Tell me about the gems you use in your jewelry
The 15k yellow Gold pieces I make have high quality eco-friendly man-made genuine cultured diamonds. These diamonds are Modern Round Brilliant Cuts, near colorless, and Si1 to Si2 clarity.
My handmade Sterling Silver and my handmade Gold-Over-Sterling Silver jewelry pieces have high quality near colorless simulated diamonds.
The pearls I use are high quality Cultured Freshwater Pearls.
Faq’s Question: What’s the difference between an earth-mined-natural-diamond, a man-made diamond, an eco-friendly diamond, a lab-grown diamond, a synthetic diamond, a foundry diamond, a cultured diamond, and a simulated diamond?
Answer: A natural-mined diamond is a diamond formed 100 miles or so deep in the earth and brought up to the earth’s surface by volcanoes. They are usually collected from open pits called diamond mines or picked out of rivers. They can be clear, or have flaws. Diamond colors typically range from white to yellow, but they can be any color. The diamonds are found as rough crystals and then they are cut by man into the different shapes like round, oval, etc.
A man-made diamond is a real genuine diamond just like a natural earth-mined diamond but it is made in a factory. In layman’s terms, the process starts with a diamond seed that is grown larger. Growing times are a few weeks up to a month. The diamonds are grown as rough crystals and then they are cut by man into the different shapes like round, oval, etc. These man-made diamonds are physically, chemically, and optically the same as natural earth-mined diamonds. It takes a diamond spectrometer and a skilled person analyzing that device to separate an earth-grown diamond from the lab-grown diamond.
A lab grown diamond is the same thing as a man-made diamond.
A synthetic diamond is the same thing as a man-made diamond.
An eco-friendly diamond is the same thing as a man-made diamond.
A cultured diamond is the same thing as a man-made diamond.
A foundry diamond is the same thing as a man-made diamond.
A simulated diamond is not a diamond but made of something else that looks like a diamond.
Blog Question: Do you own one of those specialized Spectrometers that separate earth-mined diamonds from man-made diamonds or do you rely on your diamond suppliers?
Answer: I am a Gemological Institute of America Graduate Gemologist (G.G.) and I own the GIA iD 100 Spectrometer that separates earth-mined diamonds from man-made diamonds. I have been specially trained by the GIA to use this unusual and expensive instrument.
Blog Question: How do you go about making your horse jewelry?
Answer: Check out the “Custom Made” section of the web site, it has my basic 8 step process. There are actually over 100 steps to making each piece.