No two diamonds are the same and will vary significantly in value. In addition to various sizes, shapes, and colors, diamonds will have internal characteristics that set them apart from others. Any diamond that is polished has value, some much more than others, but what makes some more valuable? The value is based on several factors. Rarity is one that comes into play and can make a big difference in the price. However, rarity is a hard thing to measure precisely. Certain qualities such as size and particularly color can make a diamond rarer. Professional diamond graders judge a diamond's...

The oldest record of wedding rings being used was about 4800 years ago in ancient Egypt. Various plants such as grasses, reeds, rushes, and sedges, would be twisted and braided into rings for fingers and other decorative ornaments. More permanent materials, such as leather, bone, and ivory, were later used. The Romans adopted this tradition but with a somewhat more chauvinistic purpose than a symbol of love. A woman was given a ring as a claim of ownership. Roman wedding rings were later made of iron and called "Annulus Pronubus," symbolizing strength and permanence. The Romans were also one of...

Humans have been fascinated with gemstones for thousands of years. They are among the rarest and most desirable minerals on the Earth. Throughout history, gems play essential roles in economics, politics, religion, law, and fashion. We collect and possess gems for many reasons: to adorn ourselves, for our surroundings, to demonstrate wealth, as investments, or to benefit from their supposed healing properties. Gemmologists, those trained in the science of gem materials, are like detectives. They identify gemstones and determine their nature, whether they are natural, treated, or synthetic. Of all the gemstones, a diamond's properties are unique and among the...

All diamonds are not created equal One thing that makes diamonds so exceptional and the need for a grading system is that each diamond is unique. They have different sizes, shapes, colors, and internal characteristics. Any polished diamond has value, some more than others, a lot more! But what makes some more valuable than others? The value is based on several factors. Rarity is one that comes into play and can make a big difference in the price. However, rarity is difficult to measure. Certain qualities, such as size, and particularly color, can make a diamond rare. What can be...

The Sweat of the Sun In Mexico for the Mesoamerican culture, gold was extremely valuable. The Aztecs believed that gold was the sweat of the sun. They thought they could actually pick up pieces of the sweat of the sun. Gold had strong spiritual significance because the God of Sun was a very important component of their culture. With gold's beautiful properties, it's shiny and yellow, it was only natural to assign its origins to the Sun. What is really amazing is we now know that gold, like most heavy metals, is forged by stars through nuclear fusion. One Astro...