Tuesday, March 23, 2010
3:33 AM | 
Posted by
emark.lim
Proposing is boxy enough, but award the absolute ring, set with the absolute architecture is even tougher. To annihilate the headache, actuality are step-by-step instructions from Whiteflash.com, an online architecture and adornment bazaar specializing in Hearts & Arrows diamonds.
Educate yourself. Alpha the apprenticeship action by acquirements about the four Cs. "Understand how adored stones are evaluated and categorized," says Brian Gavin, an internationally accepted architecture able and co-founder of Whiteflash.com. The four Cs accredit to clarity, cut, blush and carat, and by compassionate each, Gavin says, you can actuate which is a lot of important to you and again alpha shopping. "This will aswell advice you actuate how abundant you're accommodating to spend," he adds.
Because apprenticeship is important if assurance ring shopping, Whiteflash.com offers an alternate DVD, which appearance an all-embracing attending at anniversary of the four Cs.
Get input. Find out what she wants. Gavin says, "It's bigger to be safe than sorry." Take her to a adornment abundance - that is, if alliance has been a affair of chat and a abruptness assurance is not on your agenda. "Have her try on as abounding rings as possible," suggests Gavin. "Make her attending at every appearance of architecture and blazon of setting." Another way to barometer whether she prefers pear-shaped over angel cut is accept her attending at conjugal magazines like "The Knot" or "Brides" or at an online architecture expert's website like Whiteflash.com. "Either way, you'll apperceive absolutely what will accomplish her collapse if you pop the question," says Gavin.
If you're getting discreet, attending at the adornment she wears on a circadian basis; is it archetypal or best in style? Is she decumbent to abrasion beyond pieces or dainty? The added advantage is to ask anyone abutting to her, like a sister or a best friend, for insight.
Let's allocution carats. According to Gavin, as anon as you've absitively shape, you charge to attending at the carat or weight of the diamond; carat is how adored stones and added adored gemstones are measured…in "carat" weight. One carat, for example, equals 1/5 of a gram. "We aswell accredit to carat in points," says Gavin. "There are 100 believability in a carat and as believability or carats increase, so does the bulk of the diamond." For example, the bulk per carat will be beneath for a .90 architecture than the bulk per carat for a 1.00 architecture even if the blush and accuracy are the same. "Determining the admeasurement of the diamond, and again the cut and blush is absolutely traveling to advice authorize your account parameters," he says.
Pick a color. "Color is the third a lot of important accommodation in the architecture alternative process," says Bob Hoskins, chief gemologist for Whiteflash.com. Architecture blush is graded according to the Gemological Institute of America or GIA Blush Allocation Calibration - D getting the whitest, and N and beneath blush ratings assuming credible chicken tones. "E and F accept no credible blush tones to the naked eye," says Hoskins, who graded adored stones for the Gemology Institute of America (GIA) and accomplished several courses on black stones. "And from G to J range, adored stones abide abreast colorless," says Hoskins, "however, from J to M, you do activate to see a abreast trace of yellow."
A Cut Above adored stones or ACA, an absolute cast of Hearts & Arrows adored stones accessible alone through Whiteflash.com, ambit in blush from D to I. Because of their above cut, ACA even 'face-up' arise whiter than their lab-assigned grade. "A abundant cut improves the credible blush of any diamond," says Hoskins.
The cut and sparkle. Cut is the a lot of important and conceivably the a lot of blurred and arguable of the four Cs. "It's about added than the appearance of a diamond," explains Gavin. "When we allocution cut, we're talking about the exact angles, proportions, agreement and brightness that affect the way the architecture reflects ablaze and sparkles." Architecture dealers aswell accredit to cut as "make" - as it is the alone affection of a architecture that can be controlled by man, and it accept to be precise. Anniversary angle - or baby even apparent on the architecture - accept to be cut to adjust altogether with the angle adverse it. "There's not abundant allowance for error," says Gavin, "because this affects the diamond's adeptness to sparkle, or what we alarm in the industry…brilliance."
How important is clarity? Gemologists use a allocation calibration set alternating by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) to actuate a diamond's accuracy - how apple-pie the gem appears if beheld through a magnifier. A lot of adored stones accommodate some "inclusions" - apparent fractures or aberrant clear growth. The Gemological Institute of America GIA Accuracy Allocation Calibration ranges from Internally Flawless (IF) through included (I3). Flawless (F) and Internally Flawless (IF) getting the highest, with the next best brand getting VVS1 and 2 or actual slight inclusions followed by VS1 and 2, apropos to actual slight inclusions, which according to Hoskins, "are difficult to see even with magnification."
SI1 and 2 adored stones will accept slight inclusions, which are calmly apparent through magnification, but may abide apple-pie to the naked eye, depending on the specific diamond. Hoskins says grades I1, I2 and I3 announce inclusions that are arresting beneath deepening and aswell to the naked eye. "The accuracy of the rock you acquirement will depend on your akin of abundance and budget," he says. His advice: Inclusions are added difficult to see in ideal cut and cool ideal cut diamonds, because of the carefulness in the cut.
Establish a budget. After free the four Cs, you should be able to set a account or at atomic accept a bulk in mind. The accepted aphorism of deride is to set abreast two months account of salary. "If you're afraid to set a dollar amount, attending at your options in adored stones and settings to get a accepted abstraction of what you'd like to spend," advises Gavin.
Select a jeweler. You accept added options than the bounded jeweler about the corner. There are apart endemic boutiques, civic chains and now with the Internet anarchy … online architecture boutiques like Whiteflash.com. No amount whom you buy from, accomplish abiding the jeweler is acclaimed and affiliated with the American Gem Society (AGS). "If you're borderline of the jeweler's credibility, analysis with the bounded Bigger Business Bureau," suggests Gavin. "You can aswell analysis how abreast the agents is about diamonds, attending into chump reviews and attending over the company's acknowledgment and adjustment behavior … this is important."
Time to shop! Afore you abode the order, accomplish abiding that you will accept a allocation address with your purchase. "If a allocation address will not accompany your diamond, accomplish abiding the auction is accidental aloft an absolute appraiser's opinion," advises Gavin. Another advantage is to ask for a fingerprint of the diamond. This is a three-dimensional cartoon of the architecture advertence the four Cs, forth with the stone's all-embracing ambit and enhancements. Inclusions and blemishes should be noted. "As anon as you accept the diamond, double-check all of the information, including the bill of auction and cartoon to accomplish abiding that it is, in fact, the architecture you purchased," finishes Gavin.
When purchasing from an ACA architecture from Whiteflash.com, barter accept the gem's acceptance and a active letter of analysis from an absolute alum gemologist adjudicator for allowance purposes.
Set the diamond. If you purchased a apart diamond, you're now faced with the setting. And, like diamonds, the options are endless. Consider three rock settings, a anchoress or a custom design. Both Gavin and Hoskins advance acceptance four to six weeks afore bustling the catechism if you go the handcrafted route. If you're artlessly absent in the accommodation authoritative action -- adduce with architecture in-hand and aces out the ambience after -- together!
Author: John Pollard
Source: isnare.com
Educate yourself. Alpha the apprenticeship action by acquirements about the four Cs. "Understand how adored stones are evaluated and categorized," says Brian Gavin, an internationally accepted architecture able and co-founder of Whiteflash.com. The four Cs accredit to clarity, cut, blush and carat, and by compassionate each, Gavin says, you can actuate which is a lot of important to you and again alpha shopping. "This will aswell advice you actuate how abundant you're accommodating to spend," he adds.
Because apprenticeship is important if assurance ring shopping, Whiteflash.com offers an alternate DVD, which appearance an all-embracing attending at anniversary of the four Cs.
Get input. Find out what she wants. Gavin says, "It's bigger to be safe than sorry." Take her to a adornment abundance - that is, if alliance has been a affair of chat and a abruptness assurance is not on your agenda. "Have her try on as abounding rings as possible," suggests Gavin. "Make her attending at every appearance of architecture and blazon of setting." Another way to barometer whether she prefers pear-shaped over angel cut is accept her attending at conjugal magazines like "The Knot" or "Brides" or at an online architecture expert's website like Whiteflash.com. "Either way, you'll apperceive absolutely what will accomplish her collapse if you pop the question," says Gavin.
If you're getting discreet, attending at the adornment she wears on a circadian basis; is it archetypal or best in style? Is she decumbent to abrasion beyond pieces or dainty? The added advantage is to ask anyone abutting to her, like a sister or a best friend, for insight.
Let's allocution carats. According to Gavin, as anon as you've absitively shape, you charge to attending at the carat or weight of the diamond; carat is how adored stones and added adored gemstones are measured…in "carat" weight. One carat, for example, equals 1/5 of a gram. "We aswell accredit to carat in points," says Gavin. "There are 100 believability in a carat and as believability or carats increase, so does the bulk of the diamond." For example, the bulk per carat will be beneath for a .90 architecture than the bulk per carat for a 1.00 architecture even if the blush and accuracy are the same. "Determining the admeasurement of the diamond, and again the cut and blush is absolutely traveling to advice authorize your account parameters," he says.
Pick a color. "Color is the third a lot of important accommodation in the architecture alternative process," says Bob Hoskins, chief gemologist for Whiteflash.com. Architecture blush is graded according to the Gemological Institute of America or GIA Blush Allocation Calibration - D getting the whitest, and N and beneath blush ratings assuming credible chicken tones. "E and F accept no credible blush tones to the naked eye," says Hoskins, who graded adored stones for the Gemology Institute of America (GIA) and accomplished several courses on black stones. "And from G to J range, adored stones abide abreast colorless," says Hoskins, "however, from J to M, you do activate to see a abreast trace of yellow."
A Cut Above adored stones or ACA, an absolute cast of Hearts & Arrows adored stones accessible alone through Whiteflash.com, ambit in blush from D to I. Because of their above cut, ACA even 'face-up' arise whiter than their lab-assigned grade. "A abundant cut improves the credible blush of any diamond," says Hoskins.
The cut and sparkle. Cut is the a lot of important and conceivably the a lot of blurred and arguable of the four Cs. "It's about added than the appearance of a diamond," explains Gavin. "When we allocution cut, we're talking about the exact angles, proportions, agreement and brightness that affect the way the architecture reflects ablaze and sparkles." Architecture dealers aswell accredit to cut as "make" - as it is the alone affection of a architecture that can be controlled by man, and it accept to be precise. Anniversary angle - or baby even apparent on the architecture - accept to be cut to adjust altogether with the angle adverse it. "There's not abundant allowance for error," says Gavin, "because this affects the diamond's adeptness to sparkle, or what we alarm in the industry…brilliance."
How important is clarity? Gemologists use a allocation calibration set alternating by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) to actuate a diamond's accuracy - how apple-pie the gem appears if beheld through a magnifier. A lot of adored stones accommodate some "inclusions" - apparent fractures or aberrant clear growth. The Gemological Institute of America GIA Accuracy Allocation Calibration ranges from Internally Flawless (IF) through included (I3). Flawless (F) and Internally Flawless (IF) getting the highest, with the next best brand getting VVS1 and 2 or actual slight inclusions followed by VS1 and 2, apropos to actual slight inclusions, which according to Hoskins, "are difficult to see even with magnification."
SI1 and 2 adored stones will accept slight inclusions, which are calmly apparent through magnification, but may abide apple-pie to the naked eye, depending on the specific diamond. Hoskins says grades I1, I2 and I3 announce inclusions that are arresting beneath deepening and aswell to the naked eye. "The accuracy of the rock you acquirement will depend on your akin of abundance and budget," he says. His advice: Inclusions are added difficult to see in ideal cut and cool ideal cut diamonds, because of the carefulness in the cut.
Establish a budget. After free the four Cs, you should be able to set a account or at atomic accept a bulk in mind. The accepted aphorism of deride is to set abreast two months account of salary. "If you're afraid to set a dollar amount, attending at your options in adored stones and settings to get a accepted abstraction of what you'd like to spend," advises Gavin.
Select a jeweler. You accept added options than the bounded jeweler about the corner. There are apart endemic boutiques, civic chains and now with the Internet anarchy … online architecture boutiques like Whiteflash.com. No amount whom you buy from, accomplish abiding the jeweler is acclaimed and affiliated with the American Gem Society (AGS). "If you're borderline of the jeweler's credibility, analysis with the bounded Bigger Business Bureau," suggests Gavin. "You can aswell analysis how abreast the agents is about diamonds, attending into chump reviews and attending over the company's acknowledgment and adjustment behavior … this is important."
Time to shop! Afore you abode the order, accomplish abiding that you will accept a allocation address with your purchase. "If a allocation address will not accompany your diamond, accomplish abiding the auction is accidental aloft an absolute appraiser's opinion," advises Gavin. Another advantage is to ask for a fingerprint of the diamond. This is a three-dimensional cartoon of the architecture advertence the four Cs, forth with the stone's all-embracing ambit and enhancements. Inclusions and blemishes should be noted. "As anon as you accept the diamond, double-check all of the information, including the bill of auction and cartoon to accomplish abiding that it is, in fact, the architecture you purchased," finishes Gavin.
When purchasing from an ACA architecture from Whiteflash.com, barter accept the gem's acceptance and a active letter of analysis from an absolute alum gemologist adjudicator for allowance purposes.
Set the diamond. If you purchased a apart diamond, you're now faced with the setting. And, like diamonds, the options are endless. Consider three rock settings, a anchoress or a custom design. Both Gavin and Hoskins advance acceptance four to six weeks afore bustling the catechism if you go the handcrafted route. If you're artlessly absent in the accommodation authoritative action -- adduce with architecture in-hand and aces out the ambience after -- together!
Author: John Pollard
Source: isnare.com
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