The Jewelry Insider

I was sitting at a red light and glanced over at a couple in a heated discussion. I smiled to myself; I remember those days. The time when the honeymoon was over, the discretion was removed from our words, and the true us was revealed. Now, on the other side, I know she loves me for me, not just the suave, debonair man I pretended to be. Is now the time to show how much I love her for her?

In many ways, the upgrade of a wedding ring is a more significant symbol of love than the original engagement ring. Now you know each other. All the games of courtship are over. Real life, with all its good decisions and bad ones, is playing out. The trials of life and failed expectations have taken their toll. The amazing strength of love is displayed each day. The significance of “she loves me for who I really am,” dumbfounds you every time you think about it.

Anniversaries are an opportunity to express the amazing joy of life: that she loves you even with all the history. Anniversaries mark time. They give the occasion to declare: “Here and now I LOVE YOU.”

Upgrades and Redesigns are two of the main ways to give the gift of jewelry. Upgrades are usually “up-sizing” to a bigger or higher grade main diamond. Many times, the jewelry only needs a change in the head to accommodate the new diamond. A Redesign is using some of the original ring to create a new design. This process is done as a custom design.

If you decide to go with a Redesign, there are basically two ways of approaching it: the New Ring and the Remount. The New Ring approach is a fresh start from scratch. “What do you want your ring to be? If you could have your dream ring, what would it look like?” Start here, and create a new and vibrant expression of your love and commitment together. A Remount, on the other hand, is choosing a new ring design that will be able to reuse the gems from the original. This is a great choice when the gems in the original ring have strong sentimental value. With a Remount, the history and story of the original gemstones live on in a new and unique way.

Whichever path you decide, giving the gift of jewelry to someone you love enables them to remember you whenever the gift is worn. Jewelry is special because it is an intimate gift worn next to the skin. It is also a public gift because it will be seen by all. People interact with her because of the ring. A passing statement, “He must really love you.” pays big dividends. Not only is a wedding ring intimately public, but it is publicly intimate.

There is a time when the right gift is an upgrade of the wedding ring. Normally, this is done only once or twice in a marriage. The wedding ring is the most intimately public symbol of love. For better or worse, this diamond jewelry is the most tangible expression of love we have in our culture. With all the turmoil and uncertainty of today, is now the time for you to openly declare to the world your love for this woman?

Yes and no. A few years ago, the answer to this question would have normally been no, but with the introduction of the laser welder, we are actually able to repair many costume and fashion jewelry pieces that would have been beyond help before. Now, there will always be some jewelry that cannot be repaired for one reason or another. But, with the laser welder in the hands of our skilled craftsmen there is a good chance we will be able to repair your jewelry.

Get more jewelry repair answers at our new FAQ page.

Or, come on by, and talk to our friend jewelry repair experts. We are happy to tackle tough jewelry repair projects that other jewelers won’t. And, don’t worry, there’s no high pressure pitch, we just explain your options in plain English.

We hear ads on TV all the time about “CASH for Gold.” We see ads all over the internet offering “CASH for Gold.” Our emails are filled with spam for “CASH for Gold.” But, chances are you don’t have solid gold bricks laying around that you want to convert to cash. You have jewelry for sale. Is there a difference between “Cash for Gold” and “Cash for Jewelry?” Don’t the Cash for Gold companies factor in the diamonds and gemstones? I saw a news report where one of the more famous Cash for Gold company said they pay from 20% of the gold value. That means, if the gold value is $100 they will offer from $20, often times regardless of the value of the gemstones. That, in a nut shell, is how Cash for Gold works.

Cash for Jewelry, on the other hand, only starts with the metal value (i.e. the gold, silver, or platinum), and then looks at the jewelry as a piece of fashion. Estate jewelry can be worth many times the gold value because of its exquisite design or history. The next step is to evaluate the gems that are set in the jewelry. Cash for Gold companies just pay for the gold, not the gems or diamonds. Over the 2 decades I’ve spent buying jewelry form the public, I have heard horror stories of people being ripped off. One comes to mind about a lady who was paid $50 for a ring that had a one carat H color VS clarity diamond in it. The diamond alone was worth $2,500 to $5,000. She was given a fair Cash for Gold price of 80% for the gold, but nothing for the diamond.

At Arden Jewelers, we believe in the Cash for Jewelry system. Our jewelry buyers are gemologist trained. That means, they can accurately and consistently evaluate how much diamonds and gemstones are worth when they are buying. And even better for you, our buyers have years of experience buying from jewelry wholesales, so they know a good jewelry style when they see one. That means you can get many times the gold value when you sell your jewelry to Arden Jewelers’ jewelry buyers.

Curious how much you could get? Come by for a free value assessment.

Diamond buying is hard enough. First you have to understand the 4C’s, and then you have to try to judge if diamond certifications are accurate. So, adding one more aspect to the decision making process is too much for some people. But then, here comes fluorescence. The natural response is to keep it simple: if it has fluorescence it’s bad, and if it doesn’t it’s good. Unfortunately, simple does not work here.

What is fluorescence? Fluorescence is a form of lumination that is created when a diamond is exposed to low or high wave ultraviolet light. Some degree is common in nearly one half of all diamonds. One major point in understanding ultraviolet light is sun light is a strong source of ultraviolet light. Therefore, when a diamond is outside in the sun light, the impact of fluorescence will be noticed.

Fluorescence: the good, the bad, and the inconsequential
The bad news is that sometimes fluorescence can make a diamond look foggy or waxy as some people describe it. Most people don’t want a hazy looking diamond that loses some of its fire in the sunlight. The good news about fluorescence is that sometimes it can actually improve the appearance of diamonds by improving its color grade in the face up view (which is the way most people see their diamond in jewelry). So, a fluorescent diamond that is actually J color can look like it is H color (for more info on color grades and the 4C’s see our Diamond Buying Guide). The kicker is that sometimes, fluorescence has no visible effect on the diamond quality at all. So, is fluorescence bad or good? Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Each diamond is unique and will react differently when exposed to ultraviolet light. So, don’t let anyone tell you that fluorescence is always bad or always good. Now, you know better.

Just one final thought, the Hope Diamond fluoresces red and it is a very beautiful diamond.

As the holidays of 2009 approach, all the latest gizmos and gadgets are filling stores across the country. This year, it seems that the best way to say “I love you” is with the hottest new iPod or Blu-Ray movie, but what will these sincere gifts look like in 20 years?

20 years ago, the hottest new movies came on VHS tape. 20 years ago, giving someone music on-the-go meant a Compact Disc playing Sony Walkman. 20 years ago, trendy clothes had shoulder pads and excessive floral prints. 20 years ago, the closest thing you could get to an iPhone was so large and heavy today’s airport security would consider it a deadly weapon. 20 years ago, a gift of beautiful fine jewelry told of undying love, and today that gift shines as bright as it always has, and today she still remembers all the devotion and esteem that came with it.

The sad truth is that most of the gifts that were given 20 years ago have found their way into the various landfills and rubbish heaps scattered across our country having outlived their usefulness or meaning. But, those that wanted to give a lasting testament of their enduring love chose a special pendant or a simple pair of diamond stud earrings that still adorn the object of their affection today. In these uncertain times, give a gift that will still shine bright long after iPods and Blu-Ray movies seem like relics of a distant past age. Give a gift that shows the unshakable devotion of your love. Give a gift that endures. Visit Arden Jewelers today.