Gemesis unveils fancy color cultured diamond collection

According to an article on cultured diamonds on Diamond Intelligence Briefs, cultured diamond producer Gemesis Corporation unveiled a collection of fancy color diamond jewelry worth more than US$2 million in Beverly Hills. The “Valentine Fancies Collection,” which was introduced at antique jeweler Frances Klein Classic Jewels, included collections of jewelry from Gemesis partners Diamande, Pintura, Renaissance, Savannah, Sienna Gems, Solaura and Taryn Rose.

A 64-carat fancy yellow cultured diamond necklace was among the earrings, bracelets, and vintage-looking pieces on display. Celebrities and celebrity stylists were among the crowd that attended the champagne reception.

Cool Eco-Friendly Website

As you might know, Gemesis supports Earthshare. And speaking of eco-friendly causes and organizations, we found a cool website called treehugger.com, which is a kind of one-stop-shop for green news, information, culture trends, solutions, and product info. Lots of fun articles, like America's 50 Greenest Cities, Top 100 Eco Moments of All Time, Milk Jugs Recycled into Green Toys, and more. Maybe you’d like to pick up a new pair of Nikes made from manufacturing waste?

Know the 4 c's of diamonds before you buy

There’s a useful diamond buying guide on About.com. Here’s a digest of it:

Anyone shopping for a diamond engagement ring should first acquaint themselves with "the four Cs" - color, cut, clarity, and carat. Some also include the fifth c, cost.

Color: With the exception of "fancy colored diamonds", the more colorless a diamond is, the more valuable it is. Jewelers grade diamonds on a scale from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow). Anything more yellow than D is considered fancy and is much more expensive.

Cut: Many people make the mistake of thinking that cut means the shape of the diamond. Rather, it means the way the diamond was faceted to allow light to reflect from it. In a well cut diamond, light enters the diamond and reflects straight back to the viewer's eye. Some cutters will sacrifice cut to create the largest possible diamond, thus making too shallow or too deep of a cut and causing light to "leak" out the sides and bottom of the diamond.

Cut can be something very difficult for a layperson to evaluate, which is why it is important to get an AGS Certificate or a GIA Certificate verifying the quality of your diamond. Cut is graded Ideal, Premium, Very Good, Good, Fair, and Poor. Generally you should seek an Ideal to Very Good Diamond. Budget-conscious shoppers may opt for good.

Clarity: Diamonds frequently have inclusions, or small flaws, air bubbles, scratches, or other minerals inside the diamond. The less inclusions a diamond has, the more valuable it is, and the more beautiful it is. Stones that are VVS2 to F are very rare and thus very expensive. Most couples will opt for something between SI2 and VS1, and will never know the difference.

Carat: This refers to the size of the stone. While some value carat above all, others prefer a small ring regardless of budget. If you're buying a ring as a surprise for someone, consider how flashy their other jewelry is. If they're not someone who wears a lot of designer labels or big jewelry, perhaps you'll want to opt for a smaller stone.

Visit renaissancediamonds.com and discover the affordable luxury of environmentally friendly, cultured diamonds in beautifully handcrafted settings for rings, earrings, necklaces and pendants.

Cultured Diamonds Save You Money

Not that you didn’t know this already, but this article details just how cultured diamonds save you money


Jewelry is always a big seller for Valentine's Day, but for many "diamonds" are not in the budget.

Now there is a new 'type' of colored diamond not found in a mine but grown in a lab.

It's got all the brilliance of a 'natural' stone, but costs a whole lot less!If diamonds are a girl's best friend, a discounted diamond could earn them a spot in the family.

So, for those looking for a fancy colored diamond, cultured diamonds may get you more bang for your bling."

A cultured diamond has the same characteristics as a natural diamond. Same hardness, same refractive index, same brilliance."

But cost about two-thirds less. Why?

Gary Kleinhenz, who is the president of Kleinhenz Jewelers in Westlake says, these diamonds don't come from the ground. They are grown in a lab.

"It's created under the same conditions that diamonds are underneath the ground."

The Gemesis cultured diamond making laboratory in Sarasota, Florida are where the diamonds are made. The process starts with a tiny diamond seed that is placed in a growth chamber. The chamber is capable of generating the 850,000 pounds per square inch of pressure and 2,700 degrees of heat necessary to make one diamond every four days.

"It is just crystals that grow upon crystals to create a larger piece of rough. The rough diamond is sent to the cutter to be polished into what you see in finished jewelry." When you put a cultured diamond on a diamond tester- it registers as a diamond. And when we held it under a blue light, you could see the the seed the diamond grew from, right in the center."

The nucleus of a Gemesis diamond is a piece of diamond.

Right now you can only get them in yellow and orange. Other colors will be available soon. Industry leaders don't expect them to replace the white diamonds everybody loves.

"I think most people want the whitest diamond they can find and fancy colored diamonds are almost for a right handed ring or a cocktail ring, moreso than the engagement ring."

The Gemesis diamonds are certified by the Gemological Institute of America. The key here is to know when you are buying one. Make sure you are dealing with a knowledgeable jeweler who offers full-disclosure about where the diamond came from.

How To Buy A Valentine's Day Diamond

Here’s a guide on how to buy a diamond for Valentine’s Day from the Independent Jewelers Organization:

Valentine's Day is a day of giving to those we love. For many, it's a day for proposals: Valentine's Day is one of the most popular days of the year for "popping the question."

Valentine's Day is a day of giving to those we love. For many, it's a day for proposals: Valentine's Day is one of the most popular days of the year for "popping the question." And what better way to propose than with a beautiful diamond solitaire engagement ring?

With so many new diamond cuts and brands to choose from, however, those in the market for an engagement diamond might find themselves reeling. The Internet is filled with information about the best ways to make a diamond purchase, and that's the first place many start. But can an online source be better than a trusted local jeweler when it comes to making the final purchase? What are the distinct differences between a so-so diamond and one that's truly out-of-this-world? What constitutes a fair deal? And of course, how do you select a jeweler you can trust and buy from with confidence?

Buying a diamond on-line may appear to be painless. But when it's time to make the purchase, it can be difficult to buy a diamond that's never been seen from to an unknown source. "The one-on-one relationship between an experienced retail jeweler and his or her customer is the one that usually matters most when the purchase of an important diamond is made," says Richard Swetz, chairman of the Independent Jewelers Organization, a consortium and buying group of retail jewelers whose membership reaches across the United States.

Here are some tips from the IJO on finding a jeweler and buying a diamond--on Valentine's Day or any day--that should help navigate this sometimes difficult terrain:

Familiarize yourself with the basics: The four-Cs--cut, color, clarity and carat weight--describe the proportion of a diamond as well as other important physical characteristics which will effect its price. Understanding the basics will help you to understand the diamond's price.

Learn how to read a diamond grading report: All reputable jewelers sell diamonds with grading reports or certificates, which provide a third-party evaluation of a diamond and heavily impact its price. All Forever10 diamonds display 10 hearts and 10 arrows making it the world's most brilliant diamond. The Forever10 is available exclusively from IJO Master Jewelers and comes with grading reports from either the Gemological Institute of America or the American Gem Society Laboratories, two of the leading U.S. diamond gem labs. The grades include measurements of the stone, carat weight, color, clarity, finish, polish, symmetry and fluorescence. Additional comments may also be included as well as the diamond's plot or graphical representation.

Decide what you can spend--and where you want to put your money: A diamond engagement ring is a major investment and buying the best diamond you can afford is always good advice. With the expanding market for designer engagement ring settings, however, you should make an early decision about where your budgeted money will be spent: Would you rather spend more for a better diamond in a simpler setting or opt for a designer setting with a smaller stone?

----------

Visit renaissancediamonds.com and discover the affordable luxury of environmentally friendly, cultured diamonds in beautifully handcrafted settings for rings, earrings, necklaces and pendants.