Sustainable Jewelry Blog

The Truth About “Real” Diamonds

What Are Real Diamonds? Diamonds are carbon crystals revered and adored for their dazzling intensity of light play, conductivity and hardness.  Because of their refractive ability they can split wh...

How Are Lab Grown Diamonds Made?

Lab-grown diamonds are one of the marvels that came out of the 20th century, and are today rocking, rolling, and rocketing to increasing popular demand, especially for diamond engagement rings.  B...

Do Lab-Grown Diamonds Test as Diamonds?

How do you know if a gem is a diamond? Or if it is a real diamond? What about whether it's a lab-created diamond (aka a lab-grown diamond) or a mined diamond? These are questions we get quite a lo...

5 Ways to Safely Clean A Lab Grown Diamond Engagement Ring and Other Jewelry

 How to Clean Jewelry  It has happened to everyone; you take a look at your engagement ring, that symbol of love and commitment, and realize that the diamond no longer gleams and shines; that there...

Four Thoughtful, Sustainable Gift Ideas

Are you searching for a trendy, practical, and environmentally friendly gift you can feel good about? Giving sustainable presents is a fantastic way to show someone special in your life that you ca...

What Does Your Zodiac Sign Say About Your Engagement Ring?

When you buy an engagement ring, do you check your birth chart? Astrology is sometimes unnervingly accurate. But whether you love it or hate it, are somewhere in between or off in left field saying...

Sustainable Engagement Rings Inspired by Celebrities

Are you one of the millions of people who have decided that they want to design their own sustainably sourced engagement ring? Where do you get your inspiration from and where do you go to get the ...

Ring Sizing For That Perfect Fit

Ring size is one of the most important parts of the ring selection process, and often the most overlooked. The wrong ring size might mean you lose your precious ring, or, on the other hand, the cir...

What to Look for in Sustainable Jewelry Brands

There is a lot of information and misinformation about ethical and sustainable jewelry brands, products, services and practices today, as counting carbon becomes as popular as counting calories, ma...

Myths and Facts: The Definitive History of Engagement Rings

The history of engagement rings is complicated yet fascinating. There are myths, legends, facts, princes and princesses, and of course, lots of gold, diamonds, and jewels.  Let us take you on a jou...

All About Radiant Cut Diamonds

Are you looking for a special kind of diamond? Do you enjoy the scintillation of brilliant cuts but prefer a shape like a step cut? What about something that combines the two? Well, you’re in luck,...

All About Princess Cut Diamonds

Princess cut diamonds are one of the most unique and distinctive shapes of diamonds regularly available. Their angular edges belie a playful interior with kaleidoscopic scintillation. Maybe that's ...

What are Cushion Shape (Cut) Diamonds and Why Love Them?

Are you interested in Cushion cut diamonds but aren’t quite sure whether to go all in, or even where to start? By the end of this Michael Gabriels blog on cushion diamonds, we hope you’ve learned a...

RIP Queen Elizabeth: Now What Will Become of the Most Fabulous Private Collection of Diamonds in the World?

That’s because Queen Elizabeth II had one of the world's most extensive, varied, brilliant, and oh-so-fabulous collections of diamonds. The collection has never been insured, so likely it had not b...

How 3D Printing Has Changed the Jewelry Industry

Did you know that your ring is probably printed? Well, not entirely. If you come to Michael Gabriels, an expert craftsperson right here in NYC ultimately handcrafts your ring. But you may, (or not,...

Can Sustainable Engagement Rings Make a Difference?

Are you looking for a sustainable engagement ring? Are you concerned with where your jewelry comes from and how it's made? Most jewelry on the market today is not sustainable, and a sizeable amount...

Taylor Swift Makes History Three Times in Radically Radiant Crystal Ensemble

Taylor Swift’s accepted a historic trio of awards last night, dressed in a flapper-esque dress of innumerable strings of rhinestones as if bathed in diamonds.

Why and How to Buy Oval Shaped Diamonds

Interested in something classic that still stands out? Want more bang for your buck? Oval Diamonds offer more for less than more shapes and will be a choice you love for years and years. Check out ...