Diamonds take literally millions of years to form under intense pressure from tectonic plates, and these pure carbon stones are very valuable in their own right, yet when we are talking about a diamond that is set into an antique jewellery item, there is much to consider when appraising its value.
The 4 Cs The 4 Cs are used to grade diamonds, namely: cut, colour, clarity, and carat. To a large extent, the same would apply to a diamond set into an antique piece of jewellery. Admittedly, cuts have been developed a lot in the past 50 years, and modern diamonds tend to have more brilliance than stones from antique or vintage jewellery.
The Cut Of The Stone As mentioned, diamond cuts of today tend to make the stone more brilliant, and if you are looking for a suitable diamond engagement ring, Kalmar Antiques has a collection of engagement rings at very attractive prices, and with a range of cuts, you can choose one that best shows off the stone.
The Clarity Of The Diamond There may be surface marks on an old diamond and this could affect its value. If an antique diamond has some inclusions, this would affect the price also. It is important to clean a diamond that is inset into an antique jewellery item prior to inspecting it for clarity.
Some antique diamonds have a yellowish tint and this can affect the value, and generally speaking, the less colour, the higher the value. Many vintage jewellery items contain coloured diamonds, as they have always been popular, with pinks, blues, reds and yellows commonly found in antique and vintage rings.
Carat Size One carat is equal to 0.2 grams, and as you would expect, the lower the carat weight, the less valuable the diamond. It is difficult to know the exact weight of a diamond when it is part of a jewellery item, and most jewellers could make a calculated guess. Here is some more detailed information concerning the grading of diamonds, which is recommended reading if you are a novice collector.
If you want an accurate appraisal of a diamond, you can ask an expert to assess the stone, and this will give you an accurate assessment of its value. Most jewellers offer such a service and if you are buying a diamond antique or vintage engagement ring, you can ask the dealer for an appraisal of the diamonds. In some cases, the real value of the diamond lies in the value of the antique jewellery item, which might be extremely rare and therefore have more value than the flat price of the stone.
If you are looking for that ideal vintage diamond engagement ring, start your quest with an online search, as the online antique dealer has a wide collection of quality items, all at very affordable prices.
Christmas is right around the corner and I must say I decorated and cleaned over a period of days and it really made relaxing and even more enjoyable. I plan to share some of my holiday favorite decorations so stay tuned. As I am writing this post, I am listening to the Bible app Dwell. I just came inside from playing with my hubby and puppies in the freshly fallen snow. I am a little different, I would rather play in the snow than be on the beach in the wintertime.
It has been hard to find a good plaid skirt. I happen to see on QVC a tartan plaid skirt from the Joan Rivers collection. The color options were red plaid and blue plaid. I decided to get the blue and was priced at $66.00. The fabric content is 65% polyester and 35% rayon. I have until January to return it if it’s not what I think it should be. I actually had to size down to an extra small because the skirt is fully gathered and if not styled right can seem quite overpowering. I carry my weight in my hips so I have to be aware of that kind of style moment. The skirt also has an elastic waist and pockets. In the image below my hubby and I are in the process of getting out Christmas decorations so what a perfect time to take a picture. I literally was feeling the variation of blues with the denim jacket and turtleneck. I went with black tights and L’artiste ankle boots in a olive with a floral pattern to spice it up a bit.
I decided to accessorize the outfit with a Joan Rivers Poinsettia bee brooch. Even though the colors are red and green it doesn’t give off holiday so the bee pin can be worn all year long.
The QVC models styled the skirt as more of a holiday party and they each wore heels. However, I wanted to see what a casual ensemble would look like. I must admit the skirt is very full so I may still be on my search for the right plaid skirt for me. I have two wool plaid skirts that I have had for some years and was seeing what was out there in the fashion arena.
I am very self-conscious of my hips and if anything accentuates them anymore I am not a happy camper. I am not body shaming myself just aware of certain parts of my body that I don’t want to look any larger than what they are already.
Do you wear plaid? How do you style it, skirt, pants, scarf, dress? Please let me know.
This week has been a whirlwind of fall to winter in a day. On Sunday, my hubby was cutting up the leaves with the lawnmower while I worked on bringing the perennial plants inside the house. Then on Monday, the very next day, we had at least 3 inches of snow. I really enjoy watching and playing in the snow so I was tickled pink. I’m have been listening to Christmas music for a while now. I am different. I actually like to play in the snow, I enjoy it and thank the Lord my hubby does too.
JTwisdom in GILI quilted coat
My hubby photographed the burning bush with its red leaves covered so delicately in snow. It snowed off and on throughout the day. It was beautiful. Even though Monday was Veteran’s Day, my hubby and I still had to go into work because it was no holiday for us. My hubby and I had to take it slow in the JEEP.
Burning Bush covered in snow
What do I wear?
When temperatures are from mild to cold what are we suppose to wear?
I learned long ago that I have to dress for the day. It’s been colder than normal this November so the layers pop out of the closets. With a high 27 one day, I pulled out a soutache sweater that I recently purchased (on sale) from Soft Surroundings. It retailed for $90 but I snagged it on sale for an amazing price of $19.99. The sweater has a wide bateau neckline so I added a slim-lined turtleneck and I paired the sweater with my Isaac Mizrahi brocade print pants, Clark ankle boots, and Patricia Nash leather backpack.
I haven’t taken many pictures because I’m working on getting my body more tone and tight. No body-shaming just a fact. After nine years of blogging, I’m still surprised that I do what I do. It has only been God that takes me out of my comfort zone. I have never been a size 0 and don’t have a million followers but I have always been told that if you touch one person’s life it’s all worth it. Being thankful and grateful, I am humbled. God is good.
I am listening to some Harry Connick,Jr. right now and it feels like the holiday season. Check out the video to the song, Just One of Things, Harry Connick, Jr. A Celebration of Cole Porter. Jazz was a favorite of my daddy’s and it’s rubbed off on me.
Fall is officially here and you know what that means. The temperatures are falling, the leaves are turning and the holidays will soon be here. This is my favorite time of the year when I get to wear my cashmere sweaters and leather coats, and the chance for snow is an everyday possibility.
I’m joining Katherine, from Katherines Corner for her annual Season of Giveaways!
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The days are warm and the evenings are cold. I have learned that no matter what the temperature is outside, we are to be thankful. The fall and winter seasons are my favorite times of the year. When it starts getting cooler I can bring out the sweaters, boots, coats, and the art of layering with lace. Yes, lace. I know when I say lace people think of cocktail parties and a night out, but this is not necessarily the case anymore. This may be a shock to you, but I wear lace to work. I actually was doing some packing at work in this outfit because I am moving to a different office at another building. This Isaac Mizrahi lace skirt is beautiful and can be worn in many different ways.
I paired the skirt with my Isaac Mizrahi blue jean jacket a gray floral embroidered Soft Surroundings long-sleeve blouse. I believe that these pairings made the less dressy and less formal, but it still proved to be a great outfit. I have switched up workouts to focus on muscle toning because I want to tighten certain areas like my hips and it’s working. Yeah! I am not one to post multiple pictures of myself in the same outfit on the same post. However, I want you to see how the outfit is styled. I added my Dooney and Bourke Red Trina Handbag, and it really pops against the burgundy. The MIz Mooz boots are another favorite brand of mine. The boots are well made and the shoes form to my feet to be unique just for me. My jewelry is cameo earrings paired with My Saint My Hero and evil eye bracelets.
Do you have a lace skirt in your closet that you have not worn in a long time? Try pairing it with a blue jean jacket and with a blouse or white T-shirt. No more do you have to wait for that special event to wear your lace.
Coolness is definitely in the air but not fully yet so I am gradually stepping into fall. I remember back in grade school, my parents bought me a pair of cranberry wool pants. I could not wait to wear them. When I finally thought I was able to wear them to school, I didn’t know it would be cool in the morning and warmer by the afternoon. By the end of the day, the wool was quite uncomfortable and scratchy. I learned my lesson to wait and step into fall gradually.
After all these years I still must say I am working on my expressions. I really am happy with this outfit. The Isaac Mizrahi Black and White Houndstooth pant is from QVC and I Ilke them. The look is really a Houndstooth plaid pattern. If you really look closely, there is something different about them. The front and back Houndstooth plaid patterns do not line up.
Mixing up Houndstooth
The reviews on QVC are mostly negative because of this fact. I know classic Sewing Class 101 says that plaids and lines need to match up, but I like the nonsymmetric lines in this pant. I think the pants were done this way intentionally. If they weren’t I think it gives the pant a uniqueness and sense of individuality. Should the pant lines in the seams match, according to classic style, yes? But I beg to differ and go outside of that bubble and wear this pant with my head up high. I can’t tell you how freeing it is to wear these pants because I know what it takes to line up seams with patterns. It would surprise me if Isaac would say anything about the design and why the non-symmetry on air but one never knows. I can say that they are fun and this word is used a lot but edgy too. I don’t care what people think anymore, too much stress to try and live up to expectations that you really don’t even know if they exist or not.
Styling the Houndstooth Pant
I wore a Peace Love World Black Poet Blouse half-tucked because I wanted the pant pattern to show more. My headband is animal print and my shoes by Louise et Cie are plaid and animal print. My purse is the pebble satchel in oxblood. Here’s a close-up of the purse and the patten on the pant.
The pebble leather is so soft and there is a strap for when you want to wear the bag as a crossbody and handles that fold over. Perfecto!
To me, the Houndstooth pattern is neutral so a wide array of colors would work with this pant.
Do you want your Houndstooth pattern or plaid pattern to line up at the seams? Would you wear a pant if it did not match exactly? Please let me know in the comments below.
I really enjoy cool beats so I want to start sharing some of my favorites in my posts. This tune is from TobyMac.
Learn More About JT
Bubbling with Elegance and Grace started out as an outlet for my passion for fashion but has evolved into a place for me to teach, collaborate, and inspire. My hubby has since joined the team and we have been digital creators for 13 years. We are thankful for those who believed in us from the beginning and those who have just started riding with us on this lovely journey.
Image Source: Pexels
Image Source: Pexels
Image Source: Unsplash
I am not one to post multiple pictures of myself in the same outfit on the same post. However, I want you to see how the outfit is styled. I added my Dooney and Bourke Red Trina Handbag, and it really pops against the burgundy. The MIz Mooz boots are another favorite brand of mine. The boots are well made and the shoes form to my feet to be unique just for me. My jewelry is cameo earrings paired with My Saint My Hero and evil eye bracelets.
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