Bardy’s Estate Jewelry & Diamonds carries the largerst selection of loose and mounted certificate diamonds graded by the Gemological Institute Of America (GIA). Bardy’s carries a variety of matched pairs of diamond shapes, including trilliants, baguettes, bullets, half moons, trapezoid, and more, all for the perfect accent to your center diamond.

We have all the shapes; Rounds, Princess, Radiant, Emerald, Oval, Marquise, Pear, Ascher, and Old European, and all sizes from 1/4 carats to 7 carats and more. We also carry a wide range of qualities and prices to fit your individual needs, including Fancy colored diamonds.

Mountings are available in platinum, 18 karat & 14 karat white or yellow gold, or any combinations.

Buying a diamond is a very personal experience. Diamonds can be bought to signify love, significant accomplishments, milestones in your life or that of a gift's recipient. Unlike when you buy clothing, electronics, or cars, the features of a diamond may not seem quite so obvious to you. We would like to change that. The more you know about your diamond jewelry, the more confident you will feel when making your diamond jewelry choices. Take a moment to learn more about the 4Cs and find out how they play a an important role in making your diamond jewelry unique.

Shape

The shape of the diamond is often confused with the cut. Choose the shape that you like based on your style and you cannot go wrong. 

Cut

The cut of a diamond determines its brilliance or sparkle. Each shape will be cut differently. Before a diamond is cut, the location of inclusions and flaws, the natural coloration, and the original shape of the rough stone are studied extensively. The stone facets are then mapped out and cut in a way that maximizes size, shape, and clarity. For optimal light performance, you will want a diamond that is cut neither too shallow nor too deep.

Color

Diamonds are graded based on the amount of color they do or do not possess. The scale runs from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow). An absolutely colorless diamond is rare and therefore very valuable.

Clarity

A diamond is distinguished by its natural characteristics, just as a person would be noted for her blue eyes or his brown hair. Notated as a diamond's clarity, these characteristics can be present on the surface (blemishes) or within the stone (inclusions). The clarity is judged by the number and types of these characteristics and is designated using a scale that runs from Fl, defined as flawless, to I3, defined as inclusions visible with the naked eye. A flawless diamond is truly rare.

FL Diamonds
Flawless: No internal or external flaws.

IF Diamonds
Internally Flawless: No internal flaws.

VVS1, VVS2 Diamonds
Very, Very Slightly included: Very difficult to see inclusions with 10x magnification.

VS1, VS2 Diamonds
Very Slightly Included: Inclusions are visible under 10x magnification and may be visible with the unaided eye.

S1, S2 Diamonds
Slightly Included: Inclusions are visible under 10x magnification to a skilled grader.

I1, I2, I3 Diamonds
Included: Inclusions are visible with the unaided eye.

Carat Weight

The unit of measure used for the weight of a diamond is the carat. As a matter of reference, a carat is equivalent to .2 grams or .007 of an ounce. Carat weight can also be divided further by using points. There are 100 points in one carat. So a 1/4 (.25) carat stone can also be expressed as 25 points and mean exactly the same thing. When comparing two diamonds, please note that just because one is twice the carat weight of the other does not mean that it will appear to be twice the size.

Stage of Relationship / Milestones

Perhaps the finest tangible way of commemorating different stages of a relationship is sanctifying them with jewelry - something you feel best symbolizes the unbroken bond you have shared for so long. This obviously differs from person to person, but some ideas worth considering - and even building upon - include gold jewelry to mark your first year together, diamonds to mark your tenth year, platinum jewelry and/or emerald gemstones for your twentieth, Ruby or Garnet stones marking your fortieth, Fancy Blue diamonds for your landmark fiftieth anniversary, and so on.

Insurance/Appraisals

Your insurance on any one of our products is determined by an appraisal - an insurance claim by the company determining the worth of the item in today’s market (which fluctuates depending on the given price of gold/gemstones.) Moreover, it can also be certified anywhere by a GIA Certified Gemologist.

Care/Cleaning

One of the most important aspects of maintaining the beauty of a piece of jewelry over its lifetime is the amount of care put into its preservation. Depending on the material used to craft your ring, it is a good idea to not wear it while performing any strenuous work - including exercising, working on your home or any other heavy labor; blows to the ring may bend its prongs, the ring itself and could even chip your diamond.

Although diamond is known as the hardest material on earth, it still runs the risk of being chipped:  a hard blow to the girdle (its middle) or culet (the pointy bottom) may damage it. Aside from this, however, diamond is essentially indestructible. Additionally, its not a good idea to wear your ring while sleeping - due to the prongs potentially catching on the mattress fibers and either tearing the mattress or pulling a prong off.

To ensure the longevity of your jewels, it's best to store it in a jewelry box or an enclosed area where there are no other metals, as this could scratch your item or wear down the metal and its prongs.

For even more protection, try this surefire method of keeping your ring looking its best: Grab a toothbrush and some dish soap, mixing it in a small bowl filled with hot water. Following this, take your ring and drop it in the bowl, letting it soak for about ten minutes. After that, take the ring out with tongs - as the water will be very hot - and gently brush it until all dirt has been removed. Finally, submerge the ring back into the bowl and rinse off the soap with cold water.

There are a variety of metals choices available for jewelry. Whether you like the allure of platinum or the range of options with the classic gold, you will find a number of stylish pieces, sometimes even combining the two metals. Today, alternative metals like sterling silver, titanium, and stainless steel give you additional options in look, strength, price, etc. Each choice has its own qualities, so base your choice on the ones that you value most.

Platinum

Platinum is generally 95% pure and does not tarnish or lose its rich white luster. Platinum is the heaviest of all the precious metals weighing approximately twice as much as karat gold. Its purity makes it hypoallergenic, perfect for people who are sensitive to the alloys used in gold. Platinum is also known for its strength and pliability, just one gram of platinum can be drawn into a fine wire over one mile long.

Gold

Pure 24 karat gold is rarely used in jewelry because it is too soft for frequent wear. Gold is mixed with alloys like copper, silver, nickel, and zinc to give different colors, strength, and durability. Gold's purity is measured in karats, which indicate out of 24 parts how many parts are gold. For example, 18kt gold contains 18/24 gold and 6/24 alloy, while 14kt gold contains 14/24 gold and 10/24 alloy. Gold is traditionally seen in yellow and white colors, but can also be available in rose or green on occasion.

Sterling Silver

Sterling silver is usually 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. Silver is much more plentiful than platinum or gold and is much less expensive. It takes on a much higher polish than any other metal, but it does tarnish. The tarnish can be removed, but silver requires much more care than other metals.

Titanium

Titanium is a light, strong, and corrosion-resistant metal. Titanium offers you seven times the strength of platinum at about 1/3 of the weight. It is the hardest natural metal on earth and therefore offers more scratch resistance than gold or silver. In addition, titanium is also hypoallergenic. When ordering titanium rings, be extra sure about your ring size. The biggest drawback of titanium rings is that they cannot be sized by traditional ring sizing methods.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is a low cost alternative to traditional metals. It is naturally hypoallergenic and will not rust or tarnish. Stainless Steel will not break or bend under normal usage and is stronger than any other alloy.

Damascus Steel

Damascus Steel involves an ancient sword-making technique from the Middle East. Our suppliers alternate two types of Stainless Steel, twist them together by hand, and fold them into a circle. Thus, each ring they design is unique.

Cobalt Chrome

Cobalt has a similar look to platinum, with great strength and light weight. Because of its temperature stability, cobalt alloys are often used in engine turbines and surgical implants.

Zirconium

Zirconium is utilized in nuclear reactors and explosive wartime applications. It is very resistant to decay and heat. While most commonly mined from South Africa and Australia, zirconium has also been found in meteorites and moon rocks. It is naturally a silver grey color with a darker oxidized layer.

Meteorite

Meteorite pieces often contain varied rock and metal pieces from outer space. They have grooved latticed patterns formed as the meteors cooled over millions of years on the Earth’s surface. Because of this, each ring formed from this metal will be different.

Because of the rarity of naturally occurring pearls, a process of cultivating pearls was introduced in the early 1900s. In this process, a small bead of polished shell is inserted into an oyster or mollusk to act as an irritant and produce a pearl, which can take up to 24 months. These pearls are referred to as cultured pearls. Pearls are classically elegant and never go out of style.

Types of Pearls

Akoya

These pearls were the first type of pearl to be cultured. Japan and China are the main producers of these pearls. They are consistently round, which makes them perfect for strands. Colors range from white to cream, though some can be gray or black.

Freshwater

The freshwater pearl is usually slightly less round, smaller in size, and possesses less luster than other varieties of saltwater pearls. These pearls are usually cultivated in China and provide a value-priced option.

Instead of growing inside an oyster or mollusk like other pearls, the mabé pearl actually grows against the shell of the oyster, creating a dome-shaped pearl. This pearl is harvested, then assembled. The nucleus is removed and replaced by resin, while mother-of-pearl is used to cover the flat back. Mabés traditionally have high luster and lower prices than round pearls.

South Sea

These pearls are cultured in the northern waters of Australia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. These pearls are considerably larger than Akoya pearls and much more sensitive during the cultivation process. South Sea pearls are naturally white, cream, or golden in color.

Tahitian

These pearls are slightly smaller than the South Sea pearl, but are also sensitive during the cultivation process. The colors of black, silver, and gray occur naturally and they are cultured in Tahiti as their name implies.

Color

Pearls are produced in a variety of colors, as noted in the types of pearls. Most range from white, cream, and yellow to pink, silver, and black. Most pearls will have both a primary color, the first color you will notice, and a secondary color, the overtone you notice when you take a closer look. Color variation does not decrease the value of the pearl, but is important when matching pearls to be used in strands, earrings, bracelets, etc.

Luster

A pearl's luster is the result of multiple layers, also called the nacre (NAY ker), that the oyster or mollusk secreted to make the pearl. The thicker the nacre, the more luster a pearl has. You will notice the luster as the deep sheen that reflects light on the surface of the pearl.

Shape

Pearls come in a variety of different shapes. The most coveted of these is round. Akoya, Tahitian, and South Sea pearls are most often the roundest of the pearls. Other shapes can make beautiful jewelry as well, sometimes providing you with different price options.

Surface

Because pearls rely on an uncontrollable environment in which to grow, very rarely will you find a perfect pearl. The surface of a pearl may not always be smooth, often including spots, bumps, etc. The beauty of these pearls may be enhanced by the ability to sometimes be camouflaged during the stringing and setting process.

Size

The size of the oyster or mollusk that a pearl is produced within will have a direct effect on the size of the pearl. The size alone may not greatly impact the price of a pearl, but when you combine it with a perfectly round shape and beautiful luster, the value will dramatically increase.

Bent Prongs

Bent prongs can occur for a number of reasons, whether its because you’ve accidentaly dropped a heavy object on your ring, the prongs have been caught by cloth, you closed the door on your ring or it was slammed against an object. In these situations, you run the risk of one prong or several prongs being misshapen, pulled off of the diamond or broken off entirely. After you’ve identified the damage, you should bring in your ring to your local jeweler to get it properly assessed and fixed.

Missing Side Stones

If any of your side gemstones are missing, it is critical to bring your jewelry in to any reputable jeweler to assess why it happened and the cost to replace it.

Bent Bottom Shank

Picking up heavy weights (with most of the weight resting on the bottom of the ring,) hitting something too hard, or any strenuous work could ultimately result in bending the bottom half of your ring. In the event of this happening, take it to a reliable jeweler to assess the problem.

Ring Stuck On Your Finger

In the event that your ring simply will not come off, it is best to seek a reputable jeweler to cut off the ring for you; they typically insert a ring cutter that fits between the bottom of the ring and your finger to carefully cut a very small section off. Once this is complete, you can slowly pull the ring apart and bring it over your knuckle. After this process, it is still possible to repair the ring; ask the jeweler about the cost associated with fixing the missing piece of metal.

Loose Side Stones

If you find that any of your side stones are loose, have a reputable jeweler tighten the prongs or metal surrounding or holding the stone.

In-Store Jewelry Maintenance

In an effort to fix any problems that may have been previously overlooked, it is important to bring your jewelry in every six months for inspection. Not only can this potentially save you time and money - it will also catch any gemstones that may be loose before they have fallen out.

We offer in-store goldsmithing. Our Goldsmiths pride ourselves in the quality of our service; not only the personal treatment you will receive when you walk in the door of one of our stores, but also the superior services offered by our in-house goldsmiths, watchmakers, engravers and jewelers.

In order to determine your ring size, we suggest coming to see us for an exact measuring of your finger. We take all the following factors into determining the correct size. The size and shape of the ring, which finger they will wear the ring on, the size and shape of a person’s finger, the temperature of the hand and the size and shape of a person’s knuckle.

If you are trying to determine the size of someone’s finger you can use the two options below. This is only a guide and estimate. We are not responsible for any sizing issues if size is based on the options in the pdf below.

Download and Print the Ring Sizer (PDF document)

Traditional

Rings in this category are typically Yellow Gold wedding bands for him and her - this includes Solitaire rings as well.

Antique

Rings must be at least 75 years old to qualify for being considered ‘Antique.’ They will typically have rose cut or miners cut diamonds, a large amount of milgrain beading and hand engravings.

Art Deco

Art Deco rings tend to have the same flare that Antique rings would have, but are instead crafted using modern tools with a ring that was created in the 20th century. They will also typically have a thinner bottom shank and a bigger head for the center stone.

Classic

Classic rings share many characteristics with Traditional style rings/bands, but additionally include Delicate Solitaire as well Delicate rings that have a thin shank and with side set stones.

Estate

Estate style jewelry is noted for being on the flashier side: ornately designed necklaces or rings filled with diamonds fall under this category. One may even find brooches in the shapes of various plants that also have diamonds included in them.

Vintage

Vintage rings lie in the same spectrum as Art Deco and Antique styles: rings/bands will typically have a lot of hand engravings, milgrain beading, intricate metal work and many micro pave set diamonds.

Prong

A prong setting - which usually has 4 or 6 prongs - is one of the most popular settings on the market, and is used for all types of faceted stones.

Shared Prong

Similar to the Prong setting, the Shared Prong gets its name from prongs of metal placed between two stones.

Bezel

A versatile choice used for any type of stone, the bezel setting sees the diamond set deep inside of the mounting while the metal is folded over the stone to create a strip that holds the diamond in place.

Half Bezel

This setting utilizes essentially the same approach as the Bezel setting, except a Half Bezel is when the stone’s girdle is not fully covered.

Channel

Another setting that can be used for any type of stone, the channel setting sees the goldsmith creating a channel - as the name would suggest - and then cut seats in it where the diamond will sit. After each diamond is placed in the new channel, the goldsmith secures the stones in place by hammering the upper sides of the channel walls.

Pavé

With pavé settings, several small gemstones - usually diamonds - are set closely together, separated and held in place by small beads of the setting metal. This produces what resembles a continuous string of diamonds or other gems on its surface.

Bar

Similar to the Channel setting, the Bar setting sees that diamonds are set between bars, where they are first nested in grooves and then overlapped by metal using a hammering tool. Like the Tension setting, this also requires gemstones to have a Hardness level of 9 or above.

Traditional

Rings in this category are typically Yellow Gold wedding bands for him and her - this includes Solitaire rings as well.

Antique

Rings must be at least 75 years old to qualify for being considered ‘Antique.’ They will typically have rose cut or miners cut diamonds, a large amount of milgrain beading and hand engravings.

Art Deco

Art Deco rings tend to have the same flare that Antique rings would have, but are instead crafted using modern tools with a ring that was created in the 20th century. They will also typically have a thinner bottom shank and a bigger head for the center stone.

Classic

Classic rings share many characteristics with Traditional style rings/bands, but additionally include Delicate Solitaire as well Delicate rings that have a thin shank and with side set stones.

Estate

Estate style jewelry is noted for being on the flashier side: ornately designed necklaces or rings filled with diamonds fall under this category. One may even find brooches in the shapes of various plants that also have diamonds included in them.

Vintage

Vintage rings lie in the same spectrum as Art Deco and Antique styles: rings/bands will typically have a lot of hand engravings, milgrain beading, intricate metal work and many micro pave set diamonds.

What to Expect

When making a purchase as seismic as a ring, the customer should expect to closely analyze various facets of the production process - ones that will inevitably inform their final decision. To begin with, observe the thickness of the ring, the metal being used and the way the side and center stones are set. It also helps to view the diamond with your naked eye - first in both natural and artificial light and then through a loop microscope. Finally, be sure to look over the certification provided with the diamond, as well as its specs.

Don’t Forget

Of course, with all the major observations present during the buying process, there are often several small aspects sometimes forgotten along the way that potentially make or break a ring choice. For example, be sure to examine your ring when it is set and finished; check the craftsmanship of the ring when it is fully completed to make sure that it is up to high standards - to see if the center stone of the diamond is at set level. Moreover, don’t forget to ask about the warranty provided with the ring and what it does and doesn’t cover.  Finally, after you propose, have your fiance try the ring on when their hands are both hot and cold to test if the ring still fits properly.