BBC News: An Australian mining company says it has found a 12.76-carat pink diamond, the largest rough pink diamond found in the country

This fantastic gem find was discovered in Australia’s East Kimberly region – an area with the world’s largest concentration of rare pink diamonds. The stone, named the “Argyle Pink Jubilee,” is set for a world tour before going up at auction later this year.

The largest pink diamond ever found is the Darya-ye Noor, a treasure of the Mughal kingdom of India. This stone originally weighed 242 carats.

Pink diamonds are believed to get their color from extreme pressures that distort the lattice structure of their molecules during formation.

While they are one of the rarest fancy color diamonds, they have enjoyed a surge in popularity since Jennifer Lopez made the news with her 6 1/2 carat heart-shaped pink diamond engagement ring in 2002.

Image: Since1910.com: Engagement Ring Blog

What’s the difference between gold alloys?

It’s the combination of minerals in the gold mixture that gives different kinds of gold jewelry their unique color. Goldsmiths and jewelers have specialized recipes for blending metals to perfection of hue and texture.

Image: AllAboutGemstones.com

• White gold is made when gold is combined with nickel or silver, and sometimes platinum or palladium.

  In many countries, nickel alloys are not used because of a common allergic reaction some people have when their skin is exposed to nickel. If you’ve ever had a rash from wearing gold, you’re not alone: about 1 in 8 people who wear nickel alloy will develop contact dermatitis. For this reason, platinum alloy – though more expensive – is usually preferred.

• Rose gold gets its color from high levels of copper that give it a pink blush. The more copper, the stronger the reddish color.

• Mixing silver or zinc with gold gives it a creamier color, or in some cases greener.

• Popular “Black Hills” gold – a South Dakota specialty – is composed of several of these alloys to achieve its distinctive multi-tone appearance.

If you’ve ever had a piece of jewelry turn your skin green, it’s because of the copper content. Acids in silver alloys oxidize on contact with the skin and can leave a dark stain.

These reactions, unlike a nickel allergy, are quite harmless and may be more or less noticeable depending on your body chemistry. They are more common with lower grade metal alloys. To reduce their effect, avoid using lotions and soaps with your jewelry on. Keep your jewelry clean and your skin dry.

Image: About.com: Why Do Rings Turn Your Finger Green?

• There are some kinds of gold alloy classified as blue or purple. These are often formed with rarer minerals and are extremely brittle.

• Black gold is not an alloy, but the result of electroplating or synthetic oxidation with certain minerals on the gold’s surface.

About.com: Composition of Gold Alloys

1. CUT

   Cut describes the properties and angles of a diamond. Many people confuse cut with the shape of a diamond. Although nature determines the other three characteristics, it takes a master diamond cutter to reveal a diamond’s true beauty. Diamonds are available in various shapes including round, square, pear, heart, marquise, oval and emerald shaped, but cut refers to the angles and proportions of a diamond.

   

   A well cut diamond reflects light from one mirror-like facet to another and projects the light through the top of the diamond. The result is a fiery and brilliant display. Diamonds that are cut too deep or too shallow leak light through the side or bottom, resulting in a lackluster appearance and diminish value.

2. COLOR

   Colorless diamonds remain the most popular, even though diamonds are found in a kaleidoscope of colors. Diamonds are graded on a color scale implemented by the Gemological Institue of America (GIA), which ranges from D (colorless) to Z. Color differences can be so subtle that diamond colors are graded under controlled lighting conditions and are compared to a master set for accuracy. While truly colorless diamonds, graded “D,” are treasured for their rarity, diamond color is ultimately a very personal taste. Ask us to show you an array of color grades next to each other to help you determine your color preference.

   

3. CLARITY

   Nature ensures that each diamond is as individual as the person who wears it. Naturally occurring characteristics such as minerals or inclusions are identifying items created while diamonds are formed in the earth. Jewelers use magnification to view diamonds at 10X their actual size so these tiny inclusions are more easily seen.

   

   Inclusions are measured on a scale of perfection, known as clarity, which was established by the GIA. The greater a diamond’s clarity, the more rare and valuable it is. A diamond with an inclusion in the middle or top could impact the dispersion of light, making the diamond less brilliant.

4. CARAT Weight

   Carat is a diamond’s measure of weight, not size. One full carat is equal to 100 points. A ¾ carat diamond is the same as 75 points and so on. Since larger diamonds are found less frequently in nature, a 1 carat diamond will cost more than two times a ½ carat (assuming all other characteristics remain constant). The cut and the mounting can make a diamond appear larger than its actual weight. We can assist you in finding the right diamond and mounting to optimize its beauty.

When making your diamond purchase, let the staff at Faye’s Diamond Mine put your mind at ease. We give you the confidence, trust and expertise you need when making your diamond dream come true.

Stop by our showroom or search our online inventory of world-class diamonds.

The wife of former US ambassador and billionaire Roland Arnall assumed her jewelry travel kit worth nearly $10 million was gone forever after realizing she had lost it during a stay in the Netherlands. She filed with her insurance company when she returned to the US. Now, six years later, they have resurfaced after a Dutch hotel employee turned them in to the police upon discovering they weren’t costume jewelry.

Apparently, Mrs. Arnall had left them at a hotel during her stay, and forgot them there. The cleaning woman who found them brought them to the front desk, but when no one turned up to the lost and found to claim their “costume jewelry,” investigators said she could take them home. They lay forgotten all this time until she decided to see if they were worth anything – when to her shock when she was informed that the gems were real!

The jewels have been given to police custody and are now back in the US. No word on what the insurance company will say (or whether the Dutch woman will claim a reward).

The moral of this story: Travel light – even if you’re an ambassador’s wife.

The record for the most expensive piece of jewelry designed for a movie was Nicole Kidman’s million-dollar diamond and platinum necklace, “Satine,” created by Stefano Canturi for the film Moulin Rouge. It contains over 134 carats of diamonds.

Image: Forbes Magazine “Diamonds are More than a Girl’s Best Friend“

Film legend Marlene Dietrich was a famous connoisseur of fine jewelry who often wore her own pieces during filming. Some credit her with introducing bling to the silver screen. Once, she accidentally lost an 37.4 carat emerald ring while cooking, only to find it baked inside a cake!

Image: ACertainCinema.com

According to custom, actresses have been wearing borrowed jewelry at the Academy Awards ever since Jennifer Jones wore designer Harry Winston’s diamonds at the 1944 ceremony, where she accepted Best Actress for her role in The Song of Bernadette.

Image: The Academy: 1944 Nominees and Winners

In the blockbuster trilogy The Lord of the Rings, the model for the “One Ring” was the wedding ring of co-producer Rick Porras.

Elizabeth Taylor’s famous love affair with the world’s finest jewels was not without moments of angst. She once lost her priceless Spanish pearl “La Peregrina” until it was eventually discovered in her dog’s mouth!

(See more on Liz Taylor’s jewelry collection here.)

It’s happened to us all: You’re rushing to get ready, pulling a sweater over your head, when you break your favorite necklace. You’re too busy to rush to a jeweler, so your necklace ends up gathering dust until you get around to fixing it.

It’s the same story with that brooch with the loose stone setting, or that silver ring that’s become nearly black with tarnish. But there are some quick and easy ways to fix jewelry, restore it to its natural finish, or mend it temporarily.

This is a great article from eHow with some hints on jump-starting your well-loved jewelry – and some advice on when to see a pro.

A Jeweler’s Guide to Quick Fixes: What to Do when Your Baubles Fail You by Antonia Blyth

Faye’s Bridal Center has an outstanding collection of engagement & bridal jewelry, gifts, and a Bridal Registry. Our knowledgeable staff would be happy to help you make a perfect choice to fit your style & budget.

Don’t forget that if you buy your wedding jewelry at Faye’s, you could be eligible for a full refund if it rains on your big day! Visit our website for details on how to enter: Rain on Your Wedding Sweepstakes

Here are a few of our favorite suggestions for an unforgettably creative (and romantic) proposal. (Read more ideas on our website…)

• Special Occasion

  Have a Valentine’s Day cake made at the bakery, with “Will You Marry Me, [Name]” written across the top. Put the ring in the center where she’ll see it. Then deliver it personally and surprise her with the sweetest dessert of a lifetime!

• In The News

  Place an ad in her favorite magazine or newspaper with your photos next to it, so she is sure to notice. Imagine her surprise when she is reading and sees her face in her favorite magazine.

• Fishing For Fiance

  Take her fishing, but just before you arrive have a friend drop a few lines in the water. Have your friend bait one of the hooks with the ring (in a plastic bag or other secure enclosure). After fishing for a while, suggest that she check the lines that were already in the water. Be ready to propose when she reels in the ring.

• Treasure Hunt

  Send her on a treasure hunt. Give her clues that take her to places of sentimental value to you both. Finish the hunt with a ring, roses, candlelight dinner and you.



• Your Good Fortune

  Steam a fortune cookie until it is soft enough to open. Place the diamond ring inside with a note/fortune telling her you’ll love her forever.

• “On Air” Proposal

  Call her favorite local radio station and propose to her on air.

• Billboard

  Rent a billboard with your pictures and your proposal located along her normal commute route.

• At The Movies

  Buy a theater advertisement or arrange for a local movie theater to play a video tape of you before the feature. In it, tell her how much she means to you and ask if she’ll marry you. Be ready to drop to your knee (amid the popcorn and theater candy) and present the engagement ring.

More:

The Knot: Top 10 Proposal Ideas for Valentine’s Day

Love To Know: Valentine’s Day Proposals

With purple being the color of kings, it has long symbolized nobility and divine power. Cleopatra wore a signet ring made from amethyst, and it was also the favorite gem of Catherine the Great.

Amethysts are actually a kind of quartz and come in many shades of purple. Important sources include Brazil, Russia, and the United States.

Their delicate color is unique – classy and feminine – and it’s a perfect match with sterling silver or platinum. Because it can fade over time, it is important to protect your amethyst jewelry from extreme heat and high moisture. You can buff your amethyst jewelry with a soft cloth periodically or have a jeweler use an ultrasonic treatment.

One final tip: Chlorine can do serious damage to an amethyst – so make sure to take it off and put it in a safe place when you go swimming.

Jewelry Information Center: Amethysts

Jewelry Adviser: Special Features of Amethyst Jewelry

EarthSky.org: Amethyst Birthstone

This weekend, National Geographic Explorer just aired a brand-new documentary about the gigantic Bahia Emerald. Watch online video about this amazing gem, view a photo gallery and some fast facts about emeralds.

Trivia:

• The “Bahia Emerald” was unearthed in 2001 in Brazil. It weighs 840 pounds and contains roughly 180,000 carats of emerald crystals, making it one of the largest emerald specimens ever found.
• In 2005, the Bahia Emerald was stored in an underground vault in New Orleans so that a prospective buyer could view it. After Hurricane Katrina hit the city, the emerald spent months underwater.
• The Bahia has been appraised at $392 million. If at all accurate, this number represents its value as a unique specimen, and not a market valuation of its emerald crystals, which are not of a high grade.
• Legal possession of the Bahia has changed hands several times. In one such instance, it was used as collateral for a cache of diamonds that failed to materialize. The owner of the diamonds claimed that he had been kidnapped by the Brazilian mafia, held hostage in an RV, and driven around Nevada for two weeks.
• The finest emeralds are worth much more than diamonds; this is due primarily to their relative rarity.

#5: Kim Kardashian

Image: Bridal Guide: Celebrity-Inspired Engagement Rings

This show-stopping 20+ carat emerald-cut diamond ring was designed for fiance Kris Humphries by Lorraine Schwartz. We wonder, does Kim get to keep the ring?

#4: Britney Spears

Image: Celebrity Bride Guide

An old-fashioned round cut diamond with a pave band, custom-made for Spears’s former agent Jason Trawick.

#3: Natalie Portman

Image: PEOPLE Style Watch: Natalie Portman

This interesting ring blends right in with Portman’s classy, intelligent style. The antique center stone is set in a recycled platinum setting, with conflict-free accent diamonds.

#2: Molly Sims

Image: Your Engagement 101 Blog: Molly Sims

The brilliant vintage look of pave stones is definitely one of jewelry’s hottest trends. Jewelry connoisseur Sims is thrilled with her 6-carat cushion cut prize, from producer Scott Stuber.

#1: Catherine Middleton

Image: Brides.com: Kate Middleton’s Engagement Ring

Kate’s gorgeous heirloom sapphire ring from Princess Diana’s collection will doubtless be one of the most-copied engagement rings of all time. A real 18-carat sapphire is out of reach for most of us – but blue stones are in high style and a stunning choice for engagement jewelry.

Come in to Faye’s and see our outstanding engagement and bridal selection!