Do you have any unworn, old or broken pieces of jewellery lying around, unloved in your jewellery box? Maybe now is the right time to consider remodelling your jewellery?
Many people have inherited jewellery that while sentimental, is no longer their style. Or maybe you have a piece that has become damaged or is no longer wearable. Why not have these pieces transformed into something wonderful that you can and actually want to wear. Remodelling jewellery is a great way to give new life and new meaning to old precious pieces.
Apart from the fact that ‘up styling’ jewellery means you now have beautiful modern pieces that can be worn every day, you may also discover that your pieces are now worth a lot more than you think. Remodelling jewellery can add a lot of value to the piece, provided it has been done by a reputable jeweller. When a piece of jewellery is damaged, it loses any manufacturing value that it might once of had. When it is valued – damaged or unwearable jewellery is only given gold and base stone value.
What’s involved in remodelling jewellery?
First gather up any jewellery, whether you think it is valuable or not.
Sometimes the things that you think are worthless might have some partial gold in them. A qualified jeweller, will be able to quickly tell you what’s real or not, and whether there is any value there.
Have some idea of what you would like to remodel your jewellery into
Having a starting point will make it a lot easier for your designer to help you create something amazing from your old pieces. While it is the designers job to give you the ideas of what is possible, having an idea before you come in, will definitely cut down a lot of the design time.
Work our a budget
Whether you a remodelling a kitchen or a piece of jewellery it is always a great idea to work out how much you want to spend on the remodelling. Depending on what you have and what your new vision is, it could cost anywhere from $500 – $2000 or more. If you have expensive taste and would like to add more diamonds or other coloured gemstones to the piece, this would be an extra cost on top of the piece.
“Jewellery doesn’t belong in a drawer!”
Gather it up and visit us for a complimentary design consultation, and see how we can help you create something amazing from your unworn pieces. In your design consult, we will sit down with you and go through everything that you have and draw a 3D image of your new dream piece. You never know, you could discover thousands of dollars in value lying in your drawer!
In today’s world is there really still any justification for inequality between men and women in the workforce? I am constantly amazed when the subject comes up on TV or it is the punch line of a comedians joke. I think it is a sad reflection on our society, that in many industries women are paid less than their male counterparts for doing the exact same role.
Surely we have evolved as a civilisation, to see that in the workforce we deserve the same remuneration for the same job. Both genders are capable of significant contributions to the work force, and a person’s worth should be determined by what they contribute, not their gender. It is unfortunately not just their pay that they are sometimes missing out on, but also their future. As lower comparative wages, also means lower superannuation.
Here at Xennox Diamonds, we are always striving to find the most passionate and talented individuals, capable of delivering the most amazing experience to our clients. This is something that is not mutually exclusive to women or men. At the end of the day, I am looking for the X Factor, whoever it comes from, and I am looking for those that consider themselves professionals who are looking to achieve excellence. A thirst for knoweledge is also something that i think is vital not only for work specifically but life in general.
Regardless of their gender, the team that I am lucky enough to work with is rewarded based on the value they contribute to the business. While i understand that everyone has their different levels of things that motivate them, pay is not something that they are discriminated on.
That’s why, on International Women’s Day this year, I support the Pledge for Parity. It’s an important reminder that all of us in business can and must do so much more to promote equality, respect and fairness. It is for our wives, daughters, cousins and other extended family that we must do this.
Did you make a New Year’s Resolution last year that you didn’t keep or achieve?
By now you have probably recovered from your New Year’s festivities and made a few New Year’s resolutions. Ironically there are probably a number of them that you have recycled from last year. All those things that you want to change or improve, but never got around to doing. Whether it is something physical like losing a few kilos or business orientated like reaching more clients, having an incentive to achieve your New Year’s resolution is sure to increase your chances of success.
Goal Planning
When I sit down with clients we discover together what pieces are on their jewellery wish list and what major goals they would love to achieve for the coming year ahead. For some it might be a promotion or a number of successful client transactions, for others it is the completion of a project. Whatever your goal is, having a piece of jewellery to symbolise your achievement will not only give you the enjoyment of wearing it, but also spur you on to hit your next goal. One of the things that my clients often overlook is the power of goal setting – using diamonds as the carrot (pun intended). I always say that if a picture tells a thousand words, then your jewellery is a novel with a lifetime of memories. When I look at a piece of jewellery I am reminded of all the memories associated with it – how I designed it, where I sourced the diamonds from, how the jeweller made it etc…
Sally’s Story
One of my clients, Sally, had a goal of reaching 150 active recurring clients in her business. Sally’s incentive for working towards that goal was a new pair of gorgeous diamond studs. Throughout the year Sally worked tirelessly, putting in extra hours, sacrificing personal leisure time and even visited her diamond studs in the showroom as a motivator to stay on track. By the time the end of the year came around Sally actually ended up with 186 clients. Sally had been so motivated to achieving her goal that the extra momentum she had built up allowed her to blow her target out of the water. Now we use Sally’s earrings as a memory anchor to help her go after her next target of 250 clients. You see, every time Sally now looks in the mirror, she doesn’t just see her diamond studs, she sees everything those diamond studs represent. Sally is reminded of all the hard work she put in to achieve her goal, and ultimately how successful it makes her feel, which is a great sense of fulfilment for her. It also makes her excited about going after her next goal, which is a diamond bracelet. It doesn’t have to be a set of diamond studs for you; it might be a bracelet, a ring or a strand of pearls. Whatever your taste in jewellery is, link it to S.M.A.R.T. goal.
Set yourself one SMART goal
S – Specific, M – Measurable, A – Achievable, R – Relevant, T – Time sensitive.
I find limiting it to one main goal at a time works best, that is until you develop the skill set to handle multiple goals at once. That way you will avoid the vicious cycle of recycling your New Year’s resolutions. While the beginning of the year is a great time to set a goal, there is really no reason that you can’t do it at any time. Just follow the S.M.A.R.T acronym and link it with whatever is going to be your greatest currency, and you will be sure to achieve it. Accountability is also a great way to make sure that you stay on course to achieve your goal.
So what is your goal this year, and what is going to be on your jewellery wish list to motivate you to achieve it?
Like the old saying, “failing to plan, is planning to fail”. The time to set a new goal is now. So don’t wait another week or month to start putting your diamond S.M.A.R.T. goal together. I guarantee that when you look back in 12 months’ time, you will not only be amazed by the results, but you will have a lovely piece of jewellery to remember the journey.
About Karl
His recently released book, ” Rock Her World” is available now. If you would like help, in choosing the perfect diamond to help you achieve your goals for 2016, there is a lot of great information in “Rock Her World”or you can even listen to a sample chapter here. Karl believes that choosing a piece of jewellery should be a phenomenal experience, and over the last 21 years has helped more than 5800 clients choose a special piece of jewellery that tells their story.
If you have ever planned a wedding or been involved in one, you will probably recall that terrible feeling in the pit of your stomach when you ask “how much is this going to cost.”
I know that there is a perception out there that the mere mention of the 7 letter word is going to push prices up 20% – 40%. But is this real or more of an urban myth?
At the end of the day, does it really cost any more to make something for a wedding than it does for a casual client? My belief is the answer is NO.
When we make a wedding ring, it doesn’t cost any more than someone who wondered in, looking to purchase the same thing to celebrate their one year anniversary. There are a number of elements that go together to make a wedding ring. You have the amount of gold or platinum used, the diamonds, the jeweller’s time to craft the ring and the setting cost of putting the diamonds into the ring. At the end of the day, if one ring costs more, then it is usually because there were more cost elements added into the equation.
The only exception that I can see in the wedding industry is that there may be some wedding business that needs to factor in some extra allowances because of the nature of their business. For example a wedding dress maker may need multiple consultations through the fitting process. Or a wedding florist may need to allow extra for the delivery of the flowers at a remote location or outside of normal business hours.
Of course you should always do your research. It is not always about the cheapest price, because there is always some willing to do it cheaper (even if it isn’t a better finished product). If you are paying more for one particular product, you want to make sure you are actually getting a better finished result. Look at reviews on Google to make sure that the business you are about to engage with has a good track record of happy clients.
There is really no reason that it should not cost more just because you mention the 7 letter word. Certainly if you find a wedding vendor that is trying to capitalise on the celebration of your wedding than you should definitely walk the other way.
If you would like help, in choosing the perfect engagement or wedding ring, there is a lot of great information in my recently published book, “Rock Her World”
If you’d like more tips like these about determining your ideal budget and choosing the perfect wedding rings, download a free copy of my book by clicking on this link here.
Alternatively, you can book a Discovery Session and come down to our luxury diamond showroom with a budget in mind and speak directly to our expert diamond consultants who can help you decide your maximum budget and find the right engagement ring for your needs.
The question of “How much does a 1ct diamond cost?” is something that I get asked often. Because there are so many factors that make up a diamonds price and quality. The usual answer here is how long is a piece of string. It is a common question that most men ask as they are about to embark on purchasing a new engagement ring.
At this point in time with the current exchange rate around the .82 cents. A beautiful 1ct F colour, SI clarity excellent cut grade diamond will typically cost around the $13000 all made up in a classic solitaire.
The rough rule of thumb is that under a carat the price will move about a $1000 for every ten points within a particular quality. So a 0.90ct F SI excellent cut grade round brilliant diamond will be approximately $11500 – $12000. The smaller the diamond the smaller the variation in price for the 10 points. Changing the size of a diamond always has a much bigger result on the price, than changing the colour or clarity of a diamond.
Are the difference between all the grades priced the same?
In nature anything that is rarer is also more valuable. So a pure white stone is going to carry more of a premium than a yellower diamond. Likewise a diamond that is flawless. Whenever you move to the top on any given scale the jump in price is going to be greater as that given stone becomes more rare and valuable. So while a jump in price from a G – F may be $300, going from an F to an E colour may be $350, and $400 to the top D colour
How much does the price change when changing the clarity of a diamond?
In todays market, changing the clarity of a diamond will have a bigger effect on the price of a given diamond than changing the colour.
For example moving from an SI2 to a VS2 may have roughly the same affect as changing the size by ten points. Depending on the size of the diamond, this could be as much as $800
How much does the price change for changing the colour of a diamond?
While changing this characteristic has the least impact on the price, the visual effect on the diamond can not be underestimated. Changing from a .50ct (half a carat) G to F will actually only cost around the $200 – $300. Which in my experience is well worth it, as most clients are able to tell the difference with their eyes.
The bigger the size of the diamond the larger the difference in colour is. Anyone who has been to a hardware store and had to pick out a colour for a wall will know this. Looking at colour as a postage paid stamp is much harder to visualise that looking at an A4 piece of paper. Diamonds are no different. The colour difference in a 1ct diamond is easier to see than a .50ct diamond. The difference in price however, because of the rarity will be more. Usually you can expect to pay around the $500 -$800 more for a jump in colour.
Always happy to help, if you would like to know “How much does a 1ct diamond cost” or another particular diamond size. Please email me, if you would like to compare the price of a particular diamond that you have been looking at.
Did you get a new years proposal? If the answer is no, and you have been together for what seems like “enough time”. Maybe it might be time to take an active role and plan for your upcoming engagement.
Plan to be engaged
Like anything in life, if you want something special you need to plan for it. Whether it is a new car, holiday or your dream engagement ring, the key is to lay some groundwork. Depending on your age and how long you have been together, you may do some, or all of these tips on how to get engaged.
Tips on how to get engaged
I wish i could say that guys can take a hint. But the truth is, most of us will procrastinate when something seems a little difficult. For some guys not knowing what sort of engagement ring you want, can be a significant factor in putting off the engagement. Having some tips on how to get engaged and choose the perfect engagement ring can make the difference between having an amazing engagement ring that blows your away and something that you will love just because your partner chose it for you.
A great option is to put in the ground work for him. Go out and visit a few jewellery stores and spend the time to find the ring you want. Have all the details written down on a card, and leave it in a place you know he will find it. Most guys will actually be grateful, that they haven’t had to walk through 10 different stores trying to find out which ring is your perfect engagement ring.
Circling ring pictures from a magazine is also a good start to get him thinking that it might be time to make that commitment official. Depending on how subtle you want to be, you could try leaving them on the coffee table, on top of the remote, or even on the fridge.
Tagging him in a Facebook/Instagram post. Even if you don’t explicitly tag him, as long as you are liking and commenting on a ring picture, he is sure to see it in his news feed. Of course this option will only work if he is on Facebook or Instagram.
If he doesn’t have a Facebook or Instagram account, you can try taking a screenshot of your perfect engagement ring and text it to him. Believe it or not, i am starting to see this tactic a lot more often. Today’s lady often knows exactly what she wants in an engagement ring, and isn’t afraid to tell her partner.
If you think your partner is putting off a proposal because he doesn’t know what you want in an engagement ring, then we can help. We have some great tips to help guide him through that initial “looking phase” to really find out what your style is and what will look amazing on your finger.
If that fails there is always our FREE arm twisting service to help get him across the line. You can try tweeting it here 🙂
[Tweet “I need @XennoxDiamonds FREE arm twisting service to help my partner get the perfect engagement ring”]
Have you ever wondered what you should do, if you hate your engagement ring. I know hate is a very strong word, and most ladies would be happy with whatever their partner chose.
But for some the engagement ring is their most prized possession, so it simply has to be perfect.
So if you find yourself in the position with an engagement ring that is not your dream ring, don’t panic. There are always things you can do to make sure your engagement ring is perfect – the way you always dreamed it would be. Here are a few options that you have up your sleeve if you hate your engagement ring.
Timing To Tell Him You Hate Your Engagement Ring
If you are really unhappy with the engagement ring your partner has chosen for you. Telling him, when he is down on one knee professing his love for you, might not be the right time. Soak up the moment, and just enjoy the journey of being engaged. If you find that you still hate your engagement ring after a couple of weeks, then it might be a good sign that the engagement ring is not the perfect ring for you. If you decide that your engagement isn’t the ring for you, then you need to choose the perfect time to have the conversation with your partner. Choose a time when both of you are relaxed, a good option is after a romantic dinner, where you both have the time to talk openly.
Communication About Why You Hate Your Engagement Ring
Good communication is the key. Make sure you partner understands that it isn’t a reflection on the commitment you share to beginning your new life together. Understand that your partner, has probably put a lot of thought into choosing your engagement ring. Spent many hours researching and going from shop to shop, trying to find “The One”. It may have also been one of the most significant purchases of his life. Remember above all, he really wants you to be happy. Speaking from a guys perspective, i would want my wife to tell me, if she didn’t like something that i gave her. The worst scenario in my mind, would be to find out 20 years later that she never liked her engagement ring. Another way to explain it to your partner, is to imagine that they could only wear one shirt for the rest of their life, i am sure that they would want to make sure they really loved it.
Exchange It – If You Hate Your Engagement Ring
The best option here is to talk to the jewellery store where the ring was purchased. Any reputable jewellery store that is interested in keeping their clients happy, will be invested enough to help you with find an option that you are happy with. The first thing to keep in mind, if you go down the path of changing your engagement ring is to be clear on what it is exactly that you don’t like about your engagement ring. The worst outcome, would be to change the engagement ring, to something new, only to be unhappy with your second choice, and have to go through the process again.
Modify It – If You Hate Your Engagement Ring
Sometimes the thing you don’t like about the ring might be only minor. If the alteration you are wanting is not to major it might be possible to modify it. Things that are easy to do, are things like changing the profile of the band. For example, if you ring has a flat profile or a knife edge, you are able to soften the edges and make it look more round, giving it a more dainty finer look. Setting heights can also be lowered, if you feel the engagement ring is too high.
Remember issues of the heart always need to be treated with care. So make sure you always tell your partner how much you love them. Pick the right moment, and if you think it might help, buy him the gold club set that he has been eyeing off to soften the blow.
Would love to hear your thoughts, If you didn’t love your engagement ring, how did you tell your partner, and what did you do?
So you have decided that it is finally time to choose an engagement ring. Whether you are the future groom to be and have popped the question, or choosing to find the dream engagement ring together as a couple, here are the 5 steps you need to follow when choosing an engagement ring.
1. CHOOSING AN ENGAGEMENT RING STYLE
Advice for the guys when choosing an engagement ring – This is ground zero and the first thing you should try and tie down. If you are going alone, try and choose a style that compliments her current jewellery tastes. If her style is vintage, then look for Art Deco designs. If she is more of a traditional girl, then a classic solitaire design is likely to be the winner. If you really get stuck, have a look at her Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram profiles. You are sure to find plenty of pointers there, about the style of ring she loves.
For the ladies – When choosing an engagement ring, try on as many different styles as you can. Look for the things you love in each design. A skilful designer will be able to combine all the different things you love into your one dream ring. You will know when you find “THE ONE” it will be the design that makes your heart skip a beat.
Advice tip – Don’t worry if you can’t find your dream ring in any of the stores you visit. If you could find it everywhere, it probably wouldn’t be as special and you wouldn’t love it as much.
At this stage of your journey forget about the diamond size, quality and budget. If you only ever look at a particular budget you might miss your dream ring. Once you have found your dream engagement ring, a professional jewellery designer should be able to customise your dream ring design to suit any budget or stone size.
2. THE STONE SHAPE
In the beginning when you are choosing an engagement ring you really want to just focus on what shape diamond. Do you love the traditional round brilliant cut diamond? Or are you looking for something a little more modern in the princess cut? If your partner has long slim fingers than maybe a fancy cut diamond like the pear, oval or marquise cut diamond might be ideal.Also consider whether it is a single stone ring you are after, or whether you would like to have shoulder stones. If you are wanting to have shoulder stones in your engagement ring, explore all the options. Whether to match the shape of your centre stones to your shoulder diamonds is really a personal preference.
3.THE QUALITY
This can sometimes be one of the most challenging elements to balance. Do you go for a larger diamond of lower quality? Or choose a diamond that is slightly smaller and more brilliantly cut? At the end of the day, where the diamond sits on the 4C’s will not only tell you how beautiful the stone is, but ultimately how much it costs. While everyone’s preferences might be slightly different, it is important to compare a number of stones side by side, to see which diamond appeals to you the most. As a rough guide, try and stick with an excellent cut grade, D – F colour, VS – SI clarity, and wherever the size fits within the budget. If you really want to learn more about why one diamond appears more brilliant than another, the best advice is to go to a jewellery store with a qualified diamond grader. Someone who can break down exactly where your diamond sits in the cut and quality spectrum.
4. METAL CHOICE
One of the common questions raised when choosing an engagement ring is whether to go with platinum or white gold. The usual advice that I give to new clients choosing their engagement ring is “Do you have a spare $1000 dollars?” As this is usually how much the upgrade to platinum will cost. If the answer is yes, then by all means upgrade your metal choice to platinum. If No, then 18ct white gold is still an exceptional metal choice. For some clients, it might make more sense to upgrade their diamond to a larger or better quality stone, rather than upgrading their metal.
5. THE BUDGET
This is the last thing I often go through with couples and men that I see when they are choosing an engagement ring. Once you have found the design that you love, it is really easy to make it with a different size centre stone. While some might have you believe that you need to spend 3 months salary (before tax and including bonuses), the truth is that you just need to pick a figure that you both feel comfortable with. This is something special that you are going to have for a very long time, and you want to make sure that it is something that you can be proud of for many years to come. Whatever your maximum budget is, spend it and try and get the best quality you can. In the years to come, you will never regret the money that you spent.
Above all else, enjoy the process of finding and choosing an engagement ring. Your diamond consultant is there to help guide you through your journey. It should be an experience that you will never forget, and one that will bring you happy memories for many years to come. If you would like someone to help guide you through your journey of finding your perfect engagement ring, we always on hand to help you. If you would like to make an appointment to see one of our diamond consultants, please feel free to email us
This weeks Feature Engagement Ring is a princess cut diamond engagement ring with Pink shoulder diamonds. The centre diamond was a 0.59ct D VS2 Passion8 and the shoulder diamonds were 4 = 0.17ct 4P Pink diamonds.
Feature Engagement Ring Sketch
Design Features of the Engagement Ring
One of the special requirements of this design was that it had a setting that didn’t protrude too high above the band. Although the lady had small fingers it was important that the ring wasn’t set too low either. We were aiming for a medium height of 5.2mm.
Coming from central North Queensland the ring had to stand the test of time, as a short trip down the road to the jeweller would be a little more challenging to achieve.
We also incorporated an extra thickness in the band to make sure that the ring was as strong as it could be. Having a thicker circle means that the ring is less likely to flew, and make the stones loose.
Engagement Ring Setting
The four claw corner claw setting is the most secure setting for a princess cut diamond. The corner metal also has the added feature of squaring off the princess cut diamond, which accentuates its shape.
For the band we used a channel setting to give extra strength to the shoulder stones. Having the pink shoulder stones also created a striking contrast to the white metal.
With princess cut diamonds it is incredibly important to make sure that the engagement ring sits flush with a straight wedding band. The straight lines of a square diamond clash with a curved or fitted wedding band.
Feature Engagement Ring Finished
When using pink diamonds it is really important to use as white a diamond as possible. With the centre diamond being a “D colour”, we used “E coloured” shoulder diamonds to create a strong contrast effect.
One of the challenges with this design was to have the shoulder diamonds running all the way up to the centre stone. The setter had to push the shoulder diamonds between the two claws to create the full flow effect.
Engagement Design Questions
If you would love to know more about Pink diamonds or have an engagement ring custom made, please email me at design@xennoxdiamonds.com.au. I would be happy to answer any questions you have or talk about having your dream ring designed.