Black Diamonds

What are Black Diamonds, as seen in most jewelry?

Black diamonds are typically enhanced. Black diamonds are genuine diamonds treated with radiation to make their color appear black. Under normal lighting conditions the color enhanced black diamond looks black. However, it is actually very dark green. To observe the very dark green color, a fiber-optic light source can be placed near a thin edge of the diamond (such as the girdle or culet). This allows the light to illuminate some of the interior of the stone. The very dark green color that becomes visible is commonly seen in enhanced black diamonds. The very dark green color that is seen is never seen in natural diamonds. It is a result of radiation treatment.

Famous Black Diamonds

The Black Orloff

The Black Orloff (Orlov) cushion cut diamond (shown left) which still weighs in at a very respectable 67.50 carats. It is reported to have belonged to a nineteenth-century shrine near Pondicherry, India, and to have weighed 195 carats in the rough. Set in a diamond and platinum necklace, the Black Orloff has been widely exhibited. In 1969, the stone was sold for $300,000. It was resold in 1990 at Sothebys for $99,000. Also called the Eye of Brahma Diamond. The diamond is currently owned by Dennis Petimezas, a diamond dealer from Pennsylvania who bought the diamond for an unspecified sum in 2005.

"The Gruosi" Black Diamond

Upon creating amazing black diamond jewelry for his luxury jewelry house de Grisogono, chairman and founder Fawaz Gruosi enjoys a special place in diamond history: he is credited with popularizing the fascination with black diamonds in 1996 - a fascination that continues today.

He also had a rare opportunity - a rare opportunity even for a grand jeweler like himself: he got to name a diamond. Naming a diamond is something reserved only for original buyers of a rough diamond. The de Grisogono founder chose the name "The Gruosi" for the incredible 115.34-carat black diamond. In fact, Fawaz Gruosi has actually been involved in naming two diamonds - the other being the 312.24-carat "The Spirit of Grisogono," also a black diamond with the famous Swiss jeweler Mr. de Grisogono. These two black diamonds are the two largest black diamonds in the world.

sources : generousgems.com,blackdiamonds.co.uk,vialuxe.com

Famous Emeralds

Gachala Emerald (origin: Colombia)
The Gachala Emerald is an uncut 5-cm emerald crystal weighing 858 carats (172 g). The stone was found in 1967 at Vega de San Juan mine in Colombia and is named after the mining district where it was discovered. Now in the United States, it was donated to the Smithsonian Institution by the New York jeweler, Harry Winston.



Chalk Emerald (origin: Colombia)
The Chalk Emerald is a 37.82 carats (7.56 g) Colombian emerald.

It originally weighed 38.40 carats (7.68 g), but was recut and set in a ring, where it is surrounded by sixty pear-shaped diamonds (totalling 15 carats (3.0 g), by Harry Winston Inc. The ring is housed in the National Gem and Mineral Collection at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in the United States and was donated to the museum by Mr. and Mrs. O. Roy Chalk in 1972.

Duke of Devonshire Emerald (origin: Colombia)

The Duke of Devonshire Emerald gets its name from the 6th Duke of Devonshire, William Cavendish, who according to one version, received the enormous gemstone as a gift from the first emperor of Brazil, Don Pedro I, the son of King John VI of Portugal, but according to a second version purchased the gemstone from the emperor.

The Duke of Devonshire Emerald is a terminated hexagonal-shaped crystal discovered from the mines of Muzo, Santa Fe de Bogota, in Colombia, reputed to be the premier source of the world's finest emeralds. It is an exceptional deep-green emerald, with perfect transparency in certain areas, but heavily flawed in other areas. The emerald that measures 5 cm across the pinacoid also has a height of about 5 cm, and weighs 1,383.95 carats. The emerald had a reputation as the largest and finest uncut emerald in existence.

Mackay Emerald
The stunning 167.97-carat Mackay Emerald was mined in Muzo, Columbia. The largest cut emerald in the National Gem Collection, it is set in an Art Deco diamond and platinum necklace designed by Cartier Inc. In 1931, Clarence H. Mackay presented the necklace as a wedding gift to his wife, Anna Case, a prima donna of the New York Metropolitan Opera from 1909 to 1920. The piece was donated to the Smithsonian Institute by Mrs. Anna Case Mackay in 1984. Source: The National Gem Collection by Jeffrey E. Post.

Yael Designs celebrates Earth Day with 'Pacifica'

April 13, 2010

Yael Designs' new "Pacifica" collection includes earrings, pendants and rings, such as this one above, featuring tanzanite and colorless diamonds set into recycled 18-karat gold.

San Francisco--Fine jewelry design house Yael Designs has launched a new ocean-inspired collection just in time for Earth Day, and has also announced its role in an auction that raises funds for environmental causes.

The sea-centric "Pacifica Collection" features deep blue tanzanite stones, ranging in size from 3 to 22 carats, and set into diamond-accented rings, earrings and pendants. The 38 pieces in the collection are available in 18-karat recycled white or yellow gold, and retail from $5,000 to $25,000.

According to Yael Designs Chief Executive Officer Yehouda Saketkhou, the collection was inspired by the beauty of the Pacific Ocean, noting that its crashing waves lie less than a mile from the company's headquarters.

"I was attracted by tanzanite's royal blue and violet hues," Saketkhou said in a media release. "I often walk around the beaches of the Pacific Ocean and think this beautiful stone tells the story of our blue planet, dominated by oceans that are in dire need of protection." ...

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News : Christie's Auctions Two Huge Gems

March 26, 2010, jewelry.com

It's auction time again. See the two stunning stones that are causing a stir this time around.

Jewelry lovers may not be able to afford the gems and jewels offered for sale at big auction houses like Christie's and Sotheby's, but we can certainly gawk at the incredible display from afar. To that end, we give you two stunning pieces on the block for the upcoming Christie's New York sale on April 22^nd: The Catherine the Great Emerald and The Emperor Maximilian Diamond.

The first stone comes in the guise of a large emerald and diamond brooch once worn by one of the world's most powerful and ruthless female leaders, Catherine II of Russia. The hexagonal-cut stone weighs between 60 and 70 carats and is surrounded by rose and old mine-cut diamonds. The estimated price for this little beauty clocks in at around $1 to $1.5 million.

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Celebrate joy of womanhood and Support the Fight against Breast Cancer

As females they foster god’s planet, as mother they apprize humanity, as wives they bestow love and above all as women they are a symbolic of empathy and endurance. To be a woman is to feel, share and provide. It’s great joy and responsibility at the same time to be one.

It’s very true that strength of a family lies in strength of its woman. October is the awareness month for breast cancer. Let’s do our best to contribute fight against breast cancer to ensure health and well-being of lovely ladies around.

 

The glittering pink sapphire above is a true representation of woman’s soul. Soft, subtle and yet remarkable fired and brilliant to lead the world. Buy beautifully pink sapphire jewelry at Angara and we contribute 10% of sale to Susan G. Komen foundation for breast cancer research. A good way to celebrate and appreciate womanhood!

Fashion means – Clothes or Jewelry

Fashion is not all about clothes; Jewelry too plays an important role

What would Angelina Jolie look like if she wouldn’t have worn emerald jewelry at Oscars? How would have Venus William’s blue kimono gown looked without the silver necklace at ESPY Awards? Do we ever think that how dull our clothing will be without any jewelry? Jewelry not only adds zing and glamour but also give an elegant look to the wearer. This very well verifies the importance of jewelry in the world of fashion. Not only clothes, but jewelry trends too change with time. From diamond jewelry to gemstones, silver to gold, every piece of jewelry is worn differently depending on one’s attire and choice.

When a piece of jewelry is well coordinated with the dress, it not only creates an impact but also looks classy. A pair of gemstone drop earrings and pendant when coordinated and worn with any color, looks simple and elegant. It’s just you who will have to decide, what suits your taste and blends well with what you wear. Also keeping things simple and graceful is in vogue nowadays so overdoing with your jewelry is a complete no no!!

Celine Dion and Yang Lan Launch Jewelry Line

The sultry and svelte singing sensation Celine Dion has won many a hearts with her fabulous voice. She recently forayed into the glittering world of jewelry, having teamed up with yet another remarkable woman, Yang Lan, one of the most popular talk show hosts in China. The two talented and gorgeous ladies have come up with a whole new range of jewelry creations. Aren't all the pretty ladies out there glad that now there's a whole new range of jewelry to choose from, by those who epitomise style and luxury themselves.

Jewelry To Suit Your Taste

Don't we all like to wear what suits our taste and preference. Whether clothes or jewelry, it must be in sync to our personal style and liking. Each time you sport something you don't really find agreeable, you are visibly uncomfortable. So why not don something that will make you look and feel at ease, apart from adding to your style quotient.

This is true as much in clothes as in jewelry. If you prefer jewelry that is subtle you will definitely not feel at ease wearing an elaborate piece. It would be wise to stick to smaller and more basic piece. You can choose studs and solitaires in diamonds or colored gemstones of your choice. It would not be a bad idea to experiment with a combination of the two as long as its not jazzy and suits your style.

On the other hand for those of you who love ornate jewelry, something large and lavish would work best. Multi-stone and multi-colored jewelry would compliment your fancy persona. Colored gemstones will for sure add color while diamonds will help with their dazzle. You can even go for yellow gold jewelry that is chunky and conspicuous.

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Affordable Rings At Angara.com

Planning the proposal is not enough. Have you realized you need an engagement ring to accompany your proposal. Looking for the ring may not be as difficult as it seems. With increasing jewelry stores and online jewelry retailers, finding the right ring is no big task. Especially with colored gemstones making their presence felt in the jewelry industry more than ever before, it would be a lovely idea to get her a ring in one of these vivid colors. If you haven't already decided on particular gemstone I would suggest rubies to you.

The rich red color of ruby is ideal for an engagement ring especially on Valentine's day. Rubies symbolize love, passion and ardor. It is an ideal choice for an engagement ring. Especially since you plan to give it to your lady love on a day that celebrates matters of the heart. You will find a fine selection of some of the best engagement rings at Angara.com, that too at prices which won't make a dent in your pockets.

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Sapphire jewelry to match your mood

No, this isn’t crazy. You can actually have your jewelry speak your mind. Check out how my jewelry expresses my moods.

When I am cheerful I prefer dangling earrings in dark blue sapphire with diamond accents or white sapphires. The pretty earrings brighten up my fac

e and bring more radiance to my smile. I wear light makeup to let the earrings be the focus.


For a sophisticated look I prefer sapphires and white diamonds. I think nothing matches luxury better. Days when I feel like not dressing up at all sapphire studs do justice to my subtly elegant look.

So don’t just wear jewelry to match your dress, try and match your jewelry to your mood also. You’ll see the magic it does to your overall look.

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Oscar Celebrity with Jewelry

Alicia Keys is certainly one of the bright spots on the red carpet, wearing an eye-catching shade of lilac, but the vintage 19th-century amethyst and diamond ring by Fred Leighton really makes the look rock.

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