By Pastor Geneve
Author: Nicole Lindsey
In the United States, there are a few unspoken traditions that commonly take place at weddings. The bride is dressed in a white gown, wearing bridal jewelry made of pearls, diamonds, or crystals, and the groom is dressed in a tux. There are flowers, a wedding party, and wedding music, and the event usually takes place in a church. However, not every culture has weddings that are just like those in the United States. In fact, bridal jewelry in other cultures can be quite varied and has a long and interesting history.
Beginnings of Bridal Jewelry The beginnings of bridal jewelry are not completely clear, but it is believed that wedding rings originated in Egypt. The first wedding rings were not platinum, gold, or silver even with diamonds and other precious gems. Instead, earlier wedding rings were woven hemp rings. The rings were worn on the same hand as today on the fourth finger. The reasoning was that the love vein ran from this finger to the heart and the wedding ring stood for fidelity and love. As such, this is how the fourth finger wedding ring came about.
Later, the Romans began using the idea of wedding rings as well. However, these rings were not made of hemp. Rather, the Romans used iron as the basis of their rings. And, while love may have played a part in the Romans wedding rings they were more about ownership and showing that a particular woman was her husband’s property. The Romans wore their rings on the same hand and finger as the Egyptians.
Silver found its way into bridal jewelry during the Italian renaissance. During this time frame wedding rings began to take on a style of their own. The silver lent itself to beautiful designs and wedding rings, and bridal jewelry as a whole, began to take on another form.
Ireland is to thank for the idea of gold bridal jewelry and that a wedding ring must be made of a precious metal in order for the marriage to be successful. Today, in many parts of the world, the idea that bridal jewelry should be made of gold or another precious metal and decorated with precious stones is very popular. In fact, the western world’s bridal jewelry is being adopted in other parts of the world. However, there are still some places in the world that have their own types of bridal jewelry that are not anything like what the western world has.
By Pastor Geneve
Author: Keith Thompson
Mission is a simple belief, we care diamonds for our clients. This article is evidence of our moto. You just dropped several large bills to get your beloved (or maybe yourself!) a diamond or diamonds that take your breath away. That kind of investment deserves some careful attention, and that’s the subject of discussion. To make your diamonds last a lifetime, there are several areas, some obvious, some not; that you need to keep in mind. While diamonds may be the hardest compound on earth, they still need some loving care.
There are cleaning, checking your settings, security and traveling.
CLEANING YOUR DIAMONDS Your diamonds can get pretty grotesque with day to day wear. Lotions, harsh soaps, food and even the oils from your skin can contribute to a less than lustrous diamond. Here are the four most popular ways to clean your diamonds at home. 1-Give them a mild detergent bath, gently using a small soft brush to wash away loose impediments. Be careful to do this in a small bowl away from the sink as the only thing worse than a filthy diamond is a lost one! 2-Soak them in solution of half ammonia and half cold water for about 30 minutes. Be sure to only use a soft bristled brush as it’s possible to scratch your diamonds.
3-use one of the Quick Dip solutions sold in stores. Follow the directions and be sure not to handle the clean diamonds with your fingers, ruining all your hard work. Pick your diamond jewelry up by it’s edges.
4-Ultrasonic cleaning. There’s lot’s of these small machines that will clean your diamond jewelry in a snap. Just be sure and follow directions, as each machine is different.
CHECKING YOUR DIAMOND SETTINGS At least once a year have your diamond jewelry settings checked by a reputable jeweler. Have them check for a secure placement, particularly if your diamond is set in soft metals such as 24k gold.
DIAMOND SECURITY Some thoughts on securing your diamonds. Keep your diamond jewelry in soft fabric covered jewelry boxes, preferably with individual compartments. One of the only things that can cut a diamond is another diamond, so keep them away from each other. don’t wear it when doing hard heavy work. It’s possible to chip your diamond with a hard glancing blow. Keep your treasures away from small, playful fingers. If you have a large amount, consider videotaping or digitally storing photos of your gems for insurance purposes. And be smart: don’t wear your 15 carat diamond necklace to a Raider game and expect to make anything but a lot of new friends!
TRAVELING WITH DIAMONDS When traveling, store your diamonds in soft jewelry bags, individually, and use a specially designed jewelry travel case if you can get one. They are made for this purpose, and are handy indeed.
A piece of diamond jewelry means many things to many people. Diamonds are a symbol of great affection. Please honor those who gave this gift to you by giving your diamonds careful and regular care and attention and you’ll be rewarded with a lifetime with a lifetime of sparkle!
By Pastor Geneve
Author: Lee Dobbins
Who doesn’t want diamonds for Christmas? Almost anyone I know would love to open up a little black velevet box to find a dazzling piece of jewelry inside, but how do you shop to get the best deal?
One thing you can do is educate yourself about diamonds. The last expensive diamond for the size might not be the best deal you can get and you have to go in armed with a little bit of knowledge in order to make that kind of judgement.
If you are in the market for a diamond, don’t let all the industry jargon scare you off. Here’s a little translation on what these terms mean so next time you go into the jewelry store you can speak the same language as the sales clerk!
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.
