1) Consider a colored gemstone – rubies and sapphires are great stones for everyday wear as they are tough and durable.

2) Perhaps a diamond substitute such as moissanite (oh how it sparkles!), man mad diamond, or a diamond hybrid. They will save you a lot of money and look every bit as gorgeous as a real diamond.

3) Purchase a Canadian diamond – Polar Bear diamonds are mined in Canada and certainly aren’t affiliated with funding guerilla conflicts.

4) Purchase a standard diamond from a reputable dealer that abides by the Kimberley Process (The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) imposes extensive requirements on its members to enable them to certify shipments of rough diamonds as ‘conflict-free’.)

Elizabeta Jewelry offers all of these options, and if you choose option #4, we will donate a portion of the sale to Conflict Neutral (http://www.conflictneutral.com/ – We have three long term aims. 1- To help those affected either directly or indirectly by diamond trading. This will be achieved by support of local projects to provide fresh water, health care etc.. 2- To work towards more strict regulation of diamond sales to ensure that less and less blood diamonds find their way in to circulation. 3 -To support stable non-corrupt governments to help them to bring stability and adequate policing and facilities such that countries are able to restrict illegal trade themselves and provide for their own people.

Hessonite is a variety of garnet. It tends to be warm brownish yellows, brownish oranges, or brownish reds. Because of its color and historic connection with the spice producing country of Sri Lanka, the stone is also called the cinnamon stone. It is found in Brazil, Canada, Madagascar, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and the US. It rates a 7-7.5 on the Moh’s hardness scale, and its toughness is considered fair to good. It can fracture if exposed to extreme temperature changes, and it is attacked by hydrofluoric acid. Never steam clean this stone as it may fracture. It is usually safe to clean ultrasonically, but it is safest to use warm soapy water and a toothbrush. Some alternatives to hessonite include almandite, citrine, fire opal, sapphire, spessartite, topaz, and zircon.

The use of this stone increases creativity and good use of the imagination. It may also serve to increase the level of self-confidence and reduce the propensity to be fearful. It can also increase the awareness of a person’s subtle senses and increase ambition, which may also be for spiritual advancement.

Physically, it is said to help nervous disorders and such degenerative diseases as cancer. It may improve immune functions and counteract the harmful effects of radiation. Hessonite is said to help avert disasters and to protect against evil spirits. Supposedly it can prevent or avert insanity and protect from sudden misfortunes. It also has a reputation for giving great abilities in the sciences.

Jewelry with a Conscience… Elizabeta Jewelry

Do not worry, your options are still many… Fortunately in this day and age, there are many solutions that both you and your intended fiance will be relieved to know about.

1) It’s ok to purchase a synthetic diamond – hey, you don’t have to worry about whether it is a blood diamond or not and you can always replace it with a natural diamond down the road. And with the advance of technology, there are lots of top quality options – there is moissanite, which is silicon carbide, diamond hybrid which uses diamond to produce it, manmade diamonds – same or similar chemical make up of a natural diamond except that it was made in a lab. All of these options are significantly less than the cost of a diamond. For comparison a 1ct diamond G in color, SI1 in clarity usually sells for around $8000.00 (usually less if buying online). A 1ct moissanite runs about $500.00. A diamond hybrid or man made diamond 1 ct in size is about $250.00 or less.

2) An increasingly popular and symbolic option is to go with a colored gemstone. Rubies, sapphires, and spinels are just a few of the possibilities. They tend to be very durable and suited for everyday wear. Many of the colored gemstones have symbolic meaning that you may find appropriate as a symbol of your eternal love. Or maybe you just want a splash of color. Be sure that if you are considering a colored gemstone you ask your jeweler if the stone you want would stand up to daily wear. Some colored gemstones just aren’t cut out for a ring that is worn most all of the time.

3) Another trend that I am seeing more of is purchasing an ornate diamond band with lots of smaller diamonds in lieu of a large diamond. Many smaller diamonds cost less than a large diamond even if the total diamond weight is the same. The Beverley K Collection offers many unique and stunning designs. And, in fact, you can stack multiple bands for a truly amazing look (and you have gift ideas for birthdays, anniversaries, etc…).

4) If you are still planning on getting a real diamond, a good money saver is to avoid the “magic sizes”. Instead of a 1 carat stone, ask for a .90 carat. To the naked eye, the size difference is quite subtle, but you will be pleasantly surprised by the money you can save. The same is true for a 1/2 size – go a few points lower and your savings will be significant.

5) Buying a smaller diamond with the intention of a future upgrade… many jewelry retailers offer a trade up program so when you are ready to purchase a larger stone, you can trade in your smaller one for a credit towards a larger diamond.

Hopefully, we have provided ideas and solutions for you. Please feel free to contact Elizabeta Jewelry (service@elizabetajewelry.com) if you have any questions , would like to shop our online store, or would like to discuss other options. Elizabeta Jewelry offers all of the options listed above.

Peace and Greenness!
www.elizabetajewelry.com

Ok, now that I have gotten that out of the way, here are some ideas we wanted to share for May… Blue is the color we are featuring this month. Blue represents trust, loyalty, and balance. Some blue gemstones include sapphire, blue zircon, blue topaz, aquamaring, iolite, and some tanzanite. If you mention our blog, we will give you 10% off of our already low prices on any blue gemstone – contact us for a price. Deep blue sapphires are a great alternative to diamonds for a center stone in an engagement ring as they are durable as well as stunning. Here is a little bit more information on the symbology of the sapphire:

Sapphire means blue in Greek. The blue goes from dark blue almost black to pale blue. The finest blue sapphires are a strong blue. The star sapphire is very valued. Sapphires of colors other than blue are always referred to with the color. There are pink sapphires, yellow sapphires, violet sapphires, green sapphires and clear sapphires. Today most sapphires are mined in Australia.
It is said a necklace of sapphires will cure a sore throat.
The sapphire was called the “Stone of Destiny”. Sapphires contribute to mental clarity and perception. They can promote financial rewards.
The sapphire is the symbol of heaven and joyful devotion to God.
Sapphire is associated with Aquarius, Virgo, Libra and Capricorn. It is the birthstone of September and has been the birthstone of April. Sapphire is the symbol of Saturn (dark blue) and Venus (light blue).

Somewhere between the passion of red and the calmness of blue lies the mystery of purple. Those with a passion for purple are creative and spiritually in tune with life. As a combination of red and blue, people who pick purple as their favorite can be balanced, yet exciting or steadfast yet vivacious. Those attracted to softer purples such as lilac and lavender describe themselves as refined and romantic. Express your royal nature with effervescent purple gems like amethyst, iolite, and tanzanite. Relax into sensual pastel hues with pastel Purple Sapphire or Lavender chalcedony. Unleash your inner Goddess by adding purple gems to your wardrobe.

Here is some useful information on popular purple gems:

Amethyst is February’s birthstone. Early Greek legend, and its purple wine color, associated amethyst with Bacchus, the god of wine. Other legends led to beliefs that amethyst gems kept their wearers clear headed and quick witted. Russia and South America is where most amethyst can be found. It ranges in color from pale lilac to rich purple. Amethyst is a 7 on the Moh’s Hardness Scale, and it has good hardness. The safest way to clean amethyst is with warm soapy water.

Iolite gets its name from the Greek word for violet. And Iolites shades range from cool shades to dark blue and violet. It is transparent to translucent and pleochroic – this means that it shows different colors from different angles. From some angles it can look colorless, gray, violet, or yellow. This optical property allows the gem to act as a strong light polarizing filter, a feature that Viking navigators found useful. Iolite is a 7-7.5 on the Moh’s scale and has fair toughness. It is best to use warm soapy water to clean this gem.

Tanzanite is a relatively new gemstone that first turned up in 1962 in Northern Tanzania. Tanzanite is often heat treated to achieve colors that include light to dark violetish blue and bluish purple. It is a special-care gem for 2 reasons: sensativity to thermal shock and the potential for cracking. Tanzanite is best in jewelry pieces that won’t be too exposed to accidental bumps – such as earrings or pendants. It is a 6-7 on the Mohs scale and the toughness is fair to poor due to potential cracking and thermal shock.

Some other purple gems that I will discuss in another blog are purple sapphires, purple spinel, and lavender chalcedony.