Padis Jewelry
Our showrooms display an incredible array of certified loose diamonds as well as jewelry from the world’s most desirable designers and watchmakers.
Buying a diamond, especially a diamond engagement ring or loose stones intended for an engagement ring is a very special moment in your life. However as it is an investment, you want to be sure you know what you are buying. Diamonds are sold by carat weight and the larger the carat weight, the rarer and more valuable the diamond is likely to be.
The word carat is derived from the word carob and was the original unit of measure for diamond traders. The Mediterranean carob seed was an extremely consistent weight of measurement. The abbreviation for carat is “ct.” and a metric “carat” is defined as 200 milligrams or 1/5 of a gram. The metric carat weight was standardized in the 20th century and the U.S. officially adopted the measurement in 1913. The GIA explains that “each carat can be subdivided into 100 points,” which means that every stone has a very precise measurement to the hundredth decimal place. From a jeweler’s perspective, this means they may describe the weight of a diamond under one carat by the ‘points’ alone. For example if a diamond weighs 0.25 carats, a jeweler may describe the stone as a ‘twenty-five pointer.’ The GIA notes that “diamond weights greater than one carat are expressed in carats and decimals. A 1.08 carat stone would be described as ‘one point oh eight carats.” When shopping for a diamond, please remember that a diamond’s value is not just based on the carat weight. This means that any two diamonds of equal carat weight will not necessarily cost the same. Diamonds are also valued based on three other factors - Clarity, Color, and Cut. As highly reputable jewelry experts, Padis Jewelry wants you to be satisfied with your purchase. This is why our jewelry consultants will help you to select the best ring in terms of cut, color, and clarity as well as carat weight that fits your budget. Visit our website to browse our exquisite collection or contact us to arrange a visit to our San Francisco or St. Helena showrooms. Since 1974, Padis Jewelry has been a trusted source for buying exquisite certified loose diamonds, engagement rings and fine jewelry. We are one of the only jewelers in the area that offers such an exclusive selection of top names in the industry as well as such a large inventory. We invite you to visit our showrooms to see our beautiful collection of fine jewelry.
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The term “conflict diamonds” is used to describe diamonds that have been mined to fund devastating civil wars in Africa, and still contribute to extreme violence, worker exploitation, and environmental devastation. Despite steps taken to eliminate abuses, some diamonds are still mined under dreadful human rights abuses that exploit the men, woman and children in those communities.
Wikipedia cites the organization Global Witness as the first to identify the link between diamonds and the conflicts that were going on throughout parts of Africa. They published a report detailing those abuses entitled A Rough Trade in 1998. Shortly thereafter, the United Nations also officially recognized that diamonds were being used to fund wars. This led to the passing of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1173 in 1998 and the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1295 in 2000. To address this problem, a coalition of governments, non-government organizations and the diamond industry worked together to find a way to halt the trade of conflict diamonds. Out of this effort came the 2002 Kimberly Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), that is a set of regulations to control the export and import of rough diamonds. In addition to the KPCS, Global Witness states that companies must make sure their supply chains are trading responsibly or they risk the danger of funding serious abuses. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) offers a Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas that provides companies detailed information on how to “respect human rights and avoid contributing to conflict through their mineral purchasing decisions and practices.” At the family-owned Padis Jewelry, we are committed to buying and selling conflict-free diamonds. All of our diamonds are socially and environmentally responsibly sourced. We carefully select our suppliers and only buy from those who adhere to strict labor and environmental standards and are able to demonstrate a complete chain of custody for their gemstones. Padis Jewelry, a family-owned business, has been a trusted source for buying exquisite certified loose diamonds, engagement rings and fine jewelry since 1974. We are one of the only jewelers in the area that offers such an exclusive selection of top names in the industry as well as such a large inventory. For an opportunity to view one of San Francisco’s most impressive collections, please contact us to schedule at visit. Sources: globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/conflict-diamonds/ oecd.org/corporate/mne/mining.htm If you want to create a unique engagement ring, it is a good idea to shop at a jewelry store that offers loose diamonds. By starting with a loose diamond, it gives you the opportunity to select your diamond independently from the style and metal used in the ring. Once you find a stone that meets your quality standards and personal preference, you can work with your jeweler to customize a ring or pick from a large selection of pre-designed ring settings.
Another advantage is that it is easier to assess its quality than a set diamond as the prongs of the setting can obscure flaws and make it harder to judge the color. When assessing a loose diamond, your eye is not distracted by the metal or design of the ring and allows you to just focus on the beauty of the stone. Also if you know you are interested in a particular diamond shape such as round brilliant, princess, cushion, oval, emerald, etc., you can easily select that shape in the carat weight and quality of cut, color and clarity you want. At Padis Jewelry, we own one of the largest inventories of loose diamonds in California and always have at least 10,000 diamonds in stock at any one time. All of our loose stones .40 carats and over are certified by the most trusted labs in the industry such as Forevermark, AGS, GIA and EGL USA for overall quality and authenticity. When shopping at our online Diamond Store, you can use our chart to select your diamond shape, carat weight, cut, color and clarity to bring up an inventory of stones that meet your criteria. We also let you compare a couple of diamonds to ensure you get the best stone for you. Padis Jewelry has three showrooms in San Francisco and a store in St. Helena where we proudly offer the world's finest certified diamonds along with expert, friendly customer service. Visit our website to learn more about our selection of jewelry or contact us to schedule a visit to one of our showrooms. As a family-owned business, Padis Jewelry has been a trusted source for buying exquisite certified loose diamonds, engagement rings and fine jewelry since 1974. We are one of the only jewelers in the area that offers such an exclusive selection of top names in the industry as well as such a large inventory. If you are a lover of beautiful jewels, schedule at visit to San Francisco’s best jewelry store. Padis Jewelry has three showrooms in San Francisco as well as one in Napa Valley, Padis Romance in St. Helena. Our Designer Galleria and one of our showrooms are located at the GiftCenter & JewelryMart in San Francisco’s renowned jewelry district, which is a hub for the biggest names in jewelry and fashion accessories - all offered at the best prices.
Conveniently located to serve the Bay Area, the five-story GiftCenter is on the National Register of Historical Places and the California Register of Historic Places. The building was constructed in 1912 by the National Carbon Company, and later became a paper warehouse for Blake, Moffitt, and Towner. It went through a major exterior and interior renovation when it was converted into the gift and jewelry showrooms in 1983. The renovation added more usable space and light with the addition of a glass atrium. The GiftCenter is the leading wholesale jewelry emporium for Northern California and offers jewelry shoppers a truly unique experience. For convenience you will find that all of the jewelry-related businesses are consolidated in the lower and street levels of the building. Furthermore, customers can feel confident shopping at the friendly GiftCenter as most of the stores are locally-owned, family businesses. So not only are prices typically better than at corporate-owned jewelry chain stores, but like Padis Jewelry, most offer a personal touch to make you feel welcome from the moment you walk through the door. At our Padis showrooms, you will find our entire inventory on display where we proudly offer pieces from the most sought-after jewelry designers and watchmakers with prices clearly marked. In addition you will find one of the largest collections of rings and certified loose diamonds in California. We encourage you to set up an appointment to experience firsthand our beautiful collection of jewelry. Padis Jewelry, a family-owned business, has been a trusted source for buying exquisite certified loose diamonds, engagement rings and fine jewelry since 1974. We are one of the only jewelers in the area that offers such an exclusive selection of top names in the industry as well as such a large inventory. For the opportunity to view one of San Francisco and the Napa Valley’s most impressive collections, please contact us to schedule at visit. Gemstones are defined as minerals created inside the earth; however, pearls and amber are notable exceptions as they are organic. Minerals are classified as gemstones based on their chemical composition, refraction, crystal structure, and optical characteristics. Both the classification and degree of imperfections determine the value and rarity of the stone.
Throughout the world, gemstones lovers have always been on the lookout for beautiful and unique stones. One such example is Jeremejevite, an extremely rare and very valuable gemstone first discovered in the Adun-Chilon Mountains in Siberia in 1883. An aluminum borate mineral with variable fluoride and hydroxide ions, it is similar to quartz in hardness with a 6.5 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale. Due to its rareness, it is not often used in jewelry, but jewelry cutters say Jeremejevite can be cut and polished without any problem and shows no reaction to heat. Another spectacular gemstone is Black Opal, which is the rarest type of Opal. It is composed of silicon, hydrogen, and oxygen and most of the supply comes from the Lightning Ridge Mine in New South Wales. The brilliant “fire” found in Black Opals and the scarcity make them extremely valuable. Black Opals are believed to have lots of energy and in early times people wore the stone as an amulet against black magic. Taaffeite is one of the rarest and most valuable gems in the world. It was named for the Australian gemologist, Richard Taaffe, who bought a cut and polished stone in 1945 in Dublin, Ireland. Originally mistaken for spinel, Taaffeite is the first mineral to contain both beryllium and magnesium as major components. The gem is found in Sri Lanka and Tanzania and hues range from nearly colorless to lavender, mauve and violet. Musgravite, which is in the same family as Taaffeite, is another very rare and valuable gem. This very hard gemstone was first discovered in 1967 in the Musgrave Ranges in Australia and ranges from a brilliant green to violet color. Musgravite is an aluminum oxide with various proportions of magnesium, iron, and zinc. Today the gemstone is also found in Madagascar and Tanzania. Padis Jewelry, a family-owned business, has been a trusted source for buying exquisite certified loose diamonds, engagement rings and fine jewelry since 1974. We are one of the only jewelers in the area that offers such an exclusive selection of top names in the industry as well as such a large inventory. For the opportunity to view one of San Francisco’s most impressive collections, please contact us to schedule at visit. Sources: forbes.com/sites/trevornace/2015/11/02/12-most-expensive-gemstones-world/#5c0a94d25342 discovery.com/tv-shows/game-of-stones/black-opal/ At Padis Jewelry our job is to make jewelry shopping an enjoyable experience. By owning one of the largest inventories of certified loose diamonds in California, we can help you buy a diamond you love at a price you can afford. Furthermore, it is easy as all you need to do is set up a diamond consultation with one of our expert GIA (Gemological Institute of America) Graduate Gemologists.
Before you even start the process of buying an engagement ring or another piece of diamond jewelry, you should educate yourself on how a diamond is graded. Also while you initially may want to buy the largest size diamond you can afford, it may be better to consider a higher quality, smaller stone. A larger diamond typically has more inclusions than smaller diamonds, and since it is larger, the inclusions will be more visible. In addition cut and proportions determine a diamond’s brilliance and must be done correctly to allow the maximum amount of light through the top of the diamond. The GIA uses a D-to-Z scale to measure the colorlessness of a diamond, comparing it to masterstones under controlled viewing conditions. Stones range from colorless to yellowish-brown with a grade of D to F as colorless, G to J as near colorless, K to M as faint, N to R as very light and S to Z as light. One tip to consider is that in some cases when you mount a non-colorless diamond in yellow gold, it can help a diamond appear to be colorless. A diamond’s clarity is graded on the number, size, relief, and positions of inclusions as seen by 10x magnification. Please contact the experienced jewelers at Padis Jewelry for more suggestions on how to shop smart when it comes to buying a diamond. Padis Jewelry, a family-owned business, has been a trusted source for buying exquisite certified loose diamonds, engagement rings and fine jewelry since 1974. We are one of the only jewelers in the area that offers such an exclusive selection of top names in the industry as well as such a large inventory. For an opportunity to view one of San Francisco’s most impressive collections, please contact us to schedule at visit. Emeralds are alleged to offer wearers a quicker wit and a higher IQ and one of the most famous collections was owned by Cleopatra. The gemstone is a variety of the mineral beryl and the color of the stone is determined by trace amounts of chromium, vanadium, or iron. The emerald name is derived from the Greek word smaragdos and means green gem. Even though it has a hardness of 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale, the stone is classified as generally poor in terms of hardness due to its many inclusions.
The most desirable emeralds are highly transparent and in colors that range from a bluish green to pure green with vivid color saturation but not too dark. Since transparency and clarity is closely linked to the value of colored stones such as emeralds, the Gemological Institute of America explains that gemologists typically accept “eye-visible inclusions in higher-quality emeralds. But when the inclusions have a negative effect on transparency and clarity, they also dramatically reduce value.” Eye-clean emeralds are very rare and thus the most valuable. Originally mined in Egypt as early as 3500 BC, emeralds are now mined in Africa, South America, and Central Asia. Colombia’s La Pita and Muzo mining areas produce some of the world’s most valuable emeralds and the La Pita Mine is believed to be one of the largest emerald deposits in Colombia. Renowned for their dark color and three-phase inclusions, Colombian emeralds contain tiny crystals of rock salt, liquid, and a bubble of gas and account for 30 to 55 percent of the country’s annual production. Emeralds are often carved into a rectangular step cut also known as the emerald cut while smaller stones are carved into round, oval or marquise shapes. We invite you to take a look at Padis Jewelry’s impressive collection of exquisite loose sapphire, emerald and diamond stones. Since 1974, Padis Jewelry has been a trusted source for buying exquisite certified loose diamonds, engagement rings and fine jewelry. We are one of the only jewelers in the area that offers such an exclusive selection of top names in the industry as well as such a large inventory. If you are a lover of beautiful jewels, please visit our Napa Valley or San Francisco jewelry showrooms. Sources: gia.edu/emerald, lapitaemeralds.com/About_lapita_mine.html The shape of your diamond engagement ring may reflect your personal style, be it classic, modern or your own unique statement. From a round solitaire to princess, emerald, cushion, oval, pear shaped, to name a few, the shape of an engagement ring can say something about the woman wearing it.
A classic, timeless choice and the most popular shaped diamond is a round solitaire. It looks as beautiful today as it did on our grandmother’s hands and most likely will never go out of style. When buying a round brilliant cut stone, experts recommend selecting a higher grade diamond to bring out the most brilliance. Oval diamonds are a modified brilliant cut and offer much of the same brilliance and fire; while a brilliant-cut pear shaped diamond is a combination of a round and marquise shape with a tapered point on one end. Step cuts include emerald and Asscher shaped diamonds. These square or rectangular diamonds are made up of rectilinear facets that are arranged parallel to the girdle, which produces a mirror effect that plays with the light and dark planes of the cut. A cushion cut shaped diamond is a square cut with rounded corners much like a pillow and generally produces better fire but less brilliance than a round brilliant cut diamond. A princess shaped diamond is a close second in popularity to the round brilliant cut and almost matches its fire and brilliance. Created in 1980, the square or rectangular shaped stone is a mix of diamond cuts and is the most common type of fancy cut diamonds. The princess cut combines techniques used to create modified brilliant cuts and step cuts and has a profile similar to an inverted pyramid with four beveled sides. It can have anywhere between 53 and 144 facets. As a family-owned business, Padis Jewelry has been a trusted source for buying exquisite certified loose diamonds, engagement rings and fine jewelry since 1974. We are one of the only jewelers in the area that offers such an exclusive selection of top names in the industry as well as such a large inventory. If you are a lover of beautiful jewels, schedule at visit to San Francisco and the Napa Valley’s best jewelry stores. Sources: everything-wedding-rings.com/princess-cut-engagement-rings.html en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_cut As early as 2800 BC, Egyptians wore a single silver or gold wire ring on the third finger of their left hand, which they believed was directly connected to the heart. During the 2nd century BC, Pliny the Elder described the custom of grooms presenting their bride with a gold ring to wear at the wedding ceremony and on special events. The woman was given a ring made from iron to wear at home to signify a husband’s ownership of his wife.
Archduke Maximillian of Austria is credited with commissioning the first ever diamond engagement ring for his betrothed, Mary of Burgundy in 1477. The ring was designed in the shape of an “M,” fashioned from a series of thin, flat diamonds. Wealthy European aristocracy and nobility quickly followed suit by bestowing diamond rings as a token of love. During the 1700 and 1800s, engagement rings were often a mix of diamonds and other gemstones, enamel and metals. The American Gem Society states that many of these rings were designed in the shape of flowers and called “posey rings.” In Victorian times, rings using diamonds and gemstones to spell out words of endearment were common as well as rings made from the hair of their loved one. Diamond engagement rings really gained widespread popularity when in 1938; the DeBeers diamond company hired N.W. Ayer, a New York–based ad agency, to create an ad campaign to boost diamond sales. The successful campaign featured famous movie stars adorned with beautiful diamond rings and was responsible for increasing diamond sales by 50 percent in just three years. By the late 1940s, the ad agency introduced the slogan still used by DeBeers today - "A Diamond Is Forever." Padis Jewelry, a family-owned business, has been a trusted source for buying exquisite engagement rings, fine jewelry and certified loose diamonds since 1974. We are one of the only jewelers in the area to exclusively offer some of the top names in the industry as well as stock such a large inventory. We invite you to visit to our showrooms to see the finest jewelry San Francisco and the Napa Valley has to offer. Source: americangemsociety.org/en/the-history-of-the-diamond-as-an-engagement-ring When you decide to invest in a piece of jewelry, you want to know you are buying from a reputable jeweler. At family-owned Padis Jewelry, we understand that concern and it is one of the reasons why we are proud to be a member of the American Gem Society (AGS).
So what is the AGS and why should you care if your jeweler is a member? According to their website, the American Gem Society is the country’s preeminent jewelry trade organization dedicated to consumer protection. Founded in 1934, it is a nonprofit organization that puts people before profit and is designed to help educate people to safely and easily buy jewelry. Along with consumer protection, they are committed to ethical business practices and to the development and maintenance of superior gemological skills and knowledge. The organization holds their members to the highest standards. They also help customers to find a jeweler that is a member of AGS. Becoming a member of AGS is not easy, and in fact, only 5% of jewelers in the United States are able to meet the exacting necessary requirements. A jeweler needs to obtain references from industry professionals as well as be approved by a panel of peers. In addition to the initial exam, members must submit to an annual re-certification exam. AGS members are also offered hands-on training. Furthermore, AGS Laboratories were founded as a way to support the AGS mission and is a nonprofit diamond grading laboratory whose primary purpose is to provide consumers protection. The laboratory adheres to the AGS Diamond Grading Standards and offers consumers diamond grading reports “that provide consistency and accuracy based on science.” Please see our website to learn more about Padis Jewelry’s high standards and our extensive collection of top luxury brands and the finest quality of loose diamonds. Padis Jewelry, a family-owned business, has been a trusted source for buying exquisite certified loose diamonds, engagement rings and fine jewelry since 1974. We are one of the only jewelers in the area that offers such an exclusive selection of top names in the industry as well as such a large inventory. For the opportunity to view one of San Francisco’s most impressive collections, please contact us to schedule at visit. Source: americangemsociety.org/en/ |
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