Size matters. But why ‘weight’ for the best Gem

There is an issue that seems to be confusing people. That is Carat.

Carat is the ‘weight’ of a Diamond. It does not refer to dimension size. One Carat or 1ct weighs 200 milligrams.

When I mention that a stone is 2.04ct or 3.15ct or 1.50ct I’m talking about weight. Not dimension size.

A 1.00ct Diamond with an ideal cut, will ‘measure’ approximately 6.40mm in diameter. That is the bit you see on top, the surface area of the stone.

Another point I must make. A 2.00ct Gem is ‘not’ twice the size of a 1.00ct Gem. It is twice the weight. Please do bear this in mind.

A 1.00ct will ‘measure’ approximately 6.40mm and a 2.00ct will ‘measure’ approximately 8.1mm. But a 2.00ct will ‘weigh’ twice as much.

Big is not better, as sacrifices are often made to accommodate and satisfy the need for dimension size.

Sapphires differ. Emeralds and all other Gems differ as they all have different specific gravity.

When I choose a Gem for you, I do so based on best cut grade, the optimum colour and clarity for the size and shape of your Gem.

For example I can put a 0.90ct Round with a 6.10mm size and ‘ideal cut’ beside a 1.00ct of 5.90mm with a lesser quality cut. The difference?

Size?

Does size matter?

‘Weight’ and see.

If you have any questions as to what you should be looking for, do get in touch:

086 8687456 Mon to Fri, and michaelwallbespoke@gmail.com

Do feel free to leave a comment, some feedback, or even a hello.

Michael

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The Green Garnet

Queue the Billy May orchestration, the Al Hirt trumpet solo and it’s the makings of a superhero movie.

For the purpose of this post it’s only going to be about a gem where in one of its rarest forms is an indicator in the search for Diamond. A gem that is used as an abrasive, as a sandpaper substitute in cabinetmaking and in some instance for cutting steel. A gem that was also used as ammunition.

The Garnet.

Januarys birthstone Garnet is commonly seen in its red or reddish brown form but is in fact one of the lesser known gems. There are six recognisable species of Garnet, with at least 17 varieties. As with a lot of gems, Garnet will share a crystal structure but it is the chemical composition that gives them colour.

Unusually among gems Garnet will exist in hybrid from. That is, a mix of two or more of the species.

Let me start with the lesser known Garnet varieties.

Demantoid: An outstanding gem and highly desirable. It was used by Peter Carl Fabergé to encrust the Jewellery of the Russian Tsars as it had a similar dispersion to Diamond and exhibited a staggering array of rainbow coloured light. Not discovered until the mid to late 1800’s it is relatively new, yet occurs in different shades of green. From a pale yellowish green to a rich Emerald colour, the Demantoid commonly occurs in sizes no greater than 0.60ct. Stones above 1.00ct are rare. 

Demantoid will include needle like inclusions that take the name ‘horsetails’. They do resemble wisps of tails or a mane, and are important when identifying the gem.

Tsavorite: A most wonderful variety of Garnet of the grossular species. 

Tainted by murder, intrigue, and government controls, this gem only became recognisable by the use of a strong marketing campaign by Tiffany & Co. 

Before that it was known as a green grossular and more familiar to gemmologists. Unlike Demantoid it takes its colour from chromium, and iron.

Spessarite: Possibly one of the most unique Garnet species. It occurs in one basic colour and one colour only. Orange. This is why it is sometimes given the name the ‘Mandarin Garnet’. It receives its colour from one fundamental element; manganese. First identified in Spessart, Bavaria the Spessarite is now commonly found in Namibia and Nigeria. Most have a sleepy or hazy appearance due to the fine inclusions and innumerable minute crystals.

As I mentioned earlier Garnet can occur in hybrid from. Mali Garnet is a hybrid of both grossular and andradite Garnet, and Rhodolite is a mixture of pyrope and almandite Garnet. Rhodolite occurs in a Purple colour.

Falling into the the grossular species is the Leuco Garnet, which as the name suggests is in fact colourless.

So from colourless through to orange, up to red and purple there is more to Garnet than meets the eye. Coupled with the rare greens, Garnet isn’t just a dull red stone. True, the reds are no Rubies, and the Tsavorite no Emerald, but these rare Garnets can command a €10,000 per carat price.

They are a precious gem in their own right.

Few little facts:

Garnet is the Birthstone for January.

It can be given on both the 2nd and 6^th Wedding Anniversaries.

Garnet will not occur in Blue.

In early biblical writing, it was referred to as a ‘carbunculus’

Garnet gets its name for the Latin ‘granatus’, Greek ‘granatum’ meaning seed like.

Garnets were used by the Hunzas as ammunition. It was said the Garnet could add ferocity to the wound.

On the Mohs Scale Garnet ranges between 6.5 and 7.5

Should you contemplate buying a Garnet, do let me know. I’m happy to guide you through that purchase and give you some tips on what to look out for.

Do please leave a comment, a question if you have any, and your thoughts.

As always, you’ll find me over on Twitter here:
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Many thanks for looking

Michael

D is for Diamond. D is for Dangerous.

I spoke to various people over the last couple of days. One was a Goldsmith, the others included a self-declared novice, a Gemologist, and a Client. We spoke Diamonds.

Obviously with each it was a different conversation. It dawned on me as I put the phone down at the end of the most recent chat, there is a phenomenal ‘grey area’ that causes so many problems when talking Diamonds and more so when it comes to choosing them.

A little information is a dangerous thing. You can freely research every aspect and feature of a Diamond. You can read about colour, clarity, symmetry, crown and pavilion angles etc.

But what does that mean to you the customer. Can you confidently say after all your research that you know enough to buy a Diamond?

I know I couldn’t, and if you can I am highly impressed. From what I read on the net, I wouldn’t hazard a guess as to what I could end up buying. If you tell me you want a round cut, 1.22 carat, G colour Diamond, with VVS1 clarity you do not impress me with the fact you know the 4 C’s. That isn’t knowing the 4 C’s. That’s just reading about them and interpreting what it means.

That is highly dangerous. It does not give you any grounding in how to ‘Buy’ a Diamond.

If I were to show you 2 Diamonds exhibiting the same weight, colour, and clarity and put them side, then tell you one was €1,100 more than the other could you tell me why?

If I were to show you two Diamonds and tell you one was F colour and the other H, would you be able to tell me which one is which?

I can’t. Not without a loupe of at least x 10 times the magnification. Even then there are a lot of factors to be considered.

I can tell you what to look for when buying a Gem. But I am telling you that even if you know all about the 4C’s it won’t make a blind bit of difference.  

There are a lot more differences to consider; good, fair and excellent symmetry, how lack of or the presence of fluorescence affects a stone of lower colours, how a wavy girdle or an off centre table affects a stone. Even these won’t make a difference to you.

Why? Because of the ‘naked eye’, that’s my eye, yours, the onlookers, the observers. If you have a stone that is clean to the naked eye that’s what matters. If you’re considering an E colour instead of a G, the only difference you will visibly notice is the drastic amount of money you spend to have a feature in a stone you won’t be able to appreciate. That’s what matters.  

I’m hoping I’m not coming across as brash or rude or ignorant. Most people will find it difficult, if not near impossible to distinguish colour and clarity.

These are features of the Diamond. These features in your stone will be there forever. The beauty of the stone is the benefit you will receive. But what is the point of paying for features such as clarity and colour when you will never benefit from them.

If you have a question as to why a 1.00ct F colour with I1 clarity is costing the same as a 1.00ct I colour VS1 clarity stone, ask me. I can also tell you which one of those stones will be a better buy. There are other 1.00cts out there that will have the colours and clarity’s of the ones mentioned above yet will be percentages above and below the cost. Ask me before you buy.

I haven’t touched upon the mark-ups associated in the retail trade, nor do I want to. The differences you will see are quite noticeable. There is a reason. That reason is that Shop 1’s Diamond may be wholly different to Shop 2’s stone.

Be fully aware of that. It doesn’t mean you are getting less, it means you’ll end up paying more.

You can freely mail me if you have any questions. Alternatively do leave me a comment. I appreciate your feedback and all likes are welcome.

Regards,

Michael  

michaelwallbespoke@gmail.com

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Thanks to the GIA for the use of their images.

The Corundum Conundrum – Part 1

 

Part 1:

The title would make a marvellous Robert Ludlum book don’t you think? Yes? No, ok I’ll stick to the day job.

What is Corundum?

Corundum is a Mineral. If it’s Red, it’s a Ruby, if it happens to be a specific Pink-Orange colour it may well be Padparadscha.

For the purpose of this blog post I will be referring to all other colours of Corundum. The Greens, the Pinks, the Whites, and the Blues.

The Corundum otherwise known as, Sapphire.

Sapphires are most readily recognised as being Blue.

The blue Sapphire has been compared to Hyacinths and the Heavens.

The ancient Persians believed the Earth sat on Sapphire, and the stones colour was reflected in the skies. And who could blame them. The silky powder hue of a Cornflower Blue Sapphire is certainly evocative of hazy summer skies.

Pre eighteenth Century it was very easy to distinguish Sapphire, as blue stones were categorised as ‘hyacinth’. In fact it was a lot simpler as Stones were classified by colour alone. Anything Green was Emerald, anything Blue, Sapphire and so on.

Pliny the Roman encyclopaedist understood that properties other than colour were essential in identification of the Gem; however he was under a distinct disadvantage. He did not know where the stones originated, and had no others to compare them to.

So for all their good and grace, the stone was classified by colour. It wasn’t until the late eighteenth Century that crystallographers determined Sapphire and Ruby were the same species.

Now here’s the part when it all falls apart. Sapphires are not just blue.

Corundum is an Aluminium Oxide. There’s a science bit about all that, but essentially it’s Titanium and Iron impurities in the Aluminium Oxide that makes Corundum blue.

If a trace amount of iron is present, the Corundum will exhibit a yellow colour, or even a green colour.

If Vanadium is present it will yield a purple colour. If less than 0.01% of Titanium alone is present the mineral will remain colourless.

For Corundum to be called Ruby, it has to have 1% or greater than 1% of Chromium impurities present.

Up to that point it will vary in shades of Pink and Reddish Pink.

It will still be a Sapphire.

So now knowing what they are, let’s look at where they are.

Kashmir, sitting high in the Himalaya’s yielded the best. The Stones found here had an intense dark silky blue that exhibited the same velvet appearance of the petals of the Cornflower. Hence the desired name ‘Cornflower Blue’.

Burmese Sapphires are also much desired. A beautiful stone, and along with Ceylon Sapphires were also coveted.

Connoisseurs put quite a premium on the stunning pink-orange Padparadscha from Sri Lanka. Blues from here are usually attributed the title Ceylon Sapphire.

They are often lighter and brighter than their Burmese counterparts.

Today the major sources are Madagascar, eastern Africa, Sri Lanka and Australia.

In Part 2 I’ll introduce some phenomena that occur with these stones. Don’t worry it won’t be all technical. I’ll put in some pretty pictures too. 

If you would like to get in touch and Tweet me:

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You can always get in touch and leave a comment below:

Michael

Pre-Wedding Service

Before any Wedding I always offer an additional service to my Clients.

That is an inspection of your Engagement Ring, a clean and polish. After all everything must be right on the day. 

I also offer this to potential Clients, which means you, or someone you know. 

If you need a Ring cleaned, polished, or have the settings checked before your wedding do get in touch.

Here’s a few examples of work carried out:

Full Inspection of the Claws, Prongs, and Settings. 

A Clean and Polish of Metals.

Rhodium Plating (for White Gold Settings and Jewellery)

Re-sizing Service. 1/2 to 1 size up or down.

Full Bridal Party service available. Call for Quote.

To make an appointment, call 086 8687456 or mail michaelwallbespoke@gmail.com

If you have a question you can ask me live (almost live) here:
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Regards,

Michael

Michael Wall Bespoke

Showcase of Designs and Pieces in Gold and Platinum.

Fully Bespoke Service with G.I.A Certified Diamonds. in Gold or Platinum.

If you would like to chat to me live (almost live) you can find me here:
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Video courtesy of Nobomedia

To Quote you Happy

A few calls during the week got me thinking.

I am normally blessed with clients who pretty much know what they are looking for. Although from time to time I will still be asked some questions like ‘How much would a Diamond cost’, and ‘How much would it cost to get a ring made in Platinum’?

I could ask, ‘How long is a piece of String’? There is no definite answer, as all the criteria differ. Do you want a 1 carat stone, a half carat stone, and what type of Platinum ring would you like?

There are variables to be considered. The difference in all these will be the reasoning behind my final answer.

Now there is one variable that some but not all of don’t want to bring up. It is something that I discuss with everyone.

It’s Budget.

Don’t worry. It isn’t an ugly term.  Don’t be afraid to mention it. To my mind a Budget is the price you are willing to pay. Don’t be worried about it. If you want to spend small, big or astronomical, you will still have a budget in mind.

Talk to me about it. Let me know what I can do for the Budget you have in mind. Do not be put off by it.

You are as important to me as my last and prospective customer. More so in fact as it is the first time I get to look after you, and hopefully build a relationship with you for many happy years to come.

One of my calls yesterday was a little disappointing as I did not quote my client happy.

Now this I like to do. I don’t like to be beaten on price. I won’t sacrifice quality but I would prefer to know that I have quoted a higher price. Why?? It’s because I want to work with you, bring my experience to the table, and bring the best of what is available to me to you.

Yes it is that simple. No matter how grand or small your piece of Jewellery, it is the satisfaction of knowing that I have found you the exact Stone or Stones that you have searched for.

Customer service to my mind is a little more than you buying from me, or me selling to you for that matter. It is more than that. It is talking with you. It’s understanding you. It’s delivering exactly what you come to expect, and then exceed that.

If you have been searching a long time for a stone/piece that is uniquely you, then I want the privilege to find that for you.

Out of all the people I speak to on a daily basis, friends, colleagues and clients, you can be assured of one thing. I am approachable. I will happily look after you, and enjoy sitting down with you to hear what you have to say. So talk to me.

I honestly hate to see anyone including myself settle for second best because a Budget brings you there.

So if you think you can find the same Certified Diamond or Coloured Stone that I have quoted you for less, I want to know.

My promise to you is that I will do my best to meet or exceed your expectations.

So call me, or mail with you questions.

086 8687456 michaelwallbespoke@gmail.com

If you have a question you can ask me live (almost live) here:
Follow @DiamondsIRL

Michael

Check your Settings

So it’s my third little post in a week. Very rare occurrence for me, but it was a random question that got me thinking.

It’s something that isn’t covered, nor promoted at point of sale, although it’s one subject that does need to be addressed.

I was asked today whether or not Settings in a Ring should be checked. Surprisingly it annoyed me slightly that I rarely think to mention this as part of my service. Just to let you know I do, but it is a rare occurrence that a Client requires such.

Nonetheless it is quite important to have your settings checked.

Bear in mind that Gold and Platinum are metals, and are prone to wear and tear from the everyday contact, the rubbing, the brushing etc.

These metals, over time do wear down, so it is prudent to have them checked from time to time, to make sure the stones do not come loose.

The long and the short of it is, a loose claw or setting could mean the difference between having a Diamond Ring and a Ring where a Diamond used to be.

I’m sure you can appreciate the difference!

I would recommend that you use the following as guidelines:

• When your Jewellery is not in use, then do keep them in boxes.
• A regular clean will maintain the cleanliness and overall look. A simple warm water and liquid solution, will keep most dirt at bay. Avoid vigorous cleaning, and abrasives. Dry, and polish with a lint free cloth.

For Bracelets, Earrings, and other Pieces coming into contact with clothing causing them to snag, do check that you haven’t teased a claw away from a stone.

If you purchased from a Retail Store, do return to your Store, and have your piece looked at. Once a year is fine, apart from when a piece is subject to heavy knocks, or obvious damage.

I am quite happy for you to give me a call, regardless of where you bought an item of Jewellery.

All part of the Service, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

As always, Comments are very welcome.

Regards,

Michael.

A Commitment to Love, Honor and Respect

I’m always happy to meet new clients, and this morning’s meeting was no exception. There is no necessity to stick to the traditional, and in this instance the formality of engagement was not considered.

In the 8 years that this couple have spent together there was nothing symbolic required save the love and commitment they have shown each other since the time they first met.

I relish the opportunity to begin what I like to call a personal service. It is something more than having a quick browse through a catalogue and settling for a generic piece of jewellery.

My service offers something additional.  I carry out a fully bespoke service that is tailored to each individual.

I have known David and his partner Ben for over 5 years, and was delighted when they announced they were settling down and building a life for themselves together as one. Even more delighted when they asked me to create two bespoke Rings based on their designs.

Always intrigued as to what Rings people choose for Civil Partnerships and given the penchant for ‘Rainbow’ themed industrial metal Bands, I was glad to see that both guys had come up with designs that were evocative of their feelings and love for each other.

Ben chose an 18kt Gold Ring with Centre Row of brushed 18kt Yellow Gold set with intersecting Princess Cut Diamonds, and polished 18kt White Gold Rims, while David chose the reverse.

So how do Same Sex Rings Differ? ‘Surprise Surprise’, they don’t. A band on your finger is Symbolic. It means what you and your partner want it to mean. They are bands of devotion, a commitment to Love, Honor and Respect each other.

Be it a Celebration of your Sexuality, a discreet band, or a Bespoke Diamond Set Piece it is all down to choice. It is yours and yours alone.

I am very glad both David and Ben chose me to be part of their Celebration. I hope that they spend many happy years together.

If you are considering a Civil Partnership this year, and would like some advice and/or suggestions, feel free to drop me a line.

Call on 086 8687456 or mail GemInfo@iol.ie