A Fine Jewelry & Engagement Ring Blog by Knox Jewelers

Ruby – July’s Royal Gem

As we enter the month of July, a new birthstone – the ruby – appears. Ruby has long been prized for its beauty and texture. In fact, it’s one of the most sought-after members of the corundum species, a family of minerals which also includes the sapphire. As such, ruby attains the highest levels of value in the precious stone marketplace, and currently has the highest per-carat price of any other gemstone on the market today. But, its market price and value are not the only attributes of ruby which make it so special. In this special report we’ve compiled exclusively for you at Knox Jewelers, we’re going to take a close look at ruby in all of its splendor, as well as introduce you to the many ways it can be incorporated into a custom created engagement ring for your loved one. Read on to learn more about this spectacular red gemstone!

A Brief History and Overview of Ruby

The history of ruby is long and rich, and it has been featured and discussed in the ancient texts of a variety of cultures. The stone derives its name from the Latin term “ruber”, most closely translated into English as “red” – a fitting name given its unique and rich color. We have found references to ruby gemstones in the bible, ancient Sanskrit texts from India, ancient Rome, and beyond. These stones have long been prized for a host of different reasons, including their toughness, stunning beauty, and symbolic significance, particularly in religious contexts. As the years progressed, ruby maintained its high standing, though the introduction of newer gemstones tempered this enthusiasm ever so slightly. Nevertheless, ruby has continued to maintain its top standing among the different gemstones, and we foresee it maintaining this lofty position for many centuries to come.

Ruby derives its rich color from trace amounts of chromium found within its crystalline structure. In fact, the presence of chromium is all that separates a ruby sample from a comparable corundum stone. Nevertheless, ruby has had a very high value placed upon it by the market as a whole. It is still greatly desired by our valued customers, and Knox Jewelers has had numerous orders for ruby engagement rings, pendants, earrings, and more. We truly enjoy working with ruby jewelry as it offers numerous opportunities for creative designs and unique embellishments that truly bring out the rich hues, colors, and textures of the fantastic gemstone. Without further ado, let’s take a closer look at some of the work we’ve done for our clients in the past, and see how we can help you to achieve your desired jewelry today!

Custom Created Ruby Engagement Rings

Although we’re happy to create any kind of item you may desire, we specialize in designing hand-made and custom created engagement rings. These rings offer numerous opportunities for creative designs, and incorporating ruby gemstones into them can often add an entirely new level of sophistication and beauty to an already remarkable piece. At Knox Jewelers, we work with all kinds of metals and design methodologies, including the use of recycled gold and platinum, conflict-free diamonds and a variety of other techniques that we’re happy to mix and match for your own special and truly unique design. No wonder, then, that our past clients and their admiring onlookers have equated our jewelry designs with the highest levels of quality – a tradition we intend to carry forward long into the future. Why not give us a call today, and see how we can help you realize your jewelry dream design? The realization of dreams is our specialty, after all.

Knox Jewelers: Your Friendly Neighborhood Ruby Experts

If you’re looking for a jeweler who truly cares about your wishes and will work together beside you to craft a stunning masterpiece that is guaranteed to stand the test of time, then look no further than Knox Jewelers. Our expertise in ruby jewelry goes way back to our founding many years ago, and we’re always excited to take advantage of this exciting gemstone in order to imbue your heirloom or engagement ring with special significance that is truly bound to make your unique jewelry a one of a kind item. Let’s get started today – contact us to learn more about Knox Jewelers can design a custom ruby engagement ring just for you!

How to Read a GIA Diamond Grading Report

So you’re ready to propose to the love-of-your-life with a Knox Custom Engagement Ring, but you want to be positive you’ve chosen the best possible diamond. Knox Jewelers recommends selecting a diamond evaluated by GIA to ensure the diamond comes with a detailed graded report. A GIA Diamond Grading Report is the standard for evaluating diamonds and their quality. Don’t know how to read a GIA Diamond Grading Report? Don’t worry, Knox will always help you learn everything about your diamond selection, either in-store or online.

GIA stands for Gemological Institute of America. It is a public and independent benefit institute that was established in 1931. They are the leading source of knowledge, standards, and education when it comes to gems and jewelry. GIA is the creator of the “4 Cs” (Color, Clarity, Cut, and Carat Weight) and the International Diamond Grading System that maintains the methods and best practices for describing diamond quality. Today, virtually everyone in the international diamond industry uses these methods for comparing and evaluating diamonds. A grading report from GIA is more than a collection of observations about a gem. It represents an accurate and unbiased, comprehensive scientific investigation.

Let’s review the main components of a GIA grading report.

Each diamond evaluated by GIA is assigned a unique GIA Report Number which you can use to look up your report online.

A diamond’s Shape refers to its face-up outline. Popular shapes include round, square, oval, rectangle and pear.

Cutting Style refers to a stone’s faceting pattern. Brilliant-Cut diamonds contain a large number of small, triangular shaped facets. These include Round Brilliant, Princess and Ovals cut gems. Step-Cut diamonds contain larger, long, rectangle shaped facets. These include Emerald and Asscher cut gems.

A diamond’s Measurements will be listed in the order of smallest width, largest width and height.

The Weight of a diamond is measured in a form called carats. GIA reports a diamond’s carat weight to the nearest hundredth of a carat. To give you some perceptive, 1 carat is equal to 0.20 grams.

The GIA Color Grade system describes the diamond’s lack of color by ranging from the denotation D, which is colorless, all the way to Z, which will be a shade of either light yellow or brown. Color grades from D to F are considered colorless diamonds and G to J are near-colorless.

Diamond Clarity evaluates the size, the number, relief, nature, and position of internal inclusions and surface blemishes. The Institute assigns one of eleven clarity grades to a diamond. This can range from the clarity grade of flawless to that of included and lists the most prominent clarity characteristics. Stone graded VS2 and above should be eye-clean, with inclusions only seen under magnification.

On some report formats, Clarity Characteristics are shown as a plotted diagram, marking significant or identifying characteristics. A key lists the relevant symbols and their definitions. Red symbols stand for inclusions, which characteristics inside a stone. Green or black symbols stand for external characteristics on the diamond, or blemishes.

For the standard round brilliant diamond, GIA assigns a Cut Grade ranging from Excellent to Poor. Diamonds can be Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, or Poor. This grading takes into account seven components; Polish, Symmetry, Weight Ratio, Durability, Brightness, Fire, and Scintillation.

The diamond’s Proportions are thoroughly described as well, from its shape and cutting style to its precise measurements. A diagram will show you the diamond’s profile as well as its dimensions.

A description of Fluorescence is provided as an additional identifying characteristic. GIA tests every diamond to ensure that it is natural and to identify any processes that may have been used to alter its color or clarity. An asterisk next to the color or clarity grade indicates that the diamond has been treated. Treatments and additional identifying characteristics are described in the comments section.

If the diamond is inscribed, the Inscription will be noted on the report as well. A GIA Grading Report has a number of sophisticated security features designed to ensure its authenticity and integrity. They offer a variety of diamond reports, among them the Diamond eReport, an interactive online option available only for natural and untreated diamonds(perfect if you want to search for beautiful custom diamond engagement rings from the comfort of your home). The Institute operates under strict standard procedures and principles designed to ensure objectivity and accuracy, no matter which report you receive.

That’s how to read a GIA Diamond Grading Report! It’s not as intimidating as you might think. Selecting the perfect ring among many beautiful custom diamond engagement rings might be another story. Luckily, Knox Jewelers can help you look at a variety of rings and narrow it down to the perfect one for your lucky life partner. GIA Diamond Grading Reports are also available! Let Knox Jewelers help you learn about diamonds so you can pick the perfect diamond that meets the color, clarity, cut, and carat weight that you desire and help give your engagement a beautiful start.

The Importance of a Lifetime Warranty

As the saying goes, ‘A Diamond is Forever’, we believe a warranty should last just as long.

All of Knox Jewelers’ heirloom quality rings are protected by our lifetime warranty. This service is free of charge and covers all regular maintenance needed to ensure your ring lasts generations.

It’s important to understand that jewelry is not a maintenance free purchase. Just like a car, periodic service is required. Cleanings and inspections are designed to catch when work needs to be done.

Without our lifetime warranty, you could be paying hundreds of dollars to keep up on yearly maintenance elsewhere.

The Knox Lifetime Warranty Covers:

Free Rhodium Plating and Polishing is offered twice a year to keep your ring looking like new.
Cleaning and Inspections are always free, no appointment is needed at our Minneapolis or Woodbury locations.
If during one of these inspections there is a loose stone, we will take care of getting it tightened for you, a savings of $19 a stone.
If a side diamond ever falls out or is damaged, Knox will replace it free of charge, an average savings of $73 per stone.
Included in our warranty is one free ring sizing, so your ring will have a perfect fit.
You will want to have your ring insured under a homeowners or renters policy. We will issue you a free certificate of sale; this is the document your insurance carrier will need. It will outline all the important details about your center gem and ring. The average cost for a similar appraisal is $125.
Our lifetime warranty also helps in case something major happens to your ring. Like it was lost, stolen or damaged. With Knox, we will cover up to $250 of your insurance deductible in the event you need to make an insurance claim.
Lastly, to keep your ring looking brilliant between in-store cleanings, we supply you with a free jar of jewelry cleaner every year.

As you can see, the savings of common services needed to maintain your ring will add up to thousands of dollars over a lifetime of wear. Knox is here to protect your purchase for the rest of its life.

When we created our lifetime warranty, we wanted to make it easy for our customers to maintain.

We don’t need you to come in every six months to the date like most jewelers do. We want to see your ring once a year. If you happen to miss an annual inspection, don’t fret, we can reinstate your warranty after we inspect your ring on your next visit.

We don’t require you to keep a signed and dated inspection book to get warranty work done. We keep track of your visits so you don’t have to.

The jewelers that crafted your ring are also the ones who will take care of your jewelry when warranty work is needed. We will never ship your ring out of state or use sub-contractors for repairs.

Almost all warranty work is performed while you wait. Jewelers who are not equipped for on-site repairs like us will have to send your ring out, which can take up to four weeks.

Alexandrite – June’s Kaleidoscopic Gem

All gemstones have unique features that make them ideal centerpieces for jewelry. The alexandrite’s ability to absorb light earns it the tag of chameleon of the jewelry jungle. It can be a lovely shade of green in the bright light of day before magically turning to brown or purple in incandescent light. The alexandrite effect is such a fascinating phenomenon. It makes the gemstone a much desired piece because you could have an emerald by day and a ruby by night. Another fascinating feature of the alexandrite is that you see a different color depending on how you look at it. The main pleochroic colors include purple-red, orange and green, which arise from this gem’s unique light absorbing abilities.

Alexandrite’s Colorful History

This gem was discovered in the Ural Mountains of Russia, borrowing its name from heir apparent to the throne at that time, Alexander II. The stone was close to people’s hearts owing to the red and green colors that resemble the imperial flag of Russia. These gems were so beautiful and revered that even today they still remain the standard by which they judge quality. The first Russian alexandrites displayed vivid hues but with the current depletion of Ural mountain deposits, the rare gem can now be found in East Africa, Brazil, and Sri Lanka. The alexandrite found in other parts of the world is still beautiful but some display muddy hues, a fact that raises questions about its purity.

The Gem of June

The rare stone is also a June birthstone together with pearls and moonstone. Due to the rarity of alexandrite it is easier to combine it with other stones and precious metals to create the perfect birthstone jewelry. If you fancy this member of the chrysoberyl family, you can consult with any of the staff at Knox Jewelers to create a custom piece using this magical mineral. Such jewelry is ideal for people who were born in June as it is one of the stones associated to that period on the zodiac. This means that the stone has mystical, empowering and cosmetic abilities if worn by the right people. Legends have it that wearing your birthstone brings good tidings and keeps away evil spirits. We chose to work with the best gem cutters globally to maintain the high standards of the alexandrite. Knox provides master craftsmanship on every heirloom quality engagement ring or fashion piece. Alexandrite jewelry is suitable for many occasions thanks to its ability to change hue depending on light and its mineral hardness. Alexandrite is one of the hardest minerals after diamond and sapphire with a MOHS rating of 8.5. This means your custom jewelry can be worn for years to come.

Custom Creating Your Dream Birthstone Jewelry

The skillful artisans at Knox Jewelers can make you anything from wedding bands, custom engagement rings, or other pieces bearing the beauty of the lovely alexandrite. The pieces are individually crafted and they come with our lifetime warranty as Knox uses the best practices to give you jewelry that will last a lifetime. If you have a party, wedding, engagement or special event that warrants presentation of a ring, choose the unique alexandrite . Knox jewelers will create a piece of art worthy to hold such a rare and spectacular stone. Knox has surely brought the world a new way to enjoy precious stones and you can wear yours everyday. Do not wait any longer to become the owner of one stunning alexandrite ring, come to Knox where all your wishes will be artistically delivered by the most skillful craftsmen who have been at it for years. Get in touch with us today and we can start the custom creation process with you. If you want to stand out from the crowd, it is certainly time to invest in the magnificent and spellbinding alexandrite jewelry.

Crystal Inclusions – A Rare Addition

This week at Knox Jewelers we encountered a surprising addition enclosed within one of our oval-shaped diamonds. Hidden under a facet junction nestled a tiny green mineral crystal surrounded by the diamond crystal during formation. This clarity characteristic inside a gemstone serves as evidence in its creation. It could lead you to discover how and sometimes even where it formed. Many characteristics can be clues to the events in a gem’s history or the Earth’s own history.

Crystal Clarity Characteristic

Clarity characteristics in diamonds are common. There are very few diamonds that receive the clarity grade of Flawless, most contain some imperfection whether it be an inclusion, a feature enclosed within the diamond, or a blemish, a feature on the surface of a diamond. Diamonds can have many interesting inclusions. Sometimes they can contain another smaller diamond crystal but more often they hold embedded crystals of an entirely different material.

Common Crystal Colors

The color of the included crystal will depend on the type of mineral they are composed of. The most common internal crystal colors are colorless (other diamond), black (carbon), red (garnet) and green (peridot or diopside). Most of the time we can not conclusively determine the mineral an included crystal is, being inside another gem makes it hard to get to and even more complex to test, but color can narrow the spectrum down to a smaller number of options. Even if we don’t know exactly which gemstone it is, included crystals are still a very fascinating addition.

Crystal Formation

As a gemstone grows it competes with other crystals for space and nutrients. A fast-growing crystal can enclose a smaller, slower-growing crystal that then becomes part of the bigger crystal’s life story. The formation and internal world of diamond is incredibly fascinating and we were very excited to come across something so unusual. Inclusions, especially mineral crystals, can be an interesting feature within your diamond. Many of them are very small and not viable to the naked eye, but with magnification they are very intriguing to study.

Pros and Cons of Included Crystals

Most included mineral crystals are small and unnoticeable, but a diamond’s clarity and value could be affected by larger inclusions that can be seen with the naked eye. More obvious colored crystal inclusions are generally undesirable and these inclusions are usually met with negativity. On the other hand, these additions can also make a gemstone unique. They tell the story of the gem’s birth and give each one its own fingerprint. A small crystal could add character to a diamond and turn it into something uniquely your own. Your center stone would be a conversation piece for years to come, and especially appropriate if your favorite color was green!

Choose Your Diamond Today

Stop into Knox Jewelers if you’re looking for something that is original and finely crafted. A little piece of art that you can wear and is different from the rest, with a personally chosen diamond to match. Let Knox Jewelers fashion the ring you will have for the rest of your life. If you happen to have any questions at all about diamonds or their clarity grade, please be sure to let us know. We’re always happy to answer any questions you may have, and we look forward to working together with you to design a work of art that will last and be passed down throughout the ages. Get in touch with our friendly and professional staff today, and we’ll get started on the journey to creating your very own, one-of-a-kind piece of custom jewelry.