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Creating bracelets is fun.

If this is your hobby, then its time to make it more interesting.

The bracelet making and maintaining tips follows

1.Decide how many links you want to use in making your bracelet. Although it is easy both to add and remove the links even after you make your bracelet its better if you plan in advance.

Below are given the general guidelines in making bracelets.

For children bracelets generally 10 links are sufficient
For adult bracelets you may require 14-18 links.

2.Select your charms

3.We recommend you use high quality stainless steel, as the day-to-day use does not rust it out.

4.By changing the rings you can change the style of your bracelet very easily.

5.In making a beaded bracelet, choose beads first. Beads can be of varying sizes, as it looks attractive.

6.Choose findings for your bracelet. You will need a clasp and two bead tips. The bead tips are used to secure the ends of your bracelet so that the clasp can be attached.

7.Layout the beads on a piece of clothe and then knot them.

8.Measure your wrist or ankle size so that you can customize your bracelet.

9.Always make sure you remove your bracelet while washing clothes, bathing and swimming.

Although making bracelets is very easy, the bracelets made by professionals look great and in case you want to make them yourselves beware it requires lot of raw materials and heck lot of time on your part.

Making friendship bracelets can be done at home by using the tips provided here.But in case you want to wear bracelets for show then very beautiful and charming bracelets are available.

Italian charm bracelets have become very famous and for good reason.

They not only look beautiful but also are very elegant.

I found a very easy way to make friendship bracelets at this free resource.
http://members.aol.com/pforpeace/peacepals/project3.htm

Susan Smith is very passionate about bracelets. She shares her tips on bracelets at
www.braceletsworldonline.com

Also visit
www.teddy-bears-world.com
www.ceramic-tile-resources.com

So…you’ve been looking to purchase a quality tanzanite on the internet and you need some help determining what characteristics you should be looking for in a quality gem. This article is intended as a resource to help guide you through a successful tanzanite purchase by avoiding many of the common pitfalls that some consumers become entangled. These pitfalls can often leave a sour taste in your mouth and make you a little head-shy about purchasing tanzanite online.

I am aware that several of our happy tanzanite clients have had bad previous tanzanite purchasing experiences, and some, in my opinion, were downright awful. The common themes in their communications include:

Didn’t really “know” the seller as good as I should have…

Color in hand was significantly different than the image shown online…

Didn’t read the “fine print”…

Wanted to return the tanzanite and the seller charged a hefty re-stocking fee…

Didn’t understand the importance of clarity, tone, hue and saturation before making my tanzanite purchase…

And the list goes on and on… If you have not been through an experience like this, either you’re a really web-savvy consumer or you have just been plain lucky. Many tanzanite consumers have thrown a lot of their hard-earned dollars into gems that are of significantly less value than the money they have spent. This is unfortunate for them and quite disappointing to the “good guys” within the gemstone industry.

How many times have you wanted to know that you are making the correct assessment of a potential tanzanite that you intend to purchase online? I have been asked this question frequently and I am amazed that a large percentage of consumers simply do not do the necessary homework before making a buying decision. Certainly not due to the lack of credible resources that are available to the consumer, many people simply let the “want” of an immediate purchase get ahead of their good judgment.

Let’s start with a generic list of things to consider in the process of making a tanzanite purchase. The “generic list” includes such items as the “5 W’s,” namely, Who, What, Where, Why, When. If your inquiry covers several or even all of these questions, you have made a good start in obtaining the necessary information you need in making a wise purchasing decision on your next tanzanite.

Who you are considering doing business with and where they are located can tell you much about a tanzanite retailer. Is the tanzanite retailer headquartered domestically or are they a foreign company with an online presence? This fact is generally known/disclosed at the time you make payment, but not always. The whole foreign vs. domestic issue is another discussion altogether, but you need to decide in your own mind what you’re most comfortable with. Some foreign companies use a domestic mail drop to ship their tanzanites. On the surface, they appear to be a domestic company, which would willingly submit to FTC rules and regulations, many of which protect you as the consumer, but some foreign companies couldn’t care less about these guidelines. So, it never hurts to ask the question. This will help you to avoid the smoke-and-mirrors game that many foreign sellers implement in their marketing strategy. I know of one company, in particular, marketing gemstones that has many concurrent reincarnations, as I like to call them, on the internet at the same time. They have many websites, all with different looks, and sell essentially from the same inventory. While this type of masked marketing is not in and of itself “bad” nor “dishonest,” it sure makes it difficult to get the answer to these first couple of questions and creates confusion for many tanzanite buyers. Who am I considering doing business with and where are they located? You might want to cat around on google a bit to find available information and maybe even get some references. Testimonials and referrals represent a major portion of our business and we willingly share our customer references/experiences on our site to make our reputation “real” for would-be clients. Good stuff! So, understanding who you are about to do business with and where they are located provides you with a foundation of knowledge from which to proceed in the process of obtaining your first/next tanzanite.

The What question may be answered by simply taking a look at the overall quality range of tanzanites the retailer is offering on their site. Does the tanzanite retailer carry low-grade tanzanites, high-grade, or a broad range of quality? This should speak volumes to you. There are many retailers that simply carry the lower grades of tanzanite for a cheap price and show out the best of these grades as top-quality stones. When you view the pictures of these stones, you may think you are looking at “AAA” color, relative to other tanzanites listed, when in fact you may still looking at run-of-the-mill tanzanites that may be slotted a bit higher in the color range than the others. And yes, there are a LOT of these types of stones available for around $300/ct by a growing number of vendors. The statements regarding the quality of this material are often exaggerated and the pictures on these stones may not even be close to representing the actual item. Caveat Emptor, which is a Latin phrase meaning: “Buyer Beware!” Good advice for us all. Other considerations related to What include a thorough understanding of the retailer’s “fine print.”

The Why question is really self-explanatory…. because you want to own a quality tanzanite. Right? In addition, you probably want to try to understand why the company, whose tanzanite you are viewing, is in the tanzanite business. What I mean by this is…other than the obvious reason, to sell a product for a profit, do they appear to have a good business interest in tanzanite or does the seller just offer it as another line of gemstones on their site. Your interests would be best served by shopping with a retailer that has a good stake and large general emphasis in tanzanite. This will provide you with your best chance at viewing a nice collection of gems from which to choose and competitive pricing. Additionally, I recommend that you purchase from sellers that are more than happy to work with you on a custom order. If they are hesitant to do this, it may mean that they are getting their tanzanite from other retailers (vs. a tanzanite sightholder or supplier) and don’t want to mess with an order like yours because they simply can’t turn around a custom order quickly. It is then possible for you to find yourself purchasing a stone which is only close to what you really desire. Why settle for something “close” when you are getting ready to drop a chunk of hard-earned change on a tanzanite?

And finally, the When question deals with such inquiries as: When will my order ship and by what method (carrier)? Are there any extra fees when shipping gemstones? When do you restock your tanzanite inventory? When is the best time of year to purchase? You get the idea. By asking these types of questions, you get to know your retailer better and can pave the way for a long-term, successful relationship with your tanzanite dealer.

In summary, it is important that you have a good understanding of the company from which you wish to make a gemstone purchase AND their quality and price are in keeping with your overall expectations. In our company’s experience, we have found it amazing how much repeat business we have done with our valued clients over the years by simply providing answers to these basic questions.

Hopefully, you will make many wise tanzanite purchases in the days, months and years to come. Tanzanite is a truly incredible gemstone, but you owe it to yourself to get the facts FIRST before adding a gorgeous tanzanite to your collection. I encourage you to put this “purchasing model” in place to avoid the common pitfalls and disappointments of making incorrect buying decisions on your next tanzanite purchase.

john

John McQueen is a long-time rockhound, lapidarist (gem faceter), internet entrpreneur and acclaimed freelance writer on various topics related to the gemstone and jewelry industry. For more information on purchasing fine tanzanite and other quality gemstones and jewelry on the internet, please visit his site at: www.eTanzanite.com

New synthetic diamonds are so closely resemble mined diamonds that the naked eye cannot tell the difference, often saving consumers enough money to make a down-payment on a new home or buy a car. Unfounded diamond jeweler arrogance, pretentiousness, and snootiness has gone too far!

My girlfriend has been parading around town with a magnificent 4-carat Round Brilliant cut synthetic diamond set in a stunning 14K solid gold filigree solitaire ring setting for a year now. She has been to restaurants, work, shopping, night clubs, museums, and parties. Family and friends have scrutinized her ring. She has been stopped repeatedly by others who were dumbfounded by her ring. Hundreds of people have seen her ring, astonished by its majesty, gushing about it. And despite its ostentatious size, no one has asked if it is a fake diamond!

How could this be? The latest breakthrough science in lab-created diamonds has brought them in line with mined diamonds. Long gone is the aurora borealis or “disco ball” effect that was seen in synthetic diamonds of the past decades. New millennium synthetic diamonds—with similar hardness, clarity, fire, and brilliance—are indistinguishable with the naked eye and simply don’t look fake. High quality synthetic diamonds even have the coveted hearts-and-arrows effect.

This begs the question: If one were to saunter into a jewelry store with a synthetic diamond, can a jeweler tell the difference? Since all mined diamonds have color disparities (flaws), birthmarks (flaws), and inclusions (flaws), and lab-created diamonds have none of the above, a trained eye can tell the difference. A sneering glance under a loupe or even under discriminating examination with a magnifying glass, a jeweler will often proudly declare a synthetic diamond as a fake. Modern synthetic diamonds are too perfect in the world of jeweler snobbery when pushing over-priced high profit diamonds is the agenda at hand.

With the use of scientific testing equipment, mined diamonds will conduct electricity and synthetic diamonds will not. That is because mined diamonds are a carbon gem material and synthetic diamonds are polycrystalline. A thermal probe will produce different readings, differentiating the two. But does this really matter to a jewelry lover who is interested in aesthetic beauty and saving thousands of dollars? In the year my girlfriend has been showcasing her synthetic diamond on her finger; no one has walked up to her with scientific equipment asking to test her gemstone.

Why do virtually all brick-and-mortar jewelers carry only mined diamonds? Why do jewelers scoff at synthetic diamonds? You need to look no further than your wallet. A 1-carat high quality mined diamond is about $3000, a 2-carat about $18,000, a 3-carat about $40,000, and a 4-carat goes for about $90,000. Respectively, synthetic diamonds run about $79, $158, $237, and $326. It’s about the money. Don’t kid yourself.

It’s also about indoctrination. For over a century, the diamond cartel has spent billions of dollars convincing the public that jewel quality mined diamonds have intrinsic value like gold. Not true. Why? During this time DeBeers has limited production, bought up supplies from others, stockpiled inventory, and imposed its monopoly position on jewelry manufacturers in the successful effort to keep prices inflated. And to make matters worse, the diamond industry as a whole has a checkered past with conflict stones, debt-slave child labor in India used in cutting operations, and shady techniques used to enhance perceived quality to further squeeze out ridiculous prices from beleaguered jewelry lovers.

Smart jewelry shoppers today are considering synthetic diamonds as an alternative to mined diamonds for some very savvy reasons: (1) They can acquire fine jewelry pieces set in solid 14K gold. (2) They will save literally thousands of dollars. (3) There is no need to buy insurance. (4) When wearing there synthetic diamond jewelry nobody will know that they are not mined diamonds unless they tell them!

Robert Joseph is an expert jeweler and founding partner of Diamond Nexus Labs, a renowned online jewelry store that specializes in pristine affordable diamond simulants set in Solid 14K Gold.

Copyright © 2002-2005 Diamond Nexus Labs.
http://diamondnexuslabs.com/ All Rights Reserved.

Permission to reprint this article is granted if the article is reproduced in its entirety, without editing, including the bio information. Please include a hyperlink to http://diamondnexuslabs.com/ when using this article in newsletters or online.

To receive a FREE comparison chart on how Diamond Nexus Labs lab-created diamonds stack up against mined diamonds and register for a FREE no-obligation $50 Gift Certificate giveaway send E-mail to: freechart@diamondnexuslabs.com and just type Free Chart followed by your first name in the subject line.

During the 19th century in Europe, Especially England’s luxury markets created a huge demand for items made from “Mother of pearl.” Mother of pearl refers to the nacre layered on the inside the oyster’s shell. Nacre is the substance used by an oyster to form a pearl. Mother of pearl was used for jewelry, buttons, inlay, and even carved gaming chips for the aristocracy in England and Europe.

Only one out of every 15,000 to 20,000 oysters opened is found a “natural” pearl. The natural pearls’ rarity and beauty has been adored as “The Queen of Pearls.” They were used in the jewelry of the world’s royalty. The most famous of these natural black pearls was called “Azurai” It was the centerpiece of a necklace that was part of the Russian crown jewels.

Unfortunately, demand was so high that all of the accessible black-lipped oyster populations were severely depleted. Divers had to dive deeper and deeper to find the oysters, until finally the there were so few oysters left that the trade could not be sustained.

Today, thanks to decades of careful work by Polynesian growers, enough pearls are available that we can make them into necklaces, earrings and pendants.

The Tahitian black pearl has become reasonably popular during the past several years. It has a generally black-green appearance and often carries with it a cast of a particular color. See Tahitian black pearl jewelry.

Tahitian Pearls come from the Pinctada margaritifera, the black-lipped oyster.The dark shell of this species of mollusk hints at the breathtaking natural black color of the pearls it produces. While described as Black Pearls, Tahitian pearls actually come in a range of body colors from black to silver and even dark gold. Don’t confuse these pearls with their cousins, the South Sea Pearls. SOUTH SEA pearls are formed by the Pinctada maxima, commonly called the silver- or golden-lipped oyster. Their colors range from white, gold, and pink. Black-lipped oysters are indigenous to the beautiful lagoons of French Polynesia, Fiji, Samoa, and the atolls of the Cook Islands. Oddly enough, despite their name, the pearls are not actually found in the waters off the island of Tahiti itself. But Tahiti remains the primary commercial center for the natural black pearls.

Question regarding Tahitian black pearl jewelry? Plese contact info@myhawaiianjewelry.com for more information.

Teenagers are a fickle bunch. At that stage of physical and psychological growth, they are constantly experimenting with things to improve their image and their look. Teen jewelry fashion plays a major part in the development of their identity and efforts to either blend in with the crowd or establish their own unique persona. Any parental endorsement of fashion accessories is akin to the kiss of death, and adolescents look to other influences when it comes to teen jewelry fashion.

The celebrities that teenagers see in music videos, television programs or movie screens are largely responsible for dictating trends in teen jewelry fashion. The oversized, ostentatious accoutrements favored by rap musicians have spawned the hip-hop jewelry trend, and teenagers have been patronizing lower-priced but accurate replicas of celebrity bling bling. Instead of the diamonds and other precious gems used in celebrity jewelry, cheaper zirconia and base metals are used for duplicates. Body jewelry (both the pierced and non-pierced types) that is unusually designed and made with inexpensive materials has also seen an increase in teenage patrons.

Beaded jewelry and woven friendship bracelets and rings are some of the other hot trends in teen jewelry fashion. Many teenagers make these dress accessories themselves and give them to friends as gifts. These are personalized with beads that have the letters of the recipient’s name on them are incorporated into the woven fibers. Many teenagers also wear certain types of jewelry to identify them as part of a clique or group. These may take the form of uniquely designed pendants, rings or charms that have spiritual or mystical overtones.

Feminine teen jewelry fashion styles are also influenced largely by young celebrities today. Items worn by teen stars, such as Hilary Duff’s slave bracelets, are copied by her non-celebrity counterparts. However, whimsical designs are still hugely popular among this set of young consumers. Gold- or silver-plated jewelry and jewelry that has gemstones has not lost its following among teenagers.

Some masculine teen jewelry fashion trends, on the other hand, tend to lean more toward beadwork, silverwork, leatherwork, and unusual stones. Teenage guys seem to think that sporty-looking accessories, such as so-called surfer-dude necklaces and arm bands made from bone, wood, or shell beads on a rubber or leather cord are cool. Stainless steel jewelry is popular with them, too.

Jewelry has been used by all people throughout history as marks of beauty or to denote social status. Adolescents are not immune to these patterns; in fact they are probably even more susceptible to them because of their need to simultaneously conform and stand out. Teenage jewelry fashion is part of their social arsenal and a tool in the development process.

Sam Serio is an Internet Marketer, musician and a writer on the subject of jewelry and gemstones. For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of “How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off.” This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at www.morninglightjewelry.com.

There are as many good reasons to consider purchasing an antique engagement ring as there are reasons for deciding when to pop the question. While modern day jewelers struggle to offer customers something unique and contemporary, the bride-to-be may be more inclined to appreciate the style and inherent charm of an antique. Another perfectly acceptable reason for purchasing antique engagement rings is they often offer buyers a better quality diamond at a lower price than purchasing a new ring.

Before beginning your search for the perfect wedding ring, it is best to ask yourself a few questions.

Do you know about the four C’s?

The four C’s are the criteria professionals use to determine the value of a diamond.

“Clarity takes into account the number, character, and visibility of flaws within the stone. These are often referred to as inclusions. The fewer inclusions, the better the quality of the stone.”

Carat is the size or weight of the diamond. The larger the stone, the higher the cost. An advantage to buying antique engagement rings is that in the 1930s and 1940s jewelers often compensated for a smaller sized diamond by setting it in an intricately designed white gold, square-shaped box. These made the stone appear larger.

“Color is a matter of taste. Modern-day standards put a higher value on a clear diamonds, as a rule. In the past, buyers wanted their diamonds to reflect a rainbow of colors, soft pinks, yellow, or green tints. While colored diamonds are still available today, they were considered more valuable in the past. It is also important to note that many of the modern colored diamonds are artificially altered to enhance the color.”

Cut is also a matter of taste and another reason antique engagement rings may be the best answer. Over the years, the preference of cut has changed. Additionally, a laser now cuts most diamonds; whereas older stones were normally cut by hand, giving them a more customized, romantic look.

What is the difference between an antique ring and an estate ring?

Antique rings normally refer to rings that are over 50 years old. Rings less than 50 years old and purchased used are considered as estate rings.

What are the styles of different eras?

Victorian Era (1835-1900) - Victorian era antique engagement rings featured diamonds or pearls set in yellow or rose gold. The ring styles varied from simple elegance to intricate detail. Many settings featured rows of diamonds that were cut with an extra facet in the bottom of the stone. This was known as a mine cut.

Edwardian Era (1900-1920) - With the invention of the oxyacetylene torch, platinum became the preferred metal for the period. The wedding bands were often crafted with lacy and pierced shapes, milgraining, filigree detail, and scrollwork. Rose-cut diamonds and sapphires were the preferred stones.

Art Deco Era (1920-1930) - Art Deco antique engagement rings feature a streamlined geometric look. They also reflect Egyptian, Asian, and Native American cultures. These rings were often made of platinum featured colorful, contrasting gemstones as well as diamonds.

Where can antique engagement rings be purchased?

Antique engagement rings can be purchased in a number of places: antique stores, estate sales, pawn shops, auctions, and there select vendors online and larger cities who specialize in the purchase and resale of antique jewelry. No matter where you purchase your engagement rings, remember to get a full description of your purchase in writing and look to vendors who offer a written returns policy. You may also ask if the jewelry comes with a certified gemologists report, which provides optimal proof that the jewelry is as described.

Conclusion

When purchasing an engagement ring, it is important to consider all your options, including antique engagement rings.

Christopher Bowne is writer for www.engagement-rings-tips.com an online guide. Chris is also publishing on topics from antique rings www.engagement-rings-tips.com/antique-engagement-rings.html to celtic jewelry.