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
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
Here at Brilliance, we want each customer to make an informed decision when choosing a certified diamond so that they will be completely satisfied with their purchase. Although a benefit of purchasing a certified diamond is that a consumer can compare diamonds based on the Four Cs and other factors, it is important to note that the grading standards of the various laboratories vary. This variation results in a discrepancy in the quality of diamonds graded in different laboratories, even when they are graded the same color, clarity, or cut.
Of the five laboratories that certify the loose diamonds we offer at Brilliance, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the European Gemological Laboratory (EGL) are by far the most popular. When deciding which certification to go with, it is important to understand the vital differences between the grading techniques of the two laboratories.
First some history…
The GIA was established in 1931 and is considered worldwide as the leading authority in gemology. Their staff of 1,400 employees includes scientists, certified diamond graders, and educators. They currently have locations in all major diamond cities in the world, including Carlsbad, New York, Moscow, Florence, Antwerp, Tel Aviv, Mumbai, Gaborone, Johannesburg, Beijing, Hong Kong, Seoul, Tokyo, Osaka, Taipei, and Bangkok. GIA is credited with standardizing the grading industry by introducing the Four Cs and other widely used grading techniques. They offer diamond grading and laser inscription services, as well as a wide range of educational services for diamond professionals and consumers.
Founded in Europe in 1974, the EGL International and the EGL USA laboratories employ over 1,100 scientists, diamond graders and educators. Their EGL International locations are found in Antwerp, London, Paris, Mumbai, Johannesburg, Hong Kong, Seoul, and Tel Aviv. Their locations in New York, Los Angeles, Vancouver, and Toronto are considered part of EGL USA. The EGL is known for introducing grading techniques for diamonds weighing less than one carat and for establishing the “SI3” rating for diamond clarity.
Comparing diamonds of the “same” quality
In general, Brilliance suggests choosing a GIA certified diamond over an EGL certified diamond. Loose diamonds GIA certified are graded using strict standards that are consistent among the various GIA locations. Each GIA diamond is carefully evaluated by at least four expert gemologists who are chosen at random to guarantee an unbiased evaluation. The EGL’s grading standards are more lenient and vary among the EGL locations, with EGL USA locations generally grading on a slightly stricter scale than its International counterpart. As a general rule, an EGL certified diamond will compare equally in quality to a GIA certified diamond that is graded two color grades and one clarity grade lower. For example, an EGL diamond graded G in color and VS2 in clarity is comparable to a GIA diamond graded I in color and SI1 in clarity. As a result, GIA certified diamonds are considered more valuable and provide the consumer with more confidence in the product they are purchasing.
However, there is a benefit to choosing an EGL certified diamond. Due to the discrepancy in the grading standards used, an EGL diamond graded the same color and clarity as a GIA diamond will be less expensive. This is seen as an advantage to those who consider the ratings stated on the certificate a priority when choosing their diamond. If you are interested in purchasing an EGL certified diamond and would like to have an expert evaluate it, contact a Brilliance diamond expert at 866-737-0754.
Categories: Brilliance, Diamonds, Education
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