Different markings are used on platinum jewelry as compared with gold jewelry, based on the amount of pure platinum in the piece. The quality markings for platinum are based on parts per thousand. For example, the marking 900 Platinum means that 900 out of 1000 are pure platinum, or in other words, the item is 90% platinum and 10% other metals. The abbreviations for platinum – Plat. or Pt. – also can be used in marking jewelry.

Items that contain at least 950 parts per thousand pure platinum can be marked simply platinum. Items that have at least 850 parts per thousand pure platinum can be marked with the amount of pure platinum and the word platinum or an abbreviation (for example, 950 platinum, 900 Plat. or 850 Pt.). Jewelry that contains less than 850 parts per thousand pure platinum, but has a total of 950 parts per thousand of platinum group metals (of which at least 500 parts is pure platinum), may be marked with both the amount of pure platinum and the amount of the other platinum group metals in the piece. For example, the marking 600 Plat. 350 Irid. means that the item has 600 parts per thousand (60%0 platinum, and 350 parts per thousand (35%) iridium, totaling 950 parts per thousand of platinum group metals, and 50 parts per thousand (5%) other metals.

This guide attempts to cover each traditional event where diamond rings may be given to a partner, the differences between them and a rough price guide. Historically there has been a degree of influence from the jewellery trade, where they attempt to make new opportunities for people to buy diamond wedding rings, when traditionally they may not have otherwise, however jewellery has long been the best way to mark special occasions or communicate appreciation with a long lasting, valuable token. This means that traditions have built up around marriages that have established appropriate times to give a ring to your partner.

Pre-Engagement Rings

The first of these occasions is the pre-engagement wedding ring. This type of ring signifies a commitment to a relationship and implies that it will be followed by a proposal in the future. Typically these rings are made from gold or silver. Some are set with diamonds and commonly carry a heart symbol.

Engagement Rings

The next occasion where a diamond wedding ring may be given is the engagement. Traditionally this is presented to a woman by a man while, or shortly after a proposal is made. These rings are steeped in tradition and would normally contain an arrangement of one or more diamonds. In some cases three diamonds are set into the ring signifying the couples past, present and future. These are known as Trilogy rings. Engagement rings may be purchased as part of a wedding set which also includes a wedding ring.

Wedding Rings

The wedding ring is typically a simple yellow or white gold band with some embellishment and a high carat value. Traditionally the groom would also receive a ring and some jewellers can arrange a matching pair. Wedding rings may also be made from platinum or palladium and include one or more diamonds.

Eternity Rings

Finally eternity rings are sometimes given at a later stage in the relationship, perhaps after the birth of a child to reinforce the bond between the couple. As these wedding rings are given at such significant times they would be made from gold or platinum set with a line of diamonds.

The Costs

White and yellow gold wedding rings for these occasions are available in a range of carat weights from 9 to 24. The prices of each type of ring varies as much as the style but to give you a frame of reference an 18 carat gold ring could cost upwards of £300 depending on the design and carat weight of any diamonds set into it. As an example, a ring which includes a 3 carat diamond could cost upwards of £1000.

A solid platinum wedding band could cost upwards of £500 and diamonds will further increase the price. Palladium wedding bands are an alternative to gold and like platinum, are a white metal. The advantage to these rings over white gold is the fact that they never need to be re-whitened. Palladium wedding bands could cost upwards of £250.

But sometimes it is not possible for you to go for valuable and expensive jewelry made of precious metals like platinum or gold. As an alternative to the highly priced expensive body jewelry, a whole new range of jewelry has occupied the market, which is cheaply priced but looks as beautiful as the real gold or platinum jewelry. Body jewelry, better known as fashion or costume jewelry, is made of low-priced metals like silver or titanium, glass or plastic. This kind of jewelry is available with gold polish and with the use of semi precious stones like beads, diamonds, kundan etc, to give an exquisite look.

This kind of cheap body jewelry is especially targeted to the college crowd, who tend to want a cool and modern look via earrings, nose rings, naval jewelry and the like. This group, however, has limited pocket money and can’t afford expensive stuff. This kind of jewelry is also meant for middle class society, who want to be in tune with fashion and decorate themselves with trendy and charming jewelry, but whose resources are limited. So the concept of cheap body jewelry gives the freedom and opportunity for a not-so-rich class of society to decorate themselves with body jewelry.

Many people could never afford Tiffany jewelry, as they are little high priced. But quite some people expect quality and they right away purchase tiffany jewelry with no questions. They consider that, Tiffany jewelry brings them richness and adds prestigious note to their outlook. The best fortunate fact of tiffany jewelry is they are really impressive, unique and beautiful. For this reason, most groups of people prefer wearing tiffany jewels to adorn their beauty.

The best of all is tiffany jewelry assure the best quality jewels, where every piece of jewel is designed with good care and attention. If you are ready to purchase the most exclusive tiffany replica jewels, then never stop even for a while to explore the internet. Place your orders right away and adore your beauty with the impressive collection of tiffany jewelry.

It is quite obvious that, people will differ in their range and class! Some might be drawing handsome income, whereas some might be gaining average as their monthly break-up. Tiffany jewels will hardly match everyone’s budget, because they are little costly and high-priced.

Tiffany jewelry might never be affordable to most middleclass people, due to the considering fact of huge cost. If you desire for quality, then never consider about the cost and keep purchasing tiffany jewels, in case if you are little worried about the cost, then buy the tiffany imitation jewels that are impressive and most striking. Though tiffany jewels are with absolute quality, price is the general factor that most individuals are concerned about. Though some people are found rich, they stay pretty cautious in sparing money.

Silver is the commonest of the precious metals. Fine silver is pure silver, which is seldom used for jewelry because it is too soft. Sterling silver is 925 parts silver to 75 of copper, the alloy most often used. Silver weighs about half as much as gold, has greater flexibility, but is not as malleable, it has always been less expensive as well. A comparable piece of gold jewelry might cost four or five times that of a piece of sterling silver jewelry.

The current fashion trend toward black clothing has made silver jewelry more popular than ever. Silver likes to be worn; it stays cleaner & shinier through movement and friction. So sterling silver is a perfect accessory for today’s fast paced lifestyles. Much like gold, sterling silver needs to be cleaned.

And now, knowing about care and cleaning of your Sterling Silver Jewelry

1.) For daily cleaning it is recommended to use a simple jewelry polishing cloth that is impregnated with special jewelry cleaner. These are widely available and are very easy to use. Store your cloth in a plastic zip-lock bag, and keeping your jewelry drawer or armoire. It is a good idea to have one cleaning cloth for gold and one for silver.

2.) For a slightly more “in-depth” cleaning you may want to use a liquid jewelry cleaner.

3.) For cleaning badly tarnished silver, here’s a neat little trick

A.) Cover the inside bottom of a heat-proof glass dish on bowl with a piece of aluminum foil, shiny side up.
B.) Place the tarnished silver in the bottom of the dish, contacting the aluminum foil.
C.) Add 1 heaping tablespoon of baking soda, and then slowly pour boiling water to cover the piece. The tarnish will gradually collect on the aluminum foil.
D.) Remove your silver, rinse thoroughly, and polish.

1. CUT. Not the shape of the stone, but the quality of its facets.
2. CLARITY. Clarity levels start at Flawless and descend from Very Very Slight (VVS) to Very Slight (VS) and Slightly Included (SI). Clarity measures the number of flaws or inclusions in a diamond.
3. CARAT. The weight of a diamond. One carat equals about 200 milligrams.
4. COLOR. Transparent diamonds (those created from 100 percent carbon) are rated on a scale from D (clear) through Z (light yellow). Grade D is the most prestigious, but, because they are so rare, natural diamonds with tints of pink, blue or purple have a cachet all their own.

Not all diamonds come with a certification but you’ll probably want to set your sites on one that does. Make sure yours is certified by a well known laboratory such as the Gemological Institute of America. Going with a well known and respected lab will insure that you are getting exactly what you thought you were getting. It might be cheaper to buy an uncertified diamond or one certified by a “no name” lab but you may not get what you think you are getting!

It is best if you can get some sort of guarantee for your diamond. This indicates that the merchant stands behind their products. This is important especially when shopping on the web since there is no face to face contact.

You probably already know that the diamond is the hardest rock there is. Hardness is measured by something called the Mohs scale where diamonds have the highest spot at number 10. If you’ve ever wondered what this scale is, here’s the lowdown of each step.

1. Easily scratched by a fingernail.
2. Just scratched by a fingernail.
3. Scratches and is scratched by a copper coin.
4. Not scratched by a copper coin and doesn’t scratch.
5. Just scratches glass and is easily scratched by a knife.
6. Easily scratches glass and is just scratched by a file.
7. Not scratched by a file.
8. Scratched only by corundum and diamond.
9. Will scratch anything but a diamond.
10.Scratched only by another diamond.

The Power of Gemstones
Gemstones are supposed to be something like a shield for us against many evils of life. They are powerful stones which work interacting with the other planets and protect us from the ill effects and circulate spiritual energy.

However, it is good to know that different gemstones are supposed to bring different effects in our life. Some bring good health, while some bring peace. Others can influence our wealth and prosperity while still others can bring mental peace and joy to our lives.

The Effects of Gemstones
Like said earlier, different gemstones have different attributes and bring different kind of positive energies in our lives. Did you know for instance, why is diamond chosen to be the stone for weddings? Well, that is not just because it is most expensive but also because it is a symbol of good fortune, prosperity and even love and is known to bring the same to the wedding.

On the other hand, Ruby (which not only comes in red but also in yellow and a beautiful rose-color) is known to bring longevity and protect us from the harmful affects of the sun. Similarly, Pearl is the stone of moon and since our moods are said to be guided by the moon, pearl significantly affects the way we feel mentally. You must have commonly heard your acquaintances wearing pearl in silver for reasons like controlling anger and promoting general peace of mind.

‘Blue Sapphire’ is known to bring wisdom and high thoughts while ‘Yellow Sapphire’ is the stone for bringing well being in pregnancy and childbirth. Emerald with a deep green color brings joy, hopefulness and faithfulness in your life.

It is quite an interesting journey to find out about these gemstones and wearing them would add a lot more to your life than just enhancement to your attire. If you are fond of trying out the luck of gemstones it would be a great idea to figure out what is the area of your life which is posing difficulties to you and then trying out the appropriate gemstone for it. After all, getting two benefits out of one thing is always a welcome idea. As in the case of gemstones, you get beauty and positive effects in your life. Go, give it a try then!

The gemstones are used to healing purposes such as physical healing and psychic cure. Today, I’m going to discuss with you some of the gemstones which are mphatically purposeful for both the bodily healing as well as psychic healing.

They are discussed as under:

1. Lapis-Lazuli

• The gemstone like lapis lazuli is the gem for deep physical power and mental healing.

• Lapis provides you a unique cure with respect to breathe disorder, artery disease, depression, anxiety, abdominal ache, mood swings, and panic disorder, etc.

• Lapis is the gem of beauty especially for a lot of gorgeous and attractive looking girls, who would like to wear the beads of lapis lazuli jewelry around their necks and writs.

2. Jade

• This gem stone leads you towards a deep mental healing and corporal energy.

• Jade provides you deep healing against moods swings like depression, anxiety, hypertension, dizziness and lack of sleeping, etc.

3. Sapphire

• This kind of gem stone provides you an in-depth healing against many of the diseases such as heart disease, liver swelling, blood cancer, stomach cancer, abdominal ache, depression, chronic anxiety and dejected feelings.

• It provides a kind of self-contentment and profound happiness.

4. Peridot

• Peridot is the stone for happiness and self contentment and it is extremely resilient against the moods swings.

• The peridot provides the sufferers a kind of mental soothing and comfort-ness.

• This gem stone is very much resilient against the disturbing resistant system depression, anxiety and artery diseases.

5. Emeralds

• The emeralds are the gifts of ‘Supernatural’ as they provide you a certain sort of spiritualist and cognitive healing.

• Emeralds lead the sufferers into absolute cool and calmness.

• The disruptive and tempered feelings are removed right as you wear the emerald.

6. Citrine

• This sort of gem stone gives both the cognitive and bodily healing against some kinds of diseases and mood swings like panic disorder, depression, anxiety, liver swelling, stomach tumor, hallucination, hypertension, sleeping disorder and acute fatigues.

7. Blue-Topaz

• This is the gemstone of hope, power and resistance.

• Blue topaz provides the diseased a sort of love and charm.

• By wearing the blue topaz, all kinds of melancholic and dejected feelings are immediately removed.

8. Diamond

• Diamond is merely eye-catching and great to wear as it provides the wearer a sort of internal energy, soul contentment and complete happiness.

• Diamond works wonderfully against the artery disorder, stomach cancer, blemishes, skin cancer and mood swings.

• Diamond provides most of the depressed women a kind of hope and strength and they look pretty nice and fine by wearing it.

Diamond is the queen of precious stones. It is known for its flawless nature and is rare. Diamond has a broad color range and a very low reactivity towards chemicals. It is a good conductor of heat and insulator of electricity.To select the right diamond jewelry, you need to obtain the diamond grading certification by laboratories.

1. Color. When we talk about color of a diamond, it is the result of the composition of a diamond. A colorless diamond are popularly preferred by most people as they allow maximum light to pass through which will result in great sparkle. Other popular colors of diamonds are purple, black, and red.

2. Cut. Cut is the most important of the four Cs. It refers to a diamond’s reflective quality. Brilliance of a diamond is usually depends on the cut of it because the different angles and the finish of a diamond determines its ability to reflect light which results in fiery brilliance. A diamond which has a good cut tend to last longer when compared to a diamond with cutting faults which makes it prone to breakage. Lastly, a diamond which is cut too thin may also tend to leak light out of the back. This will cause the diamond to lose some of its brilliance, and appear not to shine.

3. Clarity. Clarity refers to the number and size of inner flaws during the diamond formation process. A diamond which is clear creates more brilliance and thus will be priced higher. If you want to judge the clarity of a diamond, it is best to hand it to a professional diamond grader. If it has no internal imperfections visible using 10 power magnification, it shows that the diamond has a good clarity.

4. Carat. Carat refers to the weight of a diamond and one carat is equal to 200 milligrams. It is a common measure used by all diamond purchasers and lovers. A carat is divided into 100 segment points. For example, a 150 segment points would equal to one and a half carat.

Before you purchase any diamond jewelry, you need to ask lots of questions and clear any doubts that you are having. By getting the answers needed, you will be able to make an informed purchase. By knowing the four Cs, you are now more informed to compare prices between shops and select the diamond jewelry that you like at a fair price. Take your time to shop around and just remember not to buy impulsively.

Titanium is a great metal to use for jewelry because of its strength and greater scratch resistance compared to gold, silver and other metals. Pure titanium will not react to oils in the skin, sunlight and salt water. Not only this but titanium can be colored with a wide array of exotic colors where most other metals suitable for jewelry cannot.

Be aware that if you do have colored titanium jewelry like with any metal the colored titanium can be scratched off. The color is caused by oxidisation which only affects the surface of the metal not the entire depth. Oxygen tends to cause a structural change in the metals surface therefore creating an oxide. By using electricity for certain periods of time, the oxygen is forced onto the metals surface and causes it to change colors similar to putting oil on water.

If you purchase a colored titanium ring it is a good choice to get a ring with the satin finish because it will help keep the ring looking great for a longer period of time. Another option is to purchase a colored titanium ring with the color part in grooves for added protection.

One problem with titanium rings is because of their strength they cannot be resized. Sometimes titanium can be stretched up in size, but not down. Make sure when you purchase a titanium ring you give the correct finger sizes to the jeweler.

Another quality trait about titanium is its non-magnetic properties, which makes it ideal where electromagnetic interference is a problem. The most common type of jewelry made with titanium is rings, bracelets and pendants. Men tend to be more attracted to titanium jewelry then women because its durability and strength make it last longer.

Clean titanium jewelry simply by using a soft cloth and warm soapy water. Never use strong detergents or chemicals. Although titanium rings are scratch resistant like any metal they will scratch and show signs of wear. It is a great idea to get your titanium jewelry polished at least once a year to help keep its lustrous looking properties.