Blog | Page 24 | Yarnal Jewelers

Custom breathtaking designs by Charlie Thym

May 6, 2016 By Angie Krowicki

Masterfully handcrafted engagement rings!

Charlie Thym draws on a wealth of experience to design and make beautiful memorable custom jewelery! Yarnal Jewelers is proud to have such a vibrant and creative Master Goldsmith.

Charlie Thym works closely with his clients, he will create initial sketches, which will begin to transform the client’s ideas into a cohesive design. Once a final design is chosen, the engagement ring will be crafted on-site by Charlie, using both traditional and modern techniques. Our Master Goldsmith ability to draw on several skill sets, linked with his experience & creativity has helped him to become one of Castro Valley’s premier jewelers. Come in or call to make an appointment with him.
Charlie possesses a distinctive character which combines the buzz and creativity of a sought after jewelry artist! A blend of excitement, artistry, design and innovation is reflected in the engagement rings created by him.

The Importance of Jewelry Appraisals

May 5, 2016 By Angie Krowicki

The Importance of Having Your Jewelry Insured. Behind every piece of jewelry is a memory… and that memory is worth protecting is it not? When you suffer the damage or loss of your jewelry, the last thing you should worry about is how to repair or replace it.

A current up to date jewelry appraisal and appropriate insurance protection are now more important than ever!
You may have a whole jewelry box full of treasures that you’d hate to lose, but there are some items you should definitely consider insuring more than others. Give special thought to jewelry that is $500-$1,000 or more in value.

Keep in mind that regardless of what the monetary value is, it’s the sentimental value that’s likely going to matter most to you in the end. Also recognize, its very important to keep an eye on your gold and diamond jewelry. With the dramatic price increases experienced even over the past few months, your jewelry could be worth a whole lot more today than it was a year or two ago. We at Yarnal Jewelers can update its value to current retail replacement value to help give you a better idea of what should be insured.

If you’re still unsure, ask yourself this: If your beloved treasures become lost or stolen, would you be able to afford to replace them? If not, Jewelry insurance is a wise choice to consider.

Up close and personal

May 5, 2016 By Angie Krowicki

Getting up close and personal with your own jewelry! Looking through a loupe won’t make you a jewelry expert, but even a beginner can learn to spot potential problems of your beloved piece.

?*Check for cracks and chips in your gemstones.
?*A close up view of the quality of workmanship in your piece.
?*Check to see if prongs are secure and well made.

Hopefully this guide will help you get a bit familiar with loupes!

Loupes are generally listed by the strength of magnification or power first, ie: 10x 15x 20x 30x etc.The next number in the description is the size of the lens, or diameter of the lens at the top of the loupe, ie: 12mm, 14mm, 18mm, 20.5mm or 21mm etc.The types of loupes are generally referred to as “Doublets”, “Triplets”, “Quadruplets” or “Pentagonal”. This refers to the number of lenses built into the loupe assembly. All loupes have a focal range, this indicates how far away from the object your viewing the lens will focus. This range generally decreases as the power of the loupe increases. Expected focal ranges are from 1/8 of a inch to about 1&1/4 inches from the object your inspecting. A good average range is 3/8 inch or greater. The strong 20x or 30x loupes with a shorter focal range may block a lot of the light needed to inspect the object.

Some ways to spot a professional quality loupe:

?If it comes with a leather case it is more likely to be professional quality.If the hinges are made of roll pins rather than screws it is more likely to be professional quality.
?If the cost is noticeably higher than the low cost loupes it is more likely a professional quality loupe.
?If the loupe has a name brand printed on it, with a higher price (over $30.00) it is most likely professional.
If interested in purchasing one of these handy dandy small helpers, we offer them in our store! Feel free to drop by Tuesday -Saturday 11:00pm -7:00pm.

Diamond Mining!

April 26, 2016 By Ralph Yarnal

Always Insist on Ethical Diamond Engagement Rings.

While they are sourced across the world from Australia to Russia, the majority of diamonds are mined in Africa. Ethically run, this industry provides health care and infrastructure to communities in mining areas. In the wrong hands, diamond mining has been used to back wars and illegitimate governments where working conditions are unacceptable, and the money earned is used for unethical purposes. Yarnal Jewelers supports KP to ensure all our new diamonds are ethically sourced. See below for the full details of our conflict free policy.

The Kimberley Process

The Kimberley Process tracks diamonds from mine-to-market and is in partnership with the U.S. government and other non-governmental organizations. The 75 countries that participate in the Kimberley Process agree to trade rough diamonds only with other countries in the organization. Diamonds must be shipped with Kimberley Process certificates and must be in tamper-resistant containers.Its sole aim is to prevent the trade of conflict stones, in favor of ethical diamonds.

Support Ethical Jewelry

Whenever we advise clients on their diamond purchase, we stress that the recommended diamonds have been sourced ethically. Yarnal Jewelers firmly believe that public awareness is asking your jeweler questions on diamond sourcing is the only way we can beat this unethical trade and protect the thousands of people suffering at the hands of oppressive regimes.