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

Exquisite Sapphire Gems

Along with owning the largest collection of certified loose diamonds in California (over 10,000 stones in our inventory), we also offer an exquisite selection of high-quality sapphires as part of our exclusive Padis Signature Collection.  Although sapphires are found across the globe, our sapphires are mainly from Sri Lanka, which produces some of the precious gem’s most sought-after hues.  

The island of Sri Lanka has a centuries-old reputation for producing some of the world’s finest sapphires and other gemstones as confirmed by its Sanskrit name of Ratna-Dweepa, which means “Island of Jewel.”  Even Marco Polo wrote of his visit to the island in 1292 and shared that Sri Lanka had the highest quality of sapphires and other gemstones.  Also as far back as the 4th and 5^th centuries, sailors wrote of visits to the island to buy gemstones to trade throughout the East. 

Geologists know that Sri Lanka is extremely old as ninety percent of the rock on the island is from the Precambrian age and estimated to be 560 million to 2,400 million years old.  The unique island also has the highest density of gems compared to its landmass.

We invite you to browse our website or schedule a visit to our showrooms to experience one of the finest collections of sapphires.  Each stone has been careful selected by our staff gemologists to ensure we provide our customers with high-quality natural sapphires.  In addition we guarantee the ethical origin of our stones and only work with miners who adhere to traditional, low-impact methods of extraction in accordance with strict government regulations.  A stone from our incredible selection of multi-hued sapphires makes an excellent choice for your engagement ring or right-hand ring. 

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.

Source:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gems_of_Sri_Lanka