Sometimes looking back into the past provides new ideas for the future.  Classic jewelry and fashion designs never go out of style, and this is also true with engagement rings, although most styles are really timeless in their beautify and styling. Most engagement rings will actually be a combination of classical designs combined with modern twists and features.

One of the most obvious ways in which engagement rings can differ with regards to classic or modern styles is in the cut of the diamond or diamonds on the ring itself. Some cuts such as the round solitaire, the princess or the emerald cut are more traditional and classic. The cushion cut diamond is a very traditional cut that has resurfaced as a popular solitaire style cut .

New styles of cuts including a triangular cut Read the rest of this entry »

What are the most well known diamonds on the earth?  Let me tell you what I’ve found during my research.

This 45.52 carat steel blue diamond is currently on display at the Smithsonian. It is called “The Hope Diamond“.  The legends of the ill-fortune and curse bestowed on the possessor of the Hope gem are many. This gem was donated to the Smithsonian in 1958. The Hope was originally a rather flat, blocky 110-carat rough.

At 530.20 Carats - the Cullinan I or Star Africa diamond is the largest cut diamond in the world. Pear shaped, with 74 facets, it is set in the Royal Scepter (kept with the other Crown Jewels in the Tower of London). It was cut from the 3,106-carat Cullian, the largest diamond crystal ever found. The Cullian was discovered in Transvaal, South Africa in l095 on an inspection tour of the Premier Mine. The Cullian was cut by Joseph Asscher and Company of Amsterdam, who examined the enormous crystal for around six months before determining how to divide it. It eventually yeilded nine major, and 96 smaller brilliant cut stones. When the Cullian was first discovered, certain signs suggested that it may have been part of a much larger crystal. But no discovery of the “missing half” has ever been authenticated.

The Dresden Green stands out among the natural colored gems. It is the largest green stone in the world weighing 40.70 carats. This stone is historic, large and has a natural green color with a slight blue overtone. These facts make it virtually priceless.

The Conde Pink is a pear shaped and weighs 9.01-carats. This pink gem was once owned by Louis XIII.

The Tiffany Yellow stone a beautiful canary-yellow octahedron weighing 287.42 in the rough (metric) carats discovered in either 1877 or 1878 in South Africa. The gem after cutting boasts the extraordinary weight of 128.54 carats. And until recently, was the largest golden-yellow in the world.

The Koh-I-Noor (Mountain of Light) is now among the British Crown Jewels. This stone weighs 105.60 carats. First mentioned in 1304, it is believed to have been once set in Shah Jehan’s famous peacock throne as one of the peacocks eyes.

The Agra is graded as a naturally colored Fancy Light Pink and weighs 32.34 carats. It was sold for about 6.9 million in 1990. Since this sale, it has been modified to a cushion shape weighing about 28.15 carats.

The Transvaal Blue is pear cut. This blue gem weighs 25 carats. It was found in the Premier stone Mine in Transvaal, South Africa. 

The Great Chrysanthemum was discovered in the summer of 1963, in a South African stone field. This 198.28-carat fancy brown gem appeared to be a light honey color in its rough state. However, after cutting, it proved to be a rich golden brown, with overtones of sienna and burnt orange. 

The Taylor-Burton stone is a pear-shaped 69.42 carat gem. Cartier of New York purchased this gem at an auction in 1969 and christened it “Cartier.” The next day Richard Burton bought the gem for Elizabeth Taylor. He renamed it the “Taylor-Burton”. In 1978, Elizabeth Taylor put the stone up for sale. Prospective buyers had to pay $2,500 each to view the stone to cover the costs of showing it. Finally, in June of 1979, the gem was sold for nearly $3 million dollars.

 Are their any other gems you believe to be more precious than these.  Tell us what you think?  Or just tell your funny engagement stories and we will be more than happy to share them.