diamonds Archives | Schwanke Kasten

30 Mar

Cushion Cut Diamonds

A cushion cut diamond is the perfect answer for those torn between round brilliant and princess or square cut diamonds. Cushion cut diamonds were once the standard cut for diamonds, before round brilliant cuts took over. With their soft, rounded corners, cushion cut diamonds bridge the gap between round brilliant cuts and princess cuts. At Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, we have a beautiful array of GIA certified cushion cut diamonds for your engagement ring or jewelry piece.

Cushion Cut Diamond Engagement Ring from Rahaminov

PROS & CONS of Cushion Cut Diamonds

Jewelers and recipients alike, enjoy this design for its classic and timeless aesthetic. Furthermore, gemologists have determined these cuts to have the most dispersion of light, or fire. Additionally, the jewelry market typically prices round brilliant cut diamonds higher than cushion cut for two reasons.

Demand
Less waste

However due to the deeper cut needed for this design, you will need to overcompensate with a larger stone than anticipated.

4 C’S

CUT:

Chunky vs Crushed Ice: Jewelers refer to these two terms when talking about the back facets and light reflections. If the light reflections appear in broad flashes, it refers to “chunky” aesthetic, if it appears as broken glass

"Crushed Ice" Cushion Cut — “Crushed Ice”

Length-to-Width Ration: Cushion cuts can come in “square” ratios as well as varying rectangle ratios. We should mention that you ought to avoid a length to width ration between 1.06 to 1.10.
Standard vs Modified Brilliant Cushion Cuts: Beginning in the 1920’s, diamond cutters added an extra row of facets beneath the girdle. However there is minimal affect on the beauty or structural integrity of the diamond.
Depth and Table: look for a cushion cuts with a depth and table under 70%. As well as symmetry and polish that is very good or excellent.

CARAT WEIGHT:

As we previously mentioned, cushion cuts tend to appear smaller than their round counterparts due to the depth of the cuts. That being said, if size is an issue, you may have to go larger than anticipated.

COLOR:

Cushion cuts show more color than round brilliant but this effect is negated by their brilliance and dispersion. However, we suggest looking for cushion cuts with color grades of I or higher.

CLARITY:

Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers tell shoppers to choose clarity grades of SI1 or higher as the integrity of the stone is not compromised as well as the aesthetic.

Email, text or call Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers today to learn more about cushion cut diamonds and how to set up a free consultation with one of our highly trained sales associates.

02 Aug

Marquise Diamonds

One of the most unique and definitive engagement ring diamond cuts are marquise diamonds. Jewelers and fans also refer to marquise cuts as football cuts, cat-eye cuts and boat cuts because of the highly elongated elliptical shape. This 58 faceted diamond cut is actually a vintage style and looks great on long, slender fingers. Furthermore, this romantic cut breathes an aristocratic air and carries a royal pedigree.

According to the legend, marquise diamonds date back to the 18^th century where “King Louis XV commissioned a jewelry to design a diamond cut that resembled the lips of Jean Antoinette Poisson, his mistress”. Furthermore, these diamonds also signify a rank just below duke, where individuals would actually wear these diamonds to signify said rank.

Additionally, gemologist originally design marquise cuts for diamonds, however jewelers now use these cuts with emeralds, rubies and sapphires.

Custom Marquise Diamond Engagement Ring by Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers

Marquise Diamonds – TIPS

Marquise cuts are a fairly extreme cut when it comes to diamond cuts, so they are susceptible to chipping, so you may want to look for a mounting with protective prongs along the ends of the diamond.
A higher cut grade is important for the marquise diamond. Typically, elongated shapes tend to form a bow tie effect in the middle of the stone. Additionally, the symmetry of marquise cuts are very important.
One noticeable benefit is that marquise cuts tend to make the center stone look larger.

Do you like marquise diamonds? You know who else does too? Victoria Beckham, aka Posh Spice, Ashley Simpson and THE Catherine Zeta Jones.

Ashlee Simpson Marquise Diamond Engagement Ring

At Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, we can create the perfect marquise diamond (or other precious gemstone) engagement ring. Additionally, stop by our Whitefish Bay or Milwaukee location to talk with our in-house gemologist.

12 Jul

Diamond Tennis Bracelets

While this time of year is filled with so many sports, one of our favorites is Wimbledon & the French Open. And of course, the bauble that comes to mind, are the iconic diamond tennis bracelets. This piece of jewelry features a line or row of diamonds secured with a clasp. The “tennis” bracelet name came in 1987 when legendary Tennis Pro Chris Evert was asked why she called for a time-out during a very competitive match. Her response, “my diamond Tennis Bracelet came off”, and she wanted to find it before continuing the game. It was then and there that this bracelet got its name.

diamond tennis bracelets made famous by Chris Evert

If you are wondering if wearing a tennis bracelet during a match is a good idea, according to the GIA experts here is what they suggest so you can wear your bracelet without worry:

“In addition to the clasp, add a safety catch on the side of the bracelet for added protection.
Have the tennis bracelet routinely checked by a jeweler to make sure the clasp, safety catch, and mountings are secure, and
Keep the diamonds sparkling with periodic cleaning.

Nearly 30 years have passed since Evert’s unforgettable on-court incident, and the tennis bracelet is still a fashion accessory for the sophisticated set. “

At Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers we have a great selection of gorgeous diamond tennis bracelets that are sure to be a grand slam. With prices starting around $2800, these make great gifts for your bride-to-be, mom-to-be, celebrating an anniversary or birthday. Whatever the occasion, a diamond bracelet is sure to be a huge hit, on and off the court. Stop by our Whitefish Bay or Downtown Milwaukee locations to peruse our selection.

01 Oct

Three-Stone Engagement Rings

At Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, we understand that the amount of engagement ring styles, materials and dozens of other factors can be overwhelming. Therefore, we thought we’d breakdown some of our favorite styles starting with the gorgeous three-stone engagement rings.

Three-Stone Engagement Rings Symbolism

The tri-stone engagement ring has been popularized by its symbolism; either signifying a relationships past, present and future, friendship, love and fidelity or even religious implications. Furthermore, this symbolism gives the engagement ring that extra edge of significance and personalization. A three-stone ring gives you still gives you a substantial amount of flexibility in terms of style.

Schwanke Kasten Engagement Rings

Take our Schwanke-Kasten Sapphire Diamond Engagement Ring for example. Should your fiancé-to-be be born in September or you plan on “popping the question” in September.

Rahaminov Engagement Rings

While many three stone rings use princess cut diamonds, we carry a beautiful oval-cut three stone ring by Rahaminov that features halos around each stone and a 1.01 carat, d-color and SI1-clarity center stone diamond set in 18k white gold.

Naledi Engagement Rings

In addition, diamonds on the shanks of the ring can give the engagement ring a little extra sparkle. Our Naledi Design’s Trista Engagement Ring perfectly showcases this feature by utilizing 0.26 total carat weight of diamonds to accompany the three stones.

Martin Flyer Engagement Rings

However, if simplicity is your speed, the Martin Flyer Flyerfit™ Three Stone Ring might be a perfect ring for you. With 1.01 total cart weight of diamonds, this particular Martin Flyer engagement ring is ready to wear!

However, we recommend stopping by either Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers location in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to consult with our professionally trained sales team as well as to browse our full inventory of world renowned engagement ring designers. Additionally, Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers has an in-store GIA certified gemologist and goldsmith should you wish to fully customize an engagement ring or repurpose a family heirloom.

01 Aug

New Website – New Brands & New Look

After 15 years, Schwanke-Kasten will be launching a new website. Our goal is to provide you with the best and most convenient online shopping experience, which is what this new website will allow us to do. In addition, we’ve expanded our selection of jewelry designers with exclusive selections from Graymoor Lane Designs, Dilamani, Platinum Born and FOPE.

In the bottom right corner, there is now a click to chat/text function. The function will allow us to answer your questions in real-time (during business hours). We’ve added better mobile functionality to accommodate the increasing trend of mobile searches. In addition, we’ve improved our jewelry filters to allow you to search by stone, purity, and metal color.

We hope you enjoy our new website and the updated Schwanke-Kasten experience. As always, should you have any special requests, please let us know.

10 Jul

Rahaminov Diamond Engagement Rings

Like Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, Rahaminov Diamonds is a family-owned and operated business that has, for over 70 years. In fact, they have supplied the fine jewelry world rare and marvelous diamonds in the form of diamond engagement rings and incredible jewelry.

Award Winner – Rahaminov

Having won numerous awards, including the prestigious 2016 Grand Prize JCK Jewelers’ Choice Award, Rahaminov routinely creates rare and breathtaking diamond jewelry. This is because they expertly crafted engagement rings which highlight and enhance the diamond’s unique shape.

It is through their exquisite designs, unparalleled craftsmanship and attention to detail, Rahaminov Diamonds became an internationally recognized diamond house. On another note, they are based out of Los Angeles. Moreover, by showcasing their impressive inventory of rare and important diamonds, Rahaminov routinely brings their jewelry to life.

Ingrained in their mantra is the belief that the diamond is as rare as the woman who wears it. Women design Rahaminov jewelry for women. The diamond inspires the design.

By stopping by Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers in Whitefish Bay, you can view our beautiful collection of one-of-a-kind Rahaminov jewelry pieces. Furthermore, Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers’ is a preferred retailer in Wisconsin. More importantly, we look forward to many years to come! That being said, if you are not sure where to start, check out Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers’ article on diamond education.

15 Nov

Buying An Engagement Ring

Buying an engagement ring can seem like a scary experience. It doesn’t have to be! Before you go buying an engagement ring, the experts at Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers recommend considering the following:

Buying an Engagement Ring – Budget

Budget: The golden rule has always been two month’s salary. However, we believe that you should set aside a budget that won’t leave you dead broke. We recommend setting an honest budget with the forethought that engagement rings are expensive.

Learn the 4C’s:

Carat Weight – This is the size of the diamond (or another precious gemstone). If your finance wants a big stone but your budget is limited, ask for a stone with a large table. While this will affect the brilliance and fire of the stone, it will make it appear larger. If you want a beautiful stone and size isn’t the issue but the budget is. Select stone just under the nearest whole carat (i.e. 1.85 carats vs. 2 carats). There tends to be a jump in price once a diamond’s size hits the nearest whole integer.
Color – Ranging from D – Z, D being colorless and Z being a light-yellow hue. The more colorless the diamond, the more expensive. From the visible eye, it is tough to tell the difference between colorless and near-colorless.
Cut – If she is more reserved or traditional, you may want to opt for a round, brilliant cut diamond. However, for a unique look, there are a whole array of fancy cuts like Ascher, emerald, marquise, pear- and even heart-shape are used for creating engagement rings. Do keep in mind, fancy cut diamonds typically are limited in the types of mountings.
Clarity – To the naked eye, the clarity of the diamond is often impossible to judge – sometimes even to a trained professional! We recommend, while important, that this be the last of the 4C’s to consider.

Mounting

Mounting: There are numerous types of diamond mountings that can showcase the center stone, however it is important to consider the following:

Will you be purchasing a matching wedding band in the future? Some mountings and diamonds are made in a way that a matching wedding band is not feasible. There are practical solutions to this, however.
Consider her line of work, sometimes a high mounting isn’t possible. This is especially important if she works in the medical field or works with her hands frequently.
If she has skin allergies, a certain skin tone or wears a particular color of jewelry, you may need to consider a specific type of precious metal.

Ring Size

Ring Size: If you can, swipe a ring that she often wears on her ring finger, then we can help you select a size for the ring. Jewelers can size up or down most engagement ring mountings one size. Another option is to simply present a ring, and then come and choose a slightly larger ring size as it is easier to solder a ring down.

Ask your married friends, her friends, AND your parents for help and input. There is nothing wrong with being nervous or unsure as it can seem like an overwhelming experience.

We recommend checking out our diamond vocabulary list, to familiarize yourself with various diamond terms. Visit one of our Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers stores to work with our highly trained staff, including GIA certified gemologists, to discover buying an engagement ring with easy!

18 Sep

Bridal Jewelry – Wedding Tips

In addition to diamonds being the center stone of the engagement ring and typically in the wedding band, they are also a popular choice for bridal jewelry! With the tagline, “Diamonds are Forever”, diamonds in bridal jewelry have quickly became associated with the strength and rarity of the beauty of your true love. Common examples of diamond bridal jewelry are diamond “tennis” bracelets, diamond-by-the-yard, pendant necklaces and stud earrings.

If you are looking for simplicity, the Roberto Coin 3, 5 or 7 Necklaces are great versatile choices. We love this Italian Jewelry Designer at Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers because every piece produced is adorned with their signature “hidden ruby”. This tradition stems from the “ancient belief of wearing a ruby close to the skin will promote long life, health and happiness and even…the extraordinary ability to give peace.Another common accessory for bridal jewelry is pearls. These lustrous, organic gemstones are rare and beautiful in their own unique way. Often associated with new beginnings, it is no wonder why pearls became a popular accessory for bridal jewelry. We typically find brides wearing pearls in the form of drop earrings or necklaces. One of our favorites, however, are these diamond and pearl drop earrings – beautiful and standout yet simple in itself.

Furthermore, other bridal jewelry trends we have seen are picking out a gemstone associated with the bride’s birthday.

The Knot offers 5 practical tips to picking wedding jewelry, two tips include considering the color and neckline of your wedding dress. We highly recommend stopping by our Whitefish Bay store to see our extensive selection. We’re certain that you’ll find something perfect for your special day!

31 Aug

Diamond Cut Grading – GIA Diamonds

At Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers in Milwaukee and Whitefish Bay, WI, we carry a full range of GIA certified diamonds for engagement rings. Over the past several months, we have been diving into how the GIA (Gemologists Institute of America) grades diamonds. In essence, GIA determines the quality of a diamond based off of a mixture of “4 C’s”; cut, clarity, color and carat weight. Today we are expanding on how the cut of a diamond affects its grade, diamond cut grading.

Courtesy of GIA.edu

Diamond Cut Grading

When talking about the cut of a diamond, we are referring to the physical shape of a diamond. The GIA will break down diamond cuts into two major categories, Brilliant Cuts and Fancy Cuts.

Brilliant Cuts

Jewelers will refer to brilliant cuts as a round brilliant diamond. Containing specifically 58 facets, this cut is generally the safest in terms of “sale-ability”, insurability and flexibility (when it comes to mountings). These facets and the relative proportions, although not agreed upon universally, are imperative to displaying the diamond’s brilliance, scintillation and fire along with its overall structure (symmetry, polish quality, weight to diameter and girdle thickness).

Fancy Cuts

Fancy cuts typically arise due to odd shaped rough diamonds or leftover rough diamond after a round brilliant has been cut from it. Furthermore, fancy cuts are more likely to appear on colored diamonds. The GIA will further divide fancy cut diamonds into three more categories:

Modified Brilliant – displaying a similarity of light play like a brilliant cut, modified brilliant cuts come in a wide array of styles. Marquise, heart, trillion, oval and pear cuts are the typical styles.
Step cuts – typically have a square or rectangular outline using step-cuts (parallel cuts to the girdle). However, despite the unique look, step cuts typically lose the brightness and fire that is associated with diamonds. Diamond cutters usually use step cuts to make emerald and square cut diamonds.
Mixed Cuts – Lately, diamond cutters are combining modified brilliant and step cuts to make a youthful cut diamond. Princess cuts and Radiant cuts are the most common styles.

Currently, the GIA only has a diamond cut grading standard for brilliant cut diamonds. In which, the GIA grades diamond cuts into 5 different categories: Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. Trained gemologist grade the diamond by a number of factors:

Measurement – minimum diameter (mm) to maximum diameter to depth for round diamonds. The carat weight is also one of the factors in determining this grade
Polish Quality – absence of surface blemishes
Symmetry – exactness of outline to its shape, placement and alignment of its facets as it relates to its 58 facets.

So, if you are searching for a traditional round brilliant diamond, the cut grade will give you a lot of information regarding the quality of the diamond. Stop by Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers to see our full range of GIA certified diamond engagement rings!

27 Jul

Engagement Ring Mounting Guide

So, you’ve chosen the perfect diamond for your engagement ring – now you need to display it! That is where the ring setting or engagement ring mounting comes into play. There are a few things to consider before selecting your engagement ring mounting design:

Engagement Ring Mounting Considerations

One – where or when will the ring be worn the most? If someone has a job where they are in and out of latex gloves, you might consider a mounting where the diamond sits a bit lower, like our Claire or Charlize engagement ring designs.

Two – what type of metal should be used? Platinum? Gold? What’s the difference? Some people are allergic to the alloys (like silver, nickel or zinc) which are added to gold to make it more durable for jewelry. Therefore, designing a ring in platinum would be recommended. Additionally, if you are going with a “white” metal for your ring, then platinum will always stay white; where as white gold, after 5-10 plus years or so, will need to be rhodium plated as the nickel, zinc and/or silver begins to wear through. It’s not a big deal to have this done, and fairly inexpensive.

Three – what is your budget? You’ve spent most of the budget on the center stone, but a plain 14K rose, white or yellow gold mounting is $500. Obviously, the more detail that you add the price will increase.

Design Preference – Engagement Ring Mounting

After that, it’s all about personal preference in the design. When you think about it, there are really only four ring styles – solitaire, solitaire-plus, halo and three-stone. Creating a ring that is unique from the other is about other choices like how you want the diamond to sit on the ring itself, and do you want additional diamonds around the center stone (which creates the halo style) and/or on the ring band itself. And if you do elect for diamonds on the sides, should they be formed as a split shank (V-shape) or tapper up to the diamond, or maybe they should be set in channel or bar style, etc.

Here is a brief explanation of ways to mount the diamond, the different rings styles and designs:

DIAMOND MOUNTING / HOW THE DIAMOND IS HELD ON/IN THE RING

4-Prong … this is how most diamonds are mounted; look closely at our SK Solitaire ring and notice the prongs.
6-Prong … this creates a more star-like appearance and is more secure. Usually seen only with solitaires.
Bezel Set … this is where metal is surrounding or partially surround the diamond. This gives the ring a more modern appearance.
Tension Set … where the diamond is held by the pressure the metal of the band. While these are super cool, they are very difficult to size because of the exact engineering behind the metal holding the diamond in place.

BASIC RING STYLES

The SOLITAIRE Engagement Ring – This style continues to be the most popular choice because of its simplicity, and ability to pair perfectly with most wedding bands. With the solitaire, it is one diamond mounted on a ring with 4 or 6 prongs, or bezel-set or tension set. If you are looking to create a unique look to your solitaire, choose a mounting that has more detailed design in the metal. But a word to the wise, do have a wedding band created to match your special engagement ring to ensure the rings fit together properly.
The SOLITAIRE-PLUS Engagement Ring – This is one diamond but has added diamonds on the sides that either tapper up shown here or have a split shank as seen here.
The HALO Engagement Ring – This is one diamond surrounded by a crown of smaller diamonds, creating the illusion of a larger looking center stone. This is great choice if you are selecting a smaller stone for the center. The Halo looks great on a plain metal ring or one ornate with diamonds.
The 3-STONE Engagement Ring – This ring literally has three stones that represent the past, present and future. The center stone is typically bigger than the two side stones. Note, if you want to make this ring more unique, consider a blue sapphire or ruby as your center stone.

DIAMONDS ON THE SIDE ALONG THE RING BAND

BEZEL SET – all diamonds are enclosed with medal surrounding them – historically, this was how much of jewelry was designed. So, if you are looking for a more vintage style, our Henley engagement ring is for you.
CHANNEL SET – Brides next most popular ring choice is a channel set engagement ring. Just as the name implies, it’s a channel of diamonds that sit into the metal of ring. These rings make great wedding band as well.
BAR SET – Is a bit opposite from the channel set, in that a BAR of vertical metal is between the diamonds, where the diamond is only exposed on the outside edge of the ring. This looks great with Ascher or Emerald cut center stones.
U-SET / PRONG SET – are variations of setting exposed diamonds along the band, so all you really see is diamonds.
PAVÉ – Jewelers “pave” the ring with diamonds. The pave setting “pa-vay” closely sets smaller diamonds with small metal beads or prongs to create a continuous sparkle. This magnifies the overall brilliance as well as the center stones presence.

If you are choosing an engagement ring mounting with diamonds on the sides of the band, we strongly encourage you to also have a matching wedding band created at the same time, so that you are sure to have all the diamonds matching in color, size, and quality. Your fiancé will have to relinquish her engagement ring for a week to ensure all the stones match and line-up.

At Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, we carry a full range of GIA certified diamonds and can help you choose or customize the perfect engagement ring mounting. Stop in or set-up an appointment to visit us at our Whitefish Bay or downtown Milwaukee location.

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