By Scott Bohall

What if every woman wore the same dress?

That, of course, would never happen. While there are some women who like to copy what a friend has or what they see in an ad on TV, they like to view themselves as individuals. Each person has a different taste in design, color, quality, jewelry size, and where they like to shop. There are also many different budgets for each occasion—certainly in a tough economy like this one.

If you watch TV or look at jewelry ads, there is a new thing each year that is pushed on consumers as if everyone wanted it. A few years ago, it was the three-stone jewelry, sold as if it were a new idea. Putting a larger stone in the center with a smaller stone on each side is a design that has existed for a thousand years—now it bears the name of Past, Present, Future. Then came the Circles, the Journey, and the “new” knot design, which has been a jewelry design for at least forty years but is sold as something contemporary.

There is nothing wrong with appreciating the jewelry item of the year. Each design is available from a good number of independent jewelers and chain stores and comes in a variety of qualities. However, if you are a man considering a purchase, it would be wise to ask your companion if she likes that design when you see an ad. If she says yes, proceed to your jeweler. If she says no, a follow-up question as to why will help you find something more suitable to her taste.

A random survey showed that less than 20 percent of women liked this year’s item. That will be tough for the stores that bought heavily in that area. Look for good deals as stores get rid of them closer to Valentine’s Day. If your lady told you that she did not like it because it was too small, too large, too simple, or too loopy, or she really just wants a sapphire ring, you have enough information to make her very happy.

Chocolate pearls are a hot item, but not if she doesn’t like the color brown. Pink sapphires are very popular—unless she prefers blue, purple, or yellow. Green quartz is selling well, but she may not like that—the color is not natural.

With any jewelry purchase, make sure that you can return the item if she is not happy with it. Most stores allow seven to thirty days to return an item. If you are spending more than $1,000 for jewelry, it is a good idea to also have the item evaluated by an independent credentialed appraiser. Contact the Arizona Jewelers Association (arizonajewelers.org) for any questions regarding buying, selling, repairing, custom designing, or appraising jewelry. If you know your lady, you’ll know her taste in jewelry. If you don’t know jewelry, know your jeweler!

By Scott Bohall

Should I sell my gold and diamonds?

That question is on the minds of many people now that the economy is slower and metal prices are up. Many companies are popping up, glad to make money on your gold and diamonds.

It used to be that only about 10 percent of jewelers bought gold and diamonds, because that is about the percentage that actually make their own jewelry. Mass production-type stores don’t buy from customers, as a rule. Private buyers have generally included mostly pawnshops that usually offered very little for jewelry. But recently, many jewelers have jumped on the bandwagon just to make some profit in down times. In the last year or so, direct mail, radio, TV, and hotels are loaded with buyers for your gold. Even home parties have become a hot trend.

The biggest problem with buying trends and participants is that the consumer is not getting nearly the value of the gold and diamonds. The buyer is taking some risk, as prices could drop before he or she can sell them. Furthermore, most of them are just melting it for profit and not using the gold as jewelers would. There is also the chance of fraud or stolen merchandise. Consider that change machine in the grocery store that takes about 5 percent for counting your loose quarters. Some people are okay with giving up 5 percent, and some would rather roll it themselves.

But with the change machine, at least, you know how much the store is keeping. How much of your jewelry profit is okay for the house to keep? 5 percent? 20 percent? 60 percent?

Prepare to be shocked. If you mail in your gold to the TV companies, they pay 17 percent of value and are authorized to double that if you are upset. Take $1,000 of gold and pay 17 percent, not 17 percent of what it sold for as a chain, 17 percent of melt value. No wonder they can buy Super Bowl commercials.

Melt value is calculated on the current gold price of the day. Refiners take a percentage to handle and process the metal. The home parties pay around 40 percent, with a little kickback to the host—and how nice that you can get a small profit for your friends losing 60 percent of their jewelry’s value. Pawnshops pay more than TV sales, hotels shows, or home shows, and I am not a huge fan of pawnshops. Your best value is to find a manufacturing jeweler who will use the metal and will buy it 5–10 percent below the melt value or sometimes at full price if it is a pure gold ingot or coin.

So, how do you know how much your gold is worth? Shop around. Many places will play games. Some will offer $12 per gram based on $1,200 per ounce gold. Gold has never been $1,200 per ounce, and the fine print does not say $12 per gram on any particular type of gold. Many places say they pay top prices, but often what they pay isn’t even close to the top. Some will quote you on pennyweight prices instead of grams. There are about 1.5 pennyweights to each gram. Paying $15 per pennyweight is like paying $10 per gram. Some offer incentives and gifts. A recent hotel show offered a $10 gas card but paid the buyer $170 less than two local jewelers pay for the same amount of gold. And remember—it is important to keep in mind that 10K gold is 41 percent pure, 14K gold is 58.5 percent pure, and 18K gold is 75 percent pure. What you get paid on is the gold content, so the purer the gold content, the more you get paid. How about silver, platinum, and diamonds? If the same people are offering 17 percent to 40 percent of value for gold, how much do you think you will get on the other items? If you are still confused, find a good jeweler to explain it.

The Arizona Jewelers Association is trying to educate consumers about all aspects of the jewelry industry. The bottom line is that whether you are buying or selling jewelry, it is good to have a personal relationship with a real jeweler. Just because a dive restaurant serves food does not mean that there is a chef on staff.

Contact the Arizona Jewelers Association at arizonajewelers.org.

By Scott Bohall

Okay, maybe you won’t actually find precious stones in your backyard, but Arizona does have some fantastic gems that most residents have never seen. On a recent trip to a shopping mall, a woman standing in front of a jewelry store asked if I would like to come in to see some great jewelry. The store was not busy, so I decided to see what she had that was so wonderful. She showed me a typical diamond ring that could be found anywhere and pushed hard to convince me that today was the day to treat my wife. I asked if she carried any Arizona gems, and she was very quick to tell me that only turquoise came from Arizona and my wife would not be happy with that.

Sadly, many people inside and outside the jewelry industry have no idea that some fantastic red garnets are mined by ants and left outside anthills here in Arizona. The anthill garnets are bright red but are rarely as large as one carat. Peridot is found in a couple of locations in Arizona, and the bright-green gem is selling well worldwide. An office I visit in Thailand specializes in Arizona peridot. Most of the peridot found in Arizona jewelry stores is, sadly, not from Arizona.

Amethyst from the famous Four Peaks mine not far from Fountain Hills is the only active amethyst mine in North America, yet most Arizona residents do not know about it. Fewer than one in twenty jewelers in Arizona carry the fine Arizona amethyst. Fire agate is one of my favorite gems and is prized in Asia and Germany, yet very few Arizona residents know that much of it is from our great state. Cave Creek produces a great reddish-orange jasper, and Prescott boasts zebra stone, malachite, and azurite from the copper areas of the state. Fossilized dinosaur bone is far more beautiful than it sounds. Gem silica has a blue color that makes you think vacation. There are many more, but indeed, the most talked-about Arizona gem is turquoise, and it is popular again. As with any gem, there are many varieties, qualities, and lookalikes. Reputable jewelers will either carry some Arizona gems or know how to get them.

Arizona has a great many beauties, and gems are among them.

By Scott Bohall

Whether rubies conjure images of Dorothy’s red slippers in The Wizard of Oz or the luscious lips of a model, you probably envision something positive when you think about the deeply hued gem. In the ancient language of Sanskrit, ruby is ratnaraj, which translates to “king of precious stones.” Writings from as far back as biblical times speak of wisdom as “more valuable than rubies” and a woman of virtue as “more precious than rubies.” In the eleventh century in what is now Iran, the ruby was considered the most prized gem. In 1894, the most popular and complete gem book to date indicated that a top-quality ruby was considered the most valuable precious gem known to human beings.

Not everyone who wants a fine ruby can afford one. Around a hundred years ago, a few types of simulated and synthetic rubies appeared on the market. Many of our relatives still own men’s rings with a rectangular flame-fusion (synthetic) ruby. In the ’70s and ’80s, the malls were flooded with stores that carried rubies created in labs—they still do. The availability of and profit from these fabricated gems are better for jewelers than rubies that come from the earth.

Here, though, is where it gets a little more complicated, and here’s why you should find a good, responsible jeweler. Most rubies mined in the last hundred years were heated to improve the clarity and, often, the color of the ruby. Finding certified, unheated rubies of good quality is rare. The market became used to all the look-alike rubies as well as the various qualities that came from the ground. New technology in the last decade produced a few new ways to take very low-grade rubies and fill the cracks with leaded glass—like with a ding in your windshield. Color was also added to make a $2 stone look like a $200 gem. The FTC requires disclosure of any treatments that greatly affect value. The problem is that most places selling these new rubies—e.g., the Internet, auctions, department stores, cruise ships, and a number of retail jewelers—are not disclosing that information. There is a huge difference between heat-treating a natural ruby and taking junk and making it look good.

The Arizona Jewelers Association has alerted the media to this practice and challenged major jewelry outlets to comply with federal laws, but the overwhelming attitude is that consumers don’t seem to care, so why should the sellers? I could not disagree more—consumers simply don’t know how badly they are being cheated. Be sure, then, that when you click your heels together and say, “Take me to the rubies,” that the jeweler is a reputable one. If you want a real ruby, your jeweler will provide you with the information you need to know about your gem’s pedigree—whether it came from the Ruby City or some guy in a lab behind a curtain.

By Andrew Z

Everyone wants good value when making a purchase, so here are six things for you to think about before you head out on your next jewelry-seeking adventure. Before I reveal the six secrets, let’s remember that the lowest price is not necessarily the best value unless product, service, and terms are identical. You know the old saying: Always compare apples to apples.

1.    If a store advertises “50 percent off everything!” you may want to turn around and run out as fast as you can! Be leery of what may be deceptive pricing. If an item was priced at double its normal price on Monday and then advertised as 50 percent off on Tuesday, this is not a discount. It’s a come-on as old as when the first jewelry peddler polished a diamond and put it into his cart. You may wonder how far they’re willing to stretch whatever passes for the truth just to make a sale.
2.    A small local jeweler has access to the same wholesale prices that a large chain store or large online seller might have.
3.    As far as diamond quality goes, a little knowledge—and a little education—is a good thing. If you are in the market for a new diamond, try to spend a little time learning about the four Cs of diamond quality (Cut, Color, Clarity, Carat Weight). This information is readily available in the library, online, or in most jewelry stores. Try to find an unbiased source such as the Gemological Institution of America so that you avoid biased marketing information that might be questionable. Once you have some understanding of the four Cs, you can make a better decision on which diamond characteristics—clarity for example—are worth paying more for and which are not as important to you.
4.    How often will you wear a particular piece? Will it give you the mpc (miles per carat) that you want? Paying more for something that you might wear every weekend may be a better value than paying less for something only worn twice a year. Look for versatility. Are jackets available for those earrings, or maybe an enhancer for a pendant? These are add-ons that can bring about multiple looks for the same core piece of jewelry.
5.    Don’t skimp on quality of manufacture. By this, I’m referring to everything other than gemstone or diamond quality. Look for a secure clasp such as a “lobster claw” on a chain or bracelet. Is the shank of a ring heavy enough to your eye? Look closely at prongs. Are they equally spaced and equal in size? Is the style durable enough for your lifestyle?
6.    Always ask what guarantees and service policies are offered. Also, ask if the retailer offers a diamond trade-up policy on purchased diamonds and if there are any minimum upgrade requirements.

Well, there you have them: Six secrets that really aren’t secrets at all, but just common-sense considerations. The best jewelry values aren’t usually a secret or some type of fantastic deal. They are found when you work with jewelers of integrity who respect you and appreciate your business. So now, all you have to do is go out and find a jeweler whom you trust and feel comfortable with, use a little old-fashioned common sense, and have fun finding a beautiful piece of jewelry—with value !

By Andrew Z

I was really surprised when I read the results of a poll asking women about their marriage proposals. The results indicated that around 80 percent felt that theirs were not memorable and, even though they were very happy to be engaged, the event itself was not exciting. In an effort to help change this, here are six different familiar but classic proposal ideas with a twist. You don’t necessarily need to follow them verbatim, but rather use them to stimulate your own creativity. Whatever you decide to do, personalize it and make it memorable in a loving way. Be considerate in your plans and be careful not to embarrass anyone. And the final and most important suggestion: Be prepared with a nice diamond engagement ring.

Dinner Dates:
1. Prepare a nice candlelight dinner for the two of you, with her favorite foods. Bring her a glass of champagne with the engagement ring not at the bottom of the glass, but tied to the stem with a ribbon.

2. Take her to dinner at a nice Chinese restaurant. When dinner is over, give her a fortune cookie that has a message prepared in advance by you. The message could read, “Diamonds are in your near future,” or “Will you marry me?” Of course, the next step is to hand her the ring. Special-message fortune cookies can be ordered online if the restaurant cannot prepare them.

Sweet Nothin’s for Sports:
1. Take her to a high school or college basketball game. Forget the message on the marquee; instead, in advance, arrange with the school and sports announcer to call the two of you to center court for a special announcement, perhaps calling your seat numbers as “winners” of a “great prize.”) Offer a donation to the team in return. Once on center court, get down on one knee and take your best shot! A variation to the school sports proposal is to buy an ad in the program booklet, if the school has one, and include your proposal in it. Hand it to her and wait for her reaction.

2. Watching a game from home? Place the ring box at the bottom of her Cracker Jacks box. Pull the little prize out of your box and then ask her what prize is inside.

Romancing the Reader:
1. Buy a book by one of her favorite romance authors. With a razor blade, neatly cut out a pocket through the center of the pages—just like they do in spy movies to create a secret hiding place for valuables. Place the ring in this secret pocket. Make sure that there are a few uncut pages above the ring pocket. When the two of you are alone in a quiet place, give her the book and ask her to read a couple pages. If there is a great line or paragraph about love in the beginning, highlight it. Once she turns the page to the ring…well, you know the rest of this love story.

2. For your beloved bookworm, take her to the library or her favorite bookstore. Ask her to find a specific book for you while you “look” for something else. Prearrange to have the ring or ring box in the book’s place, perhaps along with a special card or note with her name and “Will you marry me?” When she’s gaping at the “book,” rejoin her and write the happy ending!

If you are still unsure or a little uncomfortable about these suggestions, show these ideas to a female friend and get her opinion. If she’s anything like the 80 percent that responded to the poll I mentioned, she’ll be nodding a firm yes to the idea.

It’s time to get off the fence and start setting the stage for a moment that she will never want to forget. Get your thoughts together and put this event in motion. Good luck!

By Andrew Z

A modern “Gold Rush” is happening as you read this, but this time around, the gold isn’t in them thar hills, and it just might be right in your own house. The title of this article may be tongue-in-cheek, but there is no kidding about the treasure that might be at the bottom of your jewelry box or in the back of a drawer. I’m talking about that which is referred to in the trade as “old gold” or “scrap gold.” This is typically jewelry that is either broken (not worth fixing), out of style, single earrings, or just plain ugly. You know the stuff—but what to do with it? Well, a booming gold market (as well as platinum and silver) may hold the answer to that question.

Many of my friends, family, and customers have been bringing in their old gold and platinum jewelry for me to evaluate and then turn into cash for them in the form of a check or store credit for new jewelry. The last time that I remember this type of opportunity was around 1980 when the gold market was around $800 per ounce. Over the past couple of months, the gold market has been back and forth over the $1,000 per ounce mark! (As I am writing this in early April, it is around $900, plus or minus a few dollars).

If you are thinking of getting together your old gold treasures, there are a few things that you should keep in mind:

1. Gold jewelry is typically not 100 percent gold content, because other metals were blended or alloyed with gold to make it more durable and workable, and also to bring the cost down. A few simple formulas to figure the gold content are as follows:

Pure gold = 24k
18k = 18/24 = 75 percent pure gold
14k = 14/24 = 58.3 percent pure gold
10k = 10/24 = 41.67 percent pure gold

2. The value of the gold content varies directly with the gold market’s ups and downs.

3. The gold content within your old jewelry must be extracted and refined back to pure, useable gold. This is an expensive process and is figured in during the payment for your scrap.

4. Not all is as it appears. Just because there is a stamped gold mark, say 14k, doesn’t mean that it is real. Counterfeits and low-karat impostors exist, but this is mostly with pieces purchased from unreliable and questionable sources.

Before you bring in any old gold, make up two bag lots: one with broken and unusable pieces, and another with good workable jewelry where the only thing wrong with it is that you no longer like it. The second bag may have items with a value higher than scrap. Also, diamonds and gems can usually be removed or added to the value.

Happy Mining!

By Andrew Z

We’ve all heard the old sayings “Where did all the years go?” and “Life is too short!” You’ve probably even used them yourself—I know that I have. These are comments of regret that may sound corny and overused, but they stick around because the truth rings through them. I’m very fortunate to be in a business that allows me a special opportunity to share many of life’s important moments with my friends and clients. Every day, somebody is celebrating a personal event or milestone, such as a new baby, an anniversary, an engagement, or a “Just because I love you.” I get the pleasure and privilege of helping them select or create a tangible symbol of their love, commitment, and joy. Try this: Just ask anyone about a nice piece of jewelry they’re wearing, and I’ll bet that nine times out of ten, their face lights up with a huge smile and they start to tell you a story about a special anniversary, or a significant birthday, or a special evening with a special someone!

The economy will always have cyclical ups and downs, and good financial times will always return. However, if you don’t stop and celebrate life, you may be the one saying, “Where did all the years go?” Don’t let special moments pass you by.

Another one of those shopworn sayings that I like is “It’s the thought that counts.” A large budget isn’t always necessary to give a thoughtful gift of jewelry. The Pandora brand charm and bead bracelet with a few meaningful, well-chosen charms is one lovely example. The charms start at under $20, and additional ones can be added. The bracelet is suitable for women and girls of any age. You could always keep a few charms or beads handy as a reward to your daughter for a job well done, or as a little token of affection to be added to your wife’s bracelet. Let your children give one to Mom. All the women in the family can share in the fun of giving and receiving, and having a similar piece of jewelry to compare and talk about.

My last little platitude: “Life is good; let’s enjoy every moment.”

By Andrew Z

“With this ring, I thee wed.” As these words are spoken, a circlet of precious metal is placed on the fourth finger of your left hand.

The most recognizable symbol of a union between man and woman is that very special ring: the wedding band. Have you ever wondered where and when this tradition started? Did you know that in different cultures, the wedding band is worn on different fingers or on the other hand? Or that it’s only in the last four decades that men began to wear wedding bands? How about this: Many years ago, a ring on the woman’s finger told everyone that she was some man’s property!

Actually, history tells us that the wedding ring has a long tradition in various cultures. As far back as 5,000 years, Egyptian hieroglyphics depicted a circle worn on the finger as a symbol of eternal love. The Romans regarded a wedding ring as a representation of the legal and binding union between man and woman. This meant that the woman was no longer a “free” person. Christian wedding ceremonies began to include the wedding band as an important nuptial element around the year 870. Today, modern couples wear and enjoy the rings as a symbol of their sacred commitment.

Which Hand, Which Finger?

While most societies reserve the fourth finger on the left hand for a wedding ring, there are other traditions, depending on the culture. For example, many Europeans wear their rings on the right hand. Some Scandinavian women wear three wedding rings: one each for engagement, marriage, and motherhood. Jewish brides may wear their ring on the index finger because that is the finger used to point to the Torah, the scroll that includes the first five books of the Bible, while reading it.

Why the Fourth Finger?

The Romans and Egyptians both believed that a vein they named vena amoris (vein of love) ran directly from that finger straight to the heart. So, on what better finger can you place a wedding ring in order to capture someone’s heart?

Men’s Wedding Bands

Only since World War II have men worn wedding bands as a reminder of their loved ones and as a symbol of their commitment. At first, a plain gold band was sufficient and acceptable for a man to wear. Today, men can choose from many different metals, and also include diamonds.

The Smallest Wedding Band

This story of the smallest wedding ring that I’ve ever heard of makes one stop and think about how society has changed over the years. This tiny ring was for bride-to-be Princess Mary, daughter of King Henry XIII. Her wedding date was to be October 5, 1918. She was only two years old, and her new spouse was less than a year old! One can only imagine her ring size!

With This Ring, I Thee Wed. Wedding bands—a 5,000-year tradition still going strong.

By Andrew Z

Q. What are the Four Cs of diamonds?

A. The four main important characteristics associated with the quality, value, and beauty of diamonds are referred to as the four Cs. They are Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat weight. I often suggest a fifth C—confidence in your jeweler. This helps you make certain that the first four are in line with your needs and expectations.

Q. If two diamonds each weigh 1.0 ct (carat), why is it that one of them can appear larger than the other?

A. There are two good reasons for this. First, 1.0 ct is the weight of the diamond, not its dimensions. So, depending on how the particular diamond was cut (deeper or shallower), the face-up dimension (diameter for a round cut) will vary accordingly. A typical well-cut and -proportioned round diamond will have a diameter of around 6.5mm.

The other reason has to do with brilliance and sparkle. A well-cut and -proportioned diamond will have more brilliance, fire, and sparkle, which results in a larger appearance. This is a double bonus—it looks larger and it has more sparkle!

Q. What color is the Hope Diamond?

A. The Hope Diamond is a steel-blue color and is currently on display at the Smithsonian. It weighs 45.52 ct. and is very attractive.

Q. What is the history of the Taylor-Burton diamond?

A. The Taylor-Burton Diamond is a pear-shaped 69.42 ct diamond. Cartier of N.Y. purchased the diamond at auction in 1969 and gave it its own name. The next day, British actor Richard Burton bought the diamond from them to give to Elizabeth Taylor, also gaining the right to rename it. In 1978, Taylor put the diamond up for sale. Prospective buyers had to pay $2,500 each just to view it. This was to cover security expenses. Finally, in June of 1979, the diamond was sold for over $3 million.

Q. A friend was considering some diamonds for sale online and, after comparing their specs and four Cs, felt that even though he wasn’t an expert, he found a good deal. His main hesitation to buy was an uncomfortable feeling about making such an expensive and important purchase without actually seeing and comparing the diamonds in person.

A. Your friend may not be a diamond expert, but doing some research is a great idea. It also sounds like he has a good gut instinct about not making a blind purchase. Buying a diamond based only on its specifications without seeing, comparing, and getting to know about it in person is sort of like choosing a spouse after only reviewing a handful of driver’s licenses. There are just too many interacting variables that can’t be visualized by reading numbers on a piece of paper!

My suggestion is to work with a trusted and qualified jeweler or gemologist that has diamond or gemology credentials and experience. Have him show you a few diamonds in different lighting—even outside, if he’s agreeable—and under the microscope. Also, discuss how you’ll be wearing the diamond as well as different types of settings for it. Ask if a diamond-grading certificate accompanies the diamond and if a trade-up policy applies in the event you’d like something larger or different in the future. This may sound funny, but if you’ve ever purchased or adopted a puppy or kitten, remember how you asked questions and then had fun playing around with it to see if the pet was right for you? Purchasing a diamond in a hands-on way can be a very enjoyable and memorable experience. You’ll also go home with a satisfying confidence in a diamond that is forever.