Reblog: Jewelry Terminology: What is an Alexandrite?

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Of all the stones used in jewelry the alexandrite might be the most rare; even more rare than a diamond.  It was named after the Russian tsar Alexander II who was alive during the 1800’s.  The very first alexandrite crystals were found in April 1834 in the Urals.

The alexandrite will show both red and green which happen to be the official colors of old imperial Russia.

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Things to know when shopping for a diamond engagement ring

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A Raymondleejewelers.net blog

If you are like most guys, you know its hard to select a diamond engagement ring. Some guys pick on there own and other couples pick it together. Whatever you choose to do it is important to know what you are looking at. Obviously diamonds come in all shapes, sizes and price ranges. Some people choose to get more bang for the buck (bigger diamond, lesser quality), and others choose to get a smaller stone with a higher quality. When shopping for any quality its really important to compare apples to apples.

That is what brings me to certificates.

Diamonds can come with no paperwork, can come with certificates and can come with appraisals. These are obviously all very different.For starters, I don’t suggest buying a diamond with no paperwork period. As far as certificates are concerned, there are hundreds of companies that certify diamonds and jewelry. Only a few are trusted sources. This is what I mean when I say “compare apples to apples”. If you are looking at a 1ct diamond with a G.I.A certificate in one store and find the same quality 1ct diamond in another store with an E.G.L certificate, chances are the E.G.L. should be a lot less expensive. An uneducated consumer would jump on the less expensive.

However, if both certificates say the stone is an F VS1 only the G.I.A. is held to the highest standards. E.G.L. can be a few colors and a clarity off thus it should be less expensive. Labs that have grading standards that I agree with include G.I.A. and A.G.S. I could get into a lot more detail here but you can also call me with any questions and I will post more in the near future on the topic.

The last item on the list are appraisals.

Appraisals are totally different from certificates, don’t get confused. An appraisal is written by an independent and is only an opinion. Its not at all the same as an appraisal. Like I said before, please call me at the store with any and all questions anytime.

Questions about this blog? 1-800-329-4367

A Raymondleejewelers.net blog