Index

Anniversary Jewelry

Here is a list of suggested jewelry by Anniversary year.

Birthstones

Some months have multiple choices.

Mo.	Stone		Mo.	Stone
JAN		Garnet	JUL		Ruby
FEB		Amethyst	AUG		Peridot
MAR		Aquamarine	SEP		Sapphire
APR		Diamond	OCT		Opal (or Pink Tourmaline)
MAY		Emerald	NOV		Citrine (or Golden Topaz)
JUN		Pearl (or Alexandrite or Green Tourmaline)	DEC		Blue Topaz (or Tanzanite)

Diamond Certificates

A Diamond Certificate, from a recognized Gem Trade Laboratory, is a unique fingerprint of a diamond. It not only identifies the diamond but also provides important information which helps both consumers and jewelers alike.

Diamond Certificates are invaluable documents that show in detail a diamond's credentials. They provide a unique fingerprint of a diamond which is a source of vital information to the trained gemologist, jeweler or consumer.

A diamond certificate will contain a complete quality description of the diamond
and will include information on shape, weight, clarity, fluorescence, color grade, measurements, proportions and finish grade. It will also confirm to that the stone is indeed the genuine article.

The two largest, and most reputable independent laboratories worldwide are:

   G.I.A. (Gemological Institute of America)

   E.G.L. (European Gemological Laboratory)

Diamond Characteristics, the 4-C'c

There are many characteristics that control a diamond's appearance and durability. Four important factors are often lumped together and called the Four Cs: diamond color, clarity, cut and carat weight. Each of those topics is important on its own, but it's up to you to combine them in different ways to find a diamond that suits your style, your needs and your budget.

COLOR: A diamond's color can be natural or it can be altered by treatments. Diamond color can be affected by fluorescence — a characteristic that makes diamonds shift color in different lights. There are several topics to explore to begin understanding diamond color.

CLARITY: A perfect diamond with perfect clarity, or clearness, is rare. Most flaws that exist in jewelry grade diamonds cannot be seen without looking at gemstones through a jeweler's magnifying loupe. Become familiar with diamond clarity and the terms associated with it so that you can ask the right questions — and understand the answers — when you shop for a diamond.

CUT: Did you know that a diamond's cut does not refer to its shape? When gemologists say "cut," they are talking about a gemstone's proportions — its depth and width and the uniformity of its facets — all characteristics that control brilliance, durability and other qualities we look for in a diamond.

CARAT: Carat weight affects a diamond's appearance and its price, making it a characteristic you should definitely understand before you buy a diamond.

Engagement Rings

In Western tradition, an engagement ring is a ring worn by a woman on her left-hand ring finger indicating her engagement to be married. In other countries, such as Poland, it is customary for the ring to be worn on the right-hand. By modern convention, the ring is usually presented as a betrothal gift by a man to his prospective bride while or directly after she accepts his marriage proposal. It represents a formal agreement to future marriage.

Similar traditions purportedly date to classical times, dating back from an early usage reportedly referring to the fourth finger of the left hand as containing the vena amoris or "vein of love".

In the United States & Canada today, it is becoming more common, but still quite rare, that a woman will also buy an engagement or promise ring for her partner at the time of the engagement.

Gold Jewelry

Gold jewelry never goes out of style, and for good reason, because gold is as wearer-friendly as it is beautiful. Pure gold doesn't react with other elements to create tarnish, the residue that accumulates on some metals before transferring to your skin as a stain. Sometimes people have allergy or staining problems with metals that are combined with gold, but the gold itself is rarely a problem.

Gold can be worked into nearly any shape, from tiny strands that do not break easily to very thin sheets. One ounce of gold can even be hammered into an ultra thin sheet that's ten feet square. Gold can be manipulated nearly any way the artisan desires.

How Pure?  Chances are the ring on your finger is marked 18K, 14K, or 10K, with the K standing for karat, the system used to describe the percentage of pure gold an item contains. The higher the karat number, the higher the percentage of gold in your gold jewelry.

Payment Methods

For your convenience, we accept cash, debit cards, and credit cards (American Express, Discover, Master Card, or Visa).

Additionally, interest-free financing is available.

Pearl Care

Even cultured pearls with thicker coatings are more fragile than most other gemstones, so you must handle them carefully to keep them in the best condition.

Platinum Jewelry

Platinum is a rare precious metal that's used to create fine jewelry. Its heavy weight and durability make platinum a metal that will not wear away with constant use. Platinum holds fine gemstones firmly in place for the life of the jewelry when used as prongs and other setting components.

Platinum's natural white luster provides a rich backdrop for diamonds, but it's a metal that's just as elegant when used all by itself to create a piece of jewelry, either a simple polished item or a design with engraved motifs. Platinum looks stunning when combined with contrasting touches of 18K yellow gold.

Platinum content is usually expressed as the amount of pure platinum the jewelry contains in parts per thousand. Think about it like this... you mix up a huge bucket of fruit tea that contains 1,000 ounces--900 hundred of the ounces are plain tea and 100 are fruit juice. That makes the tea 900 parts per thousand of your mix. Another way to express that is to say that tea makes up ninety percent of the mix--900 divided by 1000.

Return Policy

If for any reason you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase, you may return it for a refund or exchange (any shipping charges are not refundable). You must return the merchandise, along with dated receipt, within 10 days of receipt for a refund, or 30 days for an exchange or store credit.  Items that are worn, damaged, or altered (engraved or sized) are not refundable.

Silver Jewelry

Silver has been used to make jewelry since ancient times, but the exploration of continents in the western hemisphere uncovered more productive silver mines than Europeans had ever seen. More silver has been mined and used since the late 1700's than in all prior centuries combined.

Silver is a soft metal in its pure form, too soft to be used for jewelry and other items, so it's mixed with other metals to make it more durable. A popular silver mixture, called an alloy, is known as sterling silver.

The US Federal Trade Commission, the FTC, stipulates that jewelry sold in the US cannot be marked or described as silver, solid silver, sterling silver, sterling, or using the abbreviation Ster. unless it contains at least 92.5 percent pure silver.

The minimum silver content can also be stated as 925 parts per thousand of pure silver, so you might see the figures 925 or 92.5 used to mark silver content.

Copper Content Copper is the most common metal used to round out the 7.5 percent alloy balance in sterling silver. It adds hardness to pure silver, but brings with it a tendency to tarnish--a darkening that occurs when sterling silver reacts with gases in the air or with other substances that it comes in contact with.

Watch Care

No matter how well-made your watch is, it will require care if you want it to keep running. It’s fairly standard for a watch to be under warranty for only two years. After that you’ll be charged an out-of-pocket fee that can go as high as a few hundred dollars.

The part of the watch that gets the most wear is the band, so typically this is the most frequently repaired part. A replacement leather band costs anywhere from $10 to $100, while restoring a metal bracelet can run from $25 to $75. But never attempt to repair or clean a timepiece. Instead, bring it to a specialist.

How much servicing a watch will cost generally is based on the cost of the watch speaking, the more expensive the watch, the more expensive it is to fix — just like a luxury car.

A battery can be replaced at a repair center, a retailer, or a local jewelry shop for as little as $10 to $20. On average, expect a quartz battery to last two to seven years.

If your watch cost $100 or less and needs costly repairs, it’s probably not worth fixing. Expect to pay $20 to $125 to fix a cracked crystal and $20 to $50 to fix a broken crown or stem. If your watch cost $1,000 or more, always take the watch to an authorized retailer or directly to the manufacturer to be serviced. A top-to-bottom going-over will cost anywhere from $100 to $500.

Industry Links

American Gem Trade Association
Cultured Pearl Information Center
Diamond Information Center
The Gemological Institute of America - GIA
The Independent Jewelers Organization
Jewelers Information Center
Jewelers of America
Manufacturing Jewelers & Suppliers of America
National Association of Jewelry Appraisers
Platinum Guild International
World Diamond Council
World Gold Council