John Hardy Mystic Green Topaz & Diamond Jewelery

John Hardy Mystic Green Topaz & Diamond Jewelery

Diamonds That Sparkle

Today I want to talk about Carat Weight of a diamond. As I said in the last post carat weight is the diamond size scale. This is one of the major factors in determining the price of a diamond. While size is the most obvious quality that determines cost, clarity and color also are considered. Today I want to talk more about carat weight. Two diamonds that look same size can have different carat weights depending on how they are cut. One cut too deep will look smaller on the ‘face’, or when viewed from the top. A diamond cut shallow will have a larger face. The chart below shows the carat weights and diameter sizes of round diamonds. Other diamond shapes will vary. For example a 1 carat princess cut will be about 5.5mm instead of the 6.5mm of a round cut.

Loose Diamonds & Fancy Colored Diamonds

We offer a special selection of diamonds - Fancy-Colored Diamonds: Yellow: Canary and Lemon; Pink: Light Pink; Blue: Dark blue; Green: Teal Green; Brown: Cognac, Bronze, Whisky, Gold, and Cooper. Available in 2mm-5mm, round. Below you will find a sample of some of the colors we

Bronze

Green

Pink

Blue

Yellow

Pair of Blue Rounds

Pair of Yellow Rounds

Pair of Green Rounds

Yellow Canary Rounds

Pink Marquise

Greenish Yellow

Yellowish Green

Halley Berry Wearing The Pumpkin Diamond

The Pumpkin Diamond

Jenna Elfman Wearing The Steinmertz Pink Diamond

The Steinmertz Pink Diamond

Iman Wearing the Debeers Milennium Star Diamond

The Debeers Milennium Star Diamond

The Allnat Diamond

The Moussaieff Red Diamond

Heart of Eternity Blue Diamond

Ocean Dream Blue-Green Diamond

Colored Gem Diamond Rings & Engagement Rings Are Big In 2009!!

Already, we are seeing a move in the direction of colored gems paired with diamond rings, to start 2009.

This trend covers not just promise rings and diamond rings, but even engagement rings with colored center gems are becoming popular for 2009.

We are getting requests for Tiffany Legacy Inspired diamond engagement rings, set with blue sapphires and other precious gemstones in the center.

With the economy faltering (let's hope it gets better..), people are looking to add some color to their lives!!!!

We could not agree more...take a look at this incredible eye-candy!

2008 Was A Tough Year For Diamonds and Engagement Rings

Sales of Luxury items, especially diamonds and jewelry took a big hit in 2008 and their sales across the board were significantly down for both Retail Brick & Mortar jewelers as well as Internet diamond websites. Reports of 35-55% decreases in sales were noted.

Avi Krawitz of Rapaport News provides a detailed review and analysis on the diamond industry of 2008 and what might be in store in 2009.

Diamonds-OUCH!

Diamond Studded Motorcycle! See It To Believe It!

Check out this amazingly beautiful work of art created by somebody I know!

This "motorcycle" is literally studded with diamonds to create a dazzling showpiece of singular appeal.

I don't think I have ever seen anything like this and I cannot imagine how much this would sell for.....to a specific and interested consumer of course.....!!!

Take a look!

Ritzy Wedding Hall For $60.00 Is A Diamond In The Rough!

Getting married is a very expensive proposition, don't we know it.

But now an organization well known to take our money is giving back by providing a beautiful Wedding Hall in which to get married. Your cost? The extravagant sum of $60.00! Yes, you read correctly...$60.00!

Layoffs Hit Jewlery Industry.

The current recession and sick economy has hit the Jewelry Industry. In addition to significantly lower earnings in the 4th Quarter by scores of Jewlery businesses, today ShopNBC and Jewelry Television announced layoffs as they look to retrench.

Our New DeBeers Inspired Forever Diamond Engagement Ring Inspiration!

We just completed this gorgeous diamond engagement ring, inspired by the classic DeBeers Forever Diamond Engagement Ring, for one of our customers.

Take a look!

Princess Cut Diamond Engagement Ring {Pics!}

One of our creations; a princess cut diamond engagement ring!

The Cullinan In The Rough: 3106 carats.

The Cullinan In Pieces.

The Prime Minister of Transvaal, Louis Botha, suggested that the diamond be presented as a gift to King Edward VII. Due to lingering rancor after the Boer War, the gift did not sit well with Parliament, which only voted 42 to 19 in favor of its acceptance. After much debate and at Winston Churchill’s urging, the king accepted The Cullinan. In gratitude, Churchill was presented with a replica of the diamond; he enthusiastically displayed it to friends, sometimes exhibiting it on a silver platter. The Cullinan was presented to the king on November 9, 1907, for his 66th birthday.

Cutting
How The Cullinan was to be cut was of primary importance because the stone’s greatest value was in the number of stones that could be produced. The firm I.J. Asscher and Company of Amsterdam was chosen for the task. For three months, Joseph Asscher February 10, 1908, at 2:45 pm, Asscher prepared himself for the greatest responsibility of his professional career — cleaving The Cullinan. Placing the cleaving blade at the prearranged point, he gave it a blow with his hammer. Snap…the blade broke. The stone was unharmed; it had not even moved. Another blade was quickly procured and Asscher struck the stone again. This time it split perfectly, just as he had hoped. Amidst cheers, shouts and pats on the back for a job well done, Asscher fainted.

Now there were two stones, weighing 1,977.50 and 1,040 carats, respectively. Additional cleaving produced nine major stones, 96 brilliants and 9.50 carats of unpolished pieces. The total weight was 1,063 carats; there was a 65 percent cutting loss. King Edward VII was given the two principal stones and he purchased an additional stone, the sixth Cullinan “chip” for Queen Alexandra, which weighed 11.50 carats. The rest of the diamonds were retained by the Asschers as compensation.

The pear shape, a 530.20-carat diamond commonly known as Cullinan I, but also known as the Star of Africa, now resides in the Tower of London and is set in the British royal scepter. Cullinan II is a massive 317.40-carat cushion-shaped diamond that sits in the center front in the band of the Imperial State Crown of Great Britain. These jewels were specifically used for the coronation of King George V on June 22, 1911.

Cullinan "Star Of Africa" 530.20 Carats!

The stones that were in the possession of the Asschers were eventually purchased from them and presented to Queen Mary on June 28, 1910. In 1910 Queen Mary set Cullinan III and Cullinan IV, known as the Lesser Stars of Africa, into a brooch. Cullinan III, a 94.40-carat pear drop, hangs from Cullinan IV, a cushion-cut diamond weighing 63.60 carats. Always impressively arrayed, Queen Mary would also hang the Cullinan I as a pendant from the Koh-i-Noor brooch.

Cullinan III and IV.

As for some of the other Cullinan diamonds, Queen Mary had the Cullinan V, an 18.80-carat triangular-pear shape mounted in a platinum brooch with the silhouette of the design echoing the shape of the stone. The brooch was part of a very large stomacher that includes the legendary Cambridge emeralds, which the Queen received in 1910; each element of the stomacher can come apart and be worn as a separate brooch. Queen Elizabeth II frequently wears the Cullinan V brooch.

The Cullinan VII is an 8.80-carat marquise diamond, which Queen Mary added as a pendant to the 6.80-carat oval cushion Cullinan VIII brooch; this brooch was created at the same time as the Cullinan V. A photograph from 1919 shows Queen Mary wearing a platinum diamond pendant and chain that incorporates some of the 96 smaller Cullinan stones. Although she inherited the necklace in 1953, Queen Elizabeth II has never been known to wear it in public; the queen says, “It gets in the soup.” The Cullinan IX is a 4.39-carat pear, which was placed in an engraved ring presented to Queen Mary. It now belongs to Queen Elizabeth II.

Cullinan VII and VIII.

The Cullinan II Diamond. The two tiny platinum loops on the edges allow the stone to be worn as a brooch, alone or with the Cullinan I
attached. However, it usually resides in the front of the Imperial State Crown.