Use this resource to help answer any questions you may have regarding our services. If you don't find answer here you can email us at northfld@rochester.rr.com.

Q. HOW DO YOUR PRICES COMPARE?

A. For our own designs, and one-of-a-kind pieces created for you, we compare very well. You are buying directly from the designer craftsman. Designer jewelry sold in jewelry stores is considerably more expensive. With diamonds we are very competitive. With a very good price on certificate diamonds, we generate more business for our specialty, jewelry design.

Q. WHAT IS YOUR RECOMMENDATION REGARDING DIAMONDS?

A. Very briefly, we consider VS2 or SI1 clarity, G to H color and a generally well cut stone to be desirable. Obviously, a higher definition on paper of clarity and color is fine. You will feel good knowing you have a rare quality. Like a rare stamp, it is more expensive, but it is not necessarily more beautiful. As designers we are interested in what you can see. If your budget will allow you to spend more, we are convinced most women would prefer the money to go toward a larger stone rather than an imperceptible quality difference.

Q. WHAT ARE SOME BRIEF COMMENTS ON THE 4C'S OF DIAMONDS: CLARITY, COLOR, CUT, AND CARAT?

A. CLARITY has to do with Mother Nature's own doings when the diamond crystal was created. We can safely say that all diamonds have inclusions seen under very high magnification. When we can not see the inclusions under 10 power magnification, the stone is considered free of inclusions (F). The grades 'very very slight inclusions' (VVS), 'very slight inclusions' (VS), and 'slight inclusions' (SI) have microscopic inclusions that cannot be seen. They are "clean to the unaided eye." F, VVS, and VS are more expensive because they are more rare. With respect to clarity you cannot see the difference between SI and the more rare grades unless you use a loop or a microscope.

COLOR has to do with the absence of color. D, E, F,G,H, and possibly I are considered white. If you lay an H grade stone next to an E or F stone, you can see that the higher grade is even more colorless even though the H stone also looks colorless when seen alone. Most people would choose a G-H color and, instead of using more money for a rarer color grade, apply the money for a larger stone. Below 'I' the color goes off white. We set most of our diamonds in white metal (platinum, white gold, or yellow gold that has been rhodium plated under the stones) because it lends no extraneous color to the stone.

CUT in a round brilliant cut diamond has to do with the proportions of the stone. When well cut, the diamond is more efficient in playing with the light, like a small prism. When cut to the technically very best proportions, the stone has a superior fire but also noticeably smaller diameter. If you deviate slightly from the ideal cut, you lose very little of the fire, but you get a stone that is noticeably larger, and being wider you get a larger surface area returning light and brilliance. There are also many styles of cuts such as Round Brilliant Cut, Marquis, Emerald-cut, Pear-shaped, Oval, etc. Because our designs are already so interesting, we recommend the Round Brilliant Cut as it is outstanding in its ability to play with light.

CARAT is a measurement of the weight of the stone. The price per carat is higher as the stone gets larger, i. e. a full carat total weight of several smaller stones of good quality might cost $2,000, while a one carat stone of the same quality might be $6,000.

Q. WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE GOOD DESIGN?

A. We prefer very simple lines to set off and help express the beauty of the gems. The lines should be simple, yet interesting. If the ring is so simple that there is nothing there, i.e. a plain ring shank and a Tiffany head, you are asking the stone to do all the work. Even though you have an exquisite gem, the ring would be just ordinary. Again, the lines should be simple, yet interesting.

Q. HOW DO I KNOW THAT MY DIAMOND IS WHAT YOU SAY IT IS?

A. The diamond is accompanied by a certificate from an independent gemological laboratory defining its qualities.

Q. WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND, 14K OR 18K GOLD?

A. As designers, we are mostly interested in what something looks like. Few people can see the difference between the warmer 14K yellow gold alloy we use and 18K. However, it feels good to say it's 18K. The cost is about 20% above that of 14K. Fourteen karat is a very lasting and functional metal.

Q. IN WHAT METALS CAN YOU WORK?

A. We work in white, yellow, and rose gold and also in platinum.

Q. WHO CHOOSES THE ENGAGEMENT RING?

A. Often the man wishes to surprise his fiancee to be, with the proposal. In that case, the responsibility for choosing the engagement ring falls squarely on his shoulders. If the man does not want to surprise his fiancee to be, or chooses to propose before he has the ring, it can be a fun experience for the two to choose together.

Q. WILL YOU SEND OUT SAMPLES OF THE JEWELRY?

A. We are willing to send out samples upon request. We do require a valid credit card number prior to sending out the jewelry. If you chose to keep the jewelry, we will charge it to the credit card you secured it with. Or you can return the piece if you are not interested in keeping it.

Q. HOW DO I FIND OUT WHAT MY RING SIZE IS?

A. We recommend that you visit a regular jewelry store. They would be happy to measure your ring finger. If there is a question which of two sizes is better, pick the slightly smaller one. It is very easy to size the ring up a quarter or a half size. Remember, our rings flow in the crease where the finger ends.

Q. HOW CAN I GET A RING OFF MY FINGER WHEN IT GETS STUCK THERE?

A. Try Windex. It works better than anything else we have tried, and it doesn№t gum up the stone the way soap or hand lotion does. If your ring hurt your knuckle even slightly when you put it on or take it off, we recommend that you get the ring sized, because it will irritate your knuckle which will grow even larger. Some of you may have worn a ring for years and now find that you cannot get the ring off anymore. If you cannot get the ring off even on a cold day with the aid of Windex, we suggest that you have a jeweler cut the ring off.

Q. HOW DO I CLEAN MY JEWELRY?

A. Generally, a clean stone is so much more beautiful than a stone with a coating of soap, hand lotion, or just plain dirt. We recommend that you keep a small jar (maybe an old mustard jar) of Mr. Clean or household ammonia (like Parson№s sudsy ammonia- lemon scented) in your bathroom. Set aside an old toothbrush for the purpose of cleaning your jewelry. Dip the toothbrush in the undiluted Mr. Clean and dab it in under the stone and around the prongs. Don№t rub back and forth since the bristles will penetrate less under the stone and might snag the prongs. Be certain to rinse your jewelry well with water to remove any cleaning liquid because you do not want it to irritate your skin.

Diamonds have, as one of their characteristics, what is referred to as an affinity to grease. In the diamond mining industry, they take advantage of this property by using petroleum jelly to separate the diamonds from the ore. Because of this characteristic, diamonds tend to cling to anything oily like palm oil in dish detergent, the oil in hand lotion, etc. This coating on the bottom surface of the diamond changes the way light travels in the diamond causing a leakage of light to the sides instead of reflecting it up correctly.

With colored stones you will see a remarkable difference in color between a clean stone and one with a film of dirt.