23 - Friday, February 6, 1987 -

North Shore News

Jewelry: ultimate symbol of

THE TRADITION of giving
chocolates on Valentine’s Day is
perhaps as old as the day itself.
But instead of a five-pound box of
sweets that forces a loved one to
count calories, why not have her
count carats.

,. Although evidence. of the
engagement tradition dates back as
far as the’ caveman, the: Pharaohs
of Egypt are believed to have orig-
inated the ring — or circle. — as a
symbol of eternity. Their sketches
indicate the circle as a heavenly

sign meaning life, happiness and.

love have r no beginning or end.

The ; “use ‘ofa, ‘diamond in’ the |

engagement ring ‘setting dates back
as far as ancient India where un-
polishéd' stones were used in or-
namentation and gifts. Not until
1477, -however;. did. the polished
diamond wWeé..know today became
“the betrothal stone, .

-. Desiring, ‘to please his prospec-
tive fathes-in-law,. Archduke Max-
_inillian. of. Austtia proposed to
Mary of Burgundy by giving her a
diamond ring. Maximillian wed his
beloved Mary. within 24 hours of
the betrothal ceremony and _ thus
began a tradition: that has spanned
centuries.

Since their discovery some 2,000
years ago, diamonds have been the
source of much fascination. Nam-
ed after the Greek word, meaning
unconquerable, diamonds are the
hardest and most durable of all
natural substances.

By their very nzture, they came
to symbolize courage and invin-
cibility. Some’ ancients” believed
that those who gazed inside a dia-
mond. would gain inner strength.
Others saw the diamond as the
talisman to ward off evil.

Until the 19th century, the dia-
mond engagement ring was a lux-
ury thought only fitting for kings

‘and nobility. Today over 77 per
cent of all new brides receive a
diamond engagement ring. While

_ the marquise shape is gaining in
popularity, the brilliant solitaire
‘ remains the most popular choice.

Selecting the right diamond
engagement ring may at first seem
to be an overwhelming task. Once
the factors that determine the
quality and value of « diamond are

understood, . however, the task
becomes much simpler. There are
four characteristics that determine
a diamond’s quality and value:
cut, clarity, color and carat weight.

Cut: Although often confused
with the shape of a diamond, cut
refers to the precise arrangement

of a diamond’s facets in relation
to each other. A well-cut diamond
with 58 facets will allow the
greatest amount of light to be
reflected. A diamond either too
deep or too shallow will allow
some light to escape before it can
be reflected and returned to the

eye.
Clarity: This refers to the
presence of inclusions — interior
to exterior — in a diamond. The
fewer the inclusions, the better the
diamond quality, as inclusions can
interfere with the. passage of light
through the gem. Smail inclusions

~

discerned under a rnagnification o}
10 times will neither mar the dia-
mond’s beauty nor harm its quali-
ty.

Color: It is the truly coloriess
diamond that is the most precious.

Carat Weight: The carat is the
unit of weight used for diamonds.

-Good Enough: is Never C Good Enough!

Our. customers: deserve the ver,

_ best and for the past 20 years’ our
craftsmen have provided ith

We’ re ....
CRE ATIVE

785 Park Royal North 926-7213

Your Friends in the Jewellery Business!