About Lustre Journal

Lustre Journal is an independent editorial publication about jewelry: how it is made, how to choose it, how to care for it, and how to give it well.

Who is Alex Carter?

Alex Carter is the founder and editor of Lustre Journal. He came to jewelry the way most people do — by buying a gift, realizing he knew nothing about what he was buying, and deciding to learn properly. He has spent years reading grading standards from laboratories such as the Gemological Institute of America, studying retailer terms and trade guidance, comparing how pieces are constructed, and talking with independent jewelers about what actually lasts and what does not.

Alex is not a jeweler and does not sell jewelry. He writes as an informed buyer, for buyers: someone who has made the common mistakes, learned from them, and now documents what he has learned so that others can avoid them.

How we research

Every guide on this site is researched from primary sources where possible: grading standards, hallmarking rules, care guidance from gemological laboratories, and the published terms of retailers and brands. We compare prices across multiple independent jewelers and reputable online retailers, and we report prices only as typical ranges as of a stated date — never as exact figures, because exact prices change constantly and vary by retailer.

We do not accept payment for coverage. We do not write sponsored guides, and we do not publish review scores or star ratings, because a single number cannot honestly summarize a piece of jewelry. When we mention a brand — Tiffany, Cartier, Pandora, David Yurman, Swarovski, Van Cleef & Arpels, Harry Winston, Kendra Scott, Blue Nile, or Brilliant Earth — we do so editorially, to discuss the market as it is. Mentioning a brand is not an endorsement, and it is not a claim of partnership. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any brand mentioned here.

Editorial independence

Lustre Journal currently contains no affiliate links and earns no commission from any purchase a reader makes. If that ever changes, we will say so plainly — see our Affiliate Disclosure — and any affiliate relationship will be disclosed at the top of the relevant page. Editorial judgment is never for sale: what we recommend is decided by research, not by who pays us, and at present nobody pays us at all.

What this site is for

This site exists for people who want to buy jewelry with confidence: first-time engagement ring buyers, holiday gift givers, and anyone who owns a piece they love and wants it to last. If a guide here helps you ask a jeweler a better question, or walk away from a piece that was not worth its price, it has done its job.

How Alex researches a guide

Each guide begins with a question a buyer actually asks — how much should I spend, is this label honest, will this stone last — and is answered from primary sources: grading standards, hallmarking rules, care guidance from gemological laboratories, and the published terms of retailers and brands. Prices are compared across several independent jewelers and reputable online retailers before a range is stated, and every range is dated as of November 2026. A guide is published only when its claims can be checked by a reader, and it is corrected promptly when a reader shows that a claim is wrong. Our full method is set out on our How We Research page.

Editorial process

Every guide goes through the same process: research, drafting, a check against the sources, and a read-through for clarity and for claims that need a qualifier. We do not publish review scores or star ratings, because a single number cannot honestly summarize a piece of jewelry. We do not publish sponsored content, and we accept no payment for coverage. Brand reviews follow the same process, with the same fixed structure — overview, product lines, strengths, weaknesses, who it suits, typical prices, and an editorial conclusion — so that readers can compare brands on the same terms. Our Editorial Policy sets out the standards in full.

A note on images

This site uses no brand logos and no product photographs. Photographs on this site are free stock photographs from Pexels, hosted locally on this site — no images are hot-linked from elsewhere. Each photograph shows a generic category of jewelry — a ring, a bracelet, a necklace — not to represent a specific product.

Photo credits

All photographs are from Pexels (free to use, no attribution required) and are credited here as a courtesy. Photographers, by photograph:

• Home page hero, gold bangles on a dark background — Kushith M.
• Jewelry care guide image, pearl bracelet on white fabric — Karen Laårk Boshoff.
• Guides index, woman wearing a pearl necklace — Rene Terp.
• Diamonds guide, three loose diamonds on dark fabric — The Glorious Studio.
• Gift guide, hands holding a gold gift box — ROMAN ODINTSOV.
• Gold labels guide, a delicate gold chain on a display stand — Melike B.
• Tiffany & Co. review, a diamond ring in a red velvet box — Valeria Villao.
• Cartier review, a gold bangle on stone — Melike B.
• Pandora review, a beaded bracelet — Alexey Demidov.
• David Yurman review, a silver bracelet with clear stones — Pixabay.
• Swarovski review, a pearl necklace with star charms on marble — Sergei Starostin.
• Van Cleef & Arpels review, a gold pendant necklace — Duygu Kamar.
• Harry Winston review, a diamond ring on a rose — Marta Branco.
• Kendra Scott review, blue and green gemstone earrings — Arif khan.
• Blue Nile review, a diamond ring on a rose — HONG SON.
• Brilliant Earth review, a diamond ring on stone — Milan.

Questions, corrections, or suggestions are welcome at our contact page.