Platinum vs Gold. What are the differences?

March 28, 2009 · 0 comments

What are the differences between Gold and Platinum?

To keep it really simple, these two precious metals are from different families or groups of metals as recorded on the periodical table.

Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (Latin: aurum) and an atomic number of 79.

It has been a highly sought-after precious metal in jewelry, in sculpture, and for ornamentation since the beginning of recorded history. The metal occurs as nuggets or grains in rocks, in veins and in alluvial deposits. Gold is dense, soft, shiny and the most malleable and ductile pure metal known. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. It is one of the coinage metals and formed the basis for the gold standard used before the collapse of the Bretton Woods system in 1971.

Platinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78.

Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into “little silver of the Pinto River.”[1] It is in Group 10 of the periodic table of elements. A dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal, platinum is resistant to corrosion and occurs in some nickel and copper ores along with some native deposits. Platinum is used in jewelry, laboratory equipment, electrical contacts and electrodes, platinum resistance thermometers, dentistry equipment, and catalytic converters

In terms of jewellery what this means is that the majority of modern day jewellery is made of gold in varying carats I.E. 9ct, 14ct, 18ct, 20ct etc… some people are beginning to lean more towards the platinum set jewellery these days as information becomes more and more readily available.

As a jeweller and someone who works in both gold and platinum the differences can be explained like this;

GOLD

  • will give you a great finish on jewellery
  • has great strength and malleability for making jewellery
  • is suitable for every situation and use in jewellery making
  • is more common than platinum
  • will scratch and dent
  • will wear over time
  • needs regular upkeep by a qualified jeweller (I recommend taking advantage of our Refreshing Ring Rejuvination at-least once per year)

PLATINUM

  • will give you a greater level of finish on jewellery than gold will
  • has a greater level of strength, malleability and durability for making jewellery than gold does
  • is best suited for the crafting of diamond and gemstone settings
  • is 35 times rarer than gold
  • will still scratch and dent but the platinum will remain whole, it will not scratch or dent like gold does in-so-far-as that you loose a small amount of gold when ever it is scratched or damaged
  • will take longer to show the signs of wear and tear than gold does
  • needs regular upkeep by a qualified jeweller (again I recommend you take advantage of our Refreshing Ring Rejuvination at-least once per year)

As you can see platinum is better suited, in my opinion, for crafting settings for diamonds and gemstones than gold because of its toughness and wear-ability. The other main contributing factor is the fact that I can achieve a greater level of finish on a platinum setting than I can a gold setting.

What does this mean for you?

Achieving a greater level of finish on a platinum setting means that the setting itself has a higher shine and reflectivity to it than a gold one does. So this will create more light going into your diamond or gemstone, which means that your diamond or gemstone will have a much more “FIRE AND BRILLIANCE” to it than a diamond or gemstone set in gold will.

Sam Kritsotakis

Eskae Jeweller

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3 Mistakes to Avoid when Buying Diamonds

March 28, 2009 · 1 comment

3 Mistakes to Avoid when Buying Diamonds

There are 3 mistakes that COST people a lot of money when purchasing their diamonds, if you know what these are you can potentially save thousands and have a better looking Diamond to boot!

Its a funny thing but, when people come to me saying ” I have done some research on the net about x, y and z ” it is either an OK thing or something that unfortunately sets the person up for a fall. You see there are 3 mistakes that cost people far too much money when they start researching diamonds on their own, without the proper guidance of an industry professional. These mistakes can either cost them a packet AND waste their precious time, or they end up going down a path that ultimately has them spending big money on a sub-standard diamond.

The 3 most costly mistakes are these:-

  • people take size over quality
  • people think that getting a higher clarity grading over a higher cut and colour grading will give them a more dazzling diamond
  • people are still looking for uncertified diamonds

I know how to help you avoid these mistakes and can show you how to buy a diamond that has the Fire and Brilliance that everyone should have, and one that displays ALL the properties which make them so coveted in the first place.

Size over Quality

In talking about this point let me first just say that some people, and I stress that it is the vast MINORITY, do want more show for their dough. This is fine and buying a diamond is a personal thing and if this IS what you want then it is my job to advise you on how best to achieve this within your budget so that you can get maximum bang for your buck.

However, let me now say this.

A 0.50ct diamond that has more attention to the finer details such as the cutting and colour grading will ALWAYS out sparkle a 1.00ct diamond that was bought for size with minimal attention to these details.

Clarity over Cut and Colour

This is the mistake that 95% of people who do “their own” research make. Clarity IS important, but NOT as important as the Cut and Colour grading of the diamond. Think about it this way, the cut and colour grading are the Heart and Soul of your diamond, this is where the diamonds “Fire and Brilliance” will come from.

The sparkle in a diamond is bought out of the stone during the cutting process, it involves a series of corresponding angles and degrees which all marry up to give you an amazing diamond . Diamonds are a naturally refractive stone, which means that they will break up the light that passes through them into the colour spectrum – so they will have a certain amount of “Fire and Brilliance” anyway, but it is in direct proportion to how perfectly the diamond has been cut. The more perfectly the diamond is cut the more the light gets refracted when it is coming back out of the diamond, which gives you more play of light, breaking up of light into the colour spectrum which equals sparkle, fire and brilliance.

This is the area where most of your interest and budget should go when you are looking for a diamond. I always advise my clients to allow roughly 80-85% of their budget for the diamond/s and the remaining money for the ring, of that 80-85% you want to be spending about 80% of the diamond budget across these two gradings, i.e. – spend most of the money on a better cut and colour grading and it will be hard to go past your dazzling diamond in any crowd!

Uncertified Diamonds

Why in this day and age people are looking for uncertified diamonds makes me wonder? There is something to be said about owning a CERTIFIED Diamond, and that is that without the certificate you have absolutely no idea what you are buying…

If you do own an uncertified diamond we can have it certified for you, but this costs around $100+ depending on the size of the stone. With out the certificate you can not check on all the above mentioned characteristics and therefor are literally wasting your money. I know this sounds harsh, but it is the reality of this day and age of information.

What people need to do is to let themselves be guided by an industry professional who will be able to match your needs and wants in a diamond to the diamond itself, wether that be a diamond that displays “Fire and Brilliance” and is perhaps slightly smaller than some diamonds, or if you are somebody who is more interested in having a larger diamond at teh expense of the quality then we can also give you the correct and best advice possible.

For those of you who are interested in finding out more on how to select the best diamond possible, then you will need to visit my website http://www.EskaeJeweller.com.au and download the FREE “How to Select the Ideal Diamond” report. Alternatively you can fill out the form on the top right corner and you will receive the downloadable file.

In it you will find some of the best pointers for selecting and choosing not only the shape of the diamond but also a thorough guide into the 6C’s of diamonds. You will not only be setting your self up for a win but you will be taking a very definite step in the right direction for making sure that the diamond you have will blow you and your partner away every time you look at it!

Sam

“Crafting your dreams…”

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the eternity ring history

March 8, 2009 · 0 comments

Eternity Rings, they are a special gift that a husband will give his wife on the occasion of either their first child being born or their first year anniversary, which ever comes first is the norm, so i thought i would write a little bit about the history and the tradition behind the eternity ring.

What is the meaning behind an eternity ring?

The eternity ring is given as a tangible symbol of the promise of love forever. The eternity ring is simply one beautiful way to show the love your life how much she means to you. The endless or eternal loop is symbolic of eternal love as it has no beginning and no end. For this reason, some eternity ring designs are multi-stranded or plaited, this is symbolic of the many years to come that you will be spending together. Another more ancient and symbolic again is the theme of having the band formed and shaped like a snake almost always swallowing its own tail, this is a theme more common in ancient Greece and symbolises the never ending circle of BOTH life and love

What is the tradition attached?

The history of the eternity ring is very closely related to that of the wedding ring – that is a ring, or circle of metal, that has no beginning and no end – in other words is ‘eternal’. Throughout history the concept of the eternity ring can be seen in many traditions and even as far back as 2000 BC with what could be thought of as ancient eternity rings can be found. The earliest recorded examples of a simple plain eternity ring can be traced to the ancient Egyptians and then following the rise of the Greek empire, the design of these simple rings follow into that tradition.

The history of the eternity ring goes back almost four thousand years. Ancient Egyptians are thought to be the first to make and wear eternity rings. Eternity rings are essentially a continuous circle of metal studded with stones either halfway or all the way around. In ancient Greece the design of the snake or serpent depending on which part of Greece, was more prevalent, not only was the ring symbolic but also the use of the motif of the snake and serpent, as this was representative of life and love similarly to the goddess Athena. Early eternity rings were meant to symbolize eternal life and love. The unending, unbroken circle of precious metal represents a never-ending circle of trust, or the circle of life and love.

Early eternity rings in the more modern times featured stones that went halfway around the band of the ring. this began the move into the modern day version with either the band set with diamonds or a combination of diamonds and ruby, emerald or sapphire. even closer to today and we start to see that people are taking this idea one step further and setting the entire band with stones, again it is either all diamond or a combination like i mentioned above. these rings look great however because of the exact measurements needed to place and set diamonds all the way around these are generally custom crafted to fit not only you but the look you are after.

When do you normally get an eternity ring?

Eternity rings like wedding rings are a symbol of everlasting love and are typically given to celebrate an anniversary or another significant event, such as the birth of a child. traditionally they were given at the 5 year anniversary, but there has been a massive shift in this and now they are given at either the first year anniversary or the birth of your first child, which ever happens to come first.

The birth of a child is a very appropriate time to give an eternity ring. In this instance, it could symbolize the eternity of your new family or your never-ending love and compassion for your wife who has helped you create this new life. As an anniversary gift, it could symbolize the eternity that you will be together or how it has felt like an eternity being married. only in the best possible way of coarse!!! Whatever meaning you come up with, an eternity ring will leave a lasting impression and most definitely become an heirloom and beautiful conversation piece for years to come. The long-lasting reputation and never ending popularity of the eternity ring will ensure that it never goes out of style and is always admired and loved. Showing your love with eternity rings is a long standing tradition and will surely make your special someone feel loved and appreciated.

What is the typical design?

Eternity rings are usually set with diamonds. Other stones such as emeralds, rubies and sapphires are also popular choices, but diamonds are the favourite. most people go with either a round shaped stone or a square (princess) shaped stone. the round stones lend themselves very well to almost any setting style that we can come up with, while the square or sharper shaped stones are particularly well suited to having a channel set band. this is the sort of ring in which there is no gap between the stones and being able to set a straight edge up against another straight edge works really well.

It is your personal choice when deciding how to wear your eternity ring. Eternity rings are usually worn on the same finger as the wedding rings. traditionally you wear your wedding ring closest to your knuckle then your engagement ring and then your eternity ring on the outside and closest to your finger tip The eternity ring can be worn in addition to the engagement ring and wedding band, or in place of either one. Many women choose to wear all 3 together, especially if they have taken the time to get these rings designed and crafted as a set.

Because of their beauty, fire, sparkle and endurance, diamonds are the most popular gemstones for eternity rings, as symbolizing the permanence and commitment of the relationship. However rubies, sapphires, emeralds are also popular, usually in conjunction with diamonds, however i have made a few all emerald or all sapphire eternity ring, but again this was a special request as the lady had an all emerald or sapphire wedding ring which she wanted to match.

One of the benefits for the full eternity ring is that no matter how much the ring revolves around the finger, the stones will always show and you will never see anything but diamonds! Because a full eternity ring cannot usually be adjusted for finger size, they need to be custom ordered and crafted. there are some very specific measurements that need to be adhered to in order to make the ring work as a full hoop (going all the way around) design, but once the measurements are done the result is absolutely fantastic!

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