The First Diamond Grading System

As jewelers, we often talk about diamond grading and different diamond grading systems.  Recently I came across information about one of the first diamond grading systems created.  In India, they actually used diamonds to designate status.  If you fell into certain categories, you could only purchase certain colors of diamonds.  The listing was as follows:

Priests and rulers........................white diamonds

Landowners and warriors...........brown diamonds

Merchants..................................yellow diamonds

Lower class.................................black diamonds

I found this so interesting because today, we purchase diamonds based on what is striking to the eye.  Now we often purchase white (or colorless) diamonds for engagement rings.  Brown diamonds are now often described as CoCo and are used in many fashion jewelry designs.  Yellow diamonds are called Canary and are not only found in fashion designs, but are also now being seen more and more in engagement rings.  Black diamonds are commonly found in fashion designs now, such as earrings, rings and pendants.  

It is so inspiring to see how different societies used not only diamonds, but other gemstones in their history and culture, and to see how we have evolved to use these gems today. 

 

 

Sarah Stegeman

by Sarah Stegeman on Wednesday, January 11, 2012

100 Acts of Kindness

Our first blog, I talked a lot about how Sturhahn Jewelers was started with Love.  As we get closer to our 100th Anniversary, we really thought long and hard about how we wanted to thank our community for supporting us for all these years.  The best way that we could do that was to give a little back to the community who has given us so much.  A few weeks ago we started our 100 Acts of Kindness.  This is something that has affected us in ways we never imagined.  We are hearing all kinds of stories about how rings and heirlooms have come from Sturhahn Jewelers years ago.   But most of all what has really touched our hearts are the stories of some of the random people who were lucky enough to receive one of our gifts.  Whether it was the woman who was celebrating her 90th birthday, or the woman who just got out of a long stay in the hospital, to the person who was just diagnosed with cancer, all the stories have made an impact.  The outpouring of love from our community has been so amazing.  We started these "Random Acts" as a way to show a little love and brighten a few people's day, but it has turned into so much more than that.  We still have seven more weeks to go in delivering the rest of our 100 Acts of Kindness and we cannot wait to discover who we will meet and surprise next and what stories we will be told.  Keep watching us on Facebook and Youtube, and who knows, maybe the next time you see us, you might be surprised with a little something!

 

Sarah Stegeman

by Sarah Stegeman on Wednesday, August 17, 2011

The story of how Sturhahn Jewelers began

In the beginning of something new, it is difficult to know exactly where to start.  Today, I realized that I should begin with the little known story of how Sturhahn Jewelers began 100 years ago, ... with LOVE.  Sturhahn Jewelers opened October 14, 1911.  Prior to the jewelry store opening, Walter Sturhahn (founder) had asked his sweetheart's father for permission to marry her.  However, with Walter only just thinking of starting his own business after working for another jeweler for several years, his sweetheart's father said that he could not allow them to marry.  Her father then went on and told Walter that if he could prove himself a good businessman and run a good business, that he would reconsider.  Walter took this to heart and worked very diligently to build a good and fair business.  It was not long before Sturhahn Jewelers was thriving.  Almost one year to the day of the opening of the jewelry store, Walter and his sweetheart, Adelaide Lechtenberg, were married with the blessing of her father.  Now 100 years after all of this took place, Sturhahn Jewelers still stands on its original foundation, LOVE.  Everyone who enters the jewelry store has come for a similar reason, whether it be that they have fallen in love and want to get engaged, that they have a precious piece of jewelry that they have been given that needs some TLC, or that they want a momento of someone important to them; it all comes back to having that piece that comes from or reminds them of someone they love.  The amount of love that I see walking in our doors everyday is inspiring and it reminds me of my great grandfather Walter, and how he worked so hard to prove his worth to his soon to be father-in-law.  If you will let us, we would like to prove our worth to you.  We don't want just customers; we want our customers to become great friends and family.  Join our family the next time you need that something special, I promise that you will find us inspired!

Sarah Stegeman (Sturhahn)
4th Generation of Sturhahn Jewelers

by Sarah Stegeman on Friday, March 4, 2011