Changes to Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service

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Dear Google user, We're getting rid of over 60 different privacy policies across Google and replacing them with one that's a lot shorter and easier to read. Our new policy covers multiple products and features, reflecting our desire to create one beautifully simple and intuitive experience across Google. We believe this stuff matters, so please take a few minutes to read our updated Privacy Policy and Terms of Service at http://www.google.com/policies. These changes will take effect on March 1, 2012.
One policy, one Google experience
Easy to work across Google Our new policy reflects a single product experience that does what you need, when you want it to. Whether reading an email that reminds you to schedule a family get-together or finding a favorite video that you want to share, we want to ensure you can move across Gmail, Calendar, Search, YouTube, or whatever your life calls for with ease.		Tailored for you If you're signed into Google, we can do things like suggest search queries – or tailor your search results – based on the interests you've expressed in Google+, Gmail, and YouTube. We'll better understand which version of Pink or Jaguar you're searching for and get you those results faster.		Easy to share and collaborate When you post or create a document online, you often want others to see and contribute. By remembering the contact information of the people you want to share with, we make it easy for you to share in any Google product or service with minimal clicks and errors.
Protecting your privacy hasn't changed Our goal is to provide you with as much transparency and choice as possible, through products like Google Dashboard and Ads Preferences Manager, alongside other tools. Our privacy principles remain unchanged. And we'll never sell your personal information or share it without your permission (other than rare circumstances like valid legal requests).		Understand how Google uses your data If you want to learn more about your data on Google and across the web, including tips and advice for staying safe online, check out http://www.google.com/goodtoknow		Got questions? We got answers. Visit our FAQ at http://www.google.com/policies/faq to read more about the changes. (We figured our users might have a question or twenty-two.)
Notice of Change March 1, 2012 is when the new Privacy Policy and Terms will come into effect. If you choose to keep using Google once the change occurs, you will be doing so under the new Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Please do not reply to this email. Mail sent to this address cannot be answered. Also, never enter your Google Account password after following a link in an email or chat to an untrusted site. Instead, go directly to the site, such as mail.google.com or www.google.com/accounts. Google will never email you to ask for your password or other sensitive information.

Understanding the Shape and Cut of Diamond

Diamond, an allotrope of carbon has been hailed as the most precious hardest material of the world. It is solid, well-polished and comes in several shapes. Get in any diamond store and you will come up with hundreds of designs and shapes. Oval diamonds, round diamonds, big diamonds, and heart shaped diamonds to name a few. Now choosing the shape of your diamond is important for it plays a pivotal role in determining the outward appearance of your jewellery.
While choosing the ‘shape’ of your diamond, don’t get confused with the word ‘cut.’ Shape denotes the outward expression or appearance of your diamond. If the stone is oval, it is oval shaped diamond; if it looks heart-shaped, it is heart shaped diamond. Now the term ‘cut’ is tagged with the way the diamond is polished and fashioned.
Oval diamonds are very popular among women, who have smaller hands and shorter figures. Oval diamonds are also a popular choice for gifts. Apart from oval diamonds, heart shaped diamonds are also worthwhile. Heart shaped diamonds are usually preferred for their unique look. The beauty and dignity of heart shaped diamonds to a great extent depends on the craftsmanship of gem cutter. A gem cutter can add his imagination in a heart shaped diamond. This is why the cut, craft and facet configurations of heart shaped diamonds vary from jeweler to jeweler.
Heart Shaped Brilliant Cut diamonds are also popular in the fashion industry. Because of their brilliance and fine-edged cutting, heart shaped brilliant cut diamonds are god choice to put in earrings and pendants. Along with heart shaped brilliant cut diamonds, heart-cut diamond rings are also nice examples of gem cutter’s superb craftsmanship. Heart cut diamond rings are available at a cheap rate in the jewellery stores of the World Wide Web. Innumerable diamond sores have come in existences, who offer latest diamonds at a cheap rate. With the help of a few clicks, you can bring your favorite diamond to your door. It saves your time and you can finalize everything at the comfort of your own home.

A Spence Diamonds Guide to Jewelry and Allergies

Choosing just the right jewelry for you goes beyond how good it looks on you, or how good it makes you feel. Some people have allergies to certain metals, so it helps to understand what to look out for if your skin is extra-sensitive, or you are prone to allergies. In our Spence Diamonds showrooms, we're always ready to answer your questions about how metal allergies can affect you, but in the meantime here's a bit of Metal Allergy 101:

Most often, rashes and infections on your skin caused by jewelry are a result of nickel allergy. Ever had an itchy red spot under a jean stud or watch buckle? Maybe when you had your ears pierced you developed an unusually uncomfortable reaction?

Nickel is the metal that causes the most rashes. And it is also quite commonly used in almost anything metal, for e.g.: jewelry, kitchen utensils, scissors, paper clips, keys and of course the coin by the same name. Nickel has a more whitish appearance, so such metals as white gold, silver and all kinds of silver-coloured metals (other than sterling silver) can and likely do contain some amount of nickel. 18 or 24 carat yellow gold do not contain nickel, but 10-carat yellow gold may have traces of nickel, too.

How Do You Know if You Have an Allergy to Nickel?

The first sign of nickel allergy is red and itchy skin, in the areas that have come in contact with metal, such as under a ring or necklace. Later on, tiny water blisters appear, making the skin moist and even oozy, and can even cause it to peel off. At this point, you probably want to be searching for jewelry that cooperates with your skin a little better. If the condition carries on for a long time, your skin may become red, scaly and cracked, and the rash can spread to other areas of your skin that have never even been in contact with nickel! So it's worth doing your homework on how to avoid such a reaction.

Some Good News, Some Bad News

The bad news first: Once you've become sensitive to nickel, you're likely to stay that way for the rest of your life. The good news is that over time, you may become less sensitive to nickel allergy. But there is hope as there are still plenty of metals that you can safely wear, including 18 and 14 carat gold, sterling silver, and a number of other hypo-allergenic metals. In addition, if you discover an allergy to nickel with an existing piece of your jewelry, Spence Dimaonds offers an electrochemical process called rhodium plating that coats the ring and protects your finger from exposure to nickel. It is a very easy and very common process that will not harm your ring in any way. If you'd like to know more, we'd be happy to answer your questions about rhodium plating in one of our showrooms.

If you think that you might have an allergy to nickel, ask a member of our staff in one of our Spence Diamonds showrooms to help you select an item that will not only add a bit of sparkle to your life, but will also be safe and comfortable next to your skin.

Diamonds: Cushion Cut Diamonds

The Cushion Cut Diamond was an extremely popular diamond shape a century ago. Cushion cut diamonds have a romantic look about them and have once again become extremely popular as a diamond choice especially with Hollywood movies stars and celebrities.

Cushion cut diamonds have a romantic look about them unlike other fancy shape diamonds. Cushion cut diamonds have lended themselves to the 'Halo' and 'micro pave' ring designs which are at present hugely popular.

Cushion cut diamonds are also sometimes referred to as "pillow-cut" diamonds. Modern cushion cuts are based on the antique cushion cuts, which are a combination of a round and square outline with a softened square or "pillow" shape.

Some of the most famous diamonds in the world are cushion cut diamonds. These include the Hope Diamond, the Cullinan II and the Tiffany Yellow.

Cushion cut diamonds have rounded corners and larger facets to increase their brilliance. These larger facets highlight the diamond's clarity, so if you choose a Cushion cut diamond with a SI clarity grade, be sure to review the clarity plot on the diamond certificate.

Cushion cut diamonds can vary in the degree of rectangular shape that they have. For cushion cut diamonds that have an almost square look but elegant and classical charm a length to width ratio of 1.1 - 1.2 is best.

Cushion cut diamonds are an interesting alternative to oval shape diamonds or a modern princess cut diamond. The cushion cut diamond has the ability to display a high degree of returning light and brilliance and a sparkle which is dazzling. Cushion cut diamonds come to life, yet they still possess a dreamy quality.

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Copyright © 2008 Diamond Imports Pty Ltd

http://www.diamondimports.com.au

The Straight Goods On Conflict Diamonds

When you buy something as significant and timeless as a diamond, for any occasion, it makes sense that you would like to know the history of that valuable memento.

In the late 1990's, the world became aware of the existence of "conflict diamonds," jewels that have been used to fund insurgent or invading army's war efforts.

Today, over 99% of the world's diamond supply has been verified to be completely conflict free, and reputable retailers and suppliers of diamonds the world over have embraced a policy never to support the countries involved in the diamond trade that still engage in these practices. Still, retailers such as Spence Diamonds see the value in educating their customers and staff on the issue of conflict diamonds, to better understand the importance and the process of diamonds that are procured through fair trade.

In 2000, a joint initiative supported by the United Nations General Assembly created the Kimberly Process, an international certification regimen that aims to put an end to illegally traded diamonds. Today, 69 countries are legally bound by the rules of this strict and thorough process.

Any trade of diamonds between these 69 countries (which includes Canada, the U.S., Belgium and many of the African countries involved in the trade of diamonds) must adhere to these guidelines:

Each participating country must have laws in place that mandate the Kimberly Process
Any shipment of diamonds must be inspected to ensure that each shipment adheres to the guidelines
They must then be shipped in tamper-proof containers
They must be accompanied by a uniquely numbered, Government validated Kimberly Process certificate
Shipments must only be made to participating countries in the Kimberly Process
Each diamond, when sold by a retailer must be accompanied by the following warranty statement:

"The diamonds herein invoiced have been purchased from legitimate sources not involved in funding conflict and in compliance with United Nations Resolutions. The undersigned hereby guarantees that these diamonds are conflict free, based on personal knowledge and/or written guarantees provided by the supplier of these diamonds."

In a very short time, the Kimberly Process has had a profound effect. In the six years since its creation, the Kimberly Process has reduced the trade of conflict diamonds, from 4% to less than 1% of the entire diamond industry.

Retailers like Spence Diamonds have always maintained a strict policy about the origin of their diamonds. The diamonds in Spence stores come from large, reputable diamond suppliers who ensure that the diamonds originated from Kimberly Process compliant countries such as Belgium and Canada. As a major centre for the trade of diamonds, Belgium has always had a system for diamond verification, even previous to the creation of the Kimberly Process. Today, Belgian diamond wholesalers employ one of the strictest levels of security when it comes to the trade of diamonds, according to the U.N.

All of the diamonds purchased for Spence Diamonds have been certified as conflict free.

Diamonds: Princess Cut Diamonds

The Princess Cut Diamond is a brilliant style diamond shape with sharp, uncut corners. It is typically cut square although there are sometimes princess cut diamonds that have a rectangular shape.

The princess cut is the most important new cut or shape for diamonds since the invention or perfection of the modern brilliant cut over 60 years ago. The princess cut diamond is effectively a square version of the round brilliant cut, and is known technically as a square modified brilliant cut.

The princess cut was originally created by Israel Itzkowitz in 1979 at Ambar Diamonds in Los Angeles. After three years of optical research the princess cut was developed. It was a square diamond from the girdle up that had faceting similar to that of a round brilliant cut diamond from the girdle down. This accounts for the fire and brilliance seen in princess cut diamonds.

Princess cut diamonds are the most popular non-round diamond. They have a beautiful brilliance and a modern square shape that accentuates a diamond's fire rather than its luster. Princess cut diamonds have become a favourite diamond choice for engagement rings.

The princess cut diamond is usually less expensive than a round brilliant cut diamond of the same carat weight because a diamond cutter usually does not need to shave off as much diamond weight from the rough diamond. This ability to retain more crystal weight makes this shape popular amongst diamond cutters and therefore less expensive than round brilliant cut diamonds.

The princess cut diamond is normally close to a square with a + or - 10% deviation, but it may come in more elongated versions. Try to avoid extremely thin girdles which are prone to chipping when being set. For a princess cut diamond that is square, a length to width ratio between 1:0 - 1:10 is best, if you prefer a more rectangular shape then a length to width ratio above 1:11 is best.

A Princess Cut Diamond generally has 76 facets, giving it more brilliance and fire than the round brilliant. Princess cut diamonds are the most popular non-round diamond. They have a beautiful brilliance and a modern square shape that accentuates a diamond's fire rather than its luster. Princess cut diamonds have become a favourite diamond choice for engagement rings.

 

You may copy this article and place it on your own website, as long as you do not change it and include the live links.

Copyright © 2008 Diamond Imports Pty Ltd
http://www.diamondimports.com.au

Diamonds: Radiant Cut Diamonds

The Radiant cut diamond was created by Henry Grossbard in 1977. The radiant cut diamond combines the elegant shape of the emerald cut, with the brilliance of a round brilliant cut diamond.

Radiant cut diamonds come in a wonderful squarish or rectangular cut shape. While not as popular as the other fancy cut diamonds, Radiant cut diamonds are adored by many diamond connoisseurs.

Radiant Cut Diamond is considered the father of 'branded' fancy cut diamonds with a birth over 20 years ago. The Radiant Cut Diamond is the first rectangular cut to have a complete brilliant facet pattern applied to both the crown and pavilion.

Radiant cut diamonds have an eye-catching "kaleidoscope" effect that have more "points of light" reflected within the diamond than any other cut.

The Radiant Cut diamond: is a straight-edged rectangular or square stone with cut corners. The Radiant cut is a patented cut with 70 facets and is often confused with a "cut corners Princess / Quadrillions".

The cut corners are distinguishing of this fancy shaped diamond, and they aid in the brilliance of the diamond. Radiant cut diamonds are used mainly as centre stones for rings and pendants and look beautiful when set with baguette or trilliant cut shoulder stones.

When choosing a Radiant cut diamond consider the colour grade, colour grades below J can cause the colour to appear slightly more visible in the corners.

Radiant cut diamonds are cut to either a square or rectangular shape and it is a matter of personal preference.

For a Radiant cut diamond that is square in shape a length to width ratio of 1:1.10 is typical, if you are looking for a Radiant cut diamond that is more rectangular then a length to width ratio of 1.20 - 1.50 is best.

Due to its large facet, it is important to consider a stone that has a great color and clarity rating. Like other similar cuts, the Radiant cut diamond will show inclusions and imperfections very easily so make sure the stone is of the right quality before purchasing.

Radiant cut diamonds are great for engagement rings and wedding rings, as well as other high quality jewelry. If you are interested in squarish or rectangular diamond cuts, you might also want to consider the Cushion cut diamond, Emerald cut diamond or the Asscher cut diamond.

You may copy this article and place it on your own website, as long as you do not change it and include this resource box including the live links

Copyright © 2008 Diamond Imports Pty Ltd
http://www.diamondimports.com.au