Mervis Diamond Blog

Another Happy Testimonial for Diane Giles & Mervis

Several years ago I decided to upgrade my wife’s engagement ring to a larger size. Her original ring was from a well respected jeweler in Richmond, VA that my parents and grandparents had used for years. We set up an appointment at the K Street, NW Washington, DC store where we met Diane Giles and also Ronnie Mervis.  From this first meeting we have had one of the best relationships with any retail establishment that we can remember.  Diane took the time to carefully examine the original ring we wanted to upgrade, had the on-site jeweler do the same and then showed us the difference in quality between that ring and a stone purchased from Mervis.  It was quite an education.  She suggested that we have the original ring made in to a pendant which we did and I purchased a new stone and had it reset (new platinum setting) in her original band.  When we picked up the ring and the pendant, they were both exquisite and my wife, also a Diane, wears the pendant every day.

The experience was so exceptional that we kept in touch with Diane at Mervis and a couple of years later I went back to upgrade the second ring as a gift for my Diane earning her doctorate degree from George Washington University. Here is where the friendship and creative minds of myself and Diane Giles started to work.  I wanted the new stone to be a surprise to give her when our children were here for graduation, but did not want to purchase a new ring since hers had a special “split band” to allow her to get the ring on over her knuckle. We took the ring in for “cleaning” and to be checked and left the ring at Mervis using the excuse that the “split band” had to go back to the manufacturer for repair. I actually picked up the ring about 2 weeks later and used the “repair excuse” to keep it for about a month until graduation.  The surprise was great and perfect for her efforts earning her doctorate. This was in 2009.

Long story longer, our 25^th wedding anniversary was in May 2010 so why not upgrade the stone yet another time.  I had planned a three island, 2-week vacation to Hawaii for our anniversary and where my Diane had lived for 14 years before we met in Korea. Like I said, long story longer.  I was in the Army and she was working for the Air Force as a civilian. Side note is that I had never been to Hawaii. Back to Diane at Mervis in November 2009. I had no clue how to now switch the stones and make the upgrade. She offered to replace the 2009 stone with a cubic zirconium that closely matched the diamond in the original setting and ring and we would put the new stone in a completely new ring and setting. We did this at the Tyson’s Corner store and waited for the new stone to come in along with the new ring. My Diane wore the cubic zirconium ring from November 2009 to May 2010 when we went to Hawaii. Never questioned that it was not “her diamond”! We left it in our safety deposit box at the bank for “safe keeping” along with the pendant. I picked up the new ring at the Rockville store also in May and hand carried it in my camera bag to Hawaii.  I gave it to her on a dinner boat cruise off of Waikiki and Diamond Head on Oahu on our anniversary. She was totally overwhelmed. When we got back to the hotel I also gave her a hand written note from Diane Giles she had given me when I picked up the ring.

End of this story is that Mervis and our friend Diane Giles, made this all seamless, educational, fun, and each time made us (really me) feel we were the most important customer she had.  Their stores are great, people always willing to help and why would you go anywhere else to buy a diamond with this kid of personal service.

Thanks for being you Diane and Thank You Mervis!

Diamond fact of the day: Cut and Light Leakage

diamond cut

Today’s diamond fact of the day isn’t really a “fact” per se, but more about learning terminology. Let’s learn some words:

When talking about a diamond’s cut, the “fire” represents the flashes of color you see in a polished diamond.

“Scintillation” -  This refers to the flashes of light and the contrasting dark areas you see when the diamond, the light, or the observer moves.

“Unplanned light leakage” – This refers to the light that escapes through a diamond’s pavillion and weakens its display of light.

A well cut diamond has excellent fire, excellent scintillation, and minimal light leakage. It’s the precision of the angles of a diamond that allow maximum light to be refracted and shot out the table.

Diamond Facts of the Day

Did you know that a diamond is the hardest natural substance on earth? A diamond is so hard that cocorundum, the second hardest mineral on earth that forms rubies and sapphires, is 58x less hard than the diamond. How about that for a competitor!

Here’s an interesting fact though: Despite the diamond’s extreme hardness, if a diamond is placed in an oven at the hot temperature of 763 degrees Celsius (1405 Fahrenheit), the diamond will simply vanish without even ashes remaining.

diamond

Diamond in the Rough

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “a diamond in the rough,” and if you haven’t, urban dictionary describes it as “somebody who appears dubious at first but then turns out to be exceptional.” So for example, if you think somebody is unqualified for a job but he then turns out extraordinary, you can call him a “diamond in the rough.”

This phrase originates from the rough diamond, which before it is cut and polished, looks very plain, rough and really nothing like that stunning bling your husband may have gotten you for valentines day! “Diamond Cutting”  is not an easy science and requires specialized knowledge, tools, equipment, and techniques because of the diamond’s extreme hardness.

Planning is the first step in converting the rough diamond into a polished stone. During this phase, the jeweler will evaluate the possible turnaround time in cutting the diamond, and from an economic standpoint he will evaluate the possible return on investment he will get on the finished stone.

The second  part, known as “weight retention,” is when an analysis is done on the rough diamond to find the best combination of finished stones as it relates to the per carat value.

Color retention is another important part of the process, since cutting can influence the color grade of the diamond and possibly raise the diamond’s value.  Additionally, there are certain diamond shapes that will intensify the color of the diamond, such as the “radiant cut.”

Cleaving and Sawing are the mechanical actions done to the rough diamond to separate them into separate pieces so they can be finished as individual gems.

After the cleaving and sawing is done on the diamonds, the bruting process will occur in which the diamonds are set onto spinning axles turning in opposite directions and grind against each other to make each diamond a round shape.

Lastly, the polishing and final inspection will be done in which the diamond will be cleaned thoroughly and examined to make sure it meets the manufacturer’s standards.

So next time you hear the phrase “a diamond in the rough,” remember that its origins refer to the original unpolished, uncut stone we just spoke about!

World’s Oldest Diamonds

Recently it was reported that scientists discovered what they believe to be the world’s oldest diamonds beneath the Australian outback. Australian and German researchers believe that these diamonds date back a stunning 4+ billion years, making these diamonds almost as old as our 4.5 billion year old planet! These fifty gems were found inside the Jack Hills region of Australia and are quite small, with the largest diamond measuring only 70 microns, making it quite invisible to the naked eye.  These diamonds found not only have major implications for those interested in diamonds, but geologists studying the Earth’s formation believe this to be a major find, as these diamonds found could force a rethink about how our earth was formed.

Popping the Question

So I was chatting with a friend on Gmail Chat and I asked him how he proposed. I thought it was great. This is literally what he just told me:

Princess Cut Diamonds

Princess Cut Diamonds

A princess cut diamond is meant to be perfectly square. That means the measurement of one side should equal the measurement of the next side over. If a princess diamond is not perfectly square, and becomes more rectangular, then it is known as a radiant cut diamond.

princess cut diamond

So then you might have the question: What about a radiant cut diamond that is actually square? (If we remember our logical laws of geometry, all squares are rectangles, and some rectangles are square, but not all rectangles are square. ) So then, if a radiant cut diamond is cut like a square, does it become a princess cut diamond? Well, no, and yes, and almost.

The only noticeable distinction between them is that the princess cut has sharp pointed corners, while the radiant cut has tapered corners. These cuts are two of the three main square cuts on the market, with the other one being the traditional “emerald cut.”

So, remember, if you’re looking for a radiant cut diamond, be sure to check it out and make sure it’s of a size and dimension that you like. All radiants are unique in their look. If you like the more square radiant diamonds, then consider a princess cut diamond.

Tacori Collections

Our Gay Wedding Rings Make Huffington Post

Last Thursday, we marked a historic event by unveiling our first ever line of wedding rings especially for the gay community. We had a great turnout at our “Coming OUT” party to see the wedding rings. And lo and behold, our wedding rings are starting to make headlines. We’ve received press from the DC Examiner, Bisnow, examiner.com, Washington Business Journal, Metro Weekly, NBC 4, WTOP, and now the latest and most exciting, Huffington Post!!!

You know what they say about wedding rings: Make a better wedding ring, and the world will beat down a path to your doorway!

Engagement Ring for a 73 Year Old

Just the other day, an older gentleman walked into our store and asked to see engagement rings. He told us he was 73 years old, and wanted something classic–a solitaire maybe. I thought it was a beautiful thing.  One of the best parts of this job is hearing people’s love stories.