Gemstone Jewelry: Authentic and Imitation Gems

Gemstone jewelry buying on the net is simple. When shopping on-line for jewelry gifts, keep in mind several things:

• Gold is graded according to how much pure gold is mixed with other metals to harden the gold. Gold alone is a very soft metal, so other metals are mixed in to give it more hardness, which increases the wear of your jewelry. The karat quality marking tells you what proportion of gold is mixed with the other metals. Fourteen karat (14K) jewelry contains 14 parts of gold, mixed in throughout with 10 parts of base metal. The higher the karat rating, the higher the proportion of gold in the piece of jewelry. Remember that the more gold, the softer the metal of your jewelry.
• Gemstones are either natural or man-made (imitation). There are many grades of both natural and imitation gemstone jewelry. Gemstones may be measured by weight, size, or both. The basic unit for weighing gemstones is the carat, which is equal to one-fifth (1/5th) of a gram. Carats are divided into 100 units, called points. For example, a half-carat gemstone would weigh .50 carats or 50 points. When gemstones are measured by dimensions, the size is expressed in millimeters (for example, 7x5 millimeters). You will see these measurements mentioned in jewelry descriptions.
• Diamonds are everyone's best friend. Diamonds are the hardest gem used in jewelry. They are measured like other gemstones.
• Cubic Zirconia is a type of man-made gemstone very similar in appearance to diamonds. This stone is very popular, since to the untrained eye there is little difference in the appearance of cubic zirconia jewelry and diamond jewelry. The price of cubic zirconia, however, is often much cheaper than diamonds.
• When ordering online, keep print outs of the web pages with details about the transaction, including refund and return policies if you're not satisfied.

Current Hot Gemstone Jewelry products

S Curve Birthstone Ring with Free Gift	Your choice of 1 to 7 Austrian Crystal (imitation) birthstones to create a breathtaking tribute.
Vermeil & CZ Marquise Solitaire Ring	The regal marquise has never looked better than in this dramatic design! The 1-carat, Cubic Zirconia center stone (man made stone) rises above a smooth band of rich 14 Karat Gold plate over solid Sterling Silver. Perfect for any occasion!
Genuine Sapphire and Diamond Ring	What only royalty could once own, now you can afford, too. Genuine Sapphires and Genuine Diamonds flash in this elegant layered 14K Gold design. This endearing ring boasts .6 Carat Genuine Sapphire and .5 pt. Genuine Diamond.

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