Jewelry FAQ's - Answers to Your Gem, Diamond, and Jewelry Questions from Paradise Jewelry the Friendliest Store in the World!

There are several ways. First, identify your stone. You can get it appraised and have a "plot" or map done of your stone. This will show any characteristic inclusions that make your gem easy to identify. You can also have a picture taken called a "Gemprint" that maps the unique cutting and light reflecting characteristics of your gem. You can have an identifying number laser inscribed on the girdle (circumference) of your gem. When leaving your jewelry with anyone, make sure that they know the gem is identified. Then there is no incentive to switch as it would be easy to prove. Click here for more information on Gemprinting.

There are no guarantees in life but you can do some things to push the odds in your favor. Check to see what affiliations the jeweler has. What organizations is the jeweler a member of? Ask about him at the Better Business Bureau and the local Chamber of Commerce. Find out what education he or she has. Is that education continuing? If your checking makes you feel comfortable then begin the relationship in a small way. Try a small repair and see how you like the quality and the way you are treated. Let the relationship grow until you are ready to move to bigger things.

A good appraisal should have the name (readable) and qualifications of the appraiser, a definition of the type of appraisal it is with notation of any limiting factors (such as a diamond being graded in the mounting), thorough and accurate description of the piece with weights, measurements, grading, and, if appropriate, a value. There is more, but these are the high points. In an insurance appraisal remember that the description is what makes it possible to accurately replace or compensate if a piece is lost, stolen, or damaged. "One carat diamond ladies ring" just doesn't do the job. When the insurance company tries to replace the ring with the same quality as what was lost, one carat and a price leaves it wide open. The result is usually an unhappy customer.

Two factors are most important in determining value. Rarity and beauty. Rarity has to do with supply and demand. Common gems will cost less than rare ones. Beauty causes demand. All things being equal, the more beautiful gem will always command a higher price. A more intense color and a better cut will give a gem more beauty and thus a higher price. Two one carat sapphires may be very different in value. The one that is a stunning, brilliant, lively blue will command a much higher price than the one that is inky, dark, and dull. If both gems are just as beautiful, the larger one will be more valuable than the smaller one. A gem that is twice the size of another, otherwise equal, gem will be more than twice as expensive. That is because many more small pieces of rough gems are found than large one when mining.

A gem is more valuable when it is more intense. If it is too dark, it becomes inky and dead, thus less valuable. If it is too light, then it isn't as attractive either. If it is intense, that is when it screams for attention and everyone wants it...thus it is more valuable. Sapphires are a classic example. You will see many sapphires that are so dark that they look like onyx from a couple of feet away. They aren't too expensive. You'll see a lot of them in jewelry being sold at a discount. A fine sapphire has the kind of blue that looks very blue, even at a distance. It'll never be mistaken for onyx.

There is no finer investment than gems or fine jewelry - if you are investing in the joy of good living. Nothing you can buy will give you more return on your investment by giving you what it is intended to give - joy and pleasure.
If you feel a need for pleasure and some fun (we all do), you can pay for dinner and a movie. You can treat yourself to new clothing or shoes. You can even buy a new car. Wonderful. But... ten years from now, what do you have? If you buy fine jewelry to give yourself a lift, in fifty years it is still sparkling and getting you compliments just like the day you bought it! With minimal maintenance it will be giving the same pleasure to your grandchildren's grandchildren. No other item available for purchase will do that. In fact when you factor in the time over which this "investment" repays you, it is the cheapest investment (in pleasure and the joy of good living) in the world!
However, if you want a financial investment, virtually any financial instrument will give you a better return.
Fine gems and jewelry always appreciate in value, but turning that value into cash is usually difficult. Buy them to enjoy, not to sell.

If it turns your finger black, it is probably real gold. There are probably abrasives in your soap or hand lotion. This results in microscopic bits of gold being rubbed off of your ring. They look black because when they are so small they don't reflect yellow color, but just look black. The resulting gold dust is harmless and will wash right off. The same thing can happen to your clothing with a necklace or bracelet. This is due to your detergent or starch having abrasives, and again, the gold dust will wash right out. It is called "Dermographism". Sometimes you can prevent it by coating the inside of your ring with clear nail polish, but it's not a long term solution. A more likely solution is to change your lotion, or stop using it altogether. Perhaps applying lotion at night when you aren't going to wear your jewelry would work too.
Now if your jewelry turns you green, that IS a problem and usually means it is copper or brass.
Gold can tarnish though. The alloys in gold (14k gold is 58% gold) can react with various chemicals, etc. Sulphur is a big one for causing tarnish, and even more so on Silver.

There are many myths surrounding Opals (see the Opal page) and one of them is that they must be soaked in mineral oil, baby oil, olive oil, water, glycerin, or something else to prevent them from drying out and cracking. Soaking them in oil will only make them collect dust and dirt. Soaking them in water won't hurt them, but it won't do anything for them either. What do the experts do? Have you ever seen an Opal dealer put his Opals in water overnight? They don't and you don't need to either. Yes, Opals can dry out and crack, but soaking them in water will not prevent it. Opals go through 3 major traumas before you ever buy them. Mining them is tough on them. Cutting them is tough on them. Setting them in jewelry is tough on them. If an Opal was likely to crack, it would probably have done so before you ever had the opportunity to buy it. I do a lot of Opal cutting and some do crack while I'm cutting them, and some even crack afterwards. It can be really heartbreaking with a stunning Opal. Oh well. The good news is that those never make it into jewelry, so you don't have to worry about them.
Opals are harder than most people think. An Opal will cut glass just like a diamond does! To properly care for your "piece of heaven" avoid sharp blows and sudden or extreme temperature changes. You can clean it with mild detergent and a toothbrush.

CTW means total gem weight. This is often used for tennis bracelets and cluster rings. You may also see ctdw meaning total carat weight of diamonds.
If you see H.G.E, that means heavy gold Electroplate so it is costume jewelry. 1/20 12kG.F. means that it is Gold Filled (costume jewelry again). It stands for 1 twentieth 12 karat gold filled.
In Europe and a few other places you will see Gold stamped with 750 or 585. That means 750 parts per thousand (75%) that is 18k and 585 means 14k. 410 means 10k, and 375 means 9k. 9k is usually from England, Australia, or New Zealand. In this country is is illegal to call anything gold if it is less than 10k. Kind of funny since 10k is less than half gold, but they didn't ask me when they made that law, heh!

I bought a Yehuda diamond about 5 1/2 years ago for my wife. It has lost its brightness and clarity. It actually looks quite dull. Is there anything you can do? Return to Top Return to Main Menu

Until I see your Yehuda Diamond I have to answer: probably. It depends on why it has become cloudy. Sometimes it just needs a better than usual cleaning.
If the treatement itself has been damaged (high heat can do that - has it been repaired recently?) I can send it to Yehuda and they will clean out the old treatment and re-treat it for free. Of course "free" is a relative term because the diamond has to be removed from the mounting, sent to New York, and then reset upon return, but Yehuda doesn't charge for the deep cleaning and re-treating.
If you'd like to send it to me to look at, there is no charge for my opinion. I recommend registered US mail as that is the most secure form of shipment.
Take care, Barry

If a diamond is exposed to too much heat (like by a torch during repairs) it can be "burnt" or oxidized. This results in a frosty look that can only be fixed by repolishing the diamond. Black may be the result of dirt on the diamond being oxidized during torch repairs. Usually that is from the jewelry not being cleaned thoroughly before repairing. A good acid bath and follow up cleaning may get rid of the black, but in many cases the diamond has also been burnt so that the black is joined into the frosted surface of the diamond and it can only be removed by repolishing.
Being left too long in a cleaning solution will never turn a diamond black. It can result in color changes to gold though. It can also result in pitting and other damage to gold depending on the chemicals in the solution.
I recommend NEVER soaking jewelry in solutions. Put it in for short time, brush it, and rinse it, or take it to a professional for cleaning. many jewelers (including me) will give your jewelry a thorough and safe cleaning for free.
Ammonia and bleach will cause major damage if you soak your jewelry in those solutions.

Pearls should usually be restrung about once a year. Signs that they need restringing are:
1) frayed knots
2) looseness (slack between pearls and knots)
3) soiled cord between pearls (the dirt can stain the pearls)
Fine pearls are only expected to last about 100 years with normal use.

Hi my husband bought me a beautiful white gold name plate with 25 diamonds for Valentine's day. It was beautiful. It shimmered and had a brilliant shine. Now 2 months later it's starting to turn a brassy rust color. It looks like it has been burnt.
Does this mean it was cheaply made? Or is it fake? Can I have the damage fixed?
Or it is it completely ruined? I 'm really upset because I really love this necklace.
Thank you, ~J~

Hi J!
There are several possibilities for your white gold turning yellow. Has it been exposed to any chemicals? Many household cleaners and other things contain chemicals that can affect and even harm your jewelry. Chemical exposure can sometimes cause gold to turn colors or tarnish. White gold is just regular gold that has had whiteners added - pure gold (24k) is a strong orange color. If white gold is exposed to the right conditions, the yellow gold can be made to stand out more so the piece seems to have yellowed.
Another possibility is that it was a yellow gold piece that was rhodium plated to make it look white. Many times, even white gold pieces are rhodium plated to make them whiter and shinier. If your piece is plated, and the plating begins to wear through, it will seem to be yellowing.
And of course it could be a combination of those two things.
Another possibility is that something has coated your piece to make it look yellower.
It's probably not fake. It can probably be fixed easily, and I doubt that it has been ruined. Cheaply made? Not necessarily. Do you have a jeweler nearby who makes jewelry? If so, take it there and have it checked. He or she should be able to tell you everything you need to know.
One of the first things to try is a tarnish remover like L&R or Tarnex. See what that does.
If you need to, you can send the piece to me for a look see and I'll only charge you shipping and handling for the return.
Take care, Barry

Yes, your Diamond Ring will cut glass - but DON'T TRY IT!!! You may chip your Diamond. I've seen it happen.
Any gemstone that is harder than glass (a hardness of 5) will cut glass. In other words, virtually any gem that you find in jewelry will cut glass. I've done it with Opals! Diamond is the hardest gem, but Jade is the toughest.

If it was me, I would spend the extra money and get the gold ring. With normal wear, gold plating usually wears off in a few weeks and then you either stop wearing the ring or you re-plate it. (Earrings and pendants don't get as much wear, so their plating might be more durable.) I once did a silver band for practice and I set it with gemstones all the way around. When I got done, it was beautiful and I wanted to wear it, but I didn't want it in silver (which tarnishes a lot) so I gold plated it. Several weeks later, it needed to be re-plated. Then again several more weeks later. Finally I quit wearing it and it is still in my safe. I don't want to get rid of it, but I never wear it. I wish I'd just spent the extra money to begin with.
So, my advice: Get one in gold. It is more expensive, but many years from now, you will still be glad you spent the money. Plated rings have a very short useful life. But the disappointment has a long life indeed.

So Cinnabar contains Mercury? Does that mean that the jewelry made from it is unsafe to handle or wear too? I would really appreciate your thoughts on this. Thanks S.

I'm not sure about the specifics. I do know that some "remedies" recommend steeping it in water. Heat will release mercury and it can be very toxic. Wearing it and handling probably aren't harmful, but you'd have to ask a mineral expert about that to be sure.
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How can I tell if a crystal I found is a Diamond or maybe clear Quartz?
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You can take your crystal to most jewelers to test it to see if it's a diamond or not. (A diamond tester is all that is needed.) I don't have any pictures of diamond rough handy right now, but I'll try to add that to the website some day soon. If you can send me a picture, I can probably tell you if it looks like a quartz crystal or not. Try searching the web for Herkimer Diamonds. That should show you pictures of some quartz crystals that are sometimes mistaken for diamonds.

How can I sell my 2 carat Diamond?         Return to Top Return to Main Menu

There are several markets available to you and the highest one is retail - selling to the final consumer. Get a full written appraisal for retail replacement from a good appraiser (see my appraisal page for advice). Then you can advertise it in the classifieds. Never give out your home address. Tell people that it is at the bank and you will show it to them there.
You can also discuss consignment with a local jeweler. (I also do some consignment.) If those avenues fail or don't appeal to you, you can sell it outright to a jeweler. Make sure that the jeweler knows what paperwork to fill out and that all legalities are followed. In Florida, for instance (and in most states) anyone buying from the public must have a Second Hand Dealers License from the state, must fill out required paperwork, and must report the transaction to the local police or sheriff's department within 24 hours. Then the jewelry must be held for 15 days. (This is for purchase OR consignment.)
If you sell to a jeweler, remember that you are now competing with the wholesalers and must sell for a much lower price than they do.
Your best bet is retail or consignment. I would be willing to take it on consignment. If you are interested, please get back to me for details on doing consignment.

Will a diamond melt ice, and a fake won't? Return to Top Return to Main Menu

I haven't heard that one before, but it may be close to the truth. Let me explain why:
Diamonds conduct heat much more rapidly than any other gemstones (except synthetic Moissanite). Glass is an insulator - it conducts heat very poorly.
Thus, a diamond will conduct heat from the air to the ice much more rapidly than glass. That means the diamond will sink into ice much faster than a piece of glass placed onto the same ice.
Cubic Zirconia, the best imitator of diamond, doesn't conduct heat as rapidly as diamond, so if you can check carefully, you will find a difference in how quickly the diamond sinks into the ice versus how quickly the CZ does.

Sunlight can cause many gemstones to fade. Common stones that are damaged in sunlight are as follows:
Amethyst: becomes paler
Ametrine: may change color
Apatite: pink variety fades
Aquamarine: becomes paler
Aventurine: translucent types often lose color
Beryl: brown or orange types may change to pale pink
Celestite: fades in direct sunlight
Chrysoprase: becomes paler
Citrine: may change color
Fluorite: green and purple types change color
Kunzite: becomes pale or loses color
Rose Quartz: becomes paler
Sapphire: natural white variety can turn yellowish
Smokey Quartz: becomes paler
Topaz: blue variety fades
Additionally, overheating or drying can crack opals of any sort, and excessive heat and sunlight are not good for pearls.

Can you give me the price of 14kt yellow gold by weight ?                            Return to Top    Return to Main Menu

As a retailer, I can give you the range of retail prices for 14k gold items.
Cheaply mass produced castings may go for as low as $12 per gram. Be careful of porosity and crystalization that can make the gold very fragile and brittle. Make sure the trademark is clearly stamped, so you can believe that it might really be 14k, instead of 8 or 9 karat. If you go with the cheap ones, stay away from pieces that have gems set in them as the prongs frequently break off. You will also find problems with the polish and finishing.
Most good 14k jewelry goes for $25 to $35 per gram. These will be mass produced, but good quality. Well finished and strong. Gemstones will stay set. Many of these will have warranties, for instance, lifetime warranty on gold chains.
The top end of pricing is $80 to $120 per gram (and sometimes higher). These are usually designer pieces and one of a kind items, often hand constructed and painstakingly finished.
There is also the category of ordinary, mass produced items priced at the designer level, but never sold for those prices. Those are the ones you find in the big chains and discount stores. They are priced very high so they can be sold at anywhere from 50% to 90% off and still net more than $30 to $35 per gram.

I just have some questions about appraisals because I'm interested in writing my own. What do I do and how do I charge?
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Dear R:
To be a jewelry appraiser you need several areas of knowledge. You need to know gemology so you can identify what gems are involved. You need to know metals and jewelry as well as techniques for making jewelry so you can identify how a piece was made and out of what materials. And especially, you need to know appraisal techniques and types, and the laws pertaining to each.
For instance, there are retail appraisals, liquidation appraisals, fair market value appraisals, etc. Each type of appraisal has a specific application and a specific legal definition.
Which areas of expertise do you already have?
I can steer you towards gemology and jewelry training, and then towards appraisal training too.
Once you have the training you need, you will know how much to charge based on your skills and time.
Take care, Barry
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Why don't they cut very small Blue Topazes or Aquamarines?

I call it the "seawater effect". The ocean is an incredible blue until you scoop it up in a glass, and then you think it is completely colorless. Same for many colored gemstones. Blue Topaz, Aquamarine, Peridot, Citrine, are a few that lose so much color when cut to tiny sizes that it's not worth cutting them.
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Paradise Jewelry
The Friendliest Store In The World!
5455 Airport Rd. North
Naples, FL 34109
Toll Free 877-591-2645
Copyright 2000, 2001
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