Tag Archives: Gia

Are Diamonds Really Forever Anymore?

In 1947, the De Beers Corporation came up with a heretofore unique campaign slogan: “Diamonds are forever.” This nicely summed up their marketing philosophy that with a diamond ring, you can solidify an eternal bond to your betrothed.

A diamond is forever = it symbolizes your undying love.

A diamond is forever = it will stay in your family for countless generations.

A diamond is forever = it is literally unbreakable.

As the decades have passed by, and while many people still have these messages deeply ingrained in their brains, diamonds have lost a bit of their luster. A variety of factors could be responsible for this: from the fact that divorce rates have seen an overall increase, to people becoming more prudent with their finances, to the desire for some to express their individuality by breaking away from the norm. Here we take a look at what specifically has contributed to the slight fall of diamonds from grace. Continue reading Are Diamonds Really Forever Anymore? →

January 15, 2015Financecash for diamond, cash for ring, De Beers, diamond, diamond appraisal, diamond engagement ring, diamond jewelry, diamond lighthouse, diamond news, diamond ring, diamond valuation, diamond worth, engagement ring, Gia, how to sell diamond, secondhand diamond dealer, sell diamond, sell jewelry, sell your diamond, selling your diamond, Wedding Ringdiamondadmin

How to Identify a Genuine Diamond

Since the cubic zirconia was engineered and began mass production in 1977, it has become increasingly difficult for the lay person to accurately assess whether a “diamond” is genuine or not. The human eye alone can not be fully trusted. As such, there are numerous methods that can be used in determining a diamond’s authenticity, from simple tricks one can perform at home to the most sophisticated procedures employed by professional gemologists – like the friendly and helpful ones with excellent penmanship working at Diamond Lighthouse. (Learn More)

If the diamond in question is mounted, meaning encased in a setting, there are a few easy practices you can use.

1.The “Fog” Method. For this, hold the “diamond” next to your mouth and breath warm air on it. If when you look at the stone it remains foggy, then odds are that it is not a real diamond. Real diamonds instantly dissipate the heat from your breath, whether it’s minty fresh or not.

Continue reading How to Identify a Genuine Diamond →

September 8, 2014Expertisecash for diamond, cash for ring, diamond, diamond appraisal, diamond jewelry, diamond lighthouse, diamond news, diamond ring, diamond valuation, diamond value, diamond worth, engagement ring, four c's, gemologists, Gia, how to sell diamond, how to sell my diamond, jewelers, sarin machine, sell my diamond, sell your diamond, selling my diamond, testsjoediamondlighthouse

The Hearts and Arrows of Outrageous FORTUNE

Diamond Hearts and Arrows: Are They Worth the Price?

If you’ve been looking at diamonds for any length of time, chances are you’ve come across some incredibly expensive ones labeled “Hearts and Arrows.” And unless you then spent a lot of time looking very, very closely at diamonds and comparing them like a crazy person (or… you know, like us at Diamond Lighthouse), you probably have no idea what makes those diamonds different from any other. Or what makes them cost so much. Are they really that much better than any other diamond? Are they worth the premium jewelers are asking for them? Would you even want one?

1. What is a Hearts and Arrows Diamond Anyway? Continue reading The Hearts and Arrows of Outrageous FORTUNE →

May 21, 2014Expertise, Stylediamond valuation, diamond worth, expensive diamonds, Gia, hearts & arrows, unusual diamondsdiamondlighthouse

Diamond Enhancements – Part 2: Color Enhancements

Earlier we talked about treatments that enhance the clarity of diamonds and why you should probably stay away from them. Today we’re talking about the other enhancement: color treatments. These treatments are generally performed on diamonds that would receive a low color grade from the GIA. They can turn a diamond white or colorless, or if desired, can create fancy colored diamonds. Just like clarity enhancements, both the World Jewelry Confederation and the Federal Trade Commission require any color treatments to be disclosed at the time of sale. So what are these color treatments? And are they to be avoided like clarity enhanced diamonds? Let’s start with the different types of treatments. The three most common color treatments are coating, irradiation and “High Pressure, High Temperature,” or HPHT.

Continue reading Diamond Enhancements – Part 2: Color Enhancements →

May 19, 2014Expertiseadvice for selling diamonds, buying diamonds, color enhancements, colors, diamond color, diamond engagement ring, diamond enhancements, diamond lighthouse, diamond valuation, diamond value, diamond worth, diamonds, enhancements, four c's, Gia, how to sell jewelry, Pear shape diamond, secondhand diamond dealer, sell jewelry, sell my diamond, sell your diamond, selling diamondsdiamondlighthouse

The 6 Strangest-Looking Diamonds You’ve Ever Seen

With all the diamonds we at Diamond Lighthouse have helped people sell, you’d think we’d have seen just about every form a crystallized clod of carbon could take. Not so. Diamonds are formed deep in the Earth’s mantle where there’s enough heat and pressure to turn carbon into these beautiful crystals. As you might imagine, it’s not the most exact process in the world. A lot of weird stuff can happen down there, creating diamond formations that are gem-quality, but unlikely to be seen on anyone’s finger. The fossil fanatics at Devonian Depot took the time to show off their collection of strange gems the Earth has spit out.

Intersecting Cubes

Though this strange-looking phenomenon is actually fairly common, it’s extremely rare for both cubes to be gem-quality like the diamond in this picture. Sure, it’s probably possible to cut this rock into a more wearable shape, but with a shape this cool, why would you want to? It’s even been polished to give us a look at its strange internal structure that doesn’t quite seem to match the outside shape. With a diamond this weird, we’re starting to think it’s only a matter of time before its extraterrestrial owners return for their lost warp drive crystal.

Continue reading The 6 Strangest-Looking Diamonds You’ve Ever Seen →

April 5, 2014Expertisecash for diamond, cash for ring, diamond, diamond appraisal, diamond engagement ring, diamond jewelry, diamond ring, diamond upgrade, diamond valuation, diamond worth, diamonds, engagement ring, Gia, how to sell diamond, sell diamond, selling your diamond, selling your diamond ring, Wedding Ring, what to do with rejected engagement ringdiamondlighthouse