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2012-02-03T09:04:00.001-08:00

The Odyssey of Hyrule Gold - The Legend of Zelda in the New Millennium (Legendary Website) http://odysseyofhyrule.com/

2012-01-19T15:14:00.001-08:00

End Piracy, Not Liberty – Google https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/

2012-01-13T10:57:00.001-08:00

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2012-01-09T09:56:00.001-08:00

Montell Jordan - This Is How We Do It - YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hiUuL5uTKc

2012-01-05T18:16:00.001-08:00

[Exclusive] Can Hackers Create A SOPA-Proof Internet? - vBulletin.org Forum http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=276510

2012-01-02T15:59:00.001-08:00

Underground Gamer :: Details for torrent http://www.underground-gamer.com/details.php?id=52634

2012-01-02T11:20:00.001-08:00

Nintendo Drops Support For SOPA http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/171148-Nintendo-Drops-Support-For-SOPA?p=188491#post188491

2011-12-30T13:11:00.001-08:00

Saints Row: The Third Easter Eggs http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/171138-Saints-Row-The-Third-Easter-Eggs

2011-12-29T14:25:00.001-08:00

A-Train http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/171125-A-Train?p=188408#post188408

2011-12-29T13:17:00.003-08:00

3D Pool http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/171123-3D-Pool

2011-12-29T13:17:00.001-08:00

4 Get It http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/171124-4-Get-It?p=188406#post188406

2011-12-22T17:35:00.001-08:00

Video Game Chat - Vbulletin http://vgchat.info/forum/

2011-12-21T18:26:00.001-08:00

Eternal Champions Cheat Codes (for Sega Genesis) http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/154362-Eternal-Champions-Cheat-Codes-(for-Sega-Genesis)

2011-12-21T17:56:00.001-08:00

Vindictus Hacks [July 2011] God Mode + One Hit Kill | Nexon Fans http://vgchat.info/nexon/2011/07/vindictus-hacks-july-2011-god-mode-one-hit-kill/

2011-12-21T17:20:00.001-08:00

Hypnotize_SkyHog by TopsyCityMadman on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free http://soundcloud.com/topsycitymadman/01-track-1#new-timed-comment-at-212416

2011-12-21T17:05:00.003-08:00

Faxanadu game genie codes (for NES) http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/447-Faxanadu-game-genie-codes-(for-NES)

2011-12-21T17:05:00.001-08:00

Faxanadu Cheat Codes (for NES) http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/249-Faxanadu-Cheat-Codes-(for-NES)

2011-12-21T17:03:00.001-08:00

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie Cheat Codes (for Sega Genesis) http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/154486-Mighty-Morphin-Power-Rangers-The-Movie-Cheat-Codes-(for-Sega-Genesis)

2011-12-21T16:28:00.001-08:00

Contra 3: The Alien Wars Instruction Manual http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/23076-Contra-3-The-Alien-Wars-Instruction-Manual#.TvJ5hTPnm2g.pingfm

2011-12-21T15:12:00.001-08:00

Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/248-Final-Fantasy-Tactics-A2-Grimoire-of-the-Rift

2011-12-21T11:37:00.001-08:00

Odyssey of Hyrule | Video Game Online Forums & Community | Game Platform Discussions for Video Games - GameTrailers.com http://forums.gametrailers.com/thread/odyssey-of-hyrule/1232216

2011-12-21T10:37:00.001-08:00

Patent Troll Says Anyone Using WiFi Infringes - World of Nintendo Forums http://www.world-of-nintendo.com/off-topic/t-patent-troll-says-anyone-using-wifi-infringes-3282.html#post3705

2011-12-21T10:29:00.001-08:00

Dungeon Fighter Online Boss Extra-Omeged & Number 28 vs Captain Petrilisk and the Basilisk Army. | Nexon Fans http://vgchat.info/nexon/2011/12/dungeon-fighter-online-boss-extra-omeged-number-28-vs-captain-petrilisk-and-the-basilisk-army/

2011-12-21T10:21:00.001-08:00

The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword Trailer from TGS - YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erkR_VeyClQ&context=C3c35fe4ADOEgsToPDskK6mO2DcYtrh5bHJllaw4E7

2011-12-21T10:07:00.001-08:00

WTF Is… – Trine? | Let's play videos from Video Game Chat http://vgchat.info/lets-play/2011/04/wtf-is-trine/

2011-12-21T09:52:00.001-08:00

TotalBiscuit Sings Santa Baby and prays for the sweet embrace of death | Let's play videos from Video Game Chat http://vgchat.info/lets-play/2011/12/totalbiscuit-sings-santa-baby-and-prays-for-the-sweet-embrace-of-death/

2011-12-21T09:50:00.001-08:00

TotalBiscuit sings "Let it Snow" http://vgchat.info/lets-play/2011/12/totalbiscuit-sings-let-it-snow-with-a-twist/

2011-12-21T09:40:00.001-08:00

Bomberman 64 http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/171116-Bomberman-64

2011-12-21T09:38:00.001-08:00

Aero Gauge http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/171115-Aero-Gauge?p=188396#post188396

2011-12-21T09:37:00.001-08:00

A Bug's Life http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/171114-A-Bug-s-Life?p=188395#post188395

2011-12-21T09:32:00.001-08:00

25 years of Zelda http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/166523-25-years-of-Zelda?p=188387

2011-12-21T08:35:00.001-08:00

Protect IP Act - vBulletin.org Forum http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=274147

2011-12-20T21:07:00.001-08:00

Dragon Spirit: The New Legend cheat codes (for NES) http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/372-Dragon-Spirit-The-New-Legend-cheat-codes-(for-NES)#.TvFplZtZ6Y4.pingfm

2011-12-20T20:24:00.001-08:00

All 13 DBZ Movies + 2 Specials - FUNi Dub (download torrent) - TPB http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/5570933/All_13_DBZ_Movies___2_Specials_-_FUNi_Dub

2011-12-20T20:06:00.001-08:00

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/14-The-Legend-of-Zelda-Ocarina-of-Time#.TvFbO0ORv_o.pingfm

2011-12-20T20:04:00.001-08:00

Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis Cheat Codes (for Gameboy Advance) http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/160109-Tactics-Ogre-The-Knight-of-Lodis-Cheat-Codes-(for-Gameboy-Advance)#.TvFa4fhJ-80.pingfm

2011-12-20T20:03:00.001-08:00

Metroid Prime http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/15924-Metroid-Prime#.TvFacWcEXYA.pingfm

2011-12-20T19:57:00.001-08:00

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2011-12-20T19:55:00.001-08:00

Donkey Kong Country Instruction Manual http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/23079-Donkey-Kong-Country-Instruction-Manual#.TvFYtvpojRk.pingfm

2011-12-20T19:53:00.001-08:00

MV Guide: September 26-October 2, 2011 http://vgchat.info/nexon/2011/09/mv-guide-september-26-october-2-2011/#.TvFYP7-oKrE.pingfm

2011-12-20T19:52:00.001-08:00

Dynamite Headdy game genie and Pro Action Replay Codes (for Sega Game Gear) http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/164327-Dynamite-Headdy-game-genie-and-Pro-Action-Replay-Codes-(for-Sega-Game-Gear)#.TvFX9oCUjTk.pingfm

2011-12-20T19:44:00.001-08:00

World of Nintendo Forums - Powered by vBulletin http://world-of-nintendo.com/home.shtml

2011-12-20T19:42:00.003-08:00

WTF Is… – Dino D-Day? | Let's play videos from Video Game Chat http://vgchat.info/lets-play/2011/04/wtf-is-dino-d-day/

2011-12-20T19:42:00.001-08:00

Cataclysm – Atramedes Boss Strategy Guide Blackwing Descent | Let's play videos from Video Game Chat http://vgchat.info/lets-play/2011/12/cataclysm-atramedes-boss-strategy-guide-blackwing-descent/

2011-12-20T19:08:00.001-08:00

The Odyssey of Hyrule Gold - The Legend of Zelda in the New Millennium (Legendary Website) http://vgchat.info/vgx/

2011-12-20T19:05:00.001-08:00

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2011-12-20T19:01:00.001-08:00

Guide to efficient Frost dragon slaying. http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/170937-Guide-to-efficient-Frost-dragon-slaying.#.TvFMAbt5_so.pingfm

2011-12-20T18:56:00.001-08:00

MapleStory Adventures Energy Gold Level Hack New Update 2011 http://vgchat.info/nexon/2011/08/maplestory-adventures-energy-gold-level-hack-new-update-2011/#.TvFKwTJVjRQ.pingfm

2011-12-20T18:52:00.001-08:00

Jammit Cheat Codes (for Super Nintendo) http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/937-Jammit-Cheat-Codes-(for-Super-Nintendo)#.TvFJ4FZCUEk.pingfm

2011-12-20T18:51:00.001-08:00

Metroid Fusion Action Replay Codes http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/713-Metroid-Fusion-Action-Replay-Codes#.TvFJq2rH9LA.pingfm

2011-12-20T08:05:00.001-08:00

Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Cheat Codes http://vgchat.info/forum/threads/171112-Legend-of-Zelda-Skyward-Sword-Cheat-Codes#.TvCyMmTWR-8.pingfm

Snes Instruction Manuals

2011-06-05T07:30:00.000-07:00

Super Nintendo Game Genie Codes and Pro Action Replay Codes

2011-06-05T07:29:00.004-07:00

Super Nintendo Cheat Codes

2011-06-05T07:29:00.000-07:00

Nes Game Genie Codes

2011-06-05T07:28:00.001-07:00

Nes Cheat Codes

2011-06-05T07:27:00.001-07:00

NES Instruction Manuals

2011-06-05T07:26:00.000-07:00

Where Diamonds are Mined

2007-02-17T19:13:00.000-08:00

Where Diamonds are Mined

Argye mine located in the Kimberley region
in the far north east of Western Australia.
Owned by Rio Tinto, this mine is the world’s
largest single producer of volume of
diamonds. However, due to low proportion
of gem quality diamonds it is not the value
leader. It does produce 90-95% of the
world’s supply of pink diamonds.

Diavik is also owned by Rio Tinto, located in
Canada it is a very large mine. It is located
north of Yellowknife and south of the Artic
Circle on an island. The island is connected
by an ice road. It is also an important part of
the regions economy employing more than
700 people and producing more than 8 million
carats annually.

Ekati diamond mine is owned by BHP
Billiton and located south of the artic circle
in the Northwest Territories of Canada.
The Ekati is Canada’s first operational
diamond mine. Diamonds mined here
are sold under the Aurias trade name
Authenticity is verified through Canada
Mark service. CanadaMark service is also
owned by BHP Billiton Diamonds, Inc.

Baken diamond mine is located along the
lower Orange River in South Africa. It is
owned and operated by Trans Hex. The
average size stone for 2004 was 1.29
carats. In 2004, this mine produced a
78.9 carat D color flawless diamond that
sold for more than 1.8 million dollars (US),
as well as a 27.67 pink diamond that was
sold for over 1 million US dollars.

Merlin is the second of only two diamond
mines in Australia. No longer operating it
was owned by Rio Tinto and sold to Striker
Resources, who has explored the
possibilities of reopening the mine.

Orapa is the world’s largest diamond mine.
It us located 240 Km west of
Francistown. The mine is owned by
“Debswana” which is a partnership
between DeBeers and the government of
Botswana. This mine operates 7 days a
week. It maintains pre primary and
primary schools for its employee’s children.
There is also a 100 bed hospital and game
park. This mine began production in 1971
and is the oldest mine owned by the
Debswana Company.

The Premier mine located in Cullinan, South
Africa produced the largest gem diamond
ever in 1905. The Cullinan Diamond
weighed 3,106.75 carats. This mine also
produced the Golden Jubilee diamond
which weighed 545.67 carats. This mine is
owned by the De Beers Company and was
renamed The Cullinan Diamond Mine in
2003 in celebration of its centennial.

What Are Dirty Diamonds?

2007-02-17T19:12:00.000-08:00

What Are Dirty Diamonds?

A dirty diamond is one of two things: a rough
diamond, or a diamond that hasn’t been
cleaned in a while. Rough diamonds are
uncut and unpolished – hence, they are dirty.
But that type of dirty diamond will soon be
cut and polished and sitting in a beautiful
jewel box in a display case. Then someone
will purchase it, and before long, it will
become a dirty diamond once again.

Diamonds become dirty. When you wash
your hands with a diamond ring on, soap
scum clings to it. When you put on hand
lotion, it gets grease on it. Shower with your
diamond earrings or necklace, and again,
you get soap scum. In one short day, your
brand new diamond could be dirty!

Purchase an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner the
same day that you purchase your diamond
jewelry, and use it every single day, without
fail. The clarity of the diamond changes
when the diamond is dirty – it loses its
sparkle. By taking one minute each day to
clean your diamond jewelry, you can avoid
this, and your diamonds will never be dirty!

Synthetic Diamonds

2007-02-17T19:11:00.002-08:00

Synthetic Diamonds

The first synthetic diamonds were produced
by General Electric in 1954. A synthetic
diamond is basically a rock that has the
durability, refractive index and hardness of
a natural diamond – but it is made by man.
A synthetic diamond should not be
confused with stimulant diamonds, such as
glass, cubic zirconia, or moissanite.

Although the technology for synthetic
diamonds came into play in 1954, no
synthetic diamonds were ever seen on the
market until the 1990’s. This was due to the
fact that it took many years for General
Electric to produce a synthetic diamond that
could compare with the quality of a natural
diamond – and when they figured out how to
do it, they found that it cost more to produce
a synthetic diamond than it did to mine and
cut natural diamonds.

Finally, a small company by the name of
Gemesis Corporation figured out a way to
produce synthetic diamonds that were of the
same quality as natural diamonds, at a
cheaper price. Today, Gemesis produces
synthetic white diamonds, and colored
diamonds as well. These diamonds sell for
about 1/3 of the cost of a natural diamond,
but there is a shortage of them, and they are
hard to find. In fact, it seems that synthetic
diamonds are rarer than natural diamonds!

Selecting Diamonds

2007-02-17T19:11:00.001-08:00

Selecting Diamonds

Diamonds are graded for certification by
laboratories using grading criteria. Four of
these criteria are critical to understand when
making a diamond purchase or investment.
Known as the “Four C’s” these criteria are:
color, cut, clarity and carat.

Color is the result of the composition of a
diamond and it does not change. When a
jeweler is describing the color of a diamond
they are referring to the presence or absence
of color in white diamonds. Because a
diamond with no color allows maximum light
to pass through, colorless diamonds are
preferred for their sparkle.

Cut refers to a diamonds reflective quality.
Most diamonds are cut with 58 facets. The
brilliance of diamonds is heavily dependent
on the cut. The different angles and the finish
of a diamond determine its ability to reflect
light and cause its brilliance and fire.
Remember that the cut of a diamond can
have an impact on its durability as well as its
beauty. Some cutting faults can make a
diamond prone to breakage. A diamond
that is cut too thin can also cause light to
leak out of the back and the diamond will
lose some of the sparkle and appear not
to shine. So, as you can see the Cut is
probably the most important of the Four C’s.

During the formation process, inner flaws, or
inclusions occur in most diamonds. The
number and size of these inclusions
determine what is referred to as the clarity
of a diamond. Diamonds that are clear
create more brilliance and therefore are rarer
and highly priced. To be considered
“flawless”, a diamond must have no surface
or internal imperfections visible upon being
viewed by a skilled diamond grader using
10 power magnifications.

Carat is the unit of weight by which diamonds
are measured. One carat is equal to 200
milligrams. A carat is divided into 100
segments called points. 150 points would
equal one and a half carats.

When you go to the store to make that all
important diamond purchase, do not be shy!
Ask questions, get the answers needed to
make an informed purchase. Shopping for
certified diamonds enables you to make an
informed selection. Knowing the “four C’s”
allows you to comparison shop and purchase
the best diamond at a fair price. But, before
making a purchase, shop around and decide
what shapes and styles really appeal to you.
Enjoy your diamond for years to come!

Insuring Your Diamonds

2007-02-17T19:04:00.000-08:00

Insuring Your Diamonds

Insuring a diamond takes a bit of thought,
planning, and shopping around. Diamond
insurance isn’t like purchasing car insurance.
It is quite different. Depending on the state
that you live in, there are basically three
different types of policies that will cover
diamonds, and all insurance policies that
cover diamonds are considered Marine
type policies.

The first type of insurance policies for
diamonds is an Actual Cash Value policy.
If the diamond is lost or damaged beyond
repair, the insurance company will replace
the diamond at today’s market value, no
matter how much you paid for the diamond
to begin with. This type of insurance policy
for diamonds actually is not that common.

The most common type of insurance for
diamonds is Replacement Value insurance.
The insurance company will only pay up to a
fixed amount to replace the diamond that was
lost or damaged beyond repair. This does not
mean that they will pay that amount – it means
that they will pay up to that amount. In most
cases, the diamond can be replaced at a
lower cost.

The third type of coverage offered for
diamonds is Agreed Value. This is
sometimes called ‘Valued At.’ This type of
coverage is very rare. In the event that the
diamond is lost or damaged beyond repair,
the insurance company simply pays you the
amount that you and the company agreed
upon. This is the best type of insurance to
have, but it is rarely offered. If you can’t get
Agreed Value coverage, Actual Cash Value
coverage should be your next choice.

Your rates will be determined by the value of
the diamond, the type of coverage that you
select, and the area that you live in. If you live
in an area with a high crime rate, you can
expect to pay more for your diamond
insurance coverage. It is important to
remember that insurance agents are not
qualified jewelers, and jewelers are not
qualified insurance agents. It is best to get
a certificate for your diamond, and to
provide the insurance company with a copy
of that certificate. This leaves the insurance
company less room for arguments over the
actual value of the diamond.

Don’t rely on separate coverage to cover
your diamond. For instance, if you diamond
is stolen from your home, it is probably
covered on your home owner’s insurance
policy – but the diamond probably won’t
always be in your home, and once it leaves
your home, there is no coverage.

How to Spot A Fake Diamond

2007-02-17T19:02:00.000-08:00

How to Spot A Fake Diamond

In this world of advanced technology it is
almost impossible to simply look at a
diamond and determine whether it is real or
not – especially if you don’t know much
about diamonds. There are some steps that
you can take to avoid buying a fake diamond,
however.

First, only deal with reputable jewelers, and
when you find a reputable jeweler, stick with
them. Avoid buying diamonds or other
jewelry from jewelers that you have never
dealt with before in the past. Ask to see the
certificate for the stone. If no certificate exists,
walk away.

Look at the setting that the stone is in. Fake
diamonds, such as zirconias, are usually set
in low quality metals. Take a close look at the
stone. Fake diamonds are not durable –
natural diamonds, on the other hand, are the
most durable stone on the planet. Look for
scratches or nicks.

After purchasing a diamond, take it to
another jeweler for appraisal. In fact, take it
to two or three other jewelers for an appraisal
to make sure that the appraisals are all fairly
close. If you find that you have purchased a
fake diamond, you may be accused of
making a switch when you return to the store
of your purchase; therefore, it is important to
have a certificate for the diamond. No two
stones are alike.

How to Sell A Diamond

2007-02-17T19:00:00.002-08:00

How to Sell A Diamond

There are many reasons why you may want
to sell a diamond that you own. Perhaps
you’ve gotten divorced, or you are strapped
for cash. The reasons why don’t really matter
– getting the best possible price is what
counts! The way to obtain the best price
for the diamond is to not be in a rush. Slow
down, and carefully consider all of your
options – there are many.

First, have the diamond appraised. In fact,
have it appraised by two or three jewelers to
get an accurate idea of the diamonds value.
Tell the appraiser that you want the Rapaport
Value. This is the wholesale value of the
diamond, and it basically tells you the highest
price that you can sell your diamond for. If your
diamond has no certificate, you should
consider getting a certificate from GIA. This
may help you get a better price for the
diamond as well.

First, try to sell the diamond yourself, to
people you know. Friends and family
members may be interested. If you don’t have
any luck with friends or family members, you
should turn to outside sources. Absolutely
avoid pawn shops! A pawn shop will only offer
you about 10% of what the diamond is worth!
Also avoid offers of selling the ring on
consignment. There are many things that
can go wrong, and there is no shortage of
diamond scams – even in well known
jewelry stores.

If the diamond is important, you should
strongly consider auctioning it off through
one of the famous auction houses, such as
Christie’s or Sotheby’s. If it isn’t what is
considered an ‘important’ diamond or a
high-end diamond, you should try to sell it
to an individual using classified ads, or even
eBay. However, selling to an individual that
you do not know could put you in danger –
especially if the diamond is worth a lot of
money.

Your final option should be a jewelry store. It
is vital that you not let your diamond out of
your sight while in the jewelry store – you
might find that the diamond you walked in
with is not the same diamond that you walk
out with! The jeweler will try to tell you that
your diamond is of poor quality or low
weight. Inevitably, there will be some
problem with the diamond. This is where
your appraisal and/or certificate will come
in handy.

If the jeweler is fair, they will offer you
between 60% and 80% of the value of the
Rapaport Value. Do not accept anything less
than this. Again, do not let the diamond out of
your sight until you have been paid for it.

How to Clean your Diamonds

2007-02-17T19:00:00.001-08:00

How to Clean your Diamonds

Through our day to day movements our
diamonds get smudged and soiled. Even
when we are not wearing them, they collect
dust. Lotions, soaps, our natural skin oils,
can cause film and grime on diamonds
and inhibit their brilliance.

Want to keep that Brilliance and Shine?
Diamonds require cleaning so that maximum
amounts of light can refract fiery brilliance.
Remember that all it takes is a few minutes
and a little care to keep that diamond as fiery
as the day you first saw it.

You can use an small soft brush such as an
eyebrow or lip stick brush and soap and
water to clean your jewelry. Simply make a
bowl of warm sudsy water with a mild
detergent and place your pieces in the
mixture. Then brush the diamonds with the
soft bristles of the brush while they are in
the suds. You will need to make certain that
you rinse them clear of the suds after
cleaning them. You can use a small kitchen
strainer such as a tea strainer to contain
them while rinsing under warm water. Use
a lint free cloth, or a jewelry polish cloth to
pat them dry.

If your diamonds are in need of a stronger
cleansing, you may want to soak them for 30
minutes in a solution of half and half water and
ammonia. Once they have soaked for 30
minutes, remove them and gently brush the
mountings with a small brush. Then replace
the pieces to the solution and swish them
around in the mixture before removing them
to rinse and pat dry.

If you find your self too busy to be mixing
soaps and ammonias, many department
stores sell liquid jewelry cleaners. Most are
kits, with everything you need included. You
need to read the labels to determine the one
that is right for your diamonds and other
jewelry. Read the complete directions and
follow all the precautions.

And if you find yourself more the
“high-tech type”, even in your diamond
cleaning routine, there are multiple ultrasonic
cleansers on the market. These machines
use high-frequency to create a cleaning motion.
All machines are not the same, so please read
the instructions before using.

Only you can choose the cleaning method
right for you. But, it is essential to keep
your jewelry clean to keep it brilliant and
sparkling. Between cleaning, try not to touch
your clean diamonds with your fingers or
handle your jewelry by its edges. This will
help maintain its shine and brilliance for
longer periods.

How to Care for Your Diamond

2007-02-17T18:58:00.000-08:00

How to Care for Your Diamond

Caring for a diamond takes more than
occasional cleanings. Diamonds are forever,
but they can be damaged if you are not
careful. By learning how to properly care for
your diamond, you will ensure that your
diamond is indeed forever.

First, you should take your diamond jewelry
to a jeweler once a year. Have him check the
mountings and prongs that hold your
diamond in place. Have him make any
needed repairs. This will prevent your
diamond from falling out of its setting and
becoming lost.

Diamond jewelry that is not being worn, or
diamonds that are loose should be stored in
a fabric lined jewel case, or in a jewelry box
where it can be kept separate from other
jewelry. Each piece should have its own
compartment. This will keep diamonds from
becoming scratched, and it will also keep
your diamond from scratching other jewelry
as well.

Remove your diamond jewelry when doing
physical work. Diamonds can be chipped
and scratched easily. Also avoid allowing
your diamond to come into contact with
bleach or other household cleansers – this
can damage or change the color of the
settings and mountings, and it may even
irreversibly change the color of the
diamond!

How to Buy Diamond Engagement Rings

2007-02-17T18:57:00.002-08:00

How to Buy Diamond Engagement Rings

There is much to consider when purchasing
a diamond – especially diamond
engagement rings! The tradition of
presenting a woman with a diamond
engagement ring when proposing began in
1477 when Archduke Maximilian presented
a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy – and
in most cases, the woman you plan to
propose to will expect a ring to accompany
that proposal!

First, determine how much ring you can
afford. Most people use the ‘two months
salary’ rule. This means that the ring should
cost the equivalent of two months of your
current salary. Because you have other bills
to pay, saving up this amount of money may
take quite a bit of time. You should consider
financing. Simply go to the jeweler of your
choice and tell them that you plan to buy an
engagement ring, and that financing will be
necessary. Go ahead and get the credit
check out of the way, find out what your
payments will be, and how much of a down
payment is required.

Now, have your mother, sister, or your
girlfriends best friend take your girlfriend
shopping, and make sure that they gaze at
the engagement rings to get an idea of what
she might like. Make sure that the jewelry
store you buy the ring from will allow you to
return the ring, if that is required, or allow
your girlfriend to exchange it for another if
she isn’t happy with it!

How Diamond Prices Are Determined

2007-02-17T18:57:00.001-08:00

How Diamond Prices Are Determined

Pricing most products is quite easy.
Determine how much it costs to make the
item, how much it costs to market that item,
and then mark it up by 15 – 30% or more.
Simple, right? Well, pricing diamonds isn’t
quite that simple. There are many factors
that are considered when diamonds are
priced.

Diamond prices are determined first by
adding the cost of the rough diamond, the
cost of cutting the diamond, and all other
costs necessary to turn the rough diamond
into a marketable diamond. Depending on
the importance of the diamond, an
independent company may be called in to
certify the grade of the diamond based on
color, cut, clarity, and weight.

At this point, the diamond becomes more
expensive each time it changes hands, until
it finally reaches a retailer, where the price is
raised a bit more. Before reaching the
retailer, however, the diamond must travel
from the mine, to the cutter and polisher, to
the independent grading company, and
then to the Primary market. Once it has
reached the primary market, it will be
purchased by diamond dealers and
wholesalers, and from there it will be sold
to retailers.

As you can see, the earlier you can purchase
a diamond in the process, the lower the cost
of the diamond will be – but not the value.
The value is based on what the diamond will
sell for in the market place – through a retailer.

If you own a diamond, and you have no idea
how much it is worth, you can have it
appraised, but the appraisal may not be
accurate. You will be better off obtaining a
certificate through GIA – Gemological Institute
of America. With the information on this
certificate, you can use a cutter’s guide to
accurately determine what your diamond is
worth.

There are also many diamond price
calculators available. These can be found
on the Internet, and many diamond dealers
use these as well. You must realize, however,
that before you can accurately price a
diamond, without a Diamond Grade Report,
you need to know quite a bit about diamonds,
such as different cuts, clarity, color, and weight
– and how each of those aspects adds to the
value of a diamond, or decreases the value of
the diamond as the case may be.

Again, you will be better off if you get a
Diamond Grading Report on the diamond,
and use that information to look up the price
in one of the guides that the diamond cutting
industry uses. This will give you the most
accurate value of the diamond in your
possession, or of the diamond you are
considering purchasing.

How Diamonds Are Mined

2007-02-17T18:56:00.000-08:00

How Diamonds Are Mined

We seldom think about how the diamonds
we wear came to us. Natural diamonds, as
opposed to synthetic diamonds or fake
diamonds, are mined from the earth. There
are currently two methods of mining
diamonds: Pipe Mining and Alluvial Mining.

When pipe mining is used, the diamonds
are extracted from the earth through volcanic
pipes. These are not man-made pipes. These
are natural pipes in the ground. Shanks are
put into the ground next to the pipes, and
tunnels are driven into the deepest parts of
the pipe. The diamonds are not sorted out at
the mine. Instead, huge rocks that are full of
diamonds are brought out of the mine and
moved to a screening plant for separation.

The Alluvial mining method is done in
riverbeds and on beaches. Walls are built to
hold back the water and the sand on the bank
or beach is moved with a bulldozer until the
level of earth that diamonds can be found in
is reached. Again, the diamonds are not
sorted here. Instead, the sand that contains
the diamonds is bulldozed into trucks, and
taken to screening plants.

How Diamonds Are Cut

2007-02-17T18:55:00.000-08:00

How Diamonds Are Cut

In their most natural form, diamonds are –
well – quite ugly. They have no luster or shine,
and in fact, look like nothing more than
broken glass. A diamond must be cut, and
then polished before it actually becomes a
thing of beauty.

Diamonds are cut with saws, into round
shapes. From the rounded shape, other
shapes may be cut, such as heart shapes
– but the shape is less important than the
quality of the cutting that is being done. If
the diamond is poorly cut, it will lose light,
and it will not sparkle and shine very well.
Each facet of the diamond must be
carefully cut into the geometrical shapes
that allow the diamond to sparkle and
shine, then the entire diamond is cut into
a specific shape, such as an emerald cut
or a princess cut diamond.

Once the cut is done, the diamond is put into
a dop, which resembles a cup with another
diamond – only a diamond is strong enough
to smooth the edges of another diamond.
Once the diamond has been cut and shaped,
and had the edges smoothed in the dop, it is
polished on a scaif or a diamond polishing
wheel.

Famous Diamonds

2007-02-17T18:53:00.000-08:00

Famous Diamonds

Among the most well known diamonds is the
Hope. This 45.52 carat steel blue diamond
is currently on display at the Smithsonian.
The legends of the ill-fortune and curse
bestowed on the possessor of the Hope
Diamond are many. This diamond was
donated to the Smithsonian in 1958. The
Hope was originally a rather flat, blocky
110-carat rough.

The Dresden Green stands out among the
natural colored diamonds. It is the largest
green diamond in the world weighing
40.70 carats. This diamond is historic, large
and has a natural green color with a slight
blue overtone. These facts make it virtually
priceless.

The Conde Pink is a pear shaped and
weighs 9.01-carats. This pink diamond was
once owned by Louis XIII.

The Tiffany Yellow diamond a beautiful
canary-yellow octahedron weighing 287.42
in the rough (metric) carats discovered in
either 1877 or 1878 in South Africa. The
gem after cutting boasts the extraordinary
weight of 128.54 carats. And until recently,
was the largest golden-yellow in the world.

The Koh-I-Noor ( Mountain of Light ) is now
among the British Crown Jewels. This
diamond weighs 105.60 carats. First
mentioned in 1304, it is believed to have
been once set in Shah Jehan‘s famous
peacock throne as one of the peacocks eyes.

The Agra is graded as a naturally colored
Fancy Light Pink and weighs 32.34 carats.
It was sold for about 6.9 million in 1990.
Since this sale, it has been modified to a
cushion shape weighing about 28.15 carats.

The Transvaal Blue is pear cut. This blue
diamond weighs 25 carats. It was found in
the Premier Diamond Mine in Transvaal,
South Africa.

The Great Chrysanthemum was discovered
in the summer of 1963, in a South African
diamond field. This 198.28-carat fancy
brown diamond appeared to be a light
honey color in its rough state. However,
after cutting, it proved to be a rich golden
brown, with overtones of sienna and burnt
orange.

The Taylor-Burton Diamond is a pear-shaped
69.42 carat diamond. Cartier of New York
purchased this diamond at an auction in
1969 and christened it "Cartier." The next
day Richard Burton bought the diamond
for Elizabeth Taylor. He renamed it the
"Taylor-Burton”. In 1978, Elizabeth
Taylor put the diamond up for sale.
Prospective buyers had to pay $2,500
each to view the diamond to cover the costs
of showing it. Finally, in June of 1979, the
diamond was sold for nearly $3 million dollars.

Diamond Scams

2007-02-17T18:51:00.000-08:00

Diamond Scams

When it comes to diamonds, there are
numerous scams to avoid. Most scams are
minor, but there are some major ones that
come up from time to time concerning the
buying and selling of diamonds. Scams
occur simply because most people who buy
diamonds – for whatever reasons – don’t
know that much about diamonds. Therefore,
they are easily fooled.

A common scam that most jewelry stores
participate in is the Carat Total Weight scam.
The tag on the piece of jewelry, usually a ring,
only states the total carat weight of all
diamonds in the piece, instead of listing the
total weights separately for each diamond.
This leads consumers to believe that the main
diamond in the piece is actually bigger than it
is. Ask what the total carat weight of the center
stone is. Also beware of fractions. Jewelry
stores are allowed to round off diamond
weights. This means that if the jeweler tells
you that it is a ¾ carat diamond, it is
probably between ½ and ¾ carat – but
closer to ¾.

Jewelry stores often run ‘fluorescence’
scams to varying degrees. Referring to a
diamond as a blue-white diamond is such a
scam. A blue-white diamond sounds very
unique and special, but in fact, this type of
diamond is of lesser quality – even though
the jeweler will try to make you think you are
getting something special. Jewelry stores
also like to show their diamonds in bright
lights. Lights make diamonds shine. Ask
to see the diamond in a different, darker
type of lighting as well.

Some truly unscrupulous jewelers target
those who want appraisals on diamonds
that were given to them as gifts or that were
purchased elsewhere. They will try to tell you
that the diamond is worthless, or worth less
than it actually is worth – and offer to take it
off your hands or trade it for a much better
diamond, along with the cash to make up
the difference. This is called low balling.
Get a second, third, and even a forth opinion
before taking any action.

Another common dirty trick is to switch the
diamond you have chosen and paid for with
one of lesser quality and value when you
leave it to be set in a piece of jewelry, or
leave a diamond ring to be sized. The only
way to avoid this is to do business with one
trustworthy jeweler. Avoid jewelers that you
have not done business with in the past.

There are many more scams that jewelry
stores commonly pull on unsuspecting
consumers. Just use your best judgment,
and purchase your diamonds with the
utmost care and consideration.

Diamond Grading Reports

2007-02-17T18:49:00.000-08:00

Diamond Grading Reports

You’ve been told that having a certificate or
a diamond grading report is important, and
as a responsible consumer, you get one –
unfortunately, you probably won’t understand
a word of what is on that diamond grading
report, unless you are a jeweler.

On the color grading scale, D, E, and F
mean that the diamond has no color. G, H,
and I means that it has very little color. J, K,
and L means that the diamond has a slight
yellow color. P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, and X
means that the diamond is a darker shade
of yellow. Z means that the diamond has a
fancy color – other than white or yellow.
On the color grading scale, D is the most
valuable, and X is the least valuable –
however diamonds that get a Z rating are
the rarest and most expensive diamonds
in the world.

There are many aspects to a grading report.
Figuring it all out can be very confusing. You
should talk to a jeweler you trust, and have
them explain everything on the diamond
grading report to you.

Diamond Certificates

2007-02-17T18:48:00.000-08:00

Diamond Certificates

A diamond certificate is also known as a
Diamond Grading Report. This report comes
from the Gemological Institute of America
(GIA), and you should require this report
when you are purchasing a diamond.

With a diamond certificate, you can verify
the color, cut, carat, weight, and clarity of the
diamond. You don’t have to worry about a
diamond dealer telling you anything less than
the truth, because the certificate comes
from the GIA – not the dealer. You may be
required to pay for the certificate, but the
cost is usually low, and in many cases, it
will help you negotiate a better price on the
diamond – or keep you from purchasing a
lower quality diamond altogether.

If you buy a high quality diamond, and then
later decide to sell the diamond, you will
need to have the certificate, or you will have
a hard time selling it to someone else.
Furthermore, you can use the Diamond
Grading Report to look up the wholesale
value of the diamond in question. Use the
guide that is used by the diamond cutting
industry.

With the Certificate, or Diamond Grading
Report, there won’t be any doubts when you
are trying to purchase a diamond. You can
easily find out what the diamond is worth.
This will prevent you from overpaying, and it
can prevent a seller from under-charging as
well.

A copy of the Diamond Grading Report
should be given to your insurance company
as well, when you insure the diamond. This
provides absolute, unquestionable proof of
the value of the diamond should it be stolen
in the future. Insurance companies cannot
argue with the report.

Avoid diamond dealers who seem reluctant
to provide a certificate! Also avoid sellers
who tell you that a certificate diamond will
cost you more – the only additional cost
should be the cost of the certificate, which
is low. If the dealer doesn’t want to provide
a certificate, then you don’t want to do
business with that dealer.

Don’t accept certificates from Gemological
Laboratories other than GIA. There are many
fly-by-night Gemological labs these days, but
in the end, GIA has been established as the
most respectable and trustworthy – not to
mention oldest – of the lot. So avoid dealers
who don’t want to use GIA for certification
purposes as well.

Don’t buy an expensive diamond without
paying the extra cost of the certificate. If a
dealer tries to convince you to make the
purchase without the certificate, or if they
want to use a company other than GIA, you
can be sure that the dealer has probably
greatly inflated the price of the diamond –
they have something that they are hiding
from you.