With Mother’s Day right around the corner we thought an infographic guide to each month’s birthstone would help. This year, beat out your siblings’ gifts (or that cheesy card) and bring your “A-game” with Gemstone jewelry for the mothers in your life.
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Categories: Brilliance, Education, Gems
What do you get when you mix a graphic artist with a Gemologist and a Brilliance.com diamond and jewelry expert? A brand new infographic on how to save money when buying diamonds and jewelry. Check out our latest diamond buying tips infographic (thumbnail version below) and be sure to share with your friends!
When shopping for cushion diamonds online or at your local jeweler two very important factors need to be considered: the length to width ratio (square vs. slightly rectangular vs. rectangular) and the faceting (cushion brilliant versus cushion modified brilliant). While most customers have a preference as to the overall shape that appeals more to them, many buyers do not understand the differences between the faceting of cushion brilliants and cushion modified brilliants.
Originally, cushion cut diamonds were cut using step facets, where the facets are elongated and placed in rows to simulate a mirrored staircase. Marcel Tolkowsky pioneered the modern round brilliant cut diamond by cutting facets perpendicular instead of horizontal (facets that resemble triangles) and found that this produced more brilliance and fire from the stone. These angles were incorporated into the cushion cut to give it more sparkle while keeping the outline of the diamond the same. Thus the cushion brilliant diamond was born.
Cushion brilliant diamonds have very similar faceting arrangements as round brilliant cut diamonds. The facets in the pavilion of a cushion brilliant extend from the center of the diamond out toward the girdle (outer edge), resembling a star. Cushion brilliants contain larger facets and do not have a “crushed ice” look. Rather, they resemble the appearance of round cut diamonds with a pillow like or cushion shape – which makes them so desirable and popular.
Cushion modified brilliants are a variation on the original cushion brilliant shape. This type of cushion cut contains an extra row of facets just below the girdle, where the facets on the pavilion do not actually reach the girdle, resembling a flower shape. Cushion modified brilliants often have exceptional sparkle reminiscent of the “sparkling water” or “crushed ice” appearance of a well-cut radiant shape diamond. Furthermore, because there isn’t a large demand for this particular cut and cutters save more weight when cutting them from a rough diamond crystal, they are less expensive than traditional cushion brilliant cut diamonds.
A third technique was created by diamond cutters to marry the appeal of the cushion brilliant with the brilliance and scintillation of a cushion modified brilliant. Technically still labeled as cushion modified brilliants, we like to call them hybrid cushion brilliants. These diamonds contain four pavilion facets that extend from the center of the diamond out toward the girdle, like the cushion brilliant, but with modified facets in between them. These additional facets provide more sparkle and fire to the diamond while the top of the diamond still features larger faceting like the brilliant round cut. With this cut, diamond cutters are now able to create cushion cut diamonds that retain the carat weight and appearance of a modified cushion with the look of a classic cushion brilliant.
Below you will find a diagram to help you identify cushion brilliants from cushion modified brilliants. If you are currently shopping for cushion diamonds start your online diamonds search now by going to Brilliance.com or contact a Brilliance.com Gemologist by calling 1-866-737-0754 for assistance.
Categories: Brilliance, Diamonds, Education, Engagement Rings, Jewelry
The word ‘brilliance’ brings to mind images of great quality, sophistication, and even magnificence. As a premier online diamond retailer, we have done our best to live up to our name. Known for our top-of-the-line selection of diamond engagement rings and finely-crafted customized jewelry, we always take pride in the quality and sophistication of our products. We have taken this love for true quality to the next level by purchasing over $150,000 worth of casting and production equipment to meet the steadily growing demand for custom diamond jewelry.
Creating exquisite and elegant engagement rings not only requires human expertise, but also state-of-the-art equipment to produce elite quality jewelry. At the heart of our new production equipment is the Indutherm MC100V casting machine. The Indutherm MC100V, which casts in platinum, palladium, gold, silver and stainless steel, is a compact casting machine equipped with a latest generation induction generator that allows optimum performance. The vibration casting technique ensures better form filling, which creates casts with densities that are greater and more consistent, higher elasticity and greatly reduced porosity. This creates durable, expertly finished jewelry. Also, the MC100V is designed to reach temperatures of 2,000 Celsius very quickly, which means the machine can help save energy while operating at a greater capacity.
Efficiency and environment-friendly traits of the MC100V, helps us achieve consistent high quality products and deliver elegant pieces every single time. The MC100V not only speeds up the production process, but also allows us to keep our entire jewelry production in-house, ensuring that all items are made in the USA. As a result, production costs are cut which allows us to sell retail and customized jewelry at more affordable prices. To learn more about our wonderful retail diamond engagement ring selections as well as our customized jewelry service, visit Brilliance.com.
Categories: Custom Jewelry, Education, Engagement Rings
We like to think that we know a thing or two about getting engaged… After all we have helped thousands of couples choose an engagement ring over the years. Our new infographic for the upcoming engagement and wedding season takes into account our many years of experience on getting engaged and what happens next.
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Categories: Education, Engagement, Engagement Rings
Understanding how a diamond is evaluated is the first step in making an informed loose diamond buying decision. With that in mind we created an infographic (visual guide) explaining the 4C’s of diamonds to provide a simple overview for first time (and experienced) buyers. Enjoy!
Categories: Brilliance, Diamonds, Education
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
Thirty nine round cut diamonds are pave set in this white gold diamond engagement ring setting, accenting your choice of center diamond. 3/8 carat total diamond weight.
$1,050
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