My Pink Diamonds

Since time immemorial diamond engagement rings have been used by men to propose their lady love. When confused regarding how to propose your beloved for marriage opt for the ever shiny diamond engagement rings.

Diamond depicts true love. It depicts deep rooted faith and commitment. The shine in the diamond brings a spark to the eyes of your beloved when you gift it to her. That’s the magic of diamond engagement ring.

Earlier diamonds were related only to the royal class. But with the advent of Dee Beers, diamond came under the reach of normal people. ‘Diamonds are forever’ was the tag line of De Beers. And now these tiny bits of pieces will surely reside in the heart of the women, forever.

So the next time, on any special occasion, do not miss the chance of gifting a diamond engagement ring to the most important lady of your life. But before buying a diamond engagement ring one should be cautious and keep certain things in mind.

To avoid spending huge amount on a piece that’s not worth it, keep in mind the 4 C’s of diamond. The 4 C’s of diamond are Cut, Clarity, Carat and Color. Isn’t it interesting to know that thousand million diamond engagement rings are sold every year and still people lack knowledge about a perfect piece of diamond.

Out of the 4C’s of diamond, the diamond cut is the most important. But one should not confuse between diamond cut and diamond shape. Shape is just the outward appearance.

To know about the quality of the cut of the diamond, remember that the incident light should enter the stone through the table and crown and should travel towards the pavilion where it reflects from one side to the other before bouncing back out of the diamond’s table toward the observer’s eye.

If we discuss about the color of diamonds, we should first clear the concept that diamonds are always colorless. Though the diamonds comes in various colors, diamond engagement rings are often taken as colorless.

In terms of clarity, diamonds are measured in the scale of Imperfect 3 and Flawless.

Thus, before buying any diamond engagement ring, keep in mind the cut, clarity, color and carat of diamond. This will help you make your shopping a success.

If confused about where to buy a diamond engagement ring, then log on to a reliable and esteemed online diamond store. These days’ buying online diamond engagement rings is no more a tough job. Clearly read the details of the engagement ring of your choice and order online. It will reach your doorstep within a couple of days.

Make her heart merrier with a beautiful diamond engagement rings; and see how much more she loves you.

De Beers was founded in South Africa in 1888 and today is the largest producer and seller of diamonds.  Almost from the beginning the De Beers company has had a strangle hold on the diamond industry and a huge advertising budget.  Diamonds are not as rare as the advertiser would have you to believe.  De Beers keeps a huge stockpile of diamonds and tightly controls supply.

De Beers started the very successful advertising campaign A Diamond Is Forever in 1947.  The Advertising Age magazine has voted this to be the most recognizable advertising line of the twentieth century.  This advertising campaign was designed to discourage diamonds owners from putting their old diamonds back into the market.  The success of this campaign turned diamond into the symbol of eternal love and dramatically increased demand for the gems.

The ability to create cubic zirconium happened in the 1950 but it was not until 1979 that it became economically feasible to mass-produce and use them as a diamond substitute.  Only a gemologist can tell the difference between a diamond created by nature and a diamond created in a laboratory.

There are several companies that are investing a lot of time and money in developing a laboratory-grown diamond process and are doing quite well.  Because of the diamonds optical, thermal, chemical, and electronic properties, laboratory-grown diamonds have a lot of potential to affect many industries and not just the Jewelry industry.

Gemesis is a company founded in 1996 and based in Sarasota, Fla., that is growing diamonds in high-pressure, high-temperature crystal growing chambers.  Each chamber starts with a tiny diamond crystal or diamond seed that is bathed in a molten solution of graphite and a metal-based catalyst at about 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit and 58,000 atmospheres of pressure.  The diamond begins to grow, molecule by molecule and in about three and a half days a gem-quality 2.8 carat rough diamond has been created.

A rough diamond of this size can create a diamond of about 1.5 carats that has been cut, polished, and is ready for mounting in a setting.  Naturally occurring colored diamonds will show color because of the trace amounts of impurities in them.  Replacing fewer than five atoms per 100,000 of carbon atoms in a diamond crystal lattice with nitrogen atoms gives a diamond with a yellow coloration or tint.  These diamonds sell for about $4,000 per carat, which is about one third of the cost of a mined diamond.

The company adopted the term Gemesis Cultured Diamond to distinguish its laboratory-grown diamonds from the mined diamond to assure that consumers were not being misled as to the nature of the product.  The first commercial production of gem quality diamonds, were made in 2002.

The company business strategy changed in 2005 from producing from offering individual loose, cut and polished diamonds to retailers to producing and selling only rough stones in lots to jewelry manufactures and designers similarly to the way in which diamond mines sell natural diamonds. 

The man-made diamonds made today are of a better quality than the natural ones.  A trained jeweler will be unable to determine a real one from a made-one unless he had some very expensive equipment.  Insist on a certification before purchasing a diamond for investment purposes.  It will tell you the stone’s carat weight, its color and clarity, and its flaws.  If the seller is unwilling to supply a certification with the diamond then he may not be telling the truth and you should find someone who will.  After all when you want to sell the diamond the new owner will want a certification from you.

De Beers, with their ‘Diamonds are forever’ slogan are the biggest player in the diamond industry, controlling 60 per cent of the world’s uncut diamonds, a trade worth $7 billion pounds a year. When their lucrative industry was threatened by controversy, De Beers examined its buying strategy. From being a ‘buyer of last resort’ they repositioned themselves as ’supplier of choice’ and in June 1998 insisted they would only buy Angolan stones with Angolan government’s certificates. Evidently this did not work and a year later they stopped buying diamonds from Angola altogether and closed their buying offices in West and Central Africa to avoid the risk of mixing illicit and legal diamonds. De Beers guarantees their diamonds do not originate in rebel-controlled areas, but pressure groups remain sceptical of their real intentions. “They simply stuck their head in the sand, then they realised the market edge they could get with branding, and the more diamonds that stay in the ground the better. They were scared of a consumer boycott and backlash,” says Yearsley.

minesite.com the leading internet paper for the mining industry, said: “It was good timing for De Beers to combine the announcement of its change in policy from ‘buyer of last resort’ to supplier of choice, threatening to withdraw CSO (Central Selling Organisation) site-holder status from anyone found to be involved in the trade. But that is all it was – timing. Anything that can persuade the authorities in the States [the US district court of New York ruled on 7 August that De Beers had violated a number of anti-trust laws from April 1995-April 2001] that it is now the holy joe of the diamond industry, not just some monopolistic exploiter, has to be utilised.”

What is being done?

NGOs generally refuse to call for a diamond boycott, fearing it would harm clean diamond trading countries such as South Africa and Botswana. A boycott could tarnish the ‘purity’ of the diamond image, “It works better as a threat, an advertising campaign with a picture of a diamond dripping with blood, says David Earnshaw, Oxfam adviser in Brussels. “Jewellers are aware of the threat of public campaigning, this would be very powerful argument, and they know the dangers of not behaving responsibly.”

Last year the diamond industry and a group of NGOs created a certification scheme whereby diamonds would only be exported from producer countries in sealed containers, accompanied by certificates stating the country of extraction.

The US passed the Clean Diamonds Act through the House of Representatives. Supported by the Jewellers of America, it will allow only diamonds exported from countries with ‘rough controls’ (an internationally recognised warranty that rough, cut and jewellery diamonds are mined legitimately), into America. Jewellers will then be able to assure customers they are purchasing ‘clean diamonds’. The act was introduce to the Senate in March 2002, where Senator Dick Durbin claimed it would “help put an end to the atrocities that have devastated the lives of so many innocent men, women and children.”

But in the UK, jewellers, according to Yearsley, are not campaigning on the same scale. Indeed one source in the diamond industry referred to conflict diamonds as ‘old hat’. While the source welcomed a certification scheme, they felt it was difficult to follow the line from a supplier from start to finish, acknowledging, “there is an old rogue in any trade.”

Global Witness believes there is still time to develop a strong regulatory system, but some countries may not be prepared to open up their diamond industries to international scrutiny. China and Russia especially have reservations. A Partnership Africa Canada (PAC) report criticised Belgium’s Diamond High Council, the Belgian system is not neutral and an invitation to corruption. PAC, develops policies beneficial to African and Canadian societies and point to links between Antwerp and the Russian Mafia. Russian organised crime has found it easy to work within this poorly regulated market economy since communism collapsed. “Cases of fraud in the Antwerp diamond and banking trade are legendary and Antwerp has become one of the primary world centres for Russian organized crime.” The Russian President has, however signed a decree to extend the ban on uncertified Sierra Leone diamonds.

International implementation of the Kimberley Process (KP) legislation, will introduce tougher background checks on those applying for exploration licenses and mining permits in South Africa. Amelia Bookstein, policy adviser at Oxfam, feels even watered down; KP would result in stronger campaigning against the diamond industry, perhaps even a diamond goods boycott. Recently De Beers and the Jewellers of America (JA) responded to the Al-Qai’da tie to diamonds by urging a swift conclusion to the Kimberley Process.

In the film Diamonds are Forever, baddies Mr Kidd and Mr Wint, after killing a middleman with a scorpion, remarks, “Curious how everyone who touches those diamonds seems to die.” Consumers should be aware that this does not just apply to fiction – many diamonds are helping to fund conflict and terror just as lethal as a scorpion sting.

What Consumers can do

USA

65 percent of the worlds diamonds are bought in the US. In 2001, The US House of Representatives passed a compromise version of the Clean Diamonds Act (HR 2722). This gives the president authority to impose sanctions against countries, which don’t have system of controls on rough diamonds if they are deemed to be a matter of national security. The bill awaits approval from the congressional committee, but there is little doubt that this will happen. Matthew Runci, the Executive Director, of the World Diamond Council says, “The diamond and jewellery industries have been in the forefront of those who have fought for this legislation. Our goal is to keep conflict diamonds out of the United States, which is the world’s largest diamond market. By taking this essential step, we will be on the way toward drying up the profits of those who traffic in conflict diamonds and of ensuring jewellery purchasers throughout the United States that the stones they are purchasing truly are symbols of love and beauty.”

The Jewellers Association of America along with NGOs campaigned relentlessly for conflict-free diamonds with grass roots campaigns and lobbying. Contact global witness for more details.

UK

In 1991 Britain imported 107m in rough diamonds. For almost 41% of these imports Switzerland was recorded as the ‘country of origin’. Switzerland is not known for its diamond mines, which means it is impossible to judge the actual provenance of these diamonds.

The UK government’s policy on conflict diamonds has come under attack from a leading Botswana diamond businessman, Louis Nchindo, the head of Desman (a joint venture between De Beers and the Botswana government) says that the policy is destroying economies counting heavily on legitimate diamond sales, like Botswana. In an interview with the Financial Times, Mr Nchindo says the former UK Minister for Africa, Peter Hain, used the issue to support the Labour governments claim to have an ethical foreign policy.

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When it comes to history, diamonds have a very long and fascinating record as one of the most intriguing gemstones on the planet. You may be familiar with the term, ‘Diamonds are Forever’, made popular by the De Beers advertising campaigns and for good reason. Forged billions of years ago, long before dinosaurs roamed the planet, they have survived the forces of nature to reach us. They have been used throughout the ages as bearers of mystic powers and incredible beauty. Through the centuries they have been revered and admired by many civilisations. Part of the credit for the almost mythical reverence to diamonds throughout the years belongs to the fact that these beauties are quite rare in their most sought after gemstone quality form. Not only are these diamonds rare in numbers but also in the number of skilled artisans that can compliment their exquisite beauty. Diamonds are the hardest of precious stones. The word “diamond” itself is a derivative of the Greek word adamas, which means “unconquerable”. It is the undiminished beauty of diamonds that has made them so highly prized throughout several centuries. This does not mean that a diamond cannot be damaged only that they are difficult to damage requiring a very precise strike in an exact location in order to damage the surface. It is believed that the first diamonds were discovered nearly 3000 years ago in India. They were considered valuable because of their ability to refract light and were used as either decoration or as talismans – for protection and warding against evil. During the Dark Ages, diamonds were believed to hold medicinal value. There were instructions that those suffering illnesses or having wounds should hold a diamond in the hand and make a sign of the cross for healing. Some even believed that ingesting diamonds could assist in recovery (and even a cure) from various illnesses. As time progressed into the Middle Ages, diamonds were more often viewed as items of value rather than items of mystical healing powers. As a result of the growing demand and value of diamonds, mine owners began spreading rumours that diamonds were poisonous if swallowed. This prevented workers in the mines from swallowing the diamonds for the purpose of smuggling. Today, India suffers from a relatively depleted supply of diamonds. Smaller finds have been discovered in Borneo and Brazil, though nothing as significant as those reserves once found in India. Diamonds were discovered in South Africa by a child playing with brightly coloured stones by a river in 1866. One of the stones was recognised to be a diamond and the gem cut from it was appropriately named “Eureka”. This created a massive diamond rush and the start of a new beginning for diamonds. Diamonds mined in South Africa still continue to make up a large percentage of the world’s diamond jewellery, though there are gem quality diamonds that are being discovered all the time in other countries around the world. More recently, Australia has become a contender when it comes to the production and mining of exquisite gem quality diamonds. Other countries for diamond mining include Africa, Canada, Russia, and South America in addition to those mined in Australia. One thing that is worth noting is that the vast majority of diamonds discovered around the world are not gem quality stones. In fact, only about one fifth of the diamonds that are mined are diamonds that are considered to be gem quality. Those that are not considered to be gem quality are used for drilling and similar applications. Diamonds are not all clear either – the stones come in many colours; the least common of the colours red. They are very rare. Coloured diamonds command huge prices and are highly prized by collectors. Diamond rings are today considered to be a token of love, particularly when given to one by a suitor. The tradition of diamond engagement rings being used for engagements is believed to have begun when Austria’s Archduke Maximilian made a gift of a diamond ring upon his engagement to Mary of Burgundy. The wearing of a diamond ring on the ring finger, or fourth finger of the left hand, is derived from the ancient Egyptians. This is due to their belief that the vein that extends from this particular finger to the heart is also the “vein of love”. This tradition is still practiced today, much like the giving of a diamond ring as a symbol of engagement and true love. Most people associate the wearing of diamonds to rings for engagement to be married. There are plenty of occasions that warrant diamonds and diamond pendants, diamond bracelets and diamond earrings make excellent choices for marking a special occasion or memorable life moment. Remember, diamonds have for quite a while been (and will certainly continue to be) a girl’s best friend. Any celebration that is cause for joy is an excellent occasion for a gift of diamonds. Among such occasions to be considered are: a girl’s sixteenth birthday (or any other birthday that you deem to be special), the birth of a child, religious milestone events, personal achievements, holiday gifts etc. Perhaps the best reason of all to give a woman the gift of a diamond is “just because”. If you have a special person in your life, whether it’s a lover, a wife, a sister, a daughter, or a mother – you can rest fairly well assured that a diamond makes an excellent gift for almost any occasion. Before you consider buying a diamond, it is important to understand the four “C’s”. They are excellent indicators of the value of the diamond. For those who are not familiar with the four C’s of diamonds they are: colour, clarity, cut, and carats. You will want to consider each of these when selecting a diamond to make sure your investment will stand the test of time and hopefully become more valuable over the years. The more spectacular the occasion, of course, the more stunning you will want your diamonds to be. Of course you will want to keep in mind your budget, your setting, and the metals that will be used in conjunction with the piece of jewellery you are creating or purchasing. Each of these will have an impact on the finished product. Good choices for diamonds are 18ct gold or platinum. In recent years platinum has become the choice for diamond jewellery as the metal is very hard and durable complimenting the gemstone properties. When purchasing diamond jewellery, it pays to do your research ahead of time. Thanks to the growth of ecommerce on the internet, you will find that the prices of diamonds these days from one jeweller to the next are rather competitive. Better quality at better prices can now be found online instead of in the high street. Another thing to consider when buying your diamonds is whether or not they are conflict free. “Conflict free” diamonds are diamonds that do not lead to the funding of wars and that are not mined under conditions that are deemed unethical by the Kimberly Process. Always insist on Conflict Free diamonds from your jeweller. Enduring, romantic, magical. Diamonds continue to captivate and enchant as symbols of hope and great expectations for the future. Enjoy.

Guys who are ready to ask for a woman’s hand in marriage will inevitably attempt to figure out how much money they should spend on a diamond engagement ring, what the diamond will cost them and whether they will be able to afford a diamond engagement ring for their fiance. Most people have heard the expression that diamond engagement rings cost two months’ salary.

Where did the two months of salary idea come from?

The origin of the two months’ salary began with DeBeers, the largest diamond producer and diamond marketer in the world. In 1947, DeBeers decided to promote diamonds following the depressed wartime market. DeBeers launched a marketing campaign with a New York advertising firm. A copywriter penned the famous slogan “A diamond is forever” that is now synonymous with Diamonds.

De Beers wanted to bring diamonds to the masses, make them seem more affordable, instead of the wealthy and select few only being able to buy them. Accordingly, the price of a diamond for an engagement ring was set at approximately two months of salary.

This was a concept that everyone could understand, it was aimed at the groom-to-be and therefore made buying a diamond for an engagement ring achievable no matter whatever his salary was. No longer did people think of diamonds as being something which they could never afford, they now had a figure to relate to in simple terms – two months salary.

Thus the two months salary became the norm and in the mind of the groom it was the predetermined and acceptable price for a diamond engagement ring. As a general guide grooms usually spend between 10 – 20% of their annual salary on a diamond engagement ring.

There is no right or wrong amount to spend on a diamond engagement ring and many men do spend more than two months’ salary on their fiances engagement ring. Lets face it when the wedding and honeymoon are over; What is left? What will she wear every day as a memory?

The Rings! – A symbol of Your Love and Comittment

At Diamond Imports – www.diamondimports.com.au – we have an exceptional range of certified loose diamonds that create stunning diamond engagement rings.

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Most advertising campaigns by De Beers feature their famous slogan “A Diamond is Forever.” Consequently, women seldom sell a diamond and often feel uncomfortable buying diamonds previously owned by other women. There is a sentimental aspect to diamonds that is very different from other tangible assets like boats, houses or automobiles. However, there are occasions when consumers need to sell their diamonds and, unlike the used car market, there is not a well-developed method for consumers to sell their diamonds.

As a consumer, you face some unique challenges when trying to get the best price for your diamond in a safe and comfortable manner. Your starting point is to know exactly what you are selling. This is much easier if the diamond has a grading report from a major laboratory like the GIA or AGS. You have more of a challenge if there is no formal grading report. In this case, you need to find an independent appraiser who can evaluate the diamond and determine its quality and potential value.

Once you know your diamond’s specifications, you can find the current retail asking price by checking with online retailers to see what similar diamonds are selling for in today’s retail market. It is unlikely you will be able to get the going retail price for your diamond. Selling your diamond at 80% to 90% of that amount would make it sell quicker. Be realistic about your expectations. The lowest cost online retailers, not the expensive jewelry stores with double the price, set the value of your diamond.

You now know your target price and simply have to figure out how to find the right buyer for your diamond. There are several options available to sell your diamond and you need to determine which is best for maximizing your money and safety while minimizing your time and effort.

Your first thought might be to go to the closest jewelry store or pawnshop and sell them the diamond. The key to remember here is that they do not need your diamond. They can get all the diamonds they want on the wholesale market. The only reason they will buy your diamond is if the price is a fraction of the wholesale price. They hope you need the money bad enough to take 25%-50% of what you could be getting for your diamond elsewhere. They might offer you a little more if you “trade up” to something in their display case. However, this often results in you paying more for the new diamond and receiving less for your diamond than if you sold it elsewhere.

Several online brokers specialize in buying diamonds and estate jewelry from consumers. They typically have you ship the diamond to them so they can determine the amount they will pay you. All too often, this amount is much less than their preliminary estimate so you must either pay the return shipping, or accept their price. If your main priority is getting money fast, this is a valid option. If your main priority is getting top dollar for your diamond, there are better selling methods available to you.

Auctions like eBay are very popular for selling jewelry items but there is so much low quality jewelry listed, it is hard for potential buyer to find your quality diamond. You are competing with jewelry retailers whose entire business is selling on eBay so they are experts at writing the descriptions (often with exaggerated quality), taking impressive pictures and shipping their items. Even if a bidder does find your item, the odds of getting your target price are slim to nil because other retailers are advertising items with similar descriptions for about half the amount you want. Notice I did not say they are advertising similar quality, just similar descriptions. Do a search for diamond rings with GIA grading reports and you will see the vast majority of diamond rings have paperwork from sources you have never heard of before.

Other effective ways to find a buyer are classified ads in local newspapers and bulletin boards at church or work. The challenge is reaching enough people to find at least one buyer willing to pay your price. You have to be careful when doing this kind of transaction, especially if selling to a stranger. Do the transaction in a safe place and be sure you have a valid form of payment. You do not want to hand over your diamond and end up with a phony cashiers check or bad personal check.

Some jewelry stores and online retailers will sell your diamond on consignment. Online retailers with a local presence have an advantage in that they have large numbers of diamond shoppers on their website plus walk in traffic that can see your diamond in person. They also have lower overhead and prices so you can get a bigger share of the selling price. With jewelry stores often marking up prices over 100%, your share is likely to be less than half of the selling price.

Just be sure to get a written description of the item you are giving on consignment and the minimum amount you will accept for your diamond. All too often sellers are not being able to get their jewelry items back from a store or only receive a fraction of the amount they expected from the sale. However, if you have patience and a low priced, trustworthy retailer to broker your diamond, you have an excellent chance of getting an excellent price for your diamond without the hassle and safety issues of selling it yourself.

 The Centenary 

The Centenary was found on July 17th, 1986 at the Premier Mine.  Only a handful of people knew about it and all were sworn to silence.  On March 11th, 1988, the centenary celebrations of De Beers took place in Kimberly and a banquet was held to close the Kimberly Mine also known as the Big Hole.  Over 400 people were in attendance.  Representatives of several national governments of diamond-producing countries and dignitaries from various sections of the industry listened as the chairman, Julian Oglivie Thompson, declared; we have recovered at the Premier Mine a diamond of 599 carats, which is perfect in color.  Indeed it is one of the largest top-color diamonds ever found.  Naturally it will be called the Centenary Diamond.

This extraordinary mine has produced several outstanding diamonds of the most superb color, which have been cut into famous gems: The Cullinan in 1905; the Niarchos in 1954; the Taylor-Burton in 1966 and the Premier Rose in 1978.  The Premier Diamond Mine has produced close to 300 stones weighing more than 100 carats each, and 25 percent of the world’s diamonds weighing more than 400 carats each.

 Conde Pink Diamond 

Louis XIII are said to have bought the stone in 1643 after which the King presented it to Louis de Bourbon, Prince of Conde, and Commander of the French Army during the Thirty Years War.  It is a light pink pear-shaped diamond that weights 9.01 carats.  The stone is currently on display in the Musee de Conde in Chantilly, France.

 Cullinan Diamond 

The Cullinan 1 also called the Star of Africa, is a pear shaped diamond weighing 530.20 carats.  It is called the Cullian 1 because it was it was the largest of 9 stones cut from the Cullian Diamond.  The Cullian 1 is the 2nd largest cut diamond in the world and is part of the Crown Jewels of England.  It is currently on display in the Tower of London.

The famous blue diamonds come in different shapes including pear shaped and octagon shaped.  The cut of these valuable gems is especially important for large, colored stones and the cut must enhance the natural beauty of these wonderful gems.  Sometimes the largest stones that are found with a blue color are studied extensively before any cutting is begun.

 Cullinan II Diamond 

The Cullian II is 317.40 carat stone cut into a cushion shaped.  It is the center-front of the Imperial State Crown of Great Britian.  Note the 2 platinum loops on the top and bottom edges.  This feature has been added to allow the stone to be worn as a brooch or alone with the Cullinan 1 attached.