Celtic engagement rings - Celtic wedding rings

Selling jewelry is so much more than reeling off a list of facts and figures- retailers need to sell an emotion, and this is something that can be achieved so easily, particularly when dealing with colored stones. The popular 1984 film Romancing The Stone launched a phrase that has become part of our modern lexicon, and for jewelry professionals, it’s a vital concept.

The array of colored stones available today is staggering to both retailers and consumers-from the more familiar names such as ruby, emerald and sapphire, to rarer, more obscure gems, such as taaffeite, brazilianite and epidote. Retailers often over-look romancing the stone when a customer is hungry for information. Tanzanite is a great example of a colored stone with a romantic story, and has become hugely popular since its discovery in 1967. And its story is what retailers need to sell. A rare transparent violet ziosite, this precious stone was at first thought to be sapphire crystal rough scattered around in dirt clumps until the samples were shipped out of Africa for laboratory testing.

The most valuable tanzanite displays an intense blue-violet hue with pink flashes of color. As the name suggests, the worlds supply is located in Tanzania, within a radius of just a few kilometers. Insiders forecast that production may cease within our lifetime as the mines empty out. Even the name holds an interesting tale of its own-shortly after its discovery, Tiffany & Co. suggested the name should be changed from zoisite, as it sounded too similar to “suicide” , and so “tanzanite” was born and has since come into general use in the jewelry trade.

Having a few interesting facts such as these to hand about the stones you sell could be the key to increased sales and a passionate sales team. Shanore feels romantic details such as these transforms the casual browser into an avid collector, and enriches their appreciation for exotic gemstones.

 See our Tanzanite engagement ring

http://www.shanore.com/Celtic+Engagement+Rings/Celtic+Engagment++Ring+-+Trinity+knot+design+with+an+oval +Tanzanite+and+2+Brilliant+cut+Diamonds.159.1008.html

We at Shanore have been as interested as anyone on the hot topic of the moment that is “conflict diamonds”. In our opinion, the film blood diamond has done far more good than harm. Since it first appeared on the horizon, it has driven forward an interest from all sections of our industry in learning more about diamonds. In all of the years that we have been in the trade, we have never known one such happening to promote so much interest in people wishing to learn more about the product they sell, and the manner in which they earn their living.

The Assay office in Dublin has been in existence since 1637 some 370 years ago.  It is organised and run by the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths of Dublin who are representatives of the jewelry trade in Ireland. The function of the Assay office is to ensure that the various gold, silver and platinum alloys measure up to declared standards. Example, 18kt gold should contain 750 parts pure gold per 1000 parts i.e.75% pure.

Each manufacturer and wholesaler is obliged by law to submit all his products to the assay office for testing. If the standards are not met the product will be destroyed or marked with a lower carat stamp i.e.  13.5 can only be marked as 10kt.
 
This stringent adherence to high standards ensures that the consumer is given maximum protection.  So when you purchase a Celtic diamond ring, a Celtic wedding ring, a Celtic pendant or Celtic earrings from the Shanore range you can be assured that you have the genuine article. 

Please view the Assay office chart below to see the hallmarkings.

Frank Maher