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How To Pick a Diamond – The Experts at R&J Jewelry and Loan

07 Nov 2022
R&J
Diamonds, Gold, Jewelry, Loans, Pawn
Comments Off on How To Pick a Diamond – The Experts at R&J Jewelry and Loan

November and December are great months to consider buying diamonds, diamond engagement rings, princess cut diamonds, round diamonds, brilliant cut diamonds, or a diamond that suits your personal preference.

Understanding how to choose a diamond is important, so you get the best quality for your money.

GIA – Gemological Institute of America – A GIA Report

The Gemological Institue of America was established as a non-profit insitutute, in 1931, as the world’s foremost authority on diamonds, colored stones, and pearls. GIA is the leading source of knowledge, standards, and education in gems and jewelry.

A GIA report is a full scientific assessment of your diamonds, colored stones, and pearls. It is unbiased and when a diamond is evaluated it uses the 4Cs to test and document the quality of your diamonds. It also documents if a diamond was subjected to treatments.

The report is not an appraisal. It is completed to assure you that your gemstone is a quality stone. If you have a lab treated stone, the report will provide a clear disclosure if the material. You will know if the precious stone is laboratory-grown or if it has been treated to enhance or alter its appearance. The report improves confidence and assurance that what you are buying or what you own is genuine and is what it is.

A GIA certified diamond is worth more than a diamond with an appraisal from a jewelry store.

Every diamond is unique and has its own characteristics. The GIA report is an official report and describes the exact details of the diamond it is reporting about. The report provides assurance and also makes it easier to recover a diamond if it is stolen or lost. A GIA report is assigned its own serial number.

Another diamond evaluation organization is the American Gem Society (AGS). This agency assess a stone’s quality by reviewing the 4Cs and provide a certification report.

What Are the 4Cs?

GIA created the first-globally accepted standard for describing diamonds. The standards are based on the Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat Weight of the diamond. This basic knowledge assures you understand the quality of a diamond.

Each of the individual 4Cs of diamonds may interact with one another to impact a stone’s overall appearance. For example, a well cut diamond can appear larger due to increased light reflection.

1. Diamond Color Actually Means Lack of Color

The diamond color is the lack of color. A diamond with no color, like a drop of water, is valued higher than a diamond with some color. A diamond color that falls under a D-Z scale, with D being completely colorless and Z having a light yellow hue, the diamond quality falls within the D-J color grade.

Strong fluorescence can alter the appearance of a diamond’s color sometimes causing the diamond to appear milky or oily.

All diamonds are evaluated, from D (diamonds with no color) to Z (diamond with color). A diamond expert, under controlled lighting, compares the diamond to “master-stones” to determine the absence of color, and gives the diamond a rating. Because the standards are global, jewelry store, jewelers, and GIA experts all use the same standard to describe the diamond.

2. Diamond Clarity

Diamond Clarity refers to the absence of “inclusions” (substances, spots, etc. included in the structure of the diamond) and “blemishes” (external characteristics).

Diamonds are created under pressure and heat, and they have both inside and external characteristics that need to be evaluated by size, nature, position, and relief.

The purer a diamond is, the better the Clarity. Diamonds are evaluated based on a standardized clarity grade. No two diamonds are the same.

Clarity is appraised after looking at the diamond under powerful magnification, and then determining what inside characteristics it has (inclusions) and the following ratings are given:

• Slightly Included (SI1 and SI2) Inclusions are noticeable under 10x magnification

• Included (I1, I2, and I3) Inclusions are obvious under 10x magnification, which may affect transparency and brilliance.

Then a Diamond Clarity Scale is used to give the diamond an overall clarity rating. The diamond’s appearance is affected by the setting too.

3. Understanding Diamond Cuts

Knowing how your diamond is cut is essential in knowing your diamond and its value and ability to transmit light and sparkle. A quality cut can make a diamond appear larger due to the light performance of the diamond.

There are diamonds cut round cut diamonds, heart-shaped diamonds, oval, marquise, and pear. There are brilliant cut diamonds, square cut, princess cut diamonds, and fancy shape diamonds.

A skilled gem cutter will know exactly how to cut a diamond, so it interacts with the light to enhance its beauty and value. The way a diamond is cut, and the cut quality will affect its brightness, fire, and scintillation.

Brightness: Internal and external white light reflected from a diamond.
Fire: The scattering of white light into all the colors of the rainbow.
Scintillation: The amount of sparkle a diamond produces, and the pattern of light and dark areas caused by reflections within the diamond.
It is important to understand that the color, clarity, and cut of a diamond work in tandum to create the stone’s quality and appearance.
Fancy shapes like princess cut diamonds feature an angular, contemporary beauty that looks gorgeous in classic and geometric settings. They are second in popularity compared to round brilliant diamonds and are at a lower price.

4. Carat weight

By using 200 milligrams as a “carat”, the weight of your diamond can be given within a hundredth decimal place.

Larger carat diamond are extremely rare, and thus more valuable and desirable it is. The carat size impacts value.

Remember that the value of a diamond is not only its weight, but also its color, clarity, and cut.

Thorough evaluation is necessary when appraising jewelry. A GIA report is not an appraisal.

How to Chose a Diamond

Buying a diamond doesn’t have to be a mustry. The experience of shopping for diamonds can be a fun and satisfying experience. Finding a good quality diamond starts with understanding the 4Cs described above.

Budget

Setting a clear budget to refer to when shopping for the highest quality diamond is essential. There are diamond online shops, lab created diamonds sold in both jewelry stores and online, and pawn shops that sell diamonds. To save money, a diamond with strong fluorescent may be discounted. When you are shopping for a diamond on a smaller budget, the lower end of the clarity scale, as long as there are no visible inclusions may save you money.

Color and clarity, and cut grades will affect cost. You should not see any imperfections visible to the naked eye if you choose a diamond that SI1 and up. To get the most out of your diamond for less, find a balance between color and clarity.

Knowing how much money you have to spend will help you shop within your means rather you are buying online or instore.

Personal Choice Regarding a Diamond’s Beauty

Understanding the 4Cs, staying within a budget, and finding the right diamond with the best combination of cut, color, clarity, and carat for that specific stone shape or jewelry setting like an engagement ring will impact your choice.

It is time to choose a diamond to fit a pair of earrings, an engagement ring, or a necklace.

You may want to pick a solitare setting for an engagement ring that maximizes the diamond cut, but is a smaller carat weight stone to save you money and meet your budget. If carat size is your biggest focus, you may choose a stone with less clarity or a different shape.

Choosing the perfect diamond is up to you.

Lab Created Diamonds

Lab created diamonds have grown in popularity. They are diamonds have been gaining popularity. They are created with high-pressure and heat that uses machines to mimic the process natural diamonds were made under.

Physically and optically, lab diamonds and natural diamonds are the same. Natural diamonds have trace amounts of nitrogen and boron. Natural diamonds could have a yellow or blue tinge. Natural diamonds could have microscopic particles and the shape may be different

A lab created diamond is less expensive than a comparable natural diamond, making lab created diamonds ore affordable.

A disadvantage of a lab created diamond is they don’t hold their resale value as well as a natural diamond. If you want to have diamonds for investments or to upgrade or sell in the future, lab created do have disadvantages.

The quality of lab created diamonds is higher than naturally produced since they are created under controlled conditions. They are typically brighter and whiter.

Lab created diamonds have a clear history and traceable source. Natural diamonds come from mining conditions that impact the people and countries they are mined in. Naturally mined diamonds cause a great amount of environmental impact.

There are certified lab grown diamonds evaluated by a geological laboratory to become a certified diamond. When buying a diamond, make sure it is certified if you want to ensure the diamond’s quality.

Shopping for a Diamond at a Repulatable Pawn Shop Like R&J Jewelry and Loan

R&J Jewelry and Loan is a trusted diamond store. As you look around for loose diamonds and engagement rings that are discounted for the holiday season, make sure you shop at R&J Jewelery and Loan.

The shop is San Jose’s professional diamond pawn shop. With four decades of experience they are a trusted, family owned and operated pawn shop in the area. They offer an honest and transparent diamond appraisal process.

They use the 4Cs to evaluate each diamond that comes into the store. They ask these questions:

Carat: How much does your diamond weigh?
Color: Does your diamond have a color?
Clarity: Can we see any flaws in your diamond?
Cut: How well does your diamond reflect light?

Looking at a diamond closely will tell you the diamond’s quality. The cut is one of the most important factors, because the cut will make the color and clarity imperfections less noticeable. A well cut diamond looks brighter. A round brilliant diamond hides color incredibly well. Longer diamond shapes, like oval and radiant, reveal color much easier.

When you are doing your diamond shopping ask to look through the jewelers loop to evaluate the diamond before you buy it. Look closely at the diamond to see if there are noticeable blemishes.

Ask if there is a GIA certification report, to see if the diamonds you are looking at are graded.

R&J Jewelry and Loan currently has a cluster diamond engagement ring with round diamonds. This ring is gorgeous and represents the quality jewelry they carry. If you are in the market for a pear shaped diamond ring or a diamond pendant, they have several options. They have a beautiful ring with a large diamond center stone.

The store also offers diamond pawn services. When it comes to looking for a pawn shop for your diamonds, R & J Jewelry stands out in the area by offering a fair and honest appraisal for their customers.

They pay top dollar for 1-carat diamonds and larger and pay premium prices for GIA and EGL certified stones. With a GIA trained gemologist withhttps://www.randjjewelry.com/ many years of experience, you can rest easy knowing you’re receiving a fair, competitive offer when you’re looking to sell jewelry. They ensure you can instantly exchange your jewelry and receive cash on the spot.

It’s Shopping Time – Where Are Quality Luxury Pre Owned Watches?

17 Oct 2022
R&J
Audemars Piguet, Fine Watches, Hublot, IWC, Loans, Luxury Watches, Patek Philippe, Pawn, Richard Mille, Rolex, Vacheron Constantin
Comments Off on It’s Shopping Time – Where Are Quality Luxury Pre Owned Watches?

Have you been searching for a dream watch? A Rolex, an IWC, a Patek Philippe, an Audemars Piguet, an Omega watch, a Cartier watch, one of the Panerai watches, a Breitling, a limited edition luxury watch, a chronograph watch, or one of the other top brands?

Owning one of the luxury timepieces creates a feeling of awe, knowing you own a watch crafted with superior standards and premium materials, made by one of the Swiss trained watchmakers, or by a company considered a luxury watch brand.

Giving a special someone the gift of a luxury watch is as invigorating. The holidays are fast approaching, and it is time to start looking for those luxury gifts at an affordable price.

Shopping for pre owned luxury watches has its pros and cons.

Pre-owned watches are a great way to add to someone’s or your own watch collection, or to give as a gift. Before the purchase, you want to consider the pros and cons of buying pre-owned.

Pros of a purchasing Pre-Owned Watch

First, pre-owned luxury watches are considerably cheaper than new luxury watches. Some pre-owned watches will cost half the cost of a new model.

Second, sometimes finding a new luxury watch or a new limited edition watch is difficult. Buying pre-owned will open up various available luxury watches. There is a large secondary market for buying and selling watches. There is a large market for used vs. new watches.

Third, pre-owned watch models are popular and stylish. A pre-owned Rolex taken care of and in good condition fits the bill of a dream watch. Watches are difficult to keep in new condition. Just wearing a watch a few times will result in a scratch, which means the value is now dropped. Finding a pre owned watch is easier than finding a new one, and shopping online or at a pawn shop is a great way to discover what is available.

Fourth, luxury watches are durable, and a pre-owned watch has the potential to have many years of keeping time.

Fifth, some pre-owned timepieces are iconic and have intricate complications not found in new watches. Luxury watches don’t diminish in style or the craftsmanship they stand for. Owning and wearing pre owned iconic timepieces will create a feeling of confidence.

Cons of purchasing a Pre-Owned Watch

First, some pre-owned luxury watches show scratches or obvious signs of wear. Most pre-owned luxury watches have scratches or small dents. The wear lowers their value and makes them affordable, but may be unappealing to the purchaser. Buying brand new with no blemishes comes at a price.

Second, pre-owned luxury watches may need servicing. A new watch needs very little servicing, because it hasn’t been used. The internal moving parts on a pre owned Rolex or other watch have been used often, and this means the watch may need to be serviced.

Third, pre-owned watches, depending on how they were cared for and how old they are, may be less reliable than a new luxury watch. Since pre owned watches have been worn, they may be less reliable and have accuracy problems. They have the potential to “break down” sooner than a new watch.

Fourth, most of the time, a pre-owned watch no longer has a manufacturer’s warranty. Most luxury watches when purchased new have a warranty. Warranties are important for watches as a protection against defects. Buying pre owned doesn’t guarantee a warranty.

Authentication

When you buy a pre owned watch from an online store, individual, off the Marketplace, from eBay, or from a pawn shop, ensure the seller knows the authenticity of the watch. Nothing would be more disappointing than spending the money on a watch, even if it is on sale or at an affordable retail price, to later discover it is fake. This would be particularly true if you were giving the watch as a gift.

Prices set too low may indicate the watch is not a genuine luxury watch brand. It is the buyers responsibility to understand what they are buying. When you buy from an individual, it may be difficult to tell if the watch is authentic, unless you know enough about the watch brand to ask the right questions or look for the tell tale signs of a luxury watch.

Some collectors find buying online safe and appreciate the efforts made to authenticate watches before the watch goes into inventory.

Pawn shops have a team of experts who will take the time to ensure that each Patek Philippe, Rolex, Cartier, Omega watch or other name brand watches they bring into their stores are authentic. It would be poor business to sell fake watches, and customers wouldn’t return. If they did a pawn loan using the watch as collateral, it wouldn’t be financially smart to loan a large amount of money on a fake watch. So they make sure what they bring in and sell is authentic.

R&J Jewelry and Loan

Since 1978, R&J Jewelry and Loan has provided personalized services to the residents of San Jose, CA. They have a large jewelry selection and affordable prices. If you need to sell or pawn a luxury item, like a luxury watch, designer purse, gold or fine jewelry, diamonds, or other items, they make fair and reasonable offers.

R&J Jewelry and Loan are watch enthusiasts. They know watches. They believe a watch is more than just an instrument for telling time. It says something about its owner without saying a word. Some people consider their watch a piece of art, a way to express themselves and represent their place in society. Others simply need a way to know what time it is, and prefer a rugged utility piece.

They understand that giving a luxury watch as a gift for the holidays is an incredibly genuine gesture. Whoever you are and whatever your needs, they are available to help. If you are looking to pawn or sell your watch, they can help.

Can You Find Diamonds At Pawn Shops?

19 Sep 2022
R&J
Diamonds, Jewelry, Loans, Pawn
Comments Off on Can You Find Diamonds At Pawn Shops?

Have You Considered Shopping At A Pawn Shop?

Pawn shops often have many new and gently worn fine jewelry items for sale. This includes diamond jewelry and loose diamonds. Pawn shops have engagement rings, wedding rings, diamond rings, and high end jewelry at a lower price than shopping at a jewelry store.

Pawn shops might accept jewelry as collateral for a short-term loan, or purchase the item outright, and then decide to sell it as part of their inventory. A pawn shop who offers a short-term loan for Blue Nile Diamond may then need to sell the diamond for the best deal, because the borrower decided not to pay off the loan. If the loan defaults, the collateral item is retained and placed on the sales floor to recuperate costs associated with the original loan.

Authentication and Testing Ensures the Perfect Diamond Ring

Pawnshops have authentication and valuation tools necessary to ensure that the value of the jewelry item, like a diamond they bring in, is genuine. Pawnshops would have difficulty staying in business if they bought and loaned against items that weren’t appraised correctly. An accurate appraisal before an exchange is made is good business.

As with most gems, a larger diamond will cost more and have a greater value. If you are looking for an engagement ring with a large diamond, a local pawn shop may have exactly what you are looking for. Or have a large loose diamond you can have designed into a wedding ring for a good deal.

Diamonds, diamond engagement rings, wedding rings with diamonds, and other diamond jewelry

Diamonds are appraised according to the 4c, cut, clarity, carat, and color

Diamond Color Actually Means Lack of Color

A diamond with no color, like a drop of water, is valued higher than a diamond with some color. All diamonds are evaluated, from D (diamonds with no color) to Z (diamond with color). A diamond expert, under controlled lighting, compares the diamond to “master-stones” to determine the absence of color, and gives the diamond a rating.

2. Diamond Clarity

Diamond Clarity refers to the absence of “inclusions” (substances, spots, etc. included in the structure of the diamond) and “blemishes” (external characteristics).

Diamonds are created under pressure and heat, and therefore have both inside and external characteristics that need to be evaluated by size, nature, position, and relief. How do they affect the appearance of the diamond?

The purer a diamond is, the better the Clarity.

Clarity is appraised after looking at the diamond under powerful magnification, and then determining what inside characteristics it has (inclusions) and the following ratings are given:

• Slightly Included (SI1 and SI2) Inclusions are noticeable under 10x magnification

• Included (I1, I2, and I3) Inclusions are obvious under 10x magnification, which may affect transparency and brilliance.

Then a Diamond Clarity Scale is used to give the diamond an overall clarity rating.

3. Understanding Diamond Cuts

Knowing how your diamond is cut is essential in knowing your diamond and its value and ability to transmit light and sparkle.

There are diamonds cut round, heart-shaped, oval, marquise, and pear. A skilled gem cutter will know exactly how to cut a diamond, so it interacts with the light to enhance its beauty and value. The way a diamond is cut will affect its brightness, fire, and scintillation.

Brightness: Internal and external white light reflected from a diamond.
Fire: The scattering of white light into all the colors of the rainbow.
Scintillation: The amount of sparkle a diamond produces, and the pattern of light and dark areas caused by reflections within the diamond.

4. Carat weight

By using 200 milligrams as a “carat”, the weight of your diamond can be given within a hundredth decimal place.

Larger diamonds are rarer, and thus more valuable and desirable. Remember that the value of a diamond is not only its weight, but also its color, clarity, and cut.

A Diamond symbolizes something.

An engagement, the birth of a child, the generational love shared in a family, or maybe the pride felt at college graduation. A diamond represents an event, something special in the heart of the giver and receiver. With each sparkle, cut, and detail, a diamond tells a story, and the woman wearing the diamond is in as much love with the story behind the diamond as the diamond itself.

A Diamond is beautiful, sparkly, and has more detail than the naked eye can see.

There is no other piece of the precious gem that presents itself entirely as a diamond. Even if it is a perfect stone, no other gemstone carries itself like a diamond. Something is mesmerizing about the sparkle of a diamond that says it withstood the pressure of time, is hardy, and will remain forever.

A Diamond represents a woman’s personality.

Women need big diamonds.

The diamond shape, diamond color, diamond cut, and diamond setting make a statement about the wearer, and what that person stands for. A diamond can be made into any jewelry. They can be used in earrings, engagement rings, everyday diamond rings, diamond tennis bracelets, and diamond pendants, each making a statement about the wearer. A diamond can vary in size, shape, color, cut, and clarity, giving options in style and setting and in what they want.

A Diamond is the best, and the giver gave the best.

Diamonds are forever, and the story around the diamond lasts a lifetime. Grandmothers will pass down diamond jewelry like an engagement ring and tell stories about how the diamond came to be, and why the diamond’s size nicely presented in a round cut was given to her.

Like most couples, diamond engagement rings come with a story and a sense of awe behind the storyteller’s eyes. Grandmothers will tell stories about how the diamond ring was purchased and what jeweler it came from. She will tell tales of how she and Grandpa couldn’t decide which ring to get because a larger diamond was available, but she just wanted the one she got. A diamond is a gemstone with a story, the best story.

A Diamond is unique.

Each diamond was formed under pressure over time, and each diamond is unique. Diamonds are valued on the 4cs, clarity, cut, carat, and color. A diamond has a clarity factor, which can be affected by inclusions and minor flaws within the diamond. A diamond has a crystal clear color to yellow or other shades. The more absence of color, the higher the grade. A diamond has a cut, and how it is cut reflects the sparkle of the diamond and how the diamond makes a statement. A diamond has a size or carat weight. The bigger the diamond, the more money it costs. Each diamond is unique and not like another.

A Diamond gives a sense of confidence.

Maybe the diamond itself doesn’t build confidence, but the woman wearing it will say they feel pretty. Wearing a diamond is the ultimate fashion statement, and wearing a diamond boosts the ego and spirit of the wearer.

Shopping at a Pawn Shop

If you are shopping for a diamond ring from a pawn shop, you have made a great decision. Pawn shops have been in business for over 3000 years. They were once viewed as sleazy, dark places that engaged in illegal business.

Pawn shops have a business model that meets their state’s regulations. Before they can buy jewelry, buy, sell or pawning luxury items, or provide a financial alternative for customers, they must have a plan to meet their state’s laws.

When they open and engage in business, they must keep a legitimate record of all transactions. As part of the business model, they provide customers with a pawn ticket and require a state issued ID.

To reassure yourself about your local pawn shop, read online reviews about the shop. Talk with a knowledgeable friend about the shop if they have done business with the shop before.

R&J Jewelry and Loan, Your Pawn Shop in San Jose, CA

R&J Jewelry and Loan is a family owned and operated pawn shop since 1978. They have built their reputation on personalized services and their extensive jewelry selection in various price ranges.

Licensed in the State of California and part of CAPA (California Pawnbrokers Association), they are a highly reputable pawn shop.

As diamond buyers, they buy diamonds and pay higher prices for GIA (Gemological Institute of America) and EGL Certified Stones. Paying top dollar for 1ct. and larger. They have GIA trained gemologists to properly evaluate your diamond to ensure you are getting a fair offer.

Most jewelry stores mark up their prices. The prices at R&J Jewelry and Loan are based on market price and affordable. There is always a good deal at the shop.

If you need quick cash, it is a good idea to visit the store and see what offer they will make on your gold, diamond, and luxury items. They can help you get quick money.

R&J Jewlery and Loan strives to set themselves apart from other pawn shops by offering real money for your personal items. Fair and reasonable offers are how they do business. At R & J Jewelry & Loan, they will buy your items or give you a cash loan to get you through the rough times.