Exploitation of Jewelry Customers by using Misnomers and Misrepresentations - Part I

Very often we come across friends and clients who have at various occasions bought jewelry which is not exactly what they had expected it to be. On air, I often come across queries as to how one can be sure whether the stone they bought is a diamond or not. I have come across some whose beautiful yellow colored gemstone, 'pukhraj' bought at an unbelievable price turned out to be a more commonly available, not-so-expensive topaz, tourmaline, quartz or worse still, a piece of glass.

In short, we are talking about the mis-representation of information and misnomers used to sell stones. Before we go on, it is very important to understand the meaning of imitation, treated and synthetic stones.

Let us take an example of a diamond. A natural diamond is a rare beauty formed in the nature with no human intervention. This is the most sought after and the most expensive of its kind. If a natural diamond is treated under high pressure or temperature, or it is subjected to any other form of treatment other than cutting, to enhance its appearance to alter the color or clarity, such a diamond would be called 'treated'. Some treatments such as HPHT (High pressure high temperature) are permanent whereas some others such as fracture filling may wear off over a period of time or by chemical interaction such as perfume or heat in the kitchen etc.

If an exact replica or clone of a diamond is to be created in the laboratory, then such a diamond is called 'synthetic diamond' or sometimes a cultured diamond. A synthetic stone is chemically and physically the same as a natural stone. The difference between the value of a natural and synthetic stone makes it very important for one to be able to make out the difference between the two.
Interesting observation: Sometimes though rarely, the synthetic counterpart of a stone looks more beautiful than the natural one such as in the case of a Synthetic moissanite.

A piece of glass, a rock crystal quartz, synthetic moissanite, cubic zirconia and other colorless stones that looks like a diamond can be used to replace a diamond because they match the color of a diamond. These are known as 'imitation' stones because they are used to imitate precious and semi precious gemstones. Usually they are no where related to the chemical properties of the natural stone but look alike.

'Misnomers' are special names given to common stones to make them sound more appealing and more coveted. For example, the stone commonly known as the 'Australian jade' is actually a misnomer for a fairly commonly available Chrysoprase which even in its best quality when it looks very similar to jade is not as precious or expensive as the jade. A common misnomer for yellow Topaz is golden pukhraj which is used to imitate a yellow sapphire. Misnomers are not illegal, which makes it very hard for a buyer to take action against this unethical practice.

When a false piece of information is used to sell a jewel or stone, or when facts are bent to make the sale, such false information is known as 'mis-representation'. For example, if a pink sapphire is sold to you under the name of a ruby, a synthetic stone is sold as natural, a treatment which is not permanent is sold as permanent, then such information is mis-represented to you. If a synthetic stone is not declared as synthetic or the purity of metal is falsely reported, these are all cases of mis-representation of information. Usually this is an illegal practise, but sometimes, the question is not so much about legal but more about ethics.

Name of stone	Synthetics	Treatment	Imitations
Diamond	HPHT synthetic diamond CVD synthetic diamond	HPHT for color enhancement Laser drilling for clarity enhancement Fracture filling for clarity Coloring the girdle for color enhancement	Glass Synthetic Moissanite YAG GGG Cubic zirconia Rock crystal quartz Crystal Colorless topaz Zircon Plastic
Ruby	Synthetic ruby	Heat treatment Dying	Tourmaline Garnet Rhodolite Glass Cubic zirconia Red beryl Crystal
Sapphire	Synthetic sapphire	Heat treatment Dying Annealing	Iolite Blue topaz Cubic zirconia
Emerald	Synthetic emerald	Fracture filling Oiling Dying	Green beryl Green sapphire Tourmaline Aventurine quartz onyx

Coming up next: Misnomers and Mis-representation Part 2: How to identify treated, imitations and synthetics from the natural untreated stone.

Look out for information about misrepresentation and unethical practices in selling gold ornaments and other metals.

नीलम: ब्लू सफायर

नीलम

नवरत्न के नव ग्रहों के नीले रंग को सजाता हुआ ये नीला नीला पत्थर नीलम के नाम से जाना जाता है। अंग्रेजी मेंइसे सफायर बोलते हैं. सप्तम्बर महीने में जन्में लोगों की राशि का यह रत्ना कई विवादों में घिरा रहता है। इस पोस्टमें आप पायेंगे नीलम की ऐतिहासिक खूबियाँ, इसे खरीदने की जानकारी, नीलम की सही पहचान, ज्योतिषी केमानने वाली बातें, नीलम के बेह्रूपियाँ और मानव निर्मित नीलम के बारे में।

नीलम की पहचान

कोरंदम परिवार के नीले रंग में पाये जाने वाले रत्ना को नीलम कहते हैं। संस्कृत में कुरुविन्दा के नाम से पहचानेजाने वाला ये पत्थर कई रंगों में आता है। लाल रंग में इसे मणि या रूबी कहेते हैं, पीले रंग में पुखराज या येल्लोसफायर, नारंगी में पाद्पराषा और अन्य रंगों में इसे उसी रंग के नाम से जानते हैं जैसे की पर्पल सफायर, पिंकसफायर इत्यादि।
इसाई संस्कृति में माना जाता है की मोसेस (Moses) को इश्वर की गस आज्ञाएँ नीलम की पटरी पर लिख कर दीगईं थीं। इसी कारण से नीलम को "पवित्र रत्न" (Divine Gemstone) का दर्जा मिल गया।
इसके नीले रंग के भी कई किस्से हैं। प्राचीन फ़ारसी (Ancient Persians) लोगों का विश्वास था की धरती एकबोहुत ही बड़ा नीलम के गोले पर स्थापित है जिसकी परछाई से ही आसमान का रंग नीला है।
नीले रंग के पत्थरों में सबसे ख़ास और महंगा नीलम ही माना जाता है। ये Mohs स्केल (मोह के स्केल) पर ९ की संख्या पर उभरता है। इसका मतलब है की नीलम काफ़ी सख्त होता है और आम तौर पर ये रोज मर्रा के गहनों में पहना जा सकता है।
नीलम की पहचान इसके रंग, इसकी कठोरता संख्या, और इसके अन्दर पाई जाने वाली खूबियों से होती है।

नामवर नीलम
नीलम की इतिहास में एक अलग ही जगह है। कई हस्तियों ने, राजाओं ने, महाराजाओं ने अलग अलग समय पर नीलम को गौरव दिया है। मुघल काल का "पीकॉक थ्रोन" एक बोहुत ही उच्च आदर्श है नीलम के रंगों का। इस बहू मूल नमूने में नीलम के साथ साथ तुर्मालीन, फीरोज़ा, आईओलाईट, मीना के भी रंगों का मेल है पर सबसे प्रभावी नीलम का ही असर है।
मोर की गर्दन के पीलेपन से मेल करने वाले रंग का ये पत्थर सच्चाई, राजशुल्क, निष्ठां का प्रतीक है। मंगनी की अंगूठियों में भी नीलम सुंदर लगता है। राजकुमार चार्ल्स (Prince Charles) ने राजकुमारी दैआना (Princess Diana) को, राजकुमार ऐल्बर्ट (Prince Albert) ने महारानी विक्टोरिया (Queen Victoria) को और माइकेल विल्डिंग (Michael Wilding) ने ऐलिज़ाबेथ टेलर (Elizabeth Taylor) को नीलम से सजे गहने कई अवसरों पर भेंट किए हैं।
हॉलीवुड की जानी मानी हस्ती, मेरी पिक्फोर्ड (Mary Pickford) दो बोहुत ही खूबसूरत एवं महंगे नीलम की मालकिन रह चुकी हैं... १८२ (182 कैरेट) का "स्टार ऑफ़ बॉम्बे" और ५०० (500 कैरेट) से ऊपर "स्टार ऑफ़ इंडिया" दोनों ही नीलम जो भारत के अनमोल खजानों से उत्तपन्न हुए हैं।
अपने बॉलीवुड के शहनशाह, अमिताभ बच्चन भी नीलम को बोहुत पसंद करते हैं। आप उनके दोनों नीलम को देख सकतें हैं उनकी सिनेमा "कभी अलविदा न कहना" में और "कौन बनेगा करोढ़पति" में।

नीलम का प्रभाव
ये अनमोल रत्न शनी की दशा से मुक्ति पाने के लिए निर्धारित किया जाता है। कहते हैं की शनी का असर निष्प्रभाव करने के लिए नीलम को पीले सोने में स्थापित करके दाहिने हाथ की बीच की उंगली में पहनना चाहिए। दो कैरेट का नीलम आम तौर पर सिफारिश किया जाता है और जितना गहरा इसका नीलापन, उतना ही ज्यादा इसका प्रभाव।
मानने वालों का विशवाश है की नीलम हर किसी के लिए अनुकूल नही होता। परन्तु ये भी कहते हैं की हीरे मेंनीलम की शक्ती को निष्प्रभाव करने का यत्न होता है। इसी लिए, अगर आपको नीलम अति सुंदर लगता है, परआप इसे पहनने से घबराते हैं, तो तुल्य शक्ती और माप का हीरा साथ में पहन लें तो ये आपको परेशान नही करनाचाहिए।

नीलम के लक्षण
नीलम की खूबियों में से सबसे ज़रूरी है उसका रंग। रंग न पनीला होना चाहिए, न ज्यादा गहरा। स्याही के रंग केनीलम ऑस्ट्रेलिया से आते हैं और ये बोहुत उच्च नही माने जाते। अच्छी किस्म के नीलम का रंग गुंजायमान होनाचाहिए। पत्थर के अंतर्वेशन उसकी चमक के ऊपर भावी नही होने चाचिए।
नीलम अनेक आकर में मिलता है तो आप ध्यान दीजिये की इसे किस प्रकार के गहने में लगना है। यदि कान काआभूषण है, तो नीलम गहरे रंग का भी चलेगा परन्तु अगर उंगली पर सज्जित या गले पर सजने वाला है तो इसकारंग चमकदार होना चाहिए।

कहाँ से खरीदें
भारत में जयपुर में अक्सर आप नीलम का व्यापार पायेंगे। खरीदने के लिए अधिकतर जोहरी इसका पेशा करतेहैं। न्यू जर्सी में, आप ओक ट्री रोड के सभी नामी जोहरियों के पास नीलम के नमूने पा सकते हैं। अमेरिकन गुकानोंमें आप नीलम के बने गहने पा सकते हैं। यदि आपको नीलम खरीदने में सहायता की जारूरत है तो बेहिजक मुझेपत्र भेजिए surbhi.s.gupta@gmail.com पर।

नीलम की खोज
सबसे प्राचीन खदान श्री लंका या सिलोन (Ceylon) में स्थापित हैं। सीलोन सफायर आम बाज़ार में समृद्ध हैं परसबसे ज्यादा प्राप्य नीलम ऑस्ट्रेलिया की खनदान से आते हैं। ये आस्ट्रेलियन सफायर स्याही के रंग की तरहकरीब करीब काले होते हैं। इनकी कीमत भी काफ़ी कम होती है। इनके ऊपर कई आचरण किए जाते हैं जिससेइनका रंग निखर जाए। इनको अक्सर रंगा भी जाता है और गरम तापमान में झुलसाया जाया है।
सबसे खूबसूरत और कीमती नीलम भारत में कशमीर की वादियों से उत्पन्न होते हैं। वहाँ के नीलम का ख़ास नीलारंग एक मखमली तेज देता है जो केवल बोहुत ठंडे इलाके में, ओक्सिजेन्न की कमी में काफ़ी कसाव के नीचे बनसकता है। काशमीर की राजनेतिक अशांति और काश्मीर के कठोर वातावरण के कारण काशमीरी नीलम पानाबोहुत ही मुश्किल है। परन्तु इसी वजह से ये नीलम बोहुत ज्यादा तलाशा भी जाता है।

कोई प्रशन?
यदि नीलम को खरीदने, बेचने या संभालने से सम्बंधित आपके पास कोई विवाद या प्रशन है तो बेहिजक मुझे पत्रलिखिए, surbhi.s.gupta@gmail.com पर। आप मेरा कार्यक्रम रेडियो पर भी सुन सकते हैं हर हफ्ते 10 से12 बजे EST मंगलवार (Tuesday) को www.ebcmusic.com पर या 1170 am पर।

Why are diamonds expensive?

Diamonds are rare:
It is estimated that over 1.5 billion carats of diamonds lie around the coastline westward in the Orange River to the Atlantic Ocean. Over 90% of these are thought be of gem quality. In excess of $ 8 billion worth of diamonds are to be mined at the Ekati mines of Canada in the next 25 years. It is amazing the why one would consider this priceless gem as "rare".
Let us study what goes into actually getting one of these 'not so rare' gemstones into a piece of jewel and the expenses that make it so valuable.

The formation of a diamond:
The formation of a diamond requires a perfect combination of pressure and temperature which takes place deep inside the earth. The only passage of escape for these diamonds is to travel up the violent volcanic explosion to reach the earth's surface. It is crucial that the diamond takes no more than the adequate amount of time to travel up to the surface of the earth, and even a few moments in excess could destroy the identity of this diamond.

Retrieving the diamond from nature: Once the diamond has reached close to the earth's surface, it is up to human intervention to retrieve it. The prospect or search for a fruitful diamond bearing site is an expensive and tentative job which can take several years, money and equipment. Furthermore, not every diamond bearing site is profitable.
Once a site has been targeted, the cost of developing and operating the mines are just some of the factors that add to the cost of the diamond that we see in the market. Only few of these diamonds that survived their journey to reach human appreciation are of gem quality.

Separating After extraction of the material, gem quality diamond is segregated from the industrial quality. The diamond becomes a part of the parcel sold to the various site wholesalers or site holders. Millions of dollars, minds, hands and hours are put into the extraction of these gem quality diamonds each year.

Into the jewel:
The diamonds are then passed on for polishing and cutting. This is another vital part of the diamond industry which employs communities of people and consumes hours of service to produce what will then be sold to the wholesaler or retailer to further set into jewels.
The diamond jewelry, through further channels and media finally reaches the showroom of the retailer who can finally bring it up to its final owner.

Are diamonds worth it?
So when you do find this perfect piece of elegant brilliance in your hand, something that will last you through thick and thin, something that has survived the worst of its days and has come to you with love, you would think it is definitely worth it.
Moreover, once you calculate the cost of naturally forming, finding, mining, segregating, polishing and setting of gem quality diamonds, you will realize that what you are buying in a diamond is actually the rarity of the "biggest value in the smallest volume".

Comparing return policy of online jewelry stores

Online store name	Return Policy time frame and condition	Exceptions
Costco	Anytime no time frame	None in jewelry or loose stones
Bluenile	30 days	Damaged goods will not be returned Return only in original packaging Altered or re-sized by 3rd party goods Engraved goods other than wedding rings
Ice	Within 30 days : no questions asked full refund for products returned in original state that they were received Defective merchandise can be sent for replacement/ repair within 90 days free of charge	Products which have been modified by another 3rd party jeweler or abused will not be accepted for exchange or refunds. After 90 day warranty period repairs are conducted after a basic charge. Additional shipping and handling charges for repair or replacement
Amazon	30 days for new, unopened items sold by amazon.com collection or target products bought from amazon	Products with a value of $75 or more must be returned using a trackable shipping method and items above $500 must also be insured. Resized, damaged, or otherwise altered is not accepted Jewelry must be returned in new, unworn condition, and undergoes quality checks before return is accepted All certificates of authenticity, grading, and appraisal must be returned with your merchandise. A 15% restocking fee will be applied to any items missing their original documentation. Products bought from Amazon merchants will have a link on the purchase history giving you an option for your return and the return policy varies for each seller.
Zales	30 days	If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your purchase, you may return it within 30 days (of the date your order was shipped from our distribution center) for a full refund of the purchase price You will lose the shipping & handling, unless you have received a damaged or incorrect item. Exchanges must be made within 90 days
Kay	60 days return to kay.com or Kay Jewelers 90 days exchange to Kay jewelers	Exchanges are not accepted at kay.com. Kay.com purchases shipped to a store may only be returned to any Kay Jewelers store location Your packing slip must accompany your return All returns are subject to inspection by our Quality Assurance team before a refund is processed
Sams Club	Anytime for full refund with receipt	None in jewelry with the receipt Anytime for last selling price with a shopping card but no receipt
Walmart	90 Days within receiving product	All jewelry may be returned to a Wal-Mart store with a receipt Instore exchange is applicable only for an alternate available in the store Depending on the reason for return, jewlery above 300$ may be subject to return shipping cost For returns or exchanges on all other jewelry purchases: You can either mail the item back using the carrier of your choice or bring it to a Wal-Mart store. Depending on the reason for the return, you may be responsible for paying the return shipping charge.
Target	90 days for new, unused, original packaged products	Items that have been replaced because they are damaged, defective or incorrect must be returned to a Target.com Returns Center, and cannot be returned to a Target store
Nordstrom	Anytime no conditions	Fine jewelry can be returned to selected Nordstrom stores that have a fine jewelry department Packing slip and the credit card used while placing the order will be required for the return This return policy is not applicable in Canada
Mondera	30 days from the date of shipment	Refund is subject to inspection by mondera lab to verify condition of item on receipt All original Mondera paperwork must be included with the item in order for refunds to be processed. Shipping and handling is NOT refunded For a defective order shipping upto $15 may be refunded Return Authorization Number is required for all returns Badly-packaged or uninsured return packages will not be accepted worn, resized, engraved, damaged, or altered in any way will not be accepted for refund or exchange. Personalized items are non refundable Certified diamonds must accompany original certificates without which a payment of 200$ is charged.
Tiffany	30 Days if returned in a saleable condition accompanied by a sales receipt	Articles are accepted for credit or exchange in the U.S. if returned in saleable condition within 30 days Sales receipt is required for all returns
BJs	30 Days after the ship date for a refund	Full refund for shipping and handling costs for defective, damaged or mis-shipped Items For all other items, shipping and handling costs will not be refunded Merchandise must be in new condition with its original packing and accessories intact or it may be subject to a restocking fee. Earrings cannot be returned unless unless defective or mis-shipped No personalized jewelry may be returned

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

Jewelry shopping at the Oak Tree Road

When you go out to the Oak tree road in NJ to buy jewelry, you will be confused, apprehensive, doubtful and yet, above all, tempted to buy. What is the reality behind those gorgeous jewels from that Indian illaka? Read further to get gyaan (information) about shopping for jewelry at the Oak tree road.

Material quality:
The jewelers who are jewelry educated are the ones who present the best options.are the only ones you can trust. They know for sure if their stones are synthetic, treated, untreated, imitations or natural. They know the difference between better and worse quality of manufacturing, stones and metals.
Once you know that the jeweler is educated, then you would move on to determine whether or not he is giving out the truth to his client. That is the trickier part.
For the most part, and I may be wrong, but Sona Jewelers, Raj Jewelers, Neena and RK all held high standards of quality. Each of them had educated staff and experienced owners. Some of the others such as Abhushan despite the label of a "good brand" carried some stones which despite being clearly synthetic were declared as natural. This may be the error of uneducated staff, shrewd marketing tactic, or for those who care, my own misunderstanding, but either ways, the consumer would have to bear the loss.

Manufacturing quality:
Most jewelers small and big retained a variety of goods with various manufacturing quality. Good quality is determined by wearability, accessories, detailing, finish, durability, symmetry, appeal and of course design. The product should fit well on the wearers body, it should be wearable without any pricks and unnecessary stick outs which would catch the fabric.
The earring post (stems) should be of comfortable length. They should have easy to wear but secure clasps. The weight should be well balanced and any additional chain (kanauti etc) should be suggested when required.
The chain of neck pieces should be comfortable and smooth. Rings should be comfortable to wear. Bangles should have secure locks which are easy to operate single handed.
The pieces should look visually symmetrical when required and otherwise go along with the design.
The locks and clasps of various ornaments should compliment the design, be secure, not take up too much material value and easy to operate. The stones set in a design should be evenly matched by color and cut. They should be set securely with proportionate amount of metal showing out of the design.
The product should be flexible or else the movement in the product should follow the design.
At the Oak tree road, the jewelry as I mentioned, showed me varying trends of quality. At some places the stones were great, but the setting not that great. At others, you could see too much metal or negative space. But for the most part, Indian handcrafted jewelry is the best in the world, and that sure reflected in the jewelry at the Oak tree road.

Design choice:
Some of the best choices in Indian jewelry designs are available at the Oak tree road. My favorites happened to be at the Neena Jewelers and the Sona Jewelers. The others did have a few interesting 'almost- there' concepts but really missed on getting me to write about them. What I liked the most at the Neena was their polki collection and at Sona was the diamond and colored stone collection.

Engagement rings and loose diamonds:
The classic American engagement rings at any of the Indian jewelry stores are pretty much the same to look at as any other American jewelry store such as Walmart, Kay, Zales etc. The difference is the prices. I had expected some out of the world difference in the prices but unfortunately the only difference I noticed was that the Indian store carried the same diamond quality in higher prices if not the competitive as most other chain jewelry stores. Walmart, Blueniles and Zales all had cheaper stones than did ANY of the Indian stores.
Logic: The Indian stores sell to you at the Rappaport price minus 300 to 400 $ per carat of stone which is negligible. The chain stores have a HUGE variety with numerous number of discounts which makes them more competitive. All you need is basic diamond education to buy the stone and you should be good to go.

Colored Stones and Birthstones:
Pukhraj, Mani, Neelam, Moonga, Rudraksh etc would have been difficult stones to buy had it not been for the jewelers at the Oak tree road. It is still tough to buy these stones since they are expensive and there is so much that you can get swindled because of that you cannot be sure enough of what you buy at the Oak tree road as well. There is always this option of getting the stones from India (which I would highly suggest if you have reliable sources in India). The best looking stones that I saw were at the RK jewelers and Sona jewelers. Not only were their stones good to look at but also the jewelers at least KNEW what they were talking about. They charge you a BOMB but that I think is the price for getting the honest ethical information about the stones that you buy. Especially for pukhraj, since the market is so weak, without competition from any of the angreji brands, it is easy to hike the prices.
Just an interesting place to visit in case you are looking for COMPLETE declaration of the stone that you are buying, visit http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/ It is one of my favorite companies and though expensive their products and information both are genuine and very welcoming.

Price:
Now this is the BIGGEST question that I'm sure all of you have. So here are some answers that I hope will help you make a decision:
As compared to similar jewelry bought from India, the prices are VERY HIGH. Unless you have reason to buy immediately, you simply LOVE something or have no source of buying from India, I would say do NOT buy Indian jewelry from America. The reason is simple, the designs are same, the material is evaluated, but the manufacturing is from India.
You must keep in mind that in buying from the Oak tree road, you are actually paying for the maintenance of that high priced real estate, the high paid sales staff, the high overhead charges, the money spent on taxes, inventory maintenance, export duty and other charges and MOST of all, you are paying for that middle man (or the number of middle men) who make it possible for this jewelry to reach you in NJ.
As compared to similar Indian looking handcrafted jewelry bought in US from an American store such as the Fords Jeweler, the prices are really reasonable. The reason is because here in US the labor cost for a hand manufacturer often exceed the cost of material. Indian stores as I may have mentioned buy jewelry from the Indian manufacturers and can afford to give better prices than at least the American stores.
Loose Diamonds and contemporary/western jewelry as compared to the American stores is comparable if not cheaper at the AMERICAN chain jewelry stores. The reason is simple, you can compare at stores where you get good discounts on good buying days such as Thanks giving, Mothers day etc or on special sale events. This jewelry is usually mass manufactured and comes from China and India. The over head costs are divided and what you get can be as I mentioned, comparable if not cheaper than the Indian stores. You must keep in mind the added benefits of buying from Macys, Walmart, Bluenile etc... the benefit of being able to return, exchange, upgrade or sue.

Policies:
One of the biggest advantage of buying product in US is the consumer friendly environment. You buy a diamond from Costco today and a year later you simply "feel" it is not right... you can return it with no hard feelings, no questions asked and no obligation of buying another product instead. In short, you have complete freedom of buying a product, getting comfortable with it, comparing it for prices, living with it and really OWNING it. When buying from an Indian store, you have no way of getting a product evaluated before paying for it. You have this immense responsibility of making a decision in the store under those beautiful lights which make every stone sparkle like a diamond and worst of all, if after your purchase, you take it to another jeweler and he tells you it is not half the value of what you paid, you will have to live with the worst feeling of either having to live with that wasted money or else the guilt of returning it to the jeweler who will definitely not make it easy for you to return the piece.

IN SHORT:
The product design on the Oak tree road at various jewelers is unmatched by many others in US. The prices are exorbitant if you can manage to buy directly from India, but if not then these are very competitively priced beautiful goods. The quality of material is not something that you can blindly buy even from the Indian stores in US, you HAVE to rely on your own instincts and education to buy safely. It is better to buy Indian designs from the Indian stores but buy the Western designs (common ones especially) from the chain jewelry US stores. Buy loose stones online with a proper GIA certificate or else from a well known chain store but definitely NOT from the Indian stores and not from India unless your immediate kin in India polishes diamonds.

Best advise:
You can always write to me at surbhi.s.gupta@gmail.com to ask more about buying jewelry from ANY store in NJ especially if it is from the Oak tree road. I would love to hear your comments and some more about your own experience at buying jewelry from the Oak tree road.
To listen to my radio show, tune in to 1170 am EBC Radio Tuesdays 10-12 noon. Or else log on to www.ebcmusic.com on Tuesdays 10-12 noon.

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?

Ebay and stones

How to buy stones on Ebay

Product Description:

• Check the description of the stone very carefully
• You are looking for the clarity grade, color description, size and cut. Read the fine print about the stone
• Is the stone synthetic or natural
• Is it treated or not? If it is then what is the treatment
• What are the symmetry, polish and other finer features of the stone described as
• If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is ... not true
  

Seller:

• For how long has the seller held an account on ebay
• What is the dealers feedback percentage
• What are the negative comments on the feedback? Is there a pattern of problems? Has he addressed any of the issues?
• What are the positive feedback points?
• If you ask a question does he reply satisfactorily? In a timely manner?

Return:

• What is the return policy?
• What is the exchange?
• Does the seller have a store location?
• Do you lose any amount for the restocking/ shipment for the stone?
• Is there a negative comment in the feedback regarding the return policy?
• Make sure the return policy grants you enough time to be able to get the stone examined by a gem lab or local appraiser at least
  

Just to be careful:

• Study very carefully the other products sold by the seller and the previous items as well
• If you feel there is a fraud then it is better to get to the bottom of it before getting into it
• Make sure the seller has enough good credits (preferably 100%) to become your source of stone hunt
  

A Jewel from the Sea

The chevaux de neptune necklace

Van Cleef and Arpels

Today I came across this beautiful piece of art created by Van Cleef and Arpels, that stopped me in my tracks. This magnificent pendant/ necklace created by one of my favorite brands is inspired by the theme of aquatics and the ocean.

MATERIAL
The beautiful design is created with diamonds, sapphire and pearls set in white gold and platinum. Besides being an excellent design as a form, and color combination, one must note the interesting use of colors of pearls and the quality of stones which shows forth even from a distance. The evenness, the texture and the symmetry of the pearls make this piece look perfect even within its asymmetric assortment of stones.

The diamonds used by Van Cleef and Arpels are no doubt of great quality and the way they are used here, I would not even bother if they were for some reason less than that.

One must note the color of the Sapphires. Following the varying sizes of the sapphire, there is an interesting graduation in the color of the sapphire as the design thickens and thins at certain places in this design.

DESIGN
The design of this necklace can only be described as 'amazing' in one word. It is asymmetrical and yet confines to a symmetrical form. It is well balanced in the shades of color and texture. It has movement, mobility and yet has a sort of 'calm' look around it.

The use of various colors of pearls adds in that interesting element of pale whites which compliments the blue very well.

The use of organic stones with such a bold form as sea horses is very captivating. I especially love the way the pearls 'peep' from behind the sapphire trails and the combination of sapphire, pearls and diamonds is a classic anyways.

The distance between the pearls maintained by the little metal on the ends of the sea horse' hair' is also very good.

FLAW:
Possibly the only thing that did bother me about this piece is the vague element with which it attaches itself to the rest of the necklace. There could have been a more appropriate or creative way to incorporate the pendant into the entire necklace instead of simply 'hanging' it on to a diamond string which also does not look like it belongs to this design.

Over all, this is one of those RARE designs that actually made me look twice and I had to do more research on it.

Diamond Size Chart for OVAL SHAPED DIAMONDS

OVAL DIAMONDS

1. 20 cent = 0.2 carat = 4 X 3 mm
2. 25 cent = 0.25 carat = 5 X 3 mm = 1/4 carat IMPORTANT
3. 33 cent = 0.33 carat = 5 X 3.5 mm
4. 40 cent = 0.40 carat = 5 X 4 mm
5. 50 cent = 0.50 carat = 6 X 4 mm 1/2 carat IMPORTANT
6. 75 cent = 0.75 carat = 7 X 5 mm 3/4 carat
7. 100 cent = 1 carat = 7.5 X 5.5 mm Solitaire IMPORTANT
8. 125 cent = 1.25 carat = 8 X 6 mm
9. 150 cent = 1.5 carat = 8.5 X 6.5 mm
10. 175 cent = 1.75 carat = 9 X 6 mm
11. 200 cent = 2 carat = 9 X 7 mm
12. 300 cent = 3 carat = 10 X 8 mm
13. 400 cent = 4 carat = 11 X 9
14. 500 cent = 5 carat = 12 X 10 mm

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

Are the materials used in my jewelry real?

QUESTION:
Message: Hi, Surbhi. My mother in law bought about 50 scarab bracelets/necklaces/rings, etc. I am having trouble distinguishing between glass, plastic, stone, gold silver, brass. I know you answered a question about this topic about a year ago. Any extra advice?
H********

ANSWER:
1. Look into the loupe
2. Use a diamond tester
3. Get the jewel appraised or certified
4. Get a certificate from the seller
The ground rule for distinguishing the difference between diamond and any other material is to look into it through at least 10 times magnification.

The most important distinction between a natural and man made stone is the difference in the impurities or inclusions inside a stone. You will look for 'bubbles' inside the plastic / glass or natural looking feather like or small black inclusions inside a diamond.

On the surface, what you are looking for is the 'sharp' clean edges of a diamond vs that of plastic. Even the slightest of wear and tear will cause rounding of edges and corners in plastic.

As compared to glass, you will be looking for 'single refraction' inside a diamond. You have to look inside the stone and rocking / swaying it gently to move the 'lines' created by the facets on the bottom of the stone. If you see 'double' lines for each edge of a facet then it is DEFINITELY not a diamond. If you see single lines then you would have to look for further indications as to whether or not the clear stone is a diamond.

Besides this, the weight of a diamond vs the weight of a plastic piece is very different. The diamond is definitely much heavier than either plastic or glass. If you can get a total weight of the stones in carat and then measure each stone (if feasible) in mm then you can refer to any carat-mm chart available online. This is slightly impractical but not really out of the question.

Once you have ruled out that the stone is neither glass nor plastic, then come the real challenge will be to figure out if the stone is synthetic moissanite or synthetic diamond or some other very close imitation of a natural. To rule out any of those, you would probably look for more or less the same... differences in impurities or else take it to someone more experience for an opinion.

To figure out whether or not the metal is gold or not, you would first and foremost weigh it. If the weight tallies with that of the karat of gold that was mentioned, then you are safer and can go on to the next step of using a karatmeter or a gold pen.

Unfortunately, without prior experience, it is not a very easy thing to judge whether the stones are real or not, but if you are a keen observer and sit with a bunch of real stones as well as fake or imitation stones, and a loupe, you will be able to eventually figure out the differences and also the beauty of what makes a stone a 'diamond' vs any other.

All the best, for any further questions or comments, please write to surbhi.s.gupta@gmail.com

Are the mani and pukhraj natural and untreated?

QUESTION:

Hi Surbhi,

Greetings!

I came across your e-mail ID, while surfing the net and exploring some details on the two stones " yellow sapphire" and "Ruby".

I am attaching you the lab certificate and the pictures of the two stones, I have checked them under a 10X magnifier and to me as a layman, it looks clear, without any feathers etc, the lab report has the details.

Now the doubt I have is that, the yellow color is looking too good, but I read it could be because of treatment, could it be artificial?.

Do you think I have made a wise decision. I bought it after reading a lot on this stone, and after checking at a few reputed shops only.

I have paid already Rs 26,000/- for the two stones(20 & 6K).

Please advise me and provide me your inputs, will it have positive effects on me.

DOB is **-**-****

Awaiting your valuable advise urgently.

Thanks,

Attached are two pictures and the lab certificate.

Warm Regards,

A*** G****

ANSWER:

Hi A***,

Thank you for reading the blog. The certificate that you carry does not any indication of affiliation to any autonomous gem grading/ identification body as such. This simply means that you would have to take the word of the jeweler for this report. It is definitely b
etter than not getting any report at all but not essentially very useful. It is almost like getting his word on paper (but please read the reverse for the terms and conditions)


The reports clearly state that the stones are natural which implies that they are also untreated in unconventional ways. The Refractive Index coinciding with the color is such that it falls in the ruby and yellow sapphire category (both from the corundum family) and both stones being doubly refractive, indicates that they are ruby and sapphire but whether or not natural untreated is a good question.


The report indicates that there are liquid feather inclusion in the Yellow Sapphire and needle like inclusions in the ruby. Please try to look carefully in plain white tube light or day light for these inclusions. I cannot unfortunately make out too much from the images that have been sent in.


In case of the ruby, please keep it on a clean white colored paper upside down and look with minimum 10X loupe (magnification).

• If you see any curved bands, then the ruby is definitely synthetic but if you see straight lines it may still be natural. You may not see any lines at all that is possible.
  
• If you can manage to get the red stone in some UV light (like in some discotheques) and the ruby 'glows' a lot then it is most likely synthetic.
  
• Also from the pictures the only thing that I can make out is that the ruby looks dense which means it has a LOT of inclusions which will justify the price (or actually may even be overpriced). The report states that these are rutile (very fine needle like) inclusions... if so then this is most likely a natural not-heat-treated ruby.
• The report also identifies the color of this stone as dark pink, which should considerably reduce the cost of the stone since it would fall under the classification of pink sapphire in that case.
  
• Please let me know if you can see 'through' the stone and if you can see these fine needles.
  

As for the yellow stone:

• the color looks good, but the size and cut do not seem to be too great so even though I think you got it at a very good price, you should not be too worried about the authenticity of this stone.
• Unfortunately there is no easy way to see if the pukhraj is actually natural or not.
• Again, for the color, there is only one way to figure out if it has been dyed or not and that is to look into the stone for 'dye' marks ie concentration of color in certain places especially towards the edges and around inclusions near the surface. But that is tough to make out without practice.
• Usually, heat treatment in these stones is considered normal (natural) but dying is not. If you do see the liquid inclusion in the yellow sapphire, then it is most likely not treated with heat. This simply means that if you if you wash it in warm water and soap a few times it should probably start losing color if it has been dyed. Please be careful not to injure the stone while cleaning it.
  

At this point, looking at just the report and your observation, I would say that the purchase seems authentic though you must try to get your ruby in UV light if you can to make sure of the 'natural' status.

I would also like to clarify for your benefit, that a synthetic stone has the same astrological benefits as a natural one due to same chemical and physical properties. You definitely need to know the natural or otherwise status of your stone to get a fair bargain on it (and to make sure the treatment or inclusions will not interfere with the stability of the stone in future), but besides that you can enjoy wearing your stone just as much as you would a natural untreated one.

I personally am an advocate of natural (preferably untreated) stones but then, not many can cross the path of limitations and challenge them so we do what we can and should enjoy what do get.

India is unfortunately one of the easiest targets for fraudulent people to sell treated or synthetic colored stones under the name of natural. A simple trick that I usually tell my clients to apply when in doubt about a jeweler is to go to the competition. Take your stones to another jeweler and ask him for just the same kind of stone for a pair of earrings etc... he will show you similar kinds and you can ask him as much as you want about your own and compare the price as well.

I hope I have been able to answer your question. Please feel free to ask any further questions that you may have. I would love to hear your comments, suggestions and any other information that you would like to share at surbhi.s.gupta@gmail.com

-Surbhi S Gupta