The Art of Technology: You Gotta Love It!

Courtesy GemVision

With today’s computers and creative software, it’s possible to create a 3-dimensional jewelry image on the screen and even move it about to see it from all angles.  It’s in color and exacting in its detail. This is jewelry designing at its finest – technology-wise.  Far and above any designing programs currently available on various free websites.

Not every jeweler has invested in this technology – and that doesn’t mean he or she cannot execute the finest of custom jewelry. It just means you may have to visualize the end product and trust your intuition that the piece will come out as expected. Some designers have the ability to draw – in color and to scale – their design ideas. These drawings might even include various views of the piece.  It would be these technical drawings that the craftsman would use to make the finished piece.  This is art – and getting to be a lost art.

Do you have a friend who can recommend a custom jeweler?  If not, when visiting a custom shop, look in the jeweler’s showcase for other custom creations. You can see the overall quality and perhaps use a similar design idea to help visualize yours. If you still have difficulty imagining how your new piece will look, perhaps custom jewelry is not for you. Custom pieces are not returnable – you and your jeweler want you to love it!   …Dii

Visualize It!

After you find the designer and have agreed on the design, what should you expect next? Always get a commitment from the jeweler on how long this will take and what each step entails. Ask if you should come in periodically to approve the progress.  For example, have you seen the design in 3-D? Or was it a simple pencil sketch or catalog picture?

If the piece is created from a wax, you might like to hold that 3-dimensional piece of wax in your hand and get a better idea of what it will look like. Some people need to feel and touch – others have a creative and visioning mind. Which makes you more comfortable?   …Dii

Have Jewelry: Will Design

Not every jeweler has the ability to take your “old” jewelry and design it into a stunning new piece of jewelry. It takes some design sense – and a craftsman who can take the design ideas to the bench.

Some jewelers will have the design ability, but need to have the piece created elsewhere. This means your gemstones will need to leave the store and be in the care of another (unknown) person at some other location. This may even involve shipping your gemstones out of town or out of the state.

You need some assurances here.  First, the jeweler should assure you that your gemstones are insured. Second, you need to agree on a replacement value.  Don’t know what they’re worth?  The jeweler could show you something in the store which is similar. This could help assure you that the value is fair. Or, you could choose to have the gems appraised by an independent appraiser before you leave them with the jeweler.  This will cost you – so you may not want to incur additional charges if the gemstones have sentimental value only. After all, all the insurance in the world can’t replace your exact gemstones!    …Dii

More Bang for Your Buck

If you’re thinking of ridding yourself of some bad memories by selling some of your old jewelry, you might get more bang for your buck if you opt to use the money as a down payment on a new piece of jewelry. This can happen if the jeweler purchasing the jewelry offers the option of a trade-in. And, if this jeweler has something that you want!

You can also get rid of bad memories by having the metal melted and the “old” diamonds or color gemstones reset. It’s kinda like having the couch reupholstered. The springs and frame are in good shape, you like having a place to sit, but the cover is a bit worn or perhaps doesn’t fit your current style in the room.

A new design using your gemstones can provide a beautiful new piece of jewelry at a fraction of the cost. So, where do you find the designer?  …Dii

Thanks for the Memories

Now that Halloween is over we can look forward to seeing Christmas ideas everywhere – not that we haven’t already. And, for many jewelers, they’re wondering just how the holiday shopping will turn out.  Anyway, the advertising has begun and one of the ads here locally is a promotion to buy jewelry.  

This is different – aren’t jewelers supposed to specialize in selling jewelry?  In the midst of all our economic woes, don’t we still want something new to make us feel better – to make someone else feel better?  Aren’t there still birthdays, anniversaries, and other gift-giving holidays?

The idea of selling something to get something else is one way to soften the cost of something new. So, I’m all over that. After all, there could be some bad memories attached to those pieces.  But, what about the good memories?  How do you part with those?   …Dii

Boo!

It’s the day before Halloween and all kinds of scary things are out and about. Here in Nevada, the schools are out for Nevada Day – an interesting holiday with convenient timing. All the kiddies can get ready to trick or treat tomorrow night.

Wouldn’t it be fun to trick or treat at a jewelry store? Instead of candy, the treats would be gemstones? I’d dress in costume for that…  Have a fun weekend.  Dii

Go-To Person

I receive many inquiries on the American Gem Society web site from individuals about their jewelry. Some just want to know what it is – or what quality it is – and what it’s worth. I don’t get pictures – and even if I did, I still couldn’t answer their questions.

Perhaps they’re afraid to go to a store and ask a professional, but that’s where I send them. A true professional would NEVER evaluate or value an item they cannot see.

Did I just use the word, NEVER?  A word I don’t like to use because there are always exceptions? The exception here would be called a hypothetical appraisal – and these are commonly done only when the item is GONE – not available to see.

A true professional will able to answer these questions and care. These questions are important – especially to the individual who’s asking them.  The Go-To Person for jewelry is the American Gem Society titleholder – a true professional.    …Dii

Signed – Not Sealed, Delivered

There are few guarantees in life – but there is a guarantee of quality available with your diamond. Yesterday, I wrote that the AGSL documents (and others) provide no guarantee of the diamond’s grade – they are merely educated opinions.

However, when you shop with an American Gem Society member who holds a title of Registered Jeweler, Certified Gemologist, or Certified Gemologist Appraiser, you can receive a Certificate and guarantee.  It’s called a Diamond Quality® Certificate and only an AGS titleholder can sign the document.  This signature means the store and the AGS Laboratories stands behind the grading of your diamond.

Guarantees are comforting – brilliant diamonds at a good value… priceless!  …Dii

Diamond Papers

With all the various laboratory reports on diamonds, the word, “cert” is commonly used to describe the document. However, the word, cert – short for certificate – would indicate that the laboratory is certifying the information.  Not so! When you read the “fine print”, you find there is no guarantee. The information is merely an educated opinion.

Therefore, the experience and the reputation of the laboratory are very important!  In the industry, the American Gem Society Laboratories and the GIA reports are the most respected. The price associated with a diamond that has the AGSL report will probably be more than diamonds graded at other laboratories (when weights and grades for color and clarity are similar). This isn’t because of higher grading costs – it’s directly related to the grading accuracy and the information provided on cut.

The AGS Laboratories is best known for grading the cut of a diamond. The AGS Ideal® cut diamond is one of the most beautiful diamonds because of its cut quality. When you want the best sparkle, you need the best light return and performance. And the quality of the laboratory grading means accuracy for you. Still want a guarantee?  Tomorrow I’ll tell you how to get one!   …Dii

Turn Back the Clock

Next weekend, for those of you who are on DST, you’ll need to remember to turn back the hands of time.  I can always remember the direction with that ditty, “Spring forward, Fall back”.

If you could turn back time in buying diamonds, you’d find a much different world.  No internet (of course), and very few diamond “certs”. The jeweler needed to know the 4Cs of the diamond – cut, color, clarity, and carat weight – in order to make good purchases and offer good value to his or her customers.

Does the jeweler of today need to know anything about diamonds and diamond grading?  Doesn’t the “cert” take care of all the details and allow the jeweler to pick and choose and sell much easier with greater accuracy?

I say, “NO”! Just because the diamond has been graded by an independent laboratory, it doesn’t mean the diamond grader was accurate; and just because the diamond grader is accurate, it doesn’t mean the “cert” matches the diamond; and just because the “cert” matches the diamond, it doesn’t mean the diamond’s beautiful OR a good value.  It’s more important than ever for the jeweler to know diamonds – and it’s more important than ever for you to know a knowledgeable and ethical jeweler.   …Dii