Clarity versus size, price versus color... there are several things to consider when shopping for an engagement ring - the symbol of everlasting love.
Joining us this morning with some tips is Kevin Seele, member of the independent jewelers organization and owner of Kevin's fine jewelry.
*The cut and overall "make" of the diamond is what makes a diamond sparkle...or not. Table & Depth Percentages are what create a diamond's brilliance.
* The Color is critical to the diamonds beauty & can be seen easily with the naked eye.
* The clarity, (number & type of inclusions aka flaws) is important but only up to a point. Once you have reached a certain level SI-1 or SI-2 for properly graded diamonds, the clarity looks exactly the same to the naked eye.
* Remember to check the date of the report. If it is outdated, it may be an indication of an undesirable stone or one that is being re-sold. Re-sale is not necessarily a bad thing, but the stone should be examined closely for wear (ie: abrasions or chips) which could occur from being worn. An updated report is something you may ask for.
* As with any important purchase, it is very important to see the item and have a professional... someone you trust advise you on your selection. An educated jeweler or diamond broker would never buy a diamond without seeing it & neither should you.
* Buying a diamond online or from mail order is sometimes very risky business.
For more information, go to www.masterjeweler.com
-----KITCHEN MUST HAVES-----
It's that time of year when college students are graduating, forced into the real world for the first time, that means they have to fend for themselves in the kitchen as well.
Joining us this morning with some kitchen must- haves for grads is Megan Steintrager, senior editor of Epicurious.com.
1) The Clueless Cook:
Many students rely on meal plans and takeout for nearly all meals during college. Help the most clueless in the kitchen stock up their cabinets with these essentials - we'll tell you where to splurge and where to save.
Architec Cross-Contamination Book of Cutting Boards ($30) - Help clueless cooks learn about food safety. This clever cutting board comes with four designated "pages" to be used specifically for certain foods. By using a separate board for each food group, you reduce the risk of cross-contamination between each. It's also non-slip, made from non-absorbent material, it's self-contained and folds flat, so it doesn't take up too much space. www.broadwaypanhandler.com
Knife Set: Chef's Knife, Paring Knife, Serrated Knife - Newbie cooks only need three knives - chef's knife, paring knife and serrated knife. Splurge on a chef's knife, which will be used for tougher jobs where sharpness is critical, but save on the rest.
- Wusthof Chef's Knife - $99.95
- Wusthof Paring Knife - $39.95
- Forschner Serrated Knife - $26
2) The Host or Hostess in Training:
From frat parties to dinner parties - such is the transition for a newly graduated extrovert. Help them upscale their parties with the following gear:
• Cuisinart Immersion Blender with Whisk and Chopper ($49.95) - Make drinks, blend dips easier -- this is crucial for the new hostess. And it takes up far less space than the standard blender. www.cuisinart.com
• OGGI Hot/Cold Thermo Tray ($40) - Grads don't have many serving pieces for parties. Help them keep hot food hot and cold food cold with this serving tray, containing a heat-sensitive gel core. It's also very attractive. www.surlatable.com
3) The Dorm Room Diner:
High school grads can prepare more than just microwave popcorn in their dorm rooms, if given the right tools. They'll already have a refrigerator and microwave, but these items will add a new dimension to dorm dining:
• OSO Fresh Micro-Silver Food Storage Containers ($35 for set of 18) - College kids can bring home leftovers and forget about them for a few extra days with these techie Tupperware containers infused with FDA registered micro-sized silver particles which are proven to reduce bacterial growth and keep food fresher for longer. www.bedbathandbeyond.com
• Proctor Silex Electric Kettle ($15) - Ramen noodles, coffee, tea and anything requiring boiling water becomes possible with an electric kettle like this one with a convenient detachable cord and safety-oriented non-spill spout. www.surlatable.com
For more information , go to www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/holidays or www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/kitchenequipment.
-----RUTKA'S NOTEBOOK-----
Just released in the U.S., Rutka's notebook documents three months of the life of a 14-year-old girl, during the holocaust in Poland.
Rutka Laskier has been called the Polish Ann Frank. She entrusted a non-Jewish neighbor with her diary's location should she disappear and sadly she did.
Rutka died in Auschwitz that same year. Joining us this morning is Rutka's half sister, Zahava Laskier Scherz.
In 1943, 14 year old Rutka Laskier began to document three months of her life in the Jewish ghetto in the Polish town of Bedzin in her diary. Rutka was acutely aware of the fact that she and her family were likely to be victims of Hitler's "Final Solution." Her glimpse of life in Bedzin juxtaposes the stuff of a teenage girl's world - hopes and dreams, family disagreements, budding love for and disappointments with boys - with the horror that was the Holocaust: German dogs terrorizing her and other Jews, a soldier murdering a baby, being forced into unpaid work details. She entrusted a non-Jewish neighbor with her notebook's location should she disappear... and sadly she did. Rutka died in Auschwitz that same year.
Her neighbor did what Rutka asked: She retrieved the notebook from its hiding place under the stairs, hid it in her home, and told no one for more than 60 years. This month RUTKA'S NOTEBOOK: A VOICE FROM THE HOLOCAUST will be co-published for the first time in the US by Time Books and Yad Vashem. The story of its discovery is as unforgettable. Zahava Laskier Scherz, knew her father managed to survive the Holocaust, but not of the life and fate of her sister. In her moving introduction of Rutka's Notebook, "The Sister I Never Knew," she explains how (at the age of 14 herself) she learned of Rutka (63 years after Stanislawa had retrieved the notebook, her son-in-law found it on her bookshelf and brought to local historians, who then took it to Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust memorial institution. Yad Vashem then traced the Rutka's family history and soon discovered that her father had survived the Holocaust).
For more information, go to www.time.com/time.
