Sapphire is a gemstone variety of the mineral corundum (an aluminum oxide) that comes in many colors ranging from canary yellow to blue , brown, gray, green, orange, pink, purple, and colorless . The only exception is with the color red or dark pink . In this case the gemstone is called a ruby .

The cost of natural sapphires varies depending on their color, clarity, size, cut, and overall quality, as well as their geographic origin. Blue sapphires are evaluated based upon the purity of their primary hue with purple, violet, and green being the most common secondary hues found in blue sapphires. Violet and purple can contribute to the overall beauty of the color, while green is considered to be distinctly negative. Blue sapphires with up to 15% violet or purple are generally said to be of fine quality. Brightness is another important factor to be considered when establishing the quality of a sapphire.

Sapphires also occur in shades of orange and brown, and colorless sapphires are sometimes used as diamond substitutes in jewelry. Yellow sapphires from Sri Lanka can be comparable in value to the finest Mogok sapphires. Pushparaga, also known as "Oriental topaz" has a golden or honey yellow color with brownish secondary hues that resembles actual topazes .

The padparadscha sapphire is the most valuable of the colored sapphires. It is a bright pinkish-orange stone with qualities that are debated even among some jewelers and dealers. It is extremely rare and tends to be found only in Sri Lanka, although padparadscha sapphires have occasionally been found elsewhere. These gems are very valuable with prices per carat that can go higher than the price of high quality diamonds!

Da'Carli Diamond Jewelry has a large selection of jewelry set with high quality sapphires featuring all the available colors. Our rings, bracelets, earrings, and pendants come in a variety of styles from modern to antique with diamond accents and other semi-precious gemstones. All our jewelry is manufactured in the United States of America by talented, skilled, and very experienced jewelers. Every piece that goes out of our doors have to pass a strict quality control. No wonder Da'Carli Diamond Jewelry has received the A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

The tradition of engagement rings as we currently know it arose in the medieval era, when, in 1215, Pope Innocent III instituted a mandatory waiting period from engagement to marriage . For the first few hundred years in the tradition of engagement rings, only the wealthiest nobles could afford rings set with precious stones, and most engagement rings were simple metal bands .

In the modern days, buying engagement rings with precious stones is no longer a privilege of the nobles. Engagement rings became highly symbolic with many including sets of stones with personal meaning. One popular model features the birth stones of the engaged couple and each of their parents. The Victorian tradition of engagement rings included precious stones whose initials spelled out a message. A common example is when the engagement ring is set with Lapis lazuli, Opal, Vermarine, and Emerald to spell out the word LOVE.

In modern day England and the United States, among other countries, the most common type of engagement ring is a diamond solitaire . This tradition of engagement rings is largely due to an advertising campaign by De Beers in the 1940s. In some countries, such as France, other precious stones are commonly seen in engagement rings . One tradition of engagement rings calls for the ring to be expensive as a symbol of the man's commitment.

The History of Pendants

The history of pendants stretches back to prehistoric times. Take for example the Venus of Hohle Fels, which is a prehistoric archeological artifact. This artifact is a figurine carved out of Mammoth's ivory in the shape of a woman's body. In place of the head, the figurine has a perforation so that it may have been worn as a pendant!

The Greeks started using gold and gems in jewelry in 600 BC, although beads shaped as shells and animals were produced widely in earlier times. By 300 BC, the Greeks had mastered making colored jewels and using amethysts, pearls and emeralds. That's when the pendant as we know it today started appearing as an article of jewelry.

Many of the oldest pendants had animals as motif. Among the animal themed pendants, cats have always been a frequent subject. Sacred to the ancient Egyptians, cats were the special attribute of the goddess Bastet, the protectress of home, mothers, and children, and were frequently depicted in art and jewelry. Jewels of the cat goddess Bastet can be traced back to as early as 3200 BC during the second dynasty in northern Egypt.

Dogs are another theme that have been often used throughout human history in the jewelry making. On the right site is a photograph of a dog pendant crafted in gold and featuring asymmetrical shaped pearls. This particular piece was made in 1560 and can be found at The Schmuck Museum of Jewelry in Germany.

Animal Pendants in Fashion

Animal pendants are all the rage these days. Jewelry designers are finding ways to capture nature’s beauty by depicting birds, fishes, wild animals, and pets . In fact, this is a fashion trend that we can all appreciate. It is a true pleasure to wear a pendant that reminds us of an animal that we hold dear.

At Da'Carli Diamond Jewelry store, you can find a collection of animal pendants. We have a growing selection of dog pendant , cat pendant , butterfly pendant , dolphin pendant , elephant pendant , turtle pendant , rabbit pendant , and many more. Animal pendants are very popular but pendants that depict pets are in high demand. Everyone of our pendants is made by our in-house experienced and talented jewelers. We at Da'Carli are always looking out for brand new items to keep you in style with the current trends.

Cross Pendants

The cross is considered to be the most widely recognized religious symbol in the world. It is mainly associated with Christianity but has been used as a symbol by civilizations that precede Christianity. An example of that is the Crux Ansata, which was originally the Egyptian symbol for "life", and was adopted latter on by the Copts (Egyptian Christians)as their Christian symbol.

The cross is often shown in different shapes and sizes, in many different styles. Some of the most traditional cross pendant designs are the Latin cross (the traditional cross design), the Maltese cross , the Celtic Cross , and the Rose Cross . In recent years, Jewelers have been designing beautiful, modern, and very creating crosses . Da'Carli Diamond Jewels online store has a large selection of cross pendants with designs ranging from the more traditional and ornate style cross pendants to the more stylized and sophisticated cross pendants .