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Jewellers and setters are very different trades even though they are connected to the same industry. Just as plumbers and electricians are separate trades but connected to the building trade, so too are jewellers and setters unique. Jewellers are involved in the construction of the ring, while setters are the ones responsible for securing the stones. While some jewellers can set stones, it is usually best to leave it to a professional gem setter.
In Brisbane to become a jeweller, you must complete a four year apprenticeship under a fully qualified jeweller. As in all apprenticeships, apprentices of the appropriate age are able to receive a learning wage, which makes it economical for the employer to train them. In their 4 years, apprentices should learn all the basic techniques of making simple rings and carrying out repairs. At present, and at least for the next few years you are able to complete your jewellery apprenticeship in Brisbane. However due to falling numbers at Tafe and reduced government funding the future of jewellery apprenticeship scheme seems uncertain.
Jewellery that is made especially for a particular stone is always going to be better than an “off the shelf” setting that is trying to be squeezed or stretched to fit the stone. This is especially important in three stone settings, where it is vital that the stones overlap. A professional jeweller, must not only make sure that the stones and claws are positioned in the correct places, but the shoulder stones must be angled correctly to create a pleasing level appearance. When a jeweller is making a ring, they are constantly making adjustments to improve the aesthetics of the ring, something that is impossible to do in CAD or mass produced style rings. Metal that has been hammered is also always harder and tougher than cast metal. A mass produced ring, has very little room for modification, because all the pieces are set in their current positions.
Setters
In Brisbane there is currently no provision for completing a setters apprenticeship. In England, a setters apprenticeship is normally five years. However here there is no such apprenticeship for setters, neither is there any subsidy for employers to train setters. Consequently there are no new setters being trained. The only new setters entering our industry are those that have traveled here from overseas, or are jewellers that have crossed over to become full time setters.
Setters are crucial to maintaining the highest quality finish of a piece. Even if the ring is expertly hand crafted, if it is set poorly, the finished ring will look terrible. It is the setters job, to ensure that the stones are not only secured correctly and tightly into the ring, but they are also set level and straight. Stones that are not securely are prone to coming loose and falling out over time. If the shoulder diamonds have not been set well, there may be gaps between the stones. Channel set rings, will not have straight bright cuts (the inside lines between the stone and the metal) , and their may be gaps at the end of the channel. This will become noticeable as the rings become dirty, as the dirt often gets trapped in the gaps. It goes without saying that the centre stone should be properly set. Poorly set centre stones, will not only through off the symmetry of the ring, if they are not set in the middle, but they can also be prone to coming loose, and if not regularly checked – lost. Another symptom of a stone that hasn’t been set correctly is catching of threads under the claws. A properly set stone should be nice and smooth on top, and have no gap between the stone and the claw. If you are finding that your clothes are catching on your claws, simply bring them into us, and we can secure the claws correctly on your stone.
At Xennox Diamonds, we have full time jewellers and a setter, to make sure there is never any compromise in the finished product. Our standard for choosing to only work with the best diamonds and metals, applies to our jewellers and setter too, to ensure that you will receive enjoyment from your treasured piece for many years to come. If you are finding your are having problems with your setting, please don’t hesitate to email us, or pop in for a free inspection.
A diamond engagement ring is one of a ladies most precious prized possessions. It symbolises a couples love and the start of their life journey, called marriage. Like a new car, that people try and keep clean for the first few months, the cleaning of a diamond engagement ring, is something that sometimes get put to the bottom of the to do list. The great thing about your diamond engagement ring is that when it is properly cleaned and cared for it will look like the day you picked it up from the jewellery store.
1. Clean it with hot water and dish washing detergent. I generally recommend to add just off boiling hot water and detergent into a coffee cup. Don’t worry – The melting point of gold and diamonds is much higher than 100
degrees, so your diamond engagement ring should be safe. After it has been sitting there for around 3 -5 minutes, use an old toothbrush to dab in and around the settings. A dabbing motion is preferred to scrubbing. Dabbing allows the bristles to find their way in and behind the setting, whereas scrubbing may affect the polish of the metal, causing it to dull.
2. Don’t use hand cream while wearing your rings. One of the biggest causes for diamonds to dull, is the use of hand cream. To understand what hand cream does to your diamond, imagine smearing hand cream over your bathroom mirror. After a day or two, the general everyday dirt would stick to the cream, forming a layer and preventing the light from getting through. As diamonds require light to sparkle, anything that prevents the light from interacting with the stone, will cause the diamond to dull, like this one.
Have it professional cleaned at least once a year – While cleaning your diamonds and jewellery at home will certainly make a marked difference to the performance of your diamond. To achieve the best result, we recommend that you bring it to a qualified jeweller at least once a year for a professional clean. Jewellers will generally have an ultrasonic cleaner. Most professional ultrasonic cleaners cost in excess of $1000. Ultrasonic’s are great for getting into all the really hard to reach places and shaking the dirt out. At the same time your jeweller can check all your settings to make sure that all your diamonds and gemstones are secured. This is a complimentary service that we offer to all our clients, even if the piece is not from us.
1. Toothpaste – Ideal for cleaning your teeth, not your diamonds. I am sure that the original inventors of toothpaste did not envisage a lady cleaning her diamond engagement ring with it.
2. Vodka – Great for drinking, but unnecessary to use to waste on cleaning your diamonds. While pure alcohol is sometimes used for cleaning diamonds, i am sure that you can find a much better use for Vodka than cleaning your diamond engagement ring.
3. Cloudy ammonia – there are a lot of websites advising to use cloudy ammonia when cleaning your diamonds and jewellery. The origin of this most likely came about when jewellers used a polishing compound called rouge. This red polishing paste was notorious for sticking to the gold. The cloudy ammonia was an excellent solution for removing this paste for the metal. These days jewellers use a much more refined compound which is cleaner and dissolves faster in water, making the cloudy ammonia unnecessary.
1. Emeralds – almost all emeralds have been oiled. Placing them in hot water, causes the oil to come out of the stone, and the hot dirty water to go in. When this happens the usually invisible feathers and inclusions can sometimes become visible. This will have a detrimental effect on the value of the stone. While the process can be reversed, it is not an easy or cheap one.
2. Opals – Opals are known as a hydrated silica. They have a reasonable amount of water in them. Placing opals in any environment which is hot, can cause the opals to crack, making them effectively worthless.
3. Pearls – being the product of a once living organism, pearls are also to be kept away from heat. When pearls are used in jewellery, they are usually always glued in. As the heat from a flame would destroy them. When cleaning pearls, it is recommended to use cold water, with a soft cloth similar to a glasses cleaning cloth. (non abrasive)
As a family owned Jewellery business, i am proud to say that we are 100% Australian owned. Jewellery has always been in our family and was a big part of my up bringing. Being a second generation business, it gives me a lot of joy, to carry on the Xennox name, and uphold all the values that have been established over the last 37 years. My main drive and passion is to make Xennox diamonds, a name that is synonymous with high quality diamonds, jewellers who specialse in hand made manufacturing and unparalleled service.
My belief is that the answer to any client’s question is “YES”. There is nothing that our jewellers can’t do, or won’t do for our clients. There is always a way to achieve the desired outcome, its just a matter of finding a way. My job as the designer is to find the way. We always strive to do anything we can to help our clients, whether its giving advice, or helping a client restore a piece, their happiness is always paramount.
I never compromise on quality. I would always rather our jewellers scrap a piece and start again, then give something to a client that i am not 100% happy with. One of the great things about being extremely fussy, is that the finished product will always achieve a higher result. The benefit of upholding yourself to the highest standards, is that you get to work with really nice stones.
Our minimum diamond quality that we try and aim for is an F colour. This forms part of the white diamond range. While some jewellers will tell you that a G colour stone sits in the “near colourless” range. For me a G colour diamond pulls too much yellow. I find that most clients, can tell the difference between an F and a G colour, when placed side by side. The colour difference of an E colour is even more noticeable. I like to personally inspect every main diamond that we sell to ensure that our diamonds are “eye clean”. Where ever possible i try and find diamonds that have girdle inclusions. If a diamond must have an inclusion i always try and aim for a white inclusions, instead of a black carbon mark.
Dealing direct with the diamond cutters overseas, i have learnt a lot about how to get the best performance out of a stone. A diamond’s cut standard is something i am really passionate about. It is the only thing man has control over, and is the only reason a diamond sparkles. If you want the brightest cut diamond on the market, we recommend a Passion8 “Hearts and Arrows” diamond. Like a mechanic who listens to an engine to see what is right or wrong with an engine, i love looking into a diamond to see what the cutter has done right or could have done better at.
An excellent cut grade from the GIA, only tells you that a diamond falls within certain parameters. Approximately the top 30% of stones that go to the GIA, will get an excellent cut grade. According to the GIA, a diamond with a table facet percentage of 61% will still be eligible to receive an excellent cut grade. However i would never buy a stone with a percentage over 58%. This is why it is so crucial to have a diamond cut expert to look at your diamond.
At Xennox Diamonds, we are passionate about you and the jewellery we make for you. Whether you have just started your journey or you know exactly what you want, we are always happy to spend the time and sit down with you. Our reward is seeing our clients blown away, and it is what I and my jewellers always strive for.
Karl
Diamonds….. Is there such a thing as too many ? In years gone by, a traditional wedding band was considered just a plain band, either in white gold or yellow gold. However these days the traditional band is more an exception rather than the rule. In my experience only 1 in 50 brides will ask for a traditional wedding band. If you are trying to decide whether you should have a diamond wedding band, here are a few important things to consider.
If your diamond engagement ring is a traditional solitaire, then either a diamond wedding band or a traditional wedding ring will suit. However If your engagement ring has diamonds in the shoulders, then the complimentary wedding band is almost always a matching diamond wedding ring. Usually the width of the band compliments the engagement ring. Unless of course the engagement ring is quite wide (greater than 4mm), then it is quite acceptable to have a finer wedding band (around 2mm-2.5mm).
As mentioned in the previous paragraph, if you are matching the width, then it is a good idea to match the setting style as well. If you are going finer, then a great style to utilise is a grain setting. A grain setting, so named, because the beads holding the diamonds in, look like little grains, is ideal for creating a diamond border. This diamond border affect can really accentuate the centre engagement ring. Sometimes if you are choosing a wedding band that is much finer than the engagement ring, it is a good idea to go for a split diamond wedder. This is usually done to create symmetry with your ring. Depending on your need for symmetry, some brides will wait for the first year eternity ring, others will jump at the opportunity for some extra “bling”.
If a grain set wedding band is not your style, another style to consider is a shared claw wedding band. When selecting this style it is crucial that you ensure the band width is 3 tenths of a millimetre wider than the diamond. For example, if the diamond used is a 2mm diamond (0.03ct) than the width of the band should be 2.3mm. This is done to ensure the diamonds are not over hanging the band. If this was to occur, it will cause the diamonds to come loose more often, as they bump against the engagement ring.
Normally it is a good idea to match your wedding band diamonds to the shoulder diamonds of your engagement ring. The exception to this is with a princess cut diamond. Princess cut diamonds are best suited for channel settings, where the corners can be protected. If you would like to create a contrast, round brilliant cut diamonds seem to be the ideal all rounder, particularly if you need a fitted (curved) wedding band. The claws that sit in between the round diamonds create a more square effect, yet still allowing the wedding band to curve around the setting.
If you want to vary the width of your wedding band, then it is a good idea to vary it by at least half a millimetre. That way the variation will look intentional, rather than you tried to match the engagement ring unsuccessfully.
Whether you decide to have a diamond set wedding ring or a traditional band, will come down to your own personal taste. Ultimately there is no right or wrong ring, as long as you like the way that it looks and that it meets all of your requirements. If you are ever unsure what wedding ring suits your engagement ring, we are always here to show you all the options, so that you can see whether diamonds in your wedding band are for you.
As an award-winning jeweller, we would love to work with you and help you create your dream wedding ring.
Alternatively, why don’t you come to our luxury showroom and we can talk in person? We would love to have you here for a Discovery Session where we can help you choose the wedding rings that will suit you best.
Let us take some of the pressure off some of those things on your wedding to-do list so all you have to do is book an appointment today.
A honeymoon can sometimes be the thing that couples really look forward to, one week out from the wedding. Especially if you have been planning this amazing event for the last 12 months. All the stress of deciding which table decorations to use, and who isn’t going to sit next who at the reception, can sometimes take its toll. The honeymoon is a great way to recharge the batteries and reconnect with your new loved one.
With the average Australian wedding now costing over $40,000, a relaxing overseas tropical honeymoon is something high on the wish list for brides today. If you have been trying to decide where to go for your honeymoon, this might make the decision making process a little easier.
Lucky couples who purchase their wedding or engagement ring from Xennox Diamonds between July and August 2013, will see themselves soaking up the sun with seven nights accommodation in Fiji or Thailand for free. Although all couples will receive their accommodation for free, each month one lucky couple will also win free return airfares to their destination. Saving the stress and expense of planning that dream honeymoon and leaving nothing to do but relax and bask in the beauty of that sparkling new ring.
While the concept for this promotion was designed around honeymoon’s, there is no reason why it can’t be used to plan a surprise proposal, Hint, Hint !!!! Gentlemen, please take note, all three locations would be ideal for popping the question. Now there really has never been a better time to take the plunge. It will truly be a proposal she will never forget.
There are three levels of accommodation on offer, with customers spending over $3500 receiving seven nights in Phuket. Those spending over $8000 receive seven nights on Fiji’s The Pearl and those spending over $15,000 will be spending seven nights in luxury on Fiji’s Taveuni Island. All accommodation packages are valid for 12 months from the purchase date.
Its location is the perfect setting for a quiet, peaceful holiday only a 5-minute drive from the lively exciting resort of Patong Beach, with the fabulous long powder sand beach of Karon a similar distance for daytime lazing and swimming in the gentle waters of the Andaman Sea.
The “Secret cliff resort”, opened in 2007, which lies hidden in Luxurious rain forest setting on the slopes of coast of Andaman Sea between Patong Beach and Karon beach.
The Pearl South Pacific, an elegant, sun-drenched resort within the sublime environs of Pacific Harbour, between Suva and Nadi. Perfect for leaving a frenzied world far behind. Refresh, renew and indulge in world-class facilities and consummate service.
Set by the beach and surrounded by lush, tropical landscape, The Pearl is an idyllic escape where chic accommodation, exquisite cuisine and as much – or as little – adventure and relaxation await you.
Taveuni Island Resort & Spa is the jewel of the Pacific. It is set in ten acres of immaculate manicured tropical gardens, and accommodates only 12 privileged couples. There are only twelve accommodations with each house positioned for maximum privacy and to take advantage of the spectacular views over the azure ocean and surrounding islands.
Jewellers are not just craftsmen they are artists too. People are often amazed at how these artificers of metal, are able to manipulate gold and gemstones into the beautiful finished creations, that are adored for generations. But have you ever wondered how long you would have to train to be an exceptional jeweller to create these amazing pieces ?
A basic jewellers apprenticeship takes about 4 years, and not only has on the job training, but a considerable amount of time at tafe as well. In this time they are taught a variety of skills, ranging from hand making jewellery to producing wax pieces and masters for mass production.
The completion of a Jewellers apprenticeship really only marks the start of their journey. For at least the next 3-4 years, jewellers will learn to hone their basic skills they have learnt so far and apply them in a range of new fields. At the end of this time, if they have worked hard and diligently, most can expect to reach a good standard.
The next stage after that, often involves the jewellers moving around to different workshops and learning from a range of other jewellers. In our industry, you can’t learn all there is to know from a book. The best way to grow is through experience and learning by watching others. A jeweller can easily spend the next 7 years learning the finer aspects of the trade, which could involve working with platinum, cluster settings and fine tuning their tools to achieve a better finished piece.
The last category i put only a handful of jewellers into is the exceptional category. While some jewellers can achieve this after a further 10 years, some can work a lifetime and never obtain it. In some European countries like Germany, you can actually go back to college and graduate as a Master Jeweller. This requires many years of study and assessment, and is not a term that is given out lightly.
The next time you look at an amazing piece of jewellery that has been expertly hand crafted, it is worthwhile remembering that the ring did not just take 12 or 16 hours to complete. It represents someone who has spent more than a decade of relentless pursuit of excellence to ensure you have a symbol of your love that will last a lifetime.
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.
Diamond engagement rings come in all different shapes and sizes. One of the first questions most ladies ask themselves is, what shape are they? Would they like a traditional round brilliant cut, princess cut (square) or fancy cut diamond ?
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.
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.
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.
Brisbane jewellers who conduct their manufacturing on the premises are an excellent place to start when you are looking for your engagement and wedding rings. Wondering from shop to shop, looking for “the one ” can sometimes be a vary draining experience. For some clients hoping to find the perfect engagement or wedding ring that is just around the corner, can sometimes be a fantasy. Murphy’s law says, that which ever way the ring is made, it will rarely be exactly the way you would have wanted it in the first place. So why not have the ring custom made exactly the way you want it ?
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.
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 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.
