Category: Jewelry

Apparently Zimbabwe’s plan to sell off the conflict diamonds from their Marange diamond fields is simply not going to come through as long as the HRW (Human Rights Watch) has any say in the matter. The HRW specifically instructed the leading diamond jewelry providers in the world to keep their distance from any diamonds from Zimbabwe. Specifically, Arvind Ganesan, Director of the Business & Human Rights Division at HRW, released an official warning regarding a full on embargo of Zimbabwe diamonds due to their many violations of serious human rights conditions. According to Arvind Ganesan, Zimbabwean diamonds are conflict diamonds in every sense of the term, and as such the HRW is requesting that jewelry retailers and jewelry consumers boycott these diamonds until the human rights infringements reach their end. In fact, Arvind Ganesan wrote a letter asking as much from leaders in the diamond jewelry industry, such as Cartier, Tiffany’s, and Zale.

Arvind Ganesan has turned to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme as well as the World Diamond Council in an attempt to expand the current definition of blood diamonds to contain diamonds acquired by governments in conflict and not only diamonds by rebel groups. In his letter, the Director of the Human Rights Watch requested that major diamond jewelry retailers issue public statements regarding refusal to purchase Zimbabwean diamonds. Such acts on the parts of the major players in the diamond retail community will surely have some significant long-term effects on diamond production from the Murowa diamond mine, as well as the River Ranch diamond mine, which are thought to be channels for the sale of diamonds from the Marange fields in Zimbabwe.

In the letter, Arvind Ganesan also appeals to the powerful members of the diamond industry to use their influence on the Kimberley Process to ensure that Zimbabwe is fully suspended from the group up to the point when they actually meet basic human rights standards. As per reports from HRW, such human rights infringements as killing, smuggling, and child labor have been going on until just this October and there are no signs of any considerable changes since then. These diamonds have been smuggled to neighboring countries mixing with diamonds from other nations and basically causing a situation where conflict diamonds are traded worldwide.

Hence, it is up to the jewelry retailers to be responsible enough to make sure that they do not vend such conflict diamonds to their jewelry consumers. As diamond consumers are becoming increasingly knowledgeable about conflict diamonds and requesting certifications as to the origin of their diamonds, it was only a matter of time before Zimbabwean diamonds became too risky to be associated with.

The problem is that generally speaking, jewelry providers can’t just boycott their diamond jewelry items, but then again, nobody wants to be linked to conflict diamonds either. It looks like we’ll just have to wait and see how the major members of the diamond jewelry community intend to comply with the demands of the Human Rights Watch.

Over the last few years there has been a concerted effort by most customers to report their exact experiences with different businesses online in excruciating detail. The intention of most customers is to prevent others from enduring their negative experiences and to encourage people to buy from other places. The jewelry store industry has been hit particularly hard by this trend with jewelry store reviews being overwhelmingly negative. One store that has been affected by this is Samuels Jewelers Reviews.

Samuels Jewelers is one of the oldest jewelry retailers in the United States, having opened its doors as The House of Lucky Wedding Rings in San Francisco in 1891. Over the course of the following century, the company expanded until stores were present in every major city in the United States. Their online operation is a recent addition to their business. And, like all jewelry retailers, they aim to provide an experience online that is nearly identical to that which occurs in their stores, including only selling diamonds which are conflict-free.

One of the things that attracts numerous customers to Samuels is their 30 day return policy and their 180 days exchange policy, in which brand new items in excellent condition can be returned and either a full refund will be given or can be exchanged, depending on how long of a period of time has elapsed. In addition, they have delivery rates. However, if online customer reviews were to be used as the sole judge, Samuels Jewelers should have closed long ago and lost customers to competitors like Zales and Kays.

The vast majority of Samuels online store reviews are rather negative. The greatest criticisms are of their customer service, which apparently has dropped in quality since the original owner tried to return customers money for work they should not have been charged for and instead are quite rude and patronizing towards customers. The other major complaint is that salespeople try making additional sales by degrading their own products and occasionally ignore customers in the store. Smaller issues include diamonds falling out of their settings and some minor fitting issues.

However, all customers give Samuels Jewelers management team rave reviews. According to many customers they often do everything imaginable to please customers, including issuing refunds and reprimanding their employees for bad customer service. In addition, the quality of the jewelry, diamonds and other gemstones are generally high quality.

Of course, there are many kinds of clothing and jewelry. People put them together in many different ways, and have many different styles. Some people like to have mismatched clothes and enjoy strange outfit and jewelry combinations. However, if you are looking for a classic look, the following suggestions can help.

When it comes to clothes and jewelry, generally they should have the same or similar colors. A red shirt can be combined with a red earrings, for instance. Or blue shoes can be combined with a blue necklace. If jewelry is multicolored, one can simply match one of the colors with an article of clothing.

However, it is also good to not wear only one color. If you are wearing a black dress with black heels, consider pairing it with pearls or colorful jewelry so that you do not look too somber. If you are wearing all bright colors, consider either leaving jewelry out altogether or wearing simple silver jewelry.

Otherwise, you can match the clothing with jewelry that is a color that coordinates the outfit. For instance, if you are wearing a black shirt, a pink bracelet can look good. Some colors simply look good together while others clash. For instance, red and purple are generally seen as not going well together, which is a rule that the Red Hat Society rebels against. However, if you are looking to match, you can watch out for clashing colors.

Oftentimes clothing has certain metals which can go with or clash with one’s jewelry. Silver and gold on clothing are pretty common today, and can coordinate with jewelry. To match, wear silver jewelry if you have silver in your clothes, and gold if you have gold.

It is not only clothing that should match jewelry – jewelry should also match with other jewelry. If you wear silver earrings, wear silver bracelets. You can wear pearls with other metals, but avoid anything too flashy. Diamonds can go with just about anything. When it comes to colored jewelry, use jewelry that is the same color or coordinating colors.

Outfit type is also an important consideration when picking out jewelry. Patterned and colorful clothes like sun dresses are good for making someone look bright and vibrant. However, when combined with similar styles of jewelry someone can look too flashy. Instead, clothes like these should be paired with simple silver or gold jewelry, or even no jewelry. Simple clothes like business suits can be combined with more vibrant pieces of jewelry. As a basic rule, basics can be dressed up, while more complicated patterns can be dressed down.

As mentioned earlier, these “rules” are not set in stone. They are simply suggestions for those who are clueless about pairing jewelry with outfits. Wearing mismatched or wacky clothes can be hip, and it can show individuality. But it will probably not be appropriate for a job interview or a formal event. Thus, there are times when it is very good to know what type of jewelry goes with what outfits.

Bike chains are used nowadays for more than forward motivation of bicycle and rider. The latest trend is adapting the special chain design to create mens bracelets. More innovation has led to necklaces and women/ladies bike chain jewelry. The latter uses a smaller width chain (also known as roller width in the bicycle world) for a feminine feel and comfort appeal. But what are the differences between a bike chain bracelet or necklace made specifically for jewelry use, and an actual bike chain? Read on to find out.
For starters, bike chains used for jewelry and bicycles/motorbikes:
A) are typically made with stainless steel
B) consist of a roller (which usually sits on the sprocket of a bike)
C) and inner and outer stainless steel plates.
Though the roller and plates covers most of the parts, thats where the similarities end.

Actual Chains Used in Bikes and Motorcycles

1. A bike chain used for its originally intended purpose may/or may not use bushings inside the rollers.
2. Pins (or rivets) are used to connect the links. Because the chain needs to be sturdy, the pin is designed to hold the roller firmly against the outside of the chain. No side to side play is allowed so that the chain glides perfectly on the sprocket of a bike.
3. No special finishes are applied, and grease is used to keep the chain bending smoothly as intended
4. Due to the rigid design, an actual bike chain is not very comfortable to wear.

Bike Chain Bracelets and Necklaces

1. No bushings are used in the rollers as it is not necessary when a bike chain is adapted for jewelry use.
2. To make bike chain jewelry comfortable and practical for daily wear, a hollow tube and a small pin are used to connect the links. There is a bit of sideways play allowed for the roller via this design which makes the chain more flexible. The result is increased comfort.
3. Extra machine polishing should be applied to the chains if the chain is properly designed and made for jewelry use. To further improve shine, a thin clearcoat may be applied in higher-end designs. Nickel plating is also used at times, so people with nickel allergies be sure to verify before purchasing.
4. No grease is needed or used
5. A fold-over clasp is the best method for a bracelet or necklace as its very secure. A lobster clasp is more brittle but is easier to use when taking on or off your jewelry.

The overall design appears to be the same, but for the many reasons listed here, the typical bike chain design requires a few changes before it can be used as daily jewelry. As with a regular bike or motorbike, changing the links of a bracelet or necklace can be demanding and require unconventional tools. This makes it hard to resize the length of the chain which will usually be necessary for a perfect fit.

A store that sold you your jewelry should not appraise your jewelry.

Quite a few stores offer their customers free appraisals with their purchase. In some cases the person doing the appraisal is really a salesperson and is only transferring the stock information to a general appraisal form. A salesperson can have tendencies of inflating the expense to justify the buyers sale and make them feel good about the purchase.

Even though Heritage Appraisers operates their service inside several retail locations they are not the retail sellers. Any information and values are obtained from independent resources.

Appraisers which have not accomplished an accredited Graduate Gemologist Course.

In contrast to other appraisers, jewelry appraisers are usually not federally or nationally regulated, so any individual who wishes to hang a shingle and open for business can. These are usually people who believe because they have been doing business for some period of time, they possess the knowledge to offer credible appraisals

Heritage Appraisers are all members of The National Association of Jewelry Appraisers. To be a member each appraiser must provide proof of their Graduate Gemologist degree from an accredited gemology program and three appraisals to be reviewed before becoming a member.

Avoid appraisers that charge by the measurement of your diamond

Some appraisers will tell you the size of the diamond being appraised justifies a higher fee. A client with a 2.00 carat diamond is likely to pay more than a customer with a smaller diamond.

There is no additional task required to perform the appraisal on the bigger diamond. Heritage Appraisers charges one fee regardless of the sizing of your diamond. There is no more effort involved to assess a 1.00 ct diamond than a 3.00 ct. diamond. Appraisers that charge by size are basing their prices on how much they feel you paid for the item and not the actual work required.

Steer clear of appraisers that inflate the cost of your jewelry

Ask your appraiser how he reaches the values he attaches to your appraisal.

Heritage Appraisers uses current trade information along with multiple years of experience in sales, manufacturing and repair to determine the value. Values for gemstones and diamonds are obtained from regular monthly and quarterly price lists.

Antique jewelry entails more analysis, where recent auction or hammer price could be used to help establish the value. If your appraiser is not using these methods he won’t be able to present you with an correct appraisal.