Guide In Choosing Pearl Jewelry
Pearl that is used in jewelry making is usually cultured pearl. The pearl making process of mollusks can be hastened by inserting an irritant into the mollusk. The mollusk will surround this irritant with pearl. A cultured pearl is just like a natural pearl whose development is hastened by science. Some people are misled to think that cultured pearls are fake, but they are not. Anyway, when you buy pearl jewelry, consider the luster, thickness, color, smoothness, and shape of the pearl.
Experts look at the nacre thickness and quality when making quick judgment of the value of a pearl. According to expert pearl jewelers, nacre thickness determines how long a pearl can last, while the nacre quality affects luster. High quality pearl bestows excellent luster. Jewelry experts may have no problem distinguishing between a high quality and a low quality pearl, but consumers should check out the following.
1. Brilliance – The luster is one important factor to look at when shopping for pearl jewelry. The luster of a fine pearl comes not just from the surface but also from within. The multiple layers inside a pearl gives it a distinctive glow, one that you will not notice on silver or gold jewelry. You can try to hold a pearl against a fluorescent light source. Turn the pearl to see if the luster remains uniform on all its surfaces.
2. Color – A typical high quality pearl has color overtones. A rare pearl has rose colored overtones, distinct only upon close visual inspection. This rare pearl makes some of the most expensive jewelry pieces in the market. The cream colored counterpart is more common and, thus, less expensive. Natural colors are white, black, gray, gold, pink, green, and blue. Fake jewelry makers can dye a pearl to make it look like a natural pearl. In some cases, only a gemologist can identify a fake pearl among the genuine ones.
3. Blemishes – No pearl is made by nature perfectly. Each pearl will have surface blemishes, which are only noticeable upon close inspection. Such surface imperfections can be seen upon pearl examination against a dark background using intense and soft light. Jewelry makers may ignore the blemishes as long as high luster is maintained.
4. Size and shape – A big pearl is rare and more expensive. An expensive pearl is usually above 7 millimeters in diameter. The shape is also an important consideration. The perfect pearls are those with spherical shape, a characteristic that is quite rare. A perfectly spherical pearl could be one of the most expensive jewelry items in the market. On the other hand, there is the symmetrical pearl, one with a teardrop or pear shape. Such is more common than the previous one and is also more affordable. But if you want the cheapest, the baroque type can do. A baroque pearl has an irregular shape.
As mentioned, most pearl jewelry pieces today are made of cultured pearl. The natural pearl has become extremely rare these days. Nonetheless, it is very difficult to distinguish cultured pearl from the natural one. Only through x-ray examination can an expert confirm whether a pearl is natural or cultured.
Where To Buy Engagement Rings Guide
Obviously you are planning a proposal, so Good Luck! Or maybe you have already proposed and now require the perfect engagement ring for the occasion. In this case Congratulations! Now you are probably very well aware that deciding where to make your purchase is just as important as the decision of which ring to choose. Well this short Where to Buy Engagement Rings Guide should assist you in your decision process of where to buy through some easy to follow points.
When you truly love your partner there is no better way to express this to them and the world than by asking for their hand in marriage. Your chosen engagement ring should represent this everlasting bond between you both. And this is why you should try to choose an engagement ring that will last for the rest of your lives. This success of your engagement ring depends heavily on where you decide to buy. If you purchase from a bad supplier you may not only pay too much for your ring but you may also suffer from poor craftsmanship, quality and durability.
While you may have never purchased an engagement ring before, if you get it right you will never have to again. However the biggest question is of course where do you buy such an important purchase from? The best two pieces of advice are:
1. Never buy from anywhere without a reasonable return and warranty policy.
2. You should try and find some feedback from other customers who have used your chosen store before you decide to buy. This may highlight some great or poor points in their customer service and the quality of the engagement rings they are selling.
Now when looking at where to buy engagement rings from? There are really two significant options:
1. Brick and Mortar Real World Retailers
2. Online Suppliers through the Internet
Both choices have advantages and disadvantages but if you shop smartly you should be able to use both to your advantage.
Now you are already using the internet to gain information on this purchase and this is highly recommended. Continue using the internet to do your research. The most important points to familiarize yourself on are the:
1. Traditional and Alternative Ring Designs and Styles
2. Engagement Ring Metal Choices
3. Diamond Specifications – Namely the 4c’s
By becoming familiar with these issues you will discover what specific engagement ring you are interested in. This knowledge will then define where you will buy from as you may need a specialty supplier otherwise an everyday jewelry may suit your needs.
Once you feel that you know a fair amount about these specifications you should go and actually view and feel some engagement rings to get a grasp of what you have just learnt. It’s great to actually see the difference between platinum and white gold once you have spent some time reading about them. Also try and view some diamonds using a loupe to see the difference in clarity levels. Where you go will depend on how far you have to travel to your nearest engagement ring jeweler.
After then completing both theory and practical research on engagement rings you should be very familiar with ring sizes, designs, ring metals and diamonds. This knowledge will then determine where you should purchase as at this point you should know what you require. Also a salesman will not be able to trick you into a bad purchase as you will better understand engagement ring materials and terminology. Better yet you will be able to order from a catalog or via the internet with greater confidence. And by using these methods you will be allowed to select a ring to your specifications with more confidence.
The internet provides access to a countless amount of rings through thousands of stores. The bigger suppliers provide international delivery and service and by cutting out the middle man they can sell at wholesale prices. Of course you must make sure that you buy from a trusted supplier but there are plenty to choose from and every trusted website should provide a no questions asked money back guarantee for change of mind purchases. And of course remember to research every online and offline supplier before handing over your credit card details.
If you do feel more comfortable with buying from a real world store then you will benefit from a face to face sale and a physical location to return to if you run into any problems. However by choosing to buy your engagement ring online you will benefit from the freedom to browse through any stores range without any annoying salesman bugging you. Also you will experience prices that are normally below real world shop costs and sometimes half price or less.
On a final note where you choose to buy from will totally be up to your personal preference. However as long as you follow the principals in this article you will ensure that you choose an engagement ring that will be of the finest quality and one that will last as long as your marriage is supposed to – which is forever!