Part of my job at Brilliance is to help customers find a loose diamond and engagement ring that meets their budget without sacrificing quality and style. I recently worked with a bride who shared with me her story of how she ended up shopping for her bridal jewelry with Brilliance and how satisfied she was with the care and service she received. If you are reading this post, you have surely turned to the internet for answers, perhaps because you find yourself in the same frustrating situation as she did. Here I retell her story to show you how Brilliance can make your loose diamond purchase as easy and stress-free as hers:
It was finally my time to say “I do”, and everything had to be perfect. Growing up in New York, I was always told that the absolute best place to buy a diamond was from “the big guys” in the New York Diamond District. So off I headed to 47th street to begin my quest for my dream diamond.
Walking into the showroom, I immediately felt intimidated by the pushy salesman. It was clear to me that he was solely interested in making money on me and not at all interested in answering my questions. After an hour of listening to his sales pitch, he had only shown me a small selection of diamonds, all of which seemed a little pricey for their quality. I knew that I would never be happy with my loose diamond purchase with the level of care I was receiving from these “big guys” and decided to look for a different avenue to get the diamond quality that I wanted.
After the horrible experience with the salesman at the Diamond District, I decided to then go online and look up some pricing. I tried the first site that came to mind: Ebay. There I found great prices, but no customer service representative to talk to about my concerns and no assurance that the quality of the diamonds were as stated. As I continued searching and visited sites like Amazon and Craigslist, I kept thinking to myself, I am buying a diamond. Is there anywhere I can get a good price without sacrificing the quality, selection, or customer care?
As a last resort for my online quest, I googled a random search for “loose diamond, good price.” The first link I found was a website called Brilliance.com. I was impressed with the elegance and the beauty of the site. I found the box that read “certified loose diamond search” and began my search for the “perfect diamond.”
The left side of the page had everything I was looking for. I selected the shape, carat size, color, clarity, cut, price, and the certification that I wanted. Expecting to be disappointed again, I thought there would only be maybe 10 diamonds that had the qualities that he wanted. Shocked, I got a search result of 77,089 diamonds that fit exactly what I wanted. How could it be that the Diamond District office that I thought I could trust had only 3 options when I received 77,089 results in the comfort of my home? The prices were almost half of what I saw at the Diamond District and I didn’t have to sacrifice on the diamond quality or care. I spoke with a Brilliance representative, who answered all my questions with patience and concern. Within minutes of completing my purchase, I received an email confirming my purchase and a lifetime guarantee for the diamond. A week later, my diamond arrived at my home, carefully packaged and insured for my peach of mind.
With the help of a Brilliance.com representative, I got the care and patience I needed to make this wedding the dream it is supposed to be!
Categories: Brilliance, Diamonds
With Wedding Season approaching, more and more couples are looking for ways to have the wedding of their dreams while still keeping costs low. The price tag on the average American wedding has dropped by nearly a third from 2007, down from $29,000 to $20,000. The good news is, you don’t have to resort to a cash bar or homemade food to stay within your budget.
Collected from wedding experts and party planners, here are some tips to help you make your budget wedding:
Don’t say “Wedding”
When you call vendors for quotes, let them know you are planning an event or party, but don’t specify that it is a wedding. Florists, bakeries, reception venues, photographers, and other vendors often add a 25-30% mark-up to their prices when they know you’re inquiring for a wedding.
Reporters at a Boston television station called 11 venues to get quotes for a wedding reception. When those same venues were called for quotes for a retirement party on the same day, 8 of 11 had a wedding mark-up; one venue raised their quote from $65 to $90 per person.
Vendors will also offer only their most expensive options to those they know are planning a wedding. Ask the reception venue for all of their menu options, and explore cakes that aren’t specifically marketed for wedding events. If a florist notices your diamond engagement ring and starts suggesting that exotic flowers be imported, ask what local, lower cost options they offer.
Choose a restaurant for the reception
When you eat at a restaurant, there is no rental fee or surcharge for your table, chairs, napkins, glasses, silverware, and table décor. The price of the meal includes everything necessary for the dinner, and the same applies when purchasing a meal for 200 people. Plus, there are no transportation and setup fees, and parking is usually free, making your favorite restaurant the perfect place for your budget wedding. In fact, restaurants have focused lately on catering towards special events and making it affordable for the hosts.
Schedule it right
If you are flexible with your dates, avoid the traditional “Wedding Season” when scheduling the event. Vendors sometimes add a surcharge to provide services at weddings held during the months of May, June, and July. Additionally, venues will always charge more for an event held on a Saturday than an event held on a Sunday or a weekday.
Avoid stores that cater to bridal couples
It may not seem romantic to purchase your cake, wedding favors, or flowers at wholesale stores like Costco, but they provide the same services offered for a premium at specialty bridal stores. You can also avoid those premiums by choosing micro-vendors, like artisans and craftspeople, who sell things like bridal accessories and invitations directly to couples. To save on the wedding dress, brides have turned towards less traditional white garments and dresses that can be found at regular retailers and cost in the hundreds, instead of going to boutique bridal dress shops and paying in the thousands.
Shop online
Shopping online gives brides planning a budget wedding access to many more purchasing options than shopping locally. Almost anything needed for a wedding can be found online, from wedding invitations to wedding favors to a bridal dress, often at lower prices than at brick-and-mortar stores. Couples looking to save on the bride’s engagement ring and the couple’s wedding rings can turn to an online diamond retailer like Brilliance, which offer the same quality jewelry as traditional retailers at 30-50% lower prices.
Categories: Brilliance, Education, Engagement, Jewelry
Are you interested in reading Brilliance.com reviews about the service we have provided in the past? Do you have anything great to say about our skilled team of Expert Jewelers and Certified Gemologists? Would you like to share your fantastic experience shopping for custom jewelry and certified loose diamonds on Brilliance.com with your family and friends?
The Brilliance Team is pleased to announce the launch of our newest addition: iVouch Brilliance Reviews!
So what is iVouch?
iVouch is a website that allows you to share recommendations with your real-life friends, the people you know and trust the most. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a babysitter, restaurant, diamond jewelry retailer, or favorite park, iVouch features reviews within every industry and makes it easier for you and your friends to find and share your local favorites.
Okay, but what exactly is a “vouch”?
A Vouch is the utmost endorsement you can make for a business. It is a direct reflection on you, therefore only companies that are valued and trusted are vouched for, such as Brilliance.com.
Brilliance reviews listed on iVouch are easily accessible to our loyal fans and those that are interested in learning more about the unparalleled service and products Brilliance.com has provided in the past.
I want to share a review! How do I get started?
Registering for an iVouch account is simple, completely free, private, and safe – iVouch never sells or shares any contact information that you provide. You have the ability to invite your friends to link to your account to start reviewing and vouching for your favorite businesses across the World Wide Web.
We understand the process of buying a Certified Loose Diamond online can be speculative; therefore, Brilliance.com strives to provide you with as many resources as possible to answer your questions and ease your mind leading up to and during the certified loose diamond and custom engagement ring buying process. Get started today by leaving a review of your own or by reading what our fans have to say in their Brilliance reviews!
Categories: Brilliance, Education
Carlos Defex is the newest member of the Brilliance team, bringing with him a lifetime of knowledge and passion for jewelry. As the head of our custom jewelry department, Carlos will be working tirelesly to bring his own style and experience to Brilliance jewelry. The Brilliance Blog took some time to sit down with Carlos so that you could get to know him better.
Brilliance Blog: How long have you been in the jewelry business?
Carlos Defex: I started in the jewelry business nearly 15 years ago when I received a bachelor’s degree in Metals and Fine Jewelry with specialization in Jewelry Design. The passion that I have for jewelry has taken me to different cities around the world, where I‘ve been exposed to different life styles and customs. I believe that my experiences shows in the caliber of jewelry that I design.
BB: What made you decide to go into jewelry?
CD: What I love about jewelry is the transformation of rare materials that are found deep beneath the earth through millions of years of evolution. To be able to transform those materials and give them an expression related to love and passion. I believe that jewelry is the perfect blend between science, art and nature.
BB: People obviously enjoy jewelry for the beauty and style, and you can tell a lot about a person by the kind of jewelry they are wearing. What can you say about different cultures and their jewelry?
CD: Jewelry has played an important role throughout the history of human kind, and has been a channel to communicate emotions, status, power, and beliefs. We can see it from the first Homo sapiens in Africa, barbarian tribes like the Celts, Mayans in Central America, or the Andean cultures in South America that created beautiful pieces of jewelry. India has probably the longest tradition of jewelry making and trading, dating back as far as the people of the Indus Valley Civilization more than 1,500 BC; also they were the first country that mined diamonds. As we can see, jewelry has been linked with the development of different cultures throughout the history and will be part of more generations to come.
BB: What do you find special about Brilliance, and what do you hope to add?
CD: Our jewelry is versatile, stylish, and at the same time shows a sense of tradition. It is made for the versatile woman that goes to work, takes care of the family, drives her kids to soccer games, and goes to a dinner party or cocktail at night; our jewelry is made to wear at any occasion. I believe that jewelry needs to be fun, enjoyable, accessible, and at the same time rare or unique.
BB: So we’ve heard about your passion for jewelry. Do you have anything to say about diamonds and other precious gems.
CD: I frequently hear from people, “it is only a rock”. And they might be right. But it is not just any rock…it is “The Rock”, whether we are referring to a loose diamond, emerald, ruby, sapphire… these precious gems contain thousands of years of history, culture, and chemical and physical changes occurring deep within the earth. These are rare materials that symbolize a tradition, a special moment for the individual and the collective. Matched with the right jewelry, a precious stone can say who you are without words, a sensual piece of distinctiveness and self expression.
Categories: Brilliance, News
If you’re thinking of buying a piece of diamond jewelry, your head is probably spinning with the variety of options available. Nearly everyone who’s spent any time in a jewelry store has heard of the ‘four C’s’ (carat, cut, color and clarity), but do you know the benefits of buying certified loose diamonds instead of a pre-set piece of jewelry with an ungraded diamond? There are many benefits of buying wholesale loose diamonds online from Brilliance.com instead of in a traditional jewelry store. Some of these benefits include value, selection of certified diamonds, lower prices and being able to easily inspect each stone.
Loose Certified Diamonds Hold Value Longer
Certified loose diamonds hold their value longer than diamonds that are pre-set into jewelry pieces like engagement rings, necklaces, bracelets or earrings. Diamond values do change over time, but certified diamonds are always worth more. If you’re thinking of buying a pre-set piece of jewelry, consider buying the stone separate online and then having a custom setting designed. Since the diamond has been certified by a trained gemologist and then placed into a custom setting, it will hold its value longer than a pre-designed piece with uncertified diamonds.
Availability Of High Quality Loose Diamonds
Shopping online at Brilliance.com for wholesale loose diamonds means you will have access to more than 70,000 different diamonds from which to choose. Even after narrowing the broad selection down to your preferred cut and carat weight, you’ll still have hundreds of diamonds available that meet your needs. The customer service and personal shopping teams at Brilliance.com are specially trained to help you select the perfect stone. They’ll go the extra mile to make sure you’re pleased with your certified diamonds and will even ship them free with UPS overnight delivery so you won’t need to wait long before they arrive.
Now instead of conveniently buying loose diamonds online, imagine you’re walking into your local bricks and mortar retail jewelry store. You ask to see their selection of certified diamonds. The sales representative may have 50 loose diamonds, but only if you’re lucky. Once you narrow your selection down to the ones that meet your preferred cut and carat standards, you may be left with only four of five stones to choose from. Which option would you prefer?
Brilliance.com Offers More Certified Diamonds
Not all loose diamonds are certified diamonds, but Brilliance.com offers a large selection of graded diamonds. If you’re interested in buying certified diamonds, you’ll find some on our site that are graded by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). While the GIA is one of the most famous laboratories that certify diamonds, Brilliance.com also offers certified diamonds by the American Gem Society, Hoge Raad voor Diamant, European Gemological Laboratory and the International Gemological Institute. Regardless of the certifying laboratory, certified diamonds are accompanied by paperwork with all the important information about the diamond. This will include the clarity, cut, color and carat weight.
If you purchase a pre-set piece of jewelry and later want to have the diamond certified, you’ll have to first have it completely removed from the setting, which can be expensive and may even damage the setting. To avoid excess costs and potential damage, it’s preferable to always buy loose diamonds that are certified.
Low Prices On Loose Wholesale Diamonds
Since Brilliance.com is an online jewelry store, it is able to offer its customers amazing discounts on wholesale loose diamonds. Brilliance.com doesn’t have many of the large overhead costs such as display cases, retail space and special lighting so it is able to pass on considerable savings to its customers.
Additionally, the store’s large selection also means it can negotiate substantial discounts from its suppliers. These two factors mean that loose certified diamonds from Brilliance.com can cost less than those from a traditional jewelry store. This makes the choice to buy loose diamonds and then placing them in a custom designed setting an easy one.
Loose Certified Diamonds Are Easier To Inspect Than Pre-Set Stones
If you’re not a professional jewelry grader, it can be difficult to inspect diamonds for visible flaws or inclusions, especially if the diamond is already set into a piece of jewelry. The metal prongs of the setting can get in the way and hide any flaws.
Loose diamonds, on the other hand, can be easily inspected with a special jeweler’s tool called a loupe and then set into a custom piece of jewelry. If the stones aren’t certified diamonds, you should look for flaws under the loupe’s special magnifying glass. If the stones are certified diamonds, you can check them against the grading report that accompanies each of the loose certified diamonds.
If you’re looking to buy beautiful certified diamonds, make Brilliance.com your first stop. You’ll find more than 70,000 wholesale loose diamonds to choose from, thousands more than any local bricks and mortar store. In addition, you’ll be able to save yourself money since Brilliance.com can negotiate wholesale pricing from its suppliers. Once your certified diamonds arrive via free express UPS shipping, you’ll be able to easily inspect them and feel confident that they will be hold their value longer. With all of these benefits, there’s no reason not to buy wholesale loose diamonds from Brilliance.com and design your own custom piece of jewelry.
Categories: Brilliance, Diamonds
Many people approach buying loose diamonds by just walking into their local jewelry store, but there’s actually lot to think about in order to make an informed decision. The people behind Brilliance.com make it their goal to educate customers all about certified loose diamonds and diamond jewelry. Doing this ensures customers are getting the very best certified diamonds available on the market and the highest quality customer service. Because of Brilliance.com’s dedication to quality and customer service, the diamonds they offer are certified by some of the most qualified and well-respected laboratories in the world.
Laboratory Certified Diamonds
What’s the difference between laboratory certified diamonds and uncertified loose diamonds? It’s easy - laboratory certified diamonds have been graded by a trained gemologist. The gemologist will note all the important details about the diamond, including the cut, carat weight, clarity and color. The professional gemologists will be able to discover any flaws, determine the color, weigh the diamond and evaluate how well the cut maximizes the diamond’s brilliance and fire.
Each stone is graded objectively, regardless of who is grading the diamond. Sometimes more than one gemologist grades each stone to ensure accuracy. Since the world of certified diamonds is a small one, some laboratories even hide the name of the diamond’s owner, allowing the gemologist to grade the stone without bias.
What Can You Expect From Brilliance.com’s Certified Diamonds?
You’ll be sure to find quality diamonds if you’re shopping at Brilliance.com. If you’re shopping for certified diamonds, you can easily compare diamonds of similar sizes, cuts and price ranges. This means you can purchase the best quality diamond regardless of how small or large a budget you have available.
Certified diamonds from Brilliance.com are sold with a detailed grading report. If you’re looking for diamonds from other sources, make sure you’ll receive the grading report along with the diamond. A reputable store selling certified loose diamonds should expect to include this information with your purchase. If they can’t provide it, take your diamond shopping elsewhere.
Trust Only The Best Diamond Laboratories
There are many laboratories that grade certified loose diamonds, but Brilliance.com only chooses to use the very best. These laboratories are the International Gemological Institute (IGI), the European Gemological Laboratory (EGL), the Hoge Raad voor Diamant (HRD), the American Gem Society and the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Each laboratory uses different methods, but all are considered top sources of certified loose diamonds.
The AGS grades diamonds on a 0-10 scale, with 10 being the worst and 0 being the best. Two different gemologists grade each stone, and the laboratory is known for having some of the industry’s highest ethical standards.
The HRD, located in Belgium, is well respected in the world of certified loose diamonds. The HRD requires that several gemologists grade each stone and the results must be identical before the stones can be considered certified diamonds. Additionally, the HRD has two more steps to ensure graders are completely unbiased. Firstly, gemologists never know the identity of the diamond’s owner. Also, senior gemologists randomly check the certification paperwork against the stone to make sure the diamonds are being accurately graded.
The EGL is also based in Belgium and is known industry-wide for setting new standards in certified loose diamonds. At one time, loose stones under one carat weight weren’t even considered for grading. Now, many of Brilliance.com’s certified loose diamonds are less than one carat, which shows the influence the EGL has in the diamond world. Recently, the EGL created the SI3 grade, which means a stone has visible inclusions under a 10x magnification.
The IGI ensures accurate grading of loose diamonds by using a team of gemologists to grade each stone and some of the most advanced equipment available. The equipment used by the IGI includes an electronic balance that can accurately measure the diamond’s weight to a ten-thousandth of a carat, 10x magnification loupes and high-powered microscopes. The entire team must agree before a stone can be graded.
The Best Of The Best - GIA Loose Diamonds
The GIA is considered the best of the best in the world of certified loose diamonds. The GIA was founded in 1931 and created the International Diamond Grading System in 1953. The International Diamond Grading System sets uniform criteria that graders use when certifying a diamond. Additionally, each GIA certified diamond is graded by two to five different gemologists to ensure accuracy.
Many different gemologists must agree on a diamond’s certification before it can be given a GIA grading report. The report will give the culet and girdle thickness, the weight, color, clarity, measure, polish, symmetry and even a diagram that tells the buyer exactly where any inclusions are located. The written report should be included when you buy certified diamonds.
Buying certified diamonds, whether loose or pre-set into a piece of jewelry, means you’ll be purchasing a beautiful, quality product that’s sure to provide years of enjoyment for the wearer. After reading up on the different laboratories that offer certified diamonds, you can rest assured that you’re buying diamonds from a reputable source when you shop at Brilliance.com.
Categories: Brilliance, Diamonds, Education
Brilliance has officially joined Twitter and our corporate username is @brilliancecorp.
Join the conversation as we discuss subjects such as diamonds, engagement rings, and fine jewelry. We will also post tweets on special coupon codes, popular blog posts and industry news.
Categories: Brilliance, Diamonds, Jewelry
If you’re planning a wedding, now is a busy and exciting time. It seems like there’s a never ending to do list, including picking the ceremony and reception sites, deciding on a dress, and choosing the wedding bands you want to wear for the rest of your lives. Many couples are choosing diamond wedding rings as a forever symbol of their love and devotion, but choosing diamond rings is a little more complicated than just walking into a jewelry store. Knowing what to look for before shopping for your wedding bands will make it easier to choose beautiful diamond rings. Luckily, Brilliance.com is dedicated to helping couples choose beautiful diamond wedding rings they’ll love to wear.
Choosing Wedding Bands That Match The Bride’s Engagement Ring
Brilliance.com knows that many couples want to match their diamond wedding rings to the bride’s diamond engagement ring. Many couples choose the engagement ring first and then choose diamond rings to match.
Some couples only want to match the bride’s diamond rings. Others still want to match all three pieces, either by using the same metal or by choosing diamond wedding rings for both the bride and groom. For instance, if the bride has a platinum round solitaire engagement ring, the couple can choose platinum diamond wedding rings, plain platinum wedding bands, or choose a platinum band with diamonds for the bride and a plain platinum band for the groom. Couples should choose what they want and not worry about any sort of ‘rules’ regarding diamond wedding rings.
Metal Choices For Diamond Wedding Rings
Many couples who shop at Brilliance.com choose platinum for their wedding bands. Although platinum is one of the most popular metals for diamond wedding rings, it isn’t the only material available for rings. Other popular metals include palladium and 14K or 18K white or yellow gold.
Men typically work more with their hands; so many men’s wedding bands are available in different metals than many women’s diamond rings. Some of these rings are made out of stainless steel and tungsten, both materials that are designed to hold up to harsh wear and still look great. If you or your future husband relies on your hands, it may be a good idea to buy a ring made out of these metals.
Special Fits And Finishes
Once you’ve chosen the metal, it’s time to consider the fit and finish. Our research at Brilliance.com shows that wedding rings are the most often worn piece of jewelry so it needs to be comfortable, especially for men who may not be used to wearing a ring. To make wedding bands easy to wear, Brilliance.com offers Comfort Fit wedding bands. These special bands have rounded inside edges, which makes them comfortable to wear. After just a few weeks, you’ll forget you’re even wearing a ring.
Many wedding bands are available in a variety of finishes, meaning couples can choose wedding bands as individual as their love. Some of the most popular finishes are Florentine, hammered, and satin.
Wedding bands with a Florentine finish are created by scratching intersecting sets of parallel lines into the surface of the metal. These tiny deep scratches create a unique textured surface.
A ring with a hammered finish literally looks like it’s been pounded on with a tiny hammer, which creates a textured and multifaceted finish. Antique hammered finish rings are likely one of a kind and hammered by hand, but now most hammering is done by a machine.
Wedding bands with a satin finish have a semi-glossy surface. The metal is scored with a tiny brush that creates tiny, shallow parallel lines along the surface of the ring. These small scores reduce the metal’s natural shine and give it a finish that’s not quite matte and not quite glossy.
Personalizing Diamond Wedding Rings With A Special Inscription
If you want to have completely personalized wedding rings, consider engraving a special saying on the inside. Some couples choose to engrave their rings with their wedding date and the year or a meaningful phrase. If the phrase you want to use doesn’t fit on one ring, think about splitting it up and engraving the first part on one ring and the rest on the other. If engraving your ring is important to you, make sure to take it to an engraver experienced in jewelry and leave plenty of time to get the rings back. You don’t want to be left without your rings on your wedding day just because they’re not back from the engraver.
In the past, diamond rings used to be reserved for special anniversaries or whenever a couple decided to upgrade their wedding set. These days, however, more and more couples are choosing to buy diamond wedding rings from the beginning instead of planning on replacing their wedding bands later. Planning a wedding and choosing wedding bands are fun and exciting times, so enjoy looking and remember that the personal shoppers from Brilliance.com are standing by if you need any help.
Categories: Brilliance, Engagement, Jewelry
Many couples are now choosing to forego tradition and shop for diamond engagement rings together. Many men admit they’re secretly glad they can shop together and get some help determining which ring style is right for their bride. However, if you want your proposal to be a complete surprise, read on. We’ll go over some of the latest trends in diamond rings to help you choose an engagement ring you’ll both love looking at again and again.
Choosing A Special Style
Diamond rings come in a variety of styles, meaning there’s something to fit everyone’s personal style and taste. Luckily for shoppers, Brilliance.com has some of the most popular styles of diamond rings, including comfort fit solitaires, three diamond rings, halos, and vintage style diamond engagement rings.
The comfort fit solitaire diamond engagement ring is one of Brilliance.com’s most popular styles. These diamond rings have a single diamond set on a wide or thin band. The stone can be cut into a variety of shapes, but the most popular are the round brilliant and princess cut. Other popular diamond shapes include the heart, asscher, pear, cushion, marquise, oval, radiant, or trilliant.
Diamond rings with three stones have gained popularity in the past few years. The three stones are said to represent a relationship’s past, present, and future and are an ideal visual reminder of your love and devotion. These diamond engagement rings can have stones that are all the same size and shape or a large center stone with smaller outer stones. Some styles have stones all cut into the same shape or a princess or round cut center stone and triangle or baguette shaped outside stones.
Halo diamond engagement rings have gained popularity in recent years. These diamond rings have one large center stone surrounded by a set of smaller diamonds. The center stone in these diamond rings can be round, oval, heart shaped, marquise, princess, cushion, pear, or asscher cut. The outer stones can be set in a bevel or prong setting.
Vintage or antique diamond rings are ones that have been worn by someone else. They can be purchased from estate sales, antique jewelry shops, from an antique dealer, or can even be passed down through families. Because some couples are uncomfortable with the thought of using a previously worn ring as an engagement ring, it’s possible to find an antique looking ring that’s actually brand new.
Alternative Metals For Your Diamond Rings
At Brilliance.com, one of the most popular metals for diamond engagement rings is platinum. Platinum is an extremely durable metal and is a good choice for diamond rings because it is tarnish resistant. Platinum is a rarer metal though, which can make it a more expensive choice.
More people are turning to engagement rings made out of palladium and 18K white or yellow gold. Palladium is a relatively new metal on the jewelry market and looks a lot like platinum. The difference is that palladium is typically cheaper and lighter than platinum.
Brilliance.com has a large variety of diamond engagement rings in both 18K white and yellow gold. Both are good choices, but white gold can require a little more regular maintenance and upkeep than yellow gold. This is because white gold isn’t a naturally occurring substance and therefore shows wear a little quicker than yellow gold.
White gold maintenance is easy to do and should not be a deterrent if you love the look of white gold. You’ll need to simply take your jewelry in for redipping every once in a while. Redipping restores the pure, white look of the metal and any reputable jewelry store should be able to perform this service. Some stores will need to send your jewelry out for service, while others may be able to do this while you wait. No matter where you take it, make sure to ask how long you’ll be without your ring so you can leave plenty of time to get it back before your wedding.
Custom Diamond Rings
If you’re having problems choosing from the large selection at Brilliance.com, consider asking one of our personal shoppers to help you with a custom designed diamond ring. The buyer can choose from a variety of center stones and settings. Doing this means you can choose the exact diamond you want for your ring.
Choose A Center Stone First
Brilliance.com has a variety of ready to fill settings and loose center stones to choose from. If you choose a loose stone with a ready to fill setting, you definitely want a certified stone. Certified stones have already gone through a strict grading process and will come with paperwork outlining the stone’s cut, color, clarity, and carat grade. The most common diamond grading certification comes from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) but Brilliance.com also works with the American Gem Society, Hoge Raad voor Diamant, the European Gemological Laboratory, and the International Gemological Institute.
Certified diamonds are also easier to insure because a trained gemologist has already graded it. This means that you likely won’t have to have it appraised before insuring your jewelry - it’s already been done for you.
Diamond engagement rings are a symbol of your love that your bride will wear for the rest of her life and is often one of the first major purchases a couple makes. Before parting with your money, take a little time to research the different options and latest trends in jewelry design. No matter what you’re looking for, Brilliance.com’s personal shoppers can help you find something you’ll love.
Categories: Brilliance, Diamonds, Education, Engagement, Jewelry
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
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