Sunday, April 29, 2007

Ruby Jewelry

One of the rarest gemstones in the world is the brilliantly red ruby. This birthstone for the month of July is hard to find in nature, and most of the world's rubies today are lab created. The fiery red color of a ruby is difficult to match, and while other gemstones are also crimson colored (like garnet) none approach the beauty of rubies. Prized by royalty and fought over in wars, this gemstone still retains its mystique and allure.

Rubies are a variety of the mineral corundum (the blue variety of this mineral is known as sapphire), and they are colored with the element chromium, which gives them this red coloration. The most prized version of the ruby is found in Myanmar, and it is known as the Burmese ruby. This ruby is said to be the color of "pigeon's blood", so it is also alternately called a pigeon's blood ruby, or in the jewelry trade, a Mogok ruby. While rubies can also be found in many other parts of the world, including North Carolina, rubies from Myanmar are the rarest and the most valuable.

The red version of corundum known as ruby is the second hardest gemstone known to man, rating a 9.0 on the Mohs scale of hardness. The only harder stone is the diamond. Even though the ruby is a hard stone, it is not often found in large carat weights. All rubies also have inclusions, or small flaws in them, just as many diamonds have. These inclusions can affect the price of the ruby in the jewelry market, along with other factors such as the depth of the red color, the cut and the carat size of the ruby.

Many pieces of ruby jewelry are made with synthetic rubies, or gemstones that look similar to rubies, because of the scarcity of the gemstone. Other stones such as red spinel, red tourmaline and red garnet are used instead of rubies – and occasionally are even passed off as the true article. It is important to have a thorough gemological check of any ruby jewelry before you purchase it, because these other stones are worth far less than true rubies. The most expensive, and largest, ruby ever purchased was a 38.12 carat ruby bought at auction for $5,860,000.

While you may not be able to enjoy the splendor of authentic pigeon's blood ruby jewelry, it is easy to find acceptable substitutes and synthetic replacements. Most synthetic rubies cannot be distinguished from their authentic counterparts unless they are under gemological scrutiny, so you can rest assured that your ruby jewelry will look as lovely as the real thing.

Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,

Friday, April 27, 2007

Q-Link Silver Pebble

Q-Link Silver Pebble is a type of pendant known to counteract electromagnetic field (EMF) effects from electronic devices like computers, cell phones and machines. The Q-Link silver pebble is available with the latest Sympathetic Resonance Technology (SRT-3). The pendant has been known to strengthen resistance to the effects of stress. It enhances mental performance and agility. Importantly, Q-link bolsters an individual's capacity to function in all EMF saturated environments. The unique quality of Qlink pendants is their ability to refine every aspect of life, from jet lag to stress and chronic fatigue.

The Qlink silver pebble pendant is attractively priced at £225.00. The pendant has a polished finish and is available with a sterling silver casing. A silver loop chain comes free with the pendant. The Qlink silver pendant is popular because it comes with zero maintenance. It is durable, waterproof and very lightweight. With no batteries, no formaldehyde, Q-link silver is biocompatible acrylic and weighs just 0.47 oz. Q-link silver pendants are easy to use and can be simply worn inside or outside a shirt or blouse. Q-link silver pebble comes with one-year manufacturers' warranty.

Qlink pendants have two distinct sides, each making a unique statement. They are proven to reduce stress, increase focus and maximize concentration. Q-link pendants are designed to fit into every part of daily life as it supports the body's function at the most fundamental levels thus making it an essential life tool. The Q-link titanium pendant, for instance, has been proven to enhance mental alertness. Qlink is used by some of the world's foremost professional golfers, IT specialists, gymnasts, professional NBA, NFL & NHL Athletes, students, business professionals, yoga enthusiasts and music legends among numerous others.

Not only humans, Q-link has been proved to be effective for pets also. The Qlink for pets can help protect animals from harmful electro magnetic frequencies, hip aliments among other effects. Interestingly, the SRT inside the Q-Link for pet contains a fewer number of frequencies than the human Q-Link range. The Pet Q-Link comes especially with round lock ring for attaching to collar or harness of pets.

Labels: , , ,

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Becoming Familiar With The Four C's Of Diamonds

Do diamonds amaze you? Are you looking to buy high quality diamond jewelry? You could say that shopping for diamonds is something of an art. Several factors weigh in when determining the rarity, value and beauty of a diamond. If you are looking to purchase diamond jewelry that is not only beautiful but also valuable, you must become familiar with the four C's of diamonds. The more you know about the way diamonds are classified and valued, the better result you are going to get out of your shopping experience.

The four C's or diamonds are cut, color, clarity and carat-weight. These factors affect the diamond in different ways. Let us learn basic information about the four C's of diamonds that will help us select the one that is right for us.

Cut

Cut refers to the diamond's shape and how it is proportioned to achieve its shine, and it definitely compromises its beauty and value. In a correctly cut diamond the light will enter, disperse and exit through the top flawlessly, giving it the maximum amount of brilliance. A diamond that is not correctly cut will not allow light to travel through it in a way that it could achieve its best shine, making it less beautiful and thus less valuable.

Color

Believe it or not, diamonds come in a variety of colors that range from blue to red, to pink and brown. Colorless diamonds are the most popular; while some of the color ones are rarer, making them much more valuable. The Gemological Institute of America rates the body color in white diamonds from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow).

Carat-Weight

Diamonds are weighed in carats. One carat equals 0.20 grams. One carat is divided into one hundred points in order to measure the diamonds. For example, a diamond with 25 points weights 0.25 carats. The heavier the diamond, the more valuable it is, but remember, weight is not the only thing that affects the value of a diamond. You could have two diamonds that weight exactly the same and that have completely different values, taking into consideration the cut, color and clarity of each one.

Clarity

Under 10x magnification blemishes, flaws and imperfections can be noticed on the diamond. These imperfections interfere with how well the light is passing through the diamond and it takes away some of the diamond's brilliance. Obviously, diamonds with few if any blemishes are more valuable than the more imperfect ones, also more brilliant and beautiful. A diamond's clarity is extremely important to the diamond's brilliance.

As you can see, the factors that affect the beauty, rarity and value of a diamond are a little more extensive than most people think. Rather than looking to buy a diamond because it looks "pretty", you should always do some research with the aid of an expert jeweler before deciding to spend your hard earned money on an amazing piece of diamond jewelry. Once you do, you will realize that it will be worth it and you will be pleased with your well decided purchase. Enjoy your diamond shopping experience!

Labels: , ,

Thursday, April 19, 2007

The Great Look Of An Invicta Watch

The new boss in the office is wearing a fantastic looking watch and you really want to find out the manufacturer of it, but you do not want to appear to be trying to impress him. You keep glancing at the atch hoping to make out the name and you finally realize that it is an Invicta watch. You have heard of them before, but you had never seen one that looks as good as this one.

How do you now go out and get yourself an Invicta watch without appearing to be mimicking the new boss. Well, you have to nothing to worry about since they make hundreds of different styles and models of their famous timepieces.

The Invicta Watch group is a Swiss company that was founded in 1937 in La Chaux-de-fonds by Raphael Picard (not a relative of Jean-Luc Picard from Star-Trek the Next Generation). The company was run by his descendants until the 1970's when an investment company in the United States purchased the company. They still produce great watches.

Today, the company has expanded its territory and the watches are made both in Switzerland, Japan and United States. They are usually labeled by the country of origin such as Swiss Movement or Japan Movement when sold.

With competition in the watch industry being so intense, the Invicta Watch Group has begun to appear on television selling their products. In particular, they appear on the ShopNBC programs where they have an opportunity to show and describe their watches and people can call in and purchase them. In fact, there are over 1,950 different watches for both men and women.

If you are lucky enough to own an Invicta watch that was made in the 1940s and that belonged to your grandfather, you may have a priceless heirloom. While it may be worth a lot of money, the real value is in the history of the watch in the family. Knowing that your grandfather used it to keep track of the time and then passed it on to your father, who has now given it to you makes it valuable.

It might look old, but it is. Your Invicta watch was meant to be used and enjoyed. Not locked up in a safety deposit box or stuck in the back of a drawer. If it is a pocket watch, go out and invest in a nice chain. Either way, you can take it to a watch repair shop at the local shopping mall and have the inside of the watch inspected to make sure that everything is okay.

You can have it cleaned and if necessary, have a new crystal put on it. Now, it ready for you to use and enjoy. Think about the stories you will be able to tell you son about the history of the watch and see the wonder in his eyes. And, you can tell him how 'someday' the watch will belong to him-for him to treasure, use and to pass on again to his son.

Labels: ,

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Emerald Treatments

If you are not a gem or jewelry enthusiast, you may be surprised to learn that many gemstones are enhanced in some way or another. From diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and on down to 'lesser' stones, treatments are quite common. The types of treatments and the reasons for treating a stone are very dependent on the classification of the stone. Some estimates suggest up to 95-99% of all emeralds are treated. Most are treated to improve the passage of light within stone. The physical makeup of the emerald crystal, with its tiny natural fissures simply makes it logical to do so. As is the case with most gems, the stone's natural properties simply dictate which enhancements are acceptable and which are not. A perfect example of this would be the heat treatment of tanzanite. Before heating, tanzanite is a brownish color, but turns a permanent blue or purple color after heating. The enhancement method is accepted because no foreign coloring agents were introduced, the method is common practice, and it is generally fully disclosed to the buyer.

Cedarwood Oil

Many centuries ago, the Greeks began using colorless oils to improve the appearance of emeralds taken from Egypt. The oil would fill in the natural cracks and fissures within the stone improving how light may pass through the stone. The practice is still extremely common today. In fact, it is the most widely practiced and accepted method of emerald enhancement. Today, mostly natural, colorless cedar wood oil is used and has been for the past four decades. It is not permanent, but it is rather stable. Over time, some oil may gradually evaporate or 'leak' from the stone. When this happens to lightly oiled stones, the change in appearance will not be significant or even noticeable, but may be on those that are more heavily treated. Keep in mind that we are not talking about months or even a few years, but likely over a decade or more. Ultrasonic jewelry cleaners and harsh solvents will also remove cedar oil treatments and perhaps other types of treatments as well. These cleaners should never be used on emeralds. If a stone loses its oil enhancement, most can be retreated.

Epoxy

There are many types of epoxy treatments; therefore we will speak of them in a rather general sense. They are as varied as the emeralds they're applied to, and, of course, some are better than others. Epoxies are used to fill naturally, as well as unnaturally, occurring cracks and fissures in stones. They are used far less than cedar oil treatment and are considered a less desirable treatment option. The practice of using an epoxy is accepted to an extent. When done properly, the treatment can greatly improve the appearance and transparency of a stone. Some can be used to deceive the buyer..so you need to be aware of what's out there. From Embassy Emeralds you have little to worry about. Our sources are established and reputable. We feel very comfortable offering the stones we do because we know our sources share the same high quality standards that we do.

Gematrat

Gematrat was developed in 1997 as a way to permanently treat emeralds, leaving them in a stable and permanent state once finished. The process has been defined as 'gemstone branding' and begins with a very extensive cleaning of the stone which may take weeks or even months in some cases. The stone's tiny fissures and cracks are then filled with the colorless Gematrat substance, which is said not to leak or discolor. The substance also contains a tracer which glows blue under ultraviolet light.

According to the producers of the treatment, you can put Gematrat treated gems in an ultrasonic cleaner, a steamer, and even recut the stone without damage. The stones are marketed with an American Gemological Laboratories (AGL) report.

ExCel

Another emerald treatment process developed after the Gematrat process. This process does not include the tracer element that was present in the previous process because of incompatibilities with the treatment and the appearance of many fakes that mimicked the tracer's effect under ultraviolet light. Information about the gem is laser engraved on the girdle of the stone.

Palm Resin

Also known as Palma, this is a type of oil-like plastic treatment that is used in place of cedarwood oil. The treatment is not stable or permanent and tends to leave a milky-white residue. It is still used, but it is not considered an acceptable treatment.

Opticon

A plastic treatment that first appeared in Brazilian emeralds in the 1980's. The use of this treatment was not disclosed and was considered an unethical method of enhancement. The Opticon substance is green colored, but may turn yellowish over time. Many feel that Opticon treated emeralds are easily detected by their appearance when compared with typical untreated or cedarwood treated stones.

PermaSafe

This permanent, synthetic epoxy resin emerald treatment was developed by the Centro Gemologico para la Investigación de la Esmeralda (CGIE) in Bogota, Colombia. (Gemology Center for Emerald Investigation) The treatment was intended to be a Colombian alternative to the Gematrat and ExCel permanent treatments. It is reportedly a stable, permanent treatment that will not evaporate or leak and can safely be subjected to ultrasonic cleaning. The same resin has been used in other commercial applications outside of the jewelry industry.

Joban

A treatment commonly used in India that uses a green oil to not only fill and mask the cracks and fissures in the stone, but to also give it better color. The process is considered unethical.

Paraffin

Commonly used on African emeralds, paraffin is used in an oil or wax form.