Pearls

Pearls are elegant and classic, but they are also illusive and mysterious. Most people don’t realize that the majority of pearls on the market are not natural. As a gem of the ocean, finding natural pearls is a much different process than mining gemstones, and the process of harvesting pearls has been exhausted over the years. With the supply of natural pearls deleted, the only choice then is farming mollusks and artificially injecting them with small particles. The following pearl information will provide educational resources to help demystify one of June’s most sought after birthstones.

Is a Pearl a Gem?
Pearls are an organic gem. They are considered organic because they are created by living creatures. Each pearl begins its existence as a piece of grit or other small particle that makes its way into the shell of a marine or freshwater mollusk. The mollusk’s defense mechanism kicks in and coats the particle with layer after layer of a substance called nacre, or mother-of-pearl, which eventually becomes thick enough to form a pearl.

How to Tell if Pearls are Real
The first step to determining whether your pearls are real is learning about the different types of pearls. Most pearls will fall into one or two of these five categories. Natural “real” pearls are very rare nowadays, and it may take an x-ray machine to fully authenticate natural pearls from their cultured counterparts. Most pearls are either cultured or fake.

Natural Pearls
Natural pearls are formed when an accidental intruder enters a mollusk’s shell and continuous layers of nacre grow like onion skins around the particle. Natural pearls vary in shape depending on the shape of the piece being coated.

Natural pearls have always been considered rare and are quite expensive. They are usually sold by carat weight and are vintage in nature.

Cultured Pearls
Like natural pearls, cultured pearls grow inside of a mollusk but due to human intervention. A shell is carefully opened and an object is inserted. Shapes of objects vary depending on the final shape of pearl that’s desired.

Over time, the object becomes coated with layers of nacre. The depth of the nacre coating depends on the type of mollusk involved, the water it lives in, and how long the intruder is left in place before being harvested. As nacre thickness increases, so does the quality and durability of the cultured pearl.

Cultured pearls are sold by their diameter size in millimeters.

Saltwater Pearls
Saltwater pearls originate within a saltwater mollusk. Saltwater pearls can be either natural or cultured.

Freshwater Pearls
Freshwater pearls grow inside of a freshwater mollusk — one that lives in a river or a lake. They are almost always cultured.

Fake Pearls
Fake pearls are composed of coated glass or plastic. Plastic pearls are easy to decipher because they are lighter, show wear and chips easily, and are not as smooth as “real” pearls. Glass pearls can be harder to point out because they more closely resemble genuine cultured or natural pearls.

Pearl Shape Classifications
 Spherical pearls are round, which is traditionally the most desirable shape. The rounder the pearl, the more expensive its price tag.
Symmetrical pearls include pear-shaped pearls and other shapes that have symmetry from one side to another. These are not round.
Baroque pearls are irregularly shaped pearls. They are often the least expensive category of pearls but are unique and quite beautiful. A lot of antique jewelry contains natural baroque pearls.

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Romantic Ways to Propose

The story of how you proposed will be told to friends and strangers for the rest of your lives (no pressure!). Why not put your own spin on one of these romantic proposal ideas:

Public Marriage Proposal Ideas
Take out a full-page ad in a newspaper, and then pick the perfect spot to have a relaxing morning of catching up on current events. Another twist on this idea is to call into a radio station and then make sure your fiancé-to-be is listening when your proposal is on the air.

Send your unsuspecting fiancé-to-be on a treasure hunt that ends with your proposal. Start with a clue at home (a handwritten note or text message) that leads to a tour of your favorite spots all over town.

Ask the divers at an aquarium to put on a proposal show inside their biggest fish tank. Give them a (waterproof) sign that says, “Will you marry me?” to hold up against the glass and then position yourselves for what will, at first, seem like feeding time.

Destination Marriage Proposal Ideas
Plan a romantic destination getaway for two. When you’re on the plane, use the loudspeaker system (of course, run your plan by the flight attendants first) and propose at 35,000 feet.

Rent a Vespa, scooter or bikes to tour the city and invite your soon-to-be fiancé for a ride, but remind him or her to be safe and wear a helmet. Hand over the helmet (with the ring box already in it), and then you can zip around town to celebrate.

After a long day of sightseeing, have a drink in the hotel bar. When it’s time to go, have roses, candles and champagne all set up in your hotel room—everything for a perfect surprise proposal.

Homemade Marriage Proposal Ideas
Gather a bunch of your friends and family for a party and have everyone put on a T-shirt or carry balloons filled with helium (otherwise they won’t float) bearing one of the letters in the phrase, “Will you marry me?” Then during the party suggest a group picture to reveal the message.

Spell your proposal out in glow-in-the-dark star stickers on your ceiling. Get into bed, turn the lights off and wait for the gasp. Refrigerator magnet letters work too!

Create makeshift letters that spell out, “Will you marry me?” using anything from colored duct tape (against a wall or a piece of poster board) to scrapbooking materials. Surprise your partner with your creation at work, home or the park. (Not crafty? Hire a graffiti artist to write out an artistic marriage proposal in huge letters!)

At-Home Marriage Proposals
Fill a favorite room in your home with photo memories from your relationship; you can hang them from balloons or cover the walls with them for a jaw-dropping surprise.

Slip the ring on while your soon-to-be fiancé is sleeping and then do a romantic morning wake-up call with champagne and strawberries.

Have a custom jigsaw puzzle made with your picture and the words “Marry me?” On a rainy day, suggest this activity, and when you’ve finished enough that you can clearly see the photo and read the words, it’s time to propose! (Hint: This works well with Scrabble too.)

Techie Proposals
Add a custom proposal “song” to his or her go-to playlist on iTunes, or record an unexpected proposal podcast.

Have a friend take photos of you with posters that say, “will,” “you,” “marry” and “me?” Then make plans to meet up in a special spot, and before you arrive, text the photos in order. When the last message goes through, show up and get down on one knee.

Create a web page declaring your love and proposal, and leave a clue with the web address written on it—don’t say a word. After the proposal, announce the good news by sending the link to family and friends.

Best Foodie Marriage Proposal Ideas
Put together a gift basket of yummy treats–like dark chocolate, coffee or fresh fruit—and hide the ring among the presents (in its box, so it doesn’t get lost in the goodies).

Ask the pastry chef to write, “Will you marry me?” in chocolate sauce around the rim of a dessert plate.

Ask a baker to make a custom cake with the proposal written in frosting. Then, have the cake displayed in the storefront and take your partner window-shopping. Bring the cake home to share and celebrate afterward!

At-Work Marriage Proposal Ideas
Sneak into your soon-to-be fiancé’s office or classroom before they arrive in the morning and write your proposal on their desk or blackboard. Stay hidden from sight until they show up.

Before your partner leaves for work, offer to heat up their car and scrape the ice and snow off their windows. Then scratch your proposal into the ice.

With the help of your soon-to-be fiancé’s coworkers, schedule a last-minute meeting toward the end of the day. Then whisk them away to a romantic spot to propose.

Proposals Caught on Camera
Hire a photographer to capture your proposal, but tell your partner you’ve won a romantic couple’s photo shoot. Get dressed up and then propose mid-shoot, and follow it up with a romantic engagement shoot.

Pick the perfect spot to propose and have a photographer hide somewhere discreet. After your proposal, your photographer can snap some posed photos too.

Tell your fiancé-to-be that you’ve been selected for a couple’s “casting call” at a studio, and then propose in front of the cameras.

Playful Marriage Proposal Ideas
Pull off a tiny fake out by asking for your partner’s ring size in obvious ways (bringing home a ring chart is one). When they accuse you of ruining the surprise that you’re shopping for a ring, say, “Okay, try this one instead.”

Cut out the bottom of a huge refrigerator box, wrap it with pretty paper and ribbon, and attach a card that says, “What’s inside the box is a gift to last a lifetime.” Then, “deliver” yourself to your soon-to-be fiancé’s doorstep.

Reenact the scene of their favorite romantic movie. If it’s Pretty Woman, go for the ending of the movie: Rent a white limo and climb through the sunroof with flowers in hand to proclaim your love as you arrive at her place.

Fall & Winter Marriage Proposal Ideas
During the holiday season, use outdoor string lights to write out, “Will you marry me?” on the front of your house, apartment or lawn. Station your friends and family secretly inside and come up with an excuse to linger out front. Then have someone flip the switch to reveal the message.

Build a scene of a snowman proposing, and then tell your soon-to-be-fiancé to look outside. When they see the snowman, get down on one knee.

Write, “Will you marry me?” on the underside of a kite and take flight on a breezy afternoon.

Spring & Summer Marriage Proposal Ideas
Have a friend or family member set up a picnic—complete with wine and cheese, of course—for you in a park. Then come up with an excuse for taking a hike where you’ll stumble upon this surprise proposal picnic.

Pick a spot for some summer stargazing (it’s even more perfect if there’s a meteor shower or lunar eclipse expected) and propose under the night sky.

On the night before a beach day you’ve planned, write a love poem on a piece of parchment paper, roll it into an antique bottle with a cork and bury it in a well-marked spot in the sand near your towels. Be sure you “find” the bottle as you dig together—and be ready with the ring.

Marriage Proposal Ideas with Surprise Parties
On your partner’s birthday, plan a “surprise party,” and then pretend to ruin the surprise by having him or her get there early. The real shock will be when you propose and all of your friends and family show up afterward to celebrate.

Plan a party filled with friends and family at a bar near where you’ll propose, and then suggest a celebratory drink after your partner says “yes.”

Have your proposal in a park, with friends and family a safe distance away. Once you’ve proposed, have everyone show up for an impromptu celebration.

Holiday Marriage Proposal Ideas
Surprise your fiancé with a pet you’ve always wanted to get together (bunny, kitten, puppy) under the Christmas tree and tie the ring around its neck. Or substitute a stuffed animal—still cute, but less maintenance!

Propose during your local fireworks show on the Fourth of July. Work with a professional to set up a private message in sparklers that spells out “Marry me?”

Throw a Halloween jack-o’-lantern carving contest for friends and family where everyone reveals their designs. Unveil your pumpkin carved with your proposal last.

Diamond Buying Tips

Jewelry is one of the most popular gifts we use to mark the momentous occasions in our lives. It is an outward expression of what we mean to one another. Holidays, birthdays and anniversaries and other achievements are just some of the events we celebrate with special gifts of jewelry, and diamonds are among the most favorite to give.

The budget for your gift is likely one of your most important parameters, but you can make sure you receive the most value for your purchase by learning more about diamonds before you shop. These six tips will help you find your ideal gift.

LEARN ABOUT THE 4CS

The 4Cs of diamond quality is a language jewelers everywhere use to describe the attributes of a diamond, that when taken together, help to determine its overall quality. Quality is ultimately tied to price, so it’s crucial that you learn the 4Cs so that you understand what you’re buying:

How to Find What Ring She Really Wants

There’s no doubt that an engagement ring is a big purchase. It may be the most expensive piece of jewelry you buy and that she owns. And while you can do your research of getting the best quality diamond for your money, it may be harder to know the style of ring she’s always dreamed about.

Chances are she’s been leaving clues, either in plain site or on the sly. Read on to see if you’ve been looking in all the right (or wrong) places for them.

If you’re at all tuned into the world of social media you’ve likely heard of Pinterest. You’d be hard pressed to find a nearly-wed who hasn’t pinned at least a few wedding-related pins to save for later. If you hear your soon-to-be spouse talking often about something she pinned, you might consider creating an account so you can peruse her boards for the rings she’s pinned.

Use her pins and boards to get a sense of her fashion likes and dislikes—even if she hasn’t pinned specific rings. For example, if she’s pinned a lot of classic looks: little black dresses or tank watches, then you might go with a classic ring style, such as a solitaire. If she is attracted to pins with a more bohemian spirit—maxi dresses in earthy colors—you might want to pick a ring with a delicate garland motif or something more feminine. Sporty women who favor athleisure wear might appreciate a low profile, bezel-set ring that won’t get in the way of her workout. Glamour girls tend to like more sophisticated shapes, such as an emerald-cut diamond or a halo setting.

Most pins are links, so you can follow it to get all the purchasing details you’ll need. And since Pinterest doesn’t track who has looked at your pins, she’ll never know how you figured it out. If a link is broken, use a tool such as Google Image Search to find the original source of the image.

Check out what other pinners she is following. The boards of brands, friends, bloggers, and other influencers can give you a lot of insight into her taste. Plus, if she’s commented positively on a friend’s engagement ring, you might be able find out more about it by reviewing that friend’s jewelry board.

Birthstones

How to Protect Your Treasures for a Lifetime

Engagement and wedding rings are everyday jewelry, so it’s fitting that diamond is the hardest substance on earth. But that doesn’t mean diamonds, or your setting, are indestructible. Beyond that, gemstones, such as emerald, opal, and pearl, are pretty delicate, requiring extra special care and attention.

The Don’ts:

Around the House:
• Don’t garden while wearing your ring. It’ll get dirty, damaged, or worse, fall off and get lost.
• Don’t clean your house while wearing your ring. Cleaning solvents are tough on metals.
• Don’t wear your ring in the kitchen. Hard surfaces, such as countertops, can chip stones or damage metal. Food particles can get stuck and get your ring dirty. Think about that the next time you make meatloaf.
• Don’t shower with your jewelry on. Don’t let anything down the drain that you might want back. Soap and shower gel leave a film on diamonds, making them dull. Plus, prongs and earrings can get caught on towels.
• Don’t sleep in your jewelry. Prongs and earring posts can get caught on bed sheets and are susceptible to bending. Earrings, like socks, have been known to disappear into another dimension, never to be seen again.

At Work:
• Don’t wear your ring at work if your job involves physical labor. You could catch a prong or chip the stone.
• Don’t wear around metal file cabinets. One wrong knock at the wrong angle on a hard surface can chip a diamond or gemstone or damage the metal.

In and Around Water:
• Don’t wear your jewelry in a hot tub. The chlorine can affect the metal.
• Don’t wear your ring swimming. Your fingers shrink when cold and could cause the ring to slip off. Plus, see above for the chlorine issue.
• Don’t wear your jewelry at the beach. Sand is abrasive and hard to dig through should your jewelry fall off. Additionally, sunscreen can dull the luster and shine of many gemstones.

At the Gym
• Don’t work out with your jewelry on, for obvious reasons, but also because perspiration can sometimes cause an allergic reaction with the metal, especially if you’re allergic to certain alloys. Wearing your ring while lifting weights can scratch the metal. (An ancillary don’t to the exercise don’t: Don’t leave your jewelry in your locker unless it’s locked.)

The Dos:

In Your Jewelry Box:
• Do keep your jewelry in separate soft bags in your jewelry box so they don’t scratch each other. Diamonds can easily scratch other diamonds, as well as other stones and metals.
• Do think about reserving certain gemstone jewelry, such as emeralds, for special occasion wear only. Emeralds are relatively soft stones, thus more susceptible to damage than harder stones such as diamond, sapphire, and ruby.
• Do wear your pearls often! The natural oil in our skin helps keep the pearl lustrous. But be sure to treat them with care. Because they are relatively soft, and can be easily scratched, pearls should be stored in a soft bag when not being worn and wiped clean with a soft cloth to remove any residual cosmetics or perfume that can affect luster.
• Like pearls, wear your sterling silver jewelry often and polish it on a regular basis. It helps to cut down on the amount of tarnishing between wearing. Also store silver in an airtight jewelry box or bag (you’d be amazed at how well a Ziploc baggie works in this situation) as exposure to air leads to more tarnish.

Lifestyle Considerations and General Maintenance:
• Do have your jewelry (especially your wedding jewelry) checked a minimum of once a year, which means insuring the stones are secure and inspected for any issues arising from normal wear.
• Do consider a secure bezel-set ring if you have an active lifestyle or certain careers, such as a hairstylist. Bezel settings don’t have prongs, which can get caught or bend, and the stone is surrounded by metal, which means it’s less likely to be affected by sharp blows. A diamond set on a high prong is most at risk for damage. Delicate pavé or micro-pavé settings with very small prongs are most at risk of loosening or falling out.
• Do consider having your engagement and wedding rings soldered together to extend their life and minimize repairs and maintenance. Wear and tear can occur if the two rub together excessively.
• Do make sure your ring fits you well.
• Do have your white gold pieces re-plated with rhodium when they start to look a little less bright. Rhodium is a hard, white metal in the platinum family that protects white gold and keeps it looking white and shiny.
• Do enjoy the natural patina that platinum takes on over time.

Protect Fine Jewelry from the Spring and Summer Elements

As Spring Break is finally here the warmer weather (yes even here in Oregon)draws us to the great out doors in the form of a trip to the local swimming pool or lake, packing a picnic, taking a holiday at the beach, or using weekend time to cultivate the garden or flower bed. While all of these activities are signature elements of the warmer season and good for the body and soul, they can cause unintentional damage to the metal and gemstones in your favorite fine and semi-precious jewelry.

Summer TLC for Jewelry Care

In addition to the importance of protecting your jewelry from grease and cleaning supplies, summer creates its own elements of wear and tear through the additions of sun exposure, salt water, chlorine, sand, dirt, sweat, sunscreen and lotion and bug spray.

Chlorine – The chemicals in a hot tub or pool are added to control unwanted bacteria and algae but in jewelry, chlorine creates a damaging reaction between the chemicals and the alloy metals. This results in damage and discoloration to the metal in platinum and gold jewelry. Chemicals in the chlorine also breakdown the shine and polish of gemstones.

Cold water temperatures – While the cool water of a lake, pond or ocean feels particularly refreshing on a hot day, the temperature can also create a side effect of slight shrinkage in the fingers, increasing the possibility of inadvertently losing a beloved piece of jewelry. When it doubt, leave it at home.

Sunscreen sprays and lotions – Adequate protection from the sun requires a combination of sunscreen lotions, sprays and gels. The simple act of application can leave tiny sunscreen deposits that build up in the links of a chain and the prongs of a ring, creating a sticky or greasy film on the stones and metal. Next time, apply then allow time to dry before adding jewelry.

Digging in the dirt and sand – Good times can be had while digging holes for new plants in the garden or creating a sandcastle at the beach, but the tiny rocks in dirt and sand are not kind to jewelry. The abrasive materials can leave behind scratches, particularly in softer metals.

Sun effects – Most of us know how the sun effects of our hair and skin after a day of fun in the sun. The skin and hair feels tight and dry after being stripped of its natural oils and moisture. A similar stripping effect occurs when it comes to the fading of the natural and plastic materials of costume jewelry.

Ensuring Proper Jewelry Care

For many of us, jewelry is a powerful symbol of some of our most precious moments. As a result, it’s important to protect your investment of money and memories by observing the right ways to clean and store jewelry pieces. Each stone and every metal has its own level of strength and requires individual care. This summer, create a new tradition by having your precious and semi-precious jewelry inspected by the jewelers at International Diamond Jewelers.

The Great Star of Africa (The Cullinan I)

The largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found was called The Cullinan. It weighed an astonishing 3,106.75 carats. From this stone, nine stones were cut; the largest was The Cullinan I which weighs 530.4 carats. It resides in the Royal Sceptre of the British Crown Jewels. Judging of famous diamonds sold at auction in recent times, the Cullinan I is likely worth over $400 million USD. This is definitely where fairytales come from.