by: Robert Joseph
High quality man made diamonds are a bargain at about $80 per carat, and they do not increase in price exponentially as carat weight increases.
For example, a one-carat synthetic diamond costs about $80; a three-carat man made diamond would then sell for $240.
A one-carat mined diamond that sells for $3000 would go for $45,000 in a three-carat size, all things being equal, which with mined diamonds is never the case.
Perplexing comparative evaluations, exponential price growth, consumer confusion, and the reality of diamond industry antics is why the mined diamond business is awash in dirty tricks.
Here are descriptions of the most sneaky and pervasive mined diamond scams:
THE BLUE-WHITE SCAM:
A jeweler tells you, "This is a blue-white diamond."
This is a very old term.
The dealer will probably tell you that it is a better diamond, but actually it is just the opposite. Blue-white refers to the fluorescence that results in natural light, which contains ultraviolet wavelengths. This blue fluorescence actually makes a colorless diamond look a little oily or milky in sunlight and decreases its value.
THE LIGHT MAKES WHITE SCAM:
Bright lights make every mined diamond look better.
Of course, every jeweler wants to show his or her diamonds in the best light, but there are some lighting tricks you should avoid. Some bulbs have a strong blue component, which makes yellow stones look whiter. Special bulbs are often used with strong ultraviolet wavelengths, which make most diamonds fluoresce blue. This also has a whitening effect for stones in the lower color ranges.
THE GRADE BUMPING SCAM: A jeweler exaggerates the grade.
The FTC says that a jeweler must be accurate within one grade of color and one grade of clarity on a diamond. So many jewelers bump the color and clarity just one grade. Unfortunately, this can mean a great deal of money if you are talking about a fine-quality, 1-carat diamond. For instance, you might find a stone that the jeweler quotes as a 1.00 carat F color / VS1 clarity for $6,500. However, if you sent it to a reputable gem lab like GIA, it would come back as a G color / VS2 clarity, which is only worth about $5,500. This means you lose (and they profit) about $1,000.
THE FRACTION SCAM: The tag says 3/4 carat, and the FTC allows jewelers to round off diamond weights. So a diamond labeled as 3/4 carat in weight might actually weigh anywhere between .69 and .81 carat. This could mean a significant amount of money, since diamond prices leap at certain popular sizes. In this example, you might be buying a .69 carat round G/VS2 worth about $2,100... but paying for what you thought was a 0.75 carat worth $3,000. You lose $900.
THE LASER DRILLING SCAM:
Dealers drill holes to burn out black carbon spots.
About 1 in 3 diamonds in the United States is laser drilled.
Dealers use lasers to drill a tiny hole into the depths of a diamond to burn and evaporate large black inclusions to make them disappear. The trouble with this little trick is that laser drilling can make the diamond a little more fragile to breaking with a good knock. Most dealers trade laser-drilled stones for much less.
THE HIDING THE FLAWS SCAM:
Every jeweler hides flaws under the prongs if he can.
In many cases, this can make an I1 clarity appear like a VS2 if you look at it in a ring setting. Structural flaws like feathers and cleavages can be damaged by the high pressure exerted by the prong on the diamond to hold it snug in the ring.
THE FRACTURE FILLING SCAM: New treatments to make flaws invisible.
There is a new process patented a few years ago that melts a kind of crystal into surface-breaking fractures in a diamond. This technique will slide by consumers unnoticed.
The treatment is considered slightly fragile because it can be damaging under the extreme heat of a torch when the diamond is set into a ring. Fracture-filled diamonds should trade for much less than diamonds without this treatment, but in reality they often sell for as much or more because they look like a higher, more expensive clarity grade.
THE CHEMICAL COLOR COATINGS SCAM:
A little paint goes a long way.
This very deceptive practice involves a little point of blue or purple paint on the lowest tip of the diamond, called the culet. This is small enough that you might not detect it, but the location spreads the color throughout the stone. This counters the yellow tint in lower color grades, making a diamond look like a more expensive, colorless grade.
Man made diamonds or synthetic diamonds are manufactured in a laboratory under controlled conditions.
If anything about synthetic diamonds is called into question it is that they are too perfect.
And since all mined diamonds have inclusions, flaws, and birthmarks, under magnification a trained jeweler can tell the difference.
Considering that man made diamonds cannot be distinguished with the naked eye, lab-created diamonds have aesthetic beauty matching?often besting?mined diamonds, and huge savings are realized, jewelry lovers must regard synthetic diamonds as an intelligent option.
Plus, there is no insurance to buy after purchasing man made diamond jewelry and the thousands of dollars in savings can be banked!
About The Author
Robert Joseph is an expert jeweler and founding partner of http://www.diamondnexuslabs.com a renowned online jewelry store that specializes in pristine affordable diamond simulants set in Solid 14K Gold. Permission to reprint this article is granted if the article is reproduced in its entirety, without editing, including the bio information. Please include a hyperlink to http://www.diamondnexuslabs.com. To receive a FREE comparison chart on how Diamond Nexus Labs lab-created diamonds stack up against mined diamonds and register for a FREE no-obligation $50 Gift Certificate giveaway send freechart@diamondnexuslabs.com and just type Free Chart followed by your first name in the subject line.
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How to Forecast and Budget Your Paid Search
How to Forecast and Budget Your Paid Search
by: Kevin Gold
I?d admit, for marketer, this headline is mundane.
Couldn?t I have come up with a more motivating one?
No and here?s why...forecasting and budgeting is essential and there is no reason to candy-coat the absolute importance of it for starting or maintaining a paid search campaign.
I contend that one of the most common questions asked of us from new clients is, ?What do you estimate our paid search budget will be??
As a business owner it?s crucial to know because it directly affects your financials and influences your bottom line.
Likewise, as a service provider it is essential because it guides the performance metrics used to manage a profitable paid search campaign.
Because is so important, let?s talk about how it?s done.
First, estimating a budget for a paid search campaign is not a perfect science.
There are number of universal...
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Why You Need To Buy and Sell Gold Coins (Part 4)
Why You Need To Buy and Sell Gold Coins (Part 4)
by: Steve Renner
Top Investment Performance
Throughout history, many coin collections have produced substantial long-term profits for their owners. This is particularly true for coin collectors of this century. Indeed, Harold Bareford reportedly purchased a collection of U.S. gold coins for $13,832 in the early 1950s which was resold at auction in 1978 for $1.2 million. A more substantial collector, Louis Eliasberg, built a collection that cost about $300,000. In 1982, it brought $12.4 million at auction.
This investment performance has been well documented by sources as diverse as The Wall Street Journal, Consumer Reports and a host of industry periodicals and guidesheets. What these reports have shown is that carefully selected portfolios of rare coins have had a high rate of long-term appreciation.
Of course, past performance is no guarantee of future results and investments in...
Why You Need To Buy and Sell Gold Coins (Part 4)
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Finding A Pot Of Gold In Article Writing
Finding A Pot Of Gold In Article Writing
by: Katie Smith
If you have a website, then you have probably been bombarded by people telling you that writing articles is the key to successful marketing. However, unless you are a professional writer, article writing probably seems as unachievable as obtaining that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
Well, you may not be able to find the end of the rainbow, but you can achieve the task of writing an article. Just follow these simple tips, and you will be well on your way to success!
First, choose a topic and stick with it. Whether you decide to write on marketing, business tips, or fashion advice, make sure that you know your topic well. Research your subject often so you are up-to-date on the most recent advice being given. After all, you do not want to appear unprofessional by being out of the loop!
Second, make a list. Many successful articles are Top 10, 5, 3 lists. Others, such...
Finding A Pot Of Gold In Article Writing
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How To Buy Jewelry
How To Buy Jewelry
by: Jeff Lakie
It's hard to find a woman who doesn't love jewelry of some sort. Jewelry helps to create an image, a personal style, and the type of jewelry a woman wears says a lot about her personal taste. Some women prefer classic jewelry, gems, traditional styles. Others prefer more contemporary jewelry styles, perhaps ethnically influenced or created by a modern designer. Whatever she chooses, a woman knows that the jewelry she wears will accentuate her look and turn heads.
When buying jewelry, some of the terms used by the dealer can be confusing. Don't let this deter you from your purchase. A simple lesson can help you read through the jargon.
Are you shopping for a ring? These jewelry settings are common when it comes to diamonds or other gemstones:
1. Baguette: rectangular-shaped
2. Barion cut: traditional step-cut
3. Bezel: the jewelry's rim holds and completely surrounds the stone
4....
How To Buy Jewelry
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Buying Jewelry For Your Business Part 2 Buying Sterling Silver Jewelry
Buying Jewelry For Your Business Part 2 Buying Sterling Silver Jewelry
by: Sam Serio
Whether you presently own a retail or web based business and are looking for an additional profit center or you are thinking of starting a business, jewelry is a ?no-brainer? choice for a proven product category. The buying public, (particularly women) never tires of jewelry as the choices in color, materials, finishes and styles are endless and innovations are continual. Every generation reinvents jewelry for itself in much the same way that it reinvents music and fashion. Styles change but the basic facts remain the same. If you are a seasoned professional, please consider the following a refresher course. To the new comer, use this information as a foundation for your ongoing jewelry education.
The Facts About Sterling Silver Jewelry
Sterling silver jewelry is enjoying an unprecedented popularity with today?s fashion conscious public. You know how beautiful...
Buying Jewelry For Your Business Part 2 Buying Sterling Silver Jewelry
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Hemoglobin Around The Globe
Hemoglobin Around The Globe
by: Tyler Brooker
Commonly abbreviated as Hb, Hemoglobin, or Heamoglobin, is the iron containing oxygen in our red blood cells which transport metalloproteins. All mammals on earth have hemoglobin, as it is a necessary function in the blood. It contains globin, apoprotien, and four heme groups (organic molecules with one atom of iron attached to each).The gene for the hemoglobin protien can sometimes mutate. This occurence results in one or more of many diseases, but most commonly turns into Thalassemia or Sickle-cell disease.
Heme groups are located in each sub-unit of a hemoglobin molecule. A heme group consists of a single iron atom, held in a heterocyclic ring, commonly known as a "porphyrin". Oxygen binding takes place in this iron atom. The one iron atom binds itself equally to all four nitrogens in the center of the heterocyclic ring, which lies on one plane. In addition, two bonds perpendicular to the plane...
Hemoglobin Around The Globe
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New Year?s Eve 2005 in Montreal ? VIP Special Tour Packages
New Year?s Eve 2005 in Montreal ? VIP Special Tour Packages
by: Oren Born
Montreal VIP announces its 5th annual exclusive New Year?s Eve 2005 Tour packages. Ring in the new years in style by experiencing the best of Montreal?s nightlife at Montreal?s top venues and best parties while avoiding inflated hotel rates and long lines with Montreal VIP?s tour packages.
Montreal is quickly becoming one of the best places to ring in the New Year with partygoers due to its excellent nightlife reputation. This popularity has placed a premium on New Years with inflated hotel rates and increasing exclusivity to the best parties in town.
While the inflated crowds and prices could make Montreal in December as appealing as its weather, it does not have to be if you are a VIP. Montreal VIP is now offering its 5th annual New Year?s Eve VIP packages.
Montreal VIP keeps its prices low while making sure every one of our guests is treated as a...
New Year?s Eve 2005 in Montreal ? VIP Special Tour Packages
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Man Made Diamonds ? Save Big Money And Avoid Mined Diamond Scams Gold ring
Finding Capital
Finding Capital
by: Matt Bacak
Starting a business requires funding in the form of start-up capital and initial operating costs. Although personal savings and loans may be adequate to start a small business along with a great idea, some businesses require a lot more capital that can be borne by savings alone. Of course, with greater capital required comes a higher risk level as more sales and revenue would need to be generated by the business in order to support...
Man Made Diamonds ? Save Big Money And Avoid Mined Diamond Scams Gold ring
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Man Made Diamonds ? Save Big Money And Avoid Mined Diamond Scams weight loss Gold ring
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