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The
allure of the diamond is a hard thing to resist. Ask James Bond, or Marilyn
Monroe and two answers you may get are ‘Diamonds are forever’, and ‘Diamonds
are a girl’s best friend’. What about as investments though? While many
investors think that diamonds are a bit of a ‘sure thing’, like precious
metals, fact of the matter is that investing in diamonds is more a tricky
business, that needs skilled planning and due diligence, lest an investor see
his investment go belly up!
Why
are diamonds so tricky as an investment?
The
purity of a diamond is also determined by the 4Cs. Now each diamond has its own
unique, cut, color, carat weight and clarity, this makes it virtually
impossible to find the perfect stone to compare all other stones to, let alone
invest in.
Change
in trends:
With
the world economy in a slowdown mode, what were considered traditional
powerhouses in terms of return on investment, like high yield bonds and long
term fixed deposits and mutual funds, have taken a beating of sorts. High net
worth individuals are now looking at non-traditional means of investments,
which can also be enjoyed at the same time. Be it wine, art, gold or real
estate, the returns in these, non traditional sources, is all of a sudden more
attractive and by all means more enjoyable than the ‘waiting game’ that
traditional investment sources of investment entailed.
When
such a paradigm shift is slowly occurring, diamonds are the most logical next
hottest investment destination. The roadblocks in such an investment option
however, mean that diamonds aren’t yet the new currency of trade in the world.
Clarke chips in, “Until the Securities and Exchanges Board, can determine a way, where
diamonds can be traded in paper securely, over a Stock Market, something like a
Diamond Exchange Traded Fund (ETF), the returns on investment will be more
difficult to standardise and predict, making trading in diamonds a much riskier
proposition.”
Mark
up prices:
The
reality of the matter is that unlike gold, oil, or property, diamonds are still
traded in bourses across the world, by people who are old hands in the trade.
The diamond trade is possibly the only one in the world that still relies on
the ‘honor’ system, which dictates that a man’s word is his bond, and that
reputation is something one must go by. Industry insiders say that every time a
diamond changes hands, it’s price increases. From a polisher to a trader, the
price can go up anywhere between 5% and 25%. This means that a stone bought
from a trader, could have been obtained from a polisher for a fraction of the
cost. Says Clarke, “People keen on buying diamonds would be well served to have an ‘in’
with a polisher. But since this luxury is not afforded to everyone, the reality
of the matter is that diamond prices are what they are and they aren’t changing
anytime soon. Hence the need for a market backed ETF which standardises both
the prices of and the returns on diamonds.”
“When you love a woman, tell her that she's the one. She needs somebody
to tell her that it's gonna last forever.” The popular lyrics to Bryan
Adams hit song, ‘Have you ever really loved a woman’, tells us that if we've
found our soul mate, we should not deter from letting her know she's the one.
The question is how? How do you profess eternal love? How do you show her you
care? The answer is simple, an eternity ring.
An eternity ring is a symbol of eternal love and commitment. It consists of a round metal band usually gold,
covered with small diamond stones on the entire circumference of the ring or on
one half of the ring. Diamonds symbolizes everlasting love and hence is the
perfect stone to say you care.
However that doesn't mean that
eternity rings and engagement rings are the same. Eternity rings are usually
gifted by husband to wife when they complete a milestone in their relationship.
This milestone could be a wedding anniversary or the birth of a child or some
other occasion of special relevance.
Eternity rings must never be
gifted without a purpose. Granted women are happy when they receive jewelery,
but you want them to be elated and brimming with emotion when you gift them an
eternity ring. For instance, one man described why he chose an eternity ring
for his bride of 50 years. He realized that each stone could symbolize
something important that they'd shared or an adversity that they'd overcome
together. He wrote a beautiful poem describing what each stone meant. One was
for the first time he laid eyes on her. The next was for their first kiss. Then
came marriage, children, their first home, getting through the hardships that
they'd faced together with unwavering commitment to each other. So on. Coming
up with his own meanings made this eternity ring extremely special to his wife
and surely put a smile on her face every time she saw it after that.
A relationship counsellor on
condition of anonymity says, "It's
difficult to make a marriage last in today's day and age. Couples are realising
that making a marriage work is a lot harder than it looks. They are resorting
to couples counseling and training sessions. " Perhaps this is another
indication of the soaring popularity of the eternity ring. Until a decade ago, engagement rings were the
rage but these days couples understand that it takes something extra special to
make relationship work. An eternity ring
is a symbol of that work and commitment.
Eternity rings are available at all New York Diamond Traders outlets and can even be purchased online. The
rings are available in several styles and shopping online makes buying an
eternity ring a breeze. You can choose from 4 diamond styles based on the cut,
Round, Cushion, Emerald and Radiant. With diamonds available from 0.5 carats to
9 carats, NYDT has it all covered. They even allow you to choose the make of
the metal band. You can choose from yellow gold, white gold and platinum and
once you purchase the ring online it should be delivered to you within 2 weeks.
You must ask yourself these
questions before purchasing an eternity ring. What is your budget? What is the
occasion? and What is the make? We hope you enjoyed our series of articles on
the eternity ring. Leave your comments in the box below.
Joy to the world, it’s the most wonderful time of the year, to deck the
halls, and rock around the Christmas. It may seem like the weirdest sentence
ever constructed, but the holiday season does bring out a wee bit of excitement
even in the grumpiest of us. It is that time of the year when the world seems
to take a vacation, trick itself out in all its finery and absolutely everyone
is on a jolly trip. It is also that time of year, when gift giving isn’t a
choice, it is the norm!
And what better way to show your special someone that you haven’t
forgotten about them, or simply state what they mean to you than by gifting
them something that shows them everything that you are trying so hard to say.
Wow! That was one long sentence, to try and sum up one simple word… JEWELRY.
The ultimate statement of love and appreciation, jewelry is the perfect gift, all round the year, but even more so at this time. So here are a few
trends to be aware of when you are buying your special someone a little
something-something shiny, this holiday season.
This
seasons hottest trends:
# 1. Go
Bold or Go Home:
All the world’s fashion capitals saw one jewelry trend that absolutely
swept all others away. Going BOLD. And that means, simply wearing one standout
piece of jewelry that defined your entire ensemble. Now that piece could be a
diamond ring, with a single large stone, flanked by a bezel ingrained with
smaller diamonds. A choker, with a large central stone and precious metal
lattice work around it, or a solitaire pendant with a rather large crystalline
carbon rock. The bold look is all the rage this holiday season.
# 2.
Get wristy:
A handcuff you will gladly wear. We aren’t getting naughty, we’re simply
trying to describe another of the season’s hottest trends, bracelets. Whether
they be slender and ornate or chunky and simple, bracelets are all the rage,
with some of the fashion world’s leading names showing off new designs at all
their shows. Quick tip: A bracelet is an amazing accessory, irrespective of the
kind of outfit, formal or casual, a definite must have in your accessory
cabinet.
#
3. The most wonderful time, to PROPOSE…
The holidays are a time of unbridled joy and what better time to ask
your beloved to settle down with you, than the happiest time of the year,
right? The trend in engagement rings remains unchanged, go classic, timeless,
go solitaire. A single diamond in the cut of your choice in either platinum or
white gold is the perfect way to sweep your lady love of her feet and make her
heart skip a beat.
# 4.
Make her ears ring with joy
Diamond earrings are HOT this season with designs like flowers, animal
shapes and abstracts ruling the roost. The choice of metals too is mind
boggling, from the traditional favourites of Gold, Platinum and Silver, to new
kids on the block, Titanium, Palladium and Tungsten. Whichever you pick,
remember to put some thought into what will look regal and gorgeous on your
lady love’s ears. And we’re sure it will be like sweet music to her ears!
# 5.
Keep it surprising, unusual pieces
There is some merit in getting your beloved a piece that is unusual.
What do we mean by that? Well a piece that not everyone either possesses or can
carry off. Think exotic, like nose rings, anklets, or a girdle. Something that
isn’t run on the mill and she doesn’t possess. If they are encrusted with
diamonds… so much the better! Imagine the surprise on her face when she unwraps
her gift to find one of the aforementioned pieces. We’re betting it will be
priceless!
Sources:
Diamonds represent the epitome
of luxury, decadence and absolute excess. Diamonds have long been held in high
esteem by humanity for their, beauty, radiance and unbridled sheen. When
diamonds are bought and sold however, some diamonds are more expensive than
others, and this happens solely because some gems are of a higher grade than
others. These grades include, but are not restricted to the 4Cs (Cut, Color,
Carat and Clarity), and pre-determined tests that are conducted by a 3rd party
laboratory to determine the grade of the stone in question.
The history of Diamond
Certification:
We all know that by the late
1800s, De Beers was the world’s largest diamond miner and supplier. The stones
mined from De Beers’ mines were bought and sold the world over. In the 1890s,
the London Syndicate, a collaborative syndicate of buyers and sellers of
diamonds mined in De Beers’ mines came up with a grading system for the
merchandise they were purchasing.
Now the earliest system (i.e.
the London Syndicate’s grading system) was quite rudimentary and basic, they
based their decisions about a diamond on a loose color grading system. This
meant that they would sort through rough diamonds and assess their grade based
on an inconsistent color allocation system. Some of the earliest ‘certified’
diamonds therefore had vague grading like brown, yellow and almost transparent
ascribed to the stones graded.
It wasn’t until 1931, when
Robert M. Shipley, a former diamond retailer, founded the Gemological Institute
of America, that the diamond industry got its first formal system of evaluating
a diamond. The institute’s journey into being the foremost authority on
gemstones the world over was one that saw it give the world a series of
‘firsts’, the most prominent among them were the 4Cs. Grading a diamond on its
cut, color, clarity and carat weight, revolutionized the way diamonds have been
bought and sold.
How diamonds are graded…
As stated earlier, the diamond
is graded on its cut, clarity, color and carat weight. Now how are each of
these determined is the next question.
Cut: A diamond’s cut isn’t just
the natural shape of the stone or the shape in which it is cut. The term ‘cut’
represents the proportions, polish, and symmetry and facet uniformity. A
diamond’s certificate lists these aspects under a grading system.
Clarity: Clarity of a diamond
is determined through a battery of tests designed to tests the way light passes
through the stone. Clarity tests also look for things like fracture filling,
and would also evaluate if the stone is natural or synthetic (simply because
synthetic stones can be made in a laboratory and are much less expensive as
compared to a natural diamond.)
Color: The color of a diamond
is determined against graded stones of a pre-existing color. Later microscopes
with up to 10X magnification will check the diamond for flaws and blemishes.
Carat Weight: The carat weight
of a diamond is checked on a very precise and sensitive weighing scale. This
scale is specially formulated to make sure that the diamond’s weight is as
precise as possible.
Diamond Certification:
Advantages
Diamonds that are graded always fetch a higher price than their non-graded counterparts. Think of buying a
non-certified diamond as akin to taking a trip without a map, it is
ill-advised. A lay person buying a diamond isn’t always aware of whether the diamond
is natural or synthetic, as to the untrained eye, both would look similar, a
certificate vouches for the authenticity of a diamond and therefore simplifies
the buying decision for the customer.
We all wake up wishing we could have a
leisurely hour or two to have a relaxing shower or soak in the tub, peruse
through our closets at ease and take a good while on our dressing tables before
we need to head out the door for work. However, reality often is that we need
to quickly get dressed, make ourselves presentable and rush out the front door
after we finish a little of what needs to be done around the house first!
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| Diamonds are forever! |
While we all may not have the time or
resources to go buy diamonds in New York, or the latest fashion
offerings from Milan on a regular basis, looking and feeling great is
definitely a goal all of us can achieve. If you end up feeling rushed every
single time you have to leave the home and always feel a little 'unfinished',
here are some time saving tricks to help you out -
Double duty make up - The world of cosmetics today is a
marvelous one. You find a huge variety of products out there that have
multiple purposes in one, helping you cut down a considerable amount of time
and shave off minutes from your daily routine. If you are an only slip
moisturizer on and go kind of a girl then look for a face and body cream with
sunscreen in it, this will save you the added time of applying both products
with the recommended gap. If you require a little extra coverage you can skip
the foundation and add concealer where you truly need it, put your moisturizer
and quickly dust off with a compact or face powder that sets it all in. Or
another great alternative is to look for a moisturizer with added foundation
built it in or the ever popular BB and CC creams nowadays that are beneficial
for the skin and provide a decent dose of coverage or base. Need to do a quick
touch up while at work or when commuting? Consider purchasing a face tint or
cream that can double up as blush as well as color for your lips. Look for the
right kind of double agents and you can save a few precious minutes every
morning!
Easy fall-back outfits – One thing that
is a huge time suck is standing in front of your wardrobe thoroughly confused
about what to wear. One of the best systems for busy women on the go is to
create a few easy fall back outfits, i.e. outfits you know always work well
together and leave you feeling well put together and looking great. On a
weekend or day off come up with a few ready outfits right from tops to shoes
and bags that always make you feel comfortable and fabulous. Things you would
reach for on a day without any hassle. Take pictures and tape on the inside of
your closet for easy and quick inspiration and ideas when you don't have the
leisure to browse through its contents.
Simple hair styles – A bad hair day can
derail even the most chic outfit! When you are in a hurry and your hair just
doesn't seem to cooperate it can be a boon to slip your hair into a no fuss yet
appropriate hair do. Learn a few simple hairstyles like a sleek ponytail with a
barrette, a simple knot or how to quickly just iron or blow dry sections of
your hair for maximum effect.
Slip on one stand out accessory –
Whether you prefer to buy diamonds from New York or are more of a flea
market kind gal, the right accessories can elevate even the most simple outfit.
Slip on a great pair of earrings or a beautiful necklace, an eye-catching scarf
or a killer pair of shoes and the like to polish up a neutral outfit you have
slipped on in a hurry. Keep a few of your stand out accessories accessible near
or on your dressing table for easy grabbing.
Ready, get, set, gorgeous!
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