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The diamond industry is worth literally billions of pounds a year in the trade of wholesale gems to industry and the domestic market. The way these markets work vary dramatically; one has a high demand for the physical properties of the stone as the hardest natural material, the other has a high demand created by the desirability of a rare and beautiful gem.

Diamonds are actually not as rare as we are led to believe and the market is a highly organised infrastructure to keep prices stable and demand high. Couple this with the wholesale trade of illegal or ‘blood’ diamonds and the financial structure of diamond market becomes increasingly complicated.

Until the late 1800s diamonds were a rare gemstone and highly prised. Only the wealthiest could afford a good quality gem and owning diamond jewellery was a status symbol or sign of wealth. There was a small commercial trade in diamonds from Africa and Australia, with other diamonds entering the market as second hand jewellery.

The stones from Australia are famed for being the hardest in the world, and so have been designated for industrial use, whereas the African gems are desired for their aesthetics, making them destined for the jewellery market. Suddenly, due to the discovery of a new mine in South Africa, the market became flooded with new gem quality stones, and the value of the diamond dropped dramatically.

It took a massive advertising campaign by the De Beers group, one of the world leaders in diamond mining to stabilise sales and persuade the public to keep hold of the diamonds they have as well as controlling the rate of wholesale stones appearing on the market. Firstly, the control of supply was at the source, only allowing a certain percentage of the mineral onto the market.

This then allowed the price to be stabilised; because demand was kept high by restricted supply, the major companies could set a nominal value for an end product. For example, the price of a reasonably sized diamond engagement ring should remain at around three months wages.

The other factor that needed to be addressed was the second hand market. De Beers at this point launched one of the most successful marketing campaigns of all time by essentially persuading the public that ‘a diamond is forever’, implying that rather than ever selling a piece of jewellery with the gemstone in, it should be kept as a precious heir loom. Starving the market of these antique pieces not only boosted the demand for new rocks, but increased the popularity and affected the actual worth of the stone at the point of wholesale.

The trade of so called blood diamonds does not fit into this category, and where there is demand, there is an opportunity to supply on the black market. The way these stones differ is that the money raised from them goes directly into the pockets of the war lords that run the mines. The people in the areas where the mines are get little if any money at all, and commonly the level of conflict over the commodity leads to bloodshed. To curb the trade from illegal sources, a classification and certification system has been introduced.

Now all official diamonds are registered so they can be traced from the source to sale. The catalogued stones are engraved with a laser to identify them to any expert under magnification. This is going a long way to ensure that consumers are not unintentionally funding criminal activity, but as with any black market commodity, restricted supply still creates a demand. While diamonds are considered the gem du jour, there will always be those willing to spill blood to take their share of the profits.

Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the jewellery and diamond industry.
Find out more about wholesale diamonds and the importance of buying a certified conflict free diamonds at diamond manufacturers.

Imagine a place where gems are so prolific, they are scattered among the sandy bottoms of smooth-flowing streams. The beautiful and exotic island of Sri Lanka is just such a place. Marco Polo wrote of its jewel-like wonders: “from its streams comes rubies, sapphires, topazes, amethyst, and garnet.”

Sri Lanka, or “The Jewel Box of Indian Ocean,” produces its gemstones in endless supply. In fact, some of the world’s rarest stones abound in Sri Lanka, including the largest known sapphire, weighing 466 carats. The gems of Sri Lanka have adorned the crowns of royal families and have been much admired by kings and queens - from King Solomon of biblical fame to England’s Queen Elizabeth.

While people had long admired the treasures offered up by the island, it wasn’t until 500 B.C. that they began to acquire these rough stones and set them into jewelry. These stones were also bartered by traders who came to Sri Lanka’s shores. Some traders then took them to the marketplaces of Asia and Europe.

Sri Lanka’s Gem Fields

Running through the center of Sri Lanka, the Highland Series is a broad belt where Sri Lanka’s gemstones originated. To either side is a trough where high levels of crystalline precambrian rock featured elements of quartzite, marbles and other deposits. The erosion of rock gave way to abundant gem deposits along streambeds in the lower valleys. As miners found their way to these streambeds, they discovered the jeweled deposits in the illam, or the blue and yellow clays gathered there. As they ventured deeper into these streambeds, ancient streams were discovered below providing even greater returns. Unfortunately, many of these streambeds also lay beneath cultivated fields. As prospecting progressed, crops were destroyed, pitting miner against farmer.

Thankfully, newer methods of mining were developed to provide great prospects for the miners while still leaving the farmer’s fields intact. Construction of vertical shafts provided access to the rich illam through tunnels that extended underground like the spokes of a wagon wheel. Miners dug out gravel and returned to the surface to wash and screen their finds.

The mining region of Ratnapura is known for the amazing variety of excellent gemstones that have been mined there. Here, sapphires appear in a range of blue hues, as well as yellow, green and pink, to name a few. The famous “padparadscha” sapphire dazzles those who behold it with its pinkish-orange color. Other finds include topaz in bright yellow, blood-red pyrope, the world’s best zircon, and yellow and brown tourmaline. A vast variety of spinel in brown, green, blue, purple, pink, violet, and red also originate here. Sri Lanka’s spinels are part of many of the world’s crown jewels. In fact, the Imperial Treasury of the Soviet Union contains a 400-carat red spinel given at one time to Catharine the Great. Meanwhile, an enormous oval-cut spinel from Sri Lanka graces the British Crown collection.

Sri Lanka’s Famous Gems:

Blue Sapphire

Considered gem supreme in Sri Lanka, the cornflower blue sapphire is one of the island’s choicest gemstones.

Cat’s Eye

Extolled for the protection it yields, the cat’s eye is much beloved for its honey yellow and apple green cat’s eye. A 105-carat cat’s eye originating from a Sri Lanka paddy field is a favored possession of the British monarchy.

Alexandrite

Sri Lanka boasts this rarest of all stones. The alexandrite is also considered by some as the most beautiful.

Star Sapphire

Considered good luck, the star sapphire sparkles with azure and radiant snowy streaks.

Yellow Sapphire

The yellow sapphire’s coloring earns its nickname of “Sinhala” (pollen of flower).

Amethyst

Nature’s work produces a lovely light purple color, making it a beauty among gemstones.

Ruby

Red in color, rubies are also found in rose, black, yellow and sky blue.

Diamond

Sri Lanka’s diamonds come in a variety of colors, including white, yellow, blue, red and black colors.

Lewis Jewelers is proud to carry the full line of Pandora Jewelry. Pandora bracelets, Pandora charms, and Pandora beads are only a part of the collection. For more information, Lewis Jewelers, 2000 West Stadium Blvd., Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48103, 877-88-LEWIS or visit the website.

Diamonds are forever, and the saying holds true! A diamond can only be cut by a diamond, and so it is that these sparkling gems bring us much excitement. The world’s largest diamonds are something that attracts our attention. Imagine 100’s of diamond carats, and you can see why this is going to be amazing. Find them here!

Recently a diamond was discovered, which is the 20th largest rough diamond ever found! At 478 carats it is simply amazing, and likely will only be available to a handful of the world population, however, it still is an amazing point. So, if this is the 20th largest diamond, then what is the top 10 largest diamonds in the world?

#10 - The Millennium Star Diamond
This flawless diamond is both flawless internally and externally. And at 203.4 carats and being insured for 100 million GBP it is a gem which will be out of pocket for many people.

#9 - The Red Cross Diamond
Feel amazed yet? There is more to come! At number 9 we find the largest diamond is the Red Cross diamond. This diamond even has a Maltese Cross! The Red Cross diamond is canary yellow in color, and is 205.07 carats!

#8 - The De Beers Diamond
The De Beers diamond is the 8th largest diamond in the world. It was found in 1888. The diamond was purchased by the Maharajah of Pariala, and then was set on a necklace that weighed about 926.25 carats! The diamond by itself weighs 234.65 carats.

#7 - The Jubilee Diamond
The Jubilee diamond is a colorless cushion shaped diamond, and weighs 245.35 carats. The diamond came from a rough diamond that weighed 650.80 carats. The Jubilee was called the Jubilee because of Queen Victoria’s 75th anniversary of her coronation.

#6 - The Centenary Diamond
The Centenary is an amazing gem. With 247 facets, it has the highest amount of facets ever polished onto a diamond. The true value of the Centenary is unknown, but it weighs 273.83 carats.

#5 - The Spirit of de Grisogono
At a massive 312.24 carats, the Spirit of de Grisogono is the largest black diamond ever cut.

#4 - The Cullinan II Diamond
We’re getting ever closer to seeing the world’s largest diamond. But first let’s look at number 4. The Cullinan II weighs 217.40 carats and is a cushion shape. The original stone has a good story to it; it was cut from a rough diamond of 3106 carats or about 1 1/3 pounds! It was found on the day when Sir Thomas Cullinan was visiting the mine that he had opened. The jewel is in the centre-front of the Imperial State Crown of Great Britain.

#3 - The Incomparable Diamond
The Incomparable diamond is a gem which weighs 407.48 carats. This brownish-yellow color diamond is both internally and externally flawless.

#2 - The Star Of Africa Diamond
Also known as the Cullinan I, the Star of Africa is a whopping 530.20 carats! The Star of Africa is just one of the 9 stones cut from the 3106 carat Cullinan diamond. The Star of Africa was placed in the Sovereign Royal scepter by King Edward. It is estimated at $400 million dollars!

#1 - The Largest Diamond In The World
At number 1, the largest diamond in the world, at this time, is the Golden Jubilee diamond. At 545.67 carats, it is unlikely to be used for earrings!

Click this link to see a picture of the Star of Africa Diamond or these links to do window shopping and buying diamonds.

Jewelry collectors of the world know that often a piece of jewelry’s value lies not only its karat worth but also its past - where it came from, how it was acquired and the intrigue it has created through the years. These individual pieces, brought together, form prized collections that hold stories of conquest and mystery.

Considered to be one of the world’s most valuable and largest collections, the Imperial Crown Jewels of Iran is comprised of an exhaustive number of tiaras, crowns, thrones, and the world’s largest collection of emeralds, rubies, spinels, and yellow diamonds. Representing nearly 2,500 years of Shah rule in Iran, most of the items were acquired by the Safavid shahs who ruled from 1502-1736 A.D. The collection is so invaluable it backs Iranian currency as a reserve.

This Persian treasure also boasts the world’s largest spinel. The Samarian Spinel is a 500-carat, blood-red stone currently held at the National Jewelry Museum of Iran in Tehran. Like many treasures of its magnitude, the Samarian Spinel has a unique legend which tells of its use around the neck of the gold calf built by the Israelites while Moses was receiving the Ten Commandments.

Equally breathtaking, the collection’s Pahlavi Crown sports a 60-carat brilliant-cut yellow diamond and was created in the early 1920s for the last ruler of the Imperial Dynasty. The crown is also studded with 3,380 diamonds which total 1,144 carats and is made with red velvet. The official crown of the Qajar Dynasty, which ruled from 1796 to 1925, the Kiani Crown features 1,800 pearls and rubies, as well as emeralds and diamonds.

During the Iranian Revolution in 1979 that caused the collapse of the Pahlavi Dynasty, rumors spread that the Imperial Crown Jewels had been stolen and sold abroad. While a few smaller pieces had indeed been stolen and smuggled out of the country, most of the collection remained intact. Unfortunately, while the smugglers and their booty were caught by Pakistani authorities, the stolen items have yet to be returned to Iran.

One of America’s most famous jewelers, Harry Winston created a jewelry empire that now includes salons in New York, Beverly Hills, Las Vegas, Dallas, Paris, Tokyo, and Hong Kong. Winston really began his collection with the acquisition of Arabella Huntington’s jewelry collection. Wife of railroad magnate Henry Huntington, Arabella’s collection was one of the world’s most prestigious. The jewelry, whose style was considered largely old fashioned, was redesigned by Winston into more contemporary styles.

In addition, Winston was the owner of some of the world’s most precious diamonds known to man. The Hope Diamond, which appears brilliant blue to the naked eye, was donated by Winston to the Smithsonian Institution. A curse was believed to have been placed on the diamond, creating financial ruin and heartbreak to anyone who owned it. Winston never believed in the curse of the diamond, which was once owned by Marie Antoinette. Today it is part of the Smithsonian’s National Gem Collection.

Also in the collection, the Napoleon Diamond Necklace was given to Empress Marie-Louise by her husband Napoleon. Made of 47 diamonds weighing a total of 275 carats, the necklace was passed down through the Empress’ family for generations. It eventually reached Winston in 1960 who sold it two years later to Marjorie Merriweather Post. Today, it is also on display at the Smithsonian Institute.

Purchased by Winston in 1935, the Jonker was originally discovered as a 726-carat rough crystal and represented the first a diamond of its caliber to be cleaved in the United States. The Jonker, the largest diamond of the crystal, was much beloved by Winston who refused to sell it for many years. Instead, he displayed the diamond at exhibitions. Winston eventually sold the diamond to King Farouk of Egypt, who sold the diamond to the Queen of Nepal. Eventually, the Jonker was sold at a Hong Kong auction for $4 million.

The personal jewelry collection of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is conservatively valued at $57 million. Most of the pieces were given as gifts to the Queen. A magnificent piece of the collection is the Timur Ruby, a splendid 352.50-carat spinel. The piece is inscribed with the names of previous owners who were Mughal emperors. The Prince Albert Brooch is a magnificent sapphire which was presented to Queen Victoria by Prince Albert on their wedding day. Other notable pieces include a suite of emerald jewelry, large ruby earrings owned by Queen Mary, and a handful of diamonds cut from the Cullinan, which produced the Stars of Africa and other well-known diamonds.

Lewis Jewelers is proud to carry the full line of Pandora Jewelry. Pandora bracelets, Pandora charms, and Pandora beads are only a part of the collection. For more information, Lewis Jewelers, 2000 West Stadium Blvd., Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48103, 877-88-LEWIS or visit the website.

Go into any newsagent and pick up a glossy mag aimed at women; you are likely to find celebrity splattered pages of fashion statements, disasters and downright dullness. In fact, go into any newsagent and pick up a mag aimed at men, you will find the same thing; celebrity endorsed accessories and outfits. Some fashions would never see the light of day if they hadn’t been seen on David Beckham or Jennifer Lopez. The red carpet is the perfect place for designers to promote their latest designs and to influence the high street fashion of the coming season. From silk dresses to diamond encrusted chokers, the fashions we choose are dictated by the not so subtle pulp of the printers.

David Beckham is a one man walking endorsement for designer labels. I’m sure it is under the unrelenting pressure of his fashion obsessed wife, but the bloke has promoted everything from Police sunglasses to Dolce and Gabbana pants. The influence of his celebrity status means that if he’s seen with a Tesco flannel on his head, rest assured everyone in the world will be wearing the ‘flannelette hat’ the following week. Ok, I exaggerate slightly, but he did manage to make the sarong a fashion choice for men; burly white British men at that, that is quite a feat! What he is probably most famed for however is the introduction of the diamond stud into the range of acceptable attire for men.

You would be innocently mistaken if you thought I was referring to football studs, as Mr. Beckham is obviously as famed for his football as he is his fashion. And of course, a diamond is hard as Vinny Jones and would probably make for a rather effective and equally flamboyant football boot accessory. The notion of a diamond studs for football boots would also fit into the crazy paradigm that Posh and Becks choose to live; a place where it’s not unlikely that unicorn pelt is used to polish the family silver. Alas, such decadence is yet to manifest, I am just talking of the humble diamond stud earring.

It did make quite a tabloid splash though, and it was not long before Golden Balls himself had inspired a generation of young boys, ageing men, rap stars and rockers to wear a sparkler in the lobe. Justin Timberlake, Michael Jordan, P Diddy, Fify cent and Ten Bob (Okay, I made that last one up) have all been seen with a 9 carat stone set in 24 carat white gold; that’s more carats than Bugs Bunny can quaff in a week! This fashion fad was neither a flop nor a faux pas, and has remained acceptable attire; despite gaining the undivided attention of boys who sport Burberry caps and shell suits. As a super successful football star, it is not surprising that Beckham has such unwavering influence over the youth of today, and we should all be glad that his wife is in charge of his wardrobe or it could be socks and sandals from dusk till dawn.

It is without a doubt that David has got his finger on the collective pulse when it comes to fashionable attire. Regardless of whether it’s the missus with the good taste, there is no disputing that the high street is taking its style tips from the wonder-boy’s wardrobe. The rails of River Island and Top Man look like they have been stripped directly from the closets of Beckingham Palace; thank the fashion gods that they’ve left those family jewels alone!

Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the jewellery and fashion industry.
Find out more about diamond studs and see the styles the stars choose at Diamond Manufacturers.

Nothing says beauty like titanium. Although many people look towards silver and gold when they are looking for a special ring, titanium has come into view as something different, sturdy and natural.

You probably have heard about this metal before because it has been used in the aerospace industry. It is a natural element and was a metal that no one really paid attention to until it was refined in the 20th century.

Because it is a natural metal, it has a natural color. You will find cool silver grays, a silver gray that is deeper than regular silver and you can find it in white gold. With so many people wanting to “Go Green” this is a great way to get a start.

The interesting thing about titanium is that it looks very much like platinum when it is polished which gives it an even richer quality. You may also have heard of this metal because it is naturally hyper-allergenic so it can be used for surgical implants. Golfers, users of laptops and people who ride bikes have all known that titanium has played a part in the tools that they use.

There is no wonder why this metal has become a favorite jewelry. It holds up under pressure and it is pretty much indestructible. You can find it in everything from watches to rings.

The popularity of this metal has increased over the years because it is so attractive. It gives an appearance of silver but at the same time it is a little off color. In fact, experts will tell you it is slightly irregular which makes it even more unique and rare.

If you are getting married and you want something different, or if you just want to promise yourself to someone, titanium may be your answer if you want something different. This is a metal that is cool to the touch and so elegant that people will wonder what it is and where you bought it.

Rings come in many styles from classic to gold and platinum. But don’t stop there because you have more choice with titanium than with some of the other metals. You can also find some rings with silver inlays or with diamonds or other gem stones embedded in them.

Although this metal is tough, you can get your ring custom made and have many things put into it. You can create something unique so that people will be envious and ask you to try it on. Titanium makes other metals like silver and gold boring because of its versatility. The other strong feature of titanium is that it never tarnishes and it lasts longer than gold or silver. This in itself is worth the expense.

There are many styles for titanium also. As an example, you can get a simple ring or you can buy it with some extravagant pattern. You can also by it with an inlay of color. The sky is literally the limit with what you can get in this metal.

When you are looking for just the right piece of jewelry this sweet metal will have you wanting to wear it more and more.

Totally Titanium is an online resource for finding the perfect titanium ring. They have additional information about men’s and women’s titanium rings, titanium wedding rings and titanium engagement rings. Scott Davis is a freelance writer for Totally Titanium (http://www.totallytitanium.com/).