The Diamond Store Blog

Aquamarine rings

July 31, 2010
Posted in Earrings,Gemstone Jewellery,Pendants,Rings — Written by Linda

I have just become the owner of a very beautiful aquamarine ring and not knowing much about the stone with its unique ice blue colour – which ranges in tone from the light blue of the sky to the deep blue of the sea – I decided to find out more.

The name aquamarine means sea water was used to represent marine Gods by the Romans. Its name is derived from the Latin aqua (water) and mare (sea). It is apparently the gem of eternal youth so I am expecting to start looking younger any day now! In the middle ages it was called the magic mirror and soothsayers used it for telling fortunes.

The colour of the stone lends itself perfectly to white or yellow gold jewellery setting, either as a pair of diamond and aquamarine earrings, a three stone ring or pendant.  Its delicate blue shades complement almost any skin or eye colour.

Aquamarine is related to the emerald as they both belong to the beryl family. Aquamarine is almost entirely free of inclusions with a good hardness (making it difficult to scratch) and has a wonderful sparkle and shine.

Many designers call it their favourite gemstone as its light colour allows the gemstone designer to bring out the brilliance of the gem with fine grooves, notches, curves and edges.

Choosing Diamond Jewellery

July 29, 2010
Posted in Jewellery — Written by Linda

Choosing jewellery for someone else can be tricky, so we have drawn up a set of general guidelines to help:

Colour is one of the key things to consider – are they a yellow or white gold person? Do they like white metals (white gold, platinum or silver), or do they prefer the warmth of yellow gold?  The easiest way to find this out is to look at other jewellery that they wear or check out their watch as people often choose their preferred colour of metal for a timepiece because it is something they will wear every day.

If you cannot see an obvious preference, look at their hair colour and skin tone.  Blondes often suit yellow gold with its warm tones matching their hair, and exotic or darker skin can also look good with yellow gold against it.

If you are choosing jewellery with coloured gemstones look at their clothes as well as their skin tone and hair. Black diamonds can look very harsh on pale-skins, while a warm brown topaz looks lovely. Pink sapphire jewellery can get lost against pale skin, but look great on tanned or darker colourings.

Green emerald earrings look amazing on redheads and brunettes, but red ruby pendants can sometimes be too vivid for redheads and ash blondes, but great for brunettes or golden/yellow blondes

Cheap Big Diamond Rings

July 28, 2010
Posted in Engagement rings,Rings — Written by Linda

It seems the bigger the better is the motto for newlyweds Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr as they returned from their honeymoon.

Miss Kerr was presented with a huge diamond engagement ring just over a month ago, and the couple obviously don’t believe in long engagements as they have just returned from their honeymoon in the Caribbean and she is now sporting a wedding band studded with large solitaire diamonds.

If you are looking for an engagement ring to propose to that certain someone in your life and want to make a grand statement with a large ring, then an alternative to the classic diamond solitaire engagement ring is a diamond cocktail ring.  You can certainly get a larger ring for your money as the cocktail rings are studded with smaller and cheaper diamonds than the higher quality and more expensive solitaires.

With the current celebrity fashion trend being “the bigger the bling the better” there are now some great designs for larger rings which need not look like you’re wearing a huge piece of jewellery but instead come across as rings which are elegant and chic.

Topaz Jewellery

July 27, 2010
Posted in Gemstone Jewellery — Written by Linda

The topaz is the perfect gift for anyone born in the month of November as it is the birthstone for that month. The gemstone comes in a variety of colours with the brown, yellow, orange, sherry, red and pink topaz found in Brazil and Sri Lanka. Pink topaz is found in Pakistan and Russia.

My personal favourite is the blue topaz (pictured) which can have a pale to medium blue colour which is created by irradiation. Pale topaz which is enhanced to become blue is found in Brazil, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, and China. It is a very hard gemstone but it can be split with a single blow.  This is a trait it shares with the diamond and as a result should be protected from hard knocks.

If you are thinking of buying some topaz jewellery it is associated with some powerful legends with the Ancient Greeks believing that it had the power to increase strength and make its wearer invisible in times of emergency. It is also reputed to make men handsome and intelligent and sterile women fertile and happy. So if you buy someone a topaz ring or some topaz earrings look out for the change!

And if that’s not enough,  it was also said to change colour in the presence of poisoned food or drink and had mystical curative powers for wearers suffering with insomnia, asthma, and haemorrhages.

The most famous topaz is an enormous one weighing 1680 ct set in the Portuguese Crown, the Braganza, which was first thought to be a diamond. There is also a beautiful topaz in Dresden’s Grünes Gewölbe (the Green Vault) which is one of the world’s important gem collections.

Opal Jewellery

July 26, 2010
Posted in Earrings,Pendants,Rings — Written by Linda

Opals come in a number of colours which all share one characteristic: they shine and sparkle in a continually changing play of colours which is described as “opalising”. This is caused by small spheres of silica gel which dissect the light on its passage through the gemstone and turn it into all the colours of the rainbow.

If you are buying an opal ring or a pair of opal earrings make sure that you wear them as often as you can because opals they can become brittle. This is because they contain water and if they are stored in an environment that is too dry or are exposed to heat over a long period of time they will show fissures and the play of colour will become paler. By wearing your opal jewellery as often as possible the gemstone will receive the required humidity from the air and from your skin.

In order to best bring out the play of colour in an opal the stones are cut and polished to round or oval cabochons or any other softly domed shape, depending on the raw material.

An opal pendant is a great gift for someone special as the gemstone is believed to have healing powers, able to solve depression and help the wearer find real love. Opals are supposed to further enhance the positive characteristics for people born under the zodiac sign of Cancer.

Older Posts »
"LIKE" US TO WIN JEWELLERY EVERY MONTH
We accept... Website Design By Sugarfree Design