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Featured Articles
“The French Blue,” by Richard W. Wise, G.G.
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Review by John Pollard Just imagine: A humble mapmaker’s son travels the ancient world, discovers fantastic treasures, rescues a damsel and rises to the highest levels of French aristocracy! “The French Blue,” based on true events, recounts the remarkable voyages of Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, a 17th Century trader of precious gems best known for discovering the phenomenal 115 carat blue diamond which later became the Hope Diamond. The book’s author, Richard Wise, takes factual events and blends them with plausible speculation to create a long and delightful tale; rich in history, action and romance.
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The Internet and Sales Tax - A Free Ride or Not?
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Most states, counties and cities in the US charge a sales tax. This is a tax imposed on their resident’s consumption of most tangible property within their borders. Along with property taxes it’s one of the primary sources of revenue for these governments and it’s used to support fire protection, police and other public services. Stores within the community routinely collect sales taxes which they then submit to the taxing authorities - but mail-order and Internet purchases from merchants elsewhere do not - and this is routinely considered an advantage to working long distance.
So -is it true that buying from an out-of-state merchant can save you the cost of paying sales taxes? |
Recent Articles
For as long as diamonds have been popular, retail jewelry stores have functioned as the traditional distribution channel for bringing diamonds and jewelry to the masses. With the advent of the Internet and in 2009, consumers also have the luxury and ability to shop online for diamonds and jewelry, ranging from inexpensive trinkets to pricey diamond rings. With the click of a mouse, consumers can consummate purchases online to the tune of thousands of dollars and from the comfort of their homes and offices. Much has been written about these two business models, emphasizing their individual strengths and weaknesses. It is not the focus of this article to further inspect, analyze, or dissect the benefits and liabilities inherent in these business models. Rather, in this article, I would like to suggest that beyond the shared objective of making sales, there is a common principle that binds these two models and that by adhering to this principle, both models will continue to thrive and coexist and will ultimately stand the test of time.
What is an Eye Clean Diamond? There are several threads discussing the definition of “eye clean.” On the surface, it seems like a fairly straightforward concept, but what constitutes eye clean varies with both consumers and vendors. Rather than try to define the subjective, Pricescope has asked contributing vendors, appraisers, and experts to give us their company definitions of eye clean in an effort to improve communication from vendor to consumer. They were asked to include these three factors: 1) Distance and orientation 2) Type of lighting 3) Vision type Each vendor/appraiser/expert has a different definition, but the general consensus is: No inclusions visible to the unaided eye when viewed from the face up position in daylight equivalent or fluorescent lighting from approximately 6-12 inches from the eye using 20/20 vision.
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As part of the development of Next Diamond™ and to provide a consistent method to display diamonds from afar, the Cut Group has been working on a lighting box, diamond movement system and camera set ups. We would like to receive your feedback and suggestions for improvements for a standardized lighting box.The main goal is standardize the lightings and technology for cut comparison on the Internet to give a high level of repeatability.
In this video Jonathan from Good Old Gold explains the anatomy of a Diamond.
In this video Paul Slegers and Lieve Peters of Infinity diamonds are inspecting diamonds after the rough has been sawn into two pieces. Most of the narrative is from John Pollard as he does an excellent job of giving us an overfview of what is happening.
Historically ‘blue white’ fluorescent top coloured (D to F on the GIA colour grading scale) diamonds were once priced around 10% more than non fluorescent diamonds. Today D to F coloured blue fluorescent diamonds are usually discounted on wholesale markets. There are two main technical reasons why fluorescent diamonds would be discounted. The diamond’s body colour may have been ‘over-graded’ or its transparency may have been impaired.
To the naked eye a D Flawless diamond can appear identical to an F VS diamond if each has been cut the same way. Alternately, less than one degree of variation in two diamonds’ facet measurements can make a noticeable difference in appearance - yet both could be issued the same cut grade from a given lab.
This is the beginning of a discussion on steps cuts, how they work, what they are and what to look for when buying one. It’s a long road but one I think is well worth investigating. I will be starting at the bottom of the diamond and working up to the table. Two of the most common step cut diamonds are the Asscher* and the Emerald cut These cuts are closely related and the Asscher* is also known as the Square Emerald cut. A third is the baguette (which may outsell the others in total numbers). I will not be discussing baguettes in detail but the p3 angle problems apply to them as well.
Dedicated to the memory of Bill “Rockdoc” Lieberum, 1948-2007. The average consumer is often shocked to learn that only a small percentage of “independent appraisers” are unbiased and/or current on continuing education, grading systems, equipment and standards. Since there are no requirements to be a jewelry appraiser, a vast number of so-called appraisers lack the knowledge, tools or independence to satisfy a well-educated consumer. A commitment to “smart shopping” should not end after researching your seller. If an appraisal is sought, you should appraise the appraiser with the same tenacity. As a retailer we do not endorse any specific appraiser. Nevertheless, we took time last year to interview several accredited and respected professionals whom we consider “role models;” well-known in several sectors of the trade. We hope our questions and their diverse answers about appraisals will be helpful as a guideline for those who do their “smart shopping” globally. - Many thanks to John Pollard for his role in producing this article
Diamonds are a difficult item to buy in the best of circumstances. For most shoppers it’s one of the most expensive purchases of their lives and it’s aggravatingly necessary to rely on the advice of salespeople who may not have your best interest at heart when they tell you that something is a fabulous deal. The Internet merchants come with their own risks of providing a credit card, waiting for delivery and the ever present possibility that you will need to make a return and collect a refund. Here are some tips on buying diamonds safely, both online and on the street.
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