The Krugerrand gold coin was first minted as a way to market the massive gold reserves of South Africa to the world. Starting in 1967 these coins have been made as a way to let Americans and others buy gold. See, at the time it was illegal for an American to buy or own gold bullion. The US government was trying to build up their own gold reserves, (which they later abandoned for fiat money) so the average citizen could not have gold in their investment portfolio. However, the loophole was that it was totally legal for them to own collectible coins. The Krugerand was made for just that purpose, and was put to good use on the American markets. Eventually, the ugly Apartheid made it illegal to own even these collectible coins, so other countries began to mint their own legal tender gold bullion to fill the growing gap.

In the 80's the Krugerrand began to be released in different weights, from one tenth of an ounce, one quarter of an ounce, and one half an ounce. This made it more accessible to some who could not afford to buy whole troy ounce gold coins. There is also a lot of mystery surrounding the fabled Silver Krugerrand, which was released during this time to get around the ban, but from where and by whom is a closely guarded secret to this day. Nevertheless, it's fun to own one of these as there is a whole mythos built up around thee Silver Krugerrand coins.

The appeal of diamonds lies in their dazzling beauty and endurance, and their ability to provide a lasting momento of a special occasion. Although diamond jewellery is usually bought for emotional reasons, the value of the diamond content will appreciate in time. Unlike some other commodities, the prices of diamonds have remained stable over the years. As the cost of living rises, so does the average price of diamonds. Diamonds have a mystique about them that goes back around 3000 years following their discovery in India. Their brilliance and durability combined with myths of their magical qualities make them not only attractive, but serve as the ultimate status symbol. The mythic history of diamonds is part of the reason they are so coveted today.

Diamonds have been used in various forms since they were first discovered. The earliest diamonds were used in battle as a form of talismanic protection. It was believed that even to have one concealed inside a jacket or tunic during battle would imbue the wearer with the qualities of the stone, virtue and courage and victory would be theirs. This may stem from the meaning of the word "diamond" as it comes from the Greek adamas, meaning "unconquerable." During the Dark and Middle Ages, diamonds were used for their healing qualities. Patients were advised to wear a diamond next to the skin, to warm a diamond whilst in bed, make the sign of the cross whilst holding a diamond, and swallowing diamond powder. Most of the anecdotes fail to recount the spurious success of these methods and most end with the death of the patient. Diamond powder is now known to be a poison.

Although rough diamonds have always been worn for decorative purposes, it wasn't until around the fourteenth century that diamond polishing started, and the 1500s that diamond cutting began. This new way of enhancing the stone's natural reflective qualities led to exciting ways to use and present them, and jewellery makers exploited it. The most common use for diamonds in the world of jewellery is in a ring.

Diamonds for jewellery are cut into a variety of shapes, each one designed to highlight different aspects of the stone's natural reflective properties. Each cut also gives hands a slightly different appearance when worn in a ring. Diamond cuts include oval, princess, round, emerald, heart, marquise and radiant. Today, the most common style is brilliant. The classic conical shape and faceted top increases the amount of light passing through the diamond giving this cut its brilliant sparkle. The princess cut is a modern cut which is like a square pyramid and draws attention to sparkle rather than lustre. Emerald cut diamonds are very striking. Originally a cut used for emeralds, its shape is rectangular with flowing lines. They don't accent the fire the way some other cuts do, but give off sensational light flashes.

Once cut, a diamond is graded according to the four Cs - colour, clarity, cut, and carat. The colour differences between stones is very subtle and must be done by comparison. The cut refers to the shape of the finished stone and also takes into account the number of facets and how uniform they are. All diamonds have flaws or inclusions within them that affect clarity. These are minute deposits of crystals and minerals that give each diamond its unique character. The fewer the flaws the more rare and expensive the stone. Diamonds are weighed in carats not by dimensions and one carat is equal to 0.2 grams. These gradings should be taken into account when buying diamonds. As buying diamonds is an important decision, a good jeweller should explain in detail the four Cs and how each of them gives the stone its unique quality. purchase the same now as they did last year, five years ago, or twenty years ago. Diamonds have lasting value

How a diamond has been cut, poished and to what proportion and symmetry are utmost importance since these factors determine the life, brilliance and dispersion of the diamond.

	Marquise			Round			Trillion
	Emerald			Princess			Heart
	Pear			Oval			Baguette

A Diamond Clarity Grading is carried out useing the IGI scope and a loupe 10x under the experienced eye of laboratory gemologists. A diamond is said to be "Internally Flawless" when it presents no internal defects under 10x magnification. Only diamonds rated I2 - P2 and lower are visible to the naked eye.

	IF-LC Internally Flawless Loupe Clean			VSS-VSS 1 2 Very Very Small Inclusion			-P 3_3 Very Spotted
	VS-VS 1 2 3 Very Small Inclusion			SI-SI-SI 1 2 3 Small Inclusion			I-P 2_2 Spotted
	I-P 1_1 Light Spotted

The weight of a diamond is measured in carats(ct) . A carat is 0.2 grams and there are 100 points (or 200 milligrams) per carat. With an accuracy of 1/100,000 ct the IGI scale provide a highly precise diamond weight and this weight is specified on the Diamond Report to two decimal points.