Whether made of diamonds, stones, pearls or precious metals, a piece of jewelry speaks more than a thousand words. An ideal gift for every occasion, jewelry is preferable over most other gifts—especially to women. A glittering diamond necklace by a lover would be preferable to a woman than the stars that he offers to pluck from the sky as a proof of his love.

There is no data to determine when men and women started adorning themselves with jewels. If looking beautiful can be considered as an innate desire of every human being, then the history of jewelry goes back to the time when civilization began. We have records, though, on who presented the world’s first diamond engagement ring to his beloved. It was in the year 1477, when Archduke Maximillian celebrated his engagement to Mary of Burgundy by presenting her with a diamond ring set in gold.

Now, of course, jewelry is a necessary means of embellishment for any fashionable woman worth her salt. And with such a plethora of designs to choose from, it is tough to resist the temptation to buy some to match with your favorite dresses. Just as Cassius asked Brutus, “Who so firm, that cannot be seduced”, so seems to say the glittering diamond ring in the show window. It’s all very well if you are seduced by a beautiful piece of jewelry, but it is equally important to be conversant with all aspects of estimating the value of an expensive piece of jewelry before you venture into buying one.

Diamonds, pearls, precious stones and metals—each has parameters that establish its purity, and subsequently its worth. There is no dearth of articles on jewelry that will give you a fair amount of information on all kinds of jewelry. So, before you buy a symbol of love and faith for your wife, be sure that it is a genuine one—just like your feelings!)