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Jewelry makes a memorable gift to commemorate one of Life's Great Milestones. Graduation represents a unique, personal accomplishment earned through hard work and determination.

Here are some helpful guidelines to keep in mind when you are shopping for a jewelry gift to celebrate the next chapter of your special graduates life.

1. There's a big difference between 14 karat gold and gold-plated jewelry. Fourteen karat (14K) jewelry contains 14 parts of gold, mixed in throughout with 10 parts of base metal. Gold-plated describes jewelry with a layer of at least 10K gold bonded to a base metal. Gold plating eventually wears away, depending on how often the item is worn and how thick the plating is.

2. If you*re buying a watch, determine whether you want one that runs on a battery or one that must be wound daily. Ask if a warranty or guarantee is included, how long it lasts, and what parts and repair problems it covers. Also ask how and where you can get the watch serviced and repaired.

3. Know the difference between laboratory-created gemstones and naturally mined stones. Stones created in the lab are visually identical to stones mined from the earth. The big difference is in the cost: laboratory-created stones are less expensive then naturally mined stones. But because they look much like stones mined from the earth, they must be identified as lab-created. If you want a naturally mined stone, ask if it has been treated. Gemstone treatments* such as heating, dyeing or bleaching* can improve a stone's appearance or durability. Some treatments are permanent; some may create special care requirements. Treatments also may affect the stone's value.

4. Ask whether pearls are imitation or real. Real pearls are made by oysters or other mollusks; imitation pearls are man-made. Cultured pearls are made by mollusks with human intervention; and irritant introduced into their shells causes a pearl to grow. Real pearls that are not cultured are fairly rare and expensive. The cost depends on the size, usually stated in millimeters, and the coating or *nacre* on a real pearl, which gives it its iridescence.

5. When you*re buying a diamond, consider four criteria: cut, color, clarity and weight, usually stated as carats. Each factor affects the price. Color is sometimes *graded* on a scale. However, scales are not uniform: a *D* may be the best color for one scale, but not for another. Make sure you know how a particular scale and grade represent the color of the diamond you*re considering. A diamond can be described as *flawless* only if it has no visible surface cracks or other imperfections when viewed under 10-power magnification by a skilled diamond grader.

When shopping online for a jewelry Graduation gift, apply these tips.

1. Shop with companies you know or do some homework before buying to make sure a company is legitimate before doing business with it.

2. Take advantage of information and referrals from an Internet company you have come to trust.

3. Get the details about the product, as well as the merchant's refund and return policies, before you buy.

4. Look for an address to write to or a phone number to call if you have a question, a problem or need help.