HOW CAN WE HELP YOU TODAY?
Here are some options to help you navigate based on common needs & enquiries.
Buying diamonds overseas, can often be fraught with danger. Particular if it is from a place like Afghanistan. We always recommend extreme caution when considering to purchase a diamond from a source that you don’t know. If someone offers you a deal that sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.
Case story – Defence force (name withheld)
A client came to see me to show me a diamond he was sold on deployment in Afghanistan. The diamond was sold to him by a man know as “Aussie Mike” who gave him all the assurances of the diamond’s quality. Claims such as “you can trust me, I service all the defence personnel”, and “These diamonds are a fraction of the price you can buy them back home”, are all statements that are synonymous with a great con man, looking to con someone into buying diamonds overseas. He was also promised that if he wasn’t happy with the diamond he bought, he had a contact that could help “move the diamond for him”. All claims which proved to be false.
The diamond that was promised to him was a 1ct G colour and VS clarity diamond, which would have been valued at more than $10 000. He paid $5,000 for what he thought was a bargain, from a man who claimed to be giving him the deal of a lifetime. At a time where our defence personnel have been away from home for several months, it is perfectly understandable that they would want to pick up something special to take home to their loved ones.
What he received however, was no where near what he had been promised.
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.
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. As well as being poorly cut the diamond did not come with an internationally recognised diamond grading certificate. Which would have most likely graded this stone as a good cut grade. A good cut grade stone would have made the stone approximately $2000 cheaper.
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. Not only that, but the diamond would have come with all the correct papers, certifying it. 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.
Wedding rings are sometimes one of the last things people think about when organising a wedding. The worst scenario i have ever seen was a couple looking to organise their wedding rings the day before the wedding. So if this isn’t you, then maybe you are not doing too badly.
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.
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.
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.
Restoring antique rings is something best left to master craftsman. Rings that have been made more than 50 years ago, may have been repaired with a multitude of different solders. This can be problematic, as new solders may have different melting points, to those used when the ring was originally made.
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.
Ring rash as it is often called, is often a form of dermatitis, which leaves the finger itchy and red. While there are believed to be a number of causes, it is often difficult to pin point the exact reason this occurs. Which no doubt causes a lot of anxiety with the women that encounter it.
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.
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.
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.
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 has long had a great allure. Whether you should choose a platinum or white gold diamond engagement ring is often an important decision most couples come across when looking for their dream diamond ring.
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.
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.
Redesigning rings can be one of the most rewarding experiences to undergo with a client. One of the things I love about the jewellery business is that gold and gemstones never go off. Gold can be melted down, reused, reshaped and remoulded. Gemstones can be rearranged and added to give pieces of jewellery a new lease on life. Something that was once worn by a great grand parent a century ago, can be reborn to form part of a new engagement ring.
Apart from the sentimental reasons for redesigning rings, there is the added cost-saving benefit.
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.
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.
Having insufficient or inadequate jewellery insurance, is something most people only learn about when they need to make a claim. Apart from the many different policies out there, there are few things that you should try to have for each jewellery item, to make sure you replace the item that was lost.
1. A full description of your item for jewellery insurance
A full description for comprehensive jewellery insurance is necessary to ensure that a lost or damaged ring can be replaced with an exact replica of the original.
2. Detailed photo
A detailed photo of the item is essential, and should match the full written description. At least one photo is essential. If it is a detailed piece of jewellery, it might be necessary to include two or more photos taken from different angles.
3. The purpose of the Jewellery Insurance Certificate
This is crucially important, as it linked to the amount that your piece should be insured for. The amount shown on a Jewellery Insurance Valuation is often inflated, and doesn’t guarantee that you will get the full amount you need to replace the item. The best jewellery insurance valuation, is a Replacement Valuation. It includes a clear description of the piece and specifies what the jeweller needs to receive in order to create an identical replica of the original piece. Under normal circumstances, the value on the jewellery insurance replacement certificate should be within $500 of the price you originally paid for the item
4. Exchange rate and gold price
As the value of jewellery insurance is heavily tied to both the exchange rate and gold price, it is extremely important to have this on the certificate. If your jewellery insurance was calculated and insured at an exchange rate of 1.04 cents (USD to AUD) and the dollar fell to 0.80cents, the value of your diamond ring would go up considerably. Likewise, if you had a gents ring with a significant amount of gold in it, and the gold price went up from $1650 US an ounce to $2500 US an ounce, you would again be under-insured.
5. The date and renewal
As mentioned above, the value of your piece is tied to market circumstances. As these circumstances can change in a matter of months, it is important to get your jewellery re-valued every 12 months to confirm that you are insured for the correct value. If your insurance company can’t do this, I recommend using Q Report Insurance as they will do this for you every year at no charge.
At Xennox Diamonds, we can help make the organising of your jewellery insurance completely painless.
While the last week before your wedding can be quite hectic. There are a few important things that are important to add to your must do list to make sure your wedding goes off without a hitch.
If you really want your rings to sparkle on your wedding day, book them in to be polished the week of the wedding. That ensures that they will not only look good for the photos, but will start their married life together to age and wear at the same rate.
2. Check that hubby’s ring fits
The last thing you want to do after you say your vows is to find out that his wedding ring doesn’t fit. Wedding rings are usually ordered 6 – 9 months before the wedding. So to avoid any nasty surprises on the wedding day, check to make sure the ring still fits well the week before. That way if any alterations need to be made, there will still be enough time.
3. Insurance
For most couples, the wedding is followed by a honeymoon. If you are going to a tropical resort-style destination, it is a good idea to make sure that all your jewellery is insured by Q report before you go. The last thing you want is for your ring to fall off while you are snorkelling, and find that it is not insured.
At Xennox Diamonds we can rhodium plate and polish your ring within the same day, and sometimes even within a few hours. We can also do minor alterations while you wait, and help you organise your Qreport insurance for complete piece of mind.
Our Discovery Sessions at our luxury showroom open up a space for you to talk one on one with our team who are dedicated to helping you find the perfect wedding rings for your special day
Come join us for a drink and a chat and let us help you find your rings
Rhodium plating is one of the key things of interest for anyone who wears white gold. Often when i find a client whose rhodium plating has worn out within a year, it is because of a few factors. Which if you can help to reduce or eliminate, will prolong the life of your rhodium plating, and keep the ring shining for longer. While this is a short list of the things that you can do to help prolong the rhodium plating, there are things jewellers can do to ensure that your plating lasts more than a year, which i will cover in a future blog.
1. Avoid rubbing the rhodium plating off your ring.
The rhodium plating on a white gold ring is exactly that – a plating or coating. A rubbing motion, like rubbing your hands together, will wear down your plating faster. So if you are in an occupation like nursing or another professional where you need to constantly wash your hands, be mindful of rubbing your hands together. If the rubbing of your hands is unavoidable consider wearing your rings on a necklace around your neck.
2. Avoid heavy cleaning products
Some chemicals may react with the white gold rhodium plating, so if you are dealing with strong chemicals, it is advisable to take off your rings while you are working with them. Another alternative it to make sure that you are wearing suitable gloves to protect your hands and your engagement ring.
3. Metal on metal rubbing
Rings that are loose and constantly spinning, are more likely to wear away the rhodium plating on the inside of the ring. While this may only be a cosmetic effect that you will only see when you take off the rings, it will become noticeable if you don’t put them back on in the same order. If your rings are spinning a lot, it might be time to have your finger size checked and have the rings adjusted.
If you would like a free assessment on the state of the rhodium plating on your white gold ring, bring it in to us, and we’ll also give your ring a complimentary professional clean.
Cleaning your diamonds at home doesn’t need to be an expensive exercise. While ultrasonic cleaners can make the job of cleaning your diamonds easier, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on expensive solutions. Below are 5 tips on cleaning your diamond and how you can keep your diamond looking sparkly whether you are at home or travelling on holiday.
Cleaning the dishes with cold water wouldn’t be very effective, and it is the same with cleaning your diamonds. Hot water is perhaps the most essential ingredient, as it helps to break down any soap and hand cream which has accumulated on the jewellery. While it is a case of ‘the hotter the better’, I normally recommend just under boiling temperature for cleaning your diamonds. The melting points of gold and diamonds are much higher than 100 degrees Celsius. Please be aware it is not advisable to do this with pearls, opals, or emeralds.
2. Add a small amount of detergent
While almost any detergent that you have in the kitchen will do, a squirt of dish washing liquid is ideal for cleaning your diamonds.
3. Use an old toothbrush to clean around diamonds
An old toothbrush is a great tool for getting into all those tricky areas. When using the toothbrush, use a dabbing motion rather than a scrubbing action. The dabbing motion will help the bristles to find their way underneath the diamond.
4. Time to soak
Leave your rings or jewellery in the hot solution for around 5 minutes. Then after giving them a scrub, re-soak them for another 5 minutes if required.
5. Avoid using hand cream while your rings are on
To keep your diamonds looking as bright as they can be for as long as possible, try removing your rings when you are putting on hand cream. When your hands are dry, it is safe to put your rings back on.
If you find that you are not able to clean your diamonds well enough at home, we offer a free professional cleaning service that can be done while you wait.
