Early Victorian Jewelry

If a diamond engagement ring fluoresces “faint” or “weak” the effect on the diamond color grade or value is negligible.  If it is graded as “more intense” or “very strong” fluorescence, it will affect the value negatively. If a diamond engagement ring has “medium” fluorescence, it can change the body color grade ½ to 1 color grade different than its actual color; if “strong” by 1-2 color grades and if “very...

A color changing gem stone changes color depending on different changing light sources.  The more dramatic the change in color, the rarer and more valuable it becomes. Color Changing Sapphire In day light, color changing sapphires change from blue to violet.  Other rarer sapphires change from green to reddish brown in incandescent lighting.  Color is the most important quality for any sapphire.  It is valued for its attractive color.  The...

As you know, sapphires come in all shades of the rainbow except for red which is ruby.  Padparadscha sapphire range in color from light to medium pinkish orange to orange pink and should be light in saturation.  It’s easier to imagine the color as being a beautiful sunset or a ripe guava. Iron, titanium or chromium causes its unique color hue.  Untreated padparadscha sapphires are beautiful and very rare. Because...

When Victoria came into power, cameos were already very popular.  In 1805, a school was started in Rome called “a Prix de Rome” founded by Pope Leo XII to learn the craft of cameo engraving. Although stone was used for the earliest cameos, shell cameos were later used to reduce its cost.  Cameos were designed in rings, brooches, earrings and bracelets.  Surprisingly, men also wore cameos as watch fobs, rings...