British to American Ring Size Conversion Chart
How many beads make a 16" Strand
Birthstones and Flowers
The Four C's of Diamonds
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BRITISH TO AMERICAN RING SIZE CONVERSION CHART
Size 6: M Size 6 1/2: N Size 7: O Size 7 1/2: P Size 8: Q Size 8 1/2: R
Size 9: S Size 9 1/2: T Size 10: T 1/2
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HOW MANY BEADS MAKE A 16" STRAND?
2 MM: 203 BEADS
3 MM: 136 BEADS
4 MM: 100 BEADS
6 MM: 67 BEADS
8 MM: 50 BEADS
10 MM: 41 BEADS
12 MM: 34 BEADS
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BIRTHSTONES AND FLOWERS
JANUARY: Garnet and Carnation
FEBRUARY: Amethyst and Violet
MARCH: Aquamarine and Jonquil
APRIL: Diamond or Crystal and Sweet Pea
MAY: Emerald and Lily of the Valley
JUNE: Pearl and Rose
JULY: Ruby and Larkspur
AUGUST: Peridot and Gladiolus
SEPTEMBER: Sapphire and Aster
OCTOBER: Opal and Calendula
NOVEMBER: Topaz and Chrysanthemum
DECEMBER: Blue Zircon or Turquoise and Narcissus
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THE FOUR C'S FOR DIAMONDS
The most important factors in choosing a diamond: Carat, Cut, Clarity and Color.
Carat: The carat weight measures the mass of a diamond. One carat is defined as 1/5 of a gram, or exactly 200 milligrams. The value of a diamond increases exponentially in relation to carat weight, since larger diamonds are both rarer and more desirable for use as gemstones.
Cut: The cut has the greatest influence on a diamond's fire and brilliance. Stones that appear lifeless or seem dark at their center are probably poorly cut. Diamond cutting is the art and science of creating a gem-quality diamond out of mined rough. The cut of a diamond describes the manner in which a diamond has been shaped and polished from its beginning form as a rough stone to its final gem proportions. The cut of a diamond describes the quality of workmanship and the angles to which a diamond is cut. There are mathematical guidelines for the angles and length ratios at which the diamond is supposed to be cut in order to reflect the maximum amount of light. Round brilliant diamonds, the most common, are guided by these specific guidelines. The techniques for cutting diamonds have been developed over hundreds of years, with perhaps the greatest achievements made in 1919 by mathematician and gem enthusiast Marcel Tolkowski. He developed the round brilliant cut by calculating the ideal shape to return and scatter light when a diamond is viewed from above.
Clarity: Clarity is a measure of internal defects of a diamond called inclusions. Inclusions may be crystals of a foreign material or another diamond crystal, or structural imperfections such as tiny cracks that can appear whitish or cloudy. The number, size, color, relative location, orientation, and visibility of inclusions can all affect the relative clarity of a diamond. Diamonds become increasingly rare when considering higher clarity gradings. Only about 20% of all diamonds mined have a clarity rating high enough for the diamond to be considered appropriate for use as a gemstone; the other 80% are relegated to industrial use. Of that top 20%, a significant portion contains a visible inclusion or inclusions. Those that do not have a visible inclusion are known as "eye-clean" and are preferred by most buyers. Most inclusions present in gem-quality diamonds do not affect the diamonds' performance or structural integrity. However, large clouds can affect a diamond's ability to transmit and scatter light. Large cracks close to or breaking the surface may reduce a diamond's resistance to fracture. Diamonds are graded by the major gem societies on a scale ranging from flawless to imperfect.
CLARITY GRADING
FL: Flawless
IF: Internally flawless
VVS1 and VVS2: Very, very slight inclusions
VS1 and VS2: Very slight inclusions
SI1 and SI2: Slight inclusions
I1, I2 and I3: Imperfect
Color: A chemically pure and structurally perfect diamond is perfectly transparent with no hue, or color. However, in reality almost no gem-sized natural diamonds are absolutely perfect. The color of a diamond may be affected by chemical impurities and/or structural defects. Depending on the hue and intensity of a diamond's coloration, a diamond's color can either detract from or enhance its value. For example, most diamonds are discounted in price as more yellow hue is detectable, while intense pink or blue diamonds can be dramatically more valuable. Most diamonds used as gemstones are basically transparent with little tint, known as white diamonds. The most common impurity, nitrogen, replaces a small proportion of carbon atoms in a diamond's structure and causes a yellowish to brownish tint. This effect is present in almost all white diamonds; in only the rarest diamonds is the coloration (due to this effect) undetectable. The GIA has developed a rating system for color in white diamonds, from "D" to "Z" (with D being "colorless" and Z having a bright yellow coloration). This system has been widely adopted in the industry superseding several older systems once used. Diamonds with higher color grades are rarer, in higher demand, and therefore more expensive than lower color grades. Oddly enough, diamonds graded Z are also rare and these bright yellow colored diamonds are highly valued.
COLOR GRADING SCALE
D - F: Colorless
G - J: Near colorless
K - M: Slightly colored
N - Y: Light yellow or brown
Z: Fancy yellow
