Jewelry Industry Embargo On Zimbabwe’s Conflict Diamonds

Apparently Zimbabwe’s plan to sell off the conflict diamonds from their Marange diamond fields is simply not going to come through as long as the HRW (Human Rights Watch) has any say in the matter. The HRW specifically instructed the leading diamond jewelry providers in the world to keep their distance from any diamonds from Zimbabwe. Specifically, Arvind Ganesan, Director of the Business & Human Rights Division at HRW, released an official warning regarding a full on embargo of Zimbabwe diamonds due to their many violations of serious human rights conditions. According to Arvind Ganesan, Zimbabwean diamonds are conflict diamonds in every sense of the term, and as such the HRW is requesting that jewelry retailers and jewelry consumers boycott these diamonds until the human rights infringements reach their end. In fact, Arvind Ganesan wrote a letter asking as much from leaders in the diamond jewelry industry, such as Cartier, Tiffany’s, and Zale.

Arvind Ganesan has turned to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme as well as the World Diamond Council in an attempt to expand the current definition of blood diamonds to contain diamonds acquired by governments in conflict and not only diamonds by rebel groups. In his letter, the Director of the Human Rights Watch requested that major diamond jewelry retailers issue public statements regarding refusal to purchase Zimbabwean diamonds. Such acts on the parts of the major players in the diamond retail community will surely have some significant long-term effects on diamond production from the Murowa diamond mine, as well as the River Ranch diamond mine, which are thought to be channels for the sale of diamonds from the Marange fields in Zimbabwe.

In the letter, Arvind Ganesan also appeals to the powerful members of the diamond industry to use their influence on the Kimberley Process to ensure that Zimbabwe is fully suspended from the group up to the point when they actually meet basic human rights standards. As per reports from HRW, such human rights infringements as killing, smuggling, and child labor have been going on until just this October and there are no signs of any considerable changes since then. These diamonds have been smuggled to neighboring countries mixing with diamonds from other nations and basically causing a situation where conflict diamonds are traded worldwide.

Hence, it is up to the jewelry retailers to be responsible enough to make sure that they do not vend such conflict diamonds to their jewelry consumers. As diamond consumers are becoming increasingly knowledgeable about conflict diamonds and requesting certifications as to the origin of their diamonds, it was only a matter of time before Zimbabwean diamonds became too risky to be associated with.

The problem is that generally speaking, jewelry providers can’t just boycott their diamond jewelry items, but then again, nobody wants to be linked to conflict diamonds either. It looks like we’ll just have to wait and see how the major members of the diamond jewelry community intend to comply with the demands of the Human Rights Watch.

Buying Birthstone Jewelry – Money Saving Tips

You have consulted birthstone charts and want to buy jewelry. Are you looking for some ways to save money? There are many factors that contribute to the cost. Some are obvious. Others may not have occurred to you.

Identity
The birthstones are gemstones. Some are obviously more expensive than others. The birthstones chart currently used in the United States contains less expensive alternates for most months.
There are many other lists:
Astrological charts use different time periods that combine months.
Old historical lists often assign the gemstones to different months and may substitute a few different stones.
Different countries have their own lists.
You can find these different birthstone charts on many websites. Look for a less expensive stone for your birth date.

Quality
The term genuine gemstone simply means that the stone has the necessary characteristics for its identity. The qualities of color and clarity affect the price. Inclusions of other materials can detract from the clarity and reduce the value. Choose a pretty stone with inclusions that are not obvious.

Color
Today many gemstones are color enhanced. Heat treating, diffusion, radiation, oiling, and dyeing are means of improving color. The gemstone industry assumes that these processes have been used, and sellers often do not volunteer the information. Ruby, sapphire, topaz, tanzanite, aquamarine, citrine, and others are routinely heated. Emerald is oiled. Beads may be dyed.
Assuming other qualities equal, natural color gemstones will be the most expensive. Dyed stones will be the least expensive.

Size
Gemstones are sold by weight. The larger the stone, the higher the price per carat. For example, one carat total weight of several small rubies will cost less than a one carat single ruby.

Beads
When rough gemstone material comes out of the mine, the highest quality is set aside for cutting into loose stones for settings. The lower quality is used for beads. Why? Because drilling a bead hole wastes valuable weight.
Beaded jewelry may cost less. The difference in quality is not always obvious.
The best quality gemstone beads are often tiny faceted rondelle shapes. The more valuable gemstones, such as ruby, emerald, and sapphire are seldom made into large beads, unless they are dyed or contain many inclusions. If you want natural color birthstones, you can probably find them as beads at an affordable price.

Lab Created or Synthetic Gemstones
They have the same characteristics as natural gemstones, but not the same inclusions. The process contains similarities to the natural creation, but time and quality are controlled by man. These high quality stones are expensive, but should cost less than the same quality mined gemstone.

Imitation Birthstones
They may be other less expensive gemstones that are dyed. Howlite is used to imitate turquoise.
Glass imitations were popular in the 1940’s and 1950’s. They were often set in 10k gold rings. You may find them in antique or vintage jewelry stores. Prices will vary and may be determined by value as a collectible.
Swarovski crystal is a popular substitute as a birthstone. The colors are named after gemstones.
Imitations should cost less than genuine gemstones.

Precious Metals
The cost of gold and silver has increased drastically. They are also sold by weight. Heavy ornate settings, clasps, or beads will increase cost.
Different kinds of metal are priced from high to low in this order: 18k, 14k, 10k gold, vermeil (gold plated sterling silver), sterling silver, gold filled, gold plated, silver plated, gold or silver tone base metals.

Beaded Jewelry
Beaded birthstone jewelry has other options for lower prices.
Tiny spacer beads reduce the number of birthstone beads needed.
Look for other less expensive beads in the design, or just a few birthstones as focal points.

Designer
This term can raise the price. Jewelry that carries the name of a well known store, name brand, famous designer, or celebrity may cost more. Endorsements are expensive.
If fashion jewelry containing imitation gemstones and base metal is sold in a well known or upscale clothing store, it can cost more than jewelry with genuine gemstones sold on a website.

Custom Made
Birthstone jewelry that requires extra time, new design, buying new or unusual materials can be expensive.
Instead use the seller’s existing design with substitution of in stock stones or beads.

Middlemen
The number between the mine and the jewelry seller is one of the biggest factors affecting price.
A hobbyist who buys materials from a retail store adds a middleman.
A seller who designs and makes jewelry and buys beads or loose stones directly from the cutter eliminates distributors.
Ask questions.
Today it is easy to buy from jewelry makers. Look for their websites. Attend craft fairs or gem shows.

Overhead
Does the seller have to pay any large business overhead costs?
Store, warehouse, office, employees, website design or hosting, advertising.
Buy from a website business that is run from a home. Look for information on the About Us page.

Shipping and Packaging
It is never free. It must either be included in a higher jewelry price or paid as added cost by the buyer.
Actual shipping costs vary. If the seller offers options, compare their costs.
If you buy directly from a country where labor costs are low, the savings may be offset by high international shipping. Returning an item would be expensive.
Handling costs also vary. Fancy boxes and packing materials can raise the jewelry price or handling cost.

Conclusion
If you do comparison shopping, be sure to consider the quality of the birthstone jewelry.
Be suspicious of low cost items that cannot be returned easily, worthless guarantees, deceiving imitations.
If the price is too low to be true, it probably is not a bargain.
Save money, but do it intelligently.

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Make Extra Cash Selling Jewelry Through The Mail

It can be tricky to sell jewelry to a mail-in company that specializes in buying gold and silver, but if you are willing to take a chance with your precious items, you can certainly earn some extra money. Before you decide to use a mail order jewelry company, you should make sure that the business is professional and has a good reputation. You should also find out what type of jewelry the company accepts. Most reputable companies will buy plain gold earrings, necklaces, or rings. They also purchase a variety of loose stones and jewelry that have stone settings. If you know that your jewelry is worth a great amount of money, you are better off selling it to a local jewelry store rather than a sell jewelry mail company.

If you are selling jewelry that the sell gold mail company accepts, you should learn the basics of buying and selling jewelry. The weight and karat of gold jewelry should be properly evaluated when you are selling gold to a buyer. The color, carat, and clarity of the stones will determine how much the pieces are worth. When selling jewelry to a mail-in company, it is a good idea to add a letter to the package that lists the lowest price you will accept. You should also photocopy the letter and sign both of the letters, keeping one for your records.

The letter will serve as a prearranged agreement and stop the buyer from offering you an unfair amount for your jewelry without your consent. Many of the mail-in companies purchase the jewelry at a lower price than it is worth and then send out paperwork that gives the seller ten days to decline the offer. In most cases, the check arrives after the ten-day period and the seller is forced to accept the ridiculous amount. By including a letter that lets the buyer know that you will not accept a low offer, the buyer will have to give you a fair amount of money for the jewelry or send it back to you.

When choosing a bottom line price, you need to be realistic. Used jewelry is not worth top dollar. The buyer will likely purchase the jewelry for the lowest amount listed in your letter, so make sure you know how much your jewelry is worth before you sell it so that you can come up with a fair suggestion. Mail-in companies usually pay more for jewelry than pawnshops do, so if you need some extra money quickly, mail-in jewelry buyers are a great option.

Jewelry Gifts-their Implications – Copy

Jewelry Gifts-Their Implications

A vast majority of people think jewelry is a brilliant gift idea for a girl. There are various reasons for it, the foremost being that it is cherishable and lasting. It is a safe choice because no matter what type of a personality she has, as long as she is a girl, she will love the jewelry. Another reason for giving jewelry as a gift is that it is available in many price ranges from economical to the most expensive piece out there. Jewelry is also an adaptable gift item and can be given in combination to other things for example branded perfume, shower gels, cosmetic, chocolates and many more. It can also be an asset in bad times for example a gold, or a silver ring can not only be insured but also sold and treated like a liquid asset in worst comes to worst scenario.

Considering the above, jewelry is one of the foremost choices as a gift item. An important aspect of giving jewelry as a gift is its significance in defining or re-defining new or existing relationships. The boyfriend of a friend of mine was having difficulty in sending his parents with a formal proposal and at the same time he wanted to secure his relationship before going abroad for studies, so just before he left, he got his girlfriend a pair of branded, 22 carat gold earrings.In the years to come, she cherished the gift and waited for him till they got married.

The cultural aspect is very important in case of giving jewelry gifts. For example, in the Indo-Pak sub-continent, if a man gives a woman any jewelry article; it definitely means that he is interested in either marrying her or it can be very safely assumed, that he would like to engage in some sort of a relationship with her. Just what he chooses to give and the price range versus his income analysis (the value of the gift as a percentage of income); can clarify any other grey areas including how many other girlfriends he has.

Usually if a guy chooses to give artificial or silver jewelry, he is just contemplating something more than just friendship but he is in the initial stages of the relationship and is not too sure or maybe he is just not serious enough to take it up to the marriage. However, if he chooses to spend a considerable amount of money maybe as much as one-month salary on a gold ring, or a high value silver ring, he is definitely serious. In the end, it is not about the price tag on the gift amount but the percentage of the income that he spent on the gift that matters. It shows how much he cares. (I can see many older women scoffing my ideas as being too materialistic, but hey money matters!).If the guy chooses to go jewelry shopping with you, it means he wants you to improve your choice of jewelry and even though he is not embarrassed of being seen with you, but he would definitely want you to change more towards his liking.

Now comes the second part; what you choose to give as a gift and what it signifies. If you are a girl and you are giving jewelry to another girl, it means you came across a good deal on a clearance sale. No, that was just a joke, no offense to all the girls out there. In my life, I have received maximum jewelry gifts from other women. The reason being, they know you well enough to know what you would like as a gift. Usually girls never give out rings as a single item and give it in a combination with earrings, bracelets, anklets, hair accessories or any other combo. But if a guy gives you a ring of any form, in combination or solitaire, see RED every where both the danger sign as well as the love sign. If you are based in the Indo-Pak sub-continent, you should see RED even if a guy chooses to give you an anklet, or a nose pin. These two items signify, with varying intensity, that either a woman is committed or married. Guys if you want stay clear of sending out any unintentional signals; keep your gifts neutral if she is just a friend. This means that rather than giving out a necklace etc give her a jewelry box or a fancy jewelry pouch. Do not make combinations with chocolates, cosmetics, and jewelry items like rings, anklets and nose-pins as they are a definite lead on.

In short, apart from social taboos, gifts should be chosen with care especially if they involve jewelry giving appropriate consideration to the hidden meanings and the implications of your gift. It is necessary to take this in regard because it will be the defining moment for your future relationship whether you want to keep it just friends full stop or you want it to be a new start of something more special.

Purchase unique and attractive trollbeads jewelry from the reputed online gift shop – Copy

In the modern world, the market is flooded with the amazing collection of unique and attractive jewelry. It is very valuable gift that women love to receive from their loved ones on the special occasion. Therefore, if your mother, sister or wife’s birthday is upcoming, then you can buy the modern and elegant jewelry for them to show your love and care. Different types of jeweleries are available in the market to choose from. Among all, Trollbeads are the most famous and amazing invention. It has gained a huge popularity among women nowadays. The beads are available in different colors that have their own story. They are based around fairy tales, animals, flowers, mythology, astrology and many more.

Trollbeads are made with the help of different types of materials such as sterling silver, gold, glass and valuable stones. It has been available for the previous 30 years. The attractive beads can be made into bracelets and necklaces. You can arrange your bracelets or necklaces with the help of DIY or you can purchase compete bracelets and necklaces to start your collecting. If you are not aware of this type of jewelry, then you must take a look around the web. If you want to buy it, then you have many options to choose from. The beads are marketed worldwide on the web and also from jewelry and gift shops.

If you want to purchase Trollbeads Rings & Earrings online, then you can take the help of the internet to find out the reputed online gift shop. There are so many online gift shops available from where you can buy elegant, unique and attractive trollbeads jewelry within your budget. There is one reputed online store that specializes in supplying trollbeads jewelry at affordable rates. They have a vast collection of jewelry that enhance your beauty and looks. They have an exclusive range of elegant products that comes in different exotic styles and colors. People who want to purchase Gold Plated Earring Accessories can visit their website to place their order.

The leading online gift shop has an outstanding collection of spectacular products such as a big butterfly, Labradorian, baby buggy, grandpa, snowdrop of January and many more. You can select the color of the bead according to your taste and preference. From their online store, you can purchase Trollbeads Necklaces, pendants, earrings, bracelets and many more products. All the products offered by them are available at affordable rates.

In order to get more information about trollbeads, you can visit the website of the service provider. The website contains complete information about trollbeads. You can visit their website to get more information about them. Feel free to visit their website and contact them anytime.