Choosing just the right jewelry for you goes beyond how good it looks on you, or how good it makes you feel. Some people have allergies to certain metals, so it helps to understand what to look out for if your skin is extra-sensitive, or you are prone to allergies. In our Spence Diamonds showrooms, we’re always ready to answer your questions about how metal allergies can affect you, but in the meantime here’s a bit of Metal Allergy 101:
Most often, rashes and infections on your skin caused by jewelry are a result of nickel allergy. Ever had an itchy red spot under a jean stud or watch buckle? Maybe when you had your ears pierced you developed an unusually uncomfortable reaction?
Nickel is the metal that causes the most rashes. And it is also quite commonly used in almost anything metal, for e.g.: jewelry, kitchen utensils, scissors, paper clips, keys and of course the coin by the same name. Nickel has a more whitish appearance, so such metals as white gold, silver and all kinds of silver-coloured metals (other than sterling silver) can and likely do contain some amount of nickel. 18 or 24 carat yellow gold do not contain nickel, but 10-carat yellow gold may have traces of nickel, too.
How Do You Know if You Have an Allergy to Nickel?
The first sign of nickel allergy is red and itchy skin, in the areas that have come in contact with metal, such as under a ring or necklace. Later on, tiny water blisters appear, making the skin moist and even oozy, and can even cause it to peel off. At this point, you probably want to be searching for jewelry that cooperates with your skin a little better. If the condition carries on for a long time, your skin may become red, scaly and cracked, and the rash can spread to other areas of your skin that have never even been in contact with nickel! So it’s worth doing your homework on how to avoid such a reaction.
Some Good News, Some Bad News
The bad news first: Once you’ve become sensitive to nickel, you’re likely to stay that way for the rest of your life. The good news is that over time, you may become less sensitive to nickel allergy. But there is hope as there are still plenty of metals that you can safely wear, including 18 and 14 carat gold, sterling silver, and a number of other hypo-allergenic metals. In addition, if you discover an allergy to nickel with an existing piece of your jewelry, Spence Dimaonds offers an electrochemical process called rhodium plating that coats the ring and protects your finger from exposure to nickel. It is a very easy and very common process that will not harm your ring in any way. If you’d like to know more, we’d be happy to answer your questions about rhodium plating in one of our showrooms.
If you think that you might have an allergy to nickel, ask a member of our staff in one of our Spence Diamonds showrooms to help you select an item that will not only add a bit of sparkle to your life, but will also be safe and comfortable next to your skin.
You slip the ring on your finger, or hold the earring up to your ear, and you can’t believe the flashes of light shimmering off that diamond. “It’s stunning,” you think to yourself, “and I don’t ever want to take it off.”
A diamond is a treasure that should last a lifetime, and with the right care and maintenance, so can that incomparable sparkle. At Spence Diamonds, we want you to enjoy your diamond’s sparkling beauty for generations, so here’s a few “dos and don’ts” of caring for your new diamond:
It is okay to:
Clean your jewelry in warm, soapy water with a soft brush
Use a mild soap, such as dish soap
Use products designed specifically for cleaning diamonds (ask us in store for details)
It is not wise to:
Wear your jewelry when using abrasive cleaning products, or ones that contain bleach or chlorine
Wear your diamond during manual labour activities, while using heavy equipment, weightlifting or while playing sports (for your own safety as well as that of your jewelry)
The setting of your diamond and the metals used in bands, bracelets and necklaces should be taken into consideration, too. Especially in the case of gold, you want to be sure that the cleaning products you choose won’t tarnish the finish of your precious metals. By following the guidelines above, you should be able to keep your valuables in showroom shape, plus it gives you a perfect use for your old toothbrushes! On that note, its best if you stick to mild soap and water with your toothbrush. Today’s new toothpastes are great for getting your teeth whiter, but are usually much too abrasive for your jewels.
Everyday wear and tear, and even the perspiration and natural oils from your fingers can have an effect on your jewelry’s natural glow over time, so a regular cleaning will ensure that they always look their best.
If you have any questions about the proper care of your jewelry, you can visit any Spence Diamonds showroom. We’d be happy to offer plenty of tips on proper care and maintenance of your jewelry investment.
When you buy something as significant and timeless as a diamond, for any occasion, it makes sense that you would like to know the history of that valuable memento.
In the late 1990’s, the world became aware of the existence of “conflict diamonds,” jewels that have been used to fund insurgent or invading army’s war efforts.
Today, over 99% of the world’s diamond supply has been verified to be completely conflict free, and reputable retailers and suppliers of diamonds the world over have embraced a policy never to support the countries involved in the diamond trade that still engage in these practices. Still, retailers such as Spence Diamonds see the value in educating their customers and staff on the issue of conflict diamonds, to better understand the importance and the process of diamonds that are procured through fair trade.
In 2000, a joint initiative supported by the United Nations General Assembly created the Kimberly Process, an international certification regimen that aims to put an end to illegally traded diamonds. Today, 69 countries are legally bound by the rules of this strict and thorough process.
Any trade of diamonds between these 69 countries (which includes Canada, the U.S., Belgium and many of the African countries involved in the trade of diamonds) must adhere to these guidelines:
Each participating country must have laws in place that mandate the Kimberly Process
Any shipment of diamonds must be inspected to ensure that each shipment adheres to the guidelines
They must then be shipped in tamper-proof containers
They must be accompanied by a uniquely numbered, Government validated Kimberly Process certificate
Shipments must only be made to participating countries in the Kimberly Process
Each diamond, when sold by a retailer must be accompanied by the following warranty statement:
“The diamonds herein invoiced have been purchased from legitimate sources not involved in funding conflict and in compliance with United Nations Resolutions. The undersigned hereby guarantees that these diamonds are conflict free, based on personal knowledge and/or written guarantees provided by the supplier of these diamonds.”
In a very short time, the Kimberly Process has had a profound effect. In the six years since its creation, the Kimberly Process has reduced the trade of conflict diamonds, from 4% to less than 1% of the entire diamond industry.
Retailers like Spence Diamonds have always maintained a strict policy about the origin of their diamonds. The diamonds in Spence stores come from large, reputable diamond suppliers who ensure that the diamonds originated from Kimberly Process compliant countries such as Belgium and Canada. As a major centre for the trade of diamonds, Belgium has always had a system for diamond verification, even previous to the creation of the Kimberly Process. Today, Belgian diamond wholesalers employ one of the strictest levels of security when it comes to the trade of diamonds, according to the U.N.
All of the diamonds purchased for Spence Diamonds have been certified as conflict free.
Perhaps you’ve heard of the “Four C’s” of diamond quality. Each and every unique diamond in the world has its own defining characteristics, and understanding each of them will help you make an informed decision when you come into a Spence Diamonds showroom.
Cut
Nothing is more important to the brilliance and sparkle of a diamond than its cut, as it is responsible for around 40% of a diamond’s price. A well cut diamond will reflect light from one facet to another and back through the top, creating a dramatic sparkling effect that only a diamond can emit. Only the most skilled diamond cutters can shape a diamond with exacting precision, to release its full brilliance, taking into account such factors as proportions, finish, and of course symmetry.
Colour
When examining a diamond, be sure to view it “loose” (unmounted) under a neutral light source, to get the best view of its colour. In the “normal colour” range, the colour of a diamond is rated on a scale that goes from D to Z, with D being the whitest diamond available, and Z being a tinted, light yellow colour. For most jewelry, a colour grade from G to J is usually best.
Why “D to Z?” Before this rating system was invented, diamond professionals used many other symbols (including liberal uses of “A” and “AA”) to rate colour, so the creators of the new system started at D, to avoid any confusion with the outdated ratings systems.
There are also various coloured diamond choices available today, but when you are looking specifically at a white diamond, you should understand how this scale works, and where your diamond of choice is rated on the spectrum. Also, the mounting of a diamond can impact its appearance. A more yellowish diamond will appear whiter next to a gold setting, whereas a white gold setting will make the diamond look less pure if you compare the two side-by-side.
Clarity
The clarity of a diamond refers to the number and nature of inclusions or blemishes that are visible when you view it under a microscope. Some diamond professionals refer to clarity as “purity” or “quality,” but neither of those start with “C,” so we’ll stick with clarity.
A blemish is an imperfection on the surface of a diamond, and an inclusion is a small spot contained within it. Diamonds with little or no imperfections such as these are rarer, and much more valuable. Five factors determine a diamond’s clarity: the size, number, position, nature and “relief” of the inclusions. Relief describes the level of visibility of these imperfections. The clarity scale of a diamond is the easiest to understand: It varies from Flawless, to Internally Flawless, and from there goes to VVS, VS, SI and I. These are easy to understand and remember, because they stand for: Very Very Slightly included, Very Slightly included, Slightly Included, and Included. Each of these designations has varying levels as well, but getting a handle on these will help you understand the importance of clarity in a diamond’s grading.
An “I” rated diamond will have inclusions that are visible to the naked eye, whereas even a skilled diamond expert would need a microscope to see the inclusions in an “SI” diamond. Because of this, diamonds rated “SI” usually represent the best value for your investment.
Important Note: Skilled jewelry makers often mount a diamond so as to mask an inclusion from sight, helping it appear more flawless. Before buying a diamond, be sure to examine it loose under a microscope to get a better idea of its clarity.
Carat
The last and most obvious characteristic that a diamond is measured by is its Carat (abbreviated “ct.”). A carat is a measure of weight, and it takes 142 of them to make an ounce.
Interesting bits of trivia:
You can mail 142 one-carat diamonds with just a single postage stamp (Not that you would want to)!
The majority of diamonds used in jewelry weigh less than one carat.
Obviously, a diamond’s carat weight can have a big effect on its value. When written, carat weights are expressed as decimal numbers: 1.00 ct., 0.48 ct., 1.57 cts., and so on. In a piece which has more than one diamond, often times you will see the total carat weight of the diamonds shown.
At Spence Diamonds, each and every diamond comes with an official Diamond Certificate, which will give you a detailed blueprint of your diamond. Now that you understand the “Four C’s” of diamond grading, you’ll have a better understanding of these certificates, which give you detailed info on all of the factors discussed above, including a “plotting” that shows the exact location of inclusions and blemishes.