At Brilliance, our team is comprised of diamond lovers who are always on the lookout for interesting stories about this rare, brilliant, and indestructible gem. As the universal symbol for love and loyalty, it’s no wonder the diamond is the basis of so many magical legends.
The first use of the diamond as an engagement ring gem was in the 15th century, when Archduke Maximilian presented a diamond engagement ring to Mary of Burgundy. Though the gem was a rarity then, it’s since become the customary stone used in modern engagement rings. Today, the diamond conjures images of rock-solid commitment and timeless romance. But in centuries past, the stone’s symbolism took on an entirely different spin.
Magical Superstitions
Thought to be splinters of fallen stars and the tears of gods, diamonds were worn by the Ancient Romans as amulets in battle to provide strength and courage. As an added measure of invincibility, Roman royalty nestled diamond-bedecked breastplates beneath their armor. They also donned the gem to ward off evil spirits and night demons, boosting the diamond’s potency by wearing it on the left side of the body.
Ancient Hindus believed that diamonds were formed by lightning strikes on rock and that they possessed the power to prevent lightning from reaching the ground. To ward off a lightning strike where you live, try performing the ancient Hindu ritual of touching the gemstone to each corner of your home.
Truth Detector
A symbol of dignity and wealth, diamonds were also believed to hold the magical power of detecting honesty. The gem was said to grow dim in the presence of a lie, and to shimmer brightly when the truth prevailed. (Do you think this would hold up in a modern-day courtroom?)
Medical Marvel
In ancient India, it was believed that diamonds would cure insanity and infections, and were even injected into the bladder to break up bladder stones. Ancient Hindus were very careful to use only the highest quality diamonds in their medicinal practices, as diamonds of inferior quality were thought to cause leprosy, lameness, or jaundice. They believed the bad luck surrounding inferior diamonds was powerful enough to prevent Indra, the king of the gods, from entering heaven.
Lethal Poison
In Europe, diamonds were pulverized into a powder and then sprinkled on food in an attempt to commit murder. During the 15th century, a Turkish sultan’s son was believed to have killed his father by lacing his food with diamond dust in order to assume the position of king. Swallowing rough diamonds was especially lethal, with the sharp edges lacerating the digestive tract and causing severe abdominal pain and a violent, torturous death. (It’s believed that diamond proprietors promoted this myth to discourage stealing diamonds by ingestion.)
Other Diamond Superstitions and Myths
- Cupid’s arrows are tipped with diamonds
- Removing or altering an engagement ring is bad luck
- If a woman permits another woman to try on her engagement ring, the other woman will steal the heart of her betrothed
- Diamonds release their magical powers when given as a gift, and their powers diminish when traded for money
With all of the legends surrounding diamonds – along with their enduring beauty and brilliance – it is no surprise that this remarkable gemstone serves as the perfect symbol for enduring love.
Categories: Diamonds, Education
It’s becoming common for people to bring out their diamond jewelry for everyday occasions instead of leaving it tucked away in the jewelry boxes. Women are realizing that diamond jewelry can be dressed up or down depending on their outfits and what they’re doing for the day, meaning these beautiful pieces are where they should be – on display! Whether you’re looking for diamond rings, earrings, necklaces, bracelets or pendants in a pre-designed or custom setting, deciding what you’d like before shopping will help you find something beautiful you’ll want to wear every day.
Rings For Either Hand
The newest trend in diamond rings is the right hand or fashion ring. These diamond rings were originally designed because women felt as if they shouldn’t have to wait for a man to propose to get their first diamond ring. There’s no reason a beautiful ring can’t be a woman’s gift to herself and Brilliance.com has a large selection of fashion diamond rings.
The most common piece of diamond jewelry is a diamond engagement ring. These diamond rings can vary from traditional solitaires to contemporary rings with one large diamond flanked by smaller stones that run alongside the band. Brilliance.com sells both pre-designed engagement rings and empty ring settings that enable you to choose your own center stone so you’re sure to find something your fiancé will love.
Wedding bands have been updated in recent years. These bands used to be just simple circles of gold or platinum, but today’s brides and grooms are realizing they want a little bling in their life. Wedding bands can have a row of eight or nine diamonds across the top or even an entire circle of diamonds. Bands with diamonds running all the way around may be difficult to resize, which can be a problem if the ring ever becomes too loose or too big. If you didn’t get one of these sparkly diamond rings as your wedding band, consider asking for one for an anniversary present.
Diamond Earrings – Studs And More
If you’re looking to buy a pair of diamond earrings you can wear every day, consider a pair of diamond studs. Each earring is made up of one diamond and Brilliance.com has earrings ranging from 1/5th of a carat all the way up to two carats. A pair of smaller diamond studs can be a great pair of everyday earrings to pull together any outfit, but consider a larger pair for a more elegant look.
Other types of diamond earrings are chandeliers, drop earrings and hoops. These can be made from white gold, yellow gold or platinum and can have one single diamond or multiple stones. Brilliance.com has a variety of styles to choose from, meaning you’ll be able to find a pair of earrings that can be dressed up or down for any occasion.
It’s important to realize that the diamond weight of these earrings is split between the two so a two-carat pair will actually each be one carat a piece. It’s also important to find a pair with diamonds that are a similar grade. You don’t want a colorless diamond paired with one with a yellowish tinge so check to make sure each of the stones in your earrings look good paired together.
Stylish Diamond Bracelets And Necklaces
Diamond bracelets and necklaces are long strands of diamonds and gold or platinum. Necklaces and bracelets can be one continuous loop of stones or a few diamonds spaced among a metal chain. These pieces come in a variety of sizes and it’s especially important to size diamond bracelets correctly since wrists come in different sizes and it can be expensive to add or remove diamonds if the bracelet needs to be resized.
Pendants Add Sparkle To Any Look
Pendants are the last type of diamond jewelry. They can be as simple as a single diamond on a delicate chain or diamonds grouped together. Diamond solitaire pendants from Brilliance.com start at 1/5th of a carat and go up from there. These diamonds can be cut into nearly any shape, although the most popular ones are round brilliant, princess and pear shapes.
Other diamond pendants can be formed into a heart or circle, or can have a line of diamonds that cascade down the setting. Brilliance.com has a variety of beautiful diamond pendants to match any personality and style, from traditional to contemporary.
Diamond jewelry from Brilliance.com doesn’t have to be put away and taken out only on special occasions. These pieces can be dressed up or down and can add beauty and sparkle to any outfit. Whether you’re looking for diamond rings, earrings, necklaces, bracelets or pendants, visit Brilliance.com’s online shop for the best selection and price on diamond jewelry.
Categories: Brilliance, Diamonds, Jewelry
The beginning of June marks the beginning of summer – hot days at the beach, cold ice cream sundaes, and breezy nights relaxing. It also marks the start of wedding season – the months of June, July, and August when most of this year’s marriages will be celebrated. Brilliance offers a wide selection of loose diamonds, engagement rings, and wedding bands for brides and grooms looking to save on bridal jewelry by shopping online. If you are planning on attending a wedding as a guest, we offer diamond earrings, diamond bracelets, and gold jewelry to help you create a striking look.
There are many reasons to shop online for jewelry, whether it’s bridal jewelry, jewelry for yourself, or jewelry to give as a gift to a friend or loved one. Shopping online is convenient; it can be done from the comfort of your home with the click of a button. Online jewelry retailers offer lower prices than traditional retail stores, saving consumers money and allowing them to get higher quality products at a great value. Further, the internet jewelry market offers many choices of styles and qualities for consumers searching for diamond engagement rings, diamond rings, diamond earrings, gold earrings, and other jewelry.
The Brilliance Team of diamond and jewelry experts and service representatives works hard to provide the best online shopping experience available. Our goal is to offer high quality products at the lowest prices, so our customers don’t have to wait for a sale or negotiate to make their purchase. Our entire selection of jewelry and loose diamonds are backed by a lowest price guarantee, ensuring that we give the absolute best deal for our products. Our inventory is currently being offered at the lowest prices of the year, so now is a great time to purchase bridal jewelry, fashion jewelry, or even shop early for the holiday season. In addition to our low prices, we are currently offering Brilliance coupon codes for order-level savings.
$25 off any order! Use coupon code BC25BR.
$50 off any order $5,000 or over! Use coupon code BC50BR.
$75 off any order $7,500 or over! Use coupon code BC75BR.
$100 off any order $10,000 or over! Use coupon code BC100BR.
$150 off any order $15,000 or over! Use coupon code BC150BR.
Brilliance offers an array of services to ensure that we become your jewelry retailer of choice. To help you save even more, we offer a 2% discount for orders paid via wire transfer. Every product comes with a 30 day return or exchange policy so that you feel completely satisfied with your purchase. In addition, every order comes with free express shipping and shipping insurance. You also receive a gemological appraisal conducted by our GIA trained gemologists. Our Personal Shoppers and diamond experts will work with you every step of the way to help you find the perfect certified diamond, engagement ring, or diamond jewelry product. Speak to a Brilliance representative at 866-737-0754 or visit us at Brilliance.com to start saving on your jewelry purchase.
Categories: Brilliance, Diamonds, Engagement, Jewelry
If you’re a woman who wants to treat yourself to a trendy right hand ring, or a man looking to find that perfect engagement ring, arm yourself with a little knowledge about certified diamonds before you begin to shop. Knowing what to look for will save you valuable time and money and you’ll be able to focus on finding the perfect pre-set jewelry or loose diamonds.
Enhanced Vs. Natural Diamonds
Enhancing or treating a diamond occurs when the stone is considered flawed in some way. Some jewelers have discovered a way to enhance the look of a diamond by applying special treatments to remove the flaws. Diamonds can be treated by drilling with lasers to remove flaws, applying sealant to fill cracks or putting the diamond through a color treatment to improve the color grading. These artificial measures are controversial in the diamond industry because many feel it cheapens the beauty of natural stones.
Brilliance.com only sells natural diamonds. These diamonds are cut to maximize the stone’s sparkle, but have not been enhanced in any other way. Natural diamonds are more valuable than ones that have been enhanced or treated.
If you do decide to purchase an enhanced stone, the jeweler must disclose any enhancements that have been done. This is in accordance with Federal Trade Commission regulations, so beware if your jeweler doesn’t tell you a stone has been enhanced.
Certified Diamonds – What To Look For
Certified diamonds are ones that have been graded by a professional diamond certification laboratory. These can be sold as loose diamonds, but it’s also possible to find certified diamonds pre-set into ready to buy jewelry.
People who certify diamonds evaluate and record the stone’s cut, clarity, color and carat weight. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is the most well known diamond certification laboratory in the United States, but it’s not the only laboratory that can certify diamonds. Other certification labs are the American Gem Society (AGS), Hoge Raad vood Diamant (HRD), the European Gemological Laboratory (EGL) and the International Gemological Institute (IGI).
Many people mistakenly assume that all loose diamonds are certified diamonds, so make sure to ask to see the certification before making a major purchase. Certified diamonds may cost a little more, but you’ll be able to rest easy knowing that you’re getting your money’s worth. Certified diamonds from Brilliance.com are always sold with the proper certification documents so customers know which laboratory completed the certification.
Cut, Color, Clarity And Carat Weight – The Four C’s
Diamond education has come a long way in the past few years and now nearly everyone has heard of the four C’s. Cut, color, clarity and carat weight are the four different categories diamonds are graded on before they’re sold and all refer to the appearance of each diamond.
Simply put, cut is the shape of the stone. After loose diamonds are mined, each stone is cut in a way to maximize and show off the sparkle and fire diamonds are known for. Brilliance.com sells loose and certified diamonds cut into the most popular shapes, including round, princess, oval, emerald, asscher, marquise, radiant, heart and cushion. Round diamonds are the most popular throughout the world.
Each diamond’s color is graded on a letter scale from D to Z. A diamond that’s been rated as a D is the most valuable and rare because it is colorless. It takes a trained gemologist to detect the slight color variations found in stones rated E through H. Diamonds that are rated I through M may have a faint color tinge, but that doesn’t mean the stones can’t be beautiful and full of sparkle. Because of its dedication to beautiful, quality diamonds, Brilliance.com only sells certified diamonds rated D through M.
The third C stands for clarity. Clarity is graded on a scale from flawless to included. Many times, diamond inclusions are only visible to a trained gemologist and only certified diamonds in the last grade have inclusions visible to the naked eye. This means that it’s possible to find a beautiful stone even if you can’t afford one that’s been graded flawless.
Carat weight is the fourth C. The weight of each stone is measured in carats and is rounded to the nearest one hundredth of a carat. Larger stones are more expensive and valuable, but smaller diamonds can be beautiful, too. Brilliance.com sells diamonds ranging from 1/5 of a carat to up to 14 carats.
Commonly Found Types Of Diamonds
Engagement rings or other pieces of diamond jewelry can be sold pre-set or sold as loose diamonds with a custom setting. Whichever you choose can depend on your budget and preferences. Brilliance.com has a variety of pre-designed pieces, as well as separate settings and loose diamonds to meet everyone’s budget and taste.
Pre-designed jewelry can’t be changed so it’s important to find a piece that you love. However, just because these pieces are pre-designed doesn’t mean they can’t be created using certified diamonds so make sure to ask.
If the available choices of pre-designed rings or jewelry aren’t exactly what you’re looking for, consider buying loose diamonds and the settings separately. You’ll get to choose the setting and then be able to select from multiple loose diamonds. Many people assume this is a more expensive route, but that’s not always the case so be sure to compare prices. While many loose diamonds are certified diamonds, double check with your jeweler to make sure.
Buying certified or loose diamonds should be an enjoyable endeavor now that you’re armed with all the information needed to make an informed choice.
Categories: Brilliance, Diamonds, Education
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