We're excited to be new members of the Independent Jewelers Organization and we want to give you our customers, the opportunity to win $500 cash! 

This video by IJO President Jeff Roberts tells you all you need to know:

Simply go to your favorite review site write a review of our store.  Click Here

Thank you in advance.

We're celebrating 33 years in Bridgeton.  Click Here for more details.

We are extending a SPECIAL INVITATION to you, your family, and friends to help us celebrate our 33rd Anniversary by attending the OPENING of our Storewide Clearance Sale, Thursday, February 28th, 10:00 AM Sharp!

FREE pair of diamond earrings to the first 150 people. Print this page and bring it with you!

Save 20% to 65% OFF Storewide! For this special sale event prices have been reduced on our Diamond Jewelry, including Wedding Bands, Anniversary Rings, Engagement Ring Mountings, Earrings, Pendants, Necklaces, Colored and Precious Stone Jewelry, Pearls, Gold, and Sterling Silver Jewelry, Mens Jewelry, and Watches, and much, much more!

Register to WIN one 6 prizes from a $5,000+ prize pool! Join our Food Drive to benefit our local Loaves & Fishes Food Bank in Maryland Heights. Bring in nonperishable canned food items and receive a Special Bonus good towards winning a prize! You can WIN just by donating food.

We will be Closed Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, February 25th, 26th, & 27th to Reduce Prices and prepare the store for our Most Exciting Sale Event Ever!

ONLY You And Other Preferred Customers Are Being Notified First, giving you Thursday, Friday and Saturday to shop and save before we announce this 33rd Anniversary Storewide Clearance Sale to the General Public. Please feel free to bring friends and relatives that didn't happen to receive one of these special invitations as our guests ... and come join us for our Biggest Sale Event In Our Store's History!
We look forward to seeing you here!

*Sale excludes, Pandora, Ball Watches, loose diamonds,
solitaires, custom design, repairs, special orders, prior sales, and previous layaways.

Today, diamonds are seen as one of the most impressive precious stones in jewelry, but that sparkling gem in your ring didn’t start out that way. In fact, the process of finding and creating beautiful diamonds is one that many people don’t fully understand.

Finding Diamonds

While everyone knows that diamonds are mined, they might not realize that several tons of dirt must be removed from the mine for every carat found. The actual stones can be difficult to mine and there are a lot of useless rocks pulled from the mines.

Out of every million diamonds found, only one of them will be one carat. To get a three carat gem, you’d have to sort through about 15 million lesser stones. To find anything more valuable is nearly a miracle. Imagine how incredible it was for the miners who found the 546 carat Golden Jubilee! It was actually 755.42 carats before being cut and polished.

There are several methods of mining diamonds, depending on where they are located. The more common method is open pit mining, where essentially a large hole is dug and the ore is crushed to reveal any hard gems hidden inside. Underground mines are similar, but require building tunnels to find the kimberlite pipes where diamonds form.

For seabed mining, undersea drills are used to reach the gravel that contains diamonds that have drifted away from their place of origin. You can also find them on the coast in some areas, where the sand must be sifted, but riverbed “mining” is the simplest method and is very much like gold mining. Miners use sieves and pans to look for the precious stones.

Creating Perfection

A rough diamond is nothing special to look at. In fact, it is similar to a rough piece of quartz. With a little polishing, however, it’s possible to turn that simple rock into a brilliant gem that is fit for a ring.

First, the diamonds are sorted. The poor ones will be sent for industrial use, but the ones that have actual value are given a value and sent on to be cut and polished.

Before the 1400’s, diamonds were left uncut and simply mounted as is in jewelry. However, in the fifteenth century, the method of cutting was developed to create facets in the stone. These facets must be carefully done, as they are designed to reflect light inside the stone. The effect is one of brilliance, making the gem sparkle as only a diamond can.

While you can have any number of facets in a polished diamond, the 58 facet round cut is the most popular and the one that you will usually find on engagement rings. It offers optimum sparkle.

Antwerp: Diamond Capital of the World

Antwerp, Netherlands, is the most popular place to purchase diamonds. How does a simple city become the diamond capital? By being the best at what it does.

The vast majority of diamonds are originally bought through Antwerp’s diamond market. In fact, 80% of rough diamonds come from the city and a good 70% of refined diamonds, too.

There are four major markets in Antwerp. The Diamond Club van Antwerpen and Vrije Diamanthandel offer both cut and rough diamonds, while Antwerpse DiamontKring sells only uncut gems and Beurs voor Diamanthandel provides only cut stones. It is a very difficult procedure to get into any of these markets, which is why only the most prestigious diamond dealers have access.

Dreaming of a beautiful timepiece on your wrist? A high quality brand can be well worth purchasing, but if you’re just starting out with a top brand watch, it’s a good idea to opt for a previously owned model, which will be somewhat less expensive and may have a more interesting history.
Why Should You Consider a Pre-Owned Watch?
Everyone has their own reason for wanting a timepiece that isn’t new. The most obvious reason would be price, since a pre-owned watch is not going to cost the same as a brand new one. However, some may be looking for vintage watches, which are no longer available on the market. There are some incredible pieces available from estate sales and people selling off family heirlooms. These may cost a little more, but they are usually well worth the price, as they also have antique value.
Top quality mechanical watches differ from the frequently seen battery powered options and give a certain air to the wearer. These watches function through the use of a mainspring, a tight coil of metal that gradually unwinds and powers the watch. This needs to be wound on a daily basis on hand wound models, but there are also automatic options.
More modern models feature quartz timing and while they are not as classic looking, they are certainly elegant and are very well made. These watches usually include further features, such as dates and alarms, something you won’t find on a classical wound watch.
Choosing a Jeweler
There are plenty of unscrupulous people out there who may attempt to sell you a knockoff version of the watch you’re interested in, or one in poor repair. To be sure you’re getting your money’s worth, you need to talk to a reputable jeweler. Choose someone who has been in the business for at least several years and preferably someone with an established business, since they will not want to risk their reputation selling fakes.
A good jeweler will offer a warranty on even used watches, which should have been carefully examined and repaired before the sale. This warranty may be limited and will usually only be for a 12 month period, but it is a sign that the watch is a good one and the jeweler is trustworthy.
Avoid buying from an individual seller without a proper appraisal from a jeweler first. There are many ways you can end up being scammed if you aren’t careful, so it’s worth anything extra you might pay by going through a qualified jeweler.
There’s nothing like a high quality watch on your wrist. No plastic and rubber piece could ever come close the edge that a heavier metal watch can give you and while they can all tell time, you want a piece that comes with soul and personality. The best way to find that is to look for a pre-owned timepiece.

Spring 2013 Retired Charms

Announcement: 92.3 WIL Jinglefest 2012 Ticket blast.  This Tuesday December 4 at Romantique Jewelers.  From 4-6 PM or UNTIL they are Gone!

Attention Ladies, Join us for Ladies night.  Food, drink, Prizes, disounts, and a chance to win a $5,000 Shopping Spree!  Put your Wish List together for the Holidays!

The 1st 100 Customers will receive a FREE Karisma Pendant. (Chain and Jewelry Insert sold separately.)

Thursday November 15, 5 - 8:30 PM.

We're proud to announce that we have just become St. Louis' latest Pandora Dealer.  Come visit us and start your collection or build on to your existing collection.

Pandora is more than the name of a legendary figure with an infamous box. It is also the name of a unique jewelry that is available at fine stores Worldwide.

According to Greek mythology, Pandora was a woman who was created by the Greek god Hephaestus. Pandora was sent to earth with a box and when she opened it, all the evils of the world escaped. Only the virtues of hope and opportunity remained. It is hope and opportunity that are the inspirations behind Pandora Jewelry design.

PANDORA is a universe of jewelry. Each piece is Danish designed, and handcrafted in sterling silver or 14K gold. Many pieces incorporate pearls, semi-precious and precious stones. World famous for the bracelet and twist-on charm design, PANDORA owns a patent for its unique system (U.S. Pat. No. 7,007,507).

PANDORA'S modular design with easily interchangeable parts allow the wearer to select charms for a dress up elegant look, or to alter the look for more casual wear at a moments notice. PANDORA also offers a whole collection of earrings, rings, necklaces and watches to provide a coordinated look with the most popular charm designs.

For more information about the PANDORA line, please visit the PANDORA Jewelry website online at pandora.net.

Where Do Opals Come From?

Made from non-crystalized silica, the opal forms in areas that were once hot springs. The silica in these springs was deposited into cracks when the springs dried up and this forms the precious stone. Because of their origins, opals are around 30% water, unlike any other gem. They tend to be found near the surface and for this reason, many opal hunters travel to Australia, Nevada and Mexico, to find their own opals.

The precious stones, once extracted, are polished, usually into an oval shape. This is the form that best shows off the gleaming rainbow inside the gem.

Which Color Opal?

While the most commonly seen opal is white with pastel colors showing through, this isn’t the only type of opal you’ll find. There are also black opals, which actually range from grey to black. These may have a dark base color, but they really flash with bright hues and are impressive when added to jewelry.

The rarest form of this stone is the fire opal, an impressive translucent or transparent opals with bright flashes of red, orange and yellow that look similar to flames darting out of the stone. These look particularly impressive in a necklace setting.

Looking After Your Opals

These stones are some of the more fragile out there and they do need to be looked after. Because of the high water content, your opal gems can be cracked or broken easier than a harder gem like a ruby. It’s important to keep opals separate from your other jewelry and to clean gently with soft cleansers. Anything too harsh can cause damage and you may need to repolish the opal at a later date.

An Alternative Birthstone

If you aren’t a big fan of opals, October has something special to offer . . . two birthstones! While opal is the one that most people consider to be representative of October, the secondary birthstone for this month is the pink tourmaline, a beautiful and elegant gem that has special properties. When the stone is heated, it actually becomes charged with static electricity and can attract small items to itself.

Tourmaline comes in several colors, but only the pink (which spans everything from pale pink to bright red) is considered a stone for October. It was once revered as the “stone of the muse” which makes it a great gift for writers, artists or other creative types, as it is said to enhance creativity.

Whether you choose pink tourmaline or a beautiful opal for a birthstone gift, keep in mind that these are both very special. We offer a range of jewelry settings that make the perfect gifts for anyone born in October, or who celebrates this month.