All That Glitters...

Contents

1. The latest on celebrity couplings and un-couplings.
2. There's a resurgence in fancy colored diamonds. What's hot and what's not.
3. All the glitz from the recent Oscars.

There's been an epidemic of celebrity couplings and un-couplings lately, and we've got all the goss:

Screen heart throb Jude Law broke the hearts of millions of fans when he proposed to actress Sienna Miller on Christmas Day. The ring, said to be worth $38,000, features nine clustered diamonds set in platinum on a gold band.

It was later reported that Sienna lost one of the diamonds in her brand new ring, and was eagerly waiting on good old Jude to fork out for a replacement stone.

Another A-List celebrity couple tying the knot are Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake. Cameron has been spotted wearing a huge diamond ring on her engagement finger.

Dubbed "The Ceremony Of The Century", Donald Trump and Melania Knauss's recent wedding cost enough to bankrupt many small countries. The Graff-designed emerald cut 15-carat diamond engagement ring is said to be worth anywhere from $1 million to $2 million (but who's quibbling?), and Melania's strapless wedding gown, designed by John Galliano, featured 300 feet of material.

Just what a girl wants. Christina Aguilera is sporting a $114,000 platinum 5-carat diamond engagement ring, designed by London-based jewelry designer to the stars, Stephen Webster.

Meanwhile, another celebrity to announce her engagement is Nicole Richie, who co-stars with Paris Hilton in the TV series "The Simple Life". The ring features a large square-cut pink sapphire surrounded by small diamonds. Nicole and boyfriend Adam Goldstein (aka DJ AM) have recently purchased a home together in the Hollywood Hills.

Supermodel Heidi Klum is proudly showing off the engagement ring presented to her by fiance Seal. The ring features a 10 carat canary yellow oval diamond.

Tennis ace Lleyton Hewitt may have lost the Australian Open, but he won the heart of Australian soap star Bec Cartwright, when he proposed during the tennis finals.

And last but definitely not least, Prince Charles finally popped the question to Camilla Parker-Bowles. Her Art-Deco inspired emerald cut diamond ring has three baguette diamonds on each side. The ring formerly belonged to the Queen Mother.

The big news over previous months has been the break down on Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston's marriage. After months of tabloid speculation, the couple officially announced in January that their 4-year fairytale romance was over.

And for anyone who's got a spare couple of million, the six-carat pink diamond engagement ring that Ben Affleck gave Jennifer Lopez is being sold for an undisclosed amount. Ben reportedly paid Winston $1.2 million for the ring in 2002.

Also reported is the sale on e-Bay of the 2.13-carat diamond engagement ring given to Debbie Rowe by Michael Jackson on the day before their wedding in 1996. Ms Rowe is believed to be hocking the ring to help cover costs while she fights a custody battle over their two children.

Choosing the perfect white diamond is difficult enough, so how do you select a fancy colored diamond?

At one end of the spectrum is the colorless white diamond - at the other end is the rainbow of hues available in colored diamonds. From soft pinks and blues to vivid yellow, reds and purples, diamonds come in every color of the rainbow, and some in between.

Natural fancy colored diamonds are extremely rare and expensive. It's estimated only one in 10,000 natural diamonds is colored. The rarest colors are red, blue and green, while yellow and brown diamonds are more common.

The most important factor for you to consider when shopping for colored diamonds is the depth and richness of the color, and what appeals to you. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has a grading scale which ranges from "Faint" and "Very Light," to "Fancy Deep" and "Fancy Vivid" where the saturation and intensity of the color just reaches out and grabs you.

But don't base your purchasing decision purely on the GIA report; every diamond is unique and individual, so what appeals to one buyer may not appeal to the next. When shopping for a fancy colored diamond, the same 4Cs apply, with variations. To remind yourself about the importance of cut, clarity, color and carat weight, read our Diamond Buying Guide.

Look for intensity and even color distribution throughout the stone. The goal of a master diamond cutter is to mask any traces of color when cutting a white stone, but with a colored diamond, the cutter's aim is to enhance the color.

Similarly, the most popular shapes for white diamonds can detract from a colored diamond's intensity. The most popular shapes for fancy colored diamonds are square radiant and oval shapes.

Large fancy colored diamonds are extremely rare, hence their significantly increased value. Light, faintly colored diamonds can be equally beautiful and are less expensive than their vibrant counterparts. The trick with faint colored diamonds is to look for even distribution of color.

Synthetic and treated colored diamonds are quickly gaining popularity. Synthetic colored diamonds are artifical diamonds created in a laboratory. By varying the heat and pressure during formation, adding foreign elements, and irradiating the finished crystals, synthetic diamonds can be made to imitate natural colored stones.

Treated diamonds are natural diamonds that started out with an unappealing or slightly off color. By treating these stones to the same processes used to create synthetic diamonds, the color and appearance of treated diamonds can be greatly enhanced.

When considering a fancy color diamond, make sure you get an origin-of-color report from the GIA or one of the other qualified gemological laboratories. This report will tell you whether the diamond's color is natural or the result of human intervention.

Fancy color diamonds are among the rarest and most beautiful gemstones. They are, like orchids, true treasures of nature.

Acquiring a colored diamond requires a special expertise. With the recent advancements in creating treated and synthetic diamonds and the sometimes deceptive practices of sellers, you may want to seek guidance from an impartial expert. An independent gemologist/appraiser, with a knowledge of fancy color diamonds and the diamond markets, can help you acquire a stunning diamond of high value at a fair price. As always, education and expertise are your best protection against the games and shenanigans in the diamond market place.

All The Glitz and Glam At The Oscars!

Just as we've come to expect, Hollywood's finest didn't disappoint us on the red carpet at this year's Oscars.

Although some of the fashions may have been a little ho-hum, the sight of Beyonce Knowles, clad in strapless black Versace and drenched in flashy diamonds, was a spectacle to behold.

Oscar winner Hilary Swank received a lot of attention for her Chopard 5.16-carat emerald-cut Diamond Right Hand Ring flanked by diamond baguettes, and 2-carat cushion-cut diamond earrings set in platinum.

Kate Winslet teamed up with Hollywood jeweler Neil Lane, who designed diamond clips for her hair, two diamond clips to adorn the straps of her dress, and a pair of dramatic diamond drop earrings.

Never one to disappoint, Gwyneth Paltrow wore Damiani's shoulder-length platinum and diamond earrings of concentric teardrops, along with a Damiani platinum and diamond cuff bracelet with her nude-colored corset dress.

Chandelier earrings were a feature at this years' awards, with best supporting actress nominee Virginia Madsen pictured in a pair of cascading, Christmas tree-shaped earrings. The Sideways star also wore a diamond ring and diamond cuff bracelet by Loree Rodkin.

Natalie Portman wore a Fred Leighton 19th century style headband valued at $75,000 and a 3.9-carat cushion-cut diamond right hand ring.

Scarlett Johansson also picked a Fred Leighton 19th century 3-star diamond tiara, valued at $55,000.

Renee Zellweger wore an emerald-cut diamond and platinum ring, diamond necklace diamond and platinum bracelet, all by Cartier, to complement her Caroline Herrera red strapless number.

Laura Linney, also nominated for best supporting actress, showed off a modern take on pearls with a lariat by Cathy Waterman wrapped twice around her neck. Linney finished her ensemble with a diamond right-hand ring and drop earrings, also by Waterman.

Hollywood’s leading men didn’t leave the diamond field to the women either. Jamie Foxx sported a black and white diamond watch valued at $57,000, and a diamond ring set in platinum and red gold worth $11,000.

Morgan Freeman, unique as ever, wore a one-of-a-kind oversized diamond Cartier diamond stud as top button.

Leonardo Di Caprio dressed up in 4-carat emerald-cut diamond cufflinks set in white gold worth $24,000 by Jacob the Jeweler.

Sean (P.Diddy) Combs took bling to the extreme in his own custom-designed Jacob & Co. watch, diamond bracelet, diamond rings and diamond cufflinks.

As part of an E! Television jewelry special leading up to the Oscars, emitations.com jewelry got rave reviews for their range of celebrity inspired jewelry designs.

To own a dazzling designer piece similar to something worn by your favorite star at the 77th Annual Academy Awards, at a fraction of the price, have a peak at the fabulous display of red carpet bling available at emitations.

If there's anything you'd like to see in an upcoming ezine, please write to me at alex@engagement-rings-guide.com and I'll see what I can do.

Stay safe!

Alex Miller http://www.engagement-rings-guide.com