How nice to stop in and see that we are celebrating my birthday already!!! I have been telling people that I don't mind the party, but I am NOT turning older this year... those numbers are just getting too large. LOL I have been doing lots of digging up and moving plants. We have to get the siding replaced on our house and guess what's in the way? Arg! The contractor has told me that the workers will not be careful around the plants, so out came any small plants and the smaller or the shrubs. The others we are cutting back and tying in hopes that fewer branches will be broken this way. It was especially bad timing because the azeleas are just starting to bloom! I am taking some of the cut branches inside and putting them in vases so we can enjoy them a little. (I was tempted to tell the contractor to delay, but just knew if I did that he would get busy with someone else and there will be a long delay. I think you need to get them when you can...) Anyway, party on, Garden Circle ladies. I think we should have fun all week! Jeanne

Thank you all for all your input...I got a better magnifying glass and can make out the initials PM or FM on one side of the ring..the other side has a circle with something in it, then some writing and two more circles which I believe one has a kind of star in it and the other a triangle or something. We are a small town here but there are two auction houses here, I will take it there before doing anything. Our only jewelers here are box stores and I'm not sure now they would have the knowledge to work on it without ruining it. I was thinking of having the main part with all the pretty hearts etc. made into a pendant or pendant brooch but I wouldn't want to damage it in anyway. I also could not afford $1000. to have it made!! It is one of only a few things I have from my Aunt...it may end up just staying in the jewelry box like when she gave it to me 30 years ago. That would be kind of sad though. Oh I do know it is at least European as she lived in Scotland but did travel to various European countries on trips. It is VERY heavy by the way. This is fun learning all this stuff...thank you all so much. I am really enjoying it. Taigen

Frou, you cracked me up with your comments!! "I can't believer OA talked you into getting more than one of something. You get a gold star. And now you have a pair of compotes, your getting the hang of it." LOL. Actually I like candleholders in pairs, but last time I'd bought the wonderful mercury-based pair and then saw these, so just got the smaller one saying to myself I didn't "need" to come home with FIVE candleholders. LOL. Guess OA showed me! I had wanted more of the compotes and would have loved one in each color. But they were $8 each and buying all four was too much at the time. Heck, maybe the pink and yellow will still be there next time I go. Luvs, I was soooo good this time. I only walked the six LONG aisles on the left end of the mall, and just quickly glanced at stuff since I'd been there only 2 wks ago. But darn, it was hard not to slowly look at it all again. Especially with my memory, everything is new to me anyway. But my leg, and wallet, won out and I only bought these 3 things this time. However today, I took about TEN bags of stuff to the Humane Society thrift shop...and of course just had to go in and look around. Came home with one bag. I'll take some photos later this afternoon hopefully. Think ACORNS meanwhile. LOL. Satine, occasionally I've seen stuff in the Antique mall that I've seen at Dollar Tree. Like the birds. LOL. hugs, Karen

A well cut diamond is a good stone forever until is gets damaged usually by chipping. Your round cut, brillaint stone is probably a standard cut often referred to as a SRB cut or Standard Round Brilliant. The SRB has 16 sides (girdle facets), Pavillion (bottom part) facets: 16 meeting the gridle plus 8 more mains; and Crown facets: 32 facets plus the table, for a total of 57 facets not coumting the girdle facets. Since its development, this cut have proven to be excellent and is the standard by which other cuts are measured. A 1 caret SRB diamond is an excellent (and expensive) engagement stone. It looks very good mounted on either gold color or white platnium. Diamonds are graded by the 4 Cs: Cut, Clarity, Color, and Caret. Water clear, transparent, with minimum to no flaws are the most desireable with exception of certain colors. Some of world's most expensive diamonds are blue and pale yellow. I suspect that your stones with a brown cast would be downgraded. However, let your jeweler be your guide. One can not grade a stone without seeing it and inspecting it under magnification. The person who grades your stones ahould have trained at, and hold a certificate from the GIA (Gemeological Instutite of America).