How to Identify a Yellow Sapphire

How to Identify a PUKHRAJ

Yellow Sapphire or pukhraj is a semi precious stone which is often recommended by astrologers for enticing the goodwill of Jupiter in their birth charts.

Technically, even though only a natural yellow sapphire qualifies as a Pukhraj, however jewelers and con men often try to mislead people with misnomers, synthetics and imitations. There is a very fine line difference between ethical disclosure of information and legal disclosure. Most of these con men rely on the ethical disclosure or rather not disclosing information which is unethical.

In this blogpost I have listed ways in which you can minimize the risk of being mislead or cheated while buying a Pukhraj or a Yellow Sapphire.


Why is a pukhraj is more expensive than most colored stones

• Because of its astrological demand. Not only is pukhraj suggested to most believers for good health, temperament and other positive personal enrichment, but also it is 1 stone which astrologically does not harm any wearer. The demand is very high for good quality pukhraj
• Rarity: In good color and good clarity, yellow sapphire is a fairly rare stone especially in larger sizes that are usually recommended by astrologers.
• It belongs to the Corundum family. Technically, a pukhraj is yellow sapphire, or the 'yellow' colored stone from the corundum family of gemstones. When this stone is red in color it is called "Ruby", when it is blue then it is called "Sapphire", when it is orange it is called "Padprasha" and any other color is denoted by the color name - sapphire , eg purple sapphire, pink sapphire, green sapphire etc.
• Corundum is 9 on the Moh's scale of hardness which makes it very good for everyday wear
• It is a gorgeous stone which looks rich and elegant. It has been given a lot of credit by designers over a period of time which only enhances its value

Synthetic Pukhraj

When sapphire is found in the nature and is only cut and polished by machine/ man, without any other interference to enhance or edit its physical properties, it is considered to be natural. When the same chemical, physical and molecular composition is recreated by man, the new product is known as Synthetic Yellow Sapphire.

Astrologically, I cannot comment on how this would make any difference to the wearer as compared to a natural sapphire.

Chemically and physically the stone tests the same as its natural counterpart unless very high level testing is conducted or some visual 'imperfections' or indications of synthetic building of the stone are present.

This is one of the most difficult testing types for pukhraj. However, like I already mentioned, that if you are getting a synthetic and it is declared the value of that stone is much lower than a natural one and yet astrologically it may not even matter for you to buy a synthetic stone. It is important however that you know that your stone is synthetic so that you pay for what you get and no more...

Imitation of a Pukhraj:

The imitation stone of a pukhraj is the one that will 'look' like a real pukhraj but it is essentially not the same in chemical or molecular structure. Anything including a glass, plastic, other natural/ synthetic stones, some non-precious stones etc can be used for imitation stones.

Astrologically unless it has only to with the color, this would not suffice your needs.

The hardness, the refractive index, the look and definitely the price will differ between a pukhraj and its imitation. Imitation stones are usually used for visual appeal and cost saving only. These can be as inexpensive as a piece of glass or as expensive as a yellow diamond.

Treated Sapphire:

This is probably the biggest challenge when trying to predict the value of your pukhraj. Treatments can be temporary in which case they wear off over a period of time or they can be permanent, in which case the chemical or molecular changes are permanent.

Treatments are done on stones to enhance the color, clarity, value or sometimes to create homogenetity. This is a fair enough practice as long as it is declared clearly so that you pay only for what you are buying and no more. 
 
How to 'see' the difference between a Pukhraj and any other stone:

Essentially, it is very difficult for a person without sufficient gemological experience to distinguish between a synthetic pukhraj and a real one and in most cases even an imitation. However, by process of elimination, you can fairly well rule out any misnomers and imitations.

COLOR

• Color is one of the best giveaways for imitation sapphire.
• A pukhraj is a very elegant yellow which is neither greenish nor orangish
• Look out for similar colors of Citrine, Yellow/ Golden Topaz and yellow Tourmaline.
• Citrine has a slightly greenish hue, a golden topaz will lean towards an orangish appeal whereas a yellow tourmaline will be a lot more intense in color. When your 'pukhraj' looks greenish, brownish, orangish or very intense yellow, then definitely consider further testing or appraisal
• Each of these 3 imitations are fairly expensive in good quality but nothing close to the value of a yellow sapphire
• Blended color - Many stones by nature can be multi colored but a yellow sapphire cannot naturally have any other color in the same rock. It will be various degrees of light and dark yellow - mostly colorless to a more vibrant yellow, but never a green and yellow or orange and yellow blending in the same rock. So any such coloration will probably a tourmaline, quartz or glass etc

HARDNESS

• Look closely at the surface, edges and corners of your stone. Use a loupe or a magnifying glass or if possible a microscope. If you have blemishes, scratches or other signs of wear and tear especially such that occur when it may have come in contact with other stones, your stone may be a fake 'pukhraj'
• Yellow sapphire, corundum is a very hard stone. It is not the hardest but still, under normal wearing conditions, it should not get all scratched up etc. So indication of excessive wear and tear CAN be an indication of imitation stones
• If you suspect fraud here, clean your stone and then look at it again, sometimes grease can look like scratches.
• These scratches and blemishes will be more obvious in glass, plastic and CZs

WEIGHT

• If you have a loose stone, this is easier... yellow sapphire is a fairly heavy stone and you can get exact specific gravity and weight of your stone for further testing
• If your stone is already set in metal then you will need to use estimation and guess work which is good if you already have fair amount of experience handling stones
• If not, then this is not really a great method... skip to the next

FEEL

• This is what MOST jewelers told me when I was an internee... FEEL the stone. Especially to distinguish between a topaz and a sapphire
• Hold the stone firmly between your index finger and thumb and 'rub' its belly firmly by sqeezing it. If it feels smooth and soft, it is a Pukhraj, it if it gritty or rough-ish, then it is most likely not a pukhraj
• I personally dont trust this either because I do not believe in tales or because I dont trust jewelers as a general rule ;-p

 INCLUSIONS

• Now this is a more scientific and reliable way of ruling out imitations AND synthetics of yellow sapphire
• For this you will definitely require a loupe, appropriate light and as much experience as you can get
• Look inside the stone for inclusions including little black knots, bubbles and feathers
• Bubbles - almost a definite surity that you are holding a piece of glass or a synthetic stone UNLESS... unless you somehow got hold of an EXTREMELY rare natural sapphire with a bubble trapped inside - either ways, discard it or spend a bit on getting it tested depending on where you got it from :-)
• Black knots- these could be natural but in most cases, if they look like little bits of 'iron' balls or pieces then they most likely are residue of synthetic stones - get the stone tested further
• Feathers - these are one of the inclusions in natural stones but they do appear very frequently in synthetic stones and in imitations as well... beware !
• Spiderweb - these are usually an indication of synthetics but they can look very similar to a natural stone as well - test further
• Needles - Unless these curve even mildly, these are usually an indication of natural stones... in other priceless stones such as diamonds sometimes 'needles' are actually the 'hole' created by laser to 'burn out' the inclusions. In other stones, such as some tourmaline, ruby, sapphire etc these are natural inclusions caused by nature and are very much a part of the stone

VALUE

• • This is a fairly tricky statement to make but a very practical one to be honest. This is not what most jewelry background people will reveal, but honestly, if a Deal is too good to be true, then it most likely is NOT TRUE !!!
• If your pukhraj looks like it is a steal, then DEFINITELY get it tested. Especially if you are buying it from a jeweler

HIGH QUALITY

• If the stone you are looking at has a stunning yellow and very clean, then please be aware that if it is a pukhraj, it has GOT to be more pricey than most other colored stones
• It will be very rare
• It is more likely to be a synthetic than stones of lower quality
• Since it will be more expensive than other stones of lower quality, it requires more attention and testing
• Since it has 'no' inclusions, you can hardly rule out any of the above listed inclusions or issues so please take professional help with determining its value and identity

MISNOMERS

• Uma Sapphire - A company that creates synthetic sapphire - many jewelers will try to sell sapphire under this name to make it sound mysterious - these are usually synthetics
• Golden Sapphire - This is sometimes a misnomer used to increase the 'aspirational' value of your regular sapphire. Most of the times, a 'golden' or yellow topaz is called 'golden sapphire'
• Peela Neelam - Peela means yellow and neelam is sapphire, but this is usually a denotation given to an imitation or to treated sapphire
• Hydro Sapphire - This is the name give to some synthetic stones, but are not even sapphire - so these are imitations of synthetic sapphire
• Surya mukhi patthar - Means sun-faced-stone - Usually yellow Topaz is sold under this misnomer since it has an orangish look
• Golden Sapphire - This would technically mean yellow sapphire, but if your jeweler uses this phrase, think twice about what you are buying. This misnomer is usually used to 'enhance' the verbal value of the pukhraj to raise the cost
• Any other 'stunning' association that is given as a prefix or precursor to your sapphires name

BUY IT FROM A RELIABLE SOURCE

• This is extremely vital. Buy your stone from a knowledgeable and honest jeweler. Remember if your jeweler himself does not know about half the scams that happen in the industry then how can you rely on him to get you a 'good' value piece?
• If your jeweler is looking at building a business with reputation and branding, he will put his personal effort in making sure that whatever he sells to you will be true to its word. Still, since I do not trust jewelers, please make sure he gives you the information about your purchase in written with a company stamp or official signature
• Definitely make sure that the return, exchange and upgrade policies are very clearly given to you in WRITTEN - BEFORE you make your purchase. I have several callers with grudges against old reputed jewelers who 'refused' to do anything about the exchanges or returns etc since its not 'written anywhere' !!!
• You will need at least a few weeks for testing your stone - ask the jeweler to get you a certificate from an autonomous body or else agree on complete refund if you get it tested by yourself and that reveals some issues

CERTIFICATION

• Most jewelers will give you a 'certificate' but read the fine print. What are they stating... IN CASE some years down the road you find out that the stone you bought is not what you bought it as and you have to file a lawsuit... what do you have on your certificate which will nullify the case
• Most of the times, the 'certificate' clearly states somewhere in the bottom corner or the back of the card that the jeweler will not bear responsibility for the mis-identification of the stone at the time of purchase - please find this section and question - you do not want this if you are paying for what they are telling you !
• The only certificate that I trust is the one given by GIA. Despite a few issues somewhere in the past regarding their integrity, I honestly choose to ignore all masala news about GIA, since I have personally seen their working and standards. If your stone is still not set in jewelry, you can still send it to GIA for identification.
• APPRAISAL is not the same as identification, so to get your jewelry appraised, you will need to look for a good appraiser who will have to identify your stone to actually give you a value for the product

COMMON SENSE

• This is the MOST vital information that will tell you whether what you are buying is actually a pukhraj or a scam or misinformation
• Experience may be priceless, but dont just go by the experience of moms and aunts blindly... back up their experience with your common sense. They may have been fooled by clever mis-doers forever and they would still not know it. You want to be safe, use their experience in better forms such as the practicality of wearing a jewelry piece or the design etc... 

WHEW!!!

I'm sure if you managed to read the ENTIRE blog, by now you have realized that there is NO SURE WAY OF DETERMINING the true identity of your pukhraj so if you really think it matters to you and if you want to be sure, get it tested !!!

PS: Just in case you want to see some untreated, natural GORGEOUS pukhraj... visit THE NATURAL SAPPHIRE COMPANY I love this company for their simple rule - they charge you but they give you the REAL stuff !!!

Write to me if you have any questions or if you need more gyaan ;-p

surbhi@jewelsutra.com

732-986-8132

Is buying Silver jewelry from Costco a good idea?

Costco is the best buy
For all things in general, Costco offers you a good deal- the perfect blend of value, quality and price i.e for the same quality of product and same design you will probably NOT find any other place offering more value than Costco.. It is no wonder that Warren Buffet said that Costco is the "best business" in America in 2009.

Please note that the emphasis is on "same quality and design". But lowest prices on a product does not mean  necessarily mean that it is the best value.

What is a GOOD DEAL?
When it comes to Silver Jewelry, you would naturally think that Costco would give you a good deal. But at this point, one should stop and think again, what is value in terms of jewelry? If you literally split the price tag on any jewelry product, you would be paying for material, craftsmanship, design and last but possibly the most important, the brand.

Those who sell through Costco obviously realize this fact, but do those who buy it from them? In the recent past, there have been just 3-4 brands that have sold Sterling Silver jewelry through Costco, including Lucky Clover Jewelry, Jewelry to your Doorstep, Telesto Designs Jewelry and Kazia Digo Jewelry.

STERLING SILVER JEWELRY AT COSTCO
Let us look at each one briefly:

Kazia Digo Jewelry:
These guys at www.kaziadigo.com sell mostly Sterling Silver jewelry with colored stones and crystals.: contemporary, easy to wear every day jewelry. The style in general is trendy yet delicate. But prices for those styles which are not exceptional in design or material, are rather on the higher side.
They offer discounts upto 35% to Costco members. But despite that discount, I still feel that their  products are on the steeper side. But if you compare it with the jewelry sold in a regular mall chain store, it may still be considered as 'value'.
Of course if you buy it from another online store or the streets of NYC, you could get better deals. But at this point, I would say that the last factor, brand is really what adds to the price tag.
So at the end of the day, brand is really the only thing what you pay for when you buy Costco Kazia Digo jewelry.

Lucky Clover Jewelry:

http://www.luckycloverjewelry.com/index.html
COMING SOON !!!

Jewelry at your Doorstep:
http://www.jewelrytoyourdoorstep.com/
COMING SOON !!!

CONCLUSION :
Costco has been hosting special designer Silver Jewelry events (or trunk shows) at their prime locations in the North East. The silver jewelry available for sale at these events is of mediocre quality and tasteless design. It is certainly not representative of the highest standards of design and quality that Costco customers expect. The prices of these silver jewelry products are probably comparable if not lower than any place else. Costco bargains hard with these companies who are willing to host special events (trunk shows) at Costco. This allows Costco customers to get the benefit of lower pricing on these silver jewelry products as compared to the parent websites.

• Material: Most of these jewelry pieces were Sterling Silver with semi-precious stones
• Price: The prices ranged from $50 to $300 dollars - comparable rates to some online and local jewelry stores if not more
• Service: The quality of semi-precious stones on sterling silver was not clear. I do understand that it is not practical to provide in detail the quality of each and every stone on the silver piece but if this a special sales event then the least that is expected is complete information on what you buy
• Design: The design is rarely impressive or 'exclusive'
• Exclusivity: These designs were not as impressive or exclusive as you may expect from Costco

It is for these reasons I believe Costco has to improve a lot when it comes to offer great deals on Silver Jewelry.

Costco, despite being my favorite store, offering great products with great quality, still  needs to do much better when it comes to selling silver jewelry. I am eagerly awaiting for that day when Costco can offer a great value on their silver jewelry collection.

Quality of Diamonds used in Rose Cut and Polki Jewelry

The diamonds used in rose-cut jewelry or Polki jewelry are evaluated or graded in pretty much the same way as a regular round brilliant cut diamonds barring the last C ie 'Cut'.

The 4 basic C's of a diamond are Color, Clarity, Carat and Cut.

COLOR:

In uncut/ semi-cut/ rose-cut diamond jewelry, the most important attribute that you must pay attention to, is its color. The whiter (or more colorless) the diamond, the more expensive it will be.When you choose the diamonds for your Polki jewelry, make sure that the diamond does not look too white otherwise it starts looking like glass or fake which completely takes it off from the design. Also if the diamond is very bright, it will over power the pattern very easily and take you away from the 'old jewelry' look. This does not mean that the diamond should be completely dark in color, but choose colors which will compliment the design as well.The one thing you should try to keep steady through the design is the base color of your not-so-white diamonds. This means that stick to various shades of either yellow or brown in one jewel rather than mixing some of yellow and some of browns in one product.Matching the smaller diamonds with the larger ones is slightly tricky since the color of the stone can vary a lot based on the way they have been set.As a general rule, it is best to get a finished product and get a feel of the overall product rather than try for the best of whites in rose cut diamond jewelry.

CLARITY:
This is an important factor which exponentially increases the price of a diamond. The diamonds used in Polki need not be the best in the clarity grade, but try to get the stones which have lesser faults on the table. Choose a median between the cost of the diamond and its look. For the smaller diamonds, I would suggest that you go for SI and below because with the setting , size and color, the clarity will really not matter all that much. Concentrate your budget on the bigger diamond which will show the faults fairly well.


CARAT:

The bigger the diamond, the greater is the per carat value. This is true for rose cut or uncut diamonds as much as it is for round brilliant cut diamonds.
Even though in Polki jewelry, the design pretty much dictates the size of the diamond, you can make a smaller diamond look bigger with simple techniques.
Use several very tiny diamonds around the bigger one.
Use white rhodium around the diamond setting and immediately surrounding that use a line of enamel or colored stones.Use contrasting colored stones around the diamond in very small sizes as compared with the main diamond.
You can use 4 or more diamonds instead of 1 big one to cover the same area in a design.
CUT:

This is the one aspect of a rose cut diamond which cannot be assessed very easily. The cut completely depends upon the design and the budget. You can sometimes save money in Polki jewelry by using shallow cut diamonds as compared to deep cut ones. Use well cut rose-cut diamonds for the smaller stones which would give your product a neat and clean finish. Since symmetry of the stone does not matter, you can play around with the stones and create a mosaic network of diamonds to best suit your design needs.

Remember that a deep cut diamond will look smaller when set, weigh more than shallow cut diamonds of a similar visual size, and it may look much darker because of internal reflection hence taking us away from the color of the diamonds used in that jewel.

Polki

POLKI

As the technology improved and diamond cutting and polishing became an available option, craftsmen decided to use semi-cut or uncut diamonds in the Kundan technique. The semi-polished or uncut diamond was known as the Polki. This essentially had a single large facet acting as the table or the top facing facet. Eventually for the smaller diamonds rose cut was also introduced. Using polki gave the craftsmen the advantage to be able to use not so perfect clarity grade diamonds and cut them according to the design of the final product.

Along with polki, colored stones were also cut to suit the needs of the design. So basically the difference between Kundan and Polki originally was that Kundan used Cabochon or else absolutely raw diamonds whereas Polki used semi-cut/ polished diamonds.

The look of Kundan was like that of glass pieces stuck in pure gold and the design of the final product was dictated by the shape and size of the stone. Polki on the other hand required semi-cut/ polished stones and the stones were cut as per the requirement of the design.

Eventually though in the Kundan technique people started using glass and other colored stones, in the Polki technique, craftsmen continued to use Semi finished diamonds and rose cut diamonds.

The finish of both products was intricate Meenakari or enamel work which was done before the stones were set.

In conclusion, in today’s market place, Kundan jewelry essentially represents imitation stones instead of diamonds set in 22K or purer gold set in the Kundan technique whereas Polki requires the use of real diamonds in semi-finished, brilliant cut, rose cut or as diamond chips along with other precious and semi-precious stones.



OPEN POLKI

With the use of real diamonds in Kundan and Polki, kaarigars/ artisans realized the potential of diamond brilliance that they were missing out on because they had to close the back or bottom of the stones. They realized that a diamond shines beautiful and bright and to maximize this brilliance, they would have to leave the pavilion or the bottom of the diamond open for light penetration.

That was the birth of a new technique of setting semi-cut or uncut or rose cut diamonds. It was called open polki. In open Polki, a simple open bezel or a band of gold was created with a groove to accommodate the girdle of the diamond. A tube of gold was cut into a collar form of band. A groove was etched into the inner edge of the band to fit the diamond exactly. Pieces of these bands were soldered together or attached or linked to the other similarly grooved pieces. The diamond was then placed in the groove and the edges were pressed down upon it. This meant that the diamond was open to light penetration on top and from the bottom.

Once set and finished, open polki pieces sparkled with the fire and brilliance of diamonds. The cost of the jewel is determined by the quality and quantity of the diamonds primarily then by the weight of gold and finally by the labor that went into crafting this jewel. Open polki was especially popular amongst the kings and novelty in the middle states of India. You will find numerous examples of open polki jewelry in collections from the Nizaam of Hyderabad.


HYDERABADI POLKI

Once polki became a popular craft in India, the artisans realized that the brilliance of a diamond in that technique was attributed to the silver foil backing the diamonds. This lead the craftsmen to ponder upon the shine of the ‘white’ in silver that they used for setting the stones. Thus came the introduction of a new technique of setting stones using silver.

· A shallow bucket or bowl of pure gold was created sometimes by doming at other times by soldering

· A small ring of silver was created to top this bucket which required very careful soldering

· The bucket of gold and silver was then filled with lacquer from trees

· The foil was then covered with very fine foil of silver

· The uncut/ semi-finished/ rose cut diamond was then pressed on the foil

· Another very fine foil of silver or silver foil pieces were ‘pressed’ on the edges of the diamond to set it into place

· As a result all one can see from the top of the jewel is diamonds set in white colored metal

· Sometimes a thin line of enamel was etched into grooves created along the diamond setting to create a contrast

Hyderabadi polki is once again becoming a much sought after technique because of several reasons. For one, the white look is very contemporary and goes well with pretty much all dresses and attires. The look of uncut diamonds is very rich and looks elegant and royal. The cost of material is comparatively lower than polki or kundan because of limited use of gold in the technique.

A very similar look of jewelry was introduced in England and became popular under the name of Victorian style of jewelry. Essentially the difference between Hyderabdi polki and Victorian style of jewelry was that the former required the use of silver and gold along with uncut or semi-cut diamonds set into lacquer whereas the latter consisted of rose cut/ semi-cut/ uncut diamonds set directly into silver. The style of design used in both techniques is also very different.

5 Must- Knows about Gold Plated Silver Jewelry

1. It is plating not just polishing

Gold plating on silver jewelry is not the same as gold polish on silver. Plating is a chemical reaction which allows gold to adhere to silver. Gold polish is like a paint on your silver jewelry which will wear off much faster. FDA requires a layer of at least 3 microns thickness on a metal surface to be called plated while polishing can be as negligible as 0.01 microns of gold.

Gold polish has a much shorter life and can wear off more easily than gold plating can. Technically, gold plating can survive a very very long time if the jewelry is worn with basic caution. Before buying any silver jewelry with gold plating, you need to be certain that it is gold plated and not gold polished because you will be paying for your jewelry accordingly and you should be prepared for the maintenance that may be required from the same.

Gold Plated Sterling Silver Jewelry

2. What is the thickness of Gold Plating?

Thickness of gold plating directly impacts the quality, look and longevity of any gold plated silver jewelry piece. The greater the thickness of gold plating, the better the gold plated silver jewelry will look.
Not only will the propensity of plating to wear off become lower, but also the plating is more likely to survive any impacts or unfortunate mishandling of the jewelry piece. One of the disadvantages of greater thickness is that it increases the cost of the gold plated silver jewelry piece because gold is much more expensive than silver. Also if the bonding of the two metal surfaces is not very fast, then in some events, the plating may chip off from delicate positions of the jewel.

Plating will last longer on a rough surface rather than on a smooth polished surface

The gold plating on this hand beaten sterling silver bangle should last much longer than that on high polish bangles

3. Watch out for chips, cuts and rough spots

When buying gold plated silver jewelry, you should immediately check for chips, cut or any rough spots on the piece. This is normally an indicator of either low quality of plating or possibility of gold plating done on a incompatible design. Next section talks about this.
The one other reason for chipping off of gold from plated jewelry is when the chemical bond between the two surfaces is not complete. In the best cases, the gold should bond molecule to molecule with the silver alloy which is possible by using fluoride based chemical reactors as the bonding adhesive.
The few places that you should look out for chips in the plating in jewelry are:

• Around sharp edges and corners
  
• Hinges and joints
• Areas where the stones dangle if required
• Crevices of highly textured surfaces
• Wires and other really narrow surfaces
• Parts of jewelry where the product will be frequently bent such as edges of bracelets etc

4. Is Gold plating compatible with the design that you are choosing?

Not all silver jewelry is a good candidate for gold plating. The design of the jewelry directly affects whether gold plating will look good on that silver piece and sometimes even whether it will last long enough. There is no straightforward method to evaluate whether a design is compatible with gold plating but it comes with experience. You should ask opinion of your friends and jewelers to understand more about design compatibility of gold plating on silver jewelry.

Example of a good design for Gold Plated Silver Jewelry

5. How and when will the Gold plating wear off silver jewelry

There are many circumstances in which Gold plating will wear off from over silver. Gold adheres very well to silver but it will eventually wear off. The composition of gold and other alloys used in plating have a direct impact on the quality and longevity of plating. The chemicals used for bonding the gold with Silver also affects its longevity.
How you wear jewelry and care for it is one of the most important factors that determine the longevity of gold plating on silver jewelry.

• Extreme temperature change can in some circumstances affect plating.
• High impact such as dropping your jewel on a hard surface
• Exposure to ultrasonic cleaners
• Leaving jewelry carelessly with each other or letting it rub against other hard surfaces can create scratches
• Acidic baths, even in mild forms which is possible during jewelry cleaning or repair can definitely affect the plating on your jewelry. Always inform your jewelry repair person of plating when required.

You should take good care while wearing and maintaining gold plated jewelry. This doesn't mean that you cannot wear gold plated silver jewelry in your normal course of the day (otherwise what would be the point of owning such a piece), but a little care and caution goes a long way.

The Rani Haar

"Rani Haar" as the name suggests is a style of necklace especially made for the Queens of yester- years.

This is a style of necklace in which the neck piece sits very close to the neck. It is sometimes combined with a choker. It has a repetitive pattern with a constant width of at least an inch or so, which will follow throughout the length of the necklace up till the back or the lock of the necklace.

Aishwarya Rai adorned with the true look of Rani Haar in the movie Jodha Akbar. Jewelry originally created by Tanishq

The pattern can be inspired by floral motives or just random setting of kundan or meenakari. The craftsman usually made individual pieces of the repetitive motive and then strung them on a gold chain or raw silk cord. The other option was to connect them via horizontal links.

Another gorgeous Kundan rani haar designed by Tanishq for Aishwarya Rai in the movie Jodha Akbar

Originally the Rani Haar was made in Gold and precious stones with very fine finishing of meenakari work on the back but nowadays, you can find imitations in non-precious materials as well.

Madhuri Dixit in the movie Devdas wearing a typical set of earrings to match the Rani Haar

The Rani Haar spreads beautifully around the neck and shoulders and looks extremly graceful and rich when worn with the Indian saree. The beautiful necklace when worn with a gown for an evening gathering could also look enchanting.

Aishwarya Rai in the movie Devdas wearing Rani Haar with matching Earrings and Maangtikka

The earrings that you would combine traditionally with the Rani haar are usually very long and heavy with a kanauti or decorative supportive chain that leads up and pins up in the hair. But following the current trends and practicality, a Rani Haar would look best when worn with medium weight earrings with the length reaching no more than the chin at max.

Almost Rani haar made in silver using Semi-precious stones and uncut diamonds (polki)

Comparing Tiffany diamonds with Costco diamonds

The most important thing about Tiffany diamonds is the cut. This is the most neglected 4th C of a diamond which Tiffany pays special interest to. It is interesting to note how a paler colored, lower clarity diamond will also start shining brilliantly when cut within the ideal proportion limits of a standard round brilliant cut.

Costco carries everything of high standards but in case of diamonds, they definitely do not go for the 'highest' standards of cut. I am not sure about the diamonds that were compared from Tiffany and Costco in the mentioned article, but so far, I have not come across a Costco diamond which falls in the 'excellent' or 'ideal' or 'signature ideal' cut category. Tiffany does.. all their diamonds whether they are F color or D, Internally flawless or very slightly included, small or big are in the very least ideal cuts adhering to the standard round brilliant cuts.

The article that got me to question my research and come back to my original assessment of Costco vs Tiffany diamonds: Tiffany's Bling vs. Costco's

And YES, the prices will differ a LOT when the cut grade changes. You can go through the change in price by simply comparing diamonds on bluenile.com then costco.com and eventually Tiffany.com

Tiffany diamonds are as I already recommended top of the line amazing, but at the end of the day, so some diamonds, you are paying over 50 % more than the actual value of the material that goes into your jewel... that is the cost of the "brand" and all the benefits that you get along with it. It is completely up to you from this point onwards whether or not you want to pay that price for the "label".

For any questions suggestions, comments or advise on buying diamonds keep visiting my website at www.jewelsutra.com or write to me at surbhi@jewelsutra.com .

Read more.. The thing about buying diamonds from Costco

Kundan, Polki and Meenakari

KUNDAN

India, the land of plenty, has been known for the great diamonds, gemstones and jewelry from the ages of rajas and maharajas and before. The jewels from India are priceless and some of the techniques that were passed on from generation to generation are incomparable.

One such technique is the Kundan jewelry which came from parts of North India and is practiced all over the country with variations.

Gorgeous neck piece from Art Karat in silver based Kundan art

Way before the standard proportions of a round brilliant cut diamond were decided upon, and even before the shape of a diamond itself was defined, craftsmen cut the beautiful raw diamonds in whatever shape was desired by the design of the final product.

In those days, diamonds and other 'uncut' stones were set in the only form of setting that the craftsmen knew, a technique which came to be known as 'kundan'.

Kundan means pure gold and very much like the name suggests, very fine hand beaten sheets of pure gold sheets were hammered together in form of cups or holders or containers to hold the diamond. Each 'cup' was filled with a natural glue like blackish colored substance called 'lac'. This was then covered by a very fine film of pure silver which was used simply to cover the lac and gave a background to the diamond to make it look a bit shiny. The diamond was then 'pressed' in the lac and the edges of the cup were gently pressed onto the edges to secure the stone in place. Once the lac dried up, it would harden thus holding the stone in place.

To give a well groomed finish, the reverse side of the products was beautifully decorated by a technique called meenakari or minakari.

Kundan and pink tourmalines set beautifully in 22K gold kundan art

22K gold kundan thumb ring

This ring looks fabulous for wedding outfits and when you want to get that dramatic Indian look
You can also adorn this on your ring finger or coordinate with the hathphool

Beautiful dressy kundan neckpiece in 22K gold

Reverse of the same neckpiece with very intricate meenakari work

POLKI
At the time when very little was known about diamonds and imitations, every stone which was set in this technique fell into the category of 'kundan', but eventually, instead of diamonds some artisans started using glass in their products. Rubies, emeralds, sapphire and semi precious stones were already being set in the kundan form of jewelry. To add color to the products, enamel work was done wherever required which made it more appealing and better finished.


Gradually, the distinction of a diamond from the glass being used in these products was categorised by another technique called 'polki'. Very little is known about when the word polki was used initially to describe uncut diamonds but when it was used, it came to define the kundan art that used uncut natural diamonds and 'kundan' itself was a word that was used to describe glass imitations of the same.




The technical difference between polki and kundan is that 'polki' uses real diamonds and kundan fancies 'glass' imitations of the same. Because kundan is more expensive, therefore the craftsmanship used in kundan products is more refined.

Polki pendant

Kundan necklet and earring set
The neck piece can be strung on reddish pink bead strings, colored raw silk cord or gold chain

HYDERABADI POLKI
Polki is also created in non-precious and other precious materials such as silver. A new art called "Hyderabadi Polki' has recently come into the market. This technique is very similar to the kundan art but there is a difference of the metals which are used. The artisan uses a combination of silver and gold to create a white and yellow gold look, using the of silver and the contrast of gold to his advantage. Usually real uncut diamonds are used in these products and the value of the product depends completely on the design and labor that went into creating each piece.

Toe rings from Art Karat in silver

OPEN POLKI
In this technique, the form of the design is created then stones are temporarily set around the design in a mosaic form. 'Rings' of metal are created to fit each stone as it has been set in the mosaic pattern. The rings are then connected to each other by manual linking and the stones are set in. This form of setting the stone looks very interesting but does not justify the use of diamonds and other light colored stones since there is loss of brilliance of the diamonds and other stones. The technique is unique, looks very royal in bigger sizes and intriguing in smaller.

Beautiful design in open polki work done in 22K gold

Open Polki in a wonderful contemporary design with traditional color combination

MEENAKARI or MINAKARI
The enamel work done on a metal surface is known as meenakari. The word Meena stands for enamel and the work 'kari' is the art.
Meena (enamel) + Kari (the art) = meenakari (art of enameling)
To finish the reverse side of precious jewels, experienced craftsmen would enamel the product with various colors made of natural and treated substances.

Glass and other colored stones are crushed into very fine powder and prepared for enameling. Nowadays, chemicals including cobalt oxide, ferrous salts, copper salts and some other salts are used to enhance or create the color used in enameling jewelry. This is mixed in with various catalysts depending on the metal and color used.


This powder mixture is laid carefully in predefined boundaries of metal created by either soldering very fine outlines in gold or by hammering into the metal to create grooves where the color should fill in. The color is then 'blown' in by heat torches to melt and fuse in with the metal surface. The trick of the art is to get the heat to just the right temperature where it will melt and fuse the glass into the metal without over heating it and getting it foggy or over melting the surface of the metal.

The final effect of meenakari gives a look similar to stained glass paintings. This technique has further been evolved into thewa art work but the original version in itself looks gorgeous to b with. You can get a range of colors, textures, shades and looks with meenakari which would be otherwise impossible to create in jewelry.

To find out more about the art or technique of how any of the above mentioned technique works, please feel free to write to me at surbhi.s.gupta@gmail.com
To find out about the prices of any of the designs above or to see a wider range of products please feel free to reach me at surbhi.s.gupta@gmail.com

OTHER FORMS OF KUNDAN



To find out more about the art or technique of how any of the above mentioned technique works, please feel free to write to me at surbhi.s.gupta@gmail.com
To find out about the prices of any of the designs above or to see a wider range of products please feel free to reach me at surbhi.s.gupta@gmail.com

The thing about buying diamonds from Costco

Costco was my favorite store to buy anything and everything... till the day I started looking out for a diamond. With their 100 % return - no questions asked policy you could be sure of buying the best of everything from Costco. But read on to get the real picture.

With the search of 'the perfect ring' while helping a friend, I went into Costco, picked up the jewelry pamphlet which described their diamonds as select pieces and that they carry only the higher ranges in the 4 Cs.

Now for anybody who would be least interested in the 4 Cs of a diamond, these are the 4 basic description of the properties of a diamond namely, Clarity, Color, Cut and Carat.

Clarity: Describes the 'internal inclusions' in a diamond and runs from the grade of F (Flawless), IF (Internally Flawless), VVS (Very very slightly included), VS (Very Slightly included), SI (Slightly included) and I (Included). Costco claims that the diamonds that they sell range from VS and above. This is very much above average clarity grade.

Color: The whiter the diamond, the more colorless it is and hence more expensive. The color range of diamond ranges from D (being the best) to Z onwards to fancy colors. Costco uses diamonds from the range of near colorless or the color "I" and better which is good.

Carat: This is the weight of the diamond and can start from anywhere from 0.005 in round brilliant cuts to ~. Costco starts the sale of loose round brilliant cut from 1 ct and bigger something that relies upon your personal preference and budget.

Cut: Now this is usually the most neglected and yet an integral of the 4 Cs of a diamond. The cut of a diamond is that which describes the quality of cut of a diamond as Signature Ideal, Ideal, Excellent, very good, good, poor or very poor. A well cut diamond with appropriate proportions is probably the most important factor that determines the final brilliance, fire and scintillation produced by that diamond. The difference between the price of a poor cut diamond vs an excellent cut when all other parameters are the same, can be as much as 4 times lower.

Unfortunately, in my observations of the diamonds for sale on Costco many of them do not acknowledge the cut of the stone that you are looking at.
As I dwelt further into the concern, I realized that several stones at Costco have a GIA certificate which clearly indicates the 4 Cs and other important factors describing the worth and describe the value of those diamonds, but several others have no such indication.
Instead, the jewelry brochure of Costco clearly states that they use round brilliant cut diamonds of very high standards but no real mention of exactly what is that cut.

Shape: This describes the peripheral shape in which a diamond has been cut/ polished. It can be a round brilliant with 51/52 facets, princess cut (square), baguette (rectangle), trillion (triangle), cushion cut, heart shape, oval, emerald (rectangle step cut), or other fancy shapes. This is something that Costco just as any store tells the customer with pride... round brilliant cut.

Currently I await a reply from the customer service at Costco about this concern. But where my own judgement comes into play, I feel sort of cheated with partial information from costco. The thing about buying a diamond is that there are 2 parts to it... identify the worth of your diamond by judging the 4 Cs and other physical characterstics of the individual piece and then getting finally getting it for a good value. I am very sure Costco gives you value, but what I want is also to know whether or not the product is worth it.

Read more.. Comparing Tiffany diamonds with Costco
Silver Jewelry from Costco a Good Value?

Diamond Size chart: Round Brilliant

ROUND BRILLIANT CUT

1. Chura diamonds / Diamond dust: 0.005 carat = 0.5 cent 1/2 cent = 1mm
2. 1 cent = 0.01 carat = 1.3 mm IMPORTANT
   
3. 2 cent = 0.02 carat = 1.7 mm
4. 3 cent = 0.03 carat = 2 mm
5. 4 cent = 0.04 carat = 2.2 mm
6. 5 cent = 0.05 carat = 2.4 mm IMPORTANT
   
7. 6 cent = 0.06 carat = 2.5 mm
8. 7 cent = 0.07 carat = 2.7 mm
9. 8 cent = 0.08 carat = 2.8 mm
10. 9 cent = 0.09 carat = 2.9 mm
11. 10 cent = 0.1 carat = 3 mm IMPORTANT
    
12. 15 cent = 0.15 carat = 3.4 mm
13. 20 cent = 0.2 carat = 3.8 mm = 1/5th of a carat
14. 22 cent = 0.22 carat = 3.9 mm = almost 1/4 carat
15. 25 cent = 0.25 carat = 4 mm 1/4 carat IMPORTANT
16. 30 cent = 0.30 carat = 4.2 mm
17. 35 cent = 0.35 carat = 4.5 mm
18. 40 cent = 0.40 carat = 4.8 mm
19. 50 cent = 0.50 carat = 5 mm = 1/2 carat IMPORTANT
20. 60 cent = 0.60 carat = 5.4 mm
21. 75 cent = 0.75 carat = 6 mm = 3/4 carat IMPORTANT
22. 95 cent = 0.95 carat = 6.4 mm = almost a carat
23. 100 cent = 1 carat = 6.5 mm = Solitaire IMPORTANT
24. 125 cent = 1.25 carat = 7 mm = Sawa carat
25. 150 cent = 1.50 carat = 7.5 mm
26. 200 cent = 2 carat = 8 mm
27. 300 cent = 3 carat = 9.4 mm
28. 400 cent = 4 carat = 10.4 mm
29. 500 cent = 5 carat = 11.2 mm
30. 650 cent = 650 carat = 12 mm

Silver vs. White Gold

So you are thinking of wearing Silver ???

Silver is affordable and sometimes fashionable:
Silver being less expensive than gold, sounds like a more feasible option to use instead of white gold. It values not only lesser in dollars per ounce but is also lighter in weight (mass) and hence lesser quantity will be used to create the same piece when compared to gold. (A 10 gm gold bangle will look bigger when made in 10 gms of silver). Usually in the jewelry market we use sterling silver (925 parts silver in every 1000 parts of an alloy) for all purposes of strength and durability. Modern brands such as Scott Kay, David Yurman, Roberto Coin and many more use Silver as the base metal for fine jewelry. Silver makes a piece of jewelry more affordable for a larger crowd and hence more acceptable than many other metals. The wastage in silver jewelry manufacture is not as expensive as in white gold and hence the overhead charges are in control. So at the end of the day it is either the expense or it is the statement that drives us to buy silver.

Few style and techniques such as oxidization and burnishing can only happen in silver for e.g. in Mokume Gane, the Japanese technique of Metal smithing, without the presence of silver, etching cannot happen. Similarly, in Kundan jewelry, the Indian antique jewelry style with prominent use of uncut diamond, silver is an essential metal to bring out the shine in the diamond.

Most of all, silver is originally white and whereas white gold is technically pale yellow in color and needs a coting of rhodium to enhance the white color.

But white Gold is better for fine jewelry:
However, cost sometimes can truly buy quality. In this case, durability at least!!! Silver tarnishes fairly easily when exposed to the atmosphere due to reaction with sulfur present in minute traces in the air. The temporary brownish tint caused by this reaction can be removed by cleaning with regular silver polish available in the market, however it is a repetitive activity. Also such frequent cleaning of the delicate product may render the stones loose from their setting. Silver is also a known material to cause allergy whereas Gold is a fairly well known hypoallergic metal in higher grade of alloy. Silver is a softer metal than gold thus the prongs built in silver to hold the precious stones as well as the links can easily get damaged. Silver gets scratched easily as well.

But for those who want the benefit of wearing jewelry crafted beautifully in good looking stones without living with the burden of the extreme expense accompanied, silver is a beautiful metal!!!

Copyrighting Design Inspiration

So when Heidi Klum gets sued by Van Cleef and Arpels does it represent a terminal shift in the way the business of design is conducted? A $25,000 lawsuit doesn't seem much of an amount for Van Cleef and Arpels (though it may be big for a budding designer in Heidi) yet the repercussion of the lawsuit could be huge in the business of design. Is this really a precedent for industry wide litigation fest or is this just a minor show of strength between two designers?


Can design be patented or copyrighted? Really?
Van Cleef and Arpels claims that Heidi Klum's design company copied the Van Cleef And Arpel's Alhambra jewelry. Alhambra jewelry is a derivative of Clover design pioneered by Coco Chanel and others. Whether Heidi Klum's company copied the designs is another matter but a bigger question is the protection offered to designers by law. Clearly, patents and copyright laws are not sufficient to protect designers. A patent can protect a chemical formula of a drug made by Pfizer but how can it enforce the copying of designs. Designs are conceived from inspiration and can inspiration be copyright protected? It is the derivation of these inspirations that manifest in the designs that we have to love. There appears to be a very narrow band within which copyright and patent laws offer protection to designers.

Lost Revenues or Lost Identity?
Another difficulty is the assessment of reparations for lost sales over copying of designs. On what basis can a company claim a specific amount as compensation for copying? Van Cleef and Arpels may well have pulled out the $25,000 amount on the ability to pay rather than actual losses they may have suffered. Jewelry Designs are forms of art rather are very difficult to value. Companies can year over year sales and can come up with a number but it is really all that a company lost?

We at design depot believe that copied design result in a loss of identity which is a far significant loss than any lost revenue. Directly copied designs are a blow below the belt that breaks the unwritten code of honor among designers. It may serve as a business strategy to make quick profits but it can never result in a sustained competitive advantage and a lasting brand image.

Brand image and jewelry designs are inexplicably linked. Every jewelry brand have their signature collections. These collections may morph over time but they represent the true identity of the brand. This identity does not depend on the designer but the brand and its brand managers. For example, Van Cleef and Arpels designs are inspired by nature and fantasy. Is it possible that Van Cleef Arpels is signaling to all the inspiring designers that they will fight tooth and nail and not take any competition lightly?

It remains to be seen how this lawsuit out in the end....

Synthetic vs Natural Diamond

How does a Lab created diamond compare to a natural one for a wearer?

Appearance and care: Same in both cases

A lab created diamond will look exactly the same as a natural one under normal conditions ie normal light and no magnification. So NO jeweler or non-gemologist can make out the difference between a natural and lab created diamond unless the inclusions are big enough to see with the naked eye. The brilliance, fire, scintillation, and the radiance will be exactly the same in both.

Colorless Synthetic Diamond

It is 10 on the Moh’s scale which is the same as a natural diamond (hardest known substance to us). This means that it will last you for the same time as a natural one (forever) and not get scratched. Both the diamonds have the same chemical composition and molecular structure which means that a lab-created diamond will also chip in the same fashion as a natural one and requires the same kind of care.

Diamond creating machine

You can expose it to ultrasonic cleaning in the same way as a natural diamond and most of all you can put it in all of the same settings as a natural diamond.

Inclusions: Difference

The important thing that you should be aware of is that a lab-created diamond will have 'inclusions' which are 'lab created'. You can expect black specs (flux) or carbon inclusions of various sizes and un-natural shape whereas in a natural diamond you can expect natural inclusions such as a feather (small crack like appearance) etc. or regular natural black or dark inclusions.

4 C’s: Few differences

They both have their own system of grading clarity. An IF (Internally Flawless) Lab created, untreated, colorless diamond over 30 points is almost as rare as a natural counterpart. As the size increases in either, the rate per carat of the stone also increases.

CVD Diamond plates

The color, cut and weight in either of the two diamonds is judged on the same basis. You would buy either of the two diamonds keeping these 4Cs in mind.

Treatment: Practically the same

Diamonds of any sort are treated for 2 major reasons… to improve the color or to remove or hide the inclusions.

Color Enhancement: Usually done by exposing the diamond into a controlled high pressure high temperature (HTHP) environment. It is usually performed on select diamonds in near colorless or slightly brownish color (G to N color usually) to make them colorless or near colorless. This ‘moves’ some of the molecular misbalance in the diamond to ‘correct’ the color. It can be performed on only select diamond types. Both Lab created diamonds as well as some natural diamonds are treated in this way. The treatment is permanent and can be detected by gemological tools and sometimes by the loupe as well.

Lab-created diamond in fancy color

Hiding the inclusions: This is done in order to hide or ‘burn’ the inclusions inside a diamond. It is usually done by drilling a hole into the diamond by controlled laser and ‘burning’ out the inclusion. The laser drill hole is a permanent ‘line’ inside the diamond and is very much legal if declared in the clarity report.

Sometimes the drilled hole or the burned out cavity is filled with a transparent substance (with a high refractive index) so as to make the cavity ‘lost’. This filling is not permanent and should definitely be declared because stones with filling cannot be graded correctly. Many lab created diamonds are treated by laser drilling because they tend to have large carbon inclusions. Many lower clarity grade natural diamonds are also treated in this way. The laser drill marks are easy to see under a microscope or a loupe.

CVD Synthetic Diamond- Uncut

Resale value: Definitely not the same

For a natural diamond, you may not have too many difficulties in selling it in any part of the world. However, as of now, there is a very small market for synthetic diamonds. Please be aware that the amount of money that you are spending on a lab created diamond may not get its return for you if you ever want to sell it off again. Learn the resale, return, exchange and upgrade policy of the store that you are buying from. There is a tremendous cost difference between diamonds created by the CVD (Carbon Vapor Deposition) method and the HTHP (High Temperature High Pressure) method। This difference may not count to as much when you buy your diamond but it will matter when you go out to sell it.

Jewelry made with synthetic diamonds

You should know what is the return for your money in the future so be aware of the return, exchange and upgrade policies before buying even a lab-created diamond. The re-sale value of a real diamond is definitely way more than that of a lab created one so be sure of where you are putting your money.

Jewelry made of Lab-created Diamonds

You can get your diamonds appraised at GIA or several other appraisal bodies so be sure to do so when you buy a large diamond whether it be natural or created.

To pool in content for the Jewelry Design Depot, please write to me at surbhi.s.gupta@gmail.com

GIA Carlsbad... join or not to join

For all of you who want to join GIA, just sit back and think for a while... why are you actually interested in gemology or diamond grading? Honestly, whatever you learn at GIA in diamonds is exactly what you will learn at any other institute. Colored stones I agree, GIA possibly is the best. Anyways, as one of you said, the name-tag is good enough to begin with and I agree with that part at least.

Regarding which GIA center, go beyond the academics years and see where you want to be in the future. Carlsbad is the MOST expensive place in terms of living expenses and facilities. Obviously, it is a seaside village, beautiful sunny pleasant but a vacation village and so expensive (public transport is terrible so you rent a car which is probably easier and cheaper in bigger towns, rent a room/ apartment/ paying guest expenses (which again is more than usual), food expenses (limited Indian stores so you cannot cook much though this you can work around by sharing and bla bla) and of course even the entertainment costs more because you will live in California. The rest of the expenses (if any) I think should be the same in all places.

If you are looking at GIA for future job opportunities, then decide where you want to spend your coming few years. Carlsbad is definitely not for foreign students looking for an H-1. LA is a great place too if you are looking at California as a whole. It is lesser expense. With the total expenses coming down to at least some 20K USD for the entire course (maybe more now since I graduated almost 4 yrs ago) you should think about how you can earn that amount back.

I’m sure that you are all from well-off backgrounds since you are contemplating GIA to begin with, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t want to earn back what you spend on parhai. If you do manage to secure a job right away it would pay a basic amount so do a bit more of ground work with all of that and make sure you know what you are getting into.

All that said and done, I am a GG from Carlsbad also did the Jewelry Business studies there. After graduating from Carlsbad and settling down in NJ, I recommend that you really need to know the job options available to Indians in NY, CA, Fl and where ever you want to go.

Carlsbad is for those who want to get into international trading at a high-end level. If you have an existing family owned business and want to join only for the knowledge, seriously, Mumbai is a great place to be in (minus the fact that you get to live in US :-) which I think is a great incentive since as a family of jewelers you will realize that this is the only break from family that you will get other than occasional vacations in the future)

If you want to get into international trading, then consider NY and LA centers since THAT is where trading really happens. If you are into colored stone trading then think about Bangkok. If you want a job in INDIA, think a dozen times before investing in your education abroad since it will take forever to earn it back in Rs leave alone making profits.

UK I shall not comment about, because though I have a lot of friends and business associates there, I have never even considered the place. The only reason why I would have ever gone to UK for the course over US may have been the fact that you can get work permit for certain no of hrs even as a student there and of course getting the VISA for UK is a piece of cake.

Here in the US you would get an Optional Practical Training towards the end of your course but it is not the easiest thing to do. OPT also means that as a student you cannot work on an M-1 Visa and you would have to stay an additional 3 months in basic salary and not really advance towards any particular career if you aim towards a business. You must try to call up alumni to find out their opinion.

As far as the quality of education is considered, there will be only a marginal difference if at all between the various centers. Most of what you absorb is absolutely dependent upon your own dedication and willingness to learn. If you are serious about getting the best out of GIA, then start now even before the term begins and start learning about what is available in the market where you want to be or where you are so that when you do study, you will know what to concentrate on.

Carlsbad has its own charm. It has a great library, but whatever you want is what you will get anywhere if you only look and try hard (in the transaction you may learn even more maybe). The GIA Carlsbad lab is something that like several others who I know, was my biggest incentive to go to Carlsbad, but unfortunately despite being next door to the education building, I only went there twice (and never beyond the basic machines...) so that was a beaten purpose. Besides that of course the contacts that we build remain forever.

But whatever place you chose, do find out about the alumni of that institute. You can get a whole list of them if you start googling now. For any questions about my experience or contact information for a few of my friend alumni of GIA, you can write to me at surbhi.s.gupta@gmail.com

All the best to all you people and share knowledge as much as you can in this ever-changing trade.