Diamonds

Hi everyone

I love this time of year because the weather seems more constant and the public holidays have given us more time to spend with family and friends. And I love the beautiful rain.

April means a lot to me as I celebrate my wedding anniversary and Helen’s birthday – 46 years this year – as well as Lou and Ben’s 20th wedding anniversary. Where has the time gone!

46 years together.

Lou and Ben, 1998

Now, it’s very predictable for a jeweller to talk about the next subject but one that I still find fascinating – and the topic is DIAMONDS.

Love them or dislike them, you cannot help but marvel at the fact that diamonds are over a billion years old, they are the hardest substance on Earth and if the raw crystals are good enough to cut, they can be fashioned into the most dazzling of gems. If cut at correct and precise angles, the facets have the ability to mirror and bounce the light rays back at you. It is known as ‘scintillation’. Isn’t it a great word? Such a great example of onomatopoeia.

The beautiful colours of diamonds.
Image credit: Northern Cross Diamonds

Found in all colours and in many countries in the world, they continue to captivate and attract people. They work beautifully as a stand-alone stone or surrounded by more. They also look great bordering a coloured gem and they enhance a multiple range of settings. Even if they are dirty or set deep in a setting they have the ability to remain bright. They are extraordinary. I have been handling and admiring them for nearly fifty years and they continue to captivate me. I include them in so many of my designs as the hero of the piece and to accentuate an area of my design.

I am often asked by friends and clients ‘What is the best white diamond?’. Technically of course, it is the whitest stone, which is D colour and IF clarity (internally flawless.) – see the chart below:

Diamond colour and clarity chart.
Image credit: GIA

However I think the answer is certainly not as straightforward, but a chance meeting with Gabi Tolkowsky in Sydney helped me.

Gabi Tolkowsky
Image credit: Pinterest

Gabi is from Belgium and is one of the world’s best known and most highly respected diamond cutters and has had many decades of experience. He is responsible for the creation of the princess cut diamond (a square brilliant cut) and also the designing and cutting of the famous Centenary Diamond, all 273.85 carats of it and conservatively valued at $117 million dollars:

Tolkowsky holding the Centenary Diamond.
Image credit: Hamilton Jewellers

In a nutshell I understood his opinion to be as follows:

Choose a diamond you love without visible flaws and don’t just go for size ignoring quality.

Gabi agreed with me that there are many beautiful combinations of colour and clarity without being the top D/Flawless.

He added:

It is OK of course to choose a D/Flawless diamond if you can afford it.

I like Gabi’s reasoning. And I still use his example today. I really enjoy showing diamonds and not necessarily telling the client the quality initially. They will often pick a diamond or diamonds and they won’t necessarily know why. And it may not be the best colour and clarity. So be it. In my opinion it’s good to know the facts, but once you know the criteria choose the diamond that stands out for you, and don’t make the most important thing about your choice the laboratory certificate that goes with it.

This month we are completing an astounding diamond cluster ring, some beautiful diamond drop earrings, an aquamarine and diamond ring, a multi-stone diamond pendant, some diamond bracelets and a stunning solitaire diamond ring – I’ll share photos of them as we finish them. Until then, enjoy some photos of some of our beautiful diamond commissions here.

Until next month, cheers for now,

Nicholas X.