All About Jewelry & Its Definition

 When selecting the vintage engagement ring and wedding bands for yourself and your fiancée, it is important to know a little something about jewelry terminology.

Settings

Bezel Setting

The diamond sits on a plate of platinum or gold and is surrounded by a wall of metal that is perpendicular to the plate.

Prong Setting

Prong setting is different from bezel setting in that equal parts of the bezel are removed leaving prongs to cover the edge of the diamond. The Tiffany solitaire setting is prong set.

Bead Setting

Bead setting is different from prong setting in that small beads of platinum or gold are pushed over the edge to secure the diamond. Pave setting is bead setting over an expanded area of diamonds.

Channel Setting

This is a procedure where diamonds are set side by side along a groove and are secured by hammering the sides of the channel wall over the edge of the diamonds.

Invisible Setting

Diamonds are set in such a way that no metal is showing. No prongs, beads, channels or bezels are used. Grooves in the diamond girdle are set into a metal framework below the surface giving the illusion of diamonds suspended without any metal around the diamond.

Parts of the Engagement Ring

Head

The head of the ring is the top of the ring, the prongs and setting that hold the diamond.

Shoulder

The shoulder is the top part of the band of the ring next to the head.

Shank

The shank is the lower part of the band of the ring.

Types of Metal

Platinum

Platinum is a metal that comes out of the ground pure and white. It is soft but tough and pliable. It is resistant to knocks and will last for generations.

Gold

Gold is mixed with other metals (alloys) to make it strong enough for jewelry. For instance, 14 karat gold is 14 part gold and 10 part alloys. White gold is yellow gold mixed with certain alloys such as zinc or nickel to make it white. It must be rhodium plated (a type of platinum plating) to cover any hint of yellow. Pure gold is 24 karat and is too soft for jewelry.

Ring Re-sizing

Ring resizing is done when a ring becomes too large or too tight. A ring is too large when it keeps falling off. It is too tight after weight gain, during pregnancy or after eating too much salt. When the ring is consistently too tight, it should be resized to make it more comfortable. Ring resizing does not hurt the ring.

Re-tipping

Retipping is a procedure where prongs have been broken and need to be replaced or retipped with the original metal for the safety of the diamond.

Engagement Ring

An engagement ring is the first ring given to the woman at the time of the proposal. It is typically a diamond engagement ring but the stone could be a colored gemstone as well.

Wedding Band

A wedding band is a band that is given at the time of the wedding. It can be made of platinum, gold or other durable metal.

Eternity Band

An eternity band is a wedding band that contains diamonds or colored gemstones that go all the way around the ring.

Anniversary Band

An anniversary band is a band with diamonds or gemstones that are contained on the top of the ring going half-way around. It can be used as a wedding band or can be given as a gift for an anniversary.

Carat

Carat has to do with the weight of the diamond. One hundred points equal one carat. For instance, a three quarter carat diamond is written .75ct.

Karat

Karat has to do with the measure of the purity of gold, fourteen karat (14kt) or eighteen karat (18kt).

How to Tell If Your Diamond Is Real

How would I tell if my vintage diamond engagement ring is real? I bought it from an individual and I want to confirm what it is.

1. The first thing you can do is to take it to a reputable estate jewelry store to authenticate the age of your vintage diamond engagement ring. He or she can also tell you immediately if your diamond engagement ring is real and from what time period it is from.

2. You can breathe on the stone. If it fogs up, it is most likely not a diamond. A fake diamond will fog up immediately.

3. If the diamond is out of the mounting, drop the stone in a glass of water. If it floats it is not a diamond.

4. Draw a line on a piece of paper. Hold the stone over the line. If you can see the line through it, then it is not a diamond.

5. If you look into a diamond and you see flecks of black in it, it probably is a diamond. Picking the right diamond is an easy task. Just go to a reputable antique vintage jeweler. He or she can help you find a diamond that does not have any black spots inclusions to the naked eye. In fact, vintage diamonds are very often free of pique to the unaided eye.

6. Look to see if your stone is slightly greenish in color. It may be a moissanite, a man made diamond. Be careful. If you hold it over a line, you won’t see the line as you would with a cubic zirconia.

7. If your diamond is out of the mounting, a jeweler can weigh the stone for you. A diamond weighs 1.5 times more than a cubic zirconia.

8. If the diamond is being sold at a ridiculously low price, it probably is not a diamond. You have heard the saying, “You get what you pay for”. In this case, it applies.

The History of Birthstones

The History of birthstones is believed to have gone back to the book of Exodus with the Breastplate of Aaron. It was a garment with twelve gemstones sewn into it that represented the twelve tribes of Israel. The gemstones were set in three rows of three gemstones. 

At that time the gemstones were “sardius, topaz and carbuncle; emerald, sapphire and diamond; ligure, agate, and amethyst; beryl, onyx, and jasper.

The connection between the Breastplate of Aaron and the twelve stones of the zodiac was written about by Favius Josephus (1st century A.D) and St. Jerome (5th century A.D.). It was believed that wearing the gemstone of your zodiac would bring good luck to the wearer and that the stone had special powers.

Scholars from the 18th century in Poland came up with the modern ideas of a birthstone for each month. The most well-known list of monthly birthstones came into being in 1912 by the National Association of Jewelers in the United States.

Since 1912, the monthly birthstones have remained the same until 2002 when tanzanite was added as the birthstone for December. December also has three birthstones designated for this month.

The current list of monthly gemstones is as follows:

January Garnet (dark red)

February Amethyst (purple)

March Aquamarine (pastel blue)

April Diamond

May Emerald (green)

June Pearl or Alexandrite (the color changing stone)

July Ruby (red)

August Peridot (light green)

September Sapphire (blue)

October Opal or pink tourmaline

November Citrine (yellow orange), yellow topaz

December Blue zircon, blue topaz, turquoise or tanzanite (bluish purple)

Art Deco Engagement Rings – Info to Know before you Buy

Gesner Estate Jewelry provides the finest jewelry at the lowest price possible. We specialize in antique & vintage gold and platinum jewelry from the turn of the 20th century to the late 1930s; however, our inventory of newer pieces in gold and platinum is also unsurpassed. We maintain an inventory of several thousand unique items. Every piece is in wonderful condition and uncommon in design. We do not sell reproduction jewelry or lab-created gems unless it has been very clearly stated in the item’s description.

We are a family-owned firm that has been in business since 1972. We are among the leaders in antique and estate jewelry. We welcome the opportunity to speak with you personally about ourselves and what we do. Please feel free to call us anytime at (727) 586-6000 or email us at gesner@gesner.com

We offer certified appraisal services from our G.I.A. graduate. Graydon Gesner has his Graduate Gemology Degree, Accredited Jewelry Professional Degree, and the G.I.A. Pearl Grading Lab Degree. These studies were accomplished at the Gemological Institute of America (G.I.A.), located at the Carlsbad, California campus which is the world’s foremost authority on diamonds, colored stones, and pearls. He was an on-campus student and excelled in all phases of his studies. Out of 11 G.I.A. campus locations worldwide, Carlsbad, California is the G.I.A. World Headquarters that brings students from all over the world. Please call the Tampa store at (813) 282-1008, or email Graydon at graydongems@gmail.com to schedule your appointment to have your jewelry professionally appraised. Graydon’s website can be seen at www.gesnerappraisalservices.com.

Art Deco Engagement Rings

“Pure Art Deco” are the words from our Graduate Gemologist, Graydon Gesner, when describing this fabulous Ruby and Diamond Art Deco Engagement or Fashion ring. ” I love the calibrated rubies, the large European cut diamond, and the geometric design”, he says.

This captivating Art Deco ring, crafted in platinum, features a center 1.25 carat approx. Old European cut diamond with SI1 clarity and J color. It is surrounded, in a diamond shape, with approx. 1.00 carat approx. total weight of Antique Square Cut Natural Red Rubies.  It is further decorated with 1.50 carat approx. total weight of Single and European Cut diamonds. In addition, the gallery is pierced & milgrained and is an impressive and sparkling example of the Roaring 20’s!

Art Deco .73ct. Diamond Antique Engagement Ring Platinum

Wow! What a beauty. This month’s Gemologist Jewelry Pick of the Month is this captivating Antique Diamond Engagement Ring with ” a flowing curved tiered design very indicative of the Art Deco Era”.

This Antique Diamond Engagement Ring features .73ct Apx. European Cut Diamond with fantastic quality, VVS2 clarity, and H color.  A bright, white, scintillating diamond with a very, very slightly included diamond.  You would need an educated eye and a jeweler’s loupe or microscope to see any inclusion.  In addition, there are .50ct Apx. T.W. of Single and Transitional Cut Diamonds with VS2-SI1 clarity and G-H color.  It is crafted in platinum, the king of metals, as you know.  Your very best jewelry is made in platinum or 18 karat gold. You can find this blindingly beautiful Antique Art Deco Diamond Engagement Ring in our Tampa store with a retail price of $7,795.