Case story – Defence force (name withheld)

A client came to see me to show me a diamond he was sold on deployment. The diamond was sold to him as a 1ct G colour and VS clarity diamond. He paid $5,000 for what he thought was a bargain, from a man who claimed to be looking after the defence personnel with diamonds cheaper than they could find anywhere else back home.

What he received however, was no where near what he had been promised.

Buying diamonds overseas – Colour

Here is the diamond the client purchased on the right, next to a GIA certified G colour on the left. As you can see the colour is visibly lower and yellow. I believe this colour to be closer to an N colour, which is a variation in the price of approximately $5000 dollars.

Buying diamonds overseas – Size

A perfect cut 1ct diamond should measure 6.5mm in diameter. The diamond the client bought from overseas measured only 6.3mm, which is closer to a 0.90ct. As seen here the diamond on the left looks larger in diameter. The diamond on the right should be significantly cheaper because it is a much deeper cut stone and doesn’t sparkle as well. This should reduce the price by about $1000 – $2000.

Buying diamonds overseas – Clarity

The diamond which was supposed to be a VS clarity, actually had a large visible feather on the girdle and has been graded as an SI2 clarity. The price difference for this variation is around the $2500.

Had the client purchased the exact same stone in Australia, he would have paid around the $4500. Diamonds world wide are always priced exactly for what they are. So if someone is offering you a diamond for $5000 less than what it would cost locally, there is always a reason why. It is always better to purchase your diamond from a reputable jeweller.

As a qualified diamond grader, gemologist and valuer, i personally like to check and grade each diamond that we sell to ensure each diamond has been correctly graded. That way you have the peace of mind knowing that you are getting exactly what you have paid for. Long term looking for value for money is always better than a bargain.

2013 Vinnies CEO Sleepout Thursday 20 June

The aim of the Vinnies CEO Sleepout is not only to raise funds, but raise awareness of and for our countries homelessness.  The slogan for this year is to #halvehomelessness.

Vinnies Evening Event

I thought i would give you an insight to what occurs on the night. The event usually starts of with a Merlot coffees van and a soup from the amazing crew from Rosies . Throughout the evening there are video diary rooms for CEO’s to record how the experience has affected them. Here is mine. Following this, there are usually some amazing speeches from people who have been directly affected by poverty, and have seen first hand the great work Vinnies do. 

It might be staggering for you to learn that there are more than 100,000 Australians who find themselves homeless each night of the year. Just under half of these are women; a quarter are under the age of 18.

Some more Stats that i found appalling.

• 58% of homeless people are under 35 years of age
• 44% are women and;
• 12% are under 12 years of age

Having been involved since 2011, i have helped raise more than $15 000 for Vinnies. This is a cause that i do feel very passionately about. What i learnt from the previous years events, was that some of the people on the street are there through no fault of their own, just as a result of circumstance or bad luck. The people who live on the street are no different from you or I, they have families and people who care about them. Some people may see them as lazy or unwilling, however when you get to know some of them, you find out that the problems can run much deeper. Some of them are suffering from sever depression, or other mental illnesses that prevent them from   climbing out of the hole they find themselves in. Attending these events has really taught me to have a great deal of compassion for our countries homeless. I urge anyone that can help in anyway to make a donation to Vinnies, whether it $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, so they can continue doing their great work. 

When Should I Receive My Eternity Ring ?

While your parents might tell you for them it was 10 + years, brides today normally receive their eternity rings after the first year. As much as i would like to take credit for this, it is something that is purely been driven by the ladies. Comments such as “it feels like an eternity already” are not too uncommon.

Can My Eternity Ring Be Bigger ?

While normally for symmetry the eternity ring is kept the same size as the wedding band. It is possible to keep the style the same and just increase the diamond size. If you are going to do this it is a good idea to increase the diamond size by more than a few points, so that the variation looks intentional. 

Another option for having a larger eternity ring, is if you wish to wear your eternity ring on the ring finger of the right hand. In this case the ring is usually at least twice the width of the wedding band. 

What Is The Difference Between A Full Eternity Ring And A Standard Eternity Ring

Quite simply a full eternity ring is a ring that goes all the way around. Channel set full eternity rings are ideal, as they will generally hold your diamonds more securely. With this style you can have either round brilliant cut diamonds are princess cut diamonds. If you have your heart set on a full circle claw set eternity ring, it is a good idea to have it checked every 6-12 months to ensure that all the stones are tight. With style the diamonds are almost always round brilliant cut diamonds, as the setting is better designed to hold round stones.

Do You Receive An Eternity Ring For The Birth Of A Child ?

Here comes the bad news for the men out there. There is another ring to celebrate the birth of your new baby, and it is called the Maternity Ring or Push Present. Being a father of 4 children myself, i consider it only fair, to buy our ladies some lovely diamonds, in order to NOT go through childbirth, but we will cover more about this in another blog.

Round Brilliant Cut Diamond Engagement Rings

The round brilliant cut diamond has 58 facets, and is considered one of the most brilliant diamonds for sparkle. Some love the traditional shape, because it was the same as their mothers. Others like the symmetry of the circle with 6 claws. While shape is important for sparkle, it is not the greatest factor which determines the diamonds sparkle. Cut quality is much more important than shape when looking for diamond engagement rings. If you want the brightest cut diamond and sparkle that you can have, aim for a perfect Russian cut diamond like the Passion8.

Princess Cut diamonds

The princess cut diamond typically has 65 facets, and is square in shape. The princess cut diamond really only became popular in the 1990′s. While the princess cut diamond is sometimes seen as a more modern shape, the straight lines of the diamond really suit styles with shoulder set princess cut diamonds. When princess cut diamonds are channel set together they always sit flush without any gaps. The long parallel lines of the princess cut line up nicely with a straight parallel channel. While some believe that a princess cut diamond can never sparkle as much as a round, there are some that can. A Passion8 princess cut diamond can return 99.9% of the light that enters it, back out through the table.

Fancy Cut Diamonds 

The term fancy cut diamonds really encompasses all the other shapes, ranging from Marquise, Oval, Heart, Radiant and Asher or Emerald. The emerald and asher cut diamonds are the ones  that stand out from the rest. The emerald and asher cut diamonds have what’s know as an “Ice and Fire” or “Crystal” look. Whereas the other shapes have the “Brilliance and Fire”  When considering whether one of these cuts are for you, it is a good idea to consider if you are going to love the diamond as much in 20 years time as you do today. 

Which ever diamond you choose, make sure it is a well cut one, and it will bring you years or enjoyment. After all, a diamond is not like a bottle of wine, its not going to get better over time.

Order Your Wedding Rings 6 Months Before Your Wedding

The usual guidance i give most couples is to order their wedding rings as soon as they can. Better to have the rings on lay-by and paying them off over a period of 6 months, than be worrying about another thing on your to do list. Here are a few minimum guidelines that we as jewellers need to ensure your rings are perfect for the big day.

Ladies Wedding Rings

While the usual time frame to make a ladies wedding ring is about 3-4 weeks. The last thing you want to be thinking when you are in the home stretch is, do my bands match. Are their enough diamonds in the band to line up with my engagement ring ? Is the profile of the band matching.

If your engagement ring is a little more intricate or requires a particular kind of diamond like a long baguette or asher cut diamond, it is not a bad idea to allow an extra month to source the right stones.

Gents wedding Rings

A lot of the more unusual gents wedding rings these days are made overseas in Europe. While the recommended time frame for these is 4-5 weeks, I have seen some of them take 2 months. 

While sizing problems are rare, it is not uncommon for clients to loose weight in the lead up to the wedding. Allowing some extra time up your sleeve, ensures that should a problem arise, you have plenty of time to rectify it.

Brisbane Jewellers – Dream and Design 

Have you been dreaming of the way your perfect engagement ring would look like, but can’t seem to find it anywhere ? Don’t worry if you are no good at drawing, the designers at Xennox have the ability to have your ring custom 3D sketched while you wait. Having your ring custom sketched allows you to personalise your ring, your way. You can see the ring being created right before your eyes. Changes can be made to the design with a stroke of a pencil. You also get to see the ring from many different angles as well.

Brisbane Jewellers – Manufacturing 

Having your ring hand made on the premises, allows you to be as involved at every stage of the manufacturing process as you would like to be. Our clients are able to come and have a look at the rings at every stage, to make sure they are 100% happy with the way the ring is progressing.

If there are changes that you would like to make, this is the perfect time to do it. Don’t worry If you can’t make it in to see the piece, we can email you pictures. Best of all, there is no charge for any minor changes you would like to make. Our aim, is to hand craft a piece of jewellery that you are going to love forever, and we will do almost anything to make that happen. After all this is a ring you are going to have for a very long time.

At Xennox Diamonds, our Brisbane jewellers believe hand making amazing pieces of jewellery is something that is really special, and something that we are really passionate about. If you have something that you would like made, why not make an obligation free appointment to come and sit down with our designer, and have a complimentary 3D sketch drawn.  

Restoring antique rings or starting new 

This is often the most difficult decision for clients to make, as there is usually a great deal of sentimental attachment to the piece. Whether you venture forward to restoring antique rings or starting fresh will usually depend on the current state the piece is in, and what sort of finished standard you would like the piece to end up in. 

If you would like to keep the ring in its original state, but have it in a condition that allows you to wear it on special occasions, then restoration is usually a good option. 

If you like the style of the piece and would like it to be handed down to future generations then it is sometimes a good idea to start new. There is nothing that we can make, we have a great deal of experience in recreating antique and art deco pieces, to look like the era they came from. 

Here is a ring that we recreated to look like the day it was originally manufactured. 

 As you can see from the top left hand image, all the support bars underneath the setting were completely worn away. Also the structural integrity of the band had been lost, as it had become so thin due to wear. In the bottom left hand image the setting edge holding the diamonds were also completely worn away and unstable, which would have resulted in lost stones with continued wear. In the image in the right, you can see the finished product with original style milgraine. 

At Xennox diamonds we are more than happy to sit down with you and inspect any of your antique pieces that you have, and discuss all the possible options of remodeling and restoring your rings free of charge.

One cause of ring rash – Moisture.

Ladies often can get moisture trapped under their rings from washing their hands, or doing the washing up and other daily chores. Usually this moisture is combined with detergents and chemicals. When moisture and other irritants get caught under your rings, it begins to irritate the skin, and cause the ring rash. One solution to this is to try and make sure that when you wash your hands or they are in water, to try and let the clean water go under the rings, by moving them back and forwards. Also it is recommended to try and take the time to properly dry under your rings, either by towel, or hand dryers. 

Ring rash caused by nickel white gold

While most jewellers today have stopped using nickel in their white gold, there may still be some out there that do. There is a small percentage of the population that develop an allergic reaction to nickel. If your ring has been made with nickel white gold, and you do have a reaction, unfortunately the only solution here is to have the ring remade with a palladium based white gold or platinum.

Solution to ring rash

One solution that i recommend to anyone experiencing ring rash from their jewellery is to seek the advice of a qualified dermatologist. While i am not dermatologist, i have had a few clients that have trialed with some success a special cream called Diprosone. If you are experiencing ring rash, it is better to stop wearing your rings immediately until your fingers have fully recovered. 

Cleaning your rings

Another solution I have read about to solve this unfortunate problem, details cleaning your ring with white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. While i have never tested this theory out, it is nevertheless a solution that some are trying, and worthwhile testing, if you have tried everything else.

Good luck, and let me know how you go, or if you have another solution.

Platinum Benefits 

There are a few things you need to know before deciding whether platinum is the right choice for you. One of the main benefits of platinum is its density. Platinum is about 40% denser than white gold. While this makes it a better wearing metal, it is important to understand that it does not mean it is scratch proof or indestructible. Any piece of jewellery that is worn will require maintenance, so even a platinum ring will still dull over time as the metal becomes scratched. The increased density means that the ring will also weigh more, which is a feature that a lot of clients find appealing. 

The other main advantage of platinum is that it doesn’t need to be be rhodium plated. The platinum used in jewellery is usually 95% pure, and as it is naturally a white metal, it doesn’t need to be rhodium plated. The colour that you see now, is the colour that it will always be.

Another benefit that some people find useful, is that it is a very hypoallergenic metal. If you are finding that your body is reacting to the minor alloys in white gold, then platinum might be an option to help alleviate some of the symptoms.

Misconceptions or Disadvantages of Platinum

One misunderstanding about platinum is that it is actually whiter than white gold. Although platinum does not require rhodium plating as white gold does, the rhodium plating process actually makes the white gold look whiter. So it is important to compare the two side by side, to see which colour you prefer.

The other important consideration with platinum, is its melting point. As it is much higher than gold, if you ever need to retip a claw or do work near the diamond, often the stones will need to be removed. This will add extra costs to any repair work that you might need to have in the future. 

Remember if you choose a platinum engagement ring, it will mean that you will need a platinum wedding band and eternity ring as well. Sometimes the extra money spent on upgrading your metal (which you may not always see), may be better spent on upgrading your diamond (which you definitely will see).

Platinum is a great metal to use in jewellery, as long as you understand all the pros and cons. If you would like to compare the differences, we can help show you the contrast between the two metals, and help you weigh up the costs and benefits to see if platinum is the best fit for you. 

Apart from the sentimental reasons for redesigning rings, there is the added cost-saving benefit. 

Gold Needed For Redesigning Rings

When you are thinking of redesigning rings, remember that you can use anything with gold in it. You will be surprised at how quickly it will all add up:  a single earring, a broken bracelet, a safety chain, an old friendship ring. 

When reusing gold, it has been my experience that you are going to need more gold than you think. I usually work on 2-3 times the amount of scrap gold that I will need for the finished product. If you have more gold than you need, you can always use the extra gold to offset the cost of manufacturing your new dream piece.

Redesigning rings with antique Gemstones 

When redesigning rings, often clients will try and combine a few old rings into one ring that they can wear everyday. While this idea might be the most economical, it does not always produce the best result. Sometimes a design can be ruined by trying to push too much into one design, especially when this involves combining different stone qualities and calibrations.

At Xennox Diamonds, we love redesigning rings. We will sketch your new design in 3D and give you some great tips to turn those old pieces of jewellery into a new creation that you will love to wear for the next generation.