KNOW YOUR STONES
For many, buying a piece of jewellery can be a confusing and overwhelming experience, but it need not be!
Understanding the qualities and characteristics of different gemstones is simple and straightforward, let Jackey L Jewellers share some knowledge that will give you the confidence to make an informed choice!
Diamond
There are very many beautiful and unusual gemstone varieties, and all have their relative merits. Of all the different varieties, Diamond has been the World’s favourite and most highly prized gemstone for thousands of years because of the remarkable qualities it possesses. The hardest and most durable of all gemstones, diamond takes an exceptional polish and is highly refractive which gives the characteristic sparkle and fire associated with this wonderful gemstone. Diamonds are graded according to the “4 C’s”, Cut, Clarity, Colour & Carat (weight).
Cut
Clarity
FL Flawless ;No internal or external imperfections, IF internally Flawless ;No internal imperfections. These top catagories of diamond are extremely rare.
VVS1,VVS2 Very,Very Slightly Included ;Very difficult to see imperfections under 10x magnification. An excellent qualitity diamond.
VS1,VS2 Very Slightly included ;imperfections are unlikely to be seen by the naked eye without magnification. A very good diamond but less expensive than the VVS grades.
SI1,SI2 Slightly included ;imperfections visable under magnification and may be visible to the naked eye. A good value diamond.
I1,I2,I3 Included ; imperfections visable to the naked eye. Lower grade diamonds.
Colour
Colour actually refers to the absence of colour in the diamond with perfect colourless being D, followed by E Exceptional White, F,G,H Colourless, I,J Near Colourless, K,L Tinted White, M-Z Tinted Colour. Diamond also appears rarely in all the colours of the rainbow and these are termed “fancy”, these beautiful diamonds demand a premium price and are often highly sought after.
Carat
The last of the “Four C’s”, carat weight refers to the size of the diamond. Most people would be familiar with the principal, the higher the carat weight, the greater the value. However, they may not be aware that a single 1 carat diamond is worth much more than several smaller diamonds that together make up 1 carat; this is because the supply of larger stones is more limited. Smaller stones are measured in “points”; each point of diamond represents 1/100th of a carat (0.01ct). If a diamond is described as weighing half a carat it will be shown as 0.50ct, or 50 points. A quarter carat =0.25ct or 25 points and so on. At Jacky L Jewellers we offer all sizes of diamond, but if you don’t see what you want ask us and we will be happy to help!
Sapphire and Ruby
Both Sapphire and Ruby have been highly prized as gemstones for generations, but are in fact of the same gemstone “family” called Corundum. Ruby is the red gem quality variety of Corundum, and all other colours of Corundum are called Sapphire*, although traditionally associated with the colour blue. Sapphires occur in a host of different shades of blue, as well as other colours such as orange, green, pink, yellow and colourless. Corundum is very well suited for use in the jewellery industry because of its hardness, being second only to Diamond. This durability combined with the wide variety of beautiful colours available make Sapphire and Ruby highly desirable!
*Padparadscha is the only other variety of corundum other than Ruby to be given its own name; it is a beautiful pinkish orange colour that is named after the Sinhalese word for lotus blossom.
Emerald
Emerald is the most highly prized and widely recognised variety of the gemstone family Beryl. The stunningly vibrant green of a good quality Emerald once seen is never forgotten! Colour is the most important consideration when determining the value of an Emerald, as it is normal for Emeralds to have natural flaws and inclusions that developed as the crystal formed. Emerald needs a little more care taken when wearing as it is brittle, but a well designed setting can protect vulnerable corners and edges.
The other well known and valuable member of the Beryl family of gemstones is Aquamarine. This beautiful blue stone was named after the colour of sea water, and is the birthstone for March.
Birthstones
