A diamond certificate or diamond grading report is an evaluation of your diamond’s characteristics.  Gemologists have created diamond grading laboratories to provide third party evaluations of diamonds.  Gemologists utilize modern technical tools to determine a diamond’s characteristics.  Many diamond grading laboratories utilize several independent gemologists’ evaluations of a diamond and compare them before the certificate is complete. We recommend that, when comparing prices for diamonds of similar qualities, you consider all the characteristics mentioned on a diamond certificate in order to make a sound decision. This way, you can be sure that you are looking at comparable diamonds. Visit our education page or call us with any questions or concerns you may have!

A couple weeks ago we brought you a few basketball proposals gone way wrong. Today, we bring you a few football game proposals gone way right. And don’t forget you can always post your own proposal stories on DesertBrilliance.com.

And just in case you had your heart set on proposing at a basketball game, here is one video that will hopefully get your courage back up.

For years anti-government rebel movements in many African countries have financially supported their wars by the sale and trade of rough diamonds commonly referred to as “conflict” or “blood” diamonds. This lucrative business expanded exponentially reaching its peak in the late 1990’s when an estimated 20% of all diamonds on the market originated from a conflicted source. In the year 2002 the Kimberly Process was formed in order to promote and maintain the legitimacy of the diamond trade and combat the rising sale of conflict stones. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) is a multi-government effort which now involves over 74 countries world-wide. The KPCS requires that all shipments of diamonds be certified as “conflict free” guaranteeing that the proceeds do not go towards the funding of violence. Since its inception and enforcement the amount of conflict diamonds in the market is estimated to be less than 1%. The legal and humane sale of diamonds in Africa has increased dramatically and continues to fund developing nations and provide the means for further stability.

Desert Brilliance proudly guarantees all diamonds to be conflict free. We are a proud supporter of the Kimberly Process and the legal diamond trade.

In case you were wondering, size does matter, at least in the diamond industry.  Besides the shape of a diamond, carat weight is by far the most important diamond characteristic to most women.  Gold and platinum are weighed in grams.  Diamonds are weighed in carats.  The bigger the diamond, the rarer it is, and therefore, the more expensive it is.  However, carat weight does not necessarily denote a diamond’s proportions. It is important to pay attention not only to the carat weight of a diamond but its physical diameter as well.  The diameter of your diamond can be found toward the top of the diamond certificate. Remember to always educate yourself on each characteristic of a diamond before you buy. This will help you make the best possible purchase for the one you love!

One of our favorite features on our website is our proposal stories section where we always keep a few proposal stories to give you some ideas.

However, based on these two videos, we strongly recommend you avoid proposing at a basketball game.  Something about a basketball court that just seems to give potential brides a case of seriously cold feet.

Enjoy!!!!!

Yes and no. White gold is an alloy, or a mixture, of gold and other white metals, such as nickel, silver, or palladium. The higher the karat weight (i.e., 14k vs. 18k), the higher the quantity of gold, which is why true 18k white gold is actually more of a gold color than true 14k white gold, which is whiter than 18k white gold.

I say “true” 18k and 14k white gold because most white gold sold in the jewelry industry today is plated with rhodium electroplating. Rhodium is a precious metal that is a member of the platinum family and is much harder than true white gold. Rhodium also resists scratches and wear much better than gold and it gives a white, shiny appearance.  However, because white gold is only plated with rhodium, the rhodium will eventually wear away and will need to be re-plated.  At Desert Brilliance, we offer free rhodium re-plating for your lifetime, so that you can always keep your jewelry looking as brilliant as the day you bought it.

When I look back at the purchase of my wife’s diamond ring, I realize the mistakes I made during the purchase process. I was so focused on the price, size and shape that I did not bother to look at the other characteristics of the diamond. Education is extremely important when buying a diamond ring. I now see how my wife’s ring lacks the fire and brilliance that make a diamond truly beautiful. The nice sales lady must have recognized my ignorance while trying so hard to keep the sale in my budget and on her commission, that she did not allow me to make an educated decision, but rather an affordable one!  Never make that mistake! At Desert Brilliance, we pride ourselves in education and encourage all of our customers to view and research all aspects of their ring before making the big purchase. Visit our diamond education page and then compare our prices to others. We promise to bring you the best value possible and will answer any questions you may have during your purchase process.

The clarity grade is assigned based on the overall appearance of the diamond under 10x magnification (ten times the sight of a human eye). The number, size, color, location, orientation, and visibility of inclusions all affect the clarity grade of a diamond. Therefore, it is possible that you may prefer a clarity grade of lesser quality in some cases because the type or location of the inclusion does not suit you. For example, when comparing a VS2 clarity diamond that has one tiny black carbon spot underneath the table and is visible to the naked eye to an SI1 clarity diamond that has several clear inclusions that are located in the crown of the diamond but are not visible to the naked eye, a consumer may prefer to opt with the SI1 clarity diamond. Please refer to the inclusion plot on a diamond’s certificate to further assist you with identifying the clarity grade that is best for you.

Deciding on the cut (or proportions) of a diamond is sort of like buying a house.  Some people want the biggest house they can buy and don’t mind if it is a little empty inside without much decoration because they got a big house.  Other people though would rather buy a bit smaller house and save some money so that they can afford to furnish it nicely.

In the diamond world, the size of a diamond is sometimes overemphasized.  For some people, it is the most important characteristic.  But, if you’re looking for that eye-catching bling–the type of bling where your ring will sparkle from across a room–you should focus more on the diamond’s cut than size.   It is the cut that determines how much light is captured and then reflected back out of your diamond, which bears a direct relationship to the bling (or sparkle) of your diamond.  You can learn more about cut on our Diamond Education page.

You work hard for your money so why settle for less than a carefully chosen diamond for the woman of your dreams. At Desert Brilliance, we carry only the finest quality diamonds and jewelry. We use an extremely selective process when choosing our inventory. Only those diamonds that meet our rigorous standards of quality and brilliance are available for purchase. Other jewelers will charge a substantial premium for diamonds that meet our standards. At Desert Brilliance we don’t charge extra for quality, so you can have the assurance that you are buying the best quality diamond at the lowest price available anywhere.

Have you ever wondered how diamond color affects the purchase price and quality of your ring. The color of a diamond is an important factor when choosing a diamond that is right for your budget.  When mined from the ground in their rough form, diamonds can vary in practically every shade of the rainbow.  White diamonds are graded for various shades of white ranging from D to Z.  D-colored diamonds are the rarest and most sought after.  N – Z color diamonds are the least expensive.  

At desertbrilliance.com we carry only high quality diamonds at significantly lower costs when compared correctly to the average diamond outlet. We encourage our customers to educate themselves on diamond characteristics prior to purchasing any diamond. We also allow our customers to pick the diamond they want rather than submitting a range request filled by the seller themselves. When this occurs you will most likely get the lesser valued diamond for a higher price increasing profit margin for that company. We encourage you to visit our Diamond Education page for more information about diamonds and assistance in purchasing a high quality diamond at an affordable price.

The three main benefits of buying a diamond engagement ring online are selection, convenience and, most importantly, price.

The typical jewelry retailer, such as mall jewelry stores, are limited in their jewelry inventory based on their limited space.  And most of these jewelry stores don’t actually have a jeweler on staff, so if you want anything other than stock items shown in their display case, you often have to wait four to six weeks or more to get what you want.  Online jewelers on the other hand are able to offer a significantly larger inventory (both types of jewelry, such as ring settings, and variety of diamonds) because they are not limited to available display case space and all items are made to order in just a few days.  A larger inventory translates into a better available selection of jewelry so that you can get exactly what you are looking for.

Today’s world is moving at an ever increasing pace and it can be difficult, if not impossible, to find time to drive to the local jewelry store, find a parking spot and fight the crowds.  When you finally get there, you end up waiting around in the store trying to get someone to pay attention to you.  Even when you can catch someone’s attention, they often don’t know any more about jewelry than what is written on the labels of each piece and can’t really tell you what the information means.   Plus, you have the constant nuisance of being interrupted by questions from other customers.  Buying a diamond engagement ring online, however, resolves all of these concerns.  You can shop any hour of the day, from early in the morning, over the lunch hour, or late at night, in the comfort of your home or office.  There’s no driving or fighting crowds.  And if you have a question about what something means, you can quickly find an answer in our diamond education section so that you understand what you are purchasing.

And the biggest benefit is the significant cost savings you can obtain by buying online, which can exceed fifty percent off your typical bricks-and-mortar jewelry store.  This cost savings is possible because online jewelry retailers do not have the significant overhead costs of retail jewelry stores and they don’t have to pay salespeople.  The cost savings allows you to purchase better quality jewelry for cheaper prices than what a typical jewelry retailer can offer.

We lit the night on fire!
My girlfriend and I had been dating for a couple of years and marriage was on our minds. Two weeks before I planned to pop the question I took her on a shopping spree and told her we needed to get something fancy to wear to my employers’ annual “banquet”. She picked a beautiful dress not knowing what I was really planning.

Two weeks later came and I had made reservations for dinner at a fabulous Tucson Resort in the foothills. The night was flowing perfect as we walked around the resort soaking up the ambiance. The evening was cooling off and the sun was barely shining on the mountains, saguaro cactus and the lakes surrounded us. We walked to a secluded spot which I had previously selected. I took her by the hand and got down on one knee. She instantly started to cry as I explained that there was no “banquet” and my intentions were to express my deepest love for her and said “Please marry me!” Although I knew I didn’t have to beg I look back and should have put more thought into that part, but she said “yes” either way.

We continued the night with a romantic dinner inside the resorts restaurant and upon completion we stood from our chairs and began to leave. A few moments later I realized I had left my debit card sitting inside the folder and returned to find it. As we came down the stairs to the “private area” I looked at the table and realized it was on fire! My new fiancée had dropped the cloth napkin on top of a candle which set the table ablaze! After patting down the flames with another napkin and help from our server I laughed as I realized she would always be the “flame” of my life!  Send us your wedding engagement story to jared@desertbrilliance.com and we may post it on our website www.desertbrilliance.com

Buying a diamond ring or other diamond jewelry from DesertBrilliance.com is a safe and cost effective way to purchase jewelry or diamonds.  All of our diamonds over half a carat are certified by third party gemological labs and every shipment is fully insured at no cost.  Our 30-day return policy allows you to inspect your purchase and return it with no obligation if you are not satisfied.

Contrary to popular belief “size” doesn’t always matter! In the diamond world the most important characteristic is a diamond’s “cut”. Cut refers to the angles and proportions a skilled craftsman creates in transforming a rough diamond into a polished diamond.  A well-cut diamond will reflect light internally from one mirror-like facet to another, dispersing it through the top of the stone. Cuts that are too deep or too shallow lose or leak light through the side or bottom, affecting the diamond’s brilliance. Read more about diamond characteristics at http://www.desertbrilliance.com/cut.aspx