buy loose diamonds
Excerpt from the WSJ
: Robert Amoroso learned the jewelry business from his dad and spent more than 700 hours in a classroom to become an expert on precious stones. On a recent afternoon, he eyed three gems. One was a diamond. Another was cubic
zirconia, a common and relatively inexpensive diamond substitute. The third was something new: a gem-quality diamond produced in a laboratory.
The cubic zirconia stood out easily to the naked eye -- but Mr. Amoroso couldn't immediately tell the other two stones apart. Only after inspecting them under a microscope did he note an inscribed serial number that betrayed the origins of the lab-produced diamond.
"It's scary," said Mr. Amoroso, owner of Amoroso Jewelers, a retail and design shop in Boston's Jewelers Exchange Building. "I knew it could be done, but I just hadn't seen one yet." He pronounced the lab-grown diamond "the best of the three," noting that the natural diamond had more flaws.
The $143 billion jewelry business -- and the would-be fiancés, Valentines and lovers of bling that it caters to -- are facing a shakeup. Lab-produced diamonds, once suitable only for industrial use, are being produced with color and clarity that match -- or exceed -- the quality of diamonds dug out of the earth. These lab-made diamonds have begun trickling into retailers at prices below those for natural diamonds of similar size and sparkle..."
(end WSJ)
Amoroso
Jewelers, a private jeweler was founded in 1948 by Louis R. Amoroso and has been family owned and operated for over 50 years. The company has staffed graduate gemologists from the GIA since 1975 when Robert Amoroso completed the residence program. He became the first GG to establish a gem lab to the public in Boston, with purpose of promoting GIA diamond grading nomenclature and gemstone identifications and appraisals. Since that time John Amoroso, Richard
Ehlenbach, Denise Cote and James Hazard have also received GIA diplomas. Robert Amoroso & Richard Ehlenbach have also received FGA titles from the Gemmological Assoc. of Great Britain. Amoroso Jewelers has always felt the educated consumer was their best customer. Completely committed to providing the highest level of service and products available, adding that personal touch only available from a family business. The company was incorporated in 1976. In 1995 the showroom @ 373 Washington St. was moved to 333 Washington St., Suite 305. The company specializes in buying and selling fine quality diamonds, colored gemstones and cultured pearls. Custom designing jewelry and special orders are welcomed, as well as jewelry and watch repairs. Amoroso Jewelers employs the best craftsmen to hand make or customize any platinum or gold jewelry piece.
