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.

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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