What are you

Looking for?

RINGS EARRINGS PENDANTS DIAMONDS PEARLS GEMSTONES
Diamonds are judged by 4 distinct factors.
These are called the 4C's: Cut, Carat Weight, Colour and Clarity.
Cut:

Cut must not be confused with shape. Diamonds are cut in many fancy shapes, including baguettes, hearts, pearls, ovals, emerald cut, princess cut and many more.

 

However, when a diamond grader refers to cut he/she is referring to the proportions of the diamond. A well cut diamond will display the brilliance scintillation and fire to its maximum.
Carat:
Carat weight is the weight of the diamond (also any gemstones) expressed in carats. The word carat originated from the carob tree, diamonds were traditionally weighed against the seeds of the carob tree until the system was standardised and one carat was fixed at 0.2 grammes (one fifth of a gramme).
Colour:
Diamonds come in every colour of the rainbow, as well as black. Rare stones of exceptional colour - green, red, blue, and pink are known as fancies and are the most valuable! There are also the more common colours of the champagnes and cognacs. The most sought after diamonds are those that have no colour. It is this lack of colour, that makes these diamonds valuable. The finest colour is kown as "D" colour, and as other colours taint this pure whiteness the colour grade of a diamond is decreased.
Clarity:

Clarity refers to the level of inclusions, in other words the natural imperfections a diamond possesses. Called inclusions they are nature's finger print and make every diamond unique. However, the fewer there are, the rarer the diamond will be.


The following gives an indication of the clarity classifications given to diamonds.


 

IFInternally Flawless
VVS1Very Very Small Inclusions
VVS2 
VS1Very Small Inclusions
VS2 
Si1Small Inclusions
Si2 
I1Inclusions visible to the naked eye
I2 
I2 
Carat (in reference to gold)
Carat used in reference to gold is a grading of the purity of the gold. Fine gold or pure gold being 24ct, is seldom used in jewellery. 18ct and 9ct is the more common caratage of gold used in Australian made jewellery. An alloy is added to the gold to produce a gold of 18ct, being 18 parts fine gold and 6 parts alloy, depending on the colour of gold you want to produce and how you want to work the gold will determine the type of alloy used. White gold, pink gold and other colours can be produced depending on the metals used in the alloy. The same is done for 9ct, but different amounts of alloy are used.
Pearls

There are four main groups of mollusks which yield cultured pearls.

 

AKOYA PEARLS

 

Akoya pearls are appreciated for their roundness and high lustre.  The natural colours range form white, yellow to grey, with a tint of pink, cream, green to blue.

Akoya pearls are cultivated in Japan, Southern China and Vietnam, from oysters in the Pinctada fucata group.

 

SOUTH SEA PEARLS

 

South Sea pearls are cultivated in Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Myanmar (Burma), from oysters in the Pinctada maxima group.

Australia tends to produce white, silver to grey South Sea pearls, while Indonesia, the Philippines and Myanmar produce pearls in warmer tones from cream, yellow to golden.

 

BLACK SOUTH SEA PEARLS

 

Black South Sea pearls are also known as Tahitian pearls.  They are cultivated in the islands of the South Pacific, from oysters in the Pinctada margaritifera group.

Although often referred to as black pearls, Tahitian pearls exhibit a wide range of colour, from pitch black to dark grey, bronze, light grey, green, yellow to white with overtones of red, blue and purple.

 

FRESHWATER PEARLS

 

Freshwater pearls are mainly cultivated in China, grown in mussels from the Hyriopsis cumungii group.

Freshwater pearls come in shades of white, pink, peach and purple.


Site by Nexacom