other reasons, or just because they appeal to the wearer. Many people choose their colors from a guide to gemstones that lists which stones correspond to which birth months. That way, they can either wear the stone for their month, or a stone representing the birth month of someone they love (ie, children or spouse). Here is a list of which stones represent which calendar months (some months have two stones associated with them):

January – Garnet

February – Amethyst

March – Aquamarine or Bloodstone

April – Diamond

May – Emerald

June – Pearl or Moonstone

July – Ruby

August – Peridot

September – Sapphire

October – Opal or Tourmaline

November – Yellow Topaz or Citrine

December – Blue Topaz or Turquoise

Choosing a gemstone for a gift can also depend on some of their more mythical qualities – some stones, such as amethyst and moonstone, are said to have properties that enhance the wearer's abilities. (Amethyst for energy, moonstone for clarity, as an example.) They also can be chosen for their worth; diamonds are the most valuable of all the gemstones, followed by the related stones of emerald, ruby and sapphire. Other reasons for wearing specific stones can include their association to a part of the world (such as jade for China and amber for the Baltic area), or for various religious and spiritual purposes.