Jewelry Guides

Gold jewelry never goes out of style, and for good reason, because gold is as wearer-friendly as it is beautiful. Pure gold doesn't react with other elements to create tarnish, the residue that accumulates on some metals before transferring to your skin as a stain. Sometimes people have allergy or staining problems with metals that are combined with gold, but the gold itself is rarely a problem.

Silver has been used to make jewelry since ancient times, but the exploration of continents in the western hemisphere uncovered productive silver mines that greatly increased the supply of this precious metal. The result -- more silver has been mined and used since the late 1700's than in all prior centuries combined.

Jewelry appraisals and lab certificates are two important types of reports about your gemstones and jewelry, but they do not serve the same purpose.

Ask your jeweler to point out important characteristics, but don't pretend to be an expert. If you want to use the loupe as a learning tool, you'll need the help and cooperation of your jeweler--and jewelers can spot a fake "expert" just as quickly as they can detect a fake gemstone.

Jewelry professionals use a magnifier, also called a loupe (pronounced loop), to inspect gemstones and other jewelry. These magnifiers have special lenses that allow our eyes to focus on an object at a much closer distance than is normally possible, making the object appear to be larger and revealing tiny details we couldn't see with our normal vision.

Everything you need to choose a diamond shape you love and that suits your lifestyle. What you need to know to find an engagement ring that fits you just right and is comfortable to wear every day.

Do you plan to engrave a personal message in your wedding rings? Have you thought about what the message will say? Engravings range from simple and traditional dates and initials to coded messages that only the brides and grooms understand. Here are a few engraving ideas from members of the About Jewelry & Accessories community.

Fluorescence is a characteristic that makes some diamonds appear to change color when they are exposed to the ultraviolet light that surrounds us every day in sunlight and in the light produced by fluorescent light bulbs.

Diamond inclusions are characteristics that occur inside a stone. They are usually called flaws, because their presence means the diamond is not perfect.

Conflict diamonds, sometimes called blood diamonds, are diamonds that are sold to fund the unlawful and illegal operations of rebel, military and terrorist groups. Countries that have been most affected by conflict diamonds are Sierra Leone, Angola, Liberia and the Democratic Republic of Congo -- all places where citizens have been terrorized, mutilated and killed by groups in control of the local diamond trade.