diamond jewelry

Celebrate Your Love at Leo’s!

2024-01-30 by Rylee Kahan

Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to cheer up your better half with a special gift. Whether their style is simple and elegant or bold and bright, Leo Hamel Fine Jewelers has the perfect jewelry to make your significant other swoon. Follow along with our gift guide to find inspiration!

Birthstone Jewelry

If your Valentine’s Day date happens to be born in February, what better way to celebrate both holidays than by gifting them with jewelry set with their birthstone? The February birthstone, amethyst, is a stunning gemstone with a rich violet hue. Since ancient times, amethyst has signified a clear and sound mind. From rings to earrings, you can find a wide selection of jewelry that features this mesmerizing gemstone at Leo Hamel’s. You will find birthstone jewelry for every month of the year at Leo’s, and chances are that he or she will love receiving gemstone jewelry that is a celebration of their birth month.

Heart Jewelry

Nothing is quite as symbolic to Valentine’s Day as is the heart. We offer a plethora of options so you can find heart jewelry that fits your partner’s style. You can adorn her neck with a dainty heart pendant made up of diamonds or sterling silver. A heart charm bracelet is a great option if you are looking for a simple style with an elegant touch of diamonds.

Watches

Timeless and classic, a watch is a perfect way to show your person how much they mean to you. At Leo Hamel, we offer a large selection of new and pre-owned watches, from Rolex to Patek Philippe. Show your loved one how well you know them by selecting a watch that fits their needs.

A pre-owned watch like the Rolex Day-Date is sleek, high quality, and full of interesting details. It would be the ideal gift to give anyone looking for a bold timepiece.

Looking for a timepiece that won’t break the bank but also won’t sacrifice quality? Consider surprising your Valentine with a new Tissot or Hamilton. The Tissot PRX and Hamilton Khaki Field are both functional yet stylish. For your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, or wife who is always on the go, this would make a great gift. They will feel appreciated, and you will get to shop great prices on top-tier brands when purchasing from Leo’s.

You can never go wrong with diamonds. The glimmer and shine of a diamond is fashionable on every kind of jewelry. Give them a pair of dazzling stud earrings or a sparkling necklace, and you are sure to steal the show. And what better time than Valentine’s Day to surprise them with the most stunning diamond of all – an engagement ring! Pop the questions on February 14^th with flowers and a beautiful vintage, new, or custom ring found at Leo Hamel Fine Jewelers!

Find the Perfect Valentine's Day Gifts at Leo's!

Don’t wait until the last minute to find a Valentine’s Day gift for your special someone! Visit our showroom on San Diego Avenue and let one of our helpful salespeople steer you in the right direction. We’ll help you find a great gift that’ll fit your loved one’s style, and even better, that’ll fit your budget! What are you waiting for? Visit us today!

A Diamond’s Journey to Fine Jewelry

2023-10-202023-12-09 by Rylee Kahan

Have you ever wondered how diamonds are formed and what the mining process looks like? Diamonds have a long way to go, starting with their formation in the Earth, mining, and cutting to reaching diamond wholesale brokers and jewelry stores in San Diego or elsewhere. Read on to find out how diamonds travel from beneath the ground to your jewelry box.

How Diamonds Are Formed

For a diamond to form in the ground, extreme temperatures and pressure are necessary. More specifically, the temperature has to be between 1700 and 2400 degrees Fahrenheit, while the pressure has to be between 650k and 870k pounds per square inch. This critical environment is necessary not only for diamond formation but also diamond stability. According to geologists, commercial diamond deposits contain diamonds that are formed in the Earth’s mantle, 90-120 miles beneath the Earth’s surface. Once formed, these diamonds are believed to be brought to the surface by deep-source volcanic eruptions. Diamond prospectors are on the lookout for kimberlite and lamproite pipes formed during these eruptions.

Main Diamond Miners and Producers

Originally, the majority of the world’s diamonds came from South Africa, India, Brazil, Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and Congo. Nowadays, the majority of mines are located in Russia and Botswana. The biggest diamond miners of today are De Beers, ALROSA, Rio Tinto Diamonds, Debswana Diamond Company Ltd., and Dominion Diamond Corporation. Around 50% of all diamonds are mined either directly from the ground, the mines or kimberlite and lamproite pipes, while around 48% is mined from riverbanks and other marine environments. Miners have to sift 200-250 tons of Earth on average to mine 1 carat of diamonds.

Sorting the Diamonds

When they are mined, diamonds are far from polished jewelry-grade gemstones; instead, they are still in their crystal form. Before they are sold, they have to be sorted. The majority of diamonds are sorted by DeBeers (around 45%), whereas the rest are sorted in Mumbai, Antwerp, and Johannesburg. There are three categories into which a rough diamond can be sorted.

Gem-Quality Diamonds

Around 20% of mined diamonds are sorted into the gem-quality category. These are composed of at least 99.95% carbon. As the name suggests, they are used for jewelry making. They are valued for their color and clarity, whereas shape is not so relevant at this point.

Industrial-Quality Diamonds

Around 80% of the world’s mined diamonds fall under this category. They are mostly yellow in color as yellow diamonds are the hardest diamonds. Industrial diamonds can be classified either according to their carat weight or the number of points. They are used in the automotive, aviation, and marine industries for making tools for drilling or as abrasives.

Other Diamonds

Diamonds that are not sorted into the gem or industrial categories appear in very small percentages. They are typically crushed and later used as diamond dust for diamonds polishing.

Diamond Cutting and Grading

After they are sorted, gem-quality diamonds are cut into the desired shape. Cut is the most important feature of a diamond, so this process is extremely important. Most diamonds are cut in Belgium, Israel, India, South Africa, Russia, and Canada. The cutting process can last anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks, with some large diamonds event taking years to cut. For example, the Pink Star diamond, the largest Internally Flawless Fancy Vivid pink diamond ever graded by GIA, took two years of cutting and polishing to be honed into the desired oval shape.

Reaching the Consumer

Once the diamonds are cut and polished, they are ready to be sold to the manufacturers, dealers, retailers, or collectors. At this stage, gem-quality diamonds are ready to be set into jewelry. On average, it takes around 5 months for a diamond to reach the consumer after it has been sorted.

Leo Hamel Fine Jewelers offers premier-quality diamond jewelry, most notably exquisite new and vintage diamond engagement rings. Stop by our luxurious showroom on San Diego Avenue and check out our collection of dazzling diamond jewelry!

What Makes Colored Diamond Jewelry So Unique?

2023-10-172023-12-09 by Rylee Kahan

Diamonds come in as many hues and intensities as nature can possibly create. The most common diamond is the white, or colorless, diamond. However, this “white” color ranges from completely colorless to actually showing a light tint throughout the body of the diamond. The light coloring is most commonly shades or yellow, and sometimes shades of brown.

These color distinctions are very subtle and are often indistinguishable to the untrained eye, but they can make a big difference in diamond quality and price. Diamond color is graded on a scale from D to Z, from absolutely no hint of color to a visible tint of color throughout the body of the stone. Diamonds graded from D to F are considered colorless; G to J is considered near colorless; K to M is faint color; N to R is very light color; and S to Z is light color. The less color in the diamond, the whiter the diamond appears.

The further down the scale (from N to Z), the more yellow or brown the diamond appears. Diamonds actually occur in all shades of the rainbow, not just white. Naturally colored diamonds include brown, red, pink, gray, blue, green, violet, purple, orange, yellow, and black. When yellow and brown diamonds are an intensely saturated color, they are referred to as “fancy” colored diamonds and are most valuable.

Colored diamonds are created in the same fashion as colorless diamonds, but more chemistry is involved. When foreign materials other than carbon are present during a diamond’s crystallization process, it alters the chemical development, thus changing the color of the diamond. The result is a beautiful, naturally colored diamond.

How Do Diamonds Get Their Natural Color?

When different trace minerals and elements are trapped during the crystallization process the result is the creation of different hues.

Brown, Red, and Pink Diamonds

While still buried deep within the Earth’s core, intense pressure and heat causes distortions in the crystal lattice during the diamond’s voyage to the surface. This change in the electron structure absorbs green light, which reflects a pinkish hue and produces brown, red, and pink diamonds.

Gray and Blue Diamonds

When boron is present during the chemical process it bonds to the carbon in the crystal structure. This bonding causes the absorption of red, yellow, and green areas of the color spectrum and reflects a bluish/grayish color.

Green Diamonds

Right before a diamond is about to burst through the uppermost layer of the Earth’s crust, it absorbs naturally occurring radiation. This radiation absorbs red and yellow light, which creates a green reflection.

Violet and Purple Diamonds

There are a few different theories about how these diamonds get their color. The cause of color is due to a type of crystal distortion; however, it is also believed the presence of hydrogen is a key factor.

Orange and Yellow Diamonds

Orange and yellow hues are attributed to one specific element – nitrogen. Nitrogen atoms will bond in such a way that blue light is absorbed, producing a yellow reflection. The absorption of both blue and yellow spectrums results in an orange reflection.

Black Diamonds

Contrary to all the above colors, a black diamond’s color is not related to trace elements. Small inclusions of graphite and iron clusters create this color, making the diamond appear opaque.

Here at Leo Hamel Fine Jewelers, we have a vast array of loose and mounted diamonds to choose from. Whether you’re looking for the traditional “white” diamond or a unique, natural color, stop by our jewelry store on San Diego Avenue to find your favorite diamond. Our expert salespeople will guide you to make the very best decision for your needs.

How to Pick Meaningful Jewelry

2023-05-172023-12-09 by Rylee Kahan

At Leo Hamel Fine Jewelers, we have lots of treasures that could be “the perfect gift” for your loved one. Every woman loves to receive a precious gift that was picked out especially for her – whether it’s glittering opal earrings for her birthday, a diamond heart necklace to say Happy Valentine’s Day, a floral diamond ring to celebrate an anniversary, or a pair of designer earrings “just because.”

When buying a gift as personal as jewelry, the hardest part can be picking out something that you can be sure the recipient will love. You won’t find a more complete collection of bracelets, necklaces, rings, and earrings to choose from than at Leo Hamel Fine Jewelers, and our experienced salespeople are experts at helping you to select a gift that will thrill her. But what if it doesn’t? You can bring it back and let her choose something else or get a full refund.

Why does jewelry make such a great gift? What is it about these embellishments that make them worth giving, time and time again? Let us explore the top reasons to gift jewelry.

Some People Don't Buy Jewelry for Themselves on a Regular Basis

Most people renew the basics such as shoes, clothing, bags, and coats as needed. However, there are some things that may not be on everyone’s radar as a regular purchase, because they are considered a luxury and come at a cost.

Yes, some of us buy jewelry for ourselves on a regular basis, to celebrate an achievement, or just because. But some of us do not. Those who do not treat themselves to jewelry purchases tend to get jewelry only when it’s gifted to them from time to time. For any occasion, just the fact that jewelry is not usually an everyday kind of gift makes it exciting and unique.

Jewelry is a Wearable Gift that also Has Sentimental Value

Practically anything can be given as a gift. Nevertheless, there is no denying that some gifts are more sentimental than others. Wearable items such as clothing, shoes, hats, and coats make great gifts, but they are not very meaningful. There is simply something about jewelry that makes it sentimental.

Perhaps it is because some jewelry pieces represent very monumental periods in people’s lives such as engagements, weddings, births, and graduations. It could also be that due to generally higher prices, jewelry takes some time and effort to buy to ensure that the recipient is happy with this important purchase. Regardless, one thing is for certain: jewelry is a wearable gift that’s not only beautiful but holds sentimental value as well.

Jewelry Can Be Timeless

If you think about gifts you have received over the years, try to think about which ones are still in use. Even those that are still being used may be on their last legs. Clothing fades, rips, gets stained, and goes out of style. Electronics get replaced by something newer and better before you even fully get to enjoy it. Even cars are on a timer from the day they are bought till the day they start showing signs of growing old.

However, fine jewelry can be cared for and enjoyed for generations. There are endless classic jewelry styles that ensure your piece will never become irrelevant, and if the style loses its appeal, settings can be changed and upgraded.

Jewelry is a Gift Now, and an Heirloom Later

There’s nothing better than knowing that a gift is yours and all yours when you first receive it. Jewelry, as we mentioned, can be worn for decades, but even when not in use can be easily stored due to its small size and passed down to the next generation as a useful and meaningful heirloom. Not to mention, depending on the piece it can retain or even increase in value.

Jewelry Can Hold Some Value Over Time and May Even Appreciate

Most gifts are not bought with the thought that it will appreciate over time. Gifts are generally about the “now,” and that’s perfectly all right. However, there is most certainly an advantage if a gift can be used and enjoyed and has the bonus of always retaining some value and possibly even being worth more the longer you hold on to it.

Now, not every piece of jewelry you purchase will increase in value. However, there are some diamonds whose value will appreciate over time. And gold prices can fluctuate but have steadily increased for many years. If the time comes to sell some of your jewelry, it’s nice to know that there is potential to make money on the investment.

If you’re looking for a meaningful gift for someone special visit Leo Hamel Fine Jewelers! We have a wide variety of new, vintage, and designer jewelry, as well as an excellent sales team ready to help you find the perfect gift.

Celebrate April Birthdays with Diamonds!

2023-04-012023-12-09 by Rylee Kahan

Since the time of Ancient Greece, the diamond has been the traditional symbol of love and commitment. Diamonds symbolize eternal love, courage, and good health. They have long been worn by leaders and figures of power to signify strength and wellbeing.

In 1912 the American National Association of Jewelers designed a list that assigned different gemstones to the various months as “birthstones.” Diamonds are the traditional birthstone of April and hold special meaning for those born in that month.

They’re thought to provide the wearer with better relationships and increase their inner strength. A diamond is believed to cleanse the energy of the wearer, build endurance, dispel fear and insecurity, grant courage, stimulate creativity, attract good fortune, and bring harmony.

Diamonds are one of the most precious and coveted gemstones that you can buy today. Representing wealth and luxury, they’re coveted by women and men alike. But there is more to April’s birthstone than meets the eye. Read below to learn some interesting facts about diamonds that you likely never knew!

The Cullinan diamond is the largest rough diamond ever discovered. It was unearthed in South Africa in 1905 and weighed a whopping 3106 carats.

The word “carat,” which is the measurement used to weigh diamonds, originated from the Greek word keration, meaning “carob.” Carob tree seeds were used as counterweights to weigh precious stones during the period. It is speculated that the seed species was specially selected because of a belief that their individual seeds are unusually consistent in weight. Unfortunately, science does not bear that out as factual.

The U.S. is currently the world’s largest diamond market, consuming about 48 percent of all gem quality diamonds. The U.S. also produces the most synthetic industrial grade diamonds, but Arkansas is the only state where gem quality diamonds are mined, the largest of which weighed 40.23 carats.

Rough diamonds don’t look much different than the average pebble and are easily passed over by the untrained eye.

Diamonds have been found in meteorites from outer space, indicating that diamonds are created even in outer space.

The highest yielding diamond mines in the world are found in Botswana, Russia, and Canada. About 80% of these mined diamonds are of a quality only used for industrial purposes rather than jewelry.

Because both are the exact same mineral – pure carbon – it is impossible to differentiate between a lab created diamond and an earth-mined diamond by sight or standard diamond testers. Only trained experts using specialized equipment found at gemological laboratories can detect a diamond’s origin.

The tradition of giving your fiancée a diamond originated in 1477 when the Archduke of Austria proposed to his future wife, Mary of Burgundy, with a diamond ring.

Diamonds for the April gemstone have garnered the hearts of many and are the most coveted gemstone to date. They’re deemed the “King of All Birthstones,” and they make an excellent choice for an April birthday gift.

If you’re looking for the perfect April birthday gift, visit Leo Hamel Fine Jewelers to peruse our extensive diamond jewelry collection! Our knowledgeable sales team is here for all your questions.