So far it has been a very exciting week and a half. I have been lucky enough to start not only making jewellery straight away but begin creating and designing my own pieces of jewellery too.

My first day began with making probably the most exciting piece – a silver gents wedding style band. This is my first ring and piece of jewellery I have ever made, which made it even more special and exciting.

I started creating the ring by rolling out a piece of silver on a machine called a ‘rolling mill’, I then used a handsaw to cut the metal to size, I then learnt a very important technique in making jewellery – ‘soldering’. This is where you are able to join two or more pieces of metal together, in this case the ends of metal are soldered together to form one flowing circle. After soldering, I was shown how to file the metal to make it even and smooth. Lastly I put a bevelled edge on each side of the ring, which gives the ring interest and definition. All I need to do now to finish the piece is to polish it so that it comes up nice and shiny.

One of the other pieces of jewellery I hand-made  was a pair of 18ct yellow gold and Akoya salt water pearl earrings. Sam gave me a design to create – a smooth shepard  hook of fine wire, with one Akoya pearl suspended on the end of each pair. I found this piece quite challenging, as I had to begin by rolling and drawing out a piece of gold into very thin wire. (I must say, muscles are definitely required for this kind of work). Another reason why the earrings were challenging to make was that earrings of course need to be completely matching. And as the hooks were hand made individually, it was tricky matching and bending them into the same shapes. During the making of the earrings, I was able to learn a lot about using pliers and which directions and positions to place them, in order to achieve a particular curve.

18ct Yellow gold and Akoya Pearl Earrings

This week the most important technique I learnt was what sort of flame to use on various heating techniques e.g. if I am soldering something I need to use a stronger smaller flame, which has more blue in the tip of the flame, as opposed to a technique called ‘annealing’ which is where you heat up the metal to make it more malleable. In annealing I need to use what Sam calls a ‘fluffy’ flame, which not only has a blue flame, but the tip of the flame has an orange colour to it, it is softer and less aggressive than a soldering flame, which allows me to achieve a more even heat across the length of the gold or silver I am working with.

18ct Yellow Gold and Akoya Pearl Earrings

All in all, last week has been great! I met suppliers, began my journey as a jeweller and even got to create some fun pieces of jewellery.

I can’t wait to tell you what this week entails.

Cheers, Holly

The post-Renaissance era in the 1600s saw the birth of the cufflink, displayed as two ornate buttons, attached in the middle with a link of chain. Thus, the upper classes of Europe, Great Britain especially, had a unique way to customize a man’s clothing.

To meet a growing demand, jewellers created “sleeve buttons” with designs etched or stamped into silver or gold. Such buttons were often encrusted with previous stones and the mark of a gentleman was affixed in the wearing of the cufflink.

The London Gazette in 1684 featured one of the earliest descriptions of a cufflink, which included a pair of what was referred to as cuff buttons set with diamonds. In 1686, the same publication referred to cuff buttons made of golden enamel. Further evidence of cufflinks in the 17^th century was found in Suffolk, England. A decorated gold single chain cufflink has been found that originated in that era.

While the history varies somewhat depending upon the source, the use of cufflinks on a consistent basis was not seen until the mid-nineteenth century. It was at this time that the ever-present ruffles on the shirt were replaced with minimal sleeves that allowed more functionality in the wear. In particular, the French Cuff arrived – also known as the Double Cuff, Poignet Mousquetaire and the Musketeer’s Cuff – creating the perfect platform for the introduction of the cufflink as a standard part of attire for first class gentlemen.

This piece of adornment was not meant only for the upper class, however. By the 1860s, the cufflink found a place in the mainstream. Credit can be given to jewellers such as Child & Child in London and Krementz & Co in New York as they both were responsible for introducing cufflinks within a price range and style that fit the budget and taste of the general public.

While the cufflink enjoyed widespread acceptance as a must-have adornment on the gentleman’s shirt, the industry suffered a setback in the late twentieth century when shirt manufacturers began to mass produce dress and tuxedo shirts with buttons on the cuff. Companies such as Tiffany and Cartier found this merely a distraction and instead created cufflinks that continue to appeal to the masses.

As personalization is one of the biggest trends at play today, cufflinks are the perfect way for you to personalize your attire. Whether you hope to demonstrate a tradition, match a suit or simply make a statement, cufflinks offer a world of possibilities that perfectly top any style today.

Sam Kritsotakis

Eskae Private Jeweller

If you yearn for jewellery that falls into the “I’ve never seen anything like that before!” category, you may want to invest in a piece featuring carnelian.

A semi-precious gemstone, carnelian (also referred to as cornelian or sard) comes in a variety of colours, from buttery tan to deep, dark brown.  It’s opaque, rich and relatively abundant; perhaps that’s why carnelian has been used to decorate jewellery items for at least 6,000-7,000 years.

Carnelian - tumble polished

A Bit of History about Carnelian…

Carnelian is mined around the world in locales from Russia to Australia to Brazil.  Like many gems, carnelian, a variety of chalcedony, was once relegated to the jewellery collections of the rich and famous.  Today, though, it can be found in jewellery boxes of everyday people.

Carnelian’s toughness (6-7 on the Moh’s scale of hardness) makes it a stone that can be relied upon to keep its shape for generations.  In fact, there are many royal jewellery items featuring carnelian that look stunning thousands of years after their creations.

Carnelian’s colours vary depending upon the levels of iron oxide in the stone.  Occasionally, carnelians are heated to intensify their hues; some may also be specially colour-treated to further enhance their appearances.  Once polished, the outside of a carnelian gem takes on an almost silky look and feel, which makes the gemstone highly attractive from both visual and tactile standpoints.

Carnelian - cabochon cut

Carnelian in Mythology and Legends…

Carnelian stands as one of the gemstones that can be used for many birthstones, most notably for those born under the Zodiac signs of Virgo, Aries, Leo and Taurus.

Throughout the centuries, many societies believed (and some still believe) in carnelian as a stone that could help the wearer (or holder in the case of loose carnelian stones) in a number of different ways, including:

• Healing blood-related diseases.
• Guarding against poverty and financial woes.
• Increasing physical desire in both males and females.
• Helping with back pain and body cramping.
• Improving a bad temper.
• Assisting women and men with infertility issues.
• Heightening overall energy.
• Protecting a dead body from evil spirits.
• Promoting a sense of humor.

Whether or not carnelian actually possesses any of these powers is debatable; however, regardless of its otherworldly or medicinal prowess, it’s undeniably a lovely stone to showcase.

Taking Care of Carnelian

Like other hard semi-precious gemstones, carnelian is not particularly difficult to care for.  A soft cloth and gentle hand soap can bring lustre back to a dull carnelian cameo, brooch or other jewellery item.

One note:  Be careful when cleaning carnelian because the other materials with which your jewellery piece is crafted may require professional cleaning or special cleansing solutions.

Are You a Candidate for Carnelian?

Is carnelian a gemstone of choice for you?  It all depends.  Carnelian is not a stone with tons of “splash”; it’s much more subtle in its appeal.  Yet it conveys a sense of earthiness and warmth that other gemstones do not enjoy.

If you like nature and down-to-earth tones, carnelian is indeed a great match for your lifestyle and personality.

Sam Kritsotakis

Eskae Private Jeweller

Some of you will remember that a few weeks ago I was presented with the inaugural Exponential Entrepreneur of the Year Award – Start Up Category by Dr Marc Dussault of Exponential Programs.

Since that time Marc has been busy creating a specific page about all of his Exponential Entrepreneur Of The Year 2010 Award Winners

I have been lucky enough to be featured on the page as the second person down – you can go there now to have a look at the page by clicking on the link above.

I’ve had an amazing past 12 months getting everything together the way I dreamed starting my own business would be. I am more confident than ever about having made the right decision to go on my own and launch – Eskae Private Jeweller.

The reason I won the 2010 Exponential Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in the New South Wales Service Industry Category is in recognition of my incredible start as an entrepreneur and business owner.

When I first met by Dr Marc Dussault and inquired about his Business Mastery Platinum Program I was working as an employed bench jeweller and absolutely knew beyond any doubt, I wanted to be running my own business – I even had the name picked out and registered – Eskae Private Jeweller.

Even before I was in a position to open the doors to my new Sydney jewelry studio, I was crystal clear on what my business would look like, how it would run and who my prospects and clients would be.  Not only did I have this information on hand, I had a complete Business Building Blueprint™ filled in before I even had a physical location selected. In other words, I had a complete strategic plan established with a step-by-step process to implement my business vision of designing and creating beautiful, unique custom design jewellery for you – all thanks to Marc

I was lucky enough to realise the benefit of prior planning and was able to invest 18 months prior to opening Eskae Private Jeweller – making sure everything was in place for the launch of my new start-up venture. I come from a family of business owners, both my parents own their own businesses and now my sister and I have ventured out on our own with separate businesses. Since my immediate family circle also own and run several of their own businesses, you can image what the talk is all about at family gatherings!

I can tell you from being around business owners my whole life that far too many small business owners are impulsive and short-sighted when it comes to getting started in business they unfortunately lack the discipline to plan properly before they make their move.

Some of my proudest achievements since opening Eskae Private Jeweller in January 2010, include:

• Designing from scratch – the ideal Private Jewelery Studio where I can not only meet with you privately, but also have a fully functional, multi-bench production jewelry studio to create all of the unique hand crafted jewellery that you can dream of. Not only will I be ensuring quality as well as control of the design process for you, but you also have the opportunity to view the jewelry at each step of its creation..
• I achieved operational profitability within 3 months. This may sound a little self-serving, but its important for you to know that I’m running a solid business and that it’s not a flash in the pan operation – here today gone tomorrow. I invested 18 months prior to opening so that I would hit the ground running, delivering on my promises to you from day one.
• Because I invested time in my entrepreneurial education, I was able to learn Exponential Marketing Strategies that involve Boundless Opportunity Thinking™, I started taking orders BEFORE I was even able to produce the final jewellery pieces. Because of this I was able to hire a studio manager from day one, ensuring that I could grow my business faster and with a lot less stress by keeping my focus solely on you. While my manager is taking charge of the production side of things, I am free to make sure all of your needs are being met. Through our daily production meetings, I know exactly what stage each and every single order is ensuring that any communication I have with you is current and up-to-date.
• I created, developed and launched a new website that includes a jewelry photo gallery along with specialized pages specific to engagement rings, bridal jewellery, designer jewellery and Art Deco jewellery. I wanted to make sure you have access to the best available source of information possible, and I believe these special photo-filled gallery pages achieve that for you.
• My website and blog traffic has catapulted from 220 visits in the first month to over 1050 in 6 months by leveraging Exponential Internet Marketing Strategies that ensure the highest quality people like you find me EASILY when searching on Google and other search engines by using the most effective and efficient SEO strategies available to me. Again this is all about making things as easy as possible for you.
• My jewelry blog has already published more than 100 posts in the first 6 months – while I was busy launching my new business. Most Australian businesses don’t have a blog let alone one that lets you go through this amount of information for free. I am continuously creating and writing posts to give you the opportunity to inform and educate yourself on topics as varied as Pink Diamonds, Art Deco Jewelry, and designing your own custom engagement ring.
• As a result of being able to implement various Exponential Marketing campaigns and multiple Pathways To Profits™ – being established, with solid Management By Metrics™ to back them up – so that you know Eskae Private Jeweller can be relied upon to be here when you need me. A 1^st year apprentice jeweller has been hired within 6 months of the jewelry studio’s opening. Holly’s first day is on the 30^th August 2010 and I am proud to say that I will be helping not only Holly achieve her dream of becoming a qualified jeweller who is capable of making hand-crafted jewellery, but also helping to re-skill the jewellery industry in Australia, especially when you consider there has been a worrying shift of large retailers stocking mass produced jewelry made overseas.
• I consider myself to have a generous and philanthropic perspective in life; Eskae donated $1,435 to The Smith Family through their child sponsorship program in my first year of operations. I believe that I have been lucky enough to be in a position to help. If I take no action on helping others in my lifetime then I believe myself to have abused that position.
• Sales have steadily increased each month since the initial launch. Just another way of saying that Eskae Private Jeweller is here for the long haul. I am so happy to have been able to build the relationships I have with all of you and I am looking forward to building more as the years pass.
• Eskae introduced environmentally friendly cleaning solutions that required additional research and effort to implement within the production cycle of creating precious one-of-a-kind jewelery. This is vitally important to the environmentally sustainable footprint that I want to establish for my operations. Eskae is all about having a holistic and socially conscious approach to jewelry making. It is not good enough just to be able to make beautiful custom jewelry, it needs to be done in an environmentally responsible manner.
• I have been fortunate to be interviewed for a new business book. I want you to feel confident and reassured of my commitment to you as a client.

I would like to thank Marc for his continued belief in me as well as his consistent raising of the bar!

To the other winners -

Bree Robbins – Paddington Pups Category: Queensland Service Industry

Gavin Buckett – The Gourmet Guardian Category: Victoria Service Industry

Ray Keefe – Successful Endeavours Category: Engineering Consultant

David Conroy – The Lone Drainer And Pronto! Category: New South Wales Service Industry

Congratulations! I am so proud to be considered amongst a group of people that I both look up to and admire for all of the things I have seen you all achieve and what else is to come, I can’t wait to see!

Over time, the other winners will be posting their own summaries on the Exponential Entrepreneur Of The Year 2010 Award Winners page so if you are someone who enjoys seeing people achieve, keep going back to the page and checking out their improvements and additions.

I know for a fact that because of the 1 Percent Improvement Doctrine that Marc and all of the winners of this years award are so passionate about – the page will get numerous improvements over the course of time, so for some of you just seeing Dr Marc Dussault practice what he preaches will be worth the time it takes to re-visit this page every now and then!

Alexandrite possesses unique characteristics in that its tint or colour continuously changes; thus, depending upon what you wear as well, the setting that you’re in, and,  more particularly, the lighting situation surrounding you, the gem will take on different shades and tones.  For numerous jewellery-owners, this fact alone makes Alexandrite an essential part of their jewellery collections!

Alexandrite History and Info

Originally found in Russia’s Ural Mountains, Alexandrite remains incredibly rare.  In fact, Alexandrite wasn’t even known to modern man until the early 1900s.  What a shame that antiquity never had the opportunity to get to know this incredible gem!

Today, Alexandrite has been found in other places around the globe, including Brazil and Sri Lanka.  However, it still is far from being abundant (and some of the deposits are hardly usable from a jewellery point of view), so collectors need to take this into consideration when budgeting for Alexandrite jewellery, which can get a little expensive because of this rarity factor.

One of Alexandrite’s most magical qualities is that fact that it never seems to stay the same colour!  Depending on the shades around it as well as the time of day (e.g., natural sunlight versus man-made lighting), Alexandrite will literally change before the wearer’s eyes!  Sometimes it seems green, other times it appears blue… or even deep red!

Alexandrite’s colour shifts aren’t magic; they are based on hard science.  Different frequencies found within the various types of light make the stone’s colour change.  This means if you head out for your lunch break, the Alexandrite gemstone in your ring will be one colour; but when you get back into the office you will see that it is very definitely another colour due to the change in light sources.

Alexandrite - and its two colours!

Folklore and Legend

Because Alexandrite hasn’t enjoyed a lengthy popularity due to its relatively recent unearthing, there aren’t many legends associated with it.  One of the only ones is that because it was found on the day that the Tsar Alexander II came “of age”, it must be connected with royalty or prestige/power in some manner.

Additionally, some artistic types claim that wearing Alexandrite helps them be more creative.  And since there’s really no way to gauge creativity, perhaps it has more than a grain of truth!  After all, plenty of expert jewellers also swear by the stone and enjoy making it the showpiece of a variety of jewelry items.

Caring for Your Special Alexandrite Jewellery

Alexandrite is very, very hard (around 8.5 on the Mohs scale).  This makes it easy to cut from a jeweller’s standpoint and even easier to care for.  It would be very difficult to “nick” this gemstone, so if you tend to be hard on your jewelry, Alexandrite could be your ideal choice!

Is an Alexandrite Perfect for You?

Because Alexandrite isn’t widely known in most circles, you’ll probably be asked quite frequently, “What kind of stone is that?”  So be prepared with a great answer if you decide that Alexandrite is going to be the centerpiece for your next bracelet, ring or necklace!

Sam Kritsotakis

Eskae Private Jeweller

In this series of blog posts, I have been examining the brilliance and beauty of the natural diamond. I have touched on the colour, clarity and cut of the diamond. These three, along with carat weight make up the 4C’s. The 4C’s is a method by which the GIA – the benchmark in diamond grading throughout the world – compares the quality of diamonds.

In this post, let’s take a look at carat weight and how that plays into the value and desire of the diamond. The word carat is the term used to express the weight of the diamond and one carat is equal to 200 milligrams of actual weight and five carats is equal to 1 gram. Interestingly, while carat weight is used to measure other gemstones, different stones of the same weight are not necessarily the same sizes as the density of the stone plays a role in total carat weight.

When considering two equal carat diamonds, for instance, one may be cut too shallow and will appear to have a larger diameter but a smaller depth. The other diamond may be cut too deep – what is considered to be bottom heavy – and will have a smaller diameter, but will appear smaller when it is viewed from the top. In this case, both diamonds are equal in carat weight, yet look very different when viewed with the naked eye.

It is important to remember that as the diamond carat size increases, so does the diameter and depth of the diamond. As a result, a 1.00 carat diamond will not look twice as wide as a 0.50 carat diamond. At the same time, you must consider the size of the finger that will wear the diamond as a 1 carat solitaire looks much larger on a smaller finger than it will on a larger finger.

Smaller diamonds are weighed in points instead of carats. The carat weight is still the base of measurement, but the points communicate to the consumer and the jeweller how much of a whole carat is represented in the stone. In other words, there are 100 points in 1 carat and if a diamond is rated a 0.05, this means it is five one-hundredths. A 0.05 carat diamond is equal to five points.

The carat weight of the diamond will impact its value, simply because larger diamonds that are both brilliant and beautiful are much rarer. At the same time, the larger diamond is in more demand than smaller diamonds of the same quality. As a result, a larger carat diamond solitaire has more value that a diamond setting made up of multiple diamonds that total the same carat weight, but are individually smaller. Likewise, the diamond that is just less than one full carat will be less expensive than the diamond that surpasses the full-carat benchmark.

No matter what the carat weight of the diamond, its value will also take into account the cut, clarity and colour as all four combine into the 4C’s when determining the true quality and investment potential of the diamond.

I have enjoyed this series and I do hope that you have been able to learn some new and important information that will help you make the best decision when you are purchasing your next diamond – whether it be for an engagement ring or anniversary or just because…

If you are in need of expert advice, please contact me via my website, Eskae Jeweller and I will be happy to sit with you to go through the various options available in your next diamond purchase.

Sam Kritsotakis

Eskae Jeweller – Your Private Jeweller

As a result, we have developed the freshwater cultured pearls. A freshwater cultured pearl is one that comes from a freshwater mussel. In many markets, such pearls must be legally referred to as freshwater cultured pearls by governing bodies of commerce.

While such pearls have been produced in the United States and Japan, the production is now almost exclusive to China. This process is fascinating as it does not rely on a foreign substance to find its way into the mussel, but instead on technicians performing a grafting process on the mussel.

The grafting process requires a technician to make a small incision on the upper valve of the mussel and insert a piece of tissue from a donor mussel. This tissue is then considered to be the foreign substance by the mussel and it will begin the natural process of coating the tissue with a protective material.

While the cockscomb pearl mussel was once preferred in the Chinese cultured pearl industry for its ability to produce as many as 50 pearls, the low quality of the pearls earned them the name, “rice krispy pearls”. The favored mussel is now the triangle shell as the pearl quality is superior, even if the total quantity is fewer.

Freshwater cultured pearls are delivered to a first-stage after they are harvested from the shells of the mussels. This first stop is generally where the pearls will be cleaned and sorted according to size and shape. Once sorted, the pearls go through a standard treatment of maeshori, which includes immersion in a warm and cold chemical solution, bleach, drill and polish. (If a pearl exhibits strong coloration, it will only go through maeshori.)

When the pearls have completed the standard sorting process, they are then matched with like-sized and shaped pearls onto temporary strands. These strands are then matched again into hanks, which is a group of strands comprised of five to 10 temporary strands. At this point, the pearls are considered to be ready for the wholesale market.

Freshwater cultured pearls do differ from saltwater pearls in that they are typically not as round as saltwater pearls and do not have the same sharp luster and shine. Freshwater cultured pearls do, however, appear in a wide variety of natural colors and shapes and are more durable than saltwater pearls. They also make a nice contribution to any jewellery collection where a budget must be adhered to as they typically cost less, because of the farming aspect, than the saltwater variety.

My overall preference in the choice of pearl depends entirely on the jewelry setting and the purpose of wear. If you are making a fashion statement, freshwater cultured pearls are a logical choice. If you want to keep with tradition and display an authentic pearl, nothing compares with a saltwater pearl.

Join me next time as I take a closer look at the unique pearls found in the South Sea.

Broken Squash Racquet

You will see that on the “corners” of the racquet where it has broken, the break has been caused from repetitive damage to the same spot. In squash, as Marc explained, racquets are often broken where the same part of the racquet scrapes against the wall of the court from a well placed shot by your competitor, which forces you to retrieve the ball right up against the wall.

You are probably sitting there asking yourself what on earth does this have to do with jewellery and diamonds?

To make the connection for you – if your diamond setting is consistently damaged in the same place with repeated wear and tear, over time you run the risk of the setting becoming loose and the diamond falling out and being lost for ever…

Broken Racquet, Broken Setting = NIGHTMARE!

With a squash racquet there is no maintenance possible. When it breaks, you have to replace it.

The good news is that with your diamond jewellery it can and should be maintained regularly. At Eskae Private Jeweller, we have a service called the Refreshing Ring Rejuvenation to make sure your setting never gets loose so you never lose a diamond, pearl or precious gemstone.

Click on the hyperlink to go to our Refreshing Ring Rejuvenation page to find out everything you need to know.

We will make sure that -

• The beadwork on your ring is correct and full – which means that the diamonds or gemstones are securely held in place
• The bezel edge is safe and secure with enough metal over the diamond/gemstone.
• The setting edge is secur enough of the diamond/gemstone.
• There are NO chips, scratches, breaks or cleaves in the diamonds/gemstones.
• The claws or setting edges are all in place and are not bent out of shape.
• There is not too much wear on any of the exposed metal holding the diamond/gemstone in place.
• Your jewellery is checked for damaged or loose diamonds or gemstones.
• Your jewellery is professionally cleaned and polished so it looks like NEW again.
• ALL scratches and marks on your jewellery are removed.
• The white gold sections are re-rhodium plated to give your white gold a more brilliant lustre and hue.

The broken racquet – or your broken diamond setting – can be avoided.

At Eskae Private Jeweller we provide this service for our clients every 6 months, which is the recommended maintenance schedule for high-value jewelery. It gives us the opportunity to prevent any damage or loss to YOUR jewellery BEFORE any expensive restoration work is required.

It really is simple and easy to do – just give me a phone call or send me an email to book in your Refreshing Ring Rejuvenation so your rings are sparkling and clean just like when they were brand new!

Sam Kritsotakis

Eskae Private Jeweller

So he figured that if I could get a car that was made of gold, I would be happy!

I am sure you will agree that this would do VERY nicely….

Gold Ferrari

Gold Ferrari

What a way to splash out on some cash, getting your Ferrari 599 GTB done in gold!

Sam Kritsotakis

Eskae Jeweller – Your Private Jeweller