Diamond Diva Online

I have returned

The diva has returned. Minor tech problems has prevented me from my daily discourse, but when one is a diva, one expects such things. Now that everything has been righted, I shall return to polishing my tiara.

We're news!

I am so excited! My friend and blog mentor, Paul Chaney, will be featured in the Daily Journal on Sunday, January 23rd. For our web friends that will be available at www.djournal.com in the Business Section. I hope that eveyone will take a moment and read about this fine fellow. He'll be off at some dag nab blog conference in Seattle. Seriously, he's a great guy and I hope if you need some blog help or perhaps even a blog editor, you'll consider giving ole Paul a call.

Ebay and the jealous jeweler

You can't understand why your local jeweler won't talk to you anymore. You can't understand why he isn't just thrilled that you bought this 2 carat round diamond for $100.00 on Ebay and you need him to appraise it. After all you wouldn't trust anyone else with your prize except him.

I learned a long time ago that only people that like me and the way I present my store trust me enought come to ask my advice. Whether it's to buy something or just share a great story like the one above. Every jeweler has overhead, employees, training and the big one...insurance, so he can't sell it to you for $100.00. (By the way, $100.00 for a 2 carat is ridiculous, I made that up. Even Ebay folks aren't that dumb.) The point is you just cost him a sale. And now you want to get free advice from your jeweler. Come on, people, don't you have any heart left?

Ebay and diamonds

Ebay. Obey. Ebay. Ok, so you bought a diamond on Ebay. Your local jeweler won't talk to you anymore and your insurance agent wants a real appraisal not Dr. Ebay's Feelgood appraisal. I call it that because it made you feelgood about your purchase. but it has very little to do with reality. Don't feel bad. There's still hope. You can use the National Association of Online Appraisers (and I'm a member!) to get what you need to help you get in good hands with your agent.

There's more.....

Toothpaste

You used what? Toothpaste! Are you kidding me? In this day and time when toothpaste will take half the enamel off your teeth, you tried to clean your gold ring with it. I know your Grandma used toothpaste, but that was 1930! Toothpaste was made of baking soda and peroxide. No big harm there. But today's toothpaste will cause little pits and ugly spots on your gold ring. Let's just remember to put our toothpaste where our mouth is and keep your rings on your fingers.

My Secret Jewelry Cleaner

One of the questions I am asked most often is "When do you open?". Just kidding. No, really it's "how do I clean my jewelry at home?".

The best way to clean a piece of diamond jewelry mounted in gold or platinum is to boil some water. Pour the boiling water into a teacup. Squirt a tad (define tad yourself!) of Dawn Dishwashing Detergent into the teacup. Put the piece of jewelry on a teaspoon and lower it into the teacup. Let it sit about 15 minutes.

Now, this is real secret. PLUG UP THE SINK! No kidding...plug that drain. Take an old clean toothbrush and gently brush the stones. Rinse. If the stone is still dirty, repeat. Now here are the caveats.........

The RoadShow

The Antiques Roadshow makes it look so easy. Hand the guy a piece of jewelry and two seconds later you're squealing that you can't believe it's worth five thousand dollars!!! What they don't show you is the four hours that three gemologists spent pouring over the piece, measuring the stones, testing the metal, reseaching the trademark stamps and finding a comparable item that sold recently through an auction house. Actually all that is quite interesting, or I wouldn't still be doing it myself. I like the thrill of the hunt. Finding the hiding place of the inclusion that says this stone is a diamond or the discovering the scratch that screams....rhinestones! Yeah, I know. I make it look easy, too. Maybe it is for me!

In the beginning...

And so it begins. My friend, Paul Chaney, talked me into a blog site. At first, I thought it was something I'd need to clean up after. Turns out it's a place to help people learn about jewelry. Whatever it is they need to know, I'm your girl! I've been in the jewelry business since the late 1970's and yes I was a mere child when I started. It's 2005 and I'm still here. I probably should have taken better care of myself...oophs, wrong blog. Back to jewelry. Tomorrow.