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Last updated    11/12/2011

 

 

Diamonds for special occasions in association with the most famous name in diamonds Tolkowski, sea shells, gabi, only available through nationwide jewellers

Informative easy to follow buying system

An engaging story 

Falling in love is a blessing that many of us have savoured at least once in our lifetime and how beautiful the world seems when we look through rose-tinted glasses. As the song goes, first comes love, then comes marriage”, most of us dream of what our engagement ring would look like, but do you actually know the history behind this symbol of true love?

              The ring is synonymous with weddings and in most cultures, is a public symbol of matrimony and romantically, the ultimate symbol of love, devotion and commitment. Today, the diamond engagement ring is common practice but historically, this tradition is fairly recent, beginning only in 1939, when De Beers launched a giant advertising campaign featuring diamonds as the engagement ring.

              Although the exact origin of the engagement ring is unknown, it was believed that it all began in the caveman days. A woven cord of rushes was tied around the hands and feet of his mate so that she would not escape. Once he thought she would stay, he tied just her hands and finally when he was assured of her commitment, the cord was only tied around her finger

              The ancient Greeks probably started the tradition as we know it today. Known as their betrothal ring, it was derived from the work ‘troweth’ meaning ‘truth.’. More of a promise ring, it meant giving a truth or pledge and an engagement ring became an outward indication to everyone that  a woman had pledged her love to one man alone.

              It was the Romans, however, who were thought to have started the tradition of wearing the engagement ring on the third finger of the left hand. This was believed to be the ‘vena amoris’, which translates to ‘vein of love’. This ‘vein’ was thought to lead directly to the heart, and the theory itself is generally attributed to the Egyptians.

              The Egyptians believed that a circular shape represented eternity, with no beginning or end. Circles were long considered mystical shapes, emulation the form of the sun and moon. Rings of gold were held in high regard by the upper class and this trend was soon adopted by the Romans

              However, it was the Archduke Maximillian of Hamburg who made the diamond engagement ring popular. The first ever recorded diamond engagement ring was given to his love, Mary of Burgundy in 1477. We can all thank him for coming up with that brilliant idea of a huge rock as an engagement ring!

              What surely is true is that the wedding and engagement rings are symbols of one’s love for the other, so their purchase ought to be one that is given due attention and consideration. The circle has always had significance in ancient cultures as a symbol of wholeness and of perfection. Its endlessness is the perfect symbol of oneness and eternal unity that has no beginning or end. It is the concrete sealing of a marriage pact—true love personified eloquently.

Diamond                          Birthstone of April   associated with innocence,  Sun
 Diamonds were believed to render all poisons harmless and to drive away madness, night spirits and evil dreams.          Diamonds have been the traditional symbol of love since ancient Greece. Discovered about 2,500 years ago in India, the ancients believed they were splinters from the stars, perhaps crystallized lightening . Comes from the Greek word, "adamus" which means unconquerable suggesting the eternity of love. Fitting that it should be the gem most used to symbolize ones' love. Diamonds started their history as being worn only by men as they were supposedly able to instill courage and virtue to soldiers in battle.

The value of diamonds

Does anyone in the world charge nearly enough for this amazing gemstone ?.

If you are agonizing over spending  thousands of dollars on a diamond you need to understand this.

 

1) Rarity. 80% of all mined diamonds are industrial quality, Of the remaining 20% that are gem-quality, there will only be a single 1-carat diamond in every one million. It takes five million to get one 2-carat diamond.       Gem-quality diamonds are found in very few places too. Africa, Russia, Australia and Canada. The first diamonds were located in India, 3000 years ago. And for 2900 of those years every diamond was mined by hand. Eventually, all the diamonds in  India were mined out. You could put a price tag of $24000 on a 1-carat diamond for its rarity alone.+                

2) Retrieval.  Not only are diamonds extremely rare, but they’re very difficult to come by. 250 tons of the earth’s crust must be removed to find one 1-carat diamond. That’s a lot of work to find something the size of a large pea that weighs just a fifth of a gram.                   Furthermore, diamond miners have gone into savage territories to search for diamonds, mining secret crevices in the heart of lands where only explorers have gone before….and found nothing.                          Companies have invested in state of the art technology to dive to the darkest depths of the ocean and vacuum diamonds off its floor. Countries have even fought wars over diamond mines. Diamond is the most sought after         substance on Earth with the least amount of return. How can you negotiate price when you understand how    much it costs to obtain that diamond?                                   

3) Cut.  People who cut diamonds must serve as apprentices for 10 years before they can even touch a 1-carat diamond. Because of society’s obsession with size, 90% of all diamonds are cut to retain weight. Only 10% are cut to fine-make criteria, and only a 10th of 1% are cut to ideal standards. The better the cut, the more expertly skilled the cutter must be. These are not skills learnt in college, but are passed on through families, and trained over many years—these cutters have hands as skilled as a surgeon’s                   

4)               Endurance.  Diamond is roughly 140 per cent harder than the next hardest substance known to man. Everything else you’ll ever use wears out - your tools, your cars, even your house. Diamond is times only enemy. It’s the only substance whose beauty is unaffected by age. People say diamonds “cost a lot of money”…. Well, compared to what? Your customer can wear their diamond 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for decades before passing it down in the same condition in which they bought it. They may pay several thousand dollars for it. Meanwhile, they’ll buy a $30,000 automobile, drive it one hour a day for five years and it’s trashed. What’s the better deal?

 

5) Antiquity  value.     When the Titanic set sail in 1912, its plates cost 5c and 10c each. Today, a submarine picks them up off the ocean floor and they’re worth $5,000. The Mona Lisa, painted 500 years ago, is said to be worth $160 million, yet she’s uglier than if she’d been hit by a steam-roller. Meanwhile, diamonds are carbon-dated at 3.4 billion years old. They’re so old, scientists are now using them to tell us how and when the oldest parts of our planet were formed. Yet they look brand new. There’s nothing for sale that is older. Why, then, can antiques go for hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars, while a 1-carat diamond is exponentially less?

 

6) Investment value.  Since 1940, diamonds have doubled in value every 10 years, at minimum. However, their greatest value lies not in their monetary worth, but in the emotions invested within them. Most women would never sell their grandmother’s diamond ring. A diamond is an investment in life; in some you love. A diamond means security - telling the world that somebody loves you and you’re taken. A diamond’s not just a good investment….it’s priceless.

 

              Any one of these attributes should add $25,000 to a diamond’s selling price, which means your 1-carat gem should go for $150,000. And yet jewellers sell it for $5,000.

This is Nature’s Flamethrower we’re talking about! Why would you ever feel they are overpriced?

 

              In todays market a 1 ct diamond can sell for between $3000—$40,000 dollars

or more for extreme rarities

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such  important occasions should be entrusted  to professionals able to back up with proper high quality services the right advise at fair prices

A diamond’s weight is measured in carats, abbreviated ct. One carat can be divided into 100 points. Therefore, a diamond weighing one quarter of a carat can also be referred to as being 25 points.

Clarity Refers to the amount and size of natural imperfections in the diamond. This may be internal (inclusions) or external (blemishes). The fewer inclusions in a diamond, the rarer and more valuable the gem.

A diamond’s colour is determined on a colour scale from D (colourless) to Z (yellow/brown). The most sought after diamonds have no colour. Whilst most diamonds appear to have no colour, in actual fact they have tints of colour as shown on the colour scale.

Cut This does not refer to the overall shape of the diamond but rather the quality of the cutting. It is the single most important aspect of any diamond. The proportion, finish and symmetry of the external facets of the diamond are what creates the fire and brilliance. A diamond may be colourless and flawless but if it is not cut well it will appear dull and lifeless.

Eternity Finely Cut Diamonds are available in a variety of fancy shapes. The same commitment to excellence and attention to cutting quality are used to bring you our range of Fancy Cut Diamonds. It’s important that you don’t confuse cut with shape. Cut, one of the 4C’s, determines how fiery and brilliant your diamond is while shape describes the physical shape of the diamond.

There is a diamond shape to suit every personality and style. Take some time to learn about fancy shape diamonds and you are sure to find one that’s right for you. Naturally Fancy Cut Diamonds are Laser Inscribed & Guaranteed by Certification. Traditionally, the most popular cuts for fancy shape diamonds are oval, pear, marquise, heart, emerald and princess.

The majority of people focus on colour and clarity when discussing the attributes of a diamond. Colour and clarity are important, but it is the quality of the cut that makes the difference between a dull and lifeless diamond and a diamond that is alive with remarkable fire and brilliance. The more perfect the cutting, the more sparkle you and everyone else will see.

Eternity Finely Cut Diamonds are cut to exacting mathematical proportions to show maximum brilliance. The resulting scintillation and explosion of light sets the Eternity Diamond apart from just any diamond.

Eternity Hearts & Arrows Diamonds are at the pinnacle of diamond cutting technology.

From the finest of all rough diamonds and in the hands of Master Diamond Cutters, Eternity Hearts & Arrows Diamonds are cut to the most impeccable standards. The result is a diamond so spectacular and fiery that it reflects nearly 100% of the available light back towards the viewer.

The Eternity Hearts & Arrows name is derived from the optical effect achieved when a diamond is cut to the highest level of perfection. When such an ideal cut diamond is viewed through a Symmetry Viewer, it displays eight perfect hearts and eight perfect arrows.

Eternity Hearts & Arrows Diamonds have three distinguishing features:

For the last 3000 to 4000 years, diamonds have held special magic for royalty and their subjects. In fact, the Greeks and Romans considered diamonds to be tears of the Gods and splinters from falling stars. It was said that cupids' arrows were tipped with diamonds that have unequalled magic.

Until the 15th century kings wore diamonds as a symbol of strength, courage, and invincibility. It wasn't until 1477 when Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy, that the diamond engagement ring was introduced. Placing the ring on the third finger of the left hand dates back to the early Egyptian belief that the Vena Amors, vein of love, runs directly from the heart to the tip of the third finger. Throughout time, diamonds have been an expression of love beyond words.

Diamonds are graded internationally to a set of standards commonly known as the 4C's. The 4C's consist of Carat Weight, Colour, Clarity and Cut. Typically, an untrained eye sees only carat weight and cut

Carat, abbreviated ‘ct,’ is a measure of weight, not size. One carat is equal to one fifth of a gram, and is based on the weight of a carob bean from ancient Egypt.

Many people consider diamonds to be colourless. In fact, diamonds come in every colour of the rainbow, as well as black. Moreover there are varying degrees of intensity of each colour.

Virtually all diamonds possess natural imperfections. These natural phenomena, called inclusions, can usually only be seen under the power of 10x magnification. They may look like tiny crystals, clouds, or feathers

While nature determines a diamond's clarity and colour, cut is determined by the artistry and skill of the craftsman. Cut more than any other characteristic, gives the diamond its sparkle

Pink and Red Diamonds
Before the discovery of the Argyle diamond mine, most pink diamonds were a pastel shade worthy of passing interest, but not lasting passion. This all changed in 1985. The Argyle mine in the north of Western Australia, produces almost all of the world's red and pink diamonds, although they only make up a tiny part of the mine's production.

Until 2009, the huge open cut mine has been the world's largest diamond mine in total carat weight. In 2007 they decided to start an underground mine because the open cut has become too deep taking too long for the trucks to drive down the spiral pit – the smaller output from the underground mine will greatly reduce the availability of pink diamonds, and probably drive-up the already high prices.

Pink diamonds cost from 5 to 100 times as much as colourless diamonds.

Scientists do not fully understand the cause of the pink. Usually is caused by impurities, but Argyle diamonds are very pure. They are found in a rock called Lamproite that appears to have had a particularly violent journey through the earth's crust. (All other diamonds were transported to the earth's surface in a rock called Kimberlite).

Champagne Diamonds

Champagne or brownish coloured diamonds are the most affordable coloured diamonds, at around one third the prices of white diamonds. This good buying will not last forever and Argyle champagne diamonds have some unique features.

Prices for colour C1 (lighter) to C6 (the colour of cognac) are all about the same. Lighter stones are popular because they sparkle more and cost less than pure colourless. More intense colours are also popular because they are more unusual, so supply and demand are balanced.

You can simply choose the colour you like best without worrying about which is more valuable. However there are many different secondary colours and this is important. In general warmer colours are more attractive than grey-greenish browns (indicating the diamonds have not come from Argyle). Intense golden and rusty colours are called Fancy Cognac, or C7 and cost a little more because they are quite rare.

Naturally champagnes with a pinkish tinge are the most sought after and expensive.

Coloured Diamonds -

Over recent years coloured diamonds have become increasingly popular. They are not new .
Colour is a very important factor in diamond grading, or more correctly absence of colour. Most diamonds are graded on a whiteness scale or absence of colour scale. While most diamonds are in the colourless to light yellow range, some have a natural colour that is deep, distinct, and opulent. These are known as fancy-colour diamonds and are often blue, brown, or pink. Unlike colourless and near-colourless diamonds which are valued for their lack of colour, fancies are valued for the intensity of their colour.
Over recent years coloured diamonds have become increasingly sought after and expensive. But how does colour come about and how does it affect the price?
 

What Causes Colour in Diamond

Diamonds are pure carbon that crystallised more than 100km beneath the earth's surface. Diamonds grow under immense heat and pressure; they must be transported to the surface within an hour or two in a volcano. In a way they are snap frozen and if the journey takes too long they revert back to graphite or carbonaceous gases.

Sometimes other atoms are trapped in a diamond as it grows or during its violent ride to the surface. The most common is Nitrogen; the tiniest amount causes blue light to be absorbed giving the diamond a yellowish colour. Argyle diamonds, mined in Australia, are an exception as they are actually very pure; the cause of the rare pink is a freak of nature and also unfortunately means they have many more inclusions than most diamonds from other sources.

Rarity

Intensely coloured diamonds are the rarest and most beautiful of nature's gem treasures. Rarity and desire are the two things that set the price of coloured diamonds. The most rare and prized in order are red, blue, pink, green, gold and then yellow, milky white, champagne and black. Values can be 100 times more than that of a white diamond!

The long standing highest price per-carat ever paid was $1,250,000 for a 6mm purplish-red badly flawed 0.90ct diamond of just less than 1 carat (inclusions are common in natural red and pink diamonds). It was named the Hancock Red.

In 2009 this record was surpassed when a flawless vivid blue diamond weighing 7.03 carats sold for a record $9.49 million, the new highest price paid per carat for any gemstone. Then in November a 5ct VS1 vivid pink sold in Hong Kong for $2.1M per carat. So in the midst of a financial crisis the record price was broken twice, which goes to show where the smart money goes in times of trouble.

Blue Diamonds

Natural blue diamonds are a light greyish blue shade, a more "steely" colour than sapphire. The most famous blue diamond is The Hope diamond in Washington's Smithsonian Institute.

This stone is steeped in legends of horrible deaths that befell many of its owners, from guillotining during the French Revolution, to a Wall Street broker jumping to his death in 1930.

Green Diamonds

Green diamonds have come in contact with radioactive minerals such as uranium. Radiation stains the outside of the diamond, so the cutter must be careful not to cut away too much of the green "skin". Authenticating that the radiation occurred naturally requires laboratory analysis at a leading gemmological institute; often the cutter submits the stone as rough and during the cutting process.

Yellow and Orange Diamonds

To be called a Fancy colour means the diamond has more colour than Z (face up) on the GIA D-Z white diamond grading scale. Fancy yellow diamonds come in a range of hues from greenish yellow to orangy-amber. They start at similar prices to white diamonds and prices rise with increasing intensity.

Connoisseurs in the trade use the term "canary" to describe intense yellow. Burnt orange Argyle champagne's are a less expensive alternative to very expensive pure gold or orange colours.
The Ellendale mine, discovered about the same time as Argyle, has been opened and operating for the past several years and it has produced many fine fancy yellow diamonds.

Induced Colours in  natural diamonds

Demand for coloured diamonds is outstripping supply, so prices are going through the roof. It is no surprise then that technology is being used to induce  colours.

beautiful colours, each available in any size, shape or consistently matched quantity, with all the benefits associated with diamond. The colours are created with sophisticated high temperature, high pressure and irradiation processes.
experimentation for many years has perfected the colouring processes.

They can predict the colour change from less expensive diamonds. they use  specialised knowledge to buy diamonds at cutting centres,  treat them. the stones are sold with the treatment declared. They supply large jewellery manufacturers with sets of diamonds that are sold with full disclosure.

Imagine this technology in the hands of less scrupulous people? Many Eastern European countries have turned their research facilities into diamond treatment businesses.
 

Black Diamonds

Pave' set Black diamonds are popular in high-fashion jewellery.
Most of the black diamond fashion jewellery is made with irradiated treated coloured diamonds. Natural untreated black diamonds with a good surface lustre are rare. Many other black diamonds are low clarity diamonds that when heated go very dark grey.

Ring design

Ready made ideal  if  you find what you want, quick & easy.

 

- Loose gemstone matched with pre made ring mount

find their companion, customized & finished while you wait = hours/days. requires some thought

 

Complete custom made - requires effort, thought & time, the results will be a 1 of a kind symbol of your love, your efforts will be highly appreciated

 

For a  Superior white Precious metal Your first choice should be - platinum then Palladium, white gold & silver.

 

Value  1 larger gem of good quality will retain value better than a lot of smaller Gems, maintenance will also be less.

 

Be assured that if your choice is not correct or you don't get the answer you wanted you will not be stuck with a ring, some jewellers will in general adjust the ring to suite exchange or give you credit for the amount, conditions may apply

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