The Mondera Diamond

For Robert:

Pictured above, “The Mondera Diamond”. A 60.19 carat, D-color, “flawless” diamond.

Purchaser: Robert Mouawad. Price: “priceless”

“Say Wha?” –you say? You’re “not” interested in the Mondera Diamond? And–you say you missed Cyber Monday? Then – check out the websites below for some terrific online Christmas shopping. (But–go easy–last year on Cyber Monday online shoppers spent a whopping $600 million dollars !)….

Special diamond

Special diamond cuts are the result of innovative polishing of the diamond, lending it an interesting or extraordinary shape. Special cuts meet the demand for unusual diamonds on the part of jewelers and diamond lovers. Many companies work on the development of special cuts alongside the more standard cuts and apply for patents upon their launch.

The creation of a special cut – such as the “Rising Star” or “Hearts and Arrows” – requires intricate skill and vast experience, because most of the special cuts are particularly difficult to manufacture. During the polishing stage of these diamonds, a large percentage of the rough diamond is lost as emphasis is placed on the extraordinary design rather than the diamond’s final weight.

In order to create special cuts, use is often made of laser in order to achieve perfect results. The current computerized technology available in the industry often enables the prediction of the results of special cuts, and based on the GIA and AGS diamond grading systems they are usually granted top grades.

Israeli diamond companies are renowned for their innovative, original and breathtaking cuts, which are sought worldwide. These special cuts stem from creativity, skillfulness and knowhow which combine to bring real innovation to the industry.

Higher Standards, Superior Diamonds

"I buy every diamond as if it’s going on my wife’s hand." — Zed Mervis, President, Mervis Diamond Importers

That’s a pretty high standard. But higher standards mean superior diamonds.

Zed travels regularly to South Africa and the other major diamond centers to find the finest diamonds in the world. Because of his stature in the global diamond community, Zed is among the first to look through the latest production of diamonds. As he likes to say, he’s high in the pecking order so he gets the pick of the litter — and he flat-out rejects diamonds that don’t meet the Mervis standards.

Zed selects every diamond himself. Unlike other stores, Mervis owns all of its diamonds. This might not seem important, but think about it. Zed will not invest in a stone unless he’s confident it’s superior. We don’t act as a clearinghouse, passing along unacceptable diamonds to you. In turn, you can be confident that every Mervis diamond is a superior diamond.

UV Rays Shed New Light on the Hope Diamond’s Mysterious Red Glow

Hundreds of rare precious gemstones are on display in the Gems and Minerals Galleries at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. According to Dr. Jeff Post, curator of the United States National Gem and Mineral Collection and avid mineralogist, few of those gems garner more attention than the world famous and Smithsonian’s own, Hope Diamond. With its breathtaking beauty and mysterious past, the Hope Diamond intrigues millions of museum visitors each year; but beyond its rumored curse, the world’s largest blue diamond is proving to be a unique scientific specimen.

The 45.52-carat blue diamond puzzles scientists because of the fiery red glow it gives off for several minutes after being exposed to ultra-violet light. Scientists refer to this phenomenon as phosphorescence. “It looks like a glowing orange coal in your barbeque grill,” explains Post. “It has been described as one of the unique properties of this unique diamond, something special to the Hope Diamond.” No comprehensive studies on the nature of the phosphorescence exist, which has made Dr. Jeff Post question the impressive glow for years. “There didn’t seem to be a lot of consistency, or certainly no quantification of the nature of the phosphorescence,” Post says. Thus, he and a team of researchers took on the challenge to dispel the deep dark secrets of the Hope Diamond.

UV Rays Shed New Light on the Hope Diamond’s Mysterious Red Glow

Hundreds of rare precious gemstones are on display in the Gems and Minerals Galleries at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. According to Dr. Jeff Post, curator of the United States National Gem and Mineral Collection and avid mineralogist, few of those gems garner more attention than the world famous and Smithsonian’s own, Hope Diamond. With its breathtaking beauty and mysterious past, the Hope Diamond intrigues millions of museum visitors each year; but beyond its rumored curse, the world’s largest blue diamond is proving to be a unique scientific specimen.

The 45.52-carat blue diamond puzzles scientists because of the fiery red glow it gives off for several minutes after being exposed to ultra-violet light. Scientists refer to this phenomenon as phosphorescence. “It looks like a glowing orange coal in your barbeque grill,” explains Post. “It has been described as one of the unique properties of this unique diamond, something special to the Hope Diamond.” No comprehensive studies on the nature of the phosphorescence exist, which has made Dr. Jeff Post question the impressive glow for years. “There didn’t seem to be a lot of consistency, or certainly no quantification of the nature of the phosphorescence,” Post says. Thus, he and a team of researchers took on the challenge to dispel the deep dark secrets of the Hope Diamond.

the different between wondering and knowing

GIA wants you to understand exactly what you’re buying when shopping for your diamond. As creators of the 4Cs and the International Diamond Grading System™, GIA set the standards for diamond grading and has been helping consumers make educated diamond buying decisions for over 50 years.

GIA’s D-to-Z color-grading scale, Flawless-to-I3 clarity-grading scale, and Excellent-to-Poor cut-grading scale are all recognized by gem and jewelry professionals everywhere. And, by extension, the GIA Diamond Grading Report, Diamond Dossier®, and Gemological Identification Report are considered to be the world’s premier evaluations of gem quality and authenticity.

Jewelers to the Stars Design Celebrity Worthy Engagement Rings

As everyone knows, when it comes to practically everything, celebrities are known for going over the top. Their homes are ten times bigger than the average dwelling, their clothing budget is akin to what most people bring home over a five year period and the cost of their jewelry would rival the national budget of a small country. When it comes time to design engagement and wedding rings, celebrities naturally turn to extremely well known designers. Continue reading »