Safeguarding Gold Jewelry Diamonds and Gemstones

Security Advice for Gold Jewelry, Diamonds, and Gemstones
By David Foard

For you to enjoy your treasures, they need to be somewhere close and accessible, but NOT in the Bedside Jewelry Box.

Although we DO advise a Jewelry Box on the Dresser and easily seen, BUT ONE CONTAINING SEVERAL PIECES OF JUNK JEWELRY. It is a well documented fact that Burglars nearly ALWAYS check the Bedroom First knowing that people hide things there.

In general terms we have discovered, through HUGE amounts of research, (Please don't write and ask us how we know such things) that your average Crim or Thug, doesn't know the difference between Gold or Plated items, Diamonds or Shiny pebbles of Glass.

In the dimly lit beam of a torch, a handful of Jewelry, stuffed into a pocket, stops them searching any further, and they leave without any more damage.

If it looks like gold, it must be gold... Right?

Well, NO! But this can work in OUR Favor.

So OCCASIONALLY buy that antique looking string of pearls (which we know are glass beads) from the local Op shop or Charity Church Bazaar, and salt it into your 'attractive' Junk items in the Jewelry Box on the Dresser.

Costume Jewelry CAN look a Million Dollars. Old Brooches in a Base metal and containing a 'Plastic' Cameo, can feel and seem to be worth all the trouble.

Help these poor people out. Do the right thing. Give them something to Steal, and they will leave you alone, next time.

But what about the Good Stuff?

If you do 'Hide' it somewhere in your home there are a couple of points we wish to discuss. Firstly: tell a trusted or close relative where they are.

Too many people hide things and then forget where they put them. Over the years it slips from memory and after they 'Cross Over' as John Edwards would say, they get tossed out with the rest of the rubbish never to see light of day again. Shame - Shame - Shame. Please tell someone.

Don't hide the items in extreme temperatures.

It has seemed that over the past decade or so, some people have been hiding things in the Freezer. This is NOT recommended as Gold and Silver items may survive, but some gemstones are sure to suffer.

Opal for example contains a great amount of water in their chemical make up. Freeze opal and you will NOT have anything with color left after a very short while. Pearls too, and most of the softer 'Organic' gemstones like Coral or Ivory or Amber will all be damaged by this process.

The Kitchen is a good place to hide things, as is the Laundry.

We have had some clients (friends of ours) who hide things in the Children's Toy room. As long as it can't be found or played with by the Kids, it is safe.

If you come home one day and the Darling Little Ones are wearing your best Diamond Jewelry, chances are you didn't hide it well enough. Under the Lego pieces, just doesn't cut it.

Regardless of whether you have your items hidden or in a 'Safety Deposit' style box or wall safe etc, you should still insure your items.

We have mentioned this before, so if you're not sure, please read the advice on 'Selling your Jewelry' or go direct to the Online Jewelry Appraisal Centre for more information (address shown below).

As a last resort, it is comforting to know that if your treasures are lost or stolen, you can retrieve an accurate description and detailed specifications from a safe place OUTSIDE of your Home or Work.

One of the strengths of the 'Do-it-Yourself' Online Jewelry Self Appraisal system, is knowing your details are kept in a secure extraweb database that only you can access 24/7 from anywhere in the world.

We would hate to have Fire, Flood or Earthquake rip apart your world in more ways than one. After the event is NO time to get a Certificate done, and at such a low fee (less than the price of a Big Mac and Coke) is a tiny price to pay to ensure your details are covered.

Any good Manufacturing Jeweler should be able to remake an EXACT copy of your treasures thanks to the detailed descriptions in the Kit. Even if your Certificate was lost or destroyed, we can ALWAYS get you another copy and bring your Engagement or Wedding Ring back to life.

There are several other SPECIAL REPORTS available through our eMail-on-Demand subscription box at the website, so please take some time to visit.

There is a timely warning on Security issues. It's good advice, plus there is some great tips on Investing in Jewelry, Insurance guidelines and other notes on selling, Hallmarking tips etc, and they are being added to all the time.

And the best bit is they are FREE....

Thank you for taking the time to read this special report. If you thought it interesting, useful or found it helped you in any way I would appreciate your comments via email at the address shown below.

This is my personal email address and I read every comment - good or bad.

Alternatively: why not pass it on to a friend. I'm sure you can think of someone who might benefit from this useful information. Treat it as doing me a big favor. I will certainly appreciate it.

regards and please watch the road. David Foard F.G.A.A. Fellow of the Gemological Association of Australia and former member of JATVC - The Valuers Council (retired).

P.S.
If you administer a website or publish an ezine, please feel free to use this article as long as you leave all links in place, do not modify the content and include our resource box as listed below. Although it's not compulsory, just send me an email at gemmo1@jewellery-antiques.com and let me know if and where you used it. If you need other great content - complimentary of course - then drop me a line at the email address given - 'cause I've got Gallons of the stuff....

David Foard has spent over 30 years in the Antique Jewelry Trade as a qualified gemologist and member of the Valuers Council. Get a FREE 3 part 'Hallmarking Report' on How to Identify your Jewelry Hallmarks at Home or Work by going to ==> http://www.jewellery-antiques.com and grabbing yourself a
fistfull of Hints - Tips and Secrets.

gemmo1@jewellery-antiques.com

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Aquamarine Gemstone

Aquamarine - The Pure Blue Gemstone

By John Tidball

Aquamarine is one of the best-loved of all gemstones. It is admired for its qualities of purity (lack of inclusions) and fine blue shades, which create a feeling of affinity with nature, evoking the eternal colours of sky and sea. The almost uncannily pure blues of aquamarine are known to inspire in people feelings of love and friendship, and jewellery designers never cease to be fascinated by the qualities of this wonderful gemstone.

According to ancient tradition, aquamarine was to be found in the treasure chests of mermaids, and it has long been regarded as a lucky stone for sailors. Indeed its very name is derived from the Latin "aqua" (water) and "mare" (sea). Aquamarine has also long been held to favour a happy marriage and to bring health, wealth and happiness to the woman who wears it.

Aquamarine belongs to the same gemstone family, beryl, as emerald, with a hardness of 8 on the Mohs scale. Unlike emerald however, which is rarely found to be free of inclusions, aquamarine is usually clear and free of inclusions. The element which gives aquamarine its colour is iron, and depending on the amount of iron present in the crystal, the colour can vary from the palest blue to a deep sea blue. The more intense the colour of an aquamarine, the more it is admired and the greater is its value. Furthermore, an intense sea-blue colour seems to emphasise the immaculate transparency and wonderful shine of this gemstone.

Aquamarine is found mainly in Brazil, but considerable deposits are also found in Nigeria, Zambia, Mozambique and Madagascar. The Santa Maria mine in Brazil is the source of many of the finest examples of rare, intense blue aquamarine. Africa, notably Mozambique, has also yielded some very fine specimens of aquamarine, but not in the same quantities as Brazil. Gem cutters and jewellery designers never cease to be fascinated by the many qualities of this wonderful gemstone, and indeed aquamarine is often the gemstone of choice for those who wish to create new designs for an ever more demanding market.

The fine aquamarine and diamond ring shown on the "Aquamarine" page of my website is part of the PeerlessGems collection. The central gemstone is a particularly fine example of a clear, intense blue aquamarine, and the surrounding baguette and brilliant cut diamonds perfectly complement the central aquamarine, bringing out its beauty of colour and supreme transparency.

John Tidball is a jeweller and gemmologist. He the proprietor and webmaster of PeerlessGems, a website dedicated to advice and guidance on the purchase of diamonds, engagement rings, diamond jewellery and precious gemstones.

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The Value of Diamonds

Why are Diamonds So Valuable?

By Michael Russell

Diamonds have been revered since their discovery and because they are one of the most brilliant stones and hardest stones in the world, they have come to be recognized as a sign of eternal love and devotion. Moreover, diamonds continue to increase in value and remain beautiful, no matter how long an individual owns them. Thus, diamonds are indeed timeless stones, that are frequently used in pendants, engagement rings, tennis bracelets, earrings and the like.

Of course, the most popular diamond recognized is the white diamond, but there are other
colored diamonds that are just as lovely. The color varieties one can find in a diamond include yellow, brown, light blue, coffee brown, orange brown, pink, green, and red. Although they look nothing like a traditional diamond, some of the colored diamonds are more expensive because they are more difficult to come by. So, if someone is looking for a completely unique gift and they have the finances to do so, they may want to consider purchasing a colored variant of the timeless diamond.

One of the most famous among all Diamonds in the world, of course, is the Hope Diamond, a 112 carat diamond which possesses a bluish or violet coloring. The Hope Diamond has a phenomenal history, first being owned by a French owner, then by King Louis XIV of France. Later the stone was refashioned into a 67 carat diamond. Later still, the diamond used in official ceremonies, was stolen and somehow reappeared in the hands of Henry Philip Hope. The Hope Diamond has had many famous owners, but is now currently housed at the Smithsonian Museum.

Diamonds can be bought at your local jewelry store or they can be bought on the net in a variety of cuts and settings. In terms of the type of cuts available, there is the round cut diamond, the oval cut diamond, the pear cut diamond, the Marquis, the Princess, and the heart cut diamond, the Emerald Cut diamond, and the Trillon cut diamond. The round, oval, and heart cut diamonds clearly look like the names they are identified as. The pear cut diamond, looks more like a diamond on the face of a deck of playing cards; the Marquis Diamond looks like a diamond
with rounded edges; the emerald cut looks like a rectangular gem with beveled edging; the Princess cut looks like a beveled square gem, and the Trillon cut looks much like a triangle with beveled edges.

The only way to really know what shape diamond will appeal to you is to have a look at the various cuts and choose for yourself. You can visit any website offering jewelry and browse through the different catalogues available. Once you get a good idea of what you want you can order a piece to size and have your order shipped directly too you. Or, if you prefer, you can visit a local jeweler, browse the counter displays and try on different pieces, whatever is to your liking.

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Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Diamonds

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