BMJ Blog

What Is a Fisheye Diamond & How to Avoid Them

Posted on December 10, 2014 by Mary Hood | 0 Comments

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Posted in diamonds, fisheye, gems, informational, jewelry

How to Sweetly Hint for Gifts

Posted on December 03, 2014 by Mary Hood | 0 Comments

Many of us are somewhat bashful about receiving gifts let alone hinting at what we’d like to receive—at least in our adult years (life without letters to Santa can be a bit complicated, no?). At the same time, however, it’s often a relief to hear what our loved ones would actually like.

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Posted in dropping hints, engagement, engagement ring, fun, gifts, hinting for gifts, holidays, jewelry, surprise gift

Jewelry Semantics: Why Jewelry Can't Be Advertised As Made in America

Posted on November 10, 2014 by Mary Hood | 0 Comments

For a company to legally label their products “Made in the USA,” the process can be a bit complicated, however. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), a marketer may only label its product as such if it can “substantiate that all components of a product—including natural resources—originated in the U.S.” (MJSA).

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Posted in eco friendly jewelry, informative, jewelry, jewelry industry, made in America, recycled gold, recycled jewelry

Legends of Cursed Jewelry

Posted on October 28, 2014 by Mary Hood | 0 Comments

Hindu priests placed a curse on the stone—and anyone who managed to get their hands on it. The first supposed victim of this curse was Jean BaptisteTavernier, who, if the rumors are correct, died of a violent fever shortly after stealing the stone. His body was then ravaged by wolves.

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Posted in cursed jewelry, fun, gem lore, hope diamond, jewelry

Macabre Jewelry: Modern Poison Rings by Wendy Brandes

Posted on October 25, 2014 by Mary Hood | 0 Comments

or in the bezel setting itself. This macabre accessory was used to sneak poison into an enemy’s food or drink—or, in the event of capture or torture, the wearer could kill herself with the contents of her ring.

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Posted in diamonds, gold, informative, jewelry, rings, style

Testing for the Purity of Gold

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Mary Hood | 0 Comments

Usually gold jewelry is stamped with its karat amount, but polishing, repair, and wear can efface the stamp. Fortunately, there are a few reliable ways to determine the karats or your piece.

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Posted in gold, gold purity, informational, jewelry, karat, quality stamp

What Is a Lab-Grown Diamond?

Posted on October 07, 2014 by Mary Hood | 0 Comments

In searching for an eco-friendly engagement ring, you may have come across something called a “lab grown,” “synthetic,” or “man-made” diamond. While the concept of a man-made diamond may seem peculiar, lab-grown diamonds are virtually indistinguishable from natural diamonds. Unlike diamond imitations (like cubic zirconia or mossanite), lab-grown diamonds share the same optical, physical, and thermal properties as natural diamonds. The only difference is that instead of being mined, they were grown in a lab.

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Posted in diamonds, eco-friendly, informational, jewelry, lab-grown diamonds