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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.
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.
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.
