http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog Weekly insights into what to look for when buying fine gold, platinum and silver gem and diamond set jewellery are offered in The Girlfriend?s Guide to Jewellery. Learn what the difference is between jewellery repair and restoration. Avoid the pitfalls of poor workmanship and manufacturing short cuts. Buy jewellery with greater confidence and have fun! en-us http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/useruploads/alyeas_blog.gif http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog 100 44 Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/14..1.4.0.html Chapter Title 28 Here it comes... at last! 27 Lost Wax 26 Handmade 25 Methods of manufacture: Labour 24 Carat 23 Clarity 22 Colour 21 Cut 20 The Language of Diamond Grading 19 Calibrated Gemstones 18 Cabochon 17 Faceting 16 Cutting 15 Density 14 Durability 13 Carat 12 Style 11 Design 10 Quality 9 Life Jewellery 8 Jewellery 7 The Prologue 6 Hallmarks and Trademarks 5 Sterling 4 Platinum 3 More facts about gold 2 Colours of gold 1 Getting to know Gold Tue, 25 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/2..1.4.0.html Welcome to the first installment of Alyea's Jewellers Blog! Rather than try to sell you Jewellery, what I hope to do is inform you about jewellery. Of course, I would be delighted if you came to our store and we could find or create a special piece together! There are many things people may think of as jewellery Let's start with gold. This is a BIG topic! So get comfortable and give yourself about 5 quiet minutes to read this. I will try not to take so much of your time in future... Picture this: we are sitting across the table from each other, two girlfriends talking about jewellery. Today we are admiring a pretty gold necklace. I mention that it's 18 karat gold and that it has really good weight because the links are solid. My companion says casually but in a manner that implies more, ‘oh, European gold’. ... Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/5..1.4.0.html There are many different ‘recipes’ for alloying gold. The adding of various alloys to change the colour of gold is not like mixing paint to achieve a third colour. Fine gold is very, very yellow. Its colour can be altered by the addition of carefully calculated amounts of other alloy metals. As you add alloy to fine gold you also change its colour. The addition of any alloy will also affect the price. Imagine a glass of cranberry juice… the full glass of juice is 24 karat gold; the colour is quite rich and red. Drink ¼ of the juice and fill the glass back up with water. That’s 18 karat gold. If you drink just a little less than half of the juice and fill the glass back up with water, that’s 14 karat gold. Now start with a fresh glass and fill it to slightly more than the 1/3 mark and then fill the glass with water, that’s 10 karat gold. You get the picture. The glass is still full but the concentration of juice is lower. The colour of the juice gets a little paler each time. Most often ... Thu, 10 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/6..1.4.0.html Luster Luster is the magical allure of gold, a glow that seems to come from within. Fine gold has it. Fine pearls have it.  Lower karat gold takes a good surface polish but as it wears and the surface scratches, the gold becomes dull and looks flat. It literally becomes ‘lack luster’. On the other hand, with wear, higher karat gold develops what we call a ‘patina’. Though the surface polish is scratched and marked the gold continues to glow and have luster. This is true of yellow and rose gold. Other colours of gold including white gold polish well but are not generally described as being lustrous. Malleability Malleability is the ability of a metal to have its shape changed with the application of exterior stress. Gold is extremely malleable. A single ounce of fine gold can be pounded into sheets called ‘gold leaf’ approximately one ten thousandths of a millimeter thick without breaking or tearing. That one ounce of fine gold leaf can cover 20 square meters! Gold used in jewellery can be ... Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/7..1.4.0.html Platinum is a naturally white metal. It is more rare than gold, more expensive to extract and more expensive to refine. Though platinum has been known and used since the time of the Egyptian pharaohs it has not always been widely used. It is difficult and costly to recover and complicated to refine. It takes about five months to process the eight to ten tons of ore required to produce one ounce of fine platinum. If all the platinum ever found and refined were collected together in one place, it would form a cube that would fit quite comfortably inside your house! Like gold it is extremely dense, malleable and ductile and it is inert. Like gold, platinum is a commodity priced by the ... Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/9..1.4.0.html Silver is another naturally white metal of high luster, density, durability, malleability and luster. Like gold and platinum, sterling silver is a commodity sold internationally by the ounce, priced in American dollars and though its price is floating it is also referred to as the ‘fix’. To give some perspective to the relative value of fine silver, historically it has not been traded at a fix over $ 50.00 US, though it appears we may soon see higher prices! ‘Sterling’ silver is the most widely recognized purity of silver. It is alloyed to ... Wed, 02 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/10..1.4.0.html A hallmark is an official mark or impression stamped into a metal object to indicate the purity of its content. A trademark is an impression stamped into a piece indicating its maker. Hallmarking is a fascinating study unto itself. Historically, hallmarks are a form of consumer protection dating, by some accounts, back as far as the 4th century of the modern era. Traditionally they are used on items of gold, platinum and silver though we also see them used on other metals such as copper and on alloys such as brass and pewter. Some of the more complex hallmark systems indicate not only the purity of the precious metals used but also the place and date of manufacture. Standards vary around the world. In both Canada and the United States if a purity or karat mark is stamped on a piece, by law, it must be accompanied by the makers’ mark. Simple number marks may be used in some parts of the world but unfortunately they may not always reflect the actual purity of the metal.   Wed, 09 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/12..1.4.0.html For over 35 years I have enjoyed helping thousands of women trying on and buying jewellery, but perhaps there has been a 'missing link'. We have all heard and used the phrase 'fine jewellery'. But do you know what makes a piece of 'fine' jewellery? Just because we have bought a piece of karat gold jewellery, have we bought a piece of 'fine' jewellery? Big question! I'd love to help you make jewellery choices that meet or even exceed your expectations; to help you to make choices that will bring you enduring satisfaction and enhance your personal style. Though almost anything can be made into jewellery, this blog will not include a discussion of costume jewellery. When we buy 'costume' jewellery we know we are buying a short term accessory, a bit of theatre and have no expectation of 'investment' or long term wear. Expectations of good or fine jewellery are much higher, and rightly so. My blog will outline some tips to help you recognize the elements of a well executed and functional piece of jewellery. Being able to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of design and manufacture will give you a major boost in helping you make satisfying jewellery choices. It's up to you to set the price and choose the style. Once you become familiar with the 'language' of jewellery and have a better understanding of what you are actually looking at, jewellery shopping will be fun! Wed, 16 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/13..1.4.0.html The ancients treasured it, wars have been fought over it and regardless of their social status, almost every person on earth owns a piece of it. Be a bit of wood, plastic or shell threaded onto a length of string or the crown jewels of the British royal family it is all jewellery. In all its forms jewellery is a very personal adornment. It reflects social status and embodies power. It may be worn and removed as occasions dictate. Whether as a token of personal significance or affection, a tribute of commemoration or special recognition or as a symbol of power and wealth, the perceived value of a piece of jewellery often transcends ... Tue, 05 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0200 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/15..1.4.0.html Fine jewellery is made from precious metals and fine gemstones. It is of good craftsmanship, durable, repairable and functional. We have all seen lower quality pieces made from precious metals and set with gemstones. Are these pieces of 'fine' jewellery? If a piece is too lightweight to be durable and cannot be satisfactorily repaired to a renewed state of reliable wear; if the gemstones are of inferior quality and the piece does not sit well when worn, it would be difficult to describe such a piece as 'fine' from any perspective. Over our lifetime, most of us will own only a few pieces of fine jewellery. So it's important to make them count! Not only do those pieces define our personal style, they form an important part of our legacy. They should not only satisfy our aesthetic sensitivities but also be well made, durable, repairable and functional. I want to help you find those wonderful pieces of jewellery that will become part of your 'signature' style; something you will wear with pride and enjoy when ever and where ever you wear them. True, a piece of 'life jewellery' is probably going to cost more money but carefully chosen and well cared for it will provide years of satisfaction. It will be a piece to make you smile and be glad you bought it every time you put it on. The price point could be as high as a car purchase but unlike most cars, a piece of fine jewellery will serve you for decades. Think about it, the sooner you can buy it the longer you can enjoy it! Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0200 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/17..1.4.0.html In all things, one rarely regrets buying quality. When we speak of quality in jewellery we may be referring to one of two things or both! We may refer to the level of craftsmanship that has gone into the making of a piece or, we may refer to the relative intrinsic value of its individual components. When it comes to quality of craftsmanship, not every piece of jewellery we buy is or needs to be of the highest quality but we should know how to buy a piece that will live up to our expectations and requirements. Not every gemstone needs to be of the highest quality but we should know where the stones we are considering sit in terms of their relative price and quality.The big questions are 'Is the piece durable?', 'Can it be readily repaired?' and 'Is this particular stone suitable for the wear I intend to give it?'. If the answer to any of these questions is 'no', think ... Wed, 20 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0200 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/18..1.4.0.html There is a jewellery design to appeal to every aesthetic. It may be a design by a world renowned professional jewellery designer or it may be your own personal 'one time only' creation. For our conversation, this is not so much a discussion of the aesthetics of design as it is a look at how function is affected by design. Or is design affected by function? Good jewellery design goes far beyond your initial reaction to its look. This is a case where the adage 'form follows function' definitely applies. Jewellery should be functional as well as attractive. It should have a good physical balance as well as an aesthetic equilibrium. Wearing jewellery is an interactive process: rings should be comfortable, sit upright and hold gemstones securely; pendants, brooches and earrings should sit properly and hang straight; bracelets and necklaces should lie comfortably against the skin without twisting with secure, discreet fasteners. Jewellery can fulfill many purposes: to transport wealth; to frame a gem; to express your individuality or to be a part of a current fashion trend to name a few. Whatever the intended purpose, the design has to work. Wed, 27 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0200 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/19..1.4.0.html A parallel may be drawn between the jewellery world and the clothing world.A custom designed and hand made 'one of a kind' piece of jewellery is as special, individual and rare as a couturier runway creation. 'Limited edition' pieces, the designer name brand lines that are sold through exclusive contract at jewellery stores around the world, are roughly the equivalent to the upscale name brand clothes sold in boutiques and chic 'Downtown' department stores. Both deliver the pride, confidence and the prestige of wearing a recognized and elite 'peer approved' designer name. We recognize that these pieces, be they jewellery or clothes, are of consistent and dependable quality. Based on the styles and trends established by these famous designers come a myriad of distant cousins: the 'wannabes' and knockoffs. From the consumer perspective, the further 'down the chain' a piece is from the original designer house, the more relaxed our expectations become. Though the look may ... Wed, 04 May 2011 00:00:00 +0200 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/21..1.4.0.html Carat describes weight the same way that pound and kilogram do. A carat is a much smaller measure of weight. One carat is equal to 1/5 of a gram. It takes five carats to equal one gram; 5.00cts equal 1 gram. All gemstones are sold by weight, that is, by the carat. We can think of a carat in the same way as we do a dollar. One dollar is written $ 1.00; one carat is written 1.00ct. A dollar is made up of 100 'cents'; a carat is made up of 100 'points'. 1/100 of a dollar is one cent, and is written $0.01. 1/100 of a carat is one point, and is written 0.01ct. We use the word 'points' for any size smaller than one carat, that is to say, for weights up to 0.99ct or ninety-nine points. With dollars the single zero before the decimal point is often omitted. With carats it is always included: 0.10ct is 'ten points'; 0.79ct is 'seventy-nine points' and 0.015ct, is 'one and a half points'. For a carat or more we say it the way we write it: 1.32ct is 'one carat thirty-two' or ' one thirty-two'; 17.03ct is said 'seventeen carats three points' or 'seventeen oh three'. For 0.25ct, 0.33ct, 0.50ct and 0.75ct we say 'a quarter carat, 'a third of a carat', 'half a carat' and 'three quarter carat'. Thu, 12 May 2011 00:00:00 +0200 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/23..1.4.0.html Durability is an important and practical characteristic of gemstones. Durability refers to several of a gem's characteristics such as how easily it can fracture, or how easily it scratches or chips. As beautiful as a stone may be if it not durable it will not be suitable for wear as jewellelry and it is not included on our list as a 'gemstone'. Stones that lack durability and are not considered 'gemstones' may be very beautiful and have considerable value as collectible polished or facetted stones and as mineral specimens.  Each gemstone is assigned a hardness rating according to the Moh's Scale. Moh's Scale: The Moh's hardness scale is a scale of relative hardness running from the ... Wed, 18 May 2011 00:00:00 +0200 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/24..1.4.0.html When we were kids our dad used to tease us asking 'what is heavier, a pound of lead or a pound of feathers?' of course the answer is that they both weigh the same. What is different is their relative size or volume. A pound of lead is pretty small and a pound of feathers is huge! This is a lesson in a contrast between two materials each of vastly different density. Different gemstones have different densities. Density is referred to or measured as the 'specific gravity' of a material. The 'standard' for measuring density is the weight of one cubic centimetre or 1cc of water. At sea level and at 4 degrees celcius one cubic centimetre of water weighs one gram. Water is our 'benchmark' and it has a specific gravity of 1. A volume equal to 1cc of diamond is 3.45 times as heavy as 1cc of water. Diamond has a specific gravity of 3.45. Sapphire is 5.43 times as heavy as water and has a specific gravity of 5.43. What we see is that sapphires are actually heavier than diamonds, 1.57 times heavier. Why do we care? Say for example we see a three stone diamond ring with all three stones the same size, all round, each measuring approximately 6.5mm in diameter, each weighing one carat and having a total diamond weight of 3.00 carats. We like the ring only we want it set with three round brilliant cut sapphires. Three sapphires each having all the same measurements as the three diamonds will have a total weight of 4.72 carats, 1.57 times heavier than the three diamonds. Depending on how you phrase your request, you will end up with two very different rings. If you use weight as your measuring stick and ask for a three stone sapphire ring with a total weight of 3.00 carats each stone will measure approximately 5.5mm in diameter. The sapphires will be smaller but the total weight will be 3.00 carats. If you use size as your measuring stick and ask for a three stone sapphire ring with each stone measuring approximately 6.5mm in diameter and the total weight will be approximately 4.72 carats. Thu, 26 May 2011 00:00:00 +0200 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/25..1.4.0.html Size The size of a gemstone is described by its measurements. Gemstones are usually measured in millimetres or fractions of millimetres in three directions: width, length and depth. For most of us choosing a gemstone is a visual choice. While we are probably not familiar with the actual carat weight of a sapphire or an amethyst we know what size we like when we see it. The one exception to this approach might be diamonds. Most of us have looked at diamonds and they are almost always shown to us along with a comment regarding their weight, 'this stone is a half carat' or 'this diamond weighs a full carat'. As a result, it is not uncommon to hear someone ... Wed, 01 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0200 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/26..1.4.0.html Typically, transparent gem quality material is polished and facetted. Faceting should leave the stone symmetrical, evenly proportioned and with good polish or finish. Revealing the beauty of the gem material is the goal of the cutter, that and maintaining maximum weight from the original rough material. Some material is still cut by hand. Exceptional gem material is cut by a master-hand. There are various patterns of faceting and most facetted gemstones have a crown, a girdle and a pavilion. The 'girdle' separates the 'crown' from the 'pavilion' and can have the appearance of a fine to thick 'whitish' line. Often the 'girdle' is left unpolished though it is becoming a style to facet the ... Fri, 10 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0200 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/27..1.4.0.html When a stone has an overall polished dome shape we call it a cabochon cut. A cabochon may be any of the shapes we have mentioned as well as a myriad of fancy or free form shapes. All cabochons have a smooth polished domed topside and either a flat or slightly domed underside. The underside is usually but not always polished. A well cut cabochon has smooth all over even polish with no flat surfaces on the polished dome of the stone. The outer edge of a cabochon is called the girdle of the stone. It defines the outline of the stone's shape. An irregular girdle will give a stone an irregular and uneven shape. It is around or on the girdle that the setting will rest to secure the stone in the mount. A cabochon cut is usually reserved for opaque or translucent gem material but transparent material can also be very beautiful when cut 'en cabochon'. Freeform Freeform stones are often whimsical expressions of the cutters' art. They can be beautiful, precious small-scale sculptures, amazing works of art unto themselves and are often a hybrid combining elements of faceting and cabochon style polishing. Both transparent and opaque gem material are fashioned in this manner. Stones cut in the style are most often set in hand-made custom designed settings as they do not conform to traditional settings. Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0200 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/28..1.4.0.html In the trade we refer to gemstones that are cut to conventional shapes and sizes as 'calibrated stones'. Calibrated gemstones are cut in a range of consistent proportions and dimensions calculated to fit into a host of independently designed and manufactured mounts which have in turn been designed and manufactured to match the size and shapes of a range of calibrated gemstones. Imagine if each gemstone were cut into an individual shape and size; every stone would require a dedicated hand made setting!Matching the size and shape of the gemstones to the mounts is an enormous cost saver. You can see that cutting the gemstones and designing the settings to accommodate them in a vast selection of ring, pendant, earring, bracelet or brooch styles and then casting these designs in various metals makes the possible combinations almost endless and at the same time reduces costs significantly. Rare, expensive and rough gem material of exceptional quality is still often cut by hand. The gem cutters' goal is always a balance between maximum weight retention and revealing the maximum beauty of the finished gem. This often results in a finished gemstone that does not have of 'calibrated' dimensions. Since these stones are rare and precious they 'deserve' their custom designed one of a kind hand made designs and settings. Thu, 23 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0200 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/29..1.4.0.html Diamonds are described in terms of what we refer to as the 4 C’s: cut, colour, clarity and carats weight. These days, now that Canada is the world’ s third largest producer of diamonds, by weight, some us want to say we need 'Five C’s': cut, colour, clarity, carat weight and of course, Canadian! For now we’ll settle on those original four C’s as they are listed on grading charts. We will look at them in their order of impact on a diamond’s beauty and the language used to describe and quantify them.  There are two primary diamond-grading systems used and recognized around the world. One system has been developed by the American Gem Society (A.G.S.) and the other by the Gemmological Institute of America (G.I.A.). Each of these grading systems assigns a cut, colour and clarity grade to a diamond and verifies the weight of the loose stone. It should be noted that grading reports or ‘certs’ as they are known do not assign dollar values to stones; they are grading reports only. Grading reports or certificates from both the AGS and the GIA are very highly regarded and are ... Thu, 30 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0200 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/31..1.4.0.html Whatever the clarity or colour of a diamond it is the cut that brings a diamond to life! Most people don't need a microscope to appreciate the brilliance of a diamond or to notice its lack of brilliance. Either way, it is the cut that can give a diamond the fire and sparkle we all love. The temptation to retain greater finished weight from the rough crystal can cause a cutter to deviate from the ideal proportions when cutting a diamond thus diminishing the fire and brilliance of the finished stone. The cut grade of a diamond has three components: proportions, symmetry and finish. An ideal grade in all three categories is the finest possible of cut grades. It is a grade very rarely achieved and requiring a great deal of time and the skill on part of a master cutter. What we know today as the round brilliant cut has been developed over centuries in an ongoing search for the form to release the maximum brilliance and dispersion from rough ... Wed, 06 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0200 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/32..1.4.0.html In order of importance, the next of the 'Four C's' is colour. Just as we can perceive brilliance in a diamond we can also perceive its colour with the naked eye. It is easier to see the presence of colour than it is to 'see' the lack of colour. When we speak of the 'colour' of a diamond we are referring to its natural body colour. The colour grade should not be confused with the display of dispersion or fire from the diamond.  The sparkle of a diamond can be visually very distracting. For this reason the body colour of the stone is graded through its pavillion while lying face down on a plain white surface using a method of contrast and comparison using 'master stones' of known colour grades. Most diamonds have some body colour and yellow is the most common. Other more common body colours include brown, green and grey. Rare diamond colours include blue, pink, orange, red and ... Tue, 19 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0200 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/33..1.4.0.html Clarity is the next of the 'Four C's'. It often requires magnification to determine clarity. Diamonds are graded at a 10X or 10 power magnification.The little spots and flaws we see inside a diamond are called inclusions.Some types of inclusions are more noticeable than others. The number, location and nature of the inclusion or inclusions determine the clarity grade of each diamond. The parameters of each clarity grade are very clearly defined. The GIA clarity grading system works under the following definitions. Clarity grading starts at Flawless. There are no tolerances within the Flawless category. It is very simple: if there is ANY inclusion in a diamond it is not Flawless. Next we have IF or Internally Flawless. This means that the diamond is internally flawless but can have some minor ... Fri, 22 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0200 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/34..1.4.0.html The last C in the group of 'Four C's' is the carat weight. As we have seen there are 100 points in a carat and one carat equals one fifth of a gram. All gemstones are weighed by the carat, not just diamonds. All other grades being equal, the bigger a diamond is, the more expensive it will be.Round diamonds of similar weight will have very similar size when cut in accordance with the defined 'ideal proportions' for round brilliant cut diamonds.Gone are the days when round brilliant cut diamonds were cut to any of a wide range of proportions making 'spread' stones look large for their weight. A spread stone has ... Sat, 06 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0200 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/35..1.4.0.html First, let me appologize for the lack postings of my blog over the last couple of weeks. Here is the reason....a new Puppy!Meet Odin :)   Methods of Manufacture Labour The labour factor in a piece of jewellery can be a major part of the overall cost. Broadly speaking more time and finer hand craftsmanship result in higher production costs. Labour costs have two basic components: skill and time. The greater the level of skill of the hands doing the work, the higher the cost per hour of the labour will be. As labour is sold by the hour, the more time spent making the piece, the more expensive it will be. It is the combination of skilled hands and an artistic spirit to interpret a design with an understanding of the function of the piece that will result in the creation of a sensational piece of jewellery. Remove or skimp on any one of these elements and it will show in the finished piece. All of these elements are present in the making of a one of a kind custom piece. It is the rare client who can have a hand made, custom designed, 'one of a kind' item of jewellery created. More often this level of skill, talent, time and expense is reserved for a 'master model' created for a jewellery-manufacturing firm. From the master model hundreds or even thousands of copies will be made. Every detail of design, finish and weight in the original master will be reproduced in every copy. In this process the considerable costs of crafting the master are spread out over a vast number of copies. The fixed costs of producing each copy are the cost and weight of the precious metal used and the time required for the finishing each unit. Thu, 25 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0200 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/36..1.4.0.html Having a one of a kind custom designed piece of jewellery made for you is the most personal and most expensive way to create a piece of jewellery. In a sense, it could be regarded as the choice of last resort. If you can’t find anything to your liking or if you have particular stones you want set, the option of having a custom made piece may be your only answer. The process may begin with a rough sketch. From there, as your ideas firm up, a more finished rendering may be next or perhaps next, a wax model. Basically what you are having made will follow a very similar path as making a master for commercial reproduction only in your case there will be no copies made. As your project advances, because is it a custom piece, you must be aware that almost anything is possible. When you ask to change details, add stones or choose larger stones, choose a heavier version of your original idea or upgrade the karat of the piece your designer will rarely say ‘no’. But remember, as you make these changes, each change or addition can have a major impact on the price. It is best to set a budget at the outset and make your limits clear to your designer. It will save you both a lot of time, help prevent misunderstandings and help keep your project on budget. ... Thu, 01 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0200 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/37..1.4.0.html This is an ancient casting method that is still widely used to this day. To start, a model is sculpted in wax, finished and polished in every detail. The wax is carved or sculpted by a specialist who will translate your dream into a one of a kind special design. It is a process that may be used to create one single piece or it may be used to create the master copy for a design destined to be reproduced many times. The wax is placed in a casting vial and the vial is then carefully filled with plaster of Paris. Vents may be added from the wax model to the surface of the plaster of Paris to allow gases to escape. The canister then goes into a casting furnace to literally burn out the wax model. This leaves an exact 3-D impression of the wax in the now solid plaster. A carefully weighed amount of molten metal of choice is poured down the vent hole into the cavity left by the melted wax model. After the metal solidifies and cools the plaster is broken away from the rough casting inside revealing a reproduction faithful in every detail to the original wax carving. At this point the casting is a one of a kind creation. It may be the desired final product or the casting may be the master for ongoing mass reproduction. As the latter, the master is cleaned, polished and weighed. Every detail is crucial as it will be present in every copy made. The master is then moulded in a special rubber compound. The rubber mould of our master can then be injected with molten wax creating an unlimited series of reproductions each to be cast in its turn using the lost wax process. The cost of creating the original model becomes almost negligible as it is spread out over 10’s, 100’s or even 1,000’s of copies. Not so with the one-of-a-kind model where all the costs are concentrated in the one piece. When intended for mass production, the finished weight of the master is of primary concern. The final casting may be in sterling silver, 10 karat gold or 22 karat. Whatever the choice, the weight of the casting metal will be the greatest part of the cost of the reproduction. Using the lost wax process for custom design provides the advantage of being able to actually see and try on the piece before proceeding to the casting phase. We can place the stones into the wax model to ensure they will be featured the way we see them in our imagination. This is the time to ensure that you and your designer are on the same ‘wave length’ and you both see the design the same way. The wax may be modified or may have to be completely replaced before proceeding to the much more expensive and final step of casting in precious metals. Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/38..1.4.0.html Hi everyone! Here I am back again after a l o n g break! Lately, with a mad combination of personal and professional demands, being in touch weekly has proven to be too ambitious for me. My 'new' schedule will be a monthly contribution, which should be doable, if all goes to plan.When last we 'spoke' I started to discuss the setting process. There is of course a wide range of quality possible in both the work and the materials used in the various techniques of gem setting. Skimping on metal, time spent setting or finishing or not taking care in matching the size of the setting used with the size of the stone to be set will all affect the quality and reliability of the finished product. Don't be shy to have a good look at the settings when choosing a piece of jewellery. The choice of setting style used should be in harmony with the design as well as functional in terms of wear Claw Set In this type of setting, the group of claws that hold a stone is called the 'head'. As few as two claws may be used but more often there are three, four, six or eight claws in a single head. When there are more than six claws in a single head it is called a multi-claw head. The use of multi-claw settings is usually more a design feature than a necessity.When a stone is set a small notch is cut into the inside face of each claw. The shape of the notch corresponds to the shape and size of the stone to be set. The depth of the notch cut into the claw should not compromise its strength. This notch is called the 'seat' because it is literally where the stone will sit in the setting.When the seat has been correctly cut, the girdle of the stone is fitted into the notches. There should be a point of contact between the pavilion of the stone and the bottom of the seat cut into each claw. The excess length of each claw is then trimmed and 'beaded' down over the stone. This will form a point of contact between the crown of the stone and the bead of each claw.The claws will all work together to hold the stone securely in the head. Bezel A bezel setting is a continuous 'collar' of metal that follows the shape of the stone. The stone actually sits on a continuous ledge of metal matching its shape. The collar of metal is folded down over the girdle and around the edge of the crown. The 'collar' is then trimmed and polished. It should fit tightly over the stone. Semi-bezel This is the same method and style of setting as a bezel setting only the collar is in two separate crescent shapes usually at opposite sides or ends of the stone. Sat, 24 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/40..1.4.0.html While we all celebrate in our own special way, some with long practiced traditions, some with a new adventure each year, some in the company of our near and dear, some far from loved ones and those old familiar traditions, it is the intangible spirit of the season that can truly transport us. The Christmas spirit is a lot like a special piece of treasured jewellery.It is not the value or size of the celebration that touches us, not the grand location or the storybook atmosphere of the celebration that is important, it is the warmth that glows and grows from within that is priceless. And just like that treasured piece of jewellery, what brings that special feeling is unique for each one of us. Whatever brings you that special joy we hope it finds you again this year. Best wishes one and all for a very Happy Christmas! Mon, 05 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/41..1.4.0.html Hi! I’m back after taking some personal time. As much as I love jewellery… wearing it, looking at it, talking about it… some times I can be sidetracked. Most recently I have been completely smitten and preoccupied by our first grandchild! Of course he is the most beautiful child I have ever seen and, instead of spending my spare time with all of you, I have been working on making him a welcome gift!  AS it happens, it was a good spot to take a break. We have looked at some basic jewellery language, terms and definitions. You have waded through some pretty dry discussions of the differences among density, size and weight; the difference between carat and karat and the difference between hardness and durability. Now that we are all speaking the same language we can move on to actually talking about jewellery! First we’ll look at the care, cleaning and maintenance of fine jewellery. From there we’ll move on to look at some of the ‘accepted’ short cuts in jewellery making and how those shortcuts they can effect your satisfaction in the pieces you choose not just their pricing and quality. We will contrast shortcut methods with more traditional methods of jewellery making. When you start to see the range of possibilities you will be able to decide quite quickly for yourself where your comfort level sits. Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0200 http://www.alyeasjewellers.com/Blog/42..1.4.0.html Before you read this, let me remind you that the information in this blog is specific to ‘fine jewellery’ not costume or ‘fashion jewellery’. There are a number of ‘professional’ cleaning products and devices available on the market designed specifically for cleaning jewellery. Not all gems and metals are compatible with all of the products available. If you do choose to use them, be sure to read and follow the directions carefully. If you are unsure how to proceed, stop! You may do irreparable damage. Your jeweller will always be happy to clean a piece for you. You will both be distressed if you choose to ‘do it yourself’ and make a mistake. In my opinion, ultrasonic cleaners should be left to the professionals. Part of owning anything you value is the responsibility of caring for it and maintaining it. Simple maintenance can significantly extend the life and enjoyment of your jewellery. ...