Diamond Education Archives - Boston Ring and Gem

Dos and Don’ts of caring for your Diamond Jewelry

December 1, 2017/in Diamond Care, Diamond Education, Engagement Ring Tips, Holiday Season, Jewelry/by Ani Zargarian

He just popped the question and you are now the proud owner of a beautiful piece of diamond jewelry. Now what?? It didn’t come with an instruction manual? Don’t worry we’ve compiled a list of dos and don’ts that will help keep your beautiful and meaningful piece of diamond jewelry clean and protected.

Diamond Engagement Rings

DO:

Clean your jewelry. Cleaning your jewelry will not harm It in any way.
- If you are fortunate to be close by to your jeweler, you can pop in on occasion and get your rings professionally cleaned. This will result in the cleanest most sparkly outcome.
- There are a few home cleaning tips to keep your stones sparkling. Any type of de-greaser or dish washing liquid can be used.
  - Poor some in a microwave safe dish
  - Dilute with a little water
  - Heat it up via microwave
  - Soak your ring overnight
  - Using a tooth brush scrub it under running water
- Purchase a home ultrasonic machine and use any kind degreaser or dish washing liquid.
- Wear it and enjoy in good health!

DON’T

Wear your rings while working out, especially if you are lifting any kind of weights or bearing weight pressure on your hands (push ups/pull ups, barre class etc…). You will inevitably bend the ring and cause for the stones to loosen and potentially fall out.
Walk your large dog with your rings on. We have seen some major ring damage and bending from the dog yanking on the leash and putting pressure on your ring.
Go rock climbing. I know this sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised!
Do construction work with heavy machinery, hammers, nails, paint etc. Best to remove all your jewelry.

Its ok…

If you cook with your rings, just keep in mind that they will get dirty and grimy
If you use anti-bacterial. That stuff doesn’t harm the diamond or jewelry but will leave a stubborn film that takes some time to remove.
To shower and sleep with them on. We do recommend removing your rings when you go to sleep more so to allow blood to circulate appropriately through your fingers. Often people swell during slumber.

To see our collection of handcrafted, fine jewelry, please visit us at www.bostonringandgem.com or come see us at BRAG, Boston Ring and Gem at 333 Washington Street, Suite 203-8, Boston, MA 02108

Which Engagement Ring Setting is the One For You?

October 12, 2017/in Custom Ring, Diamond Education, Engagement Ring Tips/by Ani Zargarian

engagement rings Boston

Perhaps this is something you’ve known your entire life or it’s something you’ve never thought about. One thing is for sure, it’s a very personal and special piece of jewelry!

The world is your oyster when it comes to picking out a ring. With the advent of social media channels such as Pinterest (BRAG – Boston Ring And Gem) and Instagram (Follow us @BRAGOfficial) we have more access than ever before and can find inspiration and ideas.

Here are some categories and options to consider.

RING STYLE: Are you traditional and appreciate the more classic styles such as the solitaire or three stone ring or do you want a little more sparkle a diamond encrusted pave band or the halo rings provide? Are you enthused by the vintage designs of the past with delicate details of filigree, carvings and mill grain or do you prefer a more contemporary unique style?

engagement rings Boston

Classic Solitaire: The tried and true classic solitaire. With your choice of 4 prong or 6, cathedral band or none cathedral, diamond band or plain, basket versus wire prongs.

engagement rings Boston

Halo: The trend that has turned into a staple category that’s here to stay. If you are looking to enhance your center stone with additional sparkle the halo is the way to go.

engagement rings Boston

Vintage Inspired: What’s old is new! The trend for vintage inspired rings has never been more prominent than now. We can create and recreate the most intricate of designs at BRAG.

engagement rings Boston

Unique: You want something just a little different and your own. We are happy to work with you and come up with that special ring unique to you.

engagement rings Boston

METAL TYPE AND COLOR: Metal types and colors are also diversifying. We have seen a strong return to gold both rose and yellow though platinum is still going strong as the choice for white metal. Mixing metals and having two tone rings with Platinum and gold has also been on the rise.

STONE SHAPE: The center stone and shape should also be in consideration. Are you into the classic ideal cut round diamond or more interested in the trendy Oval and Pear stones? Do you prefer more angular shapes like the Emerald, Ascher, or Princess or does the combination of rounded and angled edges such as the Cushion or Radiant shape suit your fancy?

For more ideas please check out our collection on www.bostonringandgem.com or come see us at BRAG, Boston Ring and Gem at 333 Washington Street, Suite 203-8, Boston, MA 02108

Selecting a Diamond…Carat

December 2, 2015/in Diamond Education, Engagement Ring Tips, FAQ/by BRAG

When trying to select a diamond you will hear the 4 C’s over and over again. Clarity, Color, Cut and Carat. Carat refers to the weight of a diamond. The higher the carat weight, the more valuable it is (other factors being equal). There is a slight formula that goes into calculating the carat of a diamond. A carat weighs 200 milligrams and is divided into 100 points. So, if you have a .5 carat diamond it is exactly the same as if you had a 1/2 carat diamond which is the same as a 50-point diamond.

Over a carat, diamond weights are usually expressed in carats and decimals. A 1.06 ct. stone, for example, would be described as “one point oh six carats,” or “one oh six.”

This word for the measurement of a diamond’s weight Carat – is derived from the carob seeds that were used to balance scales in ancient times.

This is an important factor to evaluate but is not the most important one. When selecting the size be sure that all the C’s are taking into consideration. You could put all your money into a 2 carat diamond ring, but with poor clarity, color and cut it does not have the value of many smaller stones. The other three C’s like clarity, cut and color determine the visual brilliance of the jewelry. Don’t be fooled by the size, you can find a beautiful, affordable engagement ring in Boston with BRAG jewelers that will make her say yes!

Oval Cut Diamond Engagement Rings

August 3, 2015/in Diamond Education/by BRAG

For those looking for a ring that has the look of a round diamond but want something more unique than the oval diamond cut is the diamond you want. Another advantage of oval shaped diamonds is it can be perceived to be bigger than it actual is as well as make the person wearing it look as though they have a longer, slimmer finger.

When deciding on how narrow or fat the diamond should be is up to the individual, but for your own knowledge, a length to width ratio of 1.35 – 1.50 is considered the classic oval cut. If the end result includes the diamond flanked by side stones, a slightly thinner diamond cut will give you a great appeal. A BRAG representative can walk you through the processing and help create the best diamond engagement ring using the oval cut.

If you are interested in purchasing an oval diamond or want to learn more about them, contact a BRAG today!

Boston Ring and Gem

Located in the Jewelers Exchange Building

333 Washington Street 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02108

Phone: 617-720-2724
Fax: 617-720-2725

Business Hours

Mon-Sat 10 am – 6 pm

Thu 10 am – 7 pm

What is a loose diamond?

June 29, 2015/in Diamond Education, FAQ/by BRAG

If we are getting very technical, a loose diamond is the end product of a once rough diamond that came from a mine. If you are designing your own diamond engagement ring you will be picking a loose diamond and putting it the setting of your choice! Boston Ring and Gem has beautiful loose diamonds in variety of cut, colors, carats and clarity ready for sale! You can mount a loose diamond on a ring, a pendant, earring or any piece of jewelry.

When you have a loose diamond in your hand you can inspect the 4 C’s of the diamond from all different aspects such as weight, dimensions, depth, color, and clarity.

When the diamond is loose it is best way to inspect all the elements before making a purchase! For more information about loose diamond visit our diamond store located right in Downtown Crossing in Boston MA.

Custom Made Engagement Rings in Boston

May 7, 2015/in Custom Ring, Diamond Education, Engagement Ring Tips/by BRAG

The diamond jewelers at Boston Ring and Gem know that a diamond is a big deal and engagement rings can become an overwhelming experience. With the styles, sizes and information available to you today it is easy to feel confused at where you should start.

Beautiful, ready-to-wear engagement rings are a fabulous choice – so why would you choose to have an engagement ring custom made when you can pick your ring and walk out the door? We have ready-to-wear rings available but for that someone looking to make the ring they’ve been dreaming about come alive, we can help. At Boston Ring and Gem you can custom design your diamond engagement ring to be the ring you have been dreaming off..

At Boston Ring and Gem you are in control the whole time! From the initial dreaming up of designs, viewing and selecting your diamond, right through to the final stages of viewing your ring before your diamond is set to holding the finished piece in your hand. One of our experienced jewelers will work with you to bring your dream engagement ring to life. Boston Ring and Gem prides themselves on their customer service and fine craftsmanship.

At the end of the day you will be wearing a piece brought to life by you. No matter how obscure or classic the design might be; you can be certain that your engagement ring will truly be one of a kind when you shop at Boston Ring and Gem.

Strategically Picking The Right Setting

February 3, 2015/in Diamond Education/by BRAG

We all know that engagement rings are a very large investment. No matter what your budget is there are ways to still get a beautiful, valuable diamond engagement ring. One of the way that Boston Ring and Gem can help you with is picking the right setting to get the most for your buck.

More goes into picking a great engagement ring then the size of the diamond. When you start the search for the perfect engagement ring you will quickly learn the four C’s. If your budget won’t allow for that bigger stone you thought was affordable, not to worry! You can actually create the illusion of additional carats by choosing the right setting. At Boston Ring and Gem we offer beautiful halo setting. The variety of halo settings that we have at our store in Downtown Boston will help you make the stone in the middle look bigger, it can also completely change the appearance of the diamond by giving it a vintage look that will stand out from an everyday solitaire.

Our jewelers can walk you through the right steps to take when picking a setting to get enhance the overall look of your diamond engagement ring! For more information stop by our store!