Beautiful ASHI 1/2ct diamondand 14k white Gold pendant $1250
BEAUTIFUL CUSTOM DIAMOND NECKLACE AVAILABLE from 1/2ct to 5ct
Give something that will be long remembered and forever cherished.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Monday, June 1, 2009
Pearls ... Of Wisdom
Cultured Pearl CareNEVER TOSS THEM INTO A PURSE OR JEWEL BOX WHERE THEY CAN BECOME SCRATCHED BY HARD METAL EDGES OR HARDER STONES.
NEVER EXPOSE THEM TO ACID-BASED HAIR SPRAYS, COSMETICS OR PERFUMES. PEARLS ARE POROUS LIKE OPAL AND TURQUOISE.
NEVER CLEAN THEM WITH CHEMICALS OR ABRASIVES.
ALWAYS TREAT PEARLS GENTLY. PLACE THEM IN A SILK BAG OR WRAP THEM IN TISSUE WHEN PUTTING THEM AWAY.
ALWAYS WASH YOUR PEARLS WITH A DAMP SOFT CLOTH USING MILD SOAP AND WATER AFTER TAKING THEM OFF. THIS WILL REMOVE ALL TRACES OF PERFUME, COSMETICS, HAIR SPRAY FROM THE PEARLS
ALWAYS BRING YOUR PEARLS BACK TO YOUR JEWELER TO CHECK FOR RESTRINGING ONCE A YEAR.
ALWAYS HAVE PEAQRLS STRUNG WITH A KNOT BETWEEN EACH PEARL. THIS WILL PREVENT LOSS OF PEARLS IF THE NECKLACE SHOULD BREAK.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Emeralds... She'll be GREEN with envy!
Prized since ancient times, a fine emerald can be more expensive than a high quality diamond of the same carat weight. Emerald hardness ranges from 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale. Compare turquoise at 5 to 6 and diamonds, the hardest substance, at 10. Even though emeralds are relatively hard stones, the presence of cracks and inclusions in emeralds can affect their durability.
Emerald is the May birthstone and the traditional gift for the 55th wedding anniversary. Colombian emeralds are among the world's most beautiful, with rich grass-green coloring that's often kissed with a touch of blue. Quality emeralds are also found in India, South Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia, and Zimbabwe. Recent finds in North Carolina may provide us with quality emeralds if the mine continues to produce stones.
Emerald History and Folklore
Emeralds are traditionally thought to enhance the clairvoyance of their wearers.
Egyptian emeralds were introduced to the world about 4,000 years ago, but the stones from those mines are a duller green and are not considered high quality by today's standards.
Mummies were often buried with emeralds and the gems were popular in ancient Rome, but some think that many of the stones called emeralds in ancient times were actually peridot.
Traditionally, emeralds are worn to promote healing and enhance love and contentment.
Emeralds are traditionally thought to enhance the clairvoyance of their wearers.
Egyptian emeralds were introduced to the world about 4,000 years ago, but the stones from those mines are a duller green and are not considered high quality by today's standards.
Mummies were often buried with emeralds and the gems were popular in ancient Rome, but some think that many of the stones called emeralds in ancient times were actually peridot.
Traditionally, emeralds are worn to promote healing and enhance love and contentment.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Diamonds: Truly a girls best friend
The ancient Greeks believed that diamonds were splinters of stars fallen to earth. It was said by some that they were the tears of the gods. Another legend has it that there was an inaccessible valley in Central Asia carpeted with diamonds. It was said to be 'patrolled by birds of prey in the air and guarded by snakes of murderous gaze on the ground.'Until the 15th century only kings wore diamonds, as a symbol of strength, courage, and invincibility.
Over the centuries, however, the diamond acquired its unique status as the ultimate gift of love. Indeed, it was said that Cupid's arrows were tipped with diamonds which have a magic that nothing else can ever quite equal. Since the very beginning, diamonds have always been associated with romance and legend. The very word "diamond" comes from the Greek "adamas" meaning unconquerable, suggesting the eternity of love. The Greeks also believed the fire in the diamond reflected the constant flame of love.
But it wasn't until 1477, when Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy, that the tradition of diamond engagement rings began. Even the reason a woman wears it on the third finger of her left hand dates back to the early Egyptian belief that the vena amoris (vein of love) ran directly from the heart to the top of the third finger, left hand.
The truth is, however, that the exact origin of diamonds is still something of a mystery, even to scientists and geologists.Even though the diamond is the hardest of all gemstones known to man, it is the simplest in composition. It is common carbon, like the graphite in a lead pencil, yet has a melting point of 6,900 degrees Fahrenheit, which is two and a half times greater than the melting point of steel. Billions of years ago, the elemental forces of heat and pressure miraculously transformed the carbon into diamond in the cauldron of boiling magma that lay deep below the surface of the earth. The volcanic mass in which this crystallization took place then thrust upwards and broke through the earth's surface to cool in Kimberlite pipes. It is in these Kimberlite pipes that most diamonds are found today. 
Cut - Cut refers to the particular placement and angle of each of the small facets on the surface of the diamond. If the diamond is Ideal Cut, each ray of light that strikes the diamond is reflected back to you and creates maximum brilliance and sparkle. 
Carat Weight - A carat is the weight unit of measurement for diamonds and other precious stones. In the carat weight scale there are 100 points to one carat, just as there are 100 pennies to one dollar. For example, if a diamond weighs 50 points, it is a 1/2 carat stone. 
Color - Color is the actual body color of the diamond. Most diamonds have a yellowish tint, but diamonds with a D to F color (colorless) are considered to be the most rare and valuable. 
Clarity - Clarity is the relative position of a diamond on a flawless-to-imperfect scale. Clarity characteristics are classified as inclusions (internal) or blemishes (external). The size, number, position, color and nature of a diamond's clarity characteristics determine the clarity grade. Very few diamonds are flawless (i.e. free from all blemishes and inclusions). If all other factors are equal, stones of this rare quality are the most expensive.
Craftsmanship - The number one concern of most consumers today is quality. Because of this, the majority of our wedding bands are die-struck. With this process, rings are made from a solid sheet of metal which insures the highest quality. Sierra-West's ring manufacturers are recognized as the finest in the jewelry industry and use only plumb gold. Our jewelers are fully trained in goldsmithing, watch repair and custom ring creation. All of this is to provide you the finest quality possible.
Cost - At Sierra-West, we buy from the largest cutters in the world - no one buys better! Our mark-up is also lower than the competition. In fact, our customers report that our prices are generally 25 to 30% less than most diamond dealer's "1/2 off" sale prices!
Remember, Sierra~West Guarantees all of our diamond prices!
Monday, March 2, 2009
AQUAMARINE: The Birthstone of March
The gemstone Aquamarine is the modern March birthstone as adopted by the American National Association of Jewelers in 1912. It is also the birth stone for the Zodiac sign of Scorpio. See the birthstone table for additional references to this stone. Aquamarine is suggested as a gem to give on the 16th and 19th wedding anniversaries.
Aquamarine is a member of the beryl family and ranges in color from an almost colorless pale blue to blue-green or teal. The most prized color is a deep-blue aqua color. It is 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale of hardness and gets its name from Latin words meaning water and sea.
The most valuable aquamarines come from Brazil, but it is also mined in Kenya and Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Russia. . Aquamarines on the market today are usually faceted, but when cut as a cabochon, they may display a cat's eye effect known as asterism.
Some gemstones are heated to high temperatures to enhance the color and/or clarity of a stone. Aquamarines are often heat treated to change a blue-green or teal colored stone to a pure blue. This results in a permanent color change.
The most valuable aquamarines come from Brazil, but it is also mined in Kenya and Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Russia. . Aquamarines on the market today are usually faceted, but when cut as a cabochon, they may display a cat's eye effect known as asterism.
Some gemstones are heated to high temperatures to enhance the color and/or clarity of a stone. Aquamarines are often heat treated to change a blue-green or teal colored stone to a pure blue. This results in a permanent color change.
Folklore, Legend, and Healing Properties:
Since early times, aquamarine has been believed to endow the wearer with foresight, courage, and happiness. It is said to increase intelligence and make one youthful. As a healing stone, it is said to be effective as a treatment for anxiety and in the Middle Ages it was thought that aquamarine would reduce the effect of poisons.
A legend says that sailors wore aquamarine gemstones to keep them safe and prevent seasickness.
Since early times, aquamarine has been believed to endow the wearer with foresight, courage, and happiness. It is said to increase intelligence and make one youthful. As a healing stone, it is said to be effective as a treatment for anxiety and in the Middle Ages it was thought that aquamarine would reduce the effect of poisons.
A legend says that sailors wore aquamarine gemstones to keep them safe and prevent seasickness.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
VALENTINES DAY 2009
Love Her? Show her! Now, more than ever, reaffirm your love to each other.
The history of Valentine's Day is obscure, and further clouded by various fanciful legends. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. Its roots are obscured by mystery and there are varying opinions about it. Its origins have become themes of many legends.According to legend, the holiday has its roots in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalis/Lupercalia, a fertility celebration commemorated annually on February 15. As Christianity came to dominance in Europe, pagan holidays such as Lupercalia were frequently renamed for early Christian martyrs. In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius recast this pagan festival as a Christian feast day circa 496, declaring February 14 to be the feast day of the Roman martyr Saint Valentine, who lived in the 3rd century. Which St. Valentine this early pope intended to honor remains a mystery. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, there were at least three early Christian saints by that name. One was a priest in Rome, another a bishop in Terni, and of a third St. Valentine almost nothing is known except that he met his end in Africa. Rather astonishingly, all three Valentines were said to have been martyred on Feb. 14. Most scholars believe that the St. Valentine of the holiday was a priest who attracted the disfavor of Roman emperor Claudius II around 270. The history of St. Valentine's Day has two legends attached to it - the Protestant and the Catholic legend. According to both legends, Valentine was a bishop who held secret marriage ceremonies of soldiers in opposition to Claudius II who had prohibited marriage for young men and was executed by the latter. Although many scholars agree that Lupercalia was moved from Feb. 15th to the 14th and was Christianized by associating it with this St. Valentine character, it is still unclear just who the historical St. Valentine was. One school of thought believes that he was a Roman martyred for refusing to give up his Christian faith. According to church tradition St. Valentine was a priest/bishop of Rome in about the year 270 A.D. At that time the Roman Emperor Claudius-II who had issued an edict forbidding marriage. This was around when the heyday of Roman empire had almost come to an end. Lack of quality administrators led to frequent civil strife. Learning declined, taxation increased, and trade slumped to a low, precarious level. And the Gauls, Slavs, Huns, Turks and Mongolians from Northern Europe and Asian increased their pressure on the empire's boundaries. The empire was grown too large to be shielded from external aggression and internal chaos with existing forces. Thus more of capable men were required to be recruited as soldiers and officers. When Claudius became the emperor, he felt that married men were more emotionally attached to their families, and thus, will not make good soldiers. He believed it made the men weak. So to assure quality soldiers, he banned marriage.Valentine, realized the injustice of the decree. Seeing the trauma of young lovers, he met them in a secret place, and joined them in the sacrament of matrimony. He defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. But Claudius soon learned of this "friend of lovers," and had him arrested. While Valentine was in prison awaiting his fate, he came in contact with his jailor, Asterius. The jailor had a blind daughter. Asterius requested him to heal his daughter. The Catholic legend has it that through the vehicle of his strong faith he miraculously restored the sight of Asterius' daughter, a phenomenon refuted by the Protestant version which agrees otherwise with the Catholic one. Just before his execution, he asked for a pen and paper from his jailor, and signed a farewell message to her "From Your Valentine," a phrase that lived ever after. Another legend has it that Valentine, imprisoned by Claudius, fell in love with the daughter of his jailer. However, this legend is not given much importance by historians. Probably the most plausible story surrounding St. Valentine is one not focused on Eros (passionate love) but on agape (Christian love): he was martyred for refusing to renounce his religion.The emperor, impressed with the young priest's dignity and conviction, attempted to convert him to the Roman gods, to save him from certain execution. Valentine refused to recognize Roman Gods and even attempted to convert the emperor, knowing the consequences fully. What happened was what was to happen. All attempts to convert the emperor failed. On February 14, 270 AD, Valentine was executed.Valentine thus become a Patron Saint, and spiritual overseer of an annual festival. The festival involved young Romans offering women they admired, and wished to court, handwritten greetings of affection on February 14. The greeting cards acquired St.Valentine's name.It was not until the 14th century that this Christian feast day became definitively associated with love. According to UCLA medieval scholar Henry Ansgar Kelly, author of Chaucer and the Cult of Saint Valentine, it was Chaucer who first linked St. Valentine's Day with romance.In 1381, Chaucer composed a poem in honor of the engagement between England's Richard II and Anne of Bohemia. As was the poetic tradition, Chaucer associated the occasion with a feast day. In medieval France and England it was believed that birds mated on February 14, and the image of birds as the symbol of lovers began to appear in poems dedicated to the day. In Chaucer's "The Parliament of Fowls," the royal engagement, the mating season of birds, and St. Valentine's Day are linked:"For this was on St. Valentine's Day, When every fowl cometh there to choose his mate."By the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France. Despite attempts by the Christian church to sanctify the holiday, the association of Valentine’s Day with romance and courtship continued through the Middle Ages. Over the centuries, the holiday evolved, and by the 18th century, gift-giving and exchanging hand-made cards on Valentine's Day had become common in England. Hand-made valentine cards made of lace, ribbons, and featuring cupids and hearts eventually spread to the American colonies. The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howlanda Mount Holyoke, a graduate and native of Worcester, Mass. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap". The tradition of Valentine's cards did not become widespread in the United States, however, until Howland began producing them in large scale. Today, of course, the holiday has become a booming commercial success. According to the Greeting Card Association, 25% of all cards sent each year are valentines.The Valentine's Day card spread with Christianity, and is now celebrated all over the world. One of the earliest card was sent in 1415 AD by Charles, duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was a prisoner in the Tower of London. The card is now preserved in the British Museum.Whoever Valentine was, we know he was an actual person because archaeologists have recently unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to a Saint Valentine.
Come into any of our 4 locations and "prove" your love today with a girft from Sierra~West Jewelers.
The history of Valentine's Day is obscure, and further clouded by various fanciful legends. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. Its roots are obscured by mystery and there are varying opinions about it. Its origins have become themes of many legends.According to legend, the holiday has its roots in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalis/Lupercalia, a fertility celebration commemorated annually on February 15. As Christianity came to dominance in Europe, pagan holidays such as Lupercalia were frequently renamed for early Christian martyrs. In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius recast this pagan festival as a Christian feast day circa 496, declaring February 14 to be the feast day of the Roman martyr Saint Valentine, who lived in the 3rd century. Which St. Valentine this early pope intended to honor remains a mystery. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, there were at least three early Christian saints by that name. One was a priest in Rome, another a bishop in Terni, and of a third St. Valentine almost nothing is known except that he met his end in Africa. Rather astonishingly, all three Valentines were said to have been martyred on Feb. 14. Most scholars believe that the St. Valentine of the holiday was a priest who attracted the disfavor of Roman emperor Claudius II around 270. The history of St. Valentine's Day has two legends attached to it - the Protestant and the Catholic legend. According to both legends, Valentine was a bishop who held secret marriage ceremonies of soldiers in opposition to Claudius II who had prohibited marriage for young men and was executed by the latter. Although many scholars agree that Lupercalia was moved from Feb. 15th to the 14th and was Christianized by associating it with this St. Valentine character, it is still unclear just who the historical St. Valentine was. One school of thought believes that he was a Roman martyred for refusing to give up his Christian faith. According to church tradition St. Valentine was a priest/bishop of Rome in about the year 270 A.D. At that time the Roman Emperor Claudius-II who had issued an edict forbidding marriage. This was around when the heyday of Roman empire had almost come to an end. Lack of quality administrators led to frequent civil strife. Learning declined, taxation increased, and trade slumped to a low, precarious level. And the Gauls, Slavs, Huns, Turks and Mongolians from Northern Europe and Asian increased their pressure on the empire's boundaries. The empire was grown too large to be shielded from external aggression and internal chaos with existing forces. Thus more of capable men were required to be recruited as soldiers and officers. When Claudius became the emperor, he felt that married men were more emotionally attached to their families, and thus, will not make good soldiers. He believed it made the men weak. So to assure quality soldiers, he banned marriage.Valentine, realized the injustice of the decree. Seeing the trauma of young lovers, he met them in a secret place, and joined them in the sacrament of matrimony. He defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. But Claudius soon learned of this "friend of lovers," and had him arrested. While Valentine was in prison awaiting his fate, he came in contact with his jailor, Asterius. The jailor had a blind daughter. Asterius requested him to heal his daughter. The Catholic legend has it that through the vehicle of his strong faith he miraculously restored the sight of Asterius' daughter, a phenomenon refuted by the Protestant version which agrees otherwise with the Catholic one. Just before his execution, he asked for a pen and paper from his jailor, and signed a farewell message to her "From Your Valentine," a phrase that lived ever after. Another legend has it that Valentine, imprisoned by Claudius, fell in love with the daughter of his jailer. However, this legend is not given much importance by historians. Probably the most plausible story surrounding St. Valentine is one not focused on Eros (passionate love) but on agape (Christian love): he was martyred for refusing to renounce his religion.The emperor, impressed with the young priest's dignity and conviction, attempted to convert him to the Roman gods, to save him from certain execution. Valentine refused to recognize Roman Gods and even attempted to convert the emperor, knowing the consequences fully. What happened was what was to happen. All attempts to convert the emperor failed. On February 14, 270 AD, Valentine was executed.Valentine thus become a Patron Saint, and spiritual overseer of an annual festival. The festival involved young Romans offering women they admired, and wished to court, handwritten greetings of affection on February 14. The greeting cards acquired St.Valentine's name.It was not until the 14th century that this Christian feast day became definitively associated with love. According to UCLA medieval scholar Henry Ansgar Kelly, author of Chaucer and the Cult of Saint Valentine, it was Chaucer who first linked St. Valentine's Day with romance.In 1381, Chaucer composed a poem in honor of the engagement between England's Richard II and Anne of Bohemia. As was the poetic tradition, Chaucer associated the occasion with a feast day. In medieval France and England it was believed that birds mated on February 14, and the image of birds as the symbol of lovers began to appear in poems dedicated to the day. In Chaucer's "The Parliament of Fowls," the royal engagement, the mating season of birds, and St. Valentine's Day are linked:"For this was on St. Valentine's Day, When every fowl cometh there to choose his mate."By the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France. Despite attempts by the Christian church to sanctify the holiday, the association of Valentine’s Day with romance and courtship continued through the Middle Ages. Over the centuries, the holiday evolved, and by the 18th century, gift-giving and exchanging hand-made cards on Valentine's Day had become common in England. Hand-made valentine cards made of lace, ribbons, and featuring cupids and hearts eventually spread to the American colonies. The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howlanda Mount Holyoke, a graduate and native of Worcester, Mass. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap". The tradition of Valentine's cards did not become widespread in the United States, however, until Howland began producing them in large scale. Today, of course, the holiday has become a booming commercial success. According to the Greeting Card Association, 25% of all cards sent each year are valentines.The Valentine's Day card spread with Christianity, and is now celebrated all over the world. One of the earliest card was sent in 1415 AD by Charles, duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was a prisoner in the Tower of London. The card is now preserved in the British Museum.Whoever Valentine was, we know he was an actual person because archaeologists have recently unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to a Saint Valentine.
Come into any of our 4 locations and "prove" your love today with a girft from Sierra~West Jewelers. Thursday, January 8, 2009
LOVE HER... SHOW HER!
Brilliant as your LOVE.
Introducing the new 74 facet option of GIA certified diamonds to give her maximum brilliance and a truly unique diamond to represent your love. See any of our 4 locations and ask to see one today!
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