July 31, 2009
The Amazing Aid of Computers For Making Jewelry
CAD, CAM, Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacture, are amazing tools to making fine jewelry.
What was once impossible or nearly impossible or took a great master craftsman to create is now made possible with the aid of computers.
A design is created on the computer and a rendering is generated. You can make adjustments and changes to the rendering.
Once the rendering is accepted a three dimensional wax model is made from the computer rendering. You can now inspect it in life size. changes can be also made at this stage.
If the wax is approved it is then cast and finished.
If someone told you the design of your dreams was impossible, look into finding some one that can help you with the aid of a computer. You can have that beautiful one of a kind jewelry you always wanted.
computer rendering
Finished diamond ring
Russell Oshita, the diamonddude
The Diamond Specialists Inc.
Diamonds Hawaii
July 28, 2009
Do Princess Cuts sparkle more?
I was thinking that your advice would be very helpful. I know you must be
very busy so any pointers would be very much appreciated. Any help would be
appreciated.
Thank you in advance. Warmest Regards,
Leanne
July 23, 2009
The Most Secure Chain Clasps
Conventional chain clasps are spring rings and lobster clasps. Theydo the job sufficiently but will at some time fail to work properly. The spring ring is not as strong and if subjected to a strong yank will detach or break. Lobster clasps are stronger and can withstand harder pulls but occasionally the spring detaches and it no longer works.
Denise came in to have the clasp changed on her diamond pendant because the lobster clasp failed and she almost lost her pendant. The diamond pendant was sentimental and valuable and she wanted a more secure clasp for her peace of mind.
We presented her with three choices. These clasps may not be as pretty and can be cumbersome to operate but is definitely more secure.
Denise chose the slide lock clasp.
Spring and lobster clasps 
J Clasp
Slide lock 
Overlap clasp 
Russell Oshita, the diamonddude
The Diamond Specialists Inc.
Diamonds Hawaii
July 17, 2009
The Fragileness of Invisible Set Round Diamonds
Susan approached us with a repair job. One of the side diamonds on her tanzanite ring was missing and she needed to have it replaced.
When we examined it closely we noticed that it was an invisible set round diamond that was missing. It is called invisible set because the diamond appears to be floating with no apparent appendages like prongs to hold it in place.
While this is aesthetically interesting and pleasing to look at it is not the most practical way to set a diamond. To set it tiny grooves are cut under the girdle of the diamond. The metal is then pushed into these grooves to secure it in place.
The problem occurs when it is worn and banged around a little, these tiny grooves are not deep enough to hold it very securely and many of them eventually fall out.
For Susan we are going to remove the diamonds and bezel set them. Bezel setting is one of the most secure ways of setting a diamond that will also still look similar in appearance to the invisi
ble set style using the same tube structure.
Russell Oshita, the diamonddude
The Diamond Specialists Inc.
Diamonds Hawaii
July 11, 2009
Share and Share Alike
Julie had inherited her mother’s ring. It was an antique-looking simple diamond ring that her mother received from her grandmother. The problem was that her two sisters also loved that ring.
There were a close family and squabbles were few. They had thought about taking turns using it but they had lived states apart and sharing it was not a convenient option.
They explained their problem to us and asked if we could help them. We told them we could mold and duplicate the ring so each could have a ring. It may have not all been the original but it was the next best thing.
They were delighted with the prospect and we made each one a duplicate. The original was held in a deposit box to be inherited by the last surviving sister.
As they were equally loved they each shared equally in memory.
Russell Oshita, the diamonddude
The Diamond Specialists Inc.
Diamonds Hawaii
July 9, 2009
Moisannite a Fabulous Fake, Unfortunately
There are many diamond simulants in existence. Simulants are other kinds of stones that have the appearance like diamonds, but are not diamonds. One of the latest is moisannite which will even fool conventional thermal diamond testers.
Darryl had excitedly come into our store asking us if what he found was a diamond. He had already gone to another jewelry store and they used a diamond tester which said it was a diamond. They told him that there are simulants like moisannite that will register as a diamond and that you need additional equipment to verify if it really is a diamond and not a moisannite.
We first used our diamond tester and it did indeed register as a diamond. As carbon based simulant, moisannite will have similar thermal conductivity as diamonds and will read positive on diamond thermal testers.
Using the moisannite tester it then registered as a moisannite and not a diamond.
Darryl was disappointed. Unfortunately it was not a diamond. Fortunately he did not pay for it.
Russell Oshita
The Diamond Specialists Inc.
Diamonds Hawaii
July 2, 2009
Diamond Earrings Badly Misrepresented
Integrity is an important consideration in any business and we try very hard to uphold it in our industry, by educating our customers and disclosing all pertinent information on any jewelry piece.
From this perspective it is appalling to see what some jewelers in our industry do.
Matt’s girlfriend had just purchased a pair of diamond hoop earrings from a downtown jewelry store and he was interested to know the quality of the diamonds so he brought it to us.
We counted 34 diamonds in each hoop earring, each a 3 point diamond by measurement. This would make it a total of approximately 2.04 carats. The color grade looked to be about a J or K and through the microscope the clarity grade was in the I1-2 category.
Matt said that the diamond earrings were sold as 3 carats total weight, G color and SI clarity grade. This would have made it 1 carat more in weight 3-4 color grades off and 2-3 grades off in clarity.
They had paid $2500 for the earrings thinking it was 3 carats total weight, which would have been a reasonable price if the information was accurate. As a 2 carat total weight and lower color and clarity than represented, a reasonable price should have been $1500. They had over-paid by a $1000.
Unfortunately most consumers would assume that the seller is telling the truth and never get a second opinion. They may never know that they paid much more than they should. Nor that they did not even get the grade they thought they paid for.
We do not know how much of this goes on. The consumer without knowledge of jewelry quality is vulnerable to unscrupulous jewelers.
It may be best to gain at least a rudimentary knowledge of jewelry quality, get second opinions or just find a jeweler you can trust.
Russell Oshita, the diamonddude
The Diamond Specialists Inc.
Diamonds Hawaii
