Archive for the 'Gold' Category

World’s Most Expensive Pens 6-10

Published on March 13, 2011 in Diamonds, Fun Stuff, Gemstones, Gold, Jewellery, Mens Jewellery, Platinum and White Diamonds. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

10. CREW 60TH White Gold Tebaldi fountain pens

Price: $43,000


TIBALDI Pens CREW 60TH are a landmark in pen making history with Bentley, the automobile giant creating its own handcrafted pen sets in association with the worlds best Italian luxury designer pen maker, Tebaldi.
These expensive Tebaldi for Bentley pens have a two-tone 18-carat yellow gold nib covered in rhodium and ruthenium. The pen’s barrel has the fine finish identical to Bentley’s dashboard. This finish was first used in Bentley’s earliest car with a technique called engine tuning. The pens cap, upper and lower barrel parts are knurled for a good grip while writing for the executive. You can see the level of ink through the transparent window of the Tebaldi for Bentley pens. A handmade tie shaped clip on the pen marks Tebaldi’s signature. The Tebaldi for Bentley Crew 60th white gold fountain pen collection is a limited edition of 40 solid white gold fountain pens

9. Gaia High Luxury Omas Fountain Pens

Price: $43,000
Gaia high Luxury fountain pens and roller ball pens by Omas are a glimpse into the dark and deep recesses of the earth. The impenetrable inner core of the earth has inspired wonder, curiosity and interest in man since creation. A miscellany of precious materials such as the white and yellow 18K gold, the Onyx, the Crystal rock, the hematite and the vegetal resin has been utilized into the making of this mystic model by Omas.
Gaia high Luxury fountain pens and roller ball pens are a presentation in the celebration of Jules Vernes futuristic vision of the world. It also commemorates the one hundredth death anniversary. Depicting geographical wonders of the world, the pen absolutely differs from pens that reflect the classic essence of history. The dark grey colour of the metal that it is made of, symbolizes the trip to the dark interior of the earth. The body of the pen from top to toe features the engraved images of gigantic spiders, carnivorous plants, and water beasts. The blend of fear and wonder in the engraving of these horrors makes this particular model different from a range of pen collections.

8. MARTE Omas Fountain Pen

Price: $43,000

Omas Fountain Pen MARTE is part of the Viaggi dellUomo, Travel of Man, Masterpieces collection of custom design fountain pens, roller ball pens and pen sets. The Marte (Italian for Mars) is actually a map of Mars made from classic rose gold to represent the pink-red hue of the planet. Deserts, mountains and craters are all featured on the barrel of this pen with four rubies to mark the landing points of the Russian and American probes. The cap is encrusted with 2K of small diamonds reminiscent of the polar ice caps and the clip details astronomer Tycho Brahes Mural Quadrant. Even the rose gold nib is engraved with a representation of the Greek God Mars! There are just 30 of these fountain pens in circulation, so they are perfect for the pen collector to add to his expensive pen collections or for the executive who enjoys writing with designer pens.

7. Visconti The Forbidden City H.R.H. Fountain Pen

Price: $50,500
The Visconti brand is known for best quality, style and creativity. This distinguished Visconti pen is the Forbidden City H.R.H. Limited Edition fountain Pen. Made of black resin, 18K gold and diamonds and boasting of Power Filler innovative filling system invented by Visconti, it is sold for $50,500.

6. Visconti Alchemy H.R.H. Fountain Pens

Price: $ 57,000

The beautifully handcrafted Alchemy HRH by Visconti is part of the HRH collection of handmade fountain pens and roller ball pens from this fine pen maker. This luxury pen, unlike other fountain pens, has two nibs, two ink reservoirs and is trimmed with two different metals – exquisite gold and silver vermeil. Both nibs are of the best 18K gold and come in different sizes to suit every writing style. Even those used to writing with roller ball pens will love using the Alchemy.
The body is made from a classic, rich, red resin and the gold and silver trim is decorated with expensive 4K diamonds and rubies. One cap has gold trim, the other silver and these trims interlace to create a cosmic map with alchemic symbols stunning!

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Making The World’s Most Expensive Engagement Rings Affordable For Everyone

Published on February 6, 2011 in Coloured Diamonds, Designer Jewellery, Diamonds, Engagement Rings, Gold, Hand-made Jewellery, Jewellery, Platinum, Wedding Jewellery and White Diamonds. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , .

The 5 Most Expensive Engagement Rings In The World

Showing individuality has been the longest, ongoing trend with engagement rings as pointed out with our series on celebrity engagement rings and several of our other, more recent engagement ring related entries.

Wearing these one-of-a-kind engagement rings often comes with a price tag better left to millionaires due to the use of traditional white diamonds or large, coloured diamonds, sometimes using the combination of both.

To give you a little taste of designer creativity that knows no bounds, here’s an inside look at the five most expensive engagement rings in the world that have had a part in inspiring this trend:

With exquisite diamonds comes an exquisite name: Secret Kiss Of The Roses. This engagement ring holds the secret of a 4.18 carat white diamond wrapped encasing a 0.80 carat rose cut pink diamond – all set in platinum.[1]

Total Price: $545,000 (USD)

Internally Flawless is the name given to this, well, internally flawless 5.98 carat oval diamond with a total of 3.96 carat diamond surrounding to form a floral designed engagement ring – all set in platinum.[2]

Total Price: $1.3 million (USD)

Just in case it isn’t enough to just hide one finger under its enormous weight of 14.79 carats in one diamond, the Tiffany Oval Diamond engagement ring also comes with an additional ring complete with 12.3 carat diamond-shaped pillows. Both rings are placed in platinum settings.[3]

Total Price of the 14.79 carat diamond ring – $1.49 million (USD)

Total Price of the 12.3 carat diamond ring – $800,000 (USD)

Total Price: $2.29 million (USD)

Having a more traditional style of design to it, the De Beers Platinum engagement ring holds a massive 9 carat single white diamond set in what the title claims – platinum.[4]

Total Price: $1.83 million (USD)

And last, but as you’ll see, definitely not least, is the most expensive engagement ring in the world titled as The Chopard Blue Diamond Ring. The treasure that lies in this ring is – drumroll please – the extremely rare blue diamond that is 9 CARATS in size! This fortune of a rock sits in 18 carat white gold and therefore earns its title, by far, as the most expensive engagement ring in the world![5]

Total Price: $16.26 million (USD)

And This Is Affordable To Me, How?

With all this talk about extravagant, customised engagement rings, some may look down and find that their current engagement ring could use a little updating or those still in the market may have decided to take a step away from the traditional look and have begun looking for a more modernised, trendy version.

The problem that many people will run into, however, is this question: How on earth would I ever be able to afford such an extravagant, multi-coloured, multi-diamond engagement ring?

Let’s start by taking a look at a few documented costs of the average engagement ring buyer:

  • In 2009, Americans spent an average of $3,150 on engagement rings[6] with the average diamond size being .38 carats[7]
  • In Australia, the average cost of engagement rings run $5,116[8]
  • In 2005, the average amount of money in the UK spent on engagement rings was £1,289[9]

Keeping these averaged budgets in mind, there are certainly limitations as to how extravagant one can go when purchasing a unique engagement ring, but there isn’t any limitation on how creative one can be.

When thinking with a resourceful mind, options become available to re-create the design and style of an engagement ring you’ve chosen in your mind long ago. Talking with your jeweller is the best way to begin your process of customising or designing your ultimate engagement ring. By incorporating this step right at the get-go, options such as coloured diamonds or types of precious metals can be discussed to change around carat sizes, integrating gemstones and having the stones placed in ways that make it more affordable for you.

PLEASE REMEMBER – that while you can experiment with the quantity of the material needed for your ring, the one thing you must never substitute for is the quality of your ring! This can’t be stressed enough. While it may look beautiful the first time you place it on your finger, it won’t last and is guaranteed for replacement within a handful of years.

This means, when thinking diamond, think diamond! Don’t consider replacing a diamond with cubic zirconium. Instead, if you love pink diamonds and yet it’s entirely out of your budget, converse with your jeweller about pink gemstones that will resemble a pink diamond but cut the amount of money required down to something you can afford.

Is it still difficult to see the end result? To paint a clearer mental picture of how you can make one of the most expensive diamond engagement rings in the world end up on your ring finger, let’s explore how to make the original price for the Secret Kiss Of The Roses engagement ring come down to an amount that fits your budget.

When talking with your jeweller, you can discuss which gemstone and carat size suits you and your future engagement ring better. While there isn’t a single stone out there that perfectly imitate a brilliant white diamond, there are genuine gemstones that, to the naked eye, will give a great resemblance of a diamond. Substituting gemstones such as white sapphires and white topaz instead of white diamonds can be a great choice for the big carat selection. In place of the pink diamond, embed a pink tourmaline gemstone in the centre to create the proper effect of this magnificent ring. The budget that’s been set aside for the biggest price of the engagement ring – the diamond – can then be placed in the sequential order covering the band.

Keep in mind that customised or designer engagement rings can rack up the price if you’re not careful so keep things realistically within proportion. Instead of going for 4.18 carats, you may find you’ll be just as happy with a 1 carat gemstone.

The end result? You’ll have a customised, designer engagement ring that doesn’t forgo on quality and yet, gives the fantastic look of a multi-thousand dollar ring!

While trends may come and go, engagement rings have been around for many centuries and aren’t going anywhere – so have fun with it, book an appointment with your jeweller and get trendy!

References:

[1] http://www.mostinterestingfacts.com/collectible/the-4-most-expensive-engagement-rings-in-the-world.html

[2] http://engagementring.org/the-reason-behind-extensively-expensive-engagement-rings

[3] http://www.theoddpics.com/2010/07/4-most-expensive-engagement-rings-in.html

[4] http://www.worldinterestingfacts.com/wealthy/top-6-most-expensive-engagement-rings-in-the-world.html

[5] http://buydiamondrings.org/most-expensive-diamond-rings-ever

[6] http://blog.learnvest.com/learnvest-daily/average-cost-of-an-engagement-ring/

[7] http://www.ringenvy.com/engagement-rings/fun-%28and-useful%29-engagement-ring-facts

[8] http://money-guide.com.au/2009/12/average-wedding-cost-australia/

[9] http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/bargains-and-rip-offs/article.html?in_article_id=397984&in_page_id=5

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What Exactly Is Handcrafted Jewellery?

Published on December 19, 2010 in Art Deco Jewellery, Designer Jewellery, Engagement Rings, Eskae Private Jeweller, Gold, Hand-made Jewellery, Jewellery and Platinum. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

Handcrafted Jewellery

Simply put: Handcrafted jewellery is jewellery made by hands, not machines.

This type of jewellery sounds pretty self-explanatory, doesn’t it? Believe it or not, there’s much more depth to handcrafted jewellery than just the use of hands to create exquisite pieces of jewellery art.

When jewellery was first recognized during ancient Egyptian times, obviously, electrical working machines weren’t yet invented – therefore, all jewellery was handcrafted by artisans as a trade. Over time, jewellery evolved from shells and pebbles, eventually becoming a career for artisans-turned-jewellers who continued taking jewellery design to a whole new level.

The great thing about handcrafted jewellery today is that it’s the one type of jewellery that still carries over ancient history all of these years later, albeit, in newer and more modernised fashions.

Modern or Art Deco, Boho, Modjewellery and Ethnic are just some of the newer titles given within handcrafted jewellery; all carrying some piece of history with them. Nowadays, creating handcrafted jewellery tends to fall under two main categories: Professional and hobby.

Professional jewellers have the artistic and dexterity skills required to incorporate gold, platinum and other precious metals along with pink diamonds, white diamonds and coloured gemstones into their handcrafted designs while people at home tend to use more cost-effective resources, such as, alternative metals like brass and copper wire, beads, polymer clay, wood, fabric and whatever other materials the designer may find attractive.

Because of this distinction, it puts the cost of handcrafted jewellery on opposite ends of the price spectrum. When professional jewellers create this type of jewellery, it falls into the class of being a one-of-a-kind type of custom designer jewellery, which in turn, makes it an expensive piece of jewellery.

People who make handcrafted jewellery as a home business or as a hobby use cheaper means and cheaper materials. It doesn’t mean their workmanship is cheap, it means the worth of their jewellery is lower than that of a professional jeweller.

Depending on personal style and budget, both hobby and professionally handcrafted jewellery have become an extremely popular choice when shopping for accessories.

The Popularity Of HOBBY Handcrafted Jewellery

Everyone loves jewellery – whether it’s a simple pendant necklace or a 5-carat diamond ring – but not everyone can afford valuable jewellery items. The next best thing to buying jewellery is making it or buying it from home, leading to the online craze of sites like Etsy.com, Rubylane.com and good, ole’ Ebay.com.

In fact, if you were to actually Google handcrafted jewellery, you’ll come across hundreds of how-to’s for starting your own jewellery business and personal websites selling these items. Very few websites touch on anything more about handcrafted jewellery, unless you just so happened to come across this blog, wink, wink!

The reason behind this hobby/home-business frenzy is the fact that handcrafted jewellery is perfectly fitted toward individual tastes, follows the latest fashion trend and it’s affordable for both parties – those who craft and those who buy.

Teenagers who want to become entrepreneurs, stay-at-home moms who are looking for some extra cash and people who want to one day become professional jewellers are the biggest contributors to the handcrafted jewellery hobby.

The great thing about making jewellery as a hobby is that it’s often a stepping stone towards becoming a fantastic jeweller!

The Popularity of PROFESSIONALLY Handcrafted Jewellery

Much like custom jewellery, handcrafted jewellery appeals to all people, especially women. Jewellery made by a person rather than duplicates made by machine is sure to make a woman stand out in a crowd – and who doesn’t want attention drawn to themselves after spending all that time glamorizing?

While pieces of jewellery made by home artisans are great for a night out, jewellery handcrafted by a professional jeweller are sure to add the WOW! factor for years of nights out, again and again! A jeweller who makes jewellery by hand is a sure sign that they’re not only extremely skilled but creative and artistic which leaves the guarantee of owning an enviable piece of jewellery.

Unlike home-business handcrafted jewellery, you won’t find plastic beading or fishing wire holding the necklace together from a professional jeweller. Instead, you’ll find completely original, valuable materials used such as semi-precious and precious stones, authentic crystals, glass beads, silk and precious metals amongst other uniquely, beautiful materials that are incorporated.

What makes handcrafted jewellery different than custom jewellery is that from the sizes, width, and colours all the way down to which metals and gemstones are used, it’s the customer who has complete control over the design, not the jeweller. What’s not to love about it?

Another great advantage of professionally handcrafted jewellery that most people aren’t aware of is that it’s the perfect way to refurbish heirlooms! More often than not, heirloom jewellery is handcrafted and made of precious jewels and metal before the 20th century when machines were not yet available.[i] Such immaculate designs cannot be remanufactured or redistributed which is exactly what makes this jewellery so priceless.

Perhaps your great, great, great, great grandmother’s diamond engagement ring has been sitting stowed away to keep it undamaged and out of harm’s way. Taking it to a professional jeweller (one you know well and trust) can either help you put the shine and lustre back into that ring or update it all together to recreate the heirloom to show off your heritage while still keeping it in the family line.

With all of these great advantages, handcrafted jewellery doesn’t only keep customers happy; handcrafting jewellery even has perks for jewellers! By not using machines, one handcrafted ring alone cuts gold or platinum loss by 5% meaning less recycling of gold or platinum, less refining and of course, more money saved which we can pass on to you![ii]

Making handcrafted jewellery is a wonderful part of every culture whether to hold a piece of history close by or invent a new fashion trend. Regardless of who does the designing or creating, handcrafted jewellery is vastly becoming the most popular selection because of its authenticity and never-ending choices of design.

Sam Kritsotakis
Eskae Private Jeweller

References:

[i] http://pagerankstudio.com/Blog/2010/09/jewelers-repairer-job-description-and-jewelry-repairer-job-description-education-and-training-requirements-career-salary-employment-%E2%80%93-definition-and-nature-work/

[ii] http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nenam/Platinum-wedding-bands.htm

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The History of the Wedding Band

Published on December 12, 2010 in Bridal Jewellery, Eskae Private Jeweller, Gold, Jewellery and Wedding Jewellery. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

In an earlier post, I took you on an exploration of the romantic history of the engagement ring. With such an intriguing past and blended foundation, I knew there had to be an equally interesting story attached to the history of the wedding ring. After doing some research, I discovered that this history is both rich and vast.

The concept of the wedding ring is said to have originated along the fertile flood plains of the Nile River in North Africa. Plants that grew alongside the riverbanks provided the material for the first wedding rings. The circle shape was viewed by ancient cultures as a symbol of eternity as it had no beginning and no end.

It is such associations that led to the use of the ring to symbolize love and marriage as the individuals involved hoped their love would match the characteristics of the circle, capturing eternity and never ending. The promise of love and commitment should have no end and in many cultures, the circle ring was the symbol of this promise.

Interestingly, this is not the only history associated with the wedding ring. I discovered another theory that suggests the ring’s shape has more to do with religion than a symbol. Some historians argue that the wedding ring actually represents two halves of a united whole. When the circle is complete, the primitive man has completed his religion. This belief is not widespread and appears to have only been dominant for a short time, but is part of the history none-the-less.

The wearing of the wedding ring on the fourth finger was not put in place at the very beginning of the wedding ring’s use. Earlier cultures used rings around the extremities to exercise superstitious beliefs about keeping the spirit in place. This attempt at protecting or prolonging the life of a new bride did not have quite the romantic appeal that wedding bands today hold for the betrothed.

Egyptians and Romans later introduced the use of the fourth finger as they believed a vein ran from the fourth finger to the heart. As a result, this finger was the only logical location for a ring that would symbolize something so precious as marriage. By the time science disproved this theory, the fourth finger was already a well-worn tradition.

Interestingly, there are elements that exist within the traditional wedding vows that relate to ancient practices that have less to do with love and more to do with laws and rituals. Is it said that ancient Romans did not use the fourth finger to demonstrate love, but rather possession. The ring symbolized ownership and the woman rarely had a say in the decision to become owned by the man. Once captured and ringed, the woman was married to the man, forced to always obey.

A tradition in the Far and Middle East that was put in place to ensure a woman was faithful was the use of puzzle rings. These collapsible rings would fall apart if the woman removed the ring. The “puzzle” could be put back together, but only by those who knew the correct arrangement of the pieces of the puzzle and the husband rarely divulged such information to the wife.

Puritans often believed that jewellery was frivolous and therefore wedding rings were an extravagance that was not necessary. Instead, young couples exchanged “wedding thimbles”. As the Puritans often viewed thimbles as a practical gift, such an exchange was considered to be acceptable. For some young brides, however, a ring was still desired and once the wedding was complete, she would cut off the bottom of the thimble to create a ring.

As time passed and more modern times emerged, the modern ring began to take shape. Always a circle, the wedding ring has been made of leather, aluminum, stone and metal. Interestingly, even as the human approach to love and marriage was evolving, wedding rings were largely something worn only by a woman until World War II.

It was during the war that men in the military were in fashion if they wore their wedding bands to remember wives waiting for them back home. This practice increased during the Korean War and is still growing today as more men throughout the world readily demonstrate their commitment to another.

Today, we see wedding bands made up of mainly gold or platinum, although some wish to express their individuality with a tattoo or the use of titanium. Whatever your interest, you cannot dispute the wide-reaching and interesting history associated with the wedding ring.

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Eskae Private Jeweller – Apprentice week 11

Published on November 24, 2010 in Designer Jewellery, Eskae Private Jeweller, Gold, Hand-made Jewellery, Jewellery and Refreshing Ring Rejuvenation. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Hello there,

My 11th week has come and gone and I would love to tell you some more about what I have been learning. The first technique I learnt this week with Sam Kritsotakis at Eskae Private Jeweller was soldering two large jumprings onto the sides of an 18ct white gold ring and secondly perfecting my emerying, polishing and rhodium plating techniques and skills to restore pieces of jewellery which show wear and tear, such as scratches, dents, low polish and have no longer got rhodium plating left on them.

The first technique; soldering the two jumprings onto a wide hammer finished ring was a new technique to learn as I was able to perform soldering using binding wire to help me hold the separate pieces in place which is a helpful technique. It was quite fun actually to perform this soldering skill. And I enjoyed it immensely.

To begin, both edges of the ring and one side of each jumpring needed to be flat, clean and smooth. This was done by using emery papers to create a smooth surface before soldering. Next the flat surface on the jumpring was placed face down onto the side of the ring. The solder line on the jumpring was aligned with the bottom of the hammer finished designer ring. The two are then held together with fine binding wire. This wire helps hold the two in place whilst soldering them together to ensure that the jumpring does not move with the solder and heat. I then placed the two into a boracic acid and mentholated spirits solution, which keeps the ring’s polished and shiney appearance from oxidising whilst heat is being applied. The solution is then burned off with a flame to leave a glaze like finish over the ring which stops the air from making contact with the ring which in turn causes the ring to oxidise. This flame is actually a very cool colour, instead of being a blue or orange colour it is actually a bright green colour. It is only faint, however when you can see it, it is very interesting.

The ring is now ready for soldering after having flux applied along the join sections. At the top of the ring, I place a piece of solder on the inside right in between where the ring meets the jumpring, and drew the solder outwards ( a similar technique to what I mentioned to you last week on the pendant) except that this time on the ring I not only had to draw the solder outwards but also draw the solder along the gap between the ring and the jumpring. After the first solder ball was drawn, the binding wire could be removed. The next piece of solder can now be placed next to where the last was drawn along and the same technique is repeated until the whole jumpring is soldered on the whole way around.

The technique is then repeated on the other side with the other jumpring, including the binding wire, boracic acid and flux. Once both jumprings have been soldered in place onto the wide ring, I then made sure that the solder had run evenly the whole way around the ring and adjusted if needed by drawing the solder with heat to where it was needed. As I said before I thoroughly enjoyed learning this technique as it is an important skill that I will use often when creating pieces of jewellery.

Secondly the other important skills I performed this week was perfecting my emerying, polishing and rhodium plating techniques and skills to provide our Refreshing Ring Rejuvination service to jewellery which show wear and tear, such as scratches, dents, low polish and have no longer got rhodium plating left on them. Performing these skills and perfecting them as much as I can is helping me to become a good jeweller and cement these skills into my mind for the future.

Well I am off to create more exciting jewellery, in particular a 9ct white gold bangle which I will have finished by the time I speak to you next. I am looking forward to telling you about the process and also showing a photo of the final piece.

Until then, have a fantastic week,

Cheers, Holly

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Eskae Private Jeweller – Apprentice week 10

Published on November 14, 2010 in Diamonds, Eskae Private Jeweller, Gold, Hand-made Jewellery, Jewellery and White Diamonds. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

What another great week of learning the art of jewellery making at Eskae Private Jeweller.

This week I learnt many techniques including; putting a comfort fit inside of wedding ring, melting gold, using rubber bullets to polish and smooth out deliberate dents in a hammer finish, and how to create a bezel for a diamond pendant jewellery.

The last technique is the one I would like to tell you about; how to create a straight, parallel shaped bezel setting as opposed to one which is tapered at the bottom, which I had previously seen Sam create a few weeks before.

I began the same way as you would when creating the tapered bezel, by rolling out the white gold stock gauge to a specific thickness using a formula which gives me the most accurate widths and depths of the gold needed to create this bezel’s specific measurements. The next step is to square off one end of the gold strip, by using a squaring tool and scribe. I then sawed off the excess gold and filed the end to make sure it was perfectly straight. I then emeryed one side of the gold with my emery papers to ensure the surface was clean, smooth and prepared for the next stages. This side will be on the inside of the bezel, and therefore needs to be as clean as possible, as it is hard to access once the bezel is created.

The gold strip was then annealed to make sure it was soft and malleable for the next step which is bending the metal to create the circular shape of the bezel. The trick here is to bend and turn the metal not the pliers. I used my fingers and thumb to bend the gold around the pliers, stopping and moving the bezel into different positions on the pliers so that the metal bezel could continue being bent around the pliers. I then had a round shape to work with and it is beginning to take shape and look like something. Now using a different pair of pliers, I aligned the two ends so they sat straight and as close to each other as possible. To get them even closer, I placed a saw cut in between the two ends, I then squeezed them together again with the pliers and repeated this again. This step is very important as it helps minimise the appearance of the solder when it is finished and it also ensures that there is a nice clean gap for the solder to run into.

For a nice clean looking solder join, we at Eskae Private Jeweller always place a ball of solder in a inconspicuous place, for example, in the bezel pendant, I placed the solder on the inside of the join, and drew the solder outwards using the heat of my soldering torch. I would have to say that this would probably be the most important technique I learnt and performed this week at Eskae Private Jeweller, as this is what can make or break a piece and make a piece of jewellery look professional. It maybe a minor detail but it is very important.

After soldering the join, I then measured and marked out where I wanted to place some drill holes for the chain to slide through the pendant. A great trick Sam showed me on how to accurately work out where to place them was to put the bezel on a piece of grid paper with a 6 pointed star shape marked on it. The join line and the top of the pendant was placed in line with the top and bottom lines and then the diagonal lines on either side of the top of the pendant were marked for the holes.

The next great trick I was shown was to punch a dent into the marks where the holes were to go so that it would be easier to drill the first hole. This minimizes any slip of the drill, allowing the drill to sit in the right position to begin the hole. I thought this was a great trick as drilling is quite tricky and a little bit scary for me as they are a totally new tool for me to get used to, so this trick allows me to have more control and confidence.

Once you have created the initial hole, a ball bur which is a ball shaped drill bit is used to open up the hole. I did this by gradually going up in size with the burs until I reached the size I needed. After the final size hole is drilled I removed the drill bit from the hand drill and turned the ball bur in the hole on a slight angle. This takes away the sharp edge on the hole and allows the chain to run smoothly through the holes.

Next is creating a scalloped edge on opposite sides of the pendant. Once the positioning of the scallops has been determined, I placed a saw cut on the marked lines and then used a fine triangular file to open up the saw cut wider. This allows for more accuracy when using the next file to form the scallop shape. This file is known as a rats tail as is looks very similar to the name. After this file is used to open up the scallop, a half round file is used to put a champher on the scallop.

The next step is to finish the pendant off by emerying and polishing the pendant using various emery papers, rubber wheels for the inside only and polishing mops and brushes.

Now the pendant is ready to have the diamond set into it to finish it off and complete this new piece of handcrafted jewellery.

It has been a very busy week, but also very exciting!

Talk to you next time,

Holly

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10 Extraordinary and Unusual Celebrity Engagement Rings

Published on November 9, 2010 in Bridal Jewellery, Coloured Diamonds, Designer Jewellery, Diamonds, Engagement Rings, Eskae Private Jeweller, Gold, Jewellery, Platinum and White Diamonds. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

As you journey with me on this trip through a wide variety of celebrity engagement rings, the trip has been very rewarding. On this, our last stop, we will examine some unusual engagement rings, whether it is a result of the featured stone or the design of the ring. While not all of these engagements were meant for lasting love, the beauty of the given ring could last beyond a lifetime.

1. Katharine McPhee

While not a celebrity until she sang her way to the finals on American Idol, Katharine McPhee still sports a ring worth examining. Nock Cokas proposed with a classically cut colored stone ring that features an oval cut yellow diamond. The center stone is surrounded by pink pave diamonds set in platinum.

2. Heidi Klum

The 10 carat canary diamond engagement ring Heidi Klum received from husband Seal is a Lorraine Schwartz design. The clean lines of the stone cut accentuate the brilliance of the diamond. This design is perfect for Klum’s slender and long fingers, which perfectly display this natural wonder.

3. Rebecca Romijn

The 6 carat yellow diamond engagement ring worn by Rebecca Romijn was designed by Simon G. While the oval stone itself is certainly elegant and impressive, the look of the ring along with the stacked pink and blue pave bands give the overall presentation a unique finish. The contrasting colors make the yellow diamond radiate from its setting, giving the overall appeal distinction.

4. Gwyneth Paltrow

Often giving off the air of a quiet and traditional girl, Gwyneth Paltrow has surprised us with her sense of style more than once. Her Coldplay front-man husband, Chris Martin proposed to her with a breath-taking Asscher cut diamond with a micro pave frame and double band. The look is exquisite and the styling very unique.

5. Sandra Bullock

While her public life is in turmoil, Sandra Bullock’s ring, designed by Neil Lane and estranged husband Jesse James, still exhibits a unique flair. The design is a vintage-inspired engagement ring with the theme of “You and Me.” The ring has two intertwined diamonds and a diamond pave wedding band to provide a complete genuine and unique style.

6. Mena Suvari

Traditional does not seem to be in the cards for Mea Suvari who instead preferred to use her birthstones of amethyst and citrine in her engagement ring. The stones are beautifully set in an asymmetrical design around a gold band and are meant to represent the commitment between Suvari and husband Robert Brinkmann.

7.      Jennifer Anniston

Although her marriage to Brad Pitt was not meant to last, Anniston wore one of the most beautiful and uniquely designed engagement rings seen in the celebrity circles. The ring was tactile in design, with stones set on different levels. The overall shape is based on the concept of the heart and is a symbol for eternity; at least the ring will last.

8.      Zooey Deschanel

Zooey Deschanel wears a Neil Lane designed engagement ring from Benjamin Gibbard. As beautiful and unique the large solitaire ring is for Deschanel, the eye-catching aspect is truly found in the wedding band. An eternity band, it is set in platinum and has alternating small rubies and diamonds all the way around it, giving it a unique appeal to the finished set.

9.      Jenna Bush

Jenna Bush’s engagement ring incorporates the traditional diamond solitaire with large sapphires flanking either side. The look is both traditional and unique, incorporating the three-stone setting in a platinum finish. The stones are all round and jump off her finger anytime she moves her hand giving a very noticeable appeal.

10.  Nicole Richie

Nicole Richie once wore an inverted cushion cut pink sapphire in a pave undercarriage and split diamond pave band that was given to her by DJ AM. This original engagement was said to have fallen through and an updated ring may soon follow. Given the beauty and allow of this piece alone, why would anyone want a replacement?

I hope you have enjoyed this trip through celebrity engagement rings as much as I have. Join me next time as I embark on a new journey through celebrity proposals. I will see you there.

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Eskae Private Jeweller – Apprentice week 9

Published on November 7, 2010 in Designer Jewellery, Eskae Private Jeweller, Gold, Jewellery and Platinum. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

Week 9 has been a great week for me at Eskae Private Jeweller, not only was I making jewellery but also learning traditional smithing methods such as forging.

Smithing dates back to the Iron Age and involves striking the platinum or  gold with a hammer on an anvil of different shapes and styles to produce a desired shape, form or function. In my case, I was making a thin silver dish for wax to be heated up in and to be used with wax seal.

To begin the thin silver dish, I rolled the metal out to the desired thickness and then scribed a shape onto the metal with a carbon tipped scribe. I then cut the shape out with a saw and dressed back the flat piece of silver with a file and then my emery paper. The metal needed to be smooth and clean, before I could begin creating the shape with a hammer, so I began to emery the surface of the dish so that the preparation was done before I started the forging.

After cleaning up the surface of the metal, I began hammering with a flat metal hammer. I placed the metal over a round ball called a ball punch, which was held in place in the bench vice. The round ball punch helps to create the curve and dome in the bottom of the dish as I strike the silver with the hammer while holding it over the ball punch. I also used a softer plastic mallet to hit the metal into the desired shape as it was easy to control my hitting strokes as well as sometimes i needed to be aware that i wasnt going to bruise the silver with the steel hammer.

Forging was fun to do, as I had to learn how to hit the metal on a particular angle to draw the metal down in one direction and create curves. During this process I constantly looked at the symmetry of the piece, to make sure each side looked the same.

Once I had created the initial shape with the hammer and mallet, I then cut into the back of the dish and removed a wedge of the metal. By bringing the two cut edges of the wedge together, the dish became deeper and gave the dish a nicer looking line. Once the edges were lined up against each other with no gaps, I soldered the join.  Now that the back was soldered and tapped into place, I could then work on the visual design on the sides of the dish. To create curves and a flow in the design, I began marking with a pen what I thought would be a more organic and interesting line. I then used various files to file down the excess metal to where the new design line was. Then came the tricky part and probably most challenging- matching the other side to the newly filed side.

The dish is almost finished and I will be making a wax pourer to go with the dish and stamp.

I have enjoyed week 9 as I was able to learn an ancient technique which I am told is a dying art. It was challenging and also a great way to learn how to look at creating art, objects and designer jewellery in a different light.

I cannot wait to tell you what has been happening this week in week 10!

Have a great week, talk to you soon,

Holly

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10 Extraordinary Colored-Diamond Celebrity Engagement Rings

Published on November 5, 2010 in Coloured Diamonds, Diamonds, Engagement Rings, Eskae Private Jeweller, Gold, Jewellery, Pink Diamonds and Platinum. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .

As I continue to explore the fascination the public has with the celebrity engagement, there is still little that is as breathtaking as the rings that accompany the proposals. In this post, I have focused on the fascinating appeal of the colored diamonds gracing the hands of well-known (and some not so well-known) individuals. Read on for a glimpse into the celebrity lifestyle and colored diamonds it can buy.

1. Carrie Underwood

Married to Mike Fisher, Carrie Underwood wears a ring that features a flawless brilliant round yellow diamond. The stone is set in a platinum and micro-pave diamond finish. The Jonathan Arndt design is both elegance and brilliance, a perfect fit for Underwood’s coloring. Reportedly priced at $1 million, the unique look of this ring fits the personality of the bride-to-be.

2. Eva LaRue

While Eva LaRue originally broke off her engagement to Joe Cappuccio, the owner of a seafood exporting company, the two did finally tie the knot with a 4 carat weight diamond ring on her finger. The cushion cut center stone has small pink stones on either side and rests on a diamond-studded band. A flash setting upon her hand, this ring is not what I would call traditional, but it certainly catches the eye.

3. Anna Kournikova

Sometimes a girl just has to have pink, which seems to be the case for Anna Kournikova. The tennis star receved an 11 carat pink pear cut engagement ring from fiancé Enrique Iglesias. The ring also features two trillion side stones and is reportedly valued at $2.5 million. Created by Argyle, this ring is a head-turner. While it is certainly not the most valuable celebrity engagement ring, it is definitely one of the most striking.

4. Tracey Edmonds

Tracey Edmonds caught the celebrity spotlight with her engagement to comedian Eddie Murphy. A celebrity in her own right, Edmonds is the former wife of Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds. The Cartier fancy yellow emerald cut diamond with white diamond baguettes was worn by Tracey Edmonds for only a short two weeks until the engagement was called off, yet the elegance and style of the ring is certainly timeless.

5. Tara Reid

While is still unclear as to whether Tara Reid is actually engaged to German entrepreneur Michael Axtmann, the pear-shaped pink diamond she is now wearing on an important finger suggests vows may be in her future. The carat weight has yet to be disclosed, although the healthy size is surrounded by pave diamonds and set in platinum.

6. Mariah Carey

Songbird Mariah Carey received a beautiful engagement ring from husband Nick Cannon. Designed by Jacob & Co., the 17 carat emerald cut diamond is surrounded by pink diamonds and two half-moon diamonds on either side. Reportedly worth $2.5 million, this engagement ring has a look of old-world traditional with new world style.

7. Portia de Rossi

Portia de Rossi received a beautiful ring from partner and wife Ellen Degeneres. Pink paver diamonds surround a center diamond that is of a marquise cut, set horizontally instead of the traditional vertical style. The design of the diamond-encrusted band has a unique flair and seems to fit the couple perfectly.

8. Carla Bruni

French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s new fiancé, Carla Bruni is now wearing a pink diamond, heart-shaped engagement ring. This Dior Cupidon is rumored to have been also worn by Sarkozy’s ex-wife, yet the striking ring has its own beauty and unique design that is uncompromisingly “French”.

9. Carmen Electra

Carmen Electra is not known to conform to expectations and the same is true in her third engagement, this time to Rob Patterson. Electra’s engagement ring is a stunning black diamond flanked by white diamonds all around. The band is gold and the ring, surprisingly for a celebrity, is valued at a very low price. What I like about the ring is not the expected flash, but the bold look of the black diamond. For the bride-to-be who wants to be different, the black diamond is a unique look.

10. Jennifer Lopez

While the engagement didn’t last and a marriage never happened, few can forget the beautiful 6.5 carat plush pink princess cut diamond engagement ring Jennifer Lopez received from Ben Affleck. The beautiful ring drew massive media attention and set off a whole new trend in colored diamonds. Copies of the ring were high in demand and the style continues to turn heads today.

Check back with me next time as I take you on a journey of celebrities wearing white diamond engagement rings.

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10 Extraordinary Gold Celebrity Engagement Rings

Published on October 31, 2010 in Bridal Jewellery, Engagement Rings, Eskae Private Jeweller, Gold, Jewellery and Wedding Jewellery. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

During a series of posts, I have taken you on a journey through celebrity engagement rings. We have viewed rings from such individuals as Madonna and Heidi Klum and have viewed stones from platinum settings to white diamonds. In this post, I think you will find it fascinating some of the rings I have discovered. While I am focusing on the gold engagement ring in this post, I think you will enjoy some of the looks that include the modern and the timeless traditional pieces that have captured the desires of women everywhere.

1. Jenna Fisher

Her second time around, Jenna Fisher is betrothed to writer Lee Kirk. The engagement included the offering of a 2 carat, round cut brilliant solitaire diamond set in a gold band. This timeless tradition varies somewhat from the eye-popping size of celebrity rings, yet the subtle appeal tends to fit the personality of the bride-to-be.

2. Jacqueline Kennedy

Long before she was Jackie O., Jacqueline Kennedy was a First Lady and the world looked to her for the next trends in fashion. While much of her look kept with tradition, the engagement ring given to her by John F. Kennedy consisted of one 2.88 carat diamond mounted next to a 2.84 carat cut emerald. The two feature stones were surrounded with tapered baguettes. While this ring was not the largest or most unique in her collection, it was certainly one that made a statement as an engagement ring in 1953.

3. Bella Swan

This piece was an interesting one to include on my list simply because Bella Swan is actually a fictional character. What I find so fun in her “engagement” is that the popularity of the Twilight saga has penetrated mainstream to the point that the engagement ring featured on the big screen is now available for purchase. The ring was designed in partnership between Twilight writer Stephanie Meyer and Infinite Jewelry Co. to match the description given in the book. Bella’s ring is designed in yellow gold, although the style is also available in white gold.

4. Katie DioGuardi

Mike McCuddy gave American Idol judge Katie DioGuardi a smoky quartz Pave Albion ring designed by David Yurman. The ring is made with 18 carat gold and features a champagne citron stone at the center. The non-traditional engagement ring is said to better fit the bride’s style. I love this piece as it demonstrates that traditional does not always have to dictate choice when it comes to the engagement ring.

5. Fergie

The bold style of this celebrity is exemplified in the bold styling of her engagement ring. Husband Josh Duhamel proposed with an extra-wide engagement ring designed by H. Stern. The ring features a 4 carat brilliant cut diamond center stone and is surrounded by stones of varying colors. The ring has two bands that compliment the style, although the engagement ring itself makes a statement all on its own.

6. Amy Winehouse

Simple and classic are certainly not words I would use to describe Amy Winhouse, yet they do apply to her engagement ring. The simple solitaire is roughly 2 carats and set on a gold band. The traditional look of the ring easily contrasts Winehouse’s celebrity look, yet can easily blend with other pieces. While it isn’t the ring I would assume she would have, her choice (she reportedly bought the ring herself) demonstrates classic roots can run deep.

7. Princess Di

No longer with us, few will soon forget Princess Di and the impact she had on the world. A unique and vibrant as she was, the engagement ring selected for her marriage to Prince Charles easily matched her own beauty. She had the option of selecting from a range of engagement rings presented to her by Garrard Jewellers and she chose the 18 carat oval blue sapphire surrounded by 14 small diamonds and set in elegant gold.

8. Miranda Kerr

When Orlando Bloom proposed to Miranda Kerr, he presented her with an oval center stone diamond set in gold. The center diamond is 3 to 4 carats in weight and is designed as a solitaire to be worn alone or with additional piece settings. The classic look of the ring has a trendy appeal that blends both tradition and modern styling.

9. Katy Perry

A whirlwind romance led to the engagement of Katy Perry and Russell Brand. The costume-loving songbird now wears a 3 carat white diamond Cartier ring set in gold. The shape of the diamond is a round brilliant cut and is the perfect choice for the band setting. This ring is actually the first choice for Perry, but the second for Brand, who originally selected a 4 carat pink diamond Cartier. This style seems to be a better fit for Perry.

10. Victoria Beckham

Perhaps my favorite in this list is an engagement ring that was not included in a proposal, but actually borrowed for an event. Victoria Beckham was one to pull it off, however, as she sported a $7 million, 19 carat diamond solitaire ring set in gold. On loan from Chopard, the diamond shape is Asscher and the final look is stunning, if not out of reach for most. A smaller version would just as easily catch the eye and fit many a trend.

Check back with me next time as I take you on a journey of celebrities wearing unusual stone engagement rings.

Sam Kritsotakis
Eskae Private Jeweller

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