Ways To Repair Your Gem Stone

This is one that lots of people have to deal with. I want to say first that I am glad you have an aquamarine! This makes me smile in a sentimental and special way. Why? Well, with so much blue topaz on the market today, the wonderful aquamarine has almost faded in the public eyes. Unfortunately, many do not even know about this much more valuable and beautiful gemstone. In years past, the aqua WAS the stone of choice for those special shades of blue nature makes. Aquamarine is a superior stone in all aspects to the irradiated blue topaz, a stone not naturally the rich blues in nature.

First of all, most jewelry shops do not have the capability to recut chipped gemstones. Some of this depends on the cut of the stone to start with, whether a cabochon(round top, like an opal or onyx might be cut) or faceted as with diamonds, rubies and other stones with little faces (the facets) on the surface. The person who cuts gemstones does the work called 'lapidary' or stone cutting. This work requires the cutting and polishing equipment needed for gemstones. Almost all stones must be worked with tools the jeweler simply does not use for working metals.
Stones are much harder than metals and require special and sometimes very specialized machines to work the gem, whether in cutting a gem from a piece of rough material from the earth or in repairing a chip in a stone already cut. While many folks do cut and polish cabochons(rounded tops without facets), the number greatly lessens when looking for those who do facet cutting. The equipment is very different since each individual facet is cut one at a time, through different grades of cutting from rough abrasives to the final polish.

What do most jewelers do? When a chipped stone needs repair, the jeweler generally sends the stone to a lapidary craftsperson. This usually means sending the stone to a company where the work may be done. Sometimes, the jeweler might have a local connection to either a professional or amateur(some are the best going!) for the repair work. The cabochon work is easy and more locals can do this work. For faceted gems, having a local cutter is not common and most stones are shipped to a factory offering the service.

What work is needed? Some companies offer to cut the gem stone for you. On some websites they show you what kind of cuts that they can do. When you see line drawings of the 'diamond' they want to sell. Using the line drawings, you can get an idea of how difficult it might be to repair the chip in your aquamarine. It all depends on the location of the chip! The middle of the stone, between the top(crown) and the bottom(pavilion) is called the girdle of the gem. If the chip is here, repair is relatively simple for a small chip and will not affect the rest of the stone in a noticeable way.

If the chip is higher on the stone, say on or between a couple of the facets on the crown, the repair is more difficult. Why? Look at the drawing(or at your aquamarine) and you will see the faces line up and meet each other. To repair a chip on one of the higher facets will mean cutting and polishing the stone down deep enough to remove the chip. This will change the face where the cutting is done and the facets will not line up as before.

To do the job properly, often the entire top(crown) of the stone will need to be re-cut. This means all facets are re-cut and polished so they all line up as before. This is done to prevent one large repaired face from messing up the arrangement and standing out easily to the eye.
How the repair is done depends on the location of the chip and whether the stone is faceted or a cabochon cut. Then, where and how well the work is done depends on the contacts the jeweler has. To find a jeweler with in-house lapidary service is a rare find, indeed. Be sure to ask if the work is done in-house or sent to a cutter. Ask for an estimate before having the work done. Ask if the repair will change the over dimensions (width and length) of the stone since that will affect how it fits back into your jewelry mounting.

Ask if the cutter can give you at least an idea of how much stone must be cut away to do the repair. Asking these questions can kind of give you an understanding of how the stone might look when they are done with it. But sometimes it is good to ask these questions that way you can find out if taking your stone to this one person is a good thing. You can always go around to all of the jewelry stores and ask them the same questions and when you get home find out which one is the best for you.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for http://www.DiamondGems.info. DiamondGems.info carries the best selection of loose diamonds, diamond rings, and diamond jewelry on the market. Browse through our selection of loose diamonds by size, cut, shape, type, and other features here: http://www.DiamondGems.info/subcategory/loose-diamond.html.
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Loose Emerald Cut Diamonds

Diamond jewelry has always been one of the most popular types of jewelry among consumers. This is because apart from the fact that diamond jewelry are very beautiful, this kind of jewelry is also very expensive and valuable- given that it is very difficult to mine diamonds. However, in recent years, the interest of people in diamonds has not only been on diamond jewelry. People have also become very interested in loose diamonds. One of the reasons why loose diamonds are also becoming very popular is that they allow people to choose the unique stones they want in their jewelry and have more control over the process. Usually, people can buy loose cut diamonds in a variety of cuts. Some of these include round, emerald, heart, marquise, oval, pear, princess, radiant, and trillion cuts. Among these, one of the most popular is the emerald cut, which is already considered a classic jewel cut.

Emerald cut

One of the main reasons why emerald cut diamonds are very popular is because of the unique characteristics of the cut. One of these includes emerald cut diamonds, which are cut with rectangular facets to create a unique brilliance for the diamond. In addition to this, the rectangular shape of the emerald cut diamond also highlights the clarity of the diamond, which is one of the most important factors that determine the value of diamonds. Not all emerald cut diamonds are the same, as they vary in how rectangular their shapes are, which depends on the length to width ratio of the diamond. However, among the different length to width ratios of emerald cut diamonds, the length to width ratio that is considered to be the classic cut is a ratio between 1.30 to 1.40.

In recent years, loose diamonds have also become very popular among consumers, as they allow people to personalize their diamond jewelry. Among the different cuts of loose diamonds, one of the most popular is the emerald cut, which highlights one of the most important factors that make diamonds very valuable, which is the clarity of the diamond. As a result, emerald cut diamonds are now considered one of the most classic cuts of loose diamonds in the market.

Loose Diamonds provides detailed information on Loose Diamonds, Wholesale Loose Diamonds, Certified Loose Diamonds, Loose Diamonds For Sale and more. Loose Diamonds is affiliated with Diamond Engagement Rings.

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Certified Loose Diamonds

A certificate is actually the ""blueprint"" of a loose diamond. It is also called the diamond grading report or diamond dossier. It tells you the diamond's exact measurements and weight, as well as the details of its cut and quality. The certificate points out precisely all the individual characteristics and facets of the stone. The certificates also serve as proof of the diamond's identity and value.

A certificate, however, is not the same thing as an appraisal. A certificate describes the quality of a diamond, but it does not place monetary value on the gem. The certificate may help determine the diamond’s market value, but does not give the appraisal. There are many diamond grading labs that issue certificates such as the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the American Gem Society (AGS), the two most widely regarded and recognized diamond grading labs in the world.

There are many diamond grading labs in operation, many of which produce their own grading reports. Different labs have different grading standards, and some labs will be more lenient with their standards compared to others.

Shopping around for graded loose diamonds allows you to make an informed choice about your selections. You can compare one diamond with a particular weight and quality with other loose diamonds of similar weight and quality to determine which has the better value.

When purchasing loose diamonds, it is always safe to do so in stores that give out a report for every loose diamond purchased. This way, one can make sure that the diamond is genuine. Some diamond stores actually boast of selling diamonds that are accompanied by a lab report from GIA or AGSL, labs that have consistently demonstrated their commitment to high standards. Some lab reports are also ready for online viewing for the virtual shoppers.

Loose Diamonds provides detailed information on Loose Diamonds, Wholesale Loose Diamonds, Certified Loose Diamonds, Loose Diamonds For Sale and more. Loose Diamonds is affiliated with Diamond Engagement Rings.

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Tips On Purchasing Loose Cut Diamonds

Purchasing loose diamonds can be an effective diamond buying strategy for both cost and quality. Loose cut diamonds refer to diamonds that have already been cut and polished, but have not been placed in any particular type of setting yet, such as a ring. If you are buy loose cut diamonds, you will then have the ability to place the diamonds in a variety of settings after your purchase. By focusing first on the diamond, you will be able to get the best quality diamond for your money.

A diamond will usually be characterized by the four c's: carat weight, clarity, color, and cut. While caret weight is a consideration, don't make the mistake of focusing solely on size. Shopping for loose cut diamonds based strictly based on carat weight would be similar to purchasing an appliance based just on capacity, without considering the features and styling that would work best to fit your needs. The other diamond characteristics can greatly impact the look of your diamond even more than the carat weight.

Another important consideration is clarity, which refers to the number and type of flaws that are found in the diamond. Unfortunately, clarity is very difficult to judge accurately, as most flaws are only visible under a microscope. You can ask a variety of jewelers to point out the flaws in a variety of stones, using a microscope, until you can judge for yourself. However, since most people will be admiring your diamond with their naked eye, you can usually rule out loose cut diamonds with flaws that are clearly visible, and not worry too much about microscopic flaws.

Diamonds come in a variety of colors, but for a traditional, non-colored diamond, the clearer the better. Although you will be purchasing loose cut diamonds, it is good to have an idea about what type of setting you will have your diamonds in. If you plan on mounting the stones in white-gold or platinum, the whiter diamonds will be much more effective. Yellow metals, like gold, will be much more forgiving to more of yellow-colored diamonds.

The cut of your loose diamonds is perhaps the most important consideration. The cut will determine, to a large extent, the brilliance of your diamonds, and also suggest the best diamond setting. A brilliant cut usually has triangular facets that surround the stone, leading to what is a flat top, or often called a table. These differ from the more traditional emerald or step cuts, but provide the shiniest diamonds available.

Purchasing loose cut diamonds can be a jewelry investment that lasts a lifetime. By spending some time familiarizing yourself with the many choices before your purchase, you be a much more informed consumer. Your diamonds will then be available for a variety of creative settings.

Amy Wells is a diamond lover and aficionado. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amy_Wells