Do Tag Heuer Watches Hold Their Value?
January 28, 2012 | 
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The bottom line with the question of whether Tag Heuer watches (usually abbreviated to ‘Tag’) hold their value or not is simply – you get what you pay for! If you buy a fake Tag or a cheap everyday watch then of course it won’t hold the value, keep its looks or even last as long. However, if you buy an authentic designer watch, whether it be Tag, Armani, Cartier, Gucci, Breitling, Rolex or Storm watches to name but a few, it should not depreciate to a great extent and if you keep it for 30 years or more it should actually increase in value.
Looking at Tag Heuer specifically, this is a Swiss company founded in 1860 who have built their reputation on the quality and accuracy of their time pieces. Tag are the choice of many sports men and women and have been associated with the Olympic Games and Formula One World Championships for example. For instance, Lewis Hamilton was wearing a Tag Heuer special Singapore limited edition of the new Carrera Cal.16 DD Chronograph when he breezed to victory in the 2009 Singapore Grand Prix in September 2009. Tag were also the official time keeper for the Indy 500 in 2004. Such achievements are not to be sneezed at and have led to Tag being recognized as a producer of iconic and precise timepieces!
The Tag Aqua range for example does not come in cheaply at around 800 pounds sterling plus, so they certainly have to be good. However, those that own them do appreciate their superiority and prestige. As the name suggests, Aqua are primarily diving watches and these are water resistant down to 300 meters.
Tag has designs suitable for both ladies and gents. There gents watches tend to make a bolder statement with strong, solid watch bands and in darker colors. Conversely, the ladies watches are more feminine and have lighter weight watch bands.
To return to the question, “do Tag Heuer watches hold their value?” Let’s just stray to Rolex here for an example. If a 1960s Rolex GMT Master was valued at around $5000 in 2008 and was originally purchased for around $225 – our suggestion is yes, high-end, good quality designer watches will stand the test of time (excuse the pun!).
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Protective Symbols, Charms, and Totems
There is power in meanings of the old images and symbols. Below is a compendium of common symbols, charms and totems from antiquity that are thought to be useful against psychic aggression:
Abracabadra: One of the oldest protective amulets, this is the word Abracabadra written in a triangular form like as below for Protection:
A
AB
ABR
ABRA
ABRAC
ABRACA
ABRACAD
ABRACADA
ABRACADAB
ABRACADABR
ABRACADABRA
Or written as follows with an enemy’s name on the reverse in order to diminish their power.
ABRACADABRA
ABRACADABR
ABRACADAB
ABRACADA
ABRACAD
ABRACA
ABRAC
ABRA
ABR
AB
A
This talisman is thought to protect against injustice and evil events.
Agrippa’s Pentagram: A five pointed star superimposed like figure of a Male with arms and legs outstretched. It is used to increase connection with the Higher Self as well as to protect against both visible and invisible astral attackers.
Bast: This is usually represented by the image of a black cat. In ancient Eygpt, Bast or Bastet was thought to protect home and family from negative spiritual influences.
Cancer: The astrological symbol of Cancer, the Crab is thought to protect against astral attack.
Celtic Knots: These rings of circles created from interwoven bands appear in all kinds of intricate forms and designs. One of their prime functions is to protect against wicked plots, group magic, evil spirits and demons.
Celtic Cross: A crucifix within a circle,this ancient symbol is thought to protect from spiritual dangers of all kinds.
Devil’s Snare/Trap: This is a circle of Hebriac writing that spirals inward in a counterclockwise direction. The idea is that evil spirits become trapped in the coil of writing. It is Assyrian in origin and thought to protect against sorcery and all evil.
The Dog: A North American Indian talisman against astral attacks. He stands at the doors of the otherworld and prevents spirits from attacking the living.
The Elk: A symbol of psychic self defense and protection, the rune of the Elk (Algiz) is worn to defend against spirits and make one brave while facing fear of the unknown.
Eye of Horus: An important protective symbol in ancient Egypt it helps protect against the evil eye.
Eye in the Triangle: This is usually a pendant featuring an eye in the center of a triangle. It is thought to repel the usual causes of the evil eye – jealousy and envy.
The Falcon: The Falcon is a North American symbol of perception and represents the high perch of elevated spirituality. It enhances astral abilities so one is able to perceive negative energy and make it one’s metaphorical prey.
Mother Gaia: This is usually the figure of a Goddess with her hands reaching in a circle above her head. She protects against disturbances to our auras and helps ground our energy
Fish: In North American Indian cultures, the fish represents a refusal to recognize the power of another’s magic.
The Frog: North American symbol indicating mediumship. It is thought to cleanse and purify the aura.
Hagal: This protective rune looks like an H, represents hail and protects from all attacks and misfortunes including astral attack.
Ingwaz: This rune resembles a diamond shape and represents an egg. It is protective against the evil eye and astral attack.
Horse: A North American Indian symbol that dissolves astral blockages and cleanses the aura.
Isa: The symbol of an I that represents Ice. It is thought to increase personal shamanic powers as well as protect one from evil influences and undesirable astral forces.
Jaguar: The Mayan symbol of the jaguar is thought to protect against control freaks, evil thought forms and increase one’s own shamanistic abilities.
The Lucky Hand: There are many variations of this from all cultures, but this usually features the palm of a hand facing out. In the center of the palm may be a pentagram, an eye, a gemstone or signs of the zodiac. It is thought to protect against all forms of astral invasion and attack. It is especially effective against ritual abuse.
The Griffin: Most Griffins feature the body of a lion and the head of an eagle. Some versions have wings. This mythical being, that is Grecian in origin is said to protect the psyche from dark forces.
Mannaz: This protective Rune resembles an M and represents the higher self. It protects against the cruelty of interference with one’s connection to their gut instincts and God.
The Mitzu Domo: This symbol is Japanese and features three whirling swirl shapes. It is thought to protect against the impatience, greed and acceleration of time associated with astral attacks.
The Om Symbol: This ancient Sanskrit Symbol represents the syllable “om” that is used in meditation. It raises one’s vibration so that the aura can not be reached by the baser energies associated with psychic aggression.
The Pentagram: Also known as the Druid’s Foot, this five-sided star protects against witchcraft and the evil eye. It is thought to return bad energy back to the sender.
Pictish Knot: This Celtic symbol that features an interlocking series of triangles protect against magical rites that have gone wrong and missed their aim.
The Raven: A North American Indian and Celtic Symbol thought to protect against black magic.
Sagittarius: The astrological symbol of the Archer is thought to protect against psychic vampires and those who deplete spiritual energy.
Scorpio: The astrological symbol of Scorpio, the Scorpion is thought to protect against witchcraft, the evil eye and the kind of fanaticism associated with cults and ritual attack.
Seal of Solomon: One of the best known of protective symbols this features two interlocking triangles that form a star shape. It is used to invoke the Archangels and protect against black magick and the power of all evil.
The Sheiah Dog: This Celtic symbol, which features a dog within a circle was a guardian of the secrets of the Druid’s and Metaphysicians. He protects from black magic.
The Sun: The universal symbol of the sun is warn to oppose its shadow: dark energy
of all kinds. It is common to all cultures.
Suli: This is a Celtic amulet that depicts the Sun Goddess in a halo of flames. He protects against spiritual weakness.
Thor’s Hammer: This symmetrical three-pronged knot protects against misfortune, the evil eye and those who would rob the spirits.
The Turtle: Helps one remain invisible to others on the astral plane.
Uruz: This Nordic Rune looks like an upside down U and represents an Ox. It helps one connect to their higher self and protects against astral attack. It is thought to help one remain grounded spiritually.
Virgo: The astrological symbol of Virgo, the Virgin, is thought to protect against cults, covens and groups that do not encourage soul freedom.
The Wolf: A Northern European and North American Indian symbol of protection against astral attack.
The Yew Tree: Increases endurance and power and is thought to protect against deception, betrayal, delusion and undesirable influences and thought forms. The rune that symbolizes the Yew Tree (Eiwaz), is worn as a protective talisman.
The Five Best and Five Worst Interview Questions Ever
Jim, a department manager you depended on highly, just announced he’s changing careers to become a zoologist. You are desperate to fill his position and are doing everything you can to ensure you bring in someone equally talented (although perhaps with a slightly lower love of animals). You’ve sifted through a stack of resumes higher than the Burj Dubai. You had someone do a quick phone screen to eliminate obvious “oops” candidates. You cleared your schedule (that was a painful chore), and you are ready to being interviewing.
In walks Candidate A. You shake hands, introduce yourself (wondering silently what kind of an odd name “Candidate A” is), and you both sit down. There is a pause-which stretches slowly into a crushing silence. Candidate A is looking expectantly at you, paragraphs of well-rehearsed wisdom ready to be dropped into any question you might pose. And you realize you have absolutely nothing to say. Then you wake up and realize that this was a dream. But still, you wonder, how do you make the best use of the interview time to be sure you are ready to make a decision about your next hire?
Not All Interviews Are Created Equal
Just as all jobs are not the same, all interviews shouldn’t be the same. After all, you’re looking for different skills and problem solving abilities-even different personalities-for different roles. Therefore, not all interviews should use the exact same questions. That said, there are some general approaches that are better than others.
The key to all good interviews is to prepare. Create an interview guide for the position with some consistent questions for all candidates and some tailored to each individual.
Reread the resume. I can’t emphasize this enough. Not having read the resume does not make you appear busy and powerful. It makes you appear unprepared and uncaring. Who wants to work for a boss like that?
The Good, the Mediocre, and the Unspeakably Awful
A good interview moves you smoothly along the path of determining whether to invite the candidate to continue the interview process, and (hopefully) encourages the candidate to remain enthusiastic or remove himself from consideration (better to know now!).
A mediocre interview doesn’t do any particular harm, but doesn’t do much good either. The interviewer is generally left to make a “gut feel” decision based on how the person interviewed. This is generally a fairly poor predictor of success in the job.
Unspeakably awful interviews are just that: interviews that damage your company’s image and reputation and may even put the company at legal risk. Here are some examples:
The interviewer talks about himself and the company for the entire interview.
The interviewer makes the candidate sit and wait for 45 minutes-and then reads the resume for the first time in front of the candidate.
The interviewer asks seriously stupid or illegal questions. I’m not talking generically dumb or useless questions (those are generally harmless and fall under the mediocre column); I’m talking bone-jarringly stupid questions. Like “So, what did you think of Lisa, my secretary?” or “What should I get my wife to make up for the fight we had last night?” (I wish I were making this up.)
Which Questions
Why waste your time asking questions that won’t help you make a decision about the candidate? If all you plan to base your decision on is whether you like the person, why not make small talk and forget interview questions? The answer is you shouldn’t make a hiring decision solely based on whether you like a person or not. You need to be sure they are a great fit for the company, the culture, the position, and the style of decision making the job entails.
One or two thoughts before I tell you which (in my opinion) are the gold-standard Best and Worst interview questions of all time.
Not all Best questions are “best” for all interviewers or all jobs. Certainly, you should use your judgment. Similarly, not all Worst questions are “bad” for all situations. Well, yes, they are always bad. So I’ve included some ways to modify them to make them better questions.
Finally, I am not a fan of predictable questions that get rehearsed answers. You would be unlikely to ask a candidate “Would you consider a paycheck a necessary consideration for employment?” because you know the answer will be ‘yes.’ So there is no need to ask-it wastes time and may diminish you in the eyes of the interviewee.
The Five Best Interview Questions
Here are the best questions I’ve found over the years, starting with my all-time favorite.
1. What is your colleagues’ biggest misconception about you? In all likelihood, the candidate has never heard this question, but it is a question he should be able to answer with a little thought. Give him a little time to think-after all, that’s part of what you’re trying to uncover: how does he react when something new is thrown his way. This question can be used at any level of the organization or in any industry. It doesn’t require special knowledge about anything except himself-and your candidate should be an expert about himself! It does require self-awareness and willingness to think a bit differently. One frequent answer is “Nothing-I’m a very open person-what you see is what you get.” I generally probe a bit with that answer, but you have to judge based on the candidate’s reaction.
2. Case study. I love using case studies for positions where the candidate will have to make decisions with less than complete information and for positions where the candidate will be required to do analytical problem solving. The idea is to ask him to think about something in a way they’ve never thought about before. As long as the answer is reasonable, I don’t worry about it being “correct.” I am interested in how they think the process through and how they deal with the ambiguity of the situation. I suggest having them think out loud so you can follow the process and answer questions they might have. (No, they cannot use the computer, their iPhone, or anything else. They just have to think the problem through.) Some examples of case studies might include: How many pianos are there in New York City? How many eggs does the local coffee shop use in a day?
3. Please tell me about a time when you changed someone’s mind. What was the situation? What did you do? What happened? This particular behavioral-based interview question is one of my favorites. As the ability to work in teams becomes ever more important in the workforce, influencing people and working in a collaborative manner are critical skills.
4. Please tell me about a time when you changed your own mind. What was the situation? What did you do? What happened? Closely related to the previous inquiry, this question is designed to highlight whether the candidate is open to new ideas and new ways of thinking. Depending on the position I’m interviewing for or the answer I hear, I may ask for a second example just to be sure that she has demonstrated real adaptive ability as opposed to changing her mind one time in a moment of weakness.
5. If you were going to convince a friend or colleague to apply for this position, what might you tell them? Assuming you’ve done the prescreening well, you can be fairly certain that the candidate has the skills for the position. Hopefully, you’ve also figured out that she has a natural fit, the instinctive modus operandi, to be a good fit for the job and for working with the hiring manager. Now you need to know if she has desire to bring her passion for the position and the company to work every day. This question will help you understand how much research she has done on the company as well as give you some insight as to the attitude and zeal she’ll bring to your department.
The Five All Time Worst Interview Questions
Unfortunately, there are all too many bad interview questions that get asked all too frequently. Here’s my list of questions that should be retired to their own special Hall of Shame.
1. Tell me about yourself. Here’s how any candidate will interpret this question: “I didn’t have time to read your resume or if I did it wasn’t interesting enough to remember so why don’t you fill me in so I have a clue what we’re talking about.” It’s also so vague, it leaves many candidates wondering if you’re the type of manager who expects people to read your mind. If you must ask some form of this, at least make the effort to look professional by saying something like, “I’ve had the opportunity to review your resume, but I often find it helpful to hear people explain their own background. Why don’t you give me a short description of your career.”
2. Where do you see yourself in five years? Seriously? Most of us aren’t even sure where we’ll be in a month. Also, it’s an expected question. Therefore (again) the answer is likely to be rehearsed, polished, and practically meaningless.
3. Tell me your strengths and weaknesses. Easily my least favorite question of all. First of all, everyone expects this question. If the candidate can’t answer this smoothly, they struggle with other questions so you can’t really use this to weed people out. Everyone knows to make the strength something generic enough not to be threatening, and to make the weakness something you’ve worked hard to overcome (and that wouldn’t really matter if you still suffer from-like working too hard). If you ask this question, you deserve the hogwash you’re about to be fed.
4. Do you like working in a team environment? “Nope. Pretty much hate people. Hoping for a job in which I can stare at my computer all day long and growl at anyone who asks for help or information. I figure if I do this well enough, I’ll become the next Dilbert character.” If you want to know how they will work in a team, then that’s what you need to ask. For example, “Can you tell me about a time when you worked as part of a team to solve a big problem?” or “What role do you find yourself filling in a team setting? Is this a role you’re comfortable in? Can you give me an example of a time when you worked in a team in this kind of role?”
5. Do you work well under pressure? What do you expect someone to say? “Er, not really.”? “Can I call use a lifeline?” “No, but I bring my mom to work every day and she’s great with pressure.” There is only one possible answer to this question, so why bother asking? The days of the high pressure interviews are gone with other unfortunate trends of the 1980s, so if you want to know how the person will respond to a high pressure situation, ask for an example of when they worked under pressure in the past. Of try something like, “Here at XYZ Diamond Cutters, we understand that cutting extremely large gemstones is an art that involves a lot of stress. What do you do to balance your environment so the stress does not become overwhelming?”
Final Thoughts
Remember that interviews aren’t conducted on either side of a one-way mirror. Just as you are evaluating the candidate, so the candidate is evaluating you. You are in fact marketing your company. You will interview far more people than you will ever hire. Be sure you leave those who are not offered a position feeling great about you and your company. You never know…
The Gift of Independence – Thumb Rings!
For those of you who don’t know thumb rings are rings worn on the thumb rather than any of the other four fingers. Thumb rings can and are worn by both men and women. The thumb is associated with a person’s strength of will both for themselves and how strongly they affect others.
Esoterically the practice of wearing a thumb ring means you’re either trying to emphasis your independence and individuality or inhibiting some aspect of the self. I guess its whatever you feel like or you may be doing both.
Historically, (ie, the 1500′s) wearing a thumb ring meant you were a doctor or pretending to be one. Also, centuries ago women would wear their husbands wedding rings on their thumbs when they left for battle or died.
You can also choose which thumb to wear a thumb ring on. To wear a ring on the left hand is a reflection on the subconscious or your instincts, beliefs, and basic attitudes. To wear a ring on the right is a focus on the conscious, reflecting logic, awareness, and the material world. More recently to wear a thumb ring on the right indicates that you are into same sex relations.
Many people seem to be concerned about whether or not its okay for them to wear a thumb ring. I say forget the current trend in meaning and wear one if you want because it constantly changes. Interestingly thumb rings are usually interchangeable with your index or middle finger. They are also more comfortable when worn on the non-dominant hand.
Currently thumb rings are sold everywhere from gumball machines to upscale jewelry manufacturers. They can be made of plastic or platinum and made in a simple band or elaborate framing with braiding, or shapes like hearts inside.
Diamond Valuation – Easy Ways to Determine the Value of a Diamond
There are four “C’s” in determining the valuation of a diamond:
Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat weight.
1. CUT: Judging the ‘cut’ of a diamond refers to the pricing of a diamond in accordance with how that diamond is sculpted and shaped to allow for a maximum shine and a heightened ability to reflect light. Cut can be difficult for a layperson to evaluate, so it is important to get your diamond professionally appraised and to obtain a AGS or GIA Certificate to verify the quality of the cut. A diamonds cut can also affect its durability.
2. COLOR: If you are shopping for a diamond wedding ring or a diamond engagement ring, then it is important that you pay close attention to the value of a diamond‘s color. A Diamonds ability to refract light is dependant on its degree of whiteness, making the whitest of white diamonds considerably more valuable than there lesser-white counterparts. Many experts name color as the number one criterion to consider when purchasing a special diamond for a special occasion.
3. CLARITY: Real diamonds generally tend to have small flaws such as tiny inclusions, air bubbles, or traces of other minerals inside the stone. While the presence of these tiny imperfections become the key factor in determining a real diamond from a fake, the quality and value of a diamond depends very much on a diamonds clarity. The best kinds of real diamonds have imperfections that can only be detected under a skilled diamond graders 10-power microscope.
4. CARAT WEIGHT: The ‘carat’ is the common unit weight measurement for diamonds, where one carat is equal to 200 milligrams and 142 carats equal one ounce. The bigger the rock, the more carats it has, and the more carats it has, the more expensive it becomes. Many feel that the size of the diamond is just as important as the other ‘C’ criterion.
Tips to Stop Drug Cravings – Take Action Now to Control Alcohol and Other Drug Cravings
Most people in the very earliest days of addiction recovery experience cravings. It is a common experience in addiction recovery. Alcohol or other drug (AOD) cravings do not mean that you are not working a good program of recovery. With continued abstinence over time, cravings will be reduced in intensity and duration. Eventually, cravings may disappear altogether. To reduce the impact of alcohol/drug cravings, it is appropriate very early on, to identify the “when”, “who”, “where”, “what” factors in triggers for cravings. Ask yourself the following questions:
“When am I most likely to have cravings?”
“Who am I most likely to be around when I have cravings”
“Where am I most likely to be when I have cravings?”
“What kinds of things am I doing when I have cravings?”
“What kinds of things am I thinking when I have cravings?”
“What kinds of things am I feeling when I have cravings?”
Identifying these factors can help you avoid some triggers. Identifying these craving cues can also help you develop a plan to manage and reduce the impact of the ones you cannot avoid. Techniques for coping with cravings and being able to maintain your sobriety in the face of those cravings are listed here:
1. If you find yourself in a dangerous situation, leave. Get out of there. Fast. You don’t have to make any excuses or apologize; just leave.
2. Use distraction as a tool. Find something else to do–something to occupy your thoughts, time, behavior. Distract yourself with a new (or old) hobby like knitting, cross-word puzzles, reading, anything that does not involve cues for cravings.
3. Have a harmless temporary substitute available. Substitutes that do not involve other chemicals, or obsessive compulsive behaviors can be used in a pinch. Substitutes like candy, trail mix, gum, stirring straws may help. Substitutes like sex, spending, gambling, may be tendency toward cross-addictions and should be avoided.
4. Reach out to others. Call someone that supports your not drinking/using. Call your accountability partners. Call someone in AA/NA, your spouse, your sibling, anyone that will encourage you to not use. Have a phone list, where you can go down the list calling in the reinforcements to help you resist cravings before you use. Have a list so that someone will always be available. Keep calling until you get the support you need.
5. Keep an ongoing list of reasons why you want to quit using. Post it around the house. Recite the reasons that you decided to quit drinking/using in the first place. Some people find it helpful to have a “reasons for quitting” list in their wallet. Others find it helpful to have “reasons for quitting” list posted around the house and in the automobile.
6. Keep an ongoing gratitude list. Add to it when craving. Add the positive benefits that you have derived from not drinking/using that day, week, or month.
7. Challenge your distorted thinking processes. Identify any positive expectations that you may be harboring about using, and tell yourself the truth about what happened in the past when you used. Remind yourself why you decided to quit in the first place. Challenge the expectation that the chemical will have a positive effect, that it will do for you what you want it to. Tell yourself the truth about what the chemical did “to” you, rather than “for” you.
8. Challenge any self-pitying self-talk that you may have about “having to give up the chemical”. Remind yourself of the negatives that you are “giving up” by quitting. Replace thoughts of loss with affirmations of positive choices to re-gain control of your life and your happiness by eliminating the source of the problem.
9. Think through the first drink/drug into the negative consequences. Remind yourself that you cannot have “just one” and that the negative consequences are sure to follow.
10. Use prayer to resist cravings.
11. Make a list of the roles that the chemical played in your life. Identify at least three healthy alternatives as replacements. Think about what you want the chemical to do now. Use the healthy alternatives instead.
12. Write a letter to someone you love and explain to them why you are not using.
13. Use thought stopping techniques to combat compulsive thoughts about using. An example might be to visualize a stop sign, or rubbing a rubber band on your wrist to ground you in the here and now. If you keep seeing the chemical in your mind’s eye, visualize a skill and cross bones superimposed over it.
14. If your defenses kick in and you are thinking that you can use some other drug besides your most recent drug of choice, tell yourself the truth, that it’s all the same thing.
15. Pull out your desire chip from AA or your NA key chain and rub it.
16. Read recovery literature; go to a meeting.
17. Combat each craving, one at a time, one day at a time, or if necessary, one hour or minute at a time. Do what you have to do resist the craving and not use.
Keep reminding yourself that the craving will go away if you don’t use. Also remind yourself that you don’t have to quit forever, just this one day, or one hour, or one minute. Then the next day, hour, or minute, decide to stay sober another day, hour, or minute. The cravings will pass, and one day you will have a lot of minutes, hours, and days, months, and years, back to back, when you have been, and are, clean and sober.
What’s the Difference Between 10K, 14K, 18K and 24K Gold Jewelry?
Gold jewelry whether 10k, 14k, 18k or 24k is valuable. But what is the difference between 10k, 14k, 18k and 24k gold jewelry anywhere and what is really in a karat. Your gold jewelry has a purity level that is determined by the karat. So let’s take a closer look at what this means for your jewelry and how you can determine the best karat weight for your needs.
Why Is Gold Jewelry So Popular
It been instinctively attractive for thousands of years. Gold has been a measurement of wealth and authority since the beginning of civilization and we are instinctively drawn to it. Historically gold jewelry was a convenient means of both displaying your wealth and carrying your accumulated wealth with you for convenient use in times of need. The symbolic significance of gold cannot be underestimated to the human psyche.
What is Gold
Pure gold, or AU on the periodic table, is metallic yellow in color. AU is a very flexible and soft metal in comparison with other elements. There are various other metals that can share the look of pure gold, pyrite for example, traditionally known as fool’s gold, but there is no substitute for 14k gold.
Gold Purity and The Karat System
Gold is a very stable metal in that it stands the test of time and is not known to rust, fade, or diminish. Being of the softer metals it is easy to work with and ideal for shaping into beautiful jewelry pieces. Being as soft as it is, when working with gold, jewelers will mix additional alloys with gold to strengthen it and increase its durability. The alloys are typically a mixture of nickel, zinc, copper and silver.
The addition of these alloy metal mixes affect the ultimate color of the gold. You may have seen engagement ring sets that use white gold bands, yellow gold, or other gold colors. These are created by adjusting the ratio of the alloys that are mixed with the pure gold.
The purity of your gold is determined by the Karat weight. Karat is a measure of purity that is measured from 1 to 24. So following this line of thinking 1K gold would be the strongest but contain less pure gold, and 24K gold would be pure gold.
What is the Ideal Karat Gold
So when determining a piece of gold jewelry to buy, you must consider the gold’s Karat as an indicator of it’s durability and purity. A 10K gold ring for example will contain 10 parts per 24 of gold, and will be especially durable for its additional alloy weight but will represent a lower value from a pure gold perspective. Higher 18K jewelry will provide additional jewelry value significance typical of wedding rings or diamond engagement rings because of it’s additional value while still maintaining some of the strength benefits required for ring durability.
14K gold bands and rings are the most popular used today as they represent a compromise between color, durability, and value. A 14K gold engagement ring will contain 14 karats alloy mixed in relation to pure gold. 10K gold wedding bands are less popular but will include some cost benefits that ought be considered. Knowing what your gold karat is will help you choose.
Best Diamond Ring Settings
Want to find the best diamond ring settings for your gemstone? The diamond ring settings make dramatic differences to the value of your diamond, and the best choice will bring out the true beauty of your gemstone. Let’s take a look at what you need to know to choose the right settings for your purchase.
Materials
The traditional materials for a setting will be either platinum, gold or silver. When it comes to gold you have the option between yellow gold and white gold with the best choice being that which matches your band. Your setting prongs need to be sturdy and secure, while not obtrusive, and a match to your band metal is the most important consideration.
Ring Settings
The following settings for diamonds constitute the most popular, though in truth, the creativity of the jeweler and the limitations of the metals are the only things that will hold you back.
V-Prong Setting
The most popular setting seen in your typical jewelry shop today is the v-prong setting. The v-prong holds the diamond in place with a right angle to the corner of your diamond. The ring setting derives its name from the distinctive v shape that can be seen if you look directly at the setting from above. The setting requires a diamond to have considerable depth with a pointed cut, such as a princess cut diamond.
Channel Setting
Channel settings on diamond rings are recognizable because the diamond is recessed within the center of the band and typically the diamonds are bezelled in the center of the band. This diamond ring setting is typically used with round cut gemstones because there is little room for a deep cut to be set properly. The jewelry designer often chooses this setting to accentuate the symbolism of eternity and create clean lines when the ring is worn or there is no featured stone.
Bezel Setting
A bezel setting ring is similar to a channel setting accept that it is used with a featured stone and typically is raised above the band like the v-prong alternative. A bezelled setting sets the diamond within a wrapping of metal that secures the gemstone. The bezel setting ring can hinder the brilliance of a stone but an expert jewelry designer can create dazzling effects.
Flush Setting
A flush set diamond ring is commonly worn by men and is distinguished by the diamond being sunk within the gold or platinum band and being flush with the band itself. It creates a very distinguished and strong look though it does diminish the diamonds brilliance and reflective qualities. Large carat stones offer the greatest results with this diamond ring setting.
You Can Be Certain Your Diamond is Real
Questioning the authenticity of a diamond is common today, especially with today’s technology and some very good diamond imitations. If you purchase a diamond you should purchase it from a reputable place. If you receive a diamond as a gift from a friend or loved one, don’t feel guilty if the question of authenticity lingers in the back of your mind. After all, the person who gave you the gift supposedly made a substantial investment. They deserve to know if they didn’t get what they paid for. So if you feel the need to make sure the diamond that you have is real, there are some ways that you can test it. If you are concerned that you may insult the person who gave you the gift, these tests can, and probably should be, done discretely.
Use a diamond tester
This is an electronic tester that is reliable for indicating if a diamond is real or a stimulant. However you should be aware that moissanite is the only stone than can fool the electronic diamond tester.
Transparency Test
This is a very simple test that anyone can do. If the diamond is not mounted, turn it upside down and place it on a piece of newspaper. You should not be able to read the print through the stone. If the printed matter from the newspaper is legible then you may assume that the diamond is not authentic.
The Fog Test
This is another easy to do test. Place the diamond close to your mouth and let it fog up like a mirror would. If it stays fogged for more than 2-4 seconds the diamond is not real. A real diamond will disperse the heat instantly, so it will be clear by the time you look at it. However, there is one problem with this test. Some jewelers will cap cubic zirconium with real diamond and this is something that will not be revealed with this test.
Use an Ultra Violet Light
Many diamonds will exhibit blue fluorescence under an ultra violet or black light, so the presence of a medium to strong blue will confirm that it is real. The absence of blue, however, does not necessarily mean it is fake. It could simply be a better quality diamond. If you see a very slight green, yellow, or gray fluorescence under ultraviolet light, it may be moissanite.
You will probably want to use at least two of the above tests if you want to check your diamond for authenticity. Hopefully these tests will put your mind at ease and you won’t be disappointed.
How Does a Moissanite Compare to a Diamond?
In today’s economic turmoil luxury items such as diamond jewelry is taking a beating. There is a need to fill the gap that is being left by a lot of people who want to buy diamond jewelry but just can’t afford it. Moissanite nicely fills in this gap by providing a product which is very similar to a diamond but costs 1/10th of the diamond equivalent.
Moissanite is a man made gemstone which has very similar physical, chemical and optical properties when compared to a diamond. Moissanite is made up of silicon carbide , where as a diamond is made up of carbon. Because of this a normal diamond detector which uses thermal conductivity as the base to identify a diamond also shows moissanite as one.
The hardness of moissanite at 9.25 on the Mohs Scale is lower than that of a diamond which is 10 but is higher than any other gemstone including rubies, sapphires and emeralds.
- The clarity of a moissanite is that of vs1-vs2 on GIA’s clarity scale.
- The color grade is in the range of H-I-J on the GIA color scale.
The luster and brilliance of a moissanite is higher than that of a diamond and it has got higher heat resistance as well. All this makes for very good durability and a piece of moissanite jewelry will last you almost as long as that of a diamond.
Charles & Colvard have the patent to manufacture synthetic moissanites and most jewelry retailers will provide a lifetime warranty certificate for its optical properties. The best part is that it is almost impossible for a layman to differentiate between a moissanite and a diamond.
So now you can derive the pleasure of wearing very beautiful jewelry without burning a hole in your pocket.