Q: What should i consider when selecting an Engagement Ring?
A: Your future spouse. Your budget. And finally, the four C's. Nothing is more important than getting your woman what she wants. The easiest way to narrow the selection down for a man is with a budget. Once these previous two factors have been met, you can begin to differentiate between specific diamonds and their charecteristics. Visit us or email us for specific help and professional consultation.
Q: What is the perfect diamond?
A: The perfect diamond is the diamond that you choose for a loved one. Diamonds are forever, as the saying goes, and in actuality it is for this everlasting characteristic and their inherent uniqueness that diamonds are used to represent the LOVE and COMMITMENT of a man and a woman.
Q: Why does my white gold turn yellow? Is that normal?
A: In order to properly understand this answer we must first realize the characteristics of GOLD. Gold as a metal (in whatever color) has a tremendous affinity for other metals. That means that at the molecular level, other metals are drawn to gold and would rather bind to it than to other metals. It is for this reason that gold is an excellent conductor of electricity. With that said, the reason that white gold looks like its turning yellow is because gold colored molecules from other metals (including other yellow gold) gradually bind to your white gold piece. The most common cause of these gold colored metals binding to your white gold rings are doorknobs or handles that have been goldplated. Try to keep your white gold jewelry seperate from any other metals to cut down on this phenomenon and you will see that the white stays whiter. An interesting note is that this also happens the opposite way, yellow gold also has white metal bind to it as well. However, this is not as easily noticed because the original yellow is such vibrant and strong color that a gradual whitening only softens the yellow tone but never overpowers it. (You can see this slight difference when you compare a brand new piece of gold jewelry with one that has been worn for a few months).
Q: How do i clean my jewelry?
A: Believe it or not, most diamond jewelry cleaning requires only two items: Hot water, and a Detergent. For best results bring water to a boil, then remove from heating surface and add the most basic (generic) dish washing detergent (preferrably powder) to you water and presto, you have the perfect cleaning solution. You can use a paperclip to grab hold of your rings or diamond jewelry and submerge in the solution and shake it around for 15 to 20 seconds (so as to not burn yourself) and then rinse out in cold running water. For jewelry that is harder to clean you may leave in the cleaning solution for longer periods of time.
Q: Should i use a toothbrush and toothpaste?
A: Most definitely NOT. One of the hardest materials we have to clean is tooth enamel, therefore we require extremely abrasive materials to do so, namely toothpaste and a toothbrush. Jewelry is usually soft and scuffs meach easier than teeth. For hard to reach places when cleaning your jewelry, if you must use some type of brush, use a paint brush (any size and shape will do) the bristles are softer and will get the job done. But under no circumstance should you use toothpaste.
Q: I'm getting engaged soon and I really need some help to be sure I get her the perfect ring. Where do I start?
A: There is a lot to consider when making a selection like this. Take a look at the full answer to get an introduction on "Selecting an Engagement Ring." And feel free to stop in with any additional questions that will come up.