Earlier this week, we talked about different terms we use when describing, selling, and buying diamonds. And while that list is far from comprehensive, it makes a great jumping off point for a subcategory of diamond jargon that’s earned a post all its own: diamond clarity. Clarity isn’t quite as complicated to discuss as, say,…
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In the world of jewelry and diamonds, we often delve into technical speak without even realizing it. And while industry jargon is quickly learned, it’s one of the biggest hurdles first time diamond buyers face when shopping. It’s frustrating to approach the shopping experience expecting to be treated as an equal, someone who deserves to…
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When it comes to synthetic diamonds, we still feel it’s best to err on the side of caution; we don’t deal with them. But this development in the industry – and in the general, diamond-adoring public – is definitely an interesting topic of discussion! Shop Gabriel Engagement Rings Synthetic diamonds fall into two categories, though…
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When it comes to diamonds, customer trust is our number one priority. It’s also the biggest factor that influences our newest generation of diamond buyers. And it’s so important, we’re opening up an entirely new store just to cater to this need. #gabrielny ?? A photo posted by Diamonds By Raymond Lee (@diamondsbyraymondlee) on Jan…
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Does a diamond need a certificate? It’s a question we’re asked with growing frequency. Our shoppers are smart – and after learning the 4 C’s, they’re ready to dive headfirst into diamond shopping. Because most of our customers now come in ready with some sort of education, they’ve also more than likely read up on diamond…
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Every unique engagement ring deserves an equally unique proposal. And in a day and age where this proposal is widely regarded as “perfeeeeect” by many a Pinterest user, the pressure is on. But no fear, we’re here to help. That’s right, not only will we help you choose the perfect engagement ring (for her and…
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It’s #FancyFriday and that means we’re upping the ante. Today, the spotlight is on (appropriately) our favorite fancy yellow pieces. Both Raymond Lee Jewelers and Diamonds by Raymond Lee specialize in premium diamonds, and fancy yellows are no exception. We take great pride in sourcing the best fancy yellows, the biggest fancy yellows, and the…
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Happy Birthday, January babies! Your gorgeous birthstone is the perfect touch of warmth this winter (although, in South Florida, what’s winter?) This month, it’s all about garnet. Garnet, according to the American Gem Society (AGS): “signifies eternal friendship and trust and is the perfect gift for a friend. Garnet, derived from the word granatum,means seed, and is…
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It’s New Year’s Eve and we are more than ready to count down to the brand new year! With 2016 on the horizon (literally…tomorrow’s horizon!) we’re so grateful for another year of business in fabulous, sunny South Florida. When our founder, Jeff Josephson, first set up shop in Boca Raton over 30 years ago, he…
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Can you believe Christmas is only 10 days away!? We can’t, and we’re so excited for the busiest time of the year. It’s when our showroom doors don’t close until every client has found their perfect gift. It’s when we get harried phone calls from frantic husbands, asking their favorite team member to set aside…
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David Yurman is one of the quintessential classic American designers. His bold pieces, graphic lines, generous use of chunky, candy colored gemstones and effortless combination of white and yellow metals make for pieces we love. And jewelry lovers agree. There’s a collectible air to David Yurman pieces. Many of our longtime customers will confirm that…
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The holidays are a perfect time to talk wedding bands. If you’re planning a wedding, you may have agreed to keep this Christmas small – little, meaningful gifts to each other to set aside more money for the wedding budget. And a great way to commemorate your first (and likely only!) engaged Christmas is by…
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This Sunday kicks off the eight nights of Hanukkah, and this year a new lyrical list of Jewish celebrities, non-fiction and real-life alike has us excited for the festival of lights. Put on your yarmulke, here comes Hanukkah So much fun-ukah to celebrate Hanukkah Chanukkah is the Festival of Lights, Instead of one day of presents,…
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This big day – or should we say weekend – has finally arrived. Beginning today, our Black Friday specials and hours are in full effect. Instead of closing at 6, we’re keeping the lights on and the diamonds sparkling for every single last customer. Ditto for Saturday, when we’d usually close at 5 – out the…
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The round brilliant diamond is by far and away the most popular diamond shape. This shape defines “classic.” When people think of an engagement ring, so often the first image that pops into their head is of the round brilliant solitaire. The beauty and timelessness of this particular shape secures it the number one spot, with…
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If you go into a jeweler to buy or sell diamonds in Boca Raton, you are probably fascinated by the wide variety and selection of these precious gems. Diamond buyers in Boca Raton are known to have collections that attract international interest from the many travelers who visit SoFla. Aside from admiring their beauty, have you…
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Spotlight On: The Invisible Setting Yesterday, as we showed off some of our favorite Art Deco inspired engagement rings, a common feature among them was invisibly set stones. This style of setting was pioneered and perfected by Van Cleef & Arpels before they patented it in 1933. Today, we see the invisible setting spread through…
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Well well well, the Emmy’s actually wrapped up on time last night! We can thank a merciless “wrap it up” music start time, predictable winners, and a charming (if slightly inconsistent) hosting by Andy Samberg. We also were robbed of much red carpet coverage thanks to the NFL, who inexplicably held their post-game show on the…
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It’s not quite officially fall,but it is officially time for fall’s favorite beverage/scent/food/color: pumpkin spice. And you don’t need to tolerate Uggs, leggings or hot coffee in South Florida’s temps of 90 and up to indulge. Nor do you need to slice and dice any gourds. Nope, you can simply light your favorite Pumpkin Spiced…
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Etsy is one of our favorite wedding resources, and it’s no surprise. As a small family business ourselves, we love to support other small businesses and the individual artists who create gorgeous wedding goods on Etsy. Etsy wedding accessories and art are such a fantastic way to personalize your wedding. They’re also ideal for those…
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Or, when IG really is too good to be true. Like most things on the internet, if something just has an unbelievable price, it’s probably unbelievable – or maybe you’re not getting the whole picture. And when it comes to pictures, especially ours on Instagram and Facebook, sometimes the price tag looks WAY too good to…
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How much does a wedding really cost? Much like diamonds, a variety of factors determine the total cost of a wedding. A Saturday night blowout at your favorite 5 star resort is going to cost more than a lovely Sunday morning brunch in the greenhouse of your favorite botanical gardens. Both of those may cost…
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We have all have some basic ideas about what diamonds are, where they come from, their value, and what they look like. Some may even understand the intricacies of the 4-C’s of color, cut, clarity and carat weight. The reality of diamonds however, may be a bit different than what we understand them to be.…
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Treated sapphires and treated rubies are prevalent on the jewelry scene. You’ll see them in our store in our estate jewelry pieces (especially the rubies) and on smaller gemstone designs. Most of our large sapphire rings and earrings are untreated, because of the value of the piece. But heat treated gems are a gorgeous, less…
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Calling all savvy brides to be! We know your groom’s smart-he got your ring from us after all. But once that sparkler is on your finger, odds are you’re taking the reigns. And occasionally, you’ll need to rein yourself in budget-wise. Enter Wedding Brand, the new wedding budgeting tool we’re slightly obsessed with. Spending with…
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Before we head out for a weekend of celebration, we’re wrapping up the week at our showroom, playing dress up with our many customers who don’t have work today. And the name of the game is patriotic bling today! So while we will be closed tomorrow to observe Independence Day, we are open today until…
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This week, we’ve covered each of the 4 C’s. It’s a little known, but important fact, however, that there are 5 C’s. The last one that most people don’t bother with is Certificate. And it doesn’t impact a diamond’s appearance like the other 4 C’s, but you can bet your bottom dollar it affects a…
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This week, we’ve been focusing on the 4 C’s you need to know to get a great deal on a diamond. So far, we’ve covered diamond Clarity Grades, Cut Grades, and carat weight. Today, I’ll be explaining diamond Color grades. Diamonds come in a large variety of colors, some rarer and more valuable than others…
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Buying an engagement ring and planning the proposal, like we mentioned before, is your time to shine. Finding The One, buying The Ring, and planning how to ask the most important question of your life isn’t always easy, so we aim to make it as seamless and effortless as possible! And we’ve written lots on…
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When it comes to wedding planning, it’s widely respected that the groom has very little to do. His big moment to shine is the proposal. Much like the wedding, this takes advanced planning, a significant investment, the proper research for trusted vendors (well, just the one), and more attention to detail than the average person…
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No other gem captures the freshness of spring quite like the rich green emerald and May babies are lucky to claim it as their birthstone. The first emeralds were discovered in Egypt around 330 BC. The powerful, and remarkably beautiful, Cleopatra was fascinated with the green stones. Emeralds, which symbolized fertility and prosperity, represented exactly…
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Love is in the air! We have SO many new #RLJBrides popping up left and right, all with stunning new engagement rings to show off, courtesy of yours truly. We also have quite an impressive number of unsuspecting soon-to-be RLJ brides, just going about their business while their rings burn holes in their loved ones’…
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From beautiful rings, to expensive time pieces, a great piece of jewelry is worth owning. Not only will you feel great when you are wearing your special, it is an investment at the same time. With gold prices continually climbing and gems becoming more valuable, a good piece of jewelry is worth the money because…
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The Hope Diamond is arguably the world’s most famous diamond. Like its modern day counterpart, the headline-snatching 100 carat beauty that sold for $22 million at Sotheby’s, the Hope Diamond is huge, renowned, and beautiful. This stunner is sure to enter the annals of famous diamonds, but when it comes to household names, no diamond’s…
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Late spring and early summer is a special time to celebrate graduation. If you have several graduates in your life this summer then you will want to start thinking about the perfect gifts to present to show them how proud you are of their accomplishments. Graduation Bracelets A lovely trend this year for graduates is…
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People make mistakes, but some people make such outlandish mistakes you just have to wonder what the heck is going on in their minds. The mistake in question here is worth 4.9 million dollars. Not many people get to make a mistake like that. There is a silver lining to this debacle. It proves to all…
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Bridesmaids gifts are tricky – how do you say “Thank You” to your best friends for pampering you throughout your engagement? How do you thank them for your shower, bachelorette party, all the help they gave you while wedding planning, and of course their friendship? A heartfelt note is a great place to start, but a…
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Your bridesmaids have made it through multiple bridal showers, tying tiny bows on hundreds and favors, six wedding dress shopping sessions and the worst of your bridezilla moments, all with a smile on their face. With your big day approaching, it’s time a find the perfect gifts that thanks these special ladies for their friendship…
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We’re closing in on the sweetest holiday of the year: St. Valentine’s Day! This Saturday you can impress your Valentine with sweet treats, beautiful trinkets, and promising not to take them to see 50 Shades (Have you seen the press tour? Save yourself the ticket/popcorn fare.) Instead, treat your lady to some fun gifts courtesy of…
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The article I am writing is strictly my opinion “Lee Josephson” partner in Raymond Lee Jewelers. I find that local brick and mortar jewelry retailers and even large online e-tailers are very removed from what is actually occurring behind the scenes in the diamond world. People are not going to stop getting engaged (at least…
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Psst – Our VP Lee Josephson is dropping in today on the blog! Lee’s got a lot to say, so we figured his voice would be a welcome addition to our blog. You’ll see him from time to time joining in with commentary on the blog. First up, the newest, hottest name in basketball, and a…
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Each wedding season sees its own unique set of trends and fun stylish details that you can add to make your wedding memorable. 2015 promises to be filled with a lot of non-traditional wedding ideas which brides will spend hours scouring through popular sites like Pintrest. These wedding trends catch on in large part due…
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We talked last week about how each of the 4 C’s: Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat Weight affect the price of a diamond. All of the characteristics of a diamond also work together towards creating a beautiful diamond. There’s no point to a huge diamond that weighs 10 carats but has a poor cut, ridiculously included…
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Let’s pretend for a moment that everyone in the world is a billionaire, so there’s no such thing as status symbols. Everyone can afford a mansion on the beach, everyone can afford a Maybach, everyone can afford a hand-crafted, diamond-studded gold wedding ring. Now, if the price tag no longer dazzles, then what are you…
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Grooms, and often brides, will go to unusual lengths, to find unique settings to plan a romantic marriage proposal. Many times the first question after viewing the engagement ring is, “So, tell us how it happened? Where were you? Was it Romantic?” You’ve noticed that in romantic movie scenes, the proposal often seems spontaneous…
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You guys! We are famous. Elite Daily featured one of our favorite Verragio rings in their hilarious article “4 Ways We All Secretly Judge Everyone Getting Engaged On Facebook.” It’s on point, especially now during the height of engagement season. You thought your newsfeed was flooded post-Christmas? Brace yourselves. Valentine’s Day proposals are coming. A little…
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Think of the color of deep red wines, the exciting sparkling visual satisfaction of their pomagranate red/brown tones, the perfect color, marsala, to develop the foundation of our spring 2015 fashion color palette. This is the time of year when jewelers and vendors for high-end luxury jewelry, leather bags, and shoes are busily coordinating their…
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Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours! Enjoy the parade, the dog show, and as much turkey as you can cram in your pie hole. And pie, too, now that we mention it. We’re closed for the day to spend time with our families, but we will be open tomorrow (during our normal hours, sorry…
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