What is a “Certified Diamond”?

Buying a certified diamond gives you the confidence to know your diamond has been analyzed and graded by a trusted, independent gem laboratory to ensure its authenticity and quality.  Certification is a formal evaluation of a diamond and includes a grading report that details the quality characteristics of the stone.  However, keep in mind that certification just reports on the quality of the diamond and is not necessarily saying it is a “quality diamond”.  This is why it is important to buy from a reputable jeweler, and why as a consumer you need to educate yourself on how to buy a diamond.   

A certified diamond may cost a little bit more, but the protection to your investment is well worth it, especially if you intend to buy a larger carat weight diamond.  GIA, AGS, Forevermark, and EGL USA are some of the most respected labs and their grading reports provide scientifically accurate evaluations on a diamond’s shape and the 4Cs - cut, color, clarity, and carat weight.  

The documentation also gives information on the proportions, which affects how well the diamond refracts the light to create the sparkle, brilliance and scintillation of the stone.  In addition, the report states the finish of the diamond and if there is any known treatment on the diamond.  Laboratories such as GIA, one of the most respected grading institutions, offer optional laser inscriptions that inscribe the diamond’s report number on the diamond’s girdle or other customized messages for easy identification.

At Padis Jewelry, we have at least 10,000 diamonds in stock at any one time. Our exquisite diamonds come with an independent grading report from US-based labs such as the GIA, AGS, Forevermark and EGL USA.  We also have two GIA Graduate Gemologists on staff at all times, and are a proud, accredited member of the American Gem Society (AGS).

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 finest jewelry showrooms.

Source:4cs.gia.edu/EN-US/gr-diamond-grading-reports.htm?gclid=CjwKEAiAvs7CBRC24rao6bGCoiASJABaCt5DpTVpIoLqpc1EMQn-yfetFzJKCErGMmuqw2jRA61JlRoCs8Lw_wcB

Shop Our Huge Inventory of Loose Diamonds

If you want to create a unique engagement ring, it is a good idea to shop at a jewelry store that offers loose diamonds.  By starting with a loose diamond, it gives you the opportunity to select your diamond independently from the style and metal used in the ring.  Once you find a stone that meets your quality standards and personal preference, you can work with your jeweler to customize a ring or pick from a large selection of pre-designed ring settings.     

Another advantage is that it is easier to assess its quality than a set diamond as the prongs of the setting can obscure flaws and make it harder to judge the color. When assessing a loose diamond, your eye is not distracted by the metal or design of the ring and allows you to just focus on the beauty of the stone.  Also if you know you are interested in a particular diamond shape such as round brilliant, princess, cushion, oval, emerald, etc., you can easily select that shape in the carat weight and quality of cut, color and clarity you want. 

At Padis Jewelry, we own one of the largest inventories of loose diamonds in California and always have at least 10,000 diamonds in stock at any one time.   All of our loose stones .40 carats and over are certified by the most trusted labs in the industry such as Forevermark, AGS, GIA and EGL USA for overall quality and authenticity.   

When shopping at our online Diamond Store, you can use our chart to select your diamond shape, carat weight, cut, color and clarity to bring up an inventory of stones that meet your criteria.  We also let you compare a couple of diamonds to ensure you get the best stone for you. 

Padis Jewelry has three showrooms in San Francisco and a store in St. Helena where we proudly offer the world's finest certified diamonds along with expert, friendly customer service.  Visit our website to learn more about our selection of jewelry or contact us to schedule a visit to one of our showrooms.     

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.

San Francisco’s Historic GiftCenter & Jewelry Mart

Padis Jewelry has three showrooms in San Francisco as well as one in Napa Valley, Padis Romance in St. Helena.  Our Designer Galleria and one of our showrooms are located at the GiftCenter & JewelryMart in San Francisco’s renowned jewelry district, which is a hub for the biggest names in jewelry and fashion accessories - all offered at the best prices.   

Conveniently located to serve the Bay Area, the five-story GiftCenter is on the National Register of Historical Places and the California Register of Historic Places.  The building was constructed in 1912 by the National Carbon Company, and later became a paper warehouse for Blake, Moffitt, and Towner.  It went through a major exterior and interior renovation when it was converted into the gift and jewelry showrooms in 1983.  The renovation added more usable space and light with the addition of a glass atrium.           

The GiftCenter is the leading wholesale jewelry emporium for Northern California and offers jewelry shoppers a truly unique experience.  For convenience you will find that all of the jewelry-related businesses are consolidated in the lower and street levels of the building.  Furthermore, customers can feel confident shopping at the friendly GiftCenter as most of the stores are locally-owned, family businesses.   

So not only are prices typically better than at corporate-owned jewelry chain stores, but like Padis Jewelry, most offer a personal touch to make you feel welcome from the moment you walk through the door.  At our Padis showrooms, you will find our entire inventory on display where we proudly offer pieces from the most sought-after jewelry designers and watchmakers with prices clearly marked.  In addition you will find one of the largest collections of rings and certified loose diamonds in California.  We encourage you to set up an appointment to experience firsthand our beautiful collection of jewelry. 

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.

Some of the World’s Most Expensive Gemstones

Gemstones are defined as minerals created inside the earth; however, pearls and amber are notable exceptions as they are organic.  Minerals are classified as gemstones based on their chemical composition, refraction, crystal structure, and optical characteristics.  Both the classification and degree of imperfections determine the value and rarity of the stone. 

Throughout the world, gemstones lovers have always been on the lookout for beautiful and unique stones.  One such example is Jeremejevite, an extremely rare and very valuable gemstone first discovered in the Adun-Chilon Mountains in Siberia in 1883.  An aluminum borate mineral with variable fluoride and hydroxide ions, it is similar to quartz in hardness with a 6.5 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale.  Due to its rareness, it is not often used in jewelry, but jewelry cutters say Jeremejevite can be cut and polished without any problem and shows no reaction to heat. 

Another spectacular gemstone is Black Opal, which is the rarest type of Opal.  It is composed of silicon, hydrogen, and oxygen and most of the supply comes from the Lightning Ridge Mine in New South Wales.   The brilliant “fire” found in Black Opals and the scarcity make them extremely valuable.  Black Opals are believed to have lots of energy and in early times people wore the stone as an amulet against black magic.  

Taaffeite is one of the rarest and most valuable gems in the world.  It was named for the Australian gemologist, Richard Taaffe, who bought a cut and polished stone in 1945 in Dublin, Ireland.  Originally mistaken for spinel, Taaffeite is the first mineral to contain both beryllium and magnesium as major components.  The gem is found in Sri Lanka and Tanzania and hues range from nearly colorless to lavender, mauve and violet. 

Musgravite, which is in the same family as Taaffeite, is another very rare and valuable gem.  This very hard gemstone was first discovered in 1967 in the Musgrave Ranges in Australia and ranges from a brilliant green to violet color.  Musgravite is an aluminum oxide with various proportions of magnesium, iron, and zinc.  Today the gemstone is also found in Madagascar and Tanzania.   

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.

Sources:

forbes.com/sites/trevornace/2015/11/02/12-most-expensive-gemstones-world/#5c0a94d25342 

discovery.com/tv-shows/game-of-stones/black-opal/

Buy Responsibly Sourced Diamonds

Conflict-free is another important focus of family-owned Padis Jewelry, and are fully dedicated to supporting socially and environmentally responsible sourcing. We only buy and sell diamonds from carefully selected suppliers who adhere to strict labor and environmental standards and are able to demonstrate a complete chain of custody for their gemstones.  

For example, one of our collections of loose diamonds and diamond jewelry is from an industry leader in responsible sourcing.  Forevermark™, part of the De Beers Group of Companies, not only sells some of the world’s most exquisite diamonds but is committed to selling diamonds that have been responsibly sourced throughout their entire journey.  

In fact Forevermark sourcing standards go beyond the international certification established in 2003 by the Kimberley Process.  This certification process was designed to “stop the trade in ‘conflict diamonds' and ensure that diamond purchases were not financing violence by rebel movements and their allies seeking to undermine legitimate governments.”  Forevermark’s stricter standards include looking at the individual mines and mining companies along with the country of origin in terms of human rights, the political climate and the socio-economic situation. 

Another significant outreach by Forevermark has been to give back to the women and children of each community they do business in.  These activities include supporting women in small businesses as well as providing education, training, and healthcare.  The De Beers Group of Companies has also set aside 444,490 acres around their mines for conservation which includes a Game Park and a Rhino sanctuary.We are proud to offer our customers diamonds from a company that is committed to not only supplying the world with the most beautiful diamonds, but doing it with integrity.  Please visit our showrooms to see our large selection of certified loose diamonds and diamond jewelry and wear your jewelry with pride!

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.

Source: kimberleyprocess.com/en/about

 

Let Our Experts Help You Make an Informed Jewelry Decision

At Padis Jewelry our job is to make jewelry shopping an enjoyable experience.  By owning one of the largest inventories of certified loose diamonds in California, we can help you buy a diamond you love at a price you can afford.  Furthermore, it is easy as all you need to do is set up a diamond consultation with one of our expert GIA (Gemological Institute of America) Graduate Gemologists.   

Before you even start the process of buying an engagement ring or another piece of diamond jewelry, you should educate yourself on how a diamond is graded.  Also while you initially may want to buy the largest size diamond you can afford, it may be better to consider a higher quality, smaller stone.  A larger diamond typically has more inclusions than smaller diamonds, and since it is larger, the inclusions will be more visible.  In addition cut and proportions determine a diamond’s brilliance and must be done correctly to allow the maximum amount of light through the top of the diamond.   

The GIA uses a D-to-Z scale to measure the colorlessness of a diamond, comparing it to masterstones under controlled viewing conditions.  Stones range from colorless to yellowish-brown with a grade of D to F as colorless, G to J as near colorless, K to M as faint, N to R as very light and S to Z as light.  One tip to consider is that in some cases when you mount a non-colorless diamond in yellow gold, it can help a diamond appear to be colorless. 

A diamond’s clarity is graded on the number, size, relief, and positions of inclusions as seen by 10x magnification.  Please contact the experienced jewelers at Padis Jewelry for more suggestions on how to shop smart when it comes to buying a diamond.  

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.

Emeralds – One of the World’s Most Sought-after Gemstones

Emeralds are alleged to offer wearers a quicker wit and a higher IQ and one of the most famous collections was owned by Cleopatra.  The gemstone is a variety of the mineral beryl and the color of the stone is determined by trace amounts of chromium, vanadium, or iron.  The emerald name is derived from the Greek word smaragdos and means green gem.  Even though it has a hardness of 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale, the stone is classified as generally poor in terms of hardness due to its many inclusions.    

The most desirable emeralds are highly transparent and in colors that range from a bluish green to pure green with vivid color saturation but not too dark.  Since transparency and clarity is closely linked to the value of colored stones such as emeralds, the Gemological Institute of America explains that gemologists typically accept “eye-visible inclusions in higher-quality emeralds. But when the inclusions have a negative effect on transparency and clarity, they also dramatically reduce value.”  Eye-clean emeralds are very rare and thus the most valuable.  

Originally mined in Egypt as early as 3500 BC, emeralds are now mined in Africa, South America, and Central Asia.  Colombia’s La Pita and Muzo mining areas produce some of the world’s most valuable emeralds and the La Pita Mine is believed to be one of the largest emerald deposits in Colombia.   Renowned for their dark color and three-phase inclusions, Colombian emeralds contain tiny crystals of rock salt, liquid, and a bubble of gas and account for 30 to 55 percent of the country’s annual production. 

Emeralds are often carved into a rectangular step cut also known as the emerald cut while smaller stones are carved into round, oval or marquise shapes.  We invite you to take a look at Padis Jewelry’s impressive collection of exquisite loose sapphire, emerald and diamond stones. 

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 visit our Napa Valley or San Francisco jewelry showrooms.

Sources: gia.edu/emerald, lapitaemeralds.com/About_lapita_mine.html