Issue 01 · Independent since 2026
We test the claims, read the certificates, and explain what a stone actually does in daylight — so the piece you keep is the piece you meant to buy.
Editor’s Picks
Care
A metal-by-metal and stone-by-stone cleaning guide from a working bench jeweler — what is safe, what causes damage, which stones must never see an ultrasonic, and how to store pieces so they stay clean.
Nora Whitfield · Updated September 16, 2026
Care
Replacement, fair market and liquidation value differ by a factor of two. What an appraisal needs, what it costs, who should write it, and how fraud hurts you.
Nora Whitfield · Updated September 17, 2026
Fine Jewelry
The rules that stop layered necklaces from knotting, scratching each other or sliding around your neck — length intervals, weight ratios, clasp positioning and which metals can safely touch.
Camille Duarte · Updated September 15, 2026
Engagement & Bridal
Engagement & Bridal
Where the two-month-salary rule came from, why it is useless, and how to allocate a real budget across cut, carat, colour, clarity and setting so the money goes where you can see it.
Elena Marchetti, Editor-in-Chief · 13 min read
Engagement
Elena Marchetti · September 17, 2026
Engagement
Elena Marchetti · September 16, 2026
Engagement
Elena Marchetti · September 14, 2026
Engagement
Elena Marchetti · September 15, 2026
Fine Jewelry
Fine Jewelry
The rules that stop layered necklaces from knotting, scratching each other or sliding around your neck — length intervals, weight ratios, clasp positioning and which metals can safely touch.
Camille Duarte, Buying Guides Editor · 12 min read
Fine Jewelry
Priya Raghavan · September 17, 2026
Fine Jewelry
Nora Whitfield · September 15, 2026
Fine Jewelry
Camille Duarte · September 16, 2026
Fine Jewelry
Camille Duarte · September 14, 2026
Gemstones
Gemstones
A gemmologist's wearability guide — the Mohs scale, why hardness is not toughness, and a 30-stone table rated for daily rings, occasional rings and pendants.
Priya Raghavan, Gemstones Editor · 17 min read
Gemstones
Priya Raghavan · September 16, 2026
Gemstones
Priya Raghavan · September 17, 2026
Gemstones
Priya Raghavan · September 15, 2026
Gemstones
Priya Raghavan · September 16, 2026
Latest
Gemstones
A gemmologist's wearability guide — the Mohs scale, why hardness is not toughness, and a 30-stone table rated for daily rings, occasional rings and pendants.
Priya Raghavan · Updated September 17, 2026
Engagement
Where the two-month-salary rule came from, why it is useless, and how to allocate a real budget across cut, carat, colour, clarity and setting so the money goes where you can see it.
Elena Marchetti · Updated September 16, 2026
Guides
Marketplaces, diamond retailers and social commerce carry different risks. What to demand before you pay, how to verify a certificate, and the red flags.
Camille Duarte · Updated September 16, 2026
Engagement
A practical proposal plan: deciding together vs surprise, finding ring size without asking, placeholder rings, insurance and travel, and what to do the week after.
Elena Marchetti · Updated September 17, 2026
Fine Jewelry
The five pearl types with real 2026 prices, why nacre thickness outranks every other factor, how to tell cultured from imitation, and the honest limits.
Priya Raghavan · Updated September 17, 2026
Guides
Karats measure purity, not quality — and the most expensive gold is often the worst choice for jewelry. How 10K, 14K, 18K and 24K behave, what colours each can produce, and how to read a hallmark.
Camille Duarte · Updated September 15, 2026
Stones are examined with a loupe, a scale and a refractometer. Where we cannot test, we say so plainly.
How we testWe quote list prices we have actually seen, not the aspirational figures in a press release.
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Aurora Adorned publishes independent guides on fine jewelry, engagement rings and gemstones. Last updated September 16, 2026.
