So you’re finally ready to settle down and make that marriage proposal? There’s no better time to do it than engagement season, which, lucky for you, is now! Get inspired by these uber-romantic celebrity proposals.

Brandon Routh popped the question to Courtney Ford while on a picnic.

Tia Mowry and Cory Hardrict

(InStyle.com found at cnn.com December 16, 2008) — Although the set of a slasher movie seems an unlikely place for romance to bloom, that’s just where it happened for actors Tia Mowry and Cory Hardrict. Shortly after shooting began in 1999 on their film “Hollywood Horror,” the co-stars started spending time together.

Seven years later, on Christmas Day 2006, Hardrict, 32, told Mowry, 30, that he wanted to give her a promise ring. Then, as her entire family looked on, the “Lincoln Heights” actor yelled, “Psych!” and got down on one knee to present her with a 1.5-carat diamond engagement ring.

Antonio Pierce and Jocelyn Maldonado

Antonio Pierce, an NFL linebacker, met Jocelyn Maldonado during a celebrity appearance at an ESPN Fantasy Football Draft. Maldonado, a model at the event, instantly caught his eye. Pierce and Maldonado (who now hosts Mets Weekly) were inseparable over the next six months.

In February 2007, Pierce treated Maldonado to a helicopter ride above Manhattan, New York, before dining at Brooklyn’s The River Café. Famous for its chocolate Brooklyn Bridge cake, Pierce conspired with the restaurant’s manager to place the engagement ring atop the confection, which was covered with pink rose petals.

Backstreet Boy Howard “Howie” Dorough got more than he bargained for after hiring Leigh Boniello to be the band’s webmaster in December 2000. Boniello went on tour with the group and quickly grew close to Dorough.

Six years later, the couple attended a New Year’s Eve party at the New Jersey home of Boniello’s father. “I figured, what better timing,” says Dorough, “because all of her family was going to be there, including her 92-year-old grandmother.”

Just before the stroke of midnight, Dorough made a toast and presented Boniello with a custom-designed three-stone diamond engagement ring.

Brandon Routh and Courtney Ford

Three years before actor Brandon Routh donned those famous blue tights, he tended bar at Lucky Strike Lanes in Hollywood. During a party there in 2003, actress Courtney Ford repeatedly poured out the drinks he made her as a ruse to chat him up. “I kept asking him for another drink, telling him the one before was too strong,” she recalls.

In 2006, Routh purchased the 3-carat diamond ring that had caught Ford’s eye during an earlier visit to Neil Lane. But since the two were traveling for the Superman Returns press tour, Routh asked Gilbert Adler, one of the film’s producers, to hold the ring until they arrived in England. “Poor man!” says Routh. “He carried it around for two and a half weeks.” Finally, while picnicking in Glastonbury, Routh popped the question.

Roselyn Sanchez and Eric Winter

Roselyn Sanchez and Eric Winter became friends after meeting at a party in 2006 and Sanchez immediately pegged him as perfect husband material. She found out for certain that he felt the same way just two days before Christmas 2007, under a full moon at midnight, in a bay off the coast of the Puerto Rican island Vieques.

The two were seated in a double kayak, taking in the bioluminescent organisms shimmering in the water all alone, except for a tour guide in a second kayak. The scene should have been pure bliss, except that Sachez was concerned when their guide speedily paddled away.

“The guy knew to take off so Eric could propose, but imagine how I felt floating in this huge bay in the middle of the night with nobody around,” Sanchez explains. “I started calling back, ‘Senor, hello! Come back!’ until I realized something was going on.”

After an “amazing speech,” Winter pulled out a 4.3-carat brilliant-cut diamond ring by Michael Barin, Sanchez’s favorite jeweler. But her joy was soon laced with anxiety over the fact that such a costly bauble was surrounded by acres of sea. “I said, ‘Put it away, please. I don’t want it to drop in the water!’”

Anna Chlumsky and Shaun So

Actress Anna Chlumsky, 27, best known for her role in “My Girl,” was awaiting her seven-year anniversary with college sweetheart and army reservist Shaun So, 28, and hoping he might pop the question.

While they were having breakfast at a café in her neighborhood a week before their anniversary, Chlumsky described a cocktail ring a friend was selling. So, who had been carrying an engagement ring for two weeks in anticipation of the perfect moment, pulled out the 1-carat, cathedral-mounted, radiant-cut bauble and asked, “Does it look anything like this?”

Guiliana DePandi & Bill Rancic

It started out all business: Giuliana DePandi was interviewing Bill Rancic, first-season winner on “The Apprentice” and co-host of the Chicago, Illinois, TV show “In the Loop with iVillage.” But when the cameras stopped rolling in April 2006, a whirlwind — and adventurous — romance began.

Eight months later, when Rancic, 36, popped the question during a chopper flight over Chicago, complete with champagne, Giordano’s deep-dish pizza (DePandi’s favorite) and Michael Bublé tunes piped into the headset.

“Bill told me we were going to look at Christmas lights,” says DePandi. “It was dark in the helicopter, so I didn’t really get a look at the ring until the next day, when I went into shock for the second time,” she says of the 4-carat cushion-cut diamond in a micro pavé setting Rancic helped design.

Jeri Ryan and Chistophe Eme

“He was hot!” Shark star Jeri Ryan, 39, recalls of first glimpsing her future husband, Christophe Emé, 38, at a food-related charity event four years ago. “He looked good in his chef’s hat, and he had this ornery little spark in his eye that I really enjoy.” After dating for two years, the couple opened Ortolan, their celebrated French restaurant in Los Angeles, California.

The proposal came soon after. “One night, Christophe covered my eyes and took me into our bedroom,” recalls Ryan. There the die-hard romantic had placed candles, champagne and a canvas painted with the messages “And you come with me forever” in French and “Grow old along with me” in English. Emé then presented Ryan with a made-to-order cushion-cut solitaire set in pavé diamonds.

Jason Priestley and Naomi Lowde

Fate has looked after Jason Priestley. On Valentine’s Day 2000 the actor met Naomi Lowde, a makeup artist from Hertfordshire, England, while walking back from a play rehearsal in London. “I was smitten,” says Priestley, now 36.

The Beverly Hills, 90210 alum and Lowde, 27, immediately began dating, and in 2002 they moved back to California together. That’s when fate took another turn: On August 11, 2002, Priestley was driving his race car on a Kentucky track when he hit a wall at 180 mph. Though he sustained three skull fractures, a broken back and a bleeding artery in his neck, he pulled through.

“It was a tough time, but it was also magical because we kept each other’s spirits high,” says Lowde. “We pushed two beds together in the hospital and put Swifty, our French bulldog, in the middle. We were together 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for three months.”

In May 2004 Priestley arranged another trip to London, England — to the very street corner where he and Naomi first met, where he presented her with an emerald-cut, three-diamond ring by Steven Pomerantz.

Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O’Connell

What happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas — and for Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O’Connell, that’s not a bad thing. Nearly four years ago the two ran into each other poolside at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. “I was working on a documentary, and Jerry offered to help,” recalls Romijn, 35. “He spent a week operating the microphone, but later he told me he would have done anything. I don’t think he really cared about the project, if you know what I mean.”

For their first date the couple went to see the Blue Man Group with friends, and O’Connell had Romijn in stitches. “It was this whole Jerry show in my ear. That’s how it is with Jerry. You get sucked into it!” Evidently: A year and a half later, on September 18, 2005, O’Connell, 33, proposed to Romijn in New York with a diamond ring from Simon G.

“I got down on one knee, asked her to marry me and said, ‘You better say yes’ a couple of times — there was a little bit of a pause on her part,” says O’Connell.

Romijn’s take? “Not true!”

Technorati Tags: 10 romantic celebrity diamond engagement, celebrity proposals

When markets plunge and money starts losing its value, investors start looking for other places to park their money. Can diamonds be the next big thing?

By Lim Yi Hwa found Saturday December 13, 2008 at http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/12/13/business/2704415&sec=business

THEY say diamonds are forever, but in reality this iconic phrase was coined by a copywriter from an advertising agency for its diamond company client, De Beers, in 1948.

Made popular by movies and songs, diamond owners and jewellers insist that diamonds are more than just a piece of jewellery.

There are many famous diamonds such as the Hope diamond and the Taylor-Burton diamond (Richard Burton bought this 69.42-carat pear-shaped diamond as an engagement present for Elizabeth Taylor), just to name a few, but the story behind each stone makes it a money-can’t-buy piece.

What exactly makes diamonds a great investment?

Simply put, “a diamond is always worth more than its cost,” says Laura Chow, vice-president (South-East Asia) and regional director of Lazare Kaplan.

 

Laura Chow and Stephen Choong with some of the diamond items and rings (inset) being sold by Lazare Kaplan

“The emotional value, be it an engagement ring or a heirloom passed down from generation to generation, proves to be priceless to their owners. There are two types of diamonds – industrial and gem quality. It takes 200 tonnes of ore to get one piece of one-carat gem quality diamond. The rest are meant for industrial uses like cutting, drilling and polishing. That is why larger pieces are so rare and expensive,” she says.

Making the cut

According to Chow, people invest in gold bars but they can’t wear it as an accessory. “Would you wear a block of gold to a party? A diamond is an investment that can be worn and not lose its value,” she says. She insists there is a diamond for every budget. Her advice to buyers is to tell the jeweller your budget and expectations.

There may be some aspects one will have to sacrifice to get a larger stone for a certain budget, like clarity or the colour of the stone. However, Chow stresses that it is the cut that makes the diamond.

“A good cut like the Lazare ideal cut can visually boost the colour of the diamond by two levels because of its sparkle,” she says. She also adds that some discreet customers prefer to buy a smaller stone that is flawless compared to larger pieces that may cost only half the price of the flawless piece.

Chris Koh, head of PR and media for The Diamond House, agrees that diamonds are indeed becoming a strong trend for investors as it shows higher and more sustainable yields compared to gold.

“It is clearly visible that with the current market demand for ‘investable’ diamonds, the consumers are more receptive to purchasing diamonds,” he says. He adds that The Diamond House has clients who buy jewellery as accessories and for investment.

According to Chow, the prices of diamonds have risen considerably within the last two years. The value of a five-carat diamond with a D colour and VVS grade has risen by 130% and larger stones like a 10-carat diamond has increased by almost 225%. She also stresses that it is wise to invest in larger stones as they are getting rarer and harder to find. “Customers have been telling me that they regret not buying larger stones before the prices went up,” she says.

Sparkle and shine

Stephen Choong, executive director of DeGem Masterpiece Sdn Bhd, says most people have a common misconception about the prices of diamonds. “Unlike gold, diamonds don’t have daily reports on their prices. Maybe that’s why some people think that diamonds have no resale value. That perception is based on short-term investment whereas diamonds are long-term investment. A five-carat diamond a few years back would have cost RM200,000-RM300,000. Now you will not be able to buy that same stone for less than half a million (ringgit),” he says. He adds that diamond resale values are based on the 4C (cut, clarity, colour and carat) international standards.

DeGem also offers to upgrade their customers’ certified diamonds. Choong says it has been buying gems back from their customers and the company also accepts gems not purchased from DeGem, depending on the quality and rarity of the trade-ins.

“We will evaluate based on the condition of the diamond, so it is important to keep your diamonds in tip-top condition. It is, however, important to note that the pricing is based on current market demand,” he says.

According to Choong, the resale value of the diamonds depends on the brand of the jewellers who made it. Internationally-known brands usually command a higher premium. He says quality, design and workmanship of the piece also play a significant part in the evaluation. In rare cases, the value of the diamond also depends on its owner, especially if he’s a celebrity.

Chris Koh says his clients also request for rare gems such as rare-coloured diamonds in specific sizes, special categories of diamonds like the Golconda diamonds. “Our clients are well-informed and we can obtain and fulfil ‘rare’ requests,” he says, adding that The Diamond House shares information with its customers so it knows what is going on within the jewellery industry as well. Clients are interested to know the price, trend and business news within the jewellery industry.

Most clients buy diamonds in set jewellery form. Koh advises that loose stones be set in jewellery form to prevent damages due to manhandling of the stones.

Chow thinks diamonds should be worn to be appreciated and they have better value as mounted jewellery. Theoretically, he says, if someone invests in a diamond today and sells it 70 years later, this vintage piece will fetch a significantly higher price because of the steady price increase of diamonds every year.

Safety measures

If one has investments worth million, one would most probably want to insure them. Choong says most insurance companies are not too keen on insuring diamond jewellery. He adds that wearing them would lower the chances of theft. Laura Chow thinks that diamonds should be worn and enjoyed and confesses her own jewellery is put in a safe in her home that is bolted to the floor when she is not wearing them.

Koh adds that the one thing one should remember about jewellery care is the “Last on, first out” rule. Always wear your jewels last before leaving the house and the first thing you remove when you arrive home. He says: “Never clean your jewellery with toothpaste as it contains abrasive substance and will damage the claws and the polish of the gold or platinum. Always send them back to your jewellers who will be more than happy to clean them for you while checking for loose stones on the jewellery.”

So, whether it is square-cut or pear shape, these precious rocks don’t lose their shape (or value). No wonder they say diamonds are a girl’s (and investor’s) best friend!

Engagement rings in New York

found September 17, 2008 at Time Out NYC

…a non-diamond engagement ring that is classy and old (ish), and won’t set me back three months of unemployment? I’m thinking white gold set with an aquamarine, maybe.
Frank
Jackson Heights, Queens

 

Little King Diamond | engagement ring in New York

Little King Ltd.
This intimate shop is chock-full of unexpected baubles. Is she (or he) a fan of the Chrysler Building? Get a ring featuring the iconic landmark in your choice of metals. Going fancy? Check out a beautiful light blue sapphire in palladium (a metal in the same family as platinum) for $3,000 or a rose-gold and pink tourmaline ring with an intricately etched band for $720. But be careful of aquamarine, warns gemologist Jennifer O’Sullivan: “It’s a very soft stone and may not withstand a lifetime of wear and tear. Sapphires are much stronger and come in all shades of blue.”
319 E 9th St between First and Second Aves (212-260-6140, littlekingjewelry.com)

Fichera and Perkins
If you book it too quickly down University Place, you might miss this dim store tucked away in the middle of the block. Lou Fichera and Ron Perkins have been in the same location for 34 years, putting the sweethearts of “some very guilty men” in forgiving moods. Please your sweetie with a traditional Irish claddagh wedding ring from the ’40s with a deep purple amethyst for $495.50 University Pl between 9th and 10th Sts (212-533-1430)

 

Ilana fine Jewelry New York

Ilana Fine Jewelry
Just a few doors down from Fichera and Perkins, Ilana Fine Jewelry has more vintage and estate gems, such as a teardrop opal ring with diamond accents from the ’50s for $1,450. If you inherited grandmother’s jewels and they need some TLC, bring them here where the repair services can resize, restore and renew those family heirlooms.
42 University Pl between 9th and 10th Sts (212-473-1057)

Gold Label by Tina Tang
Is your lover more modern chic than retro artsy? Visit this downtown cool design studio and find an 8mm sky blue topaz in 14-karat white gold, a new take on the old standby, for $550. Designer and former Wall Street equities trader Tina Tang appeals to the green set, as well, by donating a portion of her proceeds to tree-planting organization American Forests and offering eco-friendly packaging and wrapping.
48 Greenwich Ave between Charles and Perry Sts (212-645-3124, goldlabelbytinatang.com)

 

Doyle and Doyle NYC engagement rings

Doyle & Doyle
For the Gemini gem-lovers out there, a unique flip ring comes with black onyx on one side and a rose-cut garnet and diamonds on the other for $575. A three-stone ruby ring framed in diamonds with a yellow gold band is $1,800.
189 Orchard St between E Houston and Stanton Sts (212-677-9991, doyledoyle.com)

Clay Pot
Opened in Park Slope in 1969, long before the stroller invasion, this family-run store boasts a large bridal collection from more than 75 independent designers. Michele Mercaldo’s Sapphire Fade Band features sapphires across the spectrum, from pale blue to deep navy, set in a palladium band for $1,765. Or surprise your diamond in the rough with Melissa Joy Manning’s Diamond Slice Ring—a dark, raw diamond in a hammered gold band for $1,080.
162 Seventh Ave between Garfield Pl and 1st St, Park Slope, Brooklyn (800-989-3579, /clay-pot.com)

Cog & Pearl
This other Park Slope gem features handmade goods—from tees to home decor—and a nice selection of jewelry from independent designers. The owners handpick featured designers like Liza McLaughlin, who created a charming ruby solitaire with a twisted band for only $80. All the rings in the store are under $300, many of which are suitable for an understated, unique engagement ring. Many designers are happy to do custom work, too.
190 Fifth Ave between Berkeley Pl and Union St, Park Slope, Brooklyn (718-623-8200, cogandpearl.com)

Also on the internet:

Amazon Diamonds Jewelry & Engagement rings

Etsy (etsy.com), the Amazon-like site for crafters, sells wares from virtual storefronts, so you can start your married life on a lazy note by never leaving the couch.

I Do Now I Don’t (idonowidont.com), on the other hand, is a celebration of failed engagements—but don’t let that dissuade you. With auctions of some impressive rings, this site can either blow your budget or yield a supreme deal.

 

Technorati Tags: diamonds, engagement rings, new york

Wednesday, 22 October 2008 found at pr-canada.net 

In the current scenario, the diamond engagement rings have gained a lot of popularity and it owes its roots to the Middle Ages.

All engagement rings come with diamonds from various sizes and no other stone can be replaced with it as such. It has been believed that the round and never ending shape of the ring symbolizes the never-ending love and devotion to a woman.

Diamonds were exceedingly valued by the Romans, who believed that they possess supernatural powers. They were assumed to fend off poisons, maintain sanity, and disperse apprehensions.

The Italians also maintained these values insinuating that diamonds facilitate eternal marital harmony.

Today the diamond engagement is perhaps the most popular type of engagement ring. It used to be tradition for the man to secretly purchase a beautiful engagement ring and present it to his beloved when he proposes her.

This phenomenon still persists however sometimes both the guy and the girl have a say in the kind of ring to be purchased. A movement was initiated in the 20th century to promote male engagement rings, but this never became popular at global scenario. There exists certain country, like Egypt and Brazil, where the male traditionally wears engagement rings, here the male’s engagement ring is commonly used as the wedding rings.

In general, Engagement rings are often used to signify commitment and devotion towards the prospective bride. They have a deep inheritance and are regular in many different societies, but are most popular in the United States and Canada. People here are highly influenced by celebrity behavior so when a celebrity shows off her diamond ring, it becomes a topic of discussion among the masses. And as a result of this demand for diamond ring rises in the market.

For most celebrities the diamond ring is especially designed for them by an expert jewelry designer. Such rings are tailor made according to the desire and preferences of the prospective celebrity. Nowadays individuals are also following the same fashion by getting their engagement rings custom made through the designer or the dealer.

Recently, a website www.myengagementrings.co.uk is launched which enables its prospective visitors/customers not only buy engagement rings but also allow them to customize their engagement rings only. They can use easy to understand tools and design their engagement ring according to their preferences, at the comfort of their home. Now you can choose the special ring for the special person in your life and even tailor it to suit it to your beloved’s needs.

Danny diamonds invites you to read more about the diamond engagement ring 

Women’s : 7 Reasons Why Diamonds Are Still A Girl’s Best Friend

(SkyNewswire.com)—Marilyn Monroe made that phrase famous. Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. That still makes a lot of sense. Here’s why.

Reason #1 diamonds are a girls best friend because they are so beautiful.

Fiery, romantic diamonds light up her finger. White diamonds look beautiful with outfits in every color.

Reason #2 diamonds are forever.

There are lots of beautiful things around. Why diamonds? Roses are beautiful, but they fade. Dresses are gorgeous, but after childbirth, or as she ages, that beautiful dress would not look as beautiful on her anymore.

Reason #3 diamonds are precious.

 Sure, moissanite may be what a girl might buy for herself, because of its lower price, but moissanite is man made. Diamonds are rare, natural stones. The diamonds that girls love are of the highest quality. The lower grade diamonds may be used in tools, but women look at the quality of the diamond. See http://www.buy-diamonds.net/choosing_a_quality_diamond.htm for details on choosing a diamond. A large, high quality diamond would definitely impress.

You can also read much background informations at http://www.excellentdiamonds.com/

Technorati Tags: excellent diamonds

Hold on to your hats, sailors. A jewelry store like no other is about to make a huge splash in St. Clair, and the area’s economy is sure to see a revolutionary impact.

found October 14, 2008 at thetimesherald.com

American Diamond Importers, in its 20th year of business, plans to move to a brand new, spectacularly located and amazingly massive new store just before Thanksgiving. Owner Pat Coughlin is optimizing the beautiful view of the St. Clair River on the corner of Clinton Avenue and Riverside with an architectural design like none other. “There’s going to be shock and awe,” he promised.

The blue prints, dubbing the new ADI store a “Crystal Freighter,” ensure a stunned reaction from customers. One hundred feet from bow to stern and 25 feet wide, the new ADI will be as large as it is unique. In fact, the plans call for a total of 6,000 square feet.

Over two years in the making, Coughlin’s dream has been brought to life through the efforts and creativity of many local workers. Armstrong, Miller & Nichols – of nearby Marine City – handled the architecture, while Larry Builte Construction, based in Port Huron, was responsible for the development of the structure. Tim Horton’s, scheduled to open in the store’s large parking lot, will provide additional opportunities for employment.

3 stone engagement rings

The layout of ADI’s new location includes a glass façade with a rounded stern, where diamonds will glimmer in natural sunlight. Diagrams show the base of the “ship,” which will be metal, decorated in cultured stone. A future landscape option includes surrounding the store with a pond, giving the impression that ADI’s Crystal Freighter is traveling through water.

Special features within the store will include a children’s play area, fully stocked with activities and entertainment to keep the kids at bay while Mom and Dad shop. They’ll do so with ease, too, as a monitor on the sales floor will broadcast the playroom’s happenings.

Monitors also will carry live footage of each professional jeweler as they craft custom pieces or repair family heirlooms.

Children and parents alike will find themselves captivated by the large aquarium, separating the play area from the rest of the store. With over $100,000 worth of gemstones immersed and resting on the tank’s floor, perhaps it won’t be stocked with just any old fish. “We should use piranha,” joked Coughlin.

Men, who oftentimes find the jewelry a tedious task, will have a playroom, too. Furnished with large screen televisions, refrigerated beverages and luxurious recliners, they’ll be free to relax in a den-like atmosphere. Inspired by boaters with GPS systems and technical fishing gear, Coughlin implied the area simply provides the “toys for the boys.”

Wives or girlfriends will enjoy scouring the new store for popular and one of a kind jewelry. “Thank God young men still fall in love,” said Coughlin, declaring engagement rings to be the top selling product at ADI, which is currently located in downtown St. Clair’s Riverview Plaza. A close second on the sales roster are diamond earrings, a classic gift. Charm bracelets, specifically Pandora and Troll brands, also are very popular.

Other finds at ADI include diamonds, like the Journey collection; gemstones, presented in a variety of pieces; and precious gifts galore. Check out the Swarovski crystal, as well as Seiko clocks. Watch batteries are just $10, and all of the proceeds from their sale go directly to Kids in Distress.

Additionally, American Diamond Importers has nearly their complete line of high quality jewelry available for pre-purchase perusing, or actual sale, online. Customers can visit www.americandiamondimporters.com, and they’ll immediately find an impressive site linking them to everything from customer sales representatives to vendors’ Web sites. Due in large part to its extraordinary internet presence, America actually ranks third behind Great Britain and Australia as ADI’s largest online consumer base.

In addition to the international success of ADI, Coughlin continues to support the local community of St. Clair. Nearly every day he’s asked to support a cause, a school, or a project. Feeling blessed to be a part an industry he’s loved for a quarter of a century, he almost always obliges.

American Diamond Importers is a family-owned business. Coughlin’s wife, Marga, is on staff, along with his future daughter-in-law, Jill, and his sons, Tim and Sean. Even the family dog, Tungsten, sometimes comes along with them to work as the store mascot.

“I think of everyone on my staff as my kids,” beamed Coughlin. That’s a pretty big family–17 employees. Because of the new store’s extended hours, which keep the store open until 8 p.m., he plans to hire three or four more people, as well.

Each day, Coughlin’s motivation is clear – pleasing customers and going above and beyond for them. In return, customers have given him some great tales to tell. Among them is the story of an 88-year-old gentleman who proposed to his beloved at the ring counter of ADI, surprising her and delighting the staff. In another heartwarming account, Coughlin remembers a Charlottesville, Virginia man who flew to Michigan just to visit the store and design a custom platinum ring for his fiancée. These stories and countless others illustrate the skill and renowned reputation of ADI’s professional jewelers.

Become another satisfied customer today by taking advantage of the low prices at ADI’s Moving Sale, located at 201 Riverside Ave. Just to the north, at the corner of Clinton and Riverside Ave, Grand Opening events will begin around November 20th. Coughlin’s anticipating three to four million dollars worth of new merchandise from his vendors, promising products both beautiful and affordable.

What:

Platinum, 18 Karat White Gold and Fancy Intense Yellow Diamond Ring Approximately 5.44 carats with two smaller baguette diamonds

Where:

Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, Chicago Fine Jewelry and Timepieces Sept. 22, 2008

How Much:

Pre-Auction Estimate: $30,000 to $40,000 Final Selling Price: $144,400

As the economic picture continues to worsen, the results of a late-September auction of fine jewelry in Chicago begs the casual observer to conclude that collectors are turning to tangible goods as a store of wealth in these uncertain times.

The sale at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers in Chicago, which attracted buyers from Singapore,
Hong Kong, Italy, Mexico, Hungary and Australia, saw multiple pieces of jewelry selling around the $100,000 mark. This yellow diamond ring and a blue sapphire ring were two of the glittering stars of the show. The yellow diamond ring was bought by a jewelry dealer from New York who had flown in especially for this auction and paid $144,400, four times the expected price.

The ring was sold by a Chicago-area family that had inherited the sparkler from their mother, who had worn it as her wedding ring. The 5.44-carat stone, described as an “intense yellow fancy diamond,” sits in an 18-karat white gold setting created in the 1960s. The family was aware of the ring’s value but didn’t expect the 12-person bidding war among buyers from Bulgaria, New York and Los Angeles.

Artfact Analysis:

Colored diamonds are becoming increasingly popular.

To fill the growing demand, several yellow diamond rings have recently been offered, but none have surpassed the price for the Leslie Hindman ring. Two comparable rings sold comfortably above their pre-auction prices recently at Sotheby’s .

The appeal of colored diamonds isn’t limited to their striking shades; colored diamonds are exponentially more rare than colorless diamonds and thus more desirable. For every 100,000 carats of white or colorless diamonds mined, just one carat of colored diamonds are found. Therefore, these gems tend to rise more quickly in value. Some jewelry experts claim that premium-quality colored diamonds double in value roughly every three to five years.

At Sotheby’s September jewelry auction, the top-selling lots were a sapphire-and-diamond ring, made by Van Cleef & Arpels in Paris, which sold for $656,500–more than double its pre-sale estimate of $250,000 to $350,000; and a colorless diamond ring from Harry Winston, which easily fetched twice its pre-sale estimate of $200,000 to $250,000, when it sold for $470,500.

The all-time high auction price for a stone or piece of jewelry is $16.5 million, a record held by the Sotheby’s in Geneva for a 100.1-carat diamond sold in 1995. For perspective, the average price for a diamond engagement ring sold in the U.S. is around $3,000.

Despite the economic downturn, quality will win out, and the robust prices these pieces continue to fetch are a sign that the highest end of the jewelry market will remain healthy for the foreseeable future.

For thousands of comparable sales for every imaginable collectible, check out Artfact.com, the world’s largest database of auction results.

If you want to stay informed about excellent diamonds you should visit this site. It has many gossips, and interesting news related on diamonds. I also enjoyed diamonds news

I also enjoyed diamonds news

Researchers target diamond based lasers and apps

LONDON — Researchers at the Institute of Photonics, University of Strathclyde, have started work on a three and a half-year project to develop a solid-state laser design incorporating CVD (chemical vapour deposition) diamond manufactured by Element Six Ltd.

By John Walko found 10/13/2008 at eetimes.com

The project will be led by the Institute’s Dr. Alan Kemp, and is supported by a grant of more than £600,000 from the UK government-funded Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, EPSRC.

The researchers say the use of diamond as a solid-state laser material opens up new opportunities to design small, compact solid state lasers with greater power handling capabilities and operating at currently unavailable wavelengths so opening up new application areas.

This should have applications in numrous areas, for example, underwater imaging, medical imaging, ophthalmology, cancer therapy and multispectral imaging.

They add diamond has a special combination of optical and thermal properties that make it suitable for this application and these properties can be exploited through the latest single crystal CVD material produced by Element Six.

Raman lasers have already been developed using materials such as silicon, for example, and are used in telecommunications, but the use of diamond could move their capabilities to new power levels and wavelengths. The importance of this type of laser is that it can shift the wavelength.

According to Dr Kemp, the ability to shift the wavelengths “gives access to the applications-rich, but currently source-poor, yellow-orange region of the spectrum.”

Perhaps the most important challenge in modern solid-state laser engineering,”adds Kemp, “is to find ways to generate new wavelengths but in doing so to retain as much as possible of the convenience and performance of current lasers.”

Current generations of continuous wave solid state Raman lasers have been limited to powers of only a few watts due to thermal problems. Diamond has excellent thermal conductivity combined with a low thermal coefficient of expansion allowing greater power handling capability.

“The least glamorous but most pervasive problem in laser engineering, particularly when you want high performance in a small package, is how to deal with heat,” stresses Dr. Kemp. “This is particularly problematic in high power Raman lasers because crystals that are good Raman converters are typically rather poor conductors of heat.

However, with a thermal conductivity that is two to three orders of magnitude better than typical Raman active crystals, diamond should be an excellent Raman medium that will allow the researchers to generate much higher output power

A vital property of the diamond supplied by Element Six is that it exhibits ultra-low birefringence. Birefringence is when the speed of light in a medium varies if the polarization of the light changes and this has to be carefully controlled in a laser cavity in order to make the laser work well.

“The ultra-low birefringence single crystal CVD diamond that E6 produces is a real step forward for all photonics applications of diamond, particularly laser applications. It allows us to exploit the exceptional properties of diamond without compromising other aspects of the laser’s performance,” says Kemp.

The Institute of Photonics and Element Six have already worked together on UK Government supported MIDDI project which has led to the ability to carry out precision etching of single crystal diamond micro-optics.

Element Six Ltd. (E6) was formerly DeBeers Industrial Diamonds Ltd.

Technorati Tags: "diamond laser" "excellent diamonds" "diamonds news"