Introduction
Although some of your jewelery may be covered under your renter's or home owner's insurance policy, it may be worth insuring your jewelry separately if the value exceeds that covered on your other policies.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderate
Things You'll Need
Safe-deposit Boxes
Jewelry Inventory Sheet
Jewelry Boxes
Jewelry Insurance
Jewlery Appraisals
Cameras
Film
Steps
1Step OneHave all of your fine jewelry appraised by an independent appraiser. Make sure each item is listed, described and valued on paper.
2Step TwoRead your home owner's or renter's insurance policy to find out the amount of coverage it provides for items such as jewelry. The best insurance will cover loss, theft and damage.
3Step ThreeKeep in mind that rates for personal jewelry insurance may vary according to your state or country, and you can select coverage with or without a deductible.
4Step FourSpeak to your insurance agent about adding a rider to your home owner's policy to cover jewelry that goes beyond the value of personal property covered in the basic policy. You can also ask about taking out a separate policy on your valuables.
5Step FiveConsider separate jewelry insurance (such as that offered by the Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company) as another alternative.
6Step SixCompare all insurance plans, as well as the reputation of each company, and choose the one that gives you the most coverage for your money and the most flexibility if you have to replace jewelry.
Tips & Warnings
When you are figuring out the basic coverage offered by your home owner's policy, don't forget to figure in deductibles. After a deductible is paid, you should be able to receive the full value of your jewelry.
Beyond having insurance, to keep your jewelry safe you should store it in a personal safe or in a safety deposit box.
Having photos of jewelry items is also important, as lost or stolen pieces can sometimes be recreated on the basis of a good photograph.
All jewelry should be inspected on a regular basis for reassessment of value. If your jewelry is not valued appropriately, you will not be able to recover what you need to replace it if it is lost, damaged or stolen
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Jewelry Claim Replacement Service)
Jewelry Claim Replacement Service)
National Underwriter Property & Casualty-Risk & Benefits Management, June, 1993 by Gilbert, Evelyn
Content provided
in partnership with
Underwriting and adjusting jewelry claims can be tricky, but insurers can get some help from a jewelry underwriting and claims mitigation service, according to an industry consultant. Jewelry Claim Replacement Service, or JCRS, an Oakland, Calif.-based company, can help insurers establish jewelry insurance underwriting and claims procedures, according to its president, David W.
Hendry Jr. The company works with carriers reviewing their jewelry losses in an effort to help claims adjusters "spot abuses," such as inflated appraisals, and help them identify opportunities ...
Read the rest of this article with a Free Trial at HighBeam Research.
Advertisement
National Underwriter Property & Casualty-Risk & Benefits Management, June, 1993 by Gilbert, Evelyn
Content provided
in partnership with
Underwriting and adjusting jewelry claims can be tricky, but insurers can get some help from a jewelry underwriting and claims mitigation service, according to an industry consultant. Jewelry Claim Replacement Service, or JCRS, an Oakland, Calif.-based company, can help insurers establish jewelry insurance underwriting and claims procedures, according to its president, David W.
Hendry Jr. The company works with carriers reviewing their jewelry losses in an effort to help claims adjusters "spot abuses," such as inflated appraisals, and help them identify opportunities ...
Read the rest of this article with a Free Trial at HighBeam Research.
Advertisement
10 Ways to Choose Your Wedding Ring
10 Ways to Choose Your Wedding Ring by Tiffany L’orfevre
0
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plug itThere are ten tips to follow when shopping for a wedding ring. While there are basic points to consider when purchasing all jewelry, these apply specifically to finding the perfect wedding ring.
1. Narrow Your Choices You need to determine your preferences and make a few decisions before purchasing that jewelry. What hue of metal are you curious about? Yellow or white? What if all of your own personal accessories are in gold, but his watch is made of a white metal? You may want to look at rings that have both yellow and white gold in them. Do you want something basic or something with some zing? What about a bracelet with hued stones or diamonds?
2. Set A Budget
It will cost $125.00 to $200.00 apiece for a simple gold band set and $400.00 to $600.00 apiece for plain platinum bands. Data provided by the Diamond Information Center suggests the average price for diamond wedding bands is $742. It costs between 1 and 8 dollars per character for engraving, depending on which font you want and whether it will be hand engraved or machine engraved.
3. Start Looking Early
At least two months prior to your wedding date, start looking for your bands. This gives you an opportunity to look around and reexamine the rings that caught your attention. If you are looking to customize your ring, be ready to allow even more time. It can take as long as a month to have them engraved.
4. Think Practical You should be practical when choosing a ring so that it will be compatible with your current lifestyle. You should keep in mind that you will wear this ring everyday. The best idea is to pick a ring that fits into your lifestyle. If you live an energetic lifestyle, such as play sports, you should avoid any wide, bulky bands and go for a round-edged slimmer ring instead. If you work with your hands you may want a simple ring that won't trap dirt. Consider platinum if you have allergies to metal alloys. Platinum's purity makes it hypoallergenic for most people.
5. Complete The Twenty Year Task
Feel free to choose your own style even if it may be different from the more common designs. However, you should be careful and make sure it's style won't fade out over time. 6. Be Wise About The Size
Since most people rarely remove the wedding bands they will go through seasons, exercise, menstrual cycles, pregnancies, and your finger will swell and contract during all of these events.
7. Inspect For Condition
Check the quality of all rings. Look to see that the inside of the ring has two marks in it- the trademark for the maker (quality guarantee) and quality mark (guarantees the metal it is made of), like 24K or PLAT. A quality mark is required for each if the ring contains two or more metals.
8. Cleaning Your Wedding Ring
Cleaning your ring is as simple as can be. Simply rub a soft lint-free cloth over a ring without stones. Chamois works particularly well. You can get rid of grease by immersing the band in alcohol. Clean tarnish with a mixture of soap, water, and a small amount of ammonia. Use a soft toothbrush and rinse. Don't forget to close the drain. Lastly, dry with a soft cloth. Soak a ring with stones in warm soapy water and use a soft brush to clean. Then rinse and pat dry.
9. Protect Your Investment
All metals including platinum are vulnerable to wear and tear; therefore it is important that you protect your investment. Avoid wearing it when doing extremely rough work or sports as such activities can scratch your rings. Also avoid wearing them when using concentrated chlorine such as bleaches, cleaners and swimming pool disinfectants as they can cause pitting or discoloration to the ring. Platinum, while being more durable over time, is softer than white or yellow gold and scratches easily. Scratches are most obvious on matte finishes. Fortunately, your local jeweler can restore your ring's pristine original glory by reapplying or changing your ring's finish or plating.
10. Wear Your Band At All Times
Many are surprised at how easy it is to misplace a ring. You have probably picked something that you won't have to remove. However, if you really need to remove your ring, put it in a place so that you will always remember where it is. Never place the ring near a sink. Even if it doesn't fall into the drain straightaway, your pet cat is sure to help it along. When you are away from home is the most dangerous time to remove your ring. Most rings are set down, lost, or forgotten when traveling. Per insurance company records, the first year someone owns a wedding ring is when the majority of losses and damages occur.
0
plugs
plug itThere are ten tips to follow when shopping for a wedding ring. While there are basic points to consider when purchasing all jewelry, these apply specifically to finding the perfect wedding ring.
1. Narrow Your Choices You need to determine your preferences and make a few decisions before purchasing that jewelry. What hue of metal are you curious about? Yellow or white? What if all of your own personal accessories are in gold, but his watch is made of a white metal? You may want to look at rings that have both yellow and white gold in them. Do you want something basic or something with some zing? What about a bracelet with hued stones or diamonds?
2. Set A Budget
It will cost $125.00 to $200.00 apiece for a simple gold band set and $400.00 to $600.00 apiece for plain platinum bands. Data provided by the Diamond Information Center suggests the average price for diamond wedding bands is $742. It costs between 1 and 8 dollars per character for engraving, depending on which font you want and whether it will be hand engraved or machine engraved.
3. Start Looking Early
At least two months prior to your wedding date, start looking for your bands. This gives you an opportunity to look around and reexamine the rings that caught your attention. If you are looking to customize your ring, be ready to allow even more time. It can take as long as a month to have them engraved.
4. Think Practical You should be practical when choosing a ring so that it will be compatible with your current lifestyle. You should keep in mind that you will wear this ring everyday. The best idea is to pick a ring that fits into your lifestyle. If you live an energetic lifestyle, such as play sports, you should avoid any wide, bulky bands and go for a round-edged slimmer ring instead. If you work with your hands you may want a simple ring that won't trap dirt. Consider platinum if you have allergies to metal alloys. Platinum's purity makes it hypoallergenic for most people.
5. Complete The Twenty Year Task
Feel free to choose your own style even if it may be different from the more common designs. However, you should be careful and make sure it's style won't fade out over time. 6. Be Wise About The Size
Since most people rarely remove the wedding bands they will go through seasons, exercise, menstrual cycles, pregnancies, and your finger will swell and contract during all of these events.
7. Inspect For Condition
Check the quality of all rings. Look to see that the inside of the ring has two marks in it- the trademark for the maker (quality guarantee) and quality mark (guarantees the metal it is made of), like 24K or PLAT. A quality mark is required for each if the ring contains two or more metals.
8. Cleaning Your Wedding Ring
Cleaning your ring is as simple as can be. Simply rub a soft lint-free cloth over a ring without stones. Chamois works particularly well. You can get rid of grease by immersing the band in alcohol. Clean tarnish with a mixture of soap, water, and a small amount of ammonia. Use a soft toothbrush and rinse. Don't forget to close the drain. Lastly, dry with a soft cloth. Soak a ring with stones in warm soapy water and use a soft brush to clean. Then rinse and pat dry.
9. Protect Your Investment
All metals including platinum are vulnerable to wear and tear; therefore it is important that you protect your investment. Avoid wearing it when doing extremely rough work or sports as such activities can scratch your rings. Also avoid wearing them when using concentrated chlorine such as bleaches, cleaners and swimming pool disinfectants as they can cause pitting or discoloration to the ring. Platinum, while being more durable over time, is softer than white or yellow gold and scratches easily. Scratches are most obvious on matte finishes. Fortunately, your local jeweler can restore your ring's pristine original glory by reapplying or changing your ring's finish or plating.
10. Wear Your Band At All Times
Many are surprised at how easy it is to misplace a ring. You have probably picked something that you won't have to remove. However, if you really need to remove your ring, put it in a place so that you will always remember where it is. Never place the ring near a sink. Even if it doesn't fall into the drain straightaway, your pet cat is sure to help it along. When you are away from home is the most dangerous time to remove your ring. Most rings are set down, lost, or forgotten when traveling. Per insurance company records, the first year someone owns a wedding ring is when the majority of losses and damages occur.
Birthstone Jewelry - The Perfect Gifts For Women
Birthstone Jewelry - The Perfect Gifts For Women by Janice Tham
0
plugs
plug itWhat do you give the woman in your life?
Unless she specifically requests for one, a vacuum cleaner or a new set of pot and pans, no matter how much they cost, might well disappoint her. Practical though they may be, household gifts lack that special touch. You know the look on her face when she opens a gift she really loves. One that gives her that unexpected thrill?
You are more likely to get a genuinely thrilled response from her if you give her jewelry than if you were to give her a new apron or a new cupboard.
What if she already has everything?
All women love shiny things. Precious jewelry that catches her eye would certainly get her vote. It could be an absolutely gorgeous necklace that sets off her favorite dress beautifully. Or it could be a pair of stunning shoulder duster earrings that highlight her slender neck. Or it could be a cuff bracelet that makes a simple sheath dress look amazing.
When it comes to a birthday gift, nothing beats birthstone jewelry for her.
Birthstone jewelry is any kind of jewelry that is set with the gemstone of her birth month.
Who invented birthstone jewelry in the first place?
There are lots of theories as to the origins of birthstones.
One common belief is that these 12 birthstones originated from the breastplate worn by the high priest of the Jews. Each gemstone representing one tribe of Israel and later, representing one month of the year.
These 12 gemstones are beryl, topaz,ruby, turquoise, lapis lazuli, emerald, jacinth,agate, amethyst, crysolite,onyx and jasper.
Astrologers associated the gemstones with each zodiac sign. As each zodiac month overlaps largely with the calendar month, the monthly birthstone list can be derived from the zodiac birthstone.
The Tibetans, in ancient Tibet, had their own birthstone list. That list of mystical birthstones is more than a thousand years old.
Even the Indians have their Ayurverdic birthstone list, based on that branch of medicine originating from India.
Eventually, in 1912, a modern birthstone list was compiled by the National Association of Jewelers in Kansas with a specific gemstone associated with each month of the year. This is the list accepted in U.S.
According to this modern birthstone list, the birthstone for January is garnet. For february, the gemstone is amethyst. March calls for aquamarine, April's gemstone is the diamond. May's birthstone is Emerald. For June, the birthstone is Pearl. Ruby is the july birthstone while peridot is August's birthstone. September calls for Sapphire. October's birthstone is Opal. November calls for Citrine and the December birthstone is Turquoise.
Throughout history, mankind has been fascinated with gemstones. Their color, beauty and rarity cause men to prize them. So much so that many stories and superstitions surround the various gemstones.
Lore or not. Gemstones are beautiful and that alone makes them wonderful gifts for women. The way they enhance the wearer's looks, like the icing on the cake make birthstone jewelry wonderful jewelry gifts for women.
The great thing about birthstones is that they make great personalized gifts for women. After all, that gemstone is chosen based on her birth month. When you want to get a woman jewelry and aren't too sure which gemstone to get, you could use any of these lists as a guide.
Yes, diamonds are a girls best friend and no woman would protest if you give her diamonds. But if you want to get her something more affordable, you could go for one of the more affordable gemstones for her month
0
plugs
plug itWhat do you give the woman in your life?
Unless she specifically requests for one, a vacuum cleaner or a new set of pot and pans, no matter how much they cost, might well disappoint her. Practical though they may be, household gifts lack that special touch. You know the look on her face when she opens a gift she really loves. One that gives her that unexpected thrill?
You are more likely to get a genuinely thrilled response from her if you give her jewelry than if you were to give her a new apron or a new cupboard.
What if she already has everything?
All women love shiny things. Precious jewelry that catches her eye would certainly get her vote. It could be an absolutely gorgeous necklace that sets off her favorite dress beautifully. Or it could be a pair of stunning shoulder duster earrings that highlight her slender neck. Or it could be a cuff bracelet that makes a simple sheath dress look amazing.
When it comes to a birthday gift, nothing beats birthstone jewelry for her.
Birthstone jewelry is any kind of jewelry that is set with the gemstone of her birth month.
Who invented birthstone jewelry in the first place?
There are lots of theories as to the origins of birthstones.
One common belief is that these 12 birthstones originated from the breastplate worn by the high priest of the Jews. Each gemstone representing one tribe of Israel and later, representing one month of the year.
These 12 gemstones are beryl, topaz,ruby, turquoise, lapis lazuli, emerald, jacinth,agate, amethyst, crysolite,onyx and jasper.
Astrologers associated the gemstones with each zodiac sign. As each zodiac month overlaps largely with the calendar month, the monthly birthstone list can be derived from the zodiac birthstone.
The Tibetans, in ancient Tibet, had their own birthstone list. That list of mystical birthstones is more than a thousand years old.
Even the Indians have their Ayurverdic birthstone list, based on that branch of medicine originating from India.
Eventually, in 1912, a modern birthstone list was compiled by the National Association of Jewelers in Kansas with a specific gemstone associated with each month of the year. This is the list accepted in U.S.
According to this modern birthstone list, the birthstone for January is garnet. For february, the gemstone is amethyst. March calls for aquamarine, April's gemstone is the diamond. May's birthstone is Emerald. For June, the birthstone is Pearl. Ruby is the july birthstone while peridot is August's birthstone. September calls for Sapphire. October's birthstone is Opal. November calls for Citrine and the December birthstone is Turquoise.
Throughout history, mankind has been fascinated with gemstones. Their color, beauty and rarity cause men to prize them. So much so that many stories and superstitions surround the various gemstones.
Lore or not. Gemstones are beautiful and that alone makes them wonderful gifts for women. The way they enhance the wearer's looks, like the icing on the cake make birthstone jewelry wonderful jewelry gifts for women.
The great thing about birthstones is that they make great personalized gifts for women. After all, that gemstone is chosen based on her birth month. When you want to get a woman jewelry and aren't too sure which gemstone to get, you could use any of these lists as a guide.
Yes, diamonds are a girls best friend and no woman would protest if you give her diamonds. But if you want to get her something more affordable, you could go for one of the more affordable gemstones for her month
Selecting Fine Jewelry Pieces For Any Occasion
Selecting Fine Jewelry Pieces For Any Occasion by James Brown
0
plugs
plug itMany marrying couples would migrate toward the fine jewelry selections in a store that featured diamonds in the settings. The jewelry items reviewed at first might be diamonds placed in rings to create a solitaire arrangement. This style of engagement rings is most preferred but some happy couples will also choose matching bands that are fashioned from smooth surface metals of platinum, 18-karat, or 14-karat gold.
Selecting one metal for fine jewelry of this type will be hard because this fine piece will result in a ring or ring set that is meant to be worn everyday over a lifetime of married bliss. Other jewelry selections for marrying couples to consider would be three stone rings that bore three diamonds or a mixture of diamonds and other precious stones. When selecting jewelry with these stone combinations, most people prefer to select three matching stones, and select another style of ring for wearing them at formal occasions.
People that shop for jewelry are amazed at the different affects that can be achieved no matter what type of stone is selected. Some shoppers will be thrilled at the sight of diamonds as they are mounted in a pure platinum setting. The rich color of rubies surround by platinum create exquisite pieces of fine jewelry that could be handed down from generation to generation. To create fine pieces that is very mysterious, a woman might have a jeweler combine stones of onyx with opals.
Choosing various styles of fine jewelry is one of the fun aspects of owning fine jewelry. A woman can spend many hours in a store looking through bracelets, rings, necklaces and even jewelry selections made for toes. Most of these fine pieces of jewelry found will compliment any other because like metals such as 14-karat gold can be combined with 18-karat to allow people to explore the finer pleasures of wearing fine jewelry made of yellow colored precious metals.
The styling for fine jewelry fashioned as necklaces could include ornate swirled platinum centers with diamond stones that are arranged in multiple layers on a chain that is noticeably wider. The combined weight of the stones might require the use of a chain of such width but those who wear diamonds around the neck prefer this style because it ensures that the chain is strong to keep diamond gems from being lost. Fine jewelry can be worn for all occasions and even sports activities do not keep women from maintaining a high degree of fashion sense while playing on the court.
Fine jewelry can also be found in miniature because little boys and girls deserve jewelry styles that are perfectly sized for their small body forms. The dainty chains will fit perfectly with a variety of charms that are child oriented such as butterflies, turtles and bears. A charm bracelet will always be noticed because the sound of the charms as they brush against each other in quiet surroundings such as church. The jewelry selections for ears will give little girls the opportunity to dress up just like their mothers.
0
plugs
plug itMany marrying couples would migrate toward the fine jewelry selections in a store that featured diamonds in the settings. The jewelry items reviewed at first might be diamonds placed in rings to create a solitaire arrangement. This style of engagement rings is most preferred but some happy couples will also choose matching bands that are fashioned from smooth surface metals of platinum, 18-karat, or 14-karat gold.
Selecting one metal for fine jewelry of this type will be hard because this fine piece will result in a ring or ring set that is meant to be worn everyday over a lifetime of married bliss. Other jewelry selections for marrying couples to consider would be three stone rings that bore three diamonds or a mixture of diamonds and other precious stones. When selecting jewelry with these stone combinations, most people prefer to select three matching stones, and select another style of ring for wearing them at formal occasions.
People that shop for jewelry are amazed at the different affects that can be achieved no matter what type of stone is selected. Some shoppers will be thrilled at the sight of diamonds as they are mounted in a pure platinum setting. The rich color of rubies surround by platinum create exquisite pieces of fine jewelry that could be handed down from generation to generation. To create fine pieces that is very mysterious, a woman might have a jeweler combine stones of onyx with opals.
Choosing various styles of fine jewelry is one of the fun aspects of owning fine jewelry. A woman can spend many hours in a store looking through bracelets, rings, necklaces and even jewelry selections made for toes. Most of these fine pieces of jewelry found will compliment any other because like metals such as 14-karat gold can be combined with 18-karat to allow people to explore the finer pleasures of wearing fine jewelry made of yellow colored precious metals.
The styling for fine jewelry fashioned as necklaces could include ornate swirled platinum centers with diamond stones that are arranged in multiple layers on a chain that is noticeably wider. The combined weight of the stones might require the use of a chain of such width but those who wear diamonds around the neck prefer this style because it ensures that the chain is strong to keep diamond gems from being lost. Fine jewelry can be worn for all occasions and even sports activities do not keep women from maintaining a high degree of fashion sense while playing on the court.
Fine jewelry can also be found in miniature because little boys and girls deserve jewelry styles that are perfectly sized for their small body forms. The dainty chains will fit perfectly with a variety of charms that are child oriented such as butterflies, turtles and bears. A charm bracelet will always be noticed because the sound of the charms as they brush against each other in quiet surroundings such as church. The jewelry selections for ears will give little girls the opportunity to dress up just like their mothers.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Podcasting By Governors And Other Politicians Is Skyrocketing
Podcasting By Governors And Other Politicians Is Skyrocketing! by Scott Fish
0
plugs
plug itPodcasting by Governors and other politicians is skyrocketing!
Imagine for a second that you are an up-and-coming politician running for the senate or a governors race - what's the best way to reach out to your younger audience? PODcasting has been the answer -- So, who is doing it?
Rod Blgojevich
Governor Rod Blgojevich offers pod casting through his website Illinois.gov, http://www.illinois.gov/gov/podcasts.cfm - Stating that "Sometimes, you want to get your information on an issue straight from the source. That is why we have started offering 'Podcasts' on different topics." He's using these podcasts to talk about everything from jobs, schools, health care and energy initiatives.
Here are a few of his most recent Podcasts:
Illinois Unemployment Drops to All-Time Low Proposal to Increase the Minimum Wage Protecting Access to Contraceptives
Ernie Fletcher
Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher is the latest state governor to introduce a podcast. The Governor Ernie Fletcher's Podcast lets people listen to the governor's latest public addresses on their computer or portable media player.
fletcher.jpg"Moving Kentucky forward means making state government more accessible to our citizens," said Governor Fletcher. "Podcasting is another way we are doing just that -- bringing government to the people with the most up-to-date technology possible."
The podcast is a free service available to anyone with an Internet connection.
Governor Fletcher becomes one of the first governors in the nation to utilize the growing technology that expands the use of Internet-based multi-media to reach constituents. Fletcher's podcast joins Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee's podcast and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger podcast.
"More and more citizens and businesses are going to the Internet as their first source for news, information and interaction," explained Governor Fletcher. "Taking advantage of this technology ensures Kentucky state government is there to greet them."
Chris Bell
Chris Bell, former Texas Governor offers several podcasts that share with his supporters topics that are close to his heart, but also offers him the chance to "play a little politics".
CB Radio: Bizradio Podcast, Chris Duel today Podcast: Chris on Houston BizRadio
Russ Diamond whom ran for Governor in Pennsylvania offers several podcasts including the following: Russ Diamon Podcasts
Barack Obama
Obama-PodcastMost notably Barack Obama of Illinois is using podcasts to push his agenda more than anyone! Obama's website for senate offers plenty of options for listening to his podcasts. Senate Democratic Majority.
Senator Obama discusses the new Senate Democratic majority and upcoming legislation, including an increase in the minimum wage, implementing all of the 9/11 Commission recommendations and a real energy policy.
Transparency Act and Chemical Plant Security
Senator Obama discusses the "Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act" being signed in to law today, as well as the chemical plant security legislation agreed upon by House and Senate negotiators last week that is far too weak and fails to adequately protect American lives.
Africa Trip Recap
Senator Obama just returned from a 15-day trip to Africa where he visited South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Chad. He discusses his tour of Robben Island prison, meeting with U.S. troops, visiting refugee camps of those fleeing the genocide in Darfur and the need for addressing Africa's growing AIDS epidemic.
0
plugs
plug itPodcasting by Governors and other politicians is skyrocketing!
Imagine for a second that you are an up-and-coming politician running for the senate or a governors race - what's the best way to reach out to your younger audience? PODcasting has been the answer -- So, who is doing it?
Rod Blgojevich
Governor Rod Blgojevich offers pod casting through his website Illinois.gov, http://www.illinois.gov/gov/podcasts.cfm - Stating that "Sometimes, you want to get your information on an issue straight from the source. That is why we have started offering 'Podcasts' on different topics." He's using these podcasts to talk about everything from jobs, schools, health care and energy initiatives.
Here are a few of his most recent Podcasts:
Illinois Unemployment Drops to All-Time Low Proposal to Increase the Minimum Wage Protecting Access to Contraceptives
Ernie Fletcher
Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher is the latest state governor to introduce a podcast. The Governor Ernie Fletcher's Podcast lets people listen to the governor's latest public addresses on their computer or portable media player.
fletcher.jpg"Moving Kentucky forward means making state government more accessible to our citizens," said Governor Fletcher. "Podcasting is another way we are doing just that -- bringing government to the people with the most up-to-date technology possible."
The podcast is a free service available to anyone with an Internet connection.
Governor Fletcher becomes one of the first governors in the nation to utilize the growing technology that expands the use of Internet-based multi-media to reach constituents. Fletcher's podcast joins Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee's podcast and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger podcast.
"More and more citizens and businesses are going to the Internet as their first source for news, information and interaction," explained Governor Fletcher. "Taking advantage of this technology ensures Kentucky state government is there to greet them."
Chris Bell
Chris Bell, former Texas Governor offers several podcasts that share with his supporters topics that are close to his heart, but also offers him the chance to "play a little politics".
CB Radio: Bizradio Podcast, Chris Duel today Podcast: Chris on Houston BizRadio
Russ Diamond whom ran for Governor in Pennsylvania offers several podcasts including the following: Russ Diamon Podcasts
Barack Obama
Obama-PodcastMost notably Barack Obama of Illinois is using podcasts to push his agenda more than anyone! Obama's website for senate offers plenty of options for listening to his podcasts. Senate Democratic Majority.
Senator Obama discusses the new Senate Democratic majority and upcoming legislation, including an increase in the minimum wage, implementing all of the 9/11 Commission recommendations and a real energy policy.
Transparency Act and Chemical Plant Security
Senator Obama discusses the "Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act" being signed in to law today, as well as the chemical plant security legislation agreed upon by House and Senate negotiators last week that is far too weak and fails to adequately protect American lives.
Africa Trip Recap
Senator Obama just returned from a 15-day trip to Africa where he visited South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Chad. He discusses his tour of Robben Island prison, meeting with U.S. troops, visiting refugee camps of those fleeing the genocide in Darfur and the need for addressing Africa's growing AIDS epidemic.
Purchasing Engagement Bands: Gold or Platinum
Purchasing Engagement Bands: Gold or Platinum? by Tiffany L'orfevre
0
plugs
plug itWhether the ring is gold or platinum is irrelevant. It's the meaning of the wedding band that is most important. It signifies the true meaning of the marriage and shows the commitment. An intact circle symbolizes eternal love. It not only denotes the eternal nature of your marriage, but it also ties you to the generations past and future who commit to marriage.
Although the wedding in itself is special, it's the wedding band that holds the true meaning that will be there as a symbol throughout the marriage. Long after your delicate gown is boxed away and the last slice of your tastefully exquisite cake is shared, your wedding band remains a life-long symbol of the beautiful promises you cherish. So, you should pick a ring that mirrors your personal style and taste.
Variations:
Yellow Gold - Some people believe that only yellow gold glinting on a traditional band symbolizes the love of a marriage. Gold comes in different carats (14k,18k, and 24k). The gold's purity is represented by the carat. A band made of 24K is pure. The lower the carat means more metal alloys have been added to strengthen the metal.
Platinum or White Gold - The trendy styles of today's jewelry are white metals such as platinum and white gold. The great strength and rarity of platinum make it an excellent choice for your everlasting symbol of commitment. An extra bonus is that its pureness allows people with even the most sensitive skin to wear it. White gold can provide a similar style for fewer dollars.
Combinations - For some couples, it is hard to decide between the two. Choose a design that skillfully combines metals, both yellow and gold, yellow gold with platinum, or several different shades of gold. You can add even more richness to the design by including some texture highlighting to one of the colors. Individuality and elegance can be obtained with a narrow dual metal and duo-tone band.
Detailing - A different finish and/or detail such as engraving, filigree, or milgraining are alternatives to mixing the colors. They also give the ring a more unique design. Finishes can be applied, removed, and changed as much as one would like, which is a huge benefit. Your band is like a canvas and your hand is its showcase, so add your special touch to it.
Masculine Bands - For a lot of men, the wedding band may be the sole piece of jewelry that they will ever wear other than a watch. If you are unsure, opt for a traditional band. Avoid faddish designs that he'll come to loathe. Splurge on some special design details. Although a wedding band may be a small size, it can have very intricate design on its surface.
Matching - Any time a couple wishes to express their union through the style of the band, they may consider letting the bands match in style. Some choose to select the same band, but in two different widths to show their true bond. The band for a woman is usually wider than that of a man, however it is best to chose a width that looks best for your hand.
Last but not least, what metal calls out to you? Traditionally it's yellow, and your future mother-in-law will probably agree; however your heart may lean towards the white. The decision making process should involve your gut feeling. Remember that it's you that will be wearing it all the time.
0
plugs
plug itWhether the ring is gold or platinum is irrelevant. It's the meaning of the wedding band that is most important. It signifies the true meaning of the marriage and shows the commitment. An intact circle symbolizes eternal love. It not only denotes the eternal nature of your marriage, but it also ties you to the generations past and future who commit to marriage.
Although the wedding in itself is special, it's the wedding band that holds the true meaning that will be there as a symbol throughout the marriage. Long after your delicate gown is boxed away and the last slice of your tastefully exquisite cake is shared, your wedding band remains a life-long symbol of the beautiful promises you cherish. So, you should pick a ring that mirrors your personal style and taste.
Variations:
Yellow Gold - Some people believe that only yellow gold glinting on a traditional band symbolizes the love of a marriage. Gold comes in different carats (14k,18k, and 24k). The gold's purity is represented by the carat. A band made of 24K is pure. The lower the carat means more metal alloys have been added to strengthen the metal.
Platinum or White Gold - The trendy styles of today's jewelry are white metals such as platinum and white gold. The great strength and rarity of platinum make it an excellent choice for your everlasting symbol of commitment. An extra bonus is that its pureness allows people with even the most sensitive skin to wear it. White gold can provide a similar style for fewer dollars.
Combinations - For some couples, it is hard to decide between the two. Choose a design that skillfully combines metals, both yellow and gold, yellow gold with platinum, or several different shades of gold. You can add even more richness to the design by including some texture highlighting to one of the colors. Individuality and elegance can be obtained with a narrow dual metal and duo-tone band.
Detailing - A different finish and/or detail such as engraving, filigree, or milgraining are alternatives to mixing the colors. They also give the ring a more unique design. Finishes can be applied, removed, and changed as much as one would like, which is a huge benefit. Your band is like a canvas and your hand is its showcase, so add your special touch to it.
Masculine Bands - For a lot of men, the wedding band may be the sole piece of jewelry that they will ever wear other than a watch. If you are unsure, opt for a traditional band. Avoid faddish designs that he'll come to loathe. Splurge on some special design details. Although a wedding band may be a small size, it can have very intricate design on its surface.
Matching - Any time a couple wishes to express their union through the style of the band, they may consider letting the bands match in style. Some choose to select the same band, but in two different widths to show their true bond. The band for a woman is usually wider than that of a man, however it is best to chose a width that looks best for your hand.
Last but not least, what metal calls out to you? Traditionally it's yellow, and your future mother-in-law will probably agree; however your heart may lean towards the white. The decision making process should involve your gut feeling. Remember that it's you that will be wearing it all the time.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Have You Ever Tried to Sell a Diamond?
Have You Ever Tried to Sell a Diamond?
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The diamond invention—the creation of the idea that diamonds are rare and valuable, and are essential signs of esteem—is a relatively recent development in the history of the diamond trade. Until the late nineteenth century, diamonds were found only in a few riverbeds in India and in the jungles of Brazil, and the entire world production of gem diamonds amounted to a few pounds a year. In 1870, however, huge diamond mines were discovered near the Orange River, in South Africa, where diamonds were soon being scooped out by the ton. Suddenly, the market was deluged with diamonds. The British financiers who had organized the South African mines quickly realized that their investment was endangered; diamonds had little intrinsic value—and their price depended almost entirely on their scarcity. The financiers feared that when new mines were developed in South Africa, diamonds would become at best only semiprecious gems.
The major investors in the diamond mines realized that they had no alternative but to merge their interests into a single entity that would be powerful enough to control production and perpetuate the illusion of scarcity of diamonds. The instrument they created, in 1888, was called De Beers Consolidated Mines, Ltd., incorporated in South Africa. As De Beers took control of all aspects of the world diamond trade, it assumed many forms. In London, it operated under the innocuous name of the Diamond Trading Company. In Israel, it was known as "The Syndicate." In Europe, it was called the "C.S.O." -- initials referring to the Central Selling Organization, which was an arm of the Diamond Trading Company. And in black Africa, it disguised its South African origins under subsidiaries with names like Diamond Development Corporation and Mining Services, Inc. At its height -- for most of this century -- it not only either directly owned or controlled all the diamond mines in southern Africa but also owned diamond trading companies in England, Portugal, Israel, Belgium, Holland, and Switzerland.
De Beers proved to be the most successful cartel arrangement in the annals of modern commerce. While other commodities, such as gold, silver, copper, rubber, and grains, fluctuated wildly in response to economic conditions, diamonds have continued, with few exceptions, to advance upward in price every year since the Depression. Indeed, the cartel seemed so superbly in control of prices -- and unassailable -- that, in the late 1970s, even speculators began buying diamonds as a guard against the vagaries of inflation and recession.
The diamond invention is far more than a monopoly for fixing diamond prices; it is a mechanism for converting tiny crystals of carbon into universally recognized tokens of wealth, power, and romance. To achieve this goal, De Beers had to control demand as well as supply. Both women and men had to be made to perceive diamonds not as marketable precious stones but as an inseparable part of courtship and married life. To stabilize the market, De Beers had to endow these stones with a sentiment that would inhibit the public from ever reselling them. The illusion had to be created that diamonds were forever -- "forever" in the sense that they should never be resold.
In September of 1938, Harry Oppenheimer, son of the founder of De Beers and then twenty-nine, traveled from Johannesburg to New York City, to meet with Gerold M. Lauck, the president of N. W. Ayer, a leading advertising agency in the United States. Lauck and N. W. Ayer had been recommended to Oppenheimer by the Morgan Bank, which had helped his father consolidate the De Beers financial empire. His bankers were concerned about the price of diamonds, which had declined worldwide.
In Europe, where diamond prices had collapsed during the Depression, there seemed little possibility of restoring public confidence in diamonds. In Germany, Austria, Italy, and Spain, the notion of giving a diamond ring to commemorate an engagement had never taken hold. In England and France, diamonds were still presumed to be jewels for aristocrats rather than the masses. Furthermore, Europe was on the verge of war, and there seemed little possibility of expanding diamond sales. This left the United States as the only real market for De Beers's diamonds. In fact, in 1938 some three quarters of all the cartel's diamonds were sold for engagement rings in the United States. Most of these stones, however, were smaller and of poorer quality than those bought in Europe, and had an average price of $80 apiece. Oppenheimer and the bankers believed that an advertising campaign could persuade Americans to buy more expensive diamonds.
Oppenheimer suggested to Lauck that his agency prepare a plan for creating a new image for diamonds among Americans. He assured Lauck that De Beers had not called on any other American advertising agency with this proposal, and that if the plan met with his father's approval, N. W. Ayer would be the exclusive agents for the placement of newspaper and radio advertisements in the United States. Oppenheimer agreed to underwrite the costs of the research necessary for developing the campaign. Lauck instantly accepted the offer.
In their subsequent investigation of the American diamond market, the staff of N. W. Ayer found that since the end of World War I, in 1919, the total amount of diamonds sold in America, measured in carats, had declined by 50 percent; at the same time, the quality of the diamonds, measured in dollar value, had declined by nearly 100 percent. An Ayer memo concluded that the depressed state of the market for diamonds was "the result of the economy, changes in social attitudes and the promotion of competitive luxuries."
Although it could do little about the state of the economy, N. W. Ayer suggested that through a well-orchestrated advertising and public-relations campaign it could have a significant impact on the "social attitudes of the public at large and thereby channel American spending toward larger and more expensive diamonds instead of "competitive luxuries." Specifically, the Ayer study stressed the need to strengthen the association in the public's mind of diamonds with romance. Since "young men buy over 90% of all engagement rings" it would be crucial to inculcate in them the idea that diamonds were a gift of love: the larger and finer the diamond, the greater the expression of love. Similarly, young women had to be encouraged to view diamonds as an integral part of any romantic courtship.
Since the Ayer plan to romanticize diamonds required subtly altering the public's picture of the way a man courts -- and wins -- a woman, the advertising agency strongly suggested exploiting the relatively new medium of motion pictures. Movie idols, the paragons of romance for the mass audience, would be given diamonds to use as their symbols of indestructible love. In addition, the agency suggested offering stories and society photographs to selected magazines and newspapers which would reinforce the link between diamonds and romance. Stories would stress the size of diamonds that celebrities presented to their loved ones, and photographs would conspicuously show the glittering stone on the hand of a well-known woman. Fashion designers would talk on radio programs about the "trend towards diamonds" that Ayer planned to start. The Ayer plan also envisioned using the British royal family to help foster the romantic allure of diamonds. An Ayer memo said, "Since Great Britain has such an important interest in the diamond industry, the royal couple could be of tremendous assistance to this British industry by wearing diamonds rather than other jewels." Queen Elizabeth later went on a well-publicized trip to several South African diamond mines, and she accepted a diamond from Oppenheimer.
In addition to putting these plans into action, N. W. Ayer placed a series of lush four-color advertisements in magazines that were presumed to mold elite opinion, featuring reproductions of famous paintings by such artists as Picasso, Derain, Dali, and Dufy. The advertisements were intended to convey the idea that diamonds, like paintings, were unique works of art.
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sponsored by:
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The diamond invention—the creation of the idea that diamonds are rare and valuable, and are essential signs of esteem—is a relatively recent development in the history of the diamond trade. Until the late nineteenth century, diamonds were found only in a few riverbeds in India and in the jungles of Brazil, and the entire world production of gem diamonds amounted to a few pounds a year. In 1870, however, huge diamond mines were discovered near the Orange River, in South Africa, where diamonds were soon being scooped out by the ton. Suddenly, the market was deluged with diamonds. The British financiers who had organized the South African mines quickly realized that their investment was endangered; diamonds had little intrinsic value—and their price depended almost entirely on their scarcity. The financiers feared that when new mines were developed in South Africa, diamonds would become at best only semiprecious gems.
The major investors in the diamond mines realized that they had no alternative but to merge their interests into a single entity that would be powerful enough to control production and perpetuate the illusion of scarcity of diamonds. The instrument they created, in 1888, was called De Beers Consolidated Mines, Ltd., incorporated in South Africa. As De Beers took control of all aspects of the world diamond trade, it assumed many forms. In London, it operated under the innocuous name of the Diamond Trading Company. In Israel, it was known as "The Syndicate." In Europe, it was called the "C.S.O." -- initials referring to the Central Selling Organization, which was an arm of the Diamond Trading Company. And in black Africa, it disguised its South African origins under subsidiaries with names like Diamond Development Corporation and Mining Services, Inc. At its height -- for most of this century -- it not only either directly owned or controlled all the diamond mines in southern Africa but also owned diamond trading companies in England, Portugal, Israel, Belgium, Holland, and Switzerland.
De Beers proved to be the most successful cartel arrangement in the annals of modern commerce. While other commodities, such as gold, silver, copper, rubber, and grains, fluctuated wildly in response to economic conditions, diamonds have continued, with few exceptions, to advance upward in price every year since the Depression. Indeed, the cartel seemed so superbly in control of prices -- and unassailable -- that, in the late 1970s, even speculators began buying diamonds as a guard against the vagaries of inflation and recession.
The diamond invention is far more than a monopoly for fixing diamond prices; it is a mechanism for converting tiny crystals of carbon into universally recognized tokens of wealth, power, and romance. To achieve this goal, De Beers had to control demand as well as supply. Both women and men had to be made to perceive diamonds not as marketable precious stones but as an inseparable part of courtship and married life. To stabilize the market, De Beers had to endow these stones with a sentiment that would inhibit the public from ever reselling them. The illusion had to be created that diamonds were forever -- "forever" in the sense that they should never be resold.
In September of 1938, Harry Oppenheimer, son of the founder of De Beers and then twenty-nine, traveled from Johannesburg to New York City, to meet with Gerold M. Lauck, the president of N. W. Ayer, a leading advertising agency in the United States. Lauck and N. W. Ayer had been recommended to Oppenheimer by the Morgan Bank, which had helped his father consolidate the De Beers financial empire. His bankers were concerned about the price of diamonds, which had declined worldwide.
In Europe, where diamond prices had collapsed during the Depression, there seemed little possibility of restoring public confidence in diamonds. In Germany, Austria, Italy, and Spain, the notion of giving a diamond ring to commemorate an engagement had never taken hold. In England and France, diamonds were still presumed to be jewels for aristocrats rather than the masses. Furthermore, Europe was on the verge of war, and there seemed little possibility of expanding diamond sales. This left the United States as the only real market for De Beers's diamonds. In fact, in 1938 some three quarters of all the cartel's diamonds were sold for engagement rings in the United States. Most of these stones, however, were smaller and of poorer quality than those bought in Europe, and had an average price of $80 apiece. Oppenheimer and the bankers believed that an advertising campaign could persuade Americans to buy more expensive diamonds.
Oppenheimer suggested to Lauck that his agency prepare a plan for creating a new image for diamonds among Americans. He assured Lauck that De Beers had not called on any other American advertising agency with this proposal, and that if the plan met with his father's approval, N. W. Ayer would be the exclusive agents for the placement of newspaper and radio advertisements in the United States. Oppenheimer agreed to underwrite the costs of the research necessary for developing the campaign. Lauck instantly accepted the offer.
In their subsequent investigation of the American diamond market, the staff of N. W. Ayer found that since the end of World War I, in 1919, the total amount of diamonds sold in America, measured in carats, had declined by 50 percent; at the same time, the quality of the diamonds, measured in dollar value, had declined by nearly 100 percent. An Ayer memo concluded that the depressed state of the market for diamonds was "the result of the economy, changes in social attitudes and the promotion of competitive luxuries."
Although it could do little about the state of the economy, N. W. Ayer suggested that through a well-orchestrated advertising and public-relations campaign it could have a significant impact on the "social attitudes of the public at large and thereby channel American spending toward larger and more expensive diamonds instead of "competitive luxuries." Specifically, the Ayer study stressed the need to strengthen the association in the public's mind of diamonds with romance. Since "young men buy over 90% of all engagement rings" it would be crucial to inculcate in them the idea that diamonds were a gift of love: the larger and finer the diamond, the greater the expression of love. Similarly, young women had to be encouraged to view diamonds as an integral part of any romantic courtship.
Since the Ayer plan to romanticize diamonds required subtly altering the public's picture of the way a man courts -- and wins -- a woman, the advertising agency strongly suggested exploiting the relatively new medium of motion pictures. Movie idols, the paragons of romance for the mass audience, would be given diamonds to use as their symbols of indestructible love. In addition, the agency suggested offering stories and society photographs to selected magazines and newspapers which would reinforce the link between diamonds and romance. Stories would stress the size of diamonds that celebrities presented to their loved ones, and photographs would conspicuously show the glittering stone on the hand of a well-known woman. Fashion designers would talk on radio programs about the "trend towards diamonds" that Ayer planned to start. The Ayer plan also envisioned using the British royal family to help foster the romantic allure of diamonds. An Ayer memo said, "Since Great Britain has such an important interest in the diamond industry, the royal couple could be of tremendous assistance to this British industry by wearing diamonds rather than other jewels." Queen Elizabeth later went on a well-publicized trip to several South African diamond mines, and she accepted a diamond from Oppenheimer.
In addition to putting these plans into action, N. W. Ayer placed a series of lush four-color advertisements in magazines that were presumed to mold elite opinion, featuring reproductions of famous paintings by such artists as Picasso, Derain, Dali, and Dufy. The advertisements were intended to convey the idea that diamonds, like paintings, were unique works of art.
Diamond
The New Diamond Age
Armed with inexpensive, mass-produced gems, two startups are launching an assault on the De Beers cartel.
Next up: the computing industry.
By Joshua Davis
Aron Weingarten brings the yellow diamond up to the stainless steel jeweler's loupe he holds against his eye. We are in Antwerp, Belgium, in Weingarten's marbled and gilded living room on the edge of the city's gem district, the center of the diamond universe. Nearly 80 percent of the world's rough and polished diamonds move through the hands of Belgian gem traders like Weingarten, a dealer who wears the thick beard and black suit of the Hasidim.
David Clugston
Yellow diamonds manufactured by Gemesis, the first company to market gem-quality synthetic stones. The largest grow to 3 carats.
"This is very rare stone," he says, almost to himself, in thickly accented English. "Yellow diamonds of this color are very hard to find. It is probably worth 10, maybe 15 thousand dollars."
"I have two more exactly like it in my pocket," I tell him.
He puts the diamond down and looks at me seriously for the first time. I place the other two stones on the table. They are all the same color and size. To find three nearly identical yellow diamonds is like flipping a coin 10,000 times and never seeing tails.
"These are cubic zirconium?" Weingarten says without much hope.
"No, they're real," I tell him. "But they were made by a machine in Florida for less than a hundred dollars."
Ian White
A microwave plasma tool at the Naval Research Lab, used to create diamonds for high-temperature semiconductor experiments.
Weingarten shifts uncomfortably in his chair and stares at the glittering gems on his dining room table. "Unless they can be detected," he says, "these stones will bankrupt the industry."
Put pure carbon under enough heat and pressure - say, 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit and 50,000 atmospheres - and it will crystallize into the hardest material known. Those were the conditions that first forged diamonds deep in Earth's mantle 3.3 billion years ago. Replicating that environment in a lab isn't easy, but that hasn't kept dreamers from trying. Since the mid-19th century, dozens of these modern alchemists have been injured in accidents and explosions while attempting to manufacture diamonds.
Recent decades have seen some modest successes. Starting in the 1950s, engineers managed to produce tiny crystals for industrial purposes - to coat saws, drill bits, and grinding wheels. But this summer, the first wave of gem-quality manufactured diamonds began to hit the market. They are grown in a warehouse in Florida by a roomful of Russian-designed machines spitting out 3-carat roughs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A second company, in Boston, has perfected a completely different process for making near-flawless diamonds and plans to begin marketing them by year's end. This sudden arrival of mass-produced gems threatens to alter the public's perception of diamonds - and to transform the $7 billion industry. More intriguing, it opens the door to the development of diamond-based semiconductors.
Diamond, it turns out, is a geek's best friend. Not only is it the hardest substance known, it also has the highest thermal conductivity - tremendous heat can pass through it without causing damage. Today's speedy microprocessors run hot - at upwards of 200 degrees Fahrenheit. In fact, they can't go much faster without failing. Diamond microchips, on the other hand, could handle much higher temperatures, allowing them to run at speeds that would liquefy ordinary silicon. But manufacturers have been loath even to consider using the precious material, because it has never been possible to produce large diamond wafers affordably. With the arrival of Gemesis, the Florida-based company, and Apollo Diamond, in Boston, that is changing. Both startups plan to use the diamond jewelry business to finance their attempt to reshape the semiconducting world.
But first things first. Before anyone reinvents the chip industry, they'll have to prove they can produce large volumes of cheap diamonds. Beyond Gemesis and Apollo, one company is convinced there's something real here: De Beers Diamond Trading Company. The London-based cartel has monopolized the diamond business for 115 years, forcing out rivals by ruthlessly controlling supply. But the sudden appearance of multicarat, gem-quality synthetics has sent De Beers scrambling. Several years ago, it set up what it calls the Gem Defensive Programme - a none too subtle campaign to warn jewelers and the public about the arrival of manufactured diamonds. At no charge, the company is supplying gem labs with sophisticated machines designed to help distinguish man-made from mined stones.
Ian White
"I was in combat in Korea and 'Nam. You better believe that I can handle the diamond business," says Gemesis founder Carter Clarke, center. His lieutenants have 27 diamond-making machines up and running -- with 250 planned -- at this factory outside Sarasota, Florida
In its long history, De Beers has survived African insurrection, shrugged off American antitrust litigation, sidestepped criticism that it exploits third world workers, and contended with Australian, Siberian, and Canadian diamond discoveries. The firm has a huge advertising budget and a stranglehold on diamond distribution channels. But there's one thing De Beers doesn't have: retired brigadier general Carter Clarke.
Carter Clarke, 75, has been retired from the Army for nearly 30 years, but he never lost the air of command. When he walks into Gemesis - the company he founded in 1996 to make diamonds - the staff stands at attention to greet him. It just feels like the right thing to do. Particularly since "the General," as he's known, continually salutes them as if they were troops heading into battle. "I was in combat in Korea and 'Nam," he says after greeting me with a salute in the office lobby. "You better believe I can handle the diamond business."
Clarke slaps me hard on the back, and we set off on a tour of his new 30,000-square-foot factory, located in an industrial park outside Sarasota, Florida. The building is slated to house diamond-growing machines, which look like metallic medicine balls on life support. Twenty-seven machines are now up and running. Gemesis expects to add eight more every month, eventually installing 250 in this warehouse.
In other words, the General is preparing a first strike on the diamond business. "Right now, we only threaten the way De Beers wants the consumer to think of a diamond," he says, noting that his current monthly output doesn't even equal that of a small mine. "But imagine what happens when we fill this warehouse and then the one next door," he says with a grin. "Then I'll have myself a proper diamond mine."
Clarke didn't set out to become a gem baron. He stumbled into this during a 1995 trip to Moscow. His company at the time - Security Tag Systems - had pioneered those clunky antitheft devices attached to clothes at retail stores. Following up on a report about a Russian antitheft technology, Clarke came across Yuriy Semenov, who was in charge of the High Tech Bureau, a government initiative to sell Soviet-era military research to Western investors. Semenov had a better idea for the General: "How would you like to grow diamonds?"
Armed with inexpensive, mass-produced gems, two startups are launching an assault on the De Beers cartel.
Next up: the computing industry.
By Joshua Davis
Aron Weingarten brings the yellow diamond up to the stainless steel jeweler's loupe he holds against his eye. We are in Antwerp, Belgium, in Weingarten's marbled and gilded living room on the edge of the city's gem district, the center of the diamond universe. Nearly 80 percent of the world's rough and polished diamonds move through the hands of Belgian gem traders like Weingarten, a dealer who wears the thick beard and black suit of the Hasidim.
David Clugston
Yellow diamonds manufactured by Gemesis, the first company to market gem-quality synthetic stones. The largest grow to 3 carats.
"This is very rare stone," he says, almost to himself, in thickly accented English. "Yellow diamonds of this color are very hard to find. It is probably worth 10, maybe 15 thousand dollars."
"I have two more exactly like it in my pocket," I tell him.
He puts the diamond down and looks at me seriously for the first time. I place the other two stones on the table. They are all the same color and size. To find three nearly identical yellow diamonds is like flipping a coin 10,000 times and never seeing tails.
"These are cubic zirconium?" Weingarten says without much hope.
"No, they're real," I tell him. "But they were made by a machine in Florida for less than a hundred dollars."
Ian White
A microwave plasma tool at the Naval Research Lab, used to create diamonds for high-temperature semiconductor experiments.
Weingarten shifts uncomfortably in his chair and stares at the glittering gems on his dining room table. "Unless they can be detected," he says, "these stones will bankrupt the industry."
Put pure carbon under enough heat and pressure - say, 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit and 50,000 atmospheres - and it will crystallize into the hardest material known. Those were the conditions that first forged diamonds deep in Earth's mantle 3.3 billion years ago. Replicating that environment in a lab isn't easy, but that hasn't kept dreamers from trying. Since the mid-19th century, dozens of these modern alchemists have been injured in accidents and explosions while attempting to manufacture diamonds.
Recent decades have seen some modest successes. Starting in the 1950s, engineers managed to produce tiny crystals for industrial purposes - to coat saws, drill bits, and grinding wheels. But this summer, the first wave of gem-quality manufactured diamonds began to hit the market. They are grown in a warehouse in Florida by a roomful of Russian-designed machines spitting out 3-carat roughs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A second company, in Boston, has perfected a completely different process for making near-flawless diamonds and plans to begin marketing them by year's end. This sudden arrival of mass-produced gems threatens to alter the public's perception of diamonds - and to transform the $7 billion industry. More intriguing, it opens the door to the development of diamond-based semiconductors.
Diamond, it turns out, is a geek's best friend. Not only is it the hardest substance known, it also has the highest thermal conductivity - tremendous heat can pass through it without causing damage. Today's speedy microprocessors run hot - at upwards of 200 degrees Fahrenheit. In fact, they can't go much faster without failing. Diamond microchips, on the other hand, could handle much higher temperatures, allowing them to run at speeds that would liquefy ordinary silicon. But manufacturers have been loath even to consider using the precious material, because it has never been possible to produce large diamond wafers affordably. With the arrival of Gemesis, the Florida-based company, and Apollo Diamond, in Boston, that is changing. Both startups plan to use the diamond jewelry business to finance their attempt to reshape the semiconducting world.
But first things first. Before anyone reinvents the chip industry, they'll have to prove they can produce large volumes of cheap diamonds. Beyond Gemesis and Apollo, one company is convinced there's something real here: De Beers Diamond Trading Company. The London-based cartel has monopolized the diamond business for 115 years, forcing out rivals by ruthlessly controlling supply. But the sudden appearance of multicarat, gem-quality synthetics has sent De Beers scrambling. Several years ago, it set up what it calls the Gem Defensive Programme - a none too subtle campaign to warn jewelers and the public about the arrival of manufactured diamonds. At no charge, the company is supplying gem labs with sophisticated machines designed to help distinguish man-made from mined stones.
Ian White
"I was in combat in Korea and 'Nam. You better believe that I can handle the diamond business," says Gemesis founder Carter Clarke, center. His lieutenants have 27 diamond-making machines up and running -- with 250 planned -- at this factory outside Sarasota, Florida
In its long history, De Beers has survived African insurrection, shrugged off American antitrust litigation, sidestepped criticism that it exploits third world workers, and contended with Australian, Siberian, and Canadian diamond discoveries. The firm has a huge advertising budget and a stranglehold on diamond distribution channels. But there's one thing De Beers doesn't have: retired brigadier general Carter Clarke.
Carter Clarke, 75, has been retired from the Army for nearly 30 years, but he never lost the air of command. When he walks into Gemesis - the company he founded in 1996 to make diamonds - the staff stands at attention to greet him. It just feels like the right thing to do. Particularly since "the General," as he's known, continually salutes them as if they were troops heading into battle. "I was in combat in Korea and 'Nam," he says after greeting me with a salute in the office lobby. "You better believe I can handle the diamond business."
Clarke slaps me hard on the back, and we set off on a tour of his new 30,000-square-foot factory, located in an industrial park outside Sarasota, Florida. The building is slated to house diamond-growing machines, which look like metallic medicine balls on life support. Twenty-seven machines are now up and running. Gemesis expects to add eight more every month, eventually installing 250 in this warehouse.
In other words, the General is preparing a first strike on the diamond business. "Right now, we only threaten the way De Beers wants the consumer to think of a diamond," he says, noting that his current monthly output doesn't even equal that of a small mine. "But imagine what happens when we fill this warehouse and then the one next door," he says with a grin. "Then I'll have myself a proper diamond mine."
Clarke didn't set out to become a gem baron. He stumbled into this during a 1995 trip to Moscow. His company at the time - Security Tag Systems - had pioneered those clunky antitheft devices attached to clothes at retail stores. Following up on a report about a Russian antitheft technology, Clarke came across Yuriy Semenov, who was in charge of the High Tech Bureau, a government initiative to sell Soviet-era military research to Western investors. Semenov had a better idea for the General: "How would you like to grow diamonds?"
Friday, January 25, 2008
Gold and Gold Alloys
Metals Are Used to Change the Color of Gold
Have you ever been confused by the terms white gold, green gold, and rose gold? All real gold is yellow, isn't it, so how do other colors fit in—are they imitations? They aren't imitations at at all--they are alloys, new metals that are created by combining two or more different metals.
Gold Alloys
Colored gold alloys are just as "real" as their golden colored counterparts. Pure gold is generally too soft to be used for jewelry, so other metals are nearly always added to it, no matter which color of gold is being prepped for jewelry making.
Chances are the ring on your finger is marked 18K, 14K, or 10K to indicate how much pure gold is present in the mix. The K stands for karat, the system used to state how much pure gold is found in an item.
Gold Karat Markings
24K gold is pure gold.
18K gold contains 18 parts gold and 6 parts of another metal(s), making it 75% gold.
14K gold contains 14 parts gold and 10 parts of another metal(s), making it 58.3% gold.
12K gold contains 12 parts gold and 12 parts of another metal(s), making it 50% gold.
10K gold contains 10 parts gold and 14 parts another metal(s), making it 41.7% gold.
Have you ever been confused by the terms white gold, green gold, and rose gold? All real gold is yellow, isn't it, so how do other colors fit in—are they imitations? They aren't imitations at at all--they are alloys, new metals that are created by combining two or more different metals.
Gold Alloys
Colored gold alloys are just as "real" as their golden colored counterparts. Pure gold is generally too soft to be used for jewelry, so other metals are nearly always added to it, no matter which color of gold is being prepped for jewelry making.
Chances are the ring on your finger is marked 18K, 14K, or 10K to indicate how much pure gold is present in the mix. The K stands for karat, the system used to state how much pure gold is found in an item.
Gold Karat Markings
24K gold is pure gold.
18K gold contains 18 parts gold and 6 parts of another metal(s), making it 75% gold.
14K gold contains 14 parts gold and 10 parts of another metal(s), making it 58.3% gold.
12K gold contains 12 parts gold and 12 parts of another metal(s), making it 50% gold.
10K gold contains 10 parts gold and 14 parts another metal(s), making it 41.7% gold.
Gold return
Platinum, white gold, and silver, also known as the white metals, have been growing in popularity over the past few years. In fact, platinum is so popular now for bridal related jewelry, even chain stores such as Service Merchandise now carry a line of platinum bridal sets. However, gold continues to be the bread and butter of your average fine jewelry store. So, though gold never really fell out of favor, it’s back in a big way. In fact, big and bold is the luxury look in gold jewelry. JCK refers to this look as retro since it is considered a return to the decadent 80s. (Yes, believe it or not, the 80s are now retro!)
After size, karats count as a trend in gold. JCK explains this trend is due to the affects of "multiculturalism" on jewelry designers who are being influenced by African, Indian, and Asian cultures where 22 to 24 karats are the norm. I found this particularly interesting since it seemed to take so long to see even 18 karat gold jewelry available in your average jewelry store. Can you imagine making jewelry using 22 karat gold wire? Yes, scary but so beautiful too!
After size, karats count as a trend in gold. JCK explains this trend is due to the affects of "multiculturalism" on jewelry designers who are being influenced by African, Indian, and Asian cultures where 22 to 24 karats are the norm. I found this particularly interesting since it seemed to take so long to see even 18 karat gold jewelry available in your average jewelry store. Can you imagine making jewelry using 22 karat gold wire? Yes, scary but so beautiful too!
How to Buy Gold Jewelry
How to Buy Gold Jewelry
by Carly Wickell
Understanding Gold Terminology
Gold jewelry never goes out of style, and for good reason, because gold is as wearer-friendly as it is beautiful. Pure gold doesn't react with other elements to create tarnish, the residue that accumulates on some metals before transferring to your skin as a stain. Sometimes people have allergy or staining problems with metals that are combined with gold, but the gold itself is rarely a problem.
Gold can be worked into nearly any shape, from tiny strands that do not break easily to very thin sheets. One ounce of gold can even be hammered into an ultra thin sheet that's ten feet square. Gold can be manipulated nearly any way the artisan desires.
How Pure Is Your Gold Jewelry?
Chances are the ring on your finger is marked 18K, 14K, or 10K, with the K standing for karat, the system used to describe the percentage of pure gold an item contains. The higher the karat number, the higher the percentage of gold in your gold jewelry.
24K gold is pure gold.
18K gold contains 18 parts gold and 6 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 75% gold.
14K gold contains 14 parts gold and 10 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 58.3% gold.
12K gold contains 12 parts gold and 12 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 50% gold.
10K gold contains 10 parts gold and 14 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 41.7% gold. 10K gold is the minimum karat that can be called "gold" in the United States.
European Markings
European gold jewelry is marked with numbers that indicate their percentage of gold, such as:
18K gold is marked 750 to indicate 75% gold
14K gold is marked 585 for 58.5%
12K gold is marked 417 for 41.7%
Other Markings on Gold Jewelry
The karat marking on your gold jewelry should be accompanied by a hallmark or trademark that identifies its maker. The item's country of origin might also be included.
Why Are Other Metals Mixed With Gold?
You'll find examples of pure gold jewelry, but pure gold is soft and isn't practical for daily wear. Other metals are mixed with it to make it more durable (and to lower its cost).
Adding other metals to the mix also allows metallurgists to change the color of gold. Palladium or nickel can be added to create white gold. Adding copper produces a rose or pink tint, while silver gives gold a greenish cast.
When metals are added to the gold the result is an alloy, a blended mixture of the metals that you can think of as a very expensive cake batter. Solid gold is a term that can be used to describe an item that's at least 10K (in the US) gold all the way through. Even though it's a gold alloy--18K, 14K, or anything down to 10K--it can be called solid gold.
When Gold Is Used as a Coating
There are many ways to mechanically apply a coating of gold onto a much less expensive metal, reducing the item's cost. The thicker the layer of gold, the less likely it is to wear away easily and expose the metal underneath.
Gold Filled Jewelry
Newer gold filled items have markings that indicate how much and what type of gold was used for the layer. A marking that says 1/20 12K G.F. means that the jewelry is at least 1/20th 12K gold by weight.
Gold Plated Jewelry
The gold layer in gold plated jewelry is typically thinner than the gold in gold filled jewelry, so it usually wears away more quickly. Plating is done in different ways.
You might see terms such as gold washed used to describe a very thin layer of gold--one that won't be very durable.
So What Should You Buy?
Solid gold is durable, so it is a better choice for jewelry you'll wear regularly. If you have allergies to nickel or other metals, choose items that have high gold content, such as 18K or 22K gold jewelry.
Gold filled or plated jewelry is suitable for jewelry that you wear occasionally. Everyday use would eventually diminish the gold layer, exposing the metal below, which might stain your skin or cause an allergic reaction.
For pieces that will last a lifetime and beyond, buy the highest quality gold your budget allows.
More About Gold Jewelry
by Carly Wickell
Understanding Gold Terminology
Gold jewelry never goes out of style, and for good reason, because gold is as wearer-friendly as it is beautiful. Pure gold doesn't react with other elements to create tarnish, the residue that accumulates on some metals before transferring to your skin as a stain. Sometimes people have allergy or staining problems with metals that are combined with gold, but the gold itself is rarely a problem.
Gold can be worked into nearly any shape, from tiny strands that do not break easily to very thin sheets. One ounce of gold can even be hammered into an ultra thin sheet that's ten feet square. Gold can be manipulated nearly any way the artisan desires.
How Pure Is Your Gold Jewelry?
Chances are the ring on your finger is marked 18K, 14K, or 10K, with the K standing for karat, the system used to describe the percentage of pure gold an item contains. The higher the karat number, the higher the percentage of gold in your gold jewelry.
24K gold is pure gold.
18K gold contains 18 parts gold and 6 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 75% gold.
14K gold contains 14 parts gold and 10 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 58.3% gold.
12K gold contains 12 parts gold and 12 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 50% gold.
10K gold contains 10 parts gold and 14 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 41.7% gold. 10K gold is the minimum karat that can be called "gold" in the United States.
European Markings
European gold jewelry is marked with numbers that indicate their percentage of gold, such as:
18K gold is marked 750 to indicate 75% gold
14K gold is marked 585 for 58.5%
12K gold is marked 417 for 41.7%
Other Markings on Gold Jewelry
The karat marking on your gold jewelry should be accompanied by a hallmark or trademark that identifies its maker. The item's country of origin might also be included.
Why Are Other Metals Mixed With Gold?
You'll find examples of pure gold jewelry, but pure gold is soft and isn't practical for daily wear. Other metals are mixed with it to make it more durable (and to lower its cost).
Adding other metals to the mix also allows metallurgists to change the color of gold. Palladium or nickel can be added to create white gold. Adding copper produces a rose or pink tint, while silver gives gold a greenish cast.
When metals are added to the gold the result is an alloy, a blended mixture of the metals that you can think of as a very expensive cake batter. Solid gold is a term that can be used to describe an item that's at least 10K (in the US) gold all the way through. Even though it's a gold alloy--18K, 14K, or anything down to 10K--it can be called solid gold.
When Gold Is Used as a Coating
There are many ways to mechanically apply a coating of gold onto a much less expensive metal, reducing the item's cost. The thicker the layer of gold, the less likely it is to wear away easily and expose the metal underneath.
Gold Filled Jewelry
Newer gold filled items have markings that indicate how much and what type of gold was used for the layer. A marking that says 1/20 12K G.F. means that the jewelry is at least 1/20th 12K gold by weight.
Gold Plated Jewelry
The gold layer in gold plated jewelry is typically thinner than the gold in gold filled jewelry, so it usually wears away more quickly. Plating is done in different ways.
You might see terms such as gold washed used to describe a very thin layer of gold--one that won't be very durable.
So What Should You Buy?
Solid gold is durable, so it is a better choice for jewelry you'll wear regularly. If you have allergies to nickel or other metals, choose items that have high gold content, such as 18K or 22K gold jewelry.
Gold filled or plated jewelry is suitable for jewelry that you wear occasionally. Everyday use would eventually diminish the gold layer, exposing the metal below, which might stain your skin or cause an allergic reaction.
For pieces that will last a lifetime and beyond, buy the highest quality gold your budget allows.
More About Gold Jewelry
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