Pink Diamonds set to Sizzle!

September 28, 2008 · 2 comments

Already the rarest- so rare in fact that most people will not actually see one in their life time- and the most expensive diamond on the planet!

Their value, apart from the diamonds intrinsic magnificence, has been increasing steadily for the last 2 years. The upper end of pink diamonds, are capable of fetching upwards of US$1M per carat, AND, as supply declines over the coming years, their investment worth is set to escalate accordingly!

The Argyle Diamond mine in the Kimberleys, far North Western Australia, supplies 95% of the worlds pink diamonds, and is not only the largest supplier but also the most consistent supplier of these rare and beautiful diamonds. The diamond mine has been averaging around 30 million carats in total production in the last decade, which represents approximately a quarter of the worlds volume of ALL diamonds.

Pink diamonds, in total represent much less than one-tenth of one percent of the mine total! Just to give you an idea of how few pink diamonds are truly viable as something you would want to own or invest in…

The Argyle Diamond Mine has scheduled the underground expansion phase to finish in 2018, this is obviously only 10 years away. At this point in time production of pinks will be diminished.

“this is at the same time as demand for colour diamonds is increasing exponentially”

Gavin Pearce, is the senior sales executive for Argyle Diamonds.

“the basic supply-demand equation is compelling. The red and purplish red diamonds are the rarest colours in the world and hold the highest value per carat. There have been a number of these that have sold lately, by auction and by regular sale that have commanded extremely high valuations.”

Many people considered the white diamond as the most beautiful diamond, that was untill the discovery of the Argyle mine in the 1970′s.

This discovery heralded the arrival of the Argyle Pink Diamond.

Never before had the world seen pink diamonds which displayed such intense shades of colour, along with the brilliance and fire typical of fine quality diamonds. The pink diamonds available from countries like India, Brazil and Africa were and are characteristically light and subtle, they paled even further when placed beside the Argyle Pink Diamond, which can typically range in colour from a blush pink to rich raspberry, and has been seen in a robust purple-red colour.

Pink diamonds are historically coveted by kings and queens, which only adds to their current day appeal, but, the pink diamond legend and appeal has been growing steadily for the past two decades, since a 3.14 carat Argyle Pink Diamond sold for US$1.51M at a Christies auction in New York in 1989. Pink Diamonds mainstream recognition was obviously heightened and brought to the attention of the public, when Jennifer Lopez, brandished a 6.1 carat Pink Diamond ring on her engagement to fellow actor Ben Affleck in 2002. Unfortunately the couples wedding plans went belly up in 2004 and the ring was “reacquired” by Harry Winston and put back in the market for an undisclosed sum, and was made available to “serious bidders only”

Since then Pink Diamonds have become a sought after A-list accessory, with the likes of former top model Helena Christensen, super-couple David and Victoria Beckham, actress Salma Hayek and pop princess Britney Spears has several Pink Diamond belly chains and necklaces in her multi-million dollar jewellery collection.

This is only the start of Pink Diamonds popularity, they will only become more and more popular, and with the production and supply set to begin decreasing the time is right to take action if this is something you are looking for.

To give you an idea of what I am talking about, the price of coloured diamonds has risen more than 25% over the past two years alone!

According to the De Beers Diamond cartel, who anticipate, that if that rate of growth continues, an investment in coloured diamonds, particularly Pink Diamonds, could double in value in another 2 years…

There is an organisation in Ireland, The Sovereign Society, that provides legal strategies for wealthy people to protect their investments and assets, who advised its members last year that “colour diamonds are the worlds most concentrated form of wealth.” A coloured diamond portfolio worth any amount of money can be transported legally and easily and it can be sold in most major cities around the world. “These facts alone make coloured diamonds a worthy consideration by wealthy individuals, seeking discreet investment opportunities.” says The Sovereign Society.

Speaking personally, Pink Diamonds are not only symbols of great beauty and magnificence, they also offer people willing to purchase these great stones, an unparalleled investment opportunity. Most people who are willing and prepared to purchase Pink Diamonds are generally astute business people, who understand that true beauty like that of a Pink Diamond is a priceless investment.

As an industry professional, one of the most anticipated events of the year is the Argyle Pink Diamond Tender, an invitation only event. Argyle selects leading jewellers from around the world to view their very best pink diamonds, they usually tender around 50 stones in total, all of them over half a carat in total diamond weight each. The Tender, travels to Sydney, Hong Kong, New York, London and Geneva, where the selected jewellers are offered an opportunity to submit written bids for the diamonds.

For those of you, concerned with not only buying a magnificent token of love, but also ensuring you get impeccable quality in your Pink Diamond, and investment longevity, i can tell you that colour and in particular depth or richness of colour is the key in any coloured diamond. Gavin Pearce of Argyle Diamonds, puts it best though, “in coloured diamonds, colour is everything.”

Some points of interest about Pink Diamonds:-

  • The largest pink diamond in the world is the Darya-i-Nur, or Sea of Light, at 175 carats. The light pink was discovered in 1642 and was part of the crown jewels of India until the invading Persian army took it in 1739. It remains in Iran to this day.
  • The Pink Conde, or Le Grande Conde, is a 9 carat pear-shaped stone given to Louis de Bourbon, Prince of Conde, in 1643 by King Louis 13th of France for war service. The prince put it as the centerpiece of his jewelled walking stick. It was later placed in the French Crown.
  • The Queen received a 23 carat pink diamond as a wedding present in 1947, which she later placed at the centre of a diamond-encrusted brooch.
  • In fiction, one of the most famous is the Pink Panther, brought to fame in the movies of the same name. Actress-singer Beyonce Knowles was adorned in a pink diamond necklace in the latest movie remake.

If owning a Pink Diamond is something that you would like to do, either as an amazing gift to your special someone, or as an investment, contact me at

Appointment@EskaeJeweller.com

A modern History of Pink Diamonds (condensed!)

  • Argyle created the Argyle Library Egg, a magnificent pink diamond-encrusted artwork based on the legendary Faberge pieces, as a showpiece in the 1990s. It held a Guinness Book of Records entry.
  • The largest vivid pink diamond, as graded by the Gemological Institute of America is the Steinmetz Pink at 59.6 carats, unveiled in Monaco in 2003.
  • Queensland jeweller Cameron Robinson reputedly paid more than $2 million last year for The Lady in Red, a 5.13mm purplish-red Argyle, for the sheer joy of owning “one of the most beautiful diamonds in the world”. Mr Robinson displayed it in his Brisbane store for one day before putting it under lock and key.
  • A Cartier 6.1 carat pink diamond ring has become a major motion picture star. The ring was specifically created for the film Lust Caution, by Oscar-winning director Ang Lee, and is worn by the leading actress Tang Wei. Created in the style of the 1930s and 40s – the era in which the movie is set – it comprises two circles of diamonds that “hug” a large pink in the centre. The ring recently “toured” Singapore and Australia to mark Chinese New Year and then returned to Cartier New York 5th Avenue. Due to the significance of the movie, Cartier is not offering the ring for sale.

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Choosing a JEWELLERY DESIGNER for YOU

September 14, 2008 · 1 comment

There is a special occasion coming up;

  • birthday
  • anniversary
  • new baby
  • engagement
  • first communion
  • valentines day
  • Christmas
  • an “i love you” gift
  • second baby

The list is almost endless!

But these are probably the most often thought of occasions to gift someone special a beautiful piece of jewellery. Because they are someone special you really want to give them something totally unique, something that they perhaps deserve?, something that really conveys the right message or something that simply lets this special person know exactly how you feel!

Your thinking that this sounds SUPER expensive?

You are not exactly wrong, as doing something like this does have its inherent costs. Jewellery is a wonderful way to say all of these things and more. Using diamonds, gemstones, platinum and gold is an unbelievably good way of communicating a special message to that someone special, a great way of gifting someone, a piece of jewellery that they will always treasure, and will definitely remember the moment!

Certainly having something made for yourself or a loved one, is not something that will break the bank, but WILL endure the test of time, especially if you follow these simple guidelines.

WHERE DO I START?

First things first.

  • Look for jewellers who are local to you or better yet, that come recommended to you. You will have a chance to see and hear what this person has recomended from this particular jewellery designer, if it is your kind of taste or style, even the direction that you would like to go down
  • It is ok if you dont really have too much of an idea about where or what you are trying to achieve. Considering the fact that you are speaking to a jewellery designer, it is often best to leave most of it up to the person who is the expert in jewellery design. This is what we have chosen to do day in day out, we will know what is structurally possible, and what will aesthetically look the best in the end. If you do have a rough idea of what it is you are trying to say or do, even better as it gives us a great place to start from.
  • Your message or gift will possibly need a theme, (birthday, engagement, anniversary…) all need to say something different. A good place to start looking is on the Internet, there is a huge amount of jewellery images around and a simple search on Google, will dig up a great starting point. Try to keep in theme of the occasion.

CULLING THE LIST

  • Once you find a direction and you have nailed it down to a couple of jewellery designers that you are interested in looking at closer, see what they say about doing custom creations. How do they normally go about this process? What are the steps involved in designing and then creating this work of art? What do you need to give the designer? What will the designer give you? You can expect to pay a little more for having the privilege of a custom designed and crafted piece of jewellery. This is what you need to expect, not everybody wants this, or needs this. Any good jewellery designer will have a much better idea if they can help you achieve what you are trying to do with your jewellery, after you have met for the first time.
  • You will need to know a delivery time, or at the least a time frame for the design process and the creation of you jewellery. I generally like to work around the 3-4 week mark, as i find this gives me time to speak with you and get some designs underway, then when we meet again you are presented with some variations and the two of us will be a whole lot clearer about where we are going with this jewellery project. I will give you options on either diamonds and gemstones that we had previously discussed. Once we settle on the design, and what diamonds/gemstones we will be using, it can take anywhere between 2-3 weeks for the whole piece to be crafted in gold and/or platinum.
  • I like to do what i call a “fitting” of the piece. This is two fold; Firstly it gives me a chance to make sure no changes are necessary before i go ahead and set all the diamonds and gemstones, Secondly, it gives you the chance to make sure the piece is exactly what you are looking for, it has the right direction, and is in keeping with your message or gift idea. This IS the time to make any changes to the piece, before the stones are set, as it will not damage any stones, also it will not effect the time frame too much, particularly if the changes are small. IF however, there are major changes needed, then a small delay may be necessary.
  • One thing to bear in mind when ordering a custom piece of jewellery, is that this process does take some time. Time to craft the jewellery correctly, make sure that the jewellery is structural, and has all the aesthetic qualities that a custom order demands. A rushed job is literally that, no body gains from anything of the sort. Respect for this process is required and will often lead you to a much better piece of jewellery that you will be proud to say you have had that custom designed and made for you!

GET A FINAL DESIGN AND QUOTATION:

  • As i mentioned earlier, a good jewellery designer will have design variations and options for you to choose from, they will be able to give you ball park figures at this stage. Once you a final with your choice of design and either diamonds or gemstones, a more thorough quotation can be obtained.
  • I like to present a coloured hand sketch of the piece we will be making at this stage and it will be accompanied by some final figures.
  • A deposit is usually required as most custom designs need to have diamonds, coloured gemstones, gold, or platinum specifically ordered. I work around 30% down and i WILL NOT start the job untill a 50% deposit has been paid. Everyone is different here, you will need to discuss this with your designer.
  • A point of difference here, may, possibly whether or not the jeweller offers you any sort of unlimited design revision, or if they do a “fitt

    ing”, a guarantee, or even if they are happy to re-make the jewellery if it all turns out horribly wrong and the intended recipient does not like it at all! This is my philosophy and my company policy.

WAITING FOR THE WORK OF ART!

  • I like to keep you informed of the different stages of crafting your custom jewellery. I generally do this via email, as i like to have this on record, others i know make a simple phone call, but as this stage does not really require any action on your part, i believe that an email is great, as you can view it and forget it!
  • In the unlikely event of supply problems, a good jewellery design will call you to let you know, what the hold up is and when the expected solution is.
  • Once the jewellery is ready for a “fitting”, i like to call you and make an appointment for you to come and try the piece on. Of coarse if the jewellery is a surprise this does not apply, but 90% of the time it is what i believe to be one of the best practises that can be applied by a jewellery designer.
  • At the end of the creative process, when all the diamonds and coloured gems are set in their gold or platinum settings, an email with a photo and the valuation will be sent out to you, to tell you that your creation is ready to be collected! Once in store, a physical copy of the valuation certificate and the beautiful work of art is presented!

ONE FINAL THOUGHT!

  • IF there are any problems what so ever with your piece of jewellery, let the jeweller know what it is so that it can be rectified as soon as possible! A good jeweller will normally do this free of charge, BUT you may have to take a look at their guarantee, if one is presented to you.
  • Also if the piece IS everything you dreamt of and more let the designer know as well! We love to get feedback on the jewells that we create, and a happy smiling client is always the way forward! When somebody absolutely loves and adores their custom designed and crafted jewellery, it is a wonderful feeling and it makes me happy to be able to share in that moment of your life!

P.S.

check out these amazing pavement artworks! This will bring a smile to your face!

http://users.skynet.be/J.Beever/pave.htm

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Diamond shapes and cuts

September 7, 2008 · 1 comment

My wife and I went into darling harbour today to have a look at the annual jewellery trade fair.
Having spent pretty much the whole day there, i thought it would be good to be able to tell you about it.

Like any fair, essentially, we did a quick skim of the 3 halls that it took up at the convention centre, then as we got to places of interest we made some notes so we would know what we are doing when we come back to these people. I like to do this so that i don’t waste either my time or the persons in the stall, i find it actually does save time in the end as i don’t have to keep meandering through all the other stalls that are not of keen interest to me.

This year we were lucky enough to have a display of the worlds most important diamonds! they were replica stones of some of the largest and most well know diamonds, ranging from the blue hope diamond in the crown jewels, to the yellow Tiffany diamond. These beautiful pieces of rock, are just that! some of them were as big as my fist! and some of the colours were incredible!

My favourite stone would have to be the “GREAT TABLE” it is a pink diamond which weighs 242.31cts! unbelievable. this stone was found in the early 1600′s and unfortunately, during the 1800′s it was cut into 2, still stunning diamonds, but personally i would have preferred the single larger stone!

the 2 diamonds it was cut into are called the “DARYA-I-NOOR” which now lies in the Iranian crown jewels, and the “NUR-UL-AIN” again, now in the Iranian crown jewels. A great display to have seen, and if you are really into diamonds then I’m sure you would have loved the sparkle and the dazzle even these replicas were giving off!

Some other highlights from the jewellery fair, was seeing the international exhibitors and what direction they are taking their jewellery. Some of the jewellers from the Asian region had alot of almost ART DECO style inspirations, lots of pave set diamonds and gemstones, with a bit of a dangle in earrings and pendants. Their rings, were again an ART DECO inspired look, with concentric shapes, a little on the geometrical side, but again with lots of pave set diamonds.

A big trend out of the Italian exhibitors (of the 2 that were there anyway) was, fashion styled jewellery but made out of real gold and diamonds and precious gems. these pieces have that big bold kind of look and feel about them, were fairly light and very wearable. Especially the pendants and bracelets, which were made to go over a standard gold chain at either a necklet or bracelet length. Quite a good concept and with the success of the glass beads that we are starting to see alot more of, I’m sure this kind of jewellery will be accepted in time.

What was the highlight for me though?

Simple: New, unusual and daring diamond cuts. IE; different diamond shapes.

To me this really opens up the possibility of more exceptional quality in design. There was a dealer there, who sources his rough diamonds and then cuts them in Israel, he was doing some very groundbreaking things! For example he had cut a perfectly proportioned cross out of 4 beautiful diamonds all with a great colour and cutting perfection. he had taken the trouble to even make the bottom diamond about twice the length of the other 3 so that it really gave the most perfect shape.

The same guy had also cut 2 matching black diamonds each one weighing about 4cts! as a pair of cufflinks. they were very simply set, but the cutting design was certainly the feature. he had cut a completely faceted top, so there was no table (the big flat part on top of the diamond) but about 100 facets right across the top in a slight domed shape. if you have never seen a black diamond, it is like looking at the reverse of a whit diamond! instead of the light being refracted out of the stone, it looks like it is being sucked into the black stone, a truly unique looking stone.

The amount of difference you could add to your designs with a different shaped diamond is almost incomparable. Diamonds are not just a round brilliant cut or a princess cut or a cushion or pear. there is a HUGE variety of different shapes and sizes available to us to use in creating a masterpiece for you. Even if you don’t want to go too out there, you can incorporate these shapes with a more traditional shaped diamond, and just by adding the new and exciting shape you will have a new and certainly very different looking ring or pendant or earring! just think about the contrast you will have between your friends jewellery and your jewellery. YOU will be the stand out!

Jewellery does not have to be as traditional as what it has been for so long. there is absolutely no reason for anyone to have just another ring off the tray or another one of those. this is about personal expression and what you want to achieve with your pieces, and maybe a little bit of indulgence thrown in there to boot! with these different shapes we can break new ground ourselves with our designs and ideas about where we want to go, and how we go about getting there.

Unfortunately these shapes depend largely on what the make up of the natural crystal is, so there is no real way of getting you some images to see, but if this is something that may interest you, i can certainly get a hold of some of the diamonds for you.

Eskae Jeweller.

P.S. speaking of cool and different things, check out this website: http://www.thecoolhunter.com.au/ you will find things on here that will blow you away! and possibly even spark that great idea about your next piece of jewellery.

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