The Shell Game - Alive and Well on 47th Street!

We are all familiar with the shell game. A pea is hidden under one shell (out of three), as they are moved around quickly, you guess where the pea is and win, you guess wrong – you lose! This also happens in the jewelry business, where sleight of hand can conveniently mismatch a certificate of authenticity with a stone of less value.

Recently, a couple went to a wholesaler on 47th street in New York's Diamond Distruct for a diamond ring purchase. They knew exactly what they wanted and had already compared prices at several shops. The couple selected a diamond and ring combination that retailed for $15,000 – the wholesaler was able to give it to them for about a third less. The wholesaler, needing some time to prepare the merchandise, suggested the couple to get some lunch, however – they never came back. Long story short, it was found that when they went downstairs they were pulled into one of the stores (on 47th street) by a hawker. The couple relayed the deal they made with the wholesaler and were offered the same pieces for $2,000 less. There’s no way a retailer could offer a lower price than a wholesaler – something was clearly wrong! A few days later, a follow up with the couple revealed that they were given a certificate for a $10,000 stone (for which they paid $7,500.) It was suggested that they go to a local jeweler with the stone and certificate to verify the match. Surprise! The stone was not the one they selected. It was switched in the store and it didn’t match what was on the certificate.

These things happen all the time, day in and day out. Intense competition breeds desperation and criminal behavior. The lesson here is as follows:

1) Diamonds are a commodity with a low markup on all ends.
2) Beware of any deals that seem too good to be true.
3) Only a gemologist is able to match a stone to a certificate.


For more information, contact our knowledgeable staff at Elie International: elieint@aol.com

Metal Education: Platinum

Platinum

Platinum is one of the rarest metals and so it is extremely valuable. The annual worldwide production of platinum is only around 160 tons. Compare that to the approximate 1,500 tons of gold being produced worldwide per year and you can understand platinum's huge appeal. Plus, it can only be found in very few regions of the world, with South Africa leading the way. Simply put, platinum is more valuable than gold and more expensive too.

Platinum has grown increasingly popular in recent years due to its great beauty and durability. Its rich color and sheen makes platinum a popular choice for settings, because the sparkle and brilliance of a diamond are greatly magnified on a platinum setting. While all metals scratch, when platinum is scratched, the metal is merely displaced.

One of platinum's greatest assets is that it is very strong and can withstand a lot of stress - more so than any other precious metal. No matter what fine gemstone or diamond you choose as a center jewel, color is one of the primary determiners of the rarity and therefore the cost. Diamonds with little or no color are typically most desirable. Consequently, the optimal setting is a white metal that won't reflect color into the stone. Platinum is a naturally pure white metal that will keep its brilliant white luster. All gold is naturally yellow metal. White gold is mixed with other alloys to make it look white, and over time it will lose its whiter shade and begin to yellow. In order to maintain its white look, it may need to be re-plated during its lifetime.

Caring for Platinum Jewelry

If platinum is worn daily, it may develop a slight sheen. Although most people prefer this look, you can always have a jeweler polish and restore it to its original shine. Soaking platinum jewelry in a mild solution of soap and warm water and gently scrubbing it with a soft-bristled brush is pretty much all that is needed to keep the metal looking good. To keep your jewelry shining and scratch-free, store them in their original boxes, soft cloth bags, or a fabric-lined jewelry box.

Biggest Tanzanite Ever Headed to Tucson

Rare multicolored gems of Jaipur, India have just cut and polished the largest Tanzanite on record. A clean, 525.55-carat stone is poised to go on display at the Tucson gem show. The unusually large piece of rough was uncovered at the TanzaniteOne mining facility in Merelani, Tanzania, in early 2008, according to a press release from the Tanzanite Foundation. Skilled cutters at the company's facilities in Jaipur, India, have meticulously shaped the stone to reflect maximum brilliance while keeping its staggering size and unique color. According to the Tanzanite Foundation's Tanzanite Quality Scale, plans are being made to send the gem to the American Gem Trade Association Gemological Testing Center for grading and certification. The rare Tanzanite is subsequently scheduled to be on display in Tucson at the annual GJX Gem Show from Feb. 4-9, in booth number 824-924.

Rare multicolor gems are a TanzaniteOne sightholder. TanzaniteOne offices stretch from Jaipur, India to the US, Europe, Hong Kong and Bangkok. In addition to Tanzanite, the company is known among its clientele in the US and the Caribbean for its selection of emeralds, rubies and sapphires.
Article by National Jeweler.

Check out more beautiful Tanzanite jewelry at ELIE International.

Diamond Education

Diamond Cut
A diamond's cut is not only about its shape, but how effectively the stone can return light back to the viewer's eye. A well cut diamond will appear very brilliant and fiery, while more poorly cut stones may appear dark and lifeless, regardless of color and clarity.

Understanding Brilliance, Dispersion and Scintillation
Well-proportioned diamonds exhibit three different properties; Brilliance, Dispersion and Scintillation. As light strikes a diamond's surface it will either reflect off the table of a polished stone or enter into a diamond. The light the reflects is considered part of the diamond's brilliance. Brilliance is the flash of white light one will see when looking at a stone. As light travels into a stone, some rays are divided into flashes of color. This is called dispersion. Fire is the result of dispersion, which is the separation of white light into its spectral colors. As the observer moves the diamond back and forth, the flashes of colors are called the "scintillation."
Diamond Key
Crown : The top part of a diamond extending from the table to the girdle.
Culet : The small/pointed facet at the very bottom of a polished stone.
Depth : The total height of a diamond measured from the table to the culet.
Diamater : Width of a polished stone, measured from edge to edge.
Girdle : The very edge of a diamond where the crown and the pavilion meet.
Pavilion : The bottom part of a diamond extending from the girdle down to the culet.
Table : Largest polished facet located on top of the diamond.

Timeless Jewels Light Up the Globes

Actresses Freida Pinto and Elizabeth Banks in two of the 2008 Golden Globes jewelry trends: drop earrings and statement necklaces.

Los Angeles--Classic jewelry looks and beautifully structured gowns brought a bit of old Hollywood glamour to the 2008 Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles this past Sunday. Top jewelry trends that evening included earrings in drop styles and studs, statement necklaces, bold bangles and cuffs. These styles provided just the right amount of sparkle against flowing one-shoulder, belted waist and mermaid shaped gowns. Noteworthy stylish celebs included Beyonce Knowles (in drop earrings and a fringe necklace), Golden Globe nominee Christina Applegate (in yellow diamond drop earrings and matching flower necklace and rings) and Elizabeth Banks in cushion cut diamond studs, necklace and flower rings.) Golden Globe nominee Marisa Tomei capitalized on the statement trend by wearing Sevan's one-of-a-kind "Zeus" necklace in carved citrine and diamonds along with several other platinum necklaces featuring darkened and pave diamond balls by Neil Lane. Yellow gold and colored gemstones also made a strong showing at the Globes. Drew Barrymore donned moonstone and opal pendant earrings by Lorraine Schwartz, Kate Beckinsale chose red Spinel and diamond chandelier earrings and Sandra Bullock wore yellow gold and turquoise earrings by Amrapali with complementing snake bracelets by Bochic. Megan Fox wore yellow gold and emerald earrings plus diamond and beaded emerald bangles by Amrapali.

Slumdog Millionaire's big winner of the evening Freida Pinto chose vintage yellow gold and diamond earrings and lace cuff bracelets by Lorraine Schwartz. Perhaps Eva Mendes made the greatest colored stone statement in a show stopping vintage turquoise and diamond necklace by Van Cleef and Arpels that added color to her all white Christian Dior gown. Tinseltown's leading men were not to be outdone. Blair Underwood sported diamond stud earrings by Neil Lane, diamond cufflinks by Siera and a striking Le Vian diamond watch. Others who followed suit included Kanye West in a diamond stud and cufflink set, Jay-Z in platinum, diamond and onyx cufflinks plus tie pin and the Jonas Brothers in platinum cufflinks and lapel pins, all by Neil Lane.

Article By National Jeweler

More beautiful jewelry can be found at ELIE International's website www.elieint.com

Metal Education: Yellow Gold

Yellow Gold

Gold is the absolute oldest of all metals. It doesn't corrode, tarnish or rust, so you can count on it to always stay gorgeous. Despite being a strong metal, it is still more "flexible" than the other precious metals. To keep gold solid and suitable for jewelry, pure gold is commonly mixed with different metals to increase its strength. Yellow gold is the most common form of gold found in jewelry and is usually mixed with copper and silver. Its color depends upon the amount of pure gold in the alloy. The purity of gold in an alloy is expressed in carats. Pure gold is 24 carats, but it is too soft to be used in jewelry. 18 carat gold is made up of 75% gold and 25% other metals. It is commonly used in fine jewelry. 14 carat gold contains 58.3% gold. This is the most common form of gold found in jewelry where strength matters. 10 carat gold is made up of 41.7% gold. This is the minimum amount of karats an item needs to be classified as real gold in the U.S.

Caring for Yellow Gold JewelryTo keep your gold shiny and free of scratches, store it in a soft cloth bag or a fabric-lined jewelry box. Make sure to keep gold jewelry away from harmful chemicals such as bleach, ammonia and chlorine. Always use a soft cloth to dry your jewelry, never paper towels.