The Diamond Buzz

Which Diamond Certificate is Best?

   Diamond certificates have really leveled the playing field for today's informed Diamond shopper. But hey reading a Diamond Report or "Cert" is really , really boring stuff !  Most shoppers won't take the time to learn about "table percentage" or "crown angle" and who could blame them,, it's stuff even most jewelers won't read much less understand!

   Today's Diamond shopper need to grasp but a few Certificate basics to ensure complete success at the Diamond counter (virtual or material). Here are some simple rules you should know,,, Hey if this is too much to read jump to the bottom of the page to get the condensed version.

• Not all Diamond certificates /reports are equal ! Don't be fooled into believing that an "IGI" cert carries the same weight or value as either "GIA" or "AGS" reports !  If you are doing any comparison shopping make sure it is an apples to apples comparison. What certs do jewelers use most for accurate grading? Hands down it is "AGS" or "GIA" they have the reputation of being very "strict" graders and as a result jewelers base the true value of the Diamond with these two certs. Jewelers also use "EGL" certs but these stones are bought with a "discount off "the "GIA/AGS" cert price, and that discount is usually 10-20%.
• Beware the "house cert"!! These are usually nothing more than the sellers opinion of the Diamonds grade. These are usually generated by trade friendly labs to help jewelers sell sub standard diamonds. Many Certs/Reports use initials and names in an effort to sound like or imitate the big boys, for example GIS , GLS and GAL to name a few.  Many of these certs are fairly well printed and usually laminated, many with embossed imprints or gold seals to make them look official. Some jewelers actually offer their appraisal instead of a certificate, don't fall for it.
• Jewelers that use these certs may be engaged in "Grade Bumping". The FTC (federal trade commission) requires that a Diamond be within one clarity grade and one color grade of what the Diamond was "sold as". For example if a jeweler buys a SI1(G) he'll bump it with a house cert and sell it as VS2(F), the dealer is legally covered and puts considerable extra cash in his pocket! , You lose !
• Don't let jewelers confuse you with "cert talk" like table percentage, total depth and crown angle. In regards to Diamond cut grades the math has already been done, you can analyze all you want but the bottom line is that if the Cert is reputable like "GIA/AGS" then you can trust their report or findings on cut or finish. For "GIA" ,Polish and Symmetry are the criteria graded and both are described as Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. So for example a diamond with very good polish and good symmetry , would be described as "VG/G".  If you stay with diamonds graded as EX/EX or VG/VG or any combination of the two you can be assured the diamond is very well "made".  As for "AGS" the approach is a bit more quantitative. AGS employs an 11 point grading scale with "0" as the best and "10" the worst. They measure Proportion,  Polish and Symmetry. For example a stone graded "000" is considered Ideal. If you select a Diamond in the grade range of "0 thru 2" , you will be assured the diamond your considering is very well cut and polished. If you check out online jewelers like Blue Nile or Mondera you can use their clever Diamond search tools to find diamonds graded by GIA and AGS exsclusively.  Both sites by the way are a great place to start your research.
• Take a little time to learn about color and clarity, this is really up to your likes and dislikes. Just know you should consider diamond color grades "J" or better and clarity grades SI2 and better. And consider these 2 lower grades if and only if they are graded by GIA or AGS !

So here are the highlights: Just some more stuff your jeweler probably won't tell you.

1. Both GIA and AGS are really the only certs you should consider.
2. Avoid at all cost  "In House" Certs or Jewelers Appraisal in lieu of a certificate.
3. Beware of low end Certs that foster "Grade Bumping".
4. Consider only GIA cut grades excellent and Very Good and AGS "0-2"
5. Consider only J-SI2 or better, and only consider J-SI2 stones if they are GIA or AGS graded.  

American Gold designer goes for the "Green"

   A few days ago I posted about Eco-Jewelry and made the bold prediction that all things "Green" may become hot when it came to gold ! I found a designer who is producing some very fine jewelry. If you like Yellow gold ( and it's coming back big) and you like it chunky and "hand wrought", give a look to Sarah Perlis.  Sarah specializes in recycled gold 18kt-22kt and some fine silver.  This artist crafts some truly unique Earrings,  Rings and  Bracelets. She also produces a few  Necklaces and an Anklet.  Many of her designs feature gemstones that you would not normally encounter at your local jeweler, It's not so much the "types" of gems that she uses but the way that they have been cut or in some cases not cut (left in their natural crystal shape). The ring pictured here  features 3 natural Diamond crystals.

   Sarah is best known for her "Leaf Motif "designs in both Gold and silver. Sarah was born in and continues to live in New York City.

   Keep in mind ,,, Your not going to run down to your local Zales and find these unique beauties!, and currently they are available from only about 18 fine jewelers from New York to California, But ask your local jeweler to look into perhaps featuring more American designers in their cases!

   

   

Scott Kay's Great White Hope

    Top jewelry designer Scott Kay has long been credited with resurrecting platinum in the U.S. in the early 1980's and is recognized as the creator of the United States most requested Diamond bridal brand. Mr. Kay now predicts that Palladium is going to change the jewelry industry beyond recognition.  The many attributes of palladium,  makes this metal a superior choice over Platinum and for the most part will make 14kt and 18kt white gold alloys obsolete.  Look at the facts !

• Palladium is a "Platinum family" precious metal.
• Palladium is 40% less dense than platinum (lighter weight, better suited for larger designs).
• Palladium is pure (95% Palladium 5% Ruthenium).
• Palladium is Currently 1/2 the price of pure Gold and 1/4 the price Platinum.
• Palladium is hard 12.6% harder than it's sister Platinum (does'nt scratch as easily).
• Palladium is hypoallergenic.
• Palladium is whiter than Platinum and white gold.
• Palladium has very low "memory" which makes it perfect for setting Diamonds.

    If you or your friends have purchased 14-18kt white gold in the past ,, then you probably know about some of the related problems with, "turning" colors and having to "re-rhodium finish" the piece every 8-10 months! And what about Platinum's problems with scratching and softness in general?  If you love the white hot look of "platinum" and her pretty made up sister "white gold" ,,, then you owe it to your self to check out Palladiums serious benefits!  Hey just some more stuff your Jeweler won't tell you!

Piled High!

I am always on the look out for the latest and greatest the jewelry industry has to offer.Recently I came across a couple of websites that showcase their stack of wares. Stacking rings are all the rage right now.Especially since Spanish jewelry phenom Carrera y Carrera introduced their enamel and 18kt versions a few years ago and really got the whole stackable jewelry trend off and running. But leave it to Tiffany & Co. to take the sophisticated versatility of stackable rings to the next level! I loved their styles but felt the choices were limited. True to form, simplicity and clean design are the rule here, though I was a bit dissapointed that you can't really stack the rings of your choice on their web site. If you want to have some real fun and stack the dream rings of your choice,, check out Jolie' Designs " the company's new "Interactive Stackable" tool is much better than Tiffany's. It allows you to pile up five rings at a time, shuffle them, change the gemstone colors and get a running retail total of the stack. It's a lot of fun: just what my wife was looking for! Jolie' is a wholesaler, and they don't sell to the public ,but you can find retailers/dealers from their site. Give it a try!

Ice Road Truckers

I watched the premiere of the History Channels new show ICE ROAD TRUCKERS and I was pleasantly surprised ! ,, (Be sure to visit the History Channels site to see all the great vid clips.) The show details the travels of truck drivers bringing supplies to the Diamond mining camps of remote Northern Canada in the dead of winter. The only way in and out of the mines in winter is to drive over the frozen lakes. As the trucks ply the icy roads, cracks develop under the weight of their tremendous loads , and some trucks have actually broke thru the ice, risking life and cargo! I thought the show would give a little insight about the somewhat secretive world of diamond mining. So far the program has shown very little about the Diamond mines themselves, perhaps in future episodes.

The Diamonds of Canada have been touted as the ultimate "Conflict-free Diamond"( made famous in the Di Caprio movie) Blood Diamond. Most diamonds are nowadays conflict-free. These Diamonds are pretty much the same as any other Diamond available. You should know that Some of the dealers of Canadian diamonds do charge a premium for their products due to their unique source. Some of the most popular Canadian brands include Canada Mark,Polar Bear(check out their website) andCanadia. Most of the Diamonds from Canada boast certificates of origin and the brand Logo is usually laser inscribed on the diamond ,as you see here a stone from the NorthWest territories.

The Economics of Eco-Jewelry

Green gold, Recycled gold? "Being green" is on everyone's mind these days. You recycle cans, papers and plastics right? so what happens to old gold? I have'nt thrown any away since my first wedding band. Let's face it gold has "always" been recycled. But with the recent "greening of our conscious", smart jewelry designers are making an effort to create new niches in their market. American designers are leading the way in the promotion of Eco-Jewelry. Recycled gold is the rule for Sarah Graham, these 18karat black and yellow gold earrings are from the "paper chain collection". I think the whole Eco-,green,fair trade and conflict free genre will be the hottest trend affecting the jewelry industry over the next 2-3 years. Designers like Sarah Perliss and Toby Pomeroy are getting the attention of celebs by marketing their collections as green or eco-friendly jewelry made from recycled materials.Dene Jewelry takes the whole green thing one step further besides using only recovered gold. They adorn their jewelry creations with conflict free diamonds and "fair trade" mine to market gems ( Grape Garnet, Peridot,Blue topaz, Fire Citrine and Iris Amethyst) these beautiful stones are from their supplier Columbia Gem House. Not to be left out of the eco trade Laura Beamer also recycles,but in a different way, Beamer uses old bottle caps and vinyl records to produce her sterling silver bracelets,rings and pendants. If you want to know more about this subject than your local jeweler (and by now you already do) then visit The Jewelers of America website to preview the "statement on responsible gold".

Hot emerging trends at Vegas jewelry shows

Ahh,, spring in las vegas! Home to some of most the most spectacular jewelry trade shows in the world. This last week was absolutely one of the best shows ever, sure all the usual sparkle vendors were present , but there were some hot new emerging trends (affordable,unique) shown for the consideration of "competition weary" jewelers across the country.  These retailers and their fashionista clients are looking for baubbles that will set them apart from the pack. Here are some of the hot emerging trends from Vegas 07 coming to a store near you soon!

#1 Clear,, Crystal and Lucite (jewelrese for plastic) used in high end designs and taking other translucent gems (opal, moonstone) along for the ride. Some notable designers in these materials are Susan Suh , check out her ICE BIB necklace (cool name) made from sterling silver and set with rock crystal. How about Yael Sonia, she does'nt mind going backwards to get ahead with her reverse fit earrings featuring Quartz ,Smokey Quartz  in 18karat. Each earring frames four diamonds. Sweet!

#2 Chocolate,, Bored with yellow, white and pink gold ? I am, selling it way too long now, Mocha and latte colors are the new gold standard. The Italian designer Mattioli ,( sounds pricey, its not) puts all the pieces together to create the "puzzle ring" it is featured in the cocoa collection. Lecil Henderson who is this guy anyway? A real (rural) American designer to be sure! Check out his Verona Collection (anything that sounds Italian sells) most notable his Yellow and Black Gold forged Bracelet.

#3 Enamel,, Bright glass enamels on 18 and 22 Karat gold will be all the rage this season, Dont beleive me ? go ahead, wait and see! Some of the big boys of design have weighed in (follow the money) look at Roberto Coin and Bertolucci, they have both created dramatic statements in enamel. Check out the master of enamel Frey Wille for large bold silver bangles.

Don't miss these emerging trends! And keep an eye out for ECO-JEWELRY next post.

Secret Shopper

Tuesday I was out shopping a few of the local jewelery stores in my area, all I can say is wow! What are these companies thinking? They spend millions of $$ to stock their stores , millions more to get you to come thru the front door and then blow the whole experience with the salespeople ! They pay their sales people $8-$12 per hour and with the promise 0f 2% commision, they throw them some case keys, give them a pat on the back and away they go!

I am always on the hunt for great salespeople, and I will try to schlep them for my team if given the opportunity. But lately it's been slim pickings. Good people who are able to dispense the correct information about Diamonds and Jewelry brands (Scott Kay, Tacori etc.) are getting really hard to find. This recent retail tour was so remarkably bad that I had to ask myself,,, how does the average jewelry shopper buy anything in these stores?  Can you imagine what Mr. Scott Kay would do, if he sat thru the demo I endured ? ,, he'd flip! that's what he would do. I also had to think what are the sales reps ( the road warriors) doing in these stores, do they visit these stores other than to say hi and drop off logo'ed ink pens and calenders. Ya really got to wonder.

There was one ray of hope though, at Jared's ( Kays jewelers upscale model) , here the experience was a bit different. I was greeted by Kevin, a young guy probably 20-21 he was very upbeat, a polite look you in the eyes kind of guy. What he lacked in product knowledge (a new hire) he made up for in his sincere quest to find and communicate the correct info. The question is, was Kevin trained by Jared's to perform this way or was it just his personality ( I think the later)? His presentation went well until the T.O. (the turn over) a more experienced salesman came over, dismissed Kevin and started to apply a little pressure, no big deal I thanked him for his time and asked for his card. On the way out I said good bye to Kevin got his card and said I would be in touch. Friday I am going to call Kevin and try to hire him, he would be a great fit for our team.