Mondera.com is committed to customer satisfaction and wants to provide the most enjoyable and risk free shopping experience possible to ensure that you feel comfortable and satisfied with your involvement with us. To help further our customer service, we have provided answers to many of your questions.

The diamond is considered the king of gems. What is a diamond?.

A diamond is a crystal made up entirely of carbon atoms that are arranged in an isometric, or cubic, matrix. A cubic crystal arrangement is one in which the crystal essentially expands outward at the same rate in all directions during its initial growth; the ideal result, when the crystal forms without any interference, is a pure and perfectly formed octahedral shape.

However, most diamond crystals encounter varying heat or pressure, other elements, or even other diamond crystals during their growth, and this can alter their form somewhat. The resulting form and characteristics of the crystal, once it emerges from the earth, help to determine what shape, color and clarity the polished gem will have.

The combination of diamond’s molecular composition and its crystal structure is what makes it so unique and gives it all the qualities that we think of when we think of a diamond.

Consider this: The graphite that you commonly find in pencils is also made of pure carbon, but because the carbon atoms are arranged differently, the result is a soft gray-black substance that is very unlike hard, colorless diamond. And iron pyrite (known more commonly as “fool’s gold”) grows in an isometric arrangement, but because it is not made of pure carbon, it also lacks the spectacular qualities of diamond.

The unique characteristics of diamond go far beyond what you can see with your eye. In addition to their superior brilliance and dispersion, diamonds are the hardest natural substance on earth.

Diamond rates a 10 on the Mohs scale of hardness, which means that it is extremely resistant to scratches; it is several times harder than the next-hardest substance, corundum, which is more commonly known as ruby and sapphire.

Diamonds are also very tough, meaning that they do not easily break, chip or crack. And even more interestingly, they are extremely resistant to heat and chemicals: it would take a temperature of at least 720° Celsius in air, or 850° Celsius in a vacuum, to burn a diamond; and sulphuric and hydrochloric acids, which are capable of completely dissolving the skin and bones of a person, have no effect at all on diamonds (in fact, these acids are actually used to clean the oil and dust off polished diamonds after they have been cut).

Cut: Cut is probably the most important, and most challenging, of the four Cs to understand. The brilliance of a diamond depends heavily on its cut. Mondera carries only the better grades of diamond cut, to ensure that your jewelry is as beautiful as possible. This guide will show you how to select a diamond with the best cut that your budget allows.

Clarity: Most diamonds contain some inner flaws, or inclusions, that occur during the formation process. The visibility, number and size of these inclusions determine what is called the clarity of a diamond. Diamonds that are clear create more brilliance, and thus are more highly prized, and priced. This guide shows you how to find the best grade of clarity for you.

Color : Colorless diamonds are the most desirable since they allow the most refraction of light (sparkle). Off white diamonds absorb light, inhibiting brilliance. To ensure that your Mondera jewelry is of the highest quality, we’ve preselected our diamonds to eliminate those of lesser color grades. Read on to understand how color affects a diamond and how to choose the best grade for your budget.

Carat weight :A carat is the unit of weight by which a diamond is measured. Because large diamonds are found less commonly than small diamonds, the price of a diamond rises exponentionaly to its size. Read this guide to get a better understanding of what a carat is and how it affects the appearance of a diamond.

Diamond is formed when carbon atoms deep in the earth are exposed to enormous heat and pressure over millions of years. In fact, the first known diamond deposits were brought to the surface of the earth two and a half billion years ago, and the most recent deposits are 50 million years, meaning that all diamonds are a genuine piece of pre-history!

Diamonds made their journey from the asthenosphere (the layer of earth that lies 75 to 125 miles below the crust) to the surface when volcanic activity forced them, along with other rocks and minerals such as kimberlite, upward in a powerful explosion that formed a ‘pipe’ (a deep, wide opening in the earth).

Once the diamonds and rocks shot upward, most of them fell back and settled into the pipes; when these pipes were eventually discovered by miners, they became known as ‘primary deposits’ of diamond. Other diamonds, though, were washed away either by erosion or by nearby waters; these formed deposits a distance away from the original source and they became known as ‘alluvial deposits.’

The first known source of diamonds was India, but now it is the countries of Australia, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Russia and Canada which produce as much as 80% of the world’s diamonds.

Diamonds are not at all easy to mine. In fact, more than 250 tons of ore need to be blasted, crushed and processed to yield just one carat of rough diamond! And of all the diamonds mined, only about 20% to 25% are gem-quality; the rest will eventually be used for technological and industrial purposes, or as abrasives

Meaningful symbols that say two hearts beat as one.

Engagement Settings : Buying a diamond engagement ring is part of a much larger decision that goes far beyond jewelry, tradition, or money. The very fact that you’re even considering such a commitment indicates that you’ve already made quite a journey. Let Mondera help you finish with this quick guide to finding your engagement ring.

Wedding Bands : What piece of jewelry is more tied to emotion than the wedding band? While an engagement ring signifies a promise, the wedding band symbolizes the actual fulfillment of that promise, the marriage itself. It transcends adornment: it is an integral extension of the wedding vows themselves: “With this ring, I thee wed.” We pledge our troth, we promise to love and honor and we exchange wedding rings as the symbol of that pledge.

This small circle of metal is a very potent and significant jewel. The unbroken circle symbolizes eternal love, a continuing, endless flow through time. This universal symbol has been an important part of the wedding ceremony for more than five centuries. Isn’t it romantic to think that you and your mate are linked by this ancient tradition to brides and grooms who exchanged their vows through the ages? It not only symbolizes this marriage, it also links you to the chain of generations past and future who celebrate the marriage ceremony.

Whether you choose a gold band or one of platinum, or a ring set with diamonds, your wedding band should reflect your style, your personality and your taste. It should be a pleasure to choose your wedding band: just look at the beautiful possibilities at Mondera.

For many men, the wedding band may be the only piece of jewelry they’ll ever wear other than a wristwatch. You’re both going to want to spend some time considering this purchase carefully. Like so many of the decisions you’re going to make for your wedding, you don’t have much experience with this one, so take the time to consider the options. The groom may be surprised to discover that he’s very interested in a stylish ring that speaks of his love and his new commitment. Keep your eye on the details – though a wedding band is small in size, it packs a lot of design on that surface. Through the years, you’ll appreciate the richness of the design, the way it catches the light, whether it’s reflected from a gleaming polished surface or bouncing off the details of a more intricate design.

Love’s Eternal Symbol

The gem of the sea is endlessly fascinating. Find out more about it.

Luster : Luster is the shine and glow of the pearl, and a very important factor when it comes to judging beauty. The intensity of a pearl’s luster is determined by its nacre, the layers of calcium carbonate that make up the pearl. The longer a pearl is left in the oyster, the thicker the nacre. The luster of a good quality pearl should be bright and not dull.

Size : The size of the oyster directly affects the size of the pearl it creates. Larger mollusks, for instance, create larger pearls. However, large cultured pearls require a larger nucleus to be implanted into the oyster — which increases the chance of the mollusk either rejecting the nucleus, or dying before a pearl has an opportunity to develop.

Shape : The most coveted shape for a pearl is round — perfectly round. And, as perfectly round pearls are as rare as totally unblemished ones, those that do exist command exorbitant prices. Usually, one finds pearls ranging from “all round” to “mostly round.” With Tahitian pearls, which are extremely rare and expensive when discovered in perfectly round form, the industry standard for the average Tahitian pearl is termed, “slightly off round.”

Surface : Though all pearls are unique, each one usually has small imperfections on its surface described in the industry as blisters, spots or indentations.

Learn how to build a jewelry wardrobe and care for your jewelry.

Rings : Whether you’re choosing a diamond solitaire, a ring with a number of stones, or an open-work lattice ring in which the diamonds flow along the lines of the setting, the way the stones are held in the setting is an integral part of its design. Once you recognize these differences, you’ll be prepared to analyze each ring at a glance and make a choice based on those elements that best please your taste.

Engagement : Buying a diamond engagement ring is part of a much larger decision that goes far beyond jewelry, tradition, or money. The very fact that you’re even considering such a commitment indicates that you’ve already made quite a journey. Let Mondera help you finish with this quick guide to finding your engagement ring.

Wedding Bands : What piece of jewelry is more tied to emotion than the wedding band? While an engagement ring signifies a promise, the wedding band symbolizes the actual fulfillment of that promise, the marriage itself. It transcends adornment: it is an integral extension of the wedding vows themselves: “With this ring, I thee wed.” We pledge our troth, we promise to love and honor and we exchange wedding rings as the symbol of that pledge.

Earrings :

Few fashion accessories make as much of an impact as earrings. One of the earliest forms of jewelry, earrings were first designed by ancient cultures. Impressive examples of gold hoops and other more elaborate earring styles were found in the Egyptian king Tutankhamun’s gold encrusted tomb. To this day, earrings remain in the forefront of fashion.

Pendants : What necklace is right with a basic T-shirt, and what styles work best for formal wear? Here are three classic styles that are versatile enough to wear with anything.

Bracelets :

There are different types of bracelets as well as styles and materials. The term bracelet usually refers to a flexible piece of jewelry, one that drapes softly around the wrist. A well fitting bracelet should be loose enough to be comfortable and not put pressure on your wrist yet snug enough so it does not slide too far down onto your hand.