Is Bigger Better? The How-To's When Shopping For Diamonds

Buying a diamond can be an exhilarating but daunting adventure, especially if you're a newbie.

If I could offer only one piece of advice it would be this: Learn as much as you can about the 4Cs before you go shopping.

For the uninitiated, that's cut, color, clarity and carat weight. And I like to add one more - common sense.

Choosing the perfect diamond (and there's no such thing as the "perfect" diamond, although a few have come close) is as much a matter of personal taste as it is a matter of the diamond's characteristics.

Some couples are willing to forego quality for size, others prefer the brilliance of a flawless blue-white diamond over a larger stone with less clarity. You be the judge - but not until you're clear about those characteristics I mentioned.

Talk to any jeweler and they'll all give you a different opinion as to what they believe is the most important quality of a diamond.

According to Mayer Herz, Vice President of Diamond Acquisition at Mondera.com, "Cut is the most important consideration if you're on a budget. You can make up for low color and clarity if the stone is well cut."

However, Joseph Schlussel, Publisher of Diamond Registry Bulletin, says "I personally believe that color is the most important thing. Most people who go into a store today, they are told about cut. But I look at what you can see with a naked eye. I would put cut the last, because most people can't see it."

The safest all-round bet is to look for the overall "package", with the levels of cut, clarity, color and size as good as you can get for the price you're willing to pay.

Here are my tips to help you get the best value possible:

• Ensure you get a Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or the American Gem Society (AGS) Certificate when you purchase your diamond. A Certificate guarantees that you are getting what you paid for.

• If you are buying at a retail store, ask to see your diamond against a white cloth (or take your own - even a white piece of paper will do the trick!). Jewelers typically use a black felt cloth to display their stones because all diamonds look white against black.

• The American Gem Society says that the cut of the diamond can influence the price by as much as 50%. A well-cut diamond, when viewed from above, will sparkle with a brilliance you won't find in any other precious stone.

• Most diamonds have flaws (called inclusions) that developed during its formation millions of years ago. Some are impossible to see with the naked eye, others glare at you. The more inclusions, the poorer the quality of the diamond, and the less light it will emit. But its all a trade-off - fewer inclusions means a more expensive diamond.

Knowledge is power, and the more you understand about how diamonds are graded and how that determines the price you'll pay, the better you'll be able to judge what is good value.

Above all, remember that you'll be the one wearing it, and hopefully for a long time, so the final decision is yours. My very first diamond had a hairline crack deep inside it, and I came to love that diamond as much for its tiny flaws as I loved my husband for his!

Alex Miller has been involved in the jewelry industry for more years than she cares to remember! She lists her passions as "diamonds, diamonds and more diamonds" and has turned her passion into an informative website. You can find more great articles about diamonds, engagement rings, bridal jewelry, honeymoons and more at http://www.Engagement-Rings-Guide.com. The place to go BEFORE you shop for jewelry online.

alex@engagement-rings-guide.com

 

Antique Porcelain Doll

OneAntique Porcelain Doll

Theres a special place in the world of antiques for antique porcelain
dolls. Works of art in miniature, antique porcelain dolls are a
portrayal of fashion and self-concept for the age they were created in.
Antique porcelain dolls are both delicate and surprisingly durable. It
is a wonder that any of these dolls survived the ages at all,
considering that they were created as a plaything for children! No
doubt many of them were played with a great deal by the little girls
they belonged to, our great-great grandmothers, in years long past. It
is just as certain that many antique porcelain dolls were acquired just
for their beauty, to be put on display in a protective case and not for
playing with! These dolls hold their place as an art form.

As with most antiques, the value of antique porcelain dolls is tied
closely to the condition they are in. Porcelain, while being resistant
to decay, does chip easily. Paint can be rubbed off with excessive
handling. These mishaps are not unusual in antique porcelain dolls, and
finding a doll without them is rare. Antique porcelain dolls command a
high price even with a few faults. The doll needs to be in good
condition generally, and any repairs slight and unnoticeable. Whether
the doll has its original hair and original clothing, and if the body is
original to the head and not a replacement, are all factors to be
considered in determining the value of an antique porcelain doll.

http://www.a1-porcelain-dolls-4u.info/antiqueporcelaindoll.html

Comparing Prices of Loose Diamonds Online

If you have started the daunting task of shopping for diamonds online, you have probably discovered how difficult it is to figure out who has the best price for similar stones. Going from site to site, running individual searches on each one, then trying to compare results in several different browser windows - sound familiar? Sounds like a pain!

If you have started the daunting task of shopping for diamonds online, you have probably discovered how difficult it is to figure out who has the best price for similar stones. Going from site to site, running individual searches on each one, then trying to compare results in several different browser windows - sound familiar? Sounds like a pain!

There are consolidated shopping search engines out there and you may have used those when looking for the best price on some other products, but those search engines have a major weakness when it comes to diamonds. Shopping for a diamond requires additional details that generic shopping search engines are not able to display. If you can't at least see the cut, color and clarity of diamonds side by side, then the search results are useless. You can't compare apples to oranges and expect to figure out which is the better deal.

Wouldn't it be convenient if there were a comparison search engine designed specifically for loose diamonds where you could search by shape, weight, cut, color, clarity and price? Then you would see a list of matching diamonds from several online vendors and you could quickly see who has the best price for a 1.50 carat, H-VS2 round diamond with Ideal proportions. That's not too much to ask, is it?

Well, now there is such a search engine - and you may be shocked by the results. But first, I would like to share a dirty little secret of the online diamond world with you. Did you know that the diamond inventory you see at one online diamond vendor is the same as many other online vendors? How is this possible - these are competing companies, so how can they be selling the same exact diamonds? Simple - they don't have any inventory!!!

This is how the online diamond world works - Retailers get lists of available diamonds from wholesalers around the country. Those wholesalers give the retailers a cost price and the retailers decide how high to mark up each diamond. The difference in price between retailers can be as much as $10,000 for a large diamond!

The retailers will then post that diamond to their online inventory - the exact same diamond, same shape, weight, cut, color, clarity, table width, total depth and measurements - but the price you pay will be different at each site! When you decide to purchase that diamond, the retailer notifies the wholesaler and that diamond is removed from inventory and is no longer available to any other online retailer.

So how do you find the best price for the same exact diamond without spending hours searching through results from dozens of web sites? Simple. We have developed a loose diamonds price comparison search engine that shows you available diamonds that match your criteria from multiple online vendors. One search will yield results from around the web and you can sort the results any way you like. Give it a try and you will be amazed at the differences in price for the same exact diamond!

Good luck in your search.

Tanya Blok is the staff writer for the leading diamond prices comparison search engine on the internet. You can compare loose diamonds pricing from multiple online vendors in one easy search.

Diamonds in the Ruff: How to find a good personal trainer.

The question of how to find a good personal trainer is as old as the industry itself. In fact, it usually gets transformed into an even bigger question - should you even HIRE a personal trainer? Conveniently enough, the answer to one of those questions will dictate the answer to the other one - every time!

The short and simple truth of the matter is that you should only hire a personal trainer if you can find an effective one that is right for you. Here are several things to consider before you decide!

Professionalism

The term professionalism should cover our prospective trainer's skills, as well as his/her ability to act in a professional manner. Both are critical to the training process, and if a trainer is lacking in either department, it will spell doom for your program eventually, either in the short term, or later on down the road.

The days of personal trainers just being jocks with a certification are (thankfully!) coming to a close. Today's personal trainer needs to be a consummate professional with regard to his/her actual skills, as well as ability to treat their clients in a professional and business-like manner.

For now let's just agree that if your trainer doesn't have a clue about how to get you in shape, you probably don't want to hire that trainer!

What about their level of professionalism? A good personal trainer will always maintain their professional bearing. They don't need to be some stick in the mud with no personality, but there are several things that a trainer should NOT be doing during a training session. These include things like staring at themselves in the mirror, daydreaming, excessively talking to other people, talking on their cell phone, checking out members of the opposite sex, and just generally not focusing on you during the workout.

Your trainer should look professional as well. Although the actual clothing standards vary widely, some things that you should not see are excessive body jewelry, the latest fashions such as arm bands, beanie caps, combat boots, etc., or any clothing or accessories that are worn simply as decoration or because the style is in. The latest styles have absolutely nothing to do with your training program!

Credentials

Which level of personal training certification is the best has been and continues to be a matter of extreme debate. This article will not propagate that debate with further discussion of the details. However, what you should take home is the fact that regardless of your fitness goals, your trainer should be qualified to train YOU.

For general health and fitness, any of the top 10 nationwide certification agencies offer acceptable programs. A brief list includes - but is not limited to - the International Sports Sciences Association, the American Council on Exercise, and the National Academy of Sports Medicine. There are others, and your trainer should be more than happy to point you to the website that governs his or certification, so that you can learn more on your own.

For more specific considerations like training for a sport or athletic competition, your trainer will need a higher degree of expertise. The American College of Sports Medicine has a great program and is one of the most recognized certifications for sport specific training.

You should ask very specific questions about how a potential trainer is going to tackle the particular issues that you want covered during your training program.

Facility

Regardless of your potential trainer's credentials and professionalism, you need to know where you are going to train. The industry standard of only working out at a gym is being challenged more and more these days. It is possible now to find a trainer who will come right to your house and train you, or possibly meet you outside, or in your housing area community fitness center. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that you have to go to the gym if you want a personal trainer!

Schedule

One of the biggest issues for trainers and clients alike is scheduling. After all, you both have to be in the same place at the same time for a minimum of 30 minutes, and possibly as long as 90 minutes. A good trainer will try to find a way to fit you into their schedule. It won't always be possible, especially with a highly sought after trainer, but if the trainer truly wants to help you, they will do their best to fit you in.

Rapport

Having a good rapport with your personal trainer is crucial! If you and your trainer don't get along, it's a waste of time for both of you. You will likely end up more frustrated than ever, thinking that even a professional couldn't help you!

Working with a personal trainer that you like is necessary, and on the flip side, the trainer should like you as well. You don't necessarily need to pick out curtains together, but you should at least be able to carry on a comfortable dialogue while you exercise. Most good trainers are good communicators as well, but if the two of you aren't very comfortable with each other, then it will cause tension and increase the risk of your program meeting with failure.

A good personal trainer will agree to meet with you face to face before you actually sign up for a training program. Some trainers offer a free or low-cost initial consultation, and that is the perfect time to size up your trainer to make sure they fit your needs!

You should take home the fact that the definition of a good personal trainer is someone who is not only a professional, but is also appropriate for your specific personality, needs, goals, and desires. You may be working with this person for awhile, so choose wisely!

Aaron Potts' experience as a Fitness Professional has included management positions with local and nationally known fitness facilities, as well as in-home and outdoor training with clients from all walks of life. Find out more about Aaron's programs at his personal training site at http://www.aaronspersonaltraining.com.

Fancy Colour Diamonds Diamonds Come In All The Colours Of The Rainbow

There may be nothing more beautiful than the diamond. Theres a reason that these precious stones are so highly sought after and the reason is beauty. Something that a lot of people may not know is that diamonds come in colours other than white. Fancy colour diamonds are available in almost every colour imaginable and, while the rarity of clolured diamonds makes them more expensive than white or colourless gems, they are nowhere near as costly as they once were.

Colour Me Impressed Diamonds In Beautiful Natural Colour

Long ago coloured diamonds were far out of reach of the average person. Only about one in every thousand diamonds mined is considered a fancy, others are diamonds that have inclusions that make them undesirable. This rarity in the fancy diamonds made them extremely valuable. It wasnt until science found a way to create coloured diamonds from the imperfect white stones that the naturally coloured ones began to drop in price. This also lowered the popularity of the fancy diamonds which further lowered their cost. Natural fancy colour diamonds are gaining in popularity once again and are no longer just for the wealthy.

Naturally coloured diamonds are used in all manner of diamond rings, earrings, and other diamond jewelry. A Fancy diamond can be cut in the same way as a white diamond and there is once again quite a demand for desirable fancy diamonds. Canary yellow and pink diamonds are especially popular in todays market, but diamonds of all colours are available. Lab enhanced diamonds will cost much less than naturally coloured diamonds, but the colour may fade over time. Diamonds that are naturally fancy will retain their colour forever.

Caroline O'Shaughnessy runs www.Best-Diamonds-Online.com.
She keeps track of all the latest news and developments about diamonds, diamond rings and diamond jewelry.

The Diamond Cutter: Buddhist Sucess Model

Geshe Michael Roach is a Princeton graduate and a Buddhist monk. After graduation, he spent seven years studying the wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism. At the suggestion of his teacher, he joined a fledgling diamond business in New York to test his ideals in real life. He stayed with the business as a member of the core management team for seventeen years.
The company grew from a start-up with two owners and two employees to $100 million in sales and five hundred employees in offices around the world. The Diamond Cutter: The Buddha on Strategies for Managing Your Business and Your Life tells the story of how Geshe Michael Roach built the diamond division of this company, using principles culled from ancient Tibetan Buddhism as the driving force behind his decision making.
Drawing on lessons he learned in the diamond business and years in Buddhist monasteries, Roach shows how taking care of others is the ultimate path to taking care of oneself, even--especially--in business. As he puts it, you have to engage in "mental gardening," which means doing certain practical things that will form new habits that will create an ideal reality for you. If this sounds a little outrageous, his very precise instructions are down to earth and address numerous specific issues common to the business/management world. Through this practice, you will become a considerate, generous, introspective, creative person of immense integrity, and that will be the key to your wealth... A

Some of the many insights in The Diamond Cutter are as follows:

A business should be successful; it should make money. There is no conflict between spirituality and success in business. Successful business people have the resources to do more good in the world than those people without the same resources do. In addition, the very people who are attracted to business are the same people who have the strength to grasp and carry out the deeper practices of the spirit.
Money should be made honestly and with absolute integrity. How we make money matters more than anything else does. It determines our ability to keep making money as nobody can indefinitely run a business built on dishonesty or deception. It also significantly affects our ability to enjoy the money we make.
Nothing is good or bad in and of itself; everything has a hidden potential. This is what the Buddhists call emptiness. What is bad news for you may be good news for someone else, and vice versa. We must not leap to conclusions about events, but must stop to consider what potential they really have for us. Even competitors can be seen as fairy godmothers challenging us to find the correct path to greater accomplishment. It is a matter of perception. With the right state of mind, we can turn our problems into opportunities.
We should look ahead to the inevitable end of our days in business, and put ourselves in a position where we can honestly say our years in business had some meaning. The idea here is to anticipate our future, and move in a direction that will allow us to look back on our past with total joy and satisfaction.

The Diamond Cutter: The Buddha on Strategies for Managing Your Business and Your Life by Geshe Michael Roach (Author)


List Price: $23.95 through Barnes and Noble

Availability: Usually ships within 24 hours
The company grew from a start-up with two owners and two employees to $100 million in sales and five hundred employees in offices around the world. The Diamond Cutter: The Buddha on Strategies for Managing Your Business and Your Life tells the story of how Geshe Michael Roach built the diamond division of this company, using principles culled from ancient Tibetan Buddhism as the driving force behind his decision making.
Drawing on lessons he learned in the diamond business and years in Buddhist monasteries, Roach shows how taking care of others is the ultimate path to taking care of oneself, even--especially--in business. As he puts it, you have to engage in "mental gardening," which means doing certain practical things that will form new habits that will create an ideal reality for you. If this sounds a little outrageous, his very precise instructions are down to earth and address numerous specific issues common to the business/management world. Through this practice, you will become a considerate, generous, introspective, creative person of immense integrity, and that will be the key to your wealth... A

Some of the many insights in The Diamond Cutter are as follows:

A business should be successful; it should make money. There is no conflict between spirituality and success in business. Successful business people have the resources to do more good in the world than those people without the same resources do. In addition, the very people who are attracted to business are the same people who have the strength to grasp and carry out the deeper practices of the spirit.
Money should be made honestly and with absolute integrity. How we make money matters more than anything else does. It determines our ability to keep making money as nobody can indefinitely run a business built on dishonesty or deception. It also significantly affects our ability to enjoy the money we make.
Nothing is good or bad in and of itself; everything has a hidden potential. This is what the Buddhists call emptiness. What is bad news for you may be good news for someone else, and vice versa. We must not leap to conclusions about events, but must stop to consider what potential they really have for us. Even competitors can be seen as fairy godmothers challenging us to find the correct path to greater accomplishment. It is a matter of perception. With the right state of mind, we can turn our problems into opportunities.
We should look ahead to the inevitable end of our days in business, and put ourselves in a position where we can honestly say our years in business had some meaning. The idea here is to anticipate our future, and move in a direction that will allow us to look back on our past with total joy and satisfaction.

The Diamond Cutter: The Buddha on Strategies for Managing Your Business and Your Life by Geshe Michael Roach (Author)

List Price: $23.95 through Barnes and Noble

Availability: Usually ships within 24 hours

Janet Ilacqua is a freelance writer specializing in prosperity, spirituality, and home-based business issues. She lives with her husband and sister in Tracy, California. She can be reached at jilacqua@aol.com. Also, check her websites: http://www. writeupon.com

How To Choose Diamond Earrings

Diamond beauty versus cost: What is the best combination?
Better quality diamonds are more brilliant and beautiful, but they command higher prices as well. This article explains how to find the best value in diamond stud earrings: the brightest diamond for the lowest cost.
For those who can afford it, we recommend an excellent cut diamond of G-H color and "eye-clean" clarity. This is a moderately priced diamond, but earrings of this quality will produce the same dazzling shower of light as those costing thousands of dollars more.
There are three simple reasons: first, it is the excellent cut that breathes life and sparkle into a diamond. Second, most experts agree that a G-H color appears colorless when mounted, so spending more for D-E-F color diamonds isn't necessary. Third,a diamond of SI2 clarity is "eye-clean", meaning it has no flaws visible to the naked eye, but costs a lot less than the higher clarity grades.
Excellent bargains with only a slight compromise in beauty can be found in the I1 Clarity range as well, as long as the cut is good and the color is in the G-H range.

For those who are on a budget, don't feel embarrassed to buy diamonds of a lower quality. All diamond earrings sparkle when they are worn on a woman's ear, and let's face it: for the same price, many women would rather wear 1 carat studs of a lower quality than 1/2 carat studs of a higher quality.

Fast Fact: there are many good websites to purchase diamond stud earrings. Our top recommendation, however goes to a specialty site www.diamondstudsonly.com. They sell the same color, clarity and cut grades for about 25% less than the typical "sale" price in a retail jewelry store (and other internet stores), and they back it up with a price comparison tool that allows you to view prices for earrings of the same quality on many other major internet jewelry sites. You will also have the security of their free insurance against loss of any kind for a full year.

Choosing the right Color:
The finest diamonds are colorless, rare and expensive. On the GIA grading scale, D-F are considered colorless, G-I near colorless and any grade J or below shows an increasingly yellowish tinge. Beyond the preference for a whiter stone, however, the color of a diamond does not affect its brightness or sparkle.
Fast Fact: Most experts agree that, when mounted, diamonds in the "G-H" range appear colorless, and represent a much better value than "D-F" stones which command significantly higher prices.

Choosing the right Clarity:
Diamonds with fewer flaws (inclusions) are rare and therefore more highly prized. In many cases, these flaws don't detract from the beauty of the diamond because they are invisible to the naked eye.
Fast Fact: Any grade "SI2" or above has inclusions that are "eye clean", not visible to the naked eye. An "I1" grade can be an excellent value, particularly if the inclusion is on the outer edge. "I2" grades can still exhibit a fair degree of fire and light. "I3" grade diamonds are noticeably more opaque or dark to the naked eye.

Choosing the right Cut:<
More than any other attribute, it is the Cut that makes a diamond brilliant and beautiful. A diamond that is well cut reflects light internally and displays a dazzling shower of light back through the top of the stone.
Fast Fact: When viewing a diamond, look directly into the center: if there are dark facets in the center or a dark ring around the center, or if the diamond appears opaque, it is probably due to poor cut.

Brilliance, Dispersion and Scintillation:
The secret of a diamond that is properly cut is that it returns a measurably greater amount of light, which is displayed as brilliance, dispersion and scintillation. This is the true measure of a diamond's beauty.
Brilliance: The total amount of white light, both external and internal, returned from the diamond to the eye of the observer.
Dispersion: Flashes of color, or fire, particularly when viewing a diamond in strong, direct light.
Scintillation: Reflections and flashes of white light from the diamond's surface as the diamond, observer or light source moves.

Click here to view photos along with the above presentationDiamond beauty versus cost: What is the best combination?
Better quality diamonds are more brilliant and beautiful, but they command higher prices as well. This article explains how to find the best value in diamond stud earrings: the brightest diamond for the lowest cost.
For those who can afford it, we recommend an excellent cut diamond of G-H color and "eye-clean" clarity. This is a moderately priced diamond, but earrings of this quality will produce the same dazzling shower of light as those costing thousands of dollars more.
There are three simple reasons: first, it is the excellent cut that breathes life and sparkle into a diamond. Second, most experts agree that a G-H color appears colorless when mounted, so spending more for D-E-F color diamonds isn't necessary. Third,a diamond of SI2 clarity is "eye-clean", meaning it has no flaws visible to the naked eye, but costs a lot less than the higher clarity grades.
Excellent bargains with only a slight compromise in beauty can be found in the I1 Clarity range as well, as long as the cut is good and the color is in the G-H range.

For those who are on a budget, don't feel embarrassed to buy diamonds of a lower quality. All diamond earrings sparkle when they are worn on a woman's ear, and let's face it: for the same price, many women would rather wear 1 carat studs of a lower quality than 1/2 carat studs of a higher quality.

Fast Fact: there are many good websites to purchase diamond stud earrings. Our top recommendation, however goes to a specialty site www.diamondstudsonly.com. They sell the same color, clarity and cut grades for about 25% less than the typical "sale" price in a retail jewelry store (and other internet stores), and they back it up with a price comparison tool that allows you to view prices for earrings of the same quality on many other major internet jewelry sites. You will also have the security of their free insurance against loss of any kind for a full year.

Choosing the right Color:
The finest diamonds are colorless, rare and expensive. On the GIA grading scale, D-F are considered colorless, G-I near colorless and any grade J or below shows an increasingly yellowish tinge. Beyond the preference for a whiter stone, however, the color of a diamond does not affect its brightness or sparkle.
Fast Fact: Most experts agree that, when mounted, diamonds in the "G-H" range appear colorless, and represent a much better value than "D-F" stones which command significantly higher prices.

Choosing the right Clarity:
Diamonds with fewer flaws (inclusions) are rare and therefore more highly prized. In many cases, these flaws don't detract from the beauty of the diamond because they are invisible to the naked eye.
Fast Fact: Any grade "SI2" or above has inclusions that are "eye clean", not visible to the naked eye. An "I1" grade can be an excellent value, particularly if the inclusion is on the outer edge. "I2" grades can still exhibit a fair degree of fire and light. "I3" grade diamonds are noticeably more opaque or dark to the naked eye.

Choosing the right Cut:<
More than any other attribute, it is the Cut that makes a diamond brilliant and beautiful. A diamond that is well cut reflects light internally and displays a dazzling shower of light back through the top of the stone.
Fast Fact: When viewing a diamond, look directly into the center: if there are dark facets in the center or a dark ring around the center, or if the diamond appears opaque, it is probably due to poor cut.

Brilliance, Dispersion and Scintillation:
The secret of a diamond that is properly cut is that it returns a measurably greater amount of light, which is displayed as brilliance, dispersion and scintillation. This is the true measure of a diamond's beauty.
Brilliance: The total amount of white light, both external and internal, returned from the diamond to the eye of the observer.
Dispersion: Flashes of color, or fire, particularly when viewing a diamond in strong, direct light.
Scintillation: Reflections and flashes of white light from the diamond's surface as the diamond, observer or light source moves.

Click here to view photos along with the above presentation

Mr. Tschopp is a graduate of the Gemological Institute of America and has over 15 years of experience in the diamond marketplace.