Our St. Helena Store Highlights the Romance and Lifestyle of the Area

A couple of years ago, Padis Jewelry opened our fourth showroom in St. Helena, CA, and we have been delighted to be a part of such as vibrant and engaging community.  St. Helena is situated in the center of Napa Valley wine country and is renowned for its boutique wineries, world-class cuisine, luxury lodgings, spas, and galleries.  As home to the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), St. Helena is a leader in food and wine trends not only in the valley but beyond.  In addition the town offers an exclusive shopping experience with an array of unique treasures and specialty items. 

Family-owned Padis Romance is a full-service jewelry, watch and gift store located in the heart of downtown St Helena at 1269 Main Street.  Just like our three San Francisco showrooms, our friendly, non-commissioned staff is very knowledgeable about diamonds and gemstones.  The store is managed by Alexis Padis, who also serves as the Director of Operations for Padis Jewelry and is a GIA Graduate Gemologist and an American Gem Society Registered Jeweler. 

As St. Helena’s exclusive authorized retailer for many of the top luxury brands, our exquisite collections include the most sought-after jewelry designers and watchmakers in the industry. Our welcoming showroom features names like Breitling, Tacori, Forevermark, TAG Heuer, Ritani, Verragio, LeVian and many more.  We also showcase finely crafted, one-of-a-kind pieces, a large collection of engagement and wedding rings, and fashion jewelry.   In addition we do custom designs for our customers.  

Next time you are visiting the Napa Valley area, we invite you to come in to Padis Romance and see our incredible selection of loose diamonds and beautiful jewelry that is all priced at a great value. Our unique gift items include wine-focused goods, sparkling fine crystal, and specialty housewares. 

Padis Jewelry, a family-owned business, has been a trusted source for buying exquisite certified loose diamonds, engagement rings and fine jewelry since 1974.  We are one of the only jewelers in the area that offers such an exclusive selection of top names in the industry as well as such a large inventory.  For the opportunity to view one of San Francisco and the Napa Valley’s most impressive collections, please contact us to schedule at visit.

Tips for Taking Care of Your Diamond

The hardest mineral on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness is a diamond, which has the top rating of 10.  It is four times harder than the next hardest mineral, which is corundum that includes varieties of sapphires and rubies.  A diamond is so hard that it can cut through any rock or metal and it requires a diamond to cut another diamond. 

If you are lucky enough to own a diamond, you may have noticed it has lost some of its original sparkle and fire.  Did you know that even the smallest amount of oil from your fingertips can adhere to the surface of a diamond and cause dirt and grime to collect?  This is why we recommend that you handle your diamond as little as possible, and as we tell our Padis Jewelry customers, diamonds are forever, as long as you take good care of them!

One of the easiest ways to keep a diamond looking like the day you bought it is to clean it once or twice a week in a gentle solution of water with a few drops of a mild soap added to it.  Once it has soaked, remove the piece and use a clean, soft toothbrush reserved just for jewelry cleaning to gently remove any remaining dirt.  Remember to clean the back of the diamond as this is where most of the oil and dirt collects.  Rinse the piece thoroughly and dry with a lint-free cloth. 

Another tip is to avoid any chlorine or abrasive cleaning products including toothpaste as chlorine can harm the metal alloy in the gold and abrasive products can scratch the metal.    Also do not use an ultrasonic cleaner if the diamond has been treated by fracture filling, and keep in mind that a cleaner can shake loose stones from a mounting. Padis Jewelry does not sell fracture-filled diamonds.

Since bridal jewelry, such as engagement rings and wedding bands are typically worn on a daily basis, they should be cleaned on a regular basis.  Furthermore, it helps to remove your rings when applying lotions to your hands as they can form a film on your diamond.  We suggest not wearing your rings when doing rough work and in chlorinated pools or hot tubs.    

  

Since 1974, Padis Jewelry has been a trusted source for buying exquisite certified loose diamonds, engagement rings and fine jewelry.  We are one of the only jewelers in the area that offers such an exclusive selection of top names in the industry as well as such a large inventory.  If you are a lover of beautiful jewels, please schedule at visit to San Francisco’s top jewelry store.

Source: gia.edu/gia-news-research-Secrets-Keep-Diamond-Sparkling

Jewelry Appraisals Should be Done by a Certified Appraiser

There are several reasons why you may need to have a professional jewelry appraisal done.  Appraisals are often required before you can obtain replacement insurance on your jewelry.  They are also used in estate planning and for tax purposes as well as to learn the current value of a family heirloom.  Additionally appraisals can be used to guide the fair distribution of jewelry assets.  When you do decide to have your jewelry appraised, we strongly recommend that you use an American Gem Society (AGS) certified gemologist appraiser (CGA) to ensure you get the most accurate and fair appraisal. 

At the family-owned and operated Padis Jewelry showrooms, our staff includes AGS certified jewelry appraisers who have gone through the rigorous training and certification process set forth by the AGS. In addition we are a proud member of the AGS, of which only 5% of the jewelers in the U.S. meet the organization’s exacting standards.  Furthermore, along with our professional jewelry appraisers, our experienced, non-commissioned staff has two GIA Graduate Gemologists in our showrooms at all times. 

Keep in mind that even if you had a piece appraised some years ago, it may be time to have it appraised again as the value of jewelry changes over the years.  In fact you may be surprised to discover the value of the piece has increased and that you have it under insured.  It is recommended that jewelry be appraised every three to five years.       

If you are in the San Francisco area, we encourage you to contact Padis Jewelry for a fair and accurate jewelry appraisal.  We offer thorough jewelry appraisals along with other services including an in-house bench jeweler for convenient same-day repairs and settings.

 

Padis Jewelry, a family-owned business, has been a trusted source for buying exquisite certified loose diamonds, engagement rings and fine jewelry since 1974.  We are one of the only jewelers in the area that offers such an exclusive selection of top names in the industry as well as such a large inventory.  For an opportunity to view one of San Francisco’s most impressive collections, please contact us to schedule at visit.

Need a Clever, Romantic Proposal Idea?

At Padis Jewelry, providing excellent customer service is at the forefront of everything we do.  So along with our exquisite, large collection of engagement rings and the largest selection of certified loose diamonds in California, we also offer all kinds of resources including a list of some romantic, unique proposal ideas.    

For example, one of our proposal ideas begins with setting up a movie date.  The next step is to arrange to have an advertisement play before the movie starts that pops the question to her on the screen.  It may be even more romantic to do after the movie if it is a love story.  Just make sure she stays put through the end of the credits.

Another of our ideas includes taking her to a nice place that is large enough to accommodate some of your friends and family.  Have your group wait in another room or close by.  Once you have proposed (and have been accepted), text the group to let them know they can come in and help you celebrate. 

One of our easiest proposals is to make a playlist filled with romantic love songs.  At the end of the music, the mood is set for a very romantic proposal.  

Please see our website for the full list of proposal ideas as well as to view our fabulous collection of engagement rings from some of the top luxury brands in the industry.  Featured names include Tacori, Verragio, Gabriel NY, Jeff Cooper Designs, Ritani, Forevermark, Henri Daussi, Sylvie, Simon G., Scott Kay and many more.   In addition we make it easy to shop for our certified loose diamonds as they are organized by shape, price and the 4Cs - Color, Cut, Clarity, and Carat weight for the best diamond shopping experience.  

Padis Jewelry, a family-owned business, has been a trusted source for buying exquisite certified loose diamonds, engagement rings and fine jewelry since 1974.  We are one of the only jewelers in the area that offers such an exclusive selection of top names in the industry as well as such a large inventory.  For the opportunity to view one of San Francisco’s most impressive collections, please contact us to schedule at visit.

Brilliant-cut Diamonds

People often confuse the term “cut” with a diamond’s “shape.”  In fact, the cut of a diamond refers to the proportions and symmetry of a diamond and its ability to reflect light through the top of the diamond.  A rough diamond is evaluated to determine its best possible cut in order to maximize clarity, color, and carat weight. 

A diamond’s shape refers to the appearance of the stone, and includes round, princess, emerald, asscher, marquise, oval, radiant, pear, cushion and heart.  For years, the most popular shape of diamond has been the round brilliant-cut.  The Gemological Institute of America says that for more than six centuries, diamond cutters have been working toward perfecting the round brilliant-cut.  Today’s 57 or 58-facet round brilliants are the result of a variation of facet sizes and proportions that have evolved through the years including “table size, crown height, length of the lower half facets, total depth, and culet size.”

Round brilliant-cut diamonds with 58 facets have a culet, which is the small area at the bottom of a diamond’s pavilion or tip.  When the point is cut off, it is called a culet and counted as one of the facets, which is why diamonds without a culet have only 57 facets.  A diamond is considered to be a better grade if it does not have a culet or only a very small, small or medium-sized one.  Larger culets affect the appearance of the diamond and can make it appear as if the diamond has a hole in it.  

Today as many as 75% of all diamonds sold are round brilliant-cut.  The reason for this may be that the cut maximizes the diamond’s ability to reflect light and brightness better than other fancy shapes.  However since more of the stone is lost in the cutting process along with the fairly low yield/high demand for brilliants, they cost more than comparable cushion, princess, asscher, oval and emerald shaped diamonds.     

 

As a family-owned business, Padis Jewelry has been a trusted source for buying exquisite certified loose diamonds, engagement rings and fine jewelry since 1974.  We are one of the only jewelers in the area that offers such an exclusive selection of top names in the industry as well as such a large inventory.  If you are a lover of beautiful jewels, schedule at visit to San Francisco’s best jewelry store.

Source: gia.edu/gia-news-research-round-brilliant-cut-diamond-pay