Tag Archive for 'Craftsmanship'

The 10 Most Expensive Dream Shoes – Shoes 6 through 1

Published on July 24, 2011 in Coloured Diamonds, Diamonds, Gemstones, Rubies, Sapphires, Tanzanite and White Diamonds. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .

Continuing on with the World’s Top 10 Most Expensive Shoes:

5. Dream Shoe Designer: Stuart Weitzmann, assisted by Oscar Heyman Bros.

Fully understanding what women want out of a shoe, Stuart Weitzmann has created some of the finest, artistic and most expensive shoes of our time. Designing, perhaps, a coveted shoe during the times of The Wizard of Oz, these sparkly red slippers are fully studded with 642 oval Burma rubies that come in with a total weight of 123-33 carats and are set in a half pound of platinum.

When the stilettos were first created, they were the most expensive shoe of their time and designed to be worn only by the famous. Currently ranking in at #5 on the list of Most Expensive Dream Shoes, they still cost an arm and a leg of $1.6 million USD.

4. Dream Shoe Designer: Stuart Weitzmann

Deemed the ‘Cinderella slippers’, these elegant heels are heavy with 565 platinum-set Kwiat diamonds that total up to 55 carats of clear diamonds and one enormous 5 carat amaretto diamond, worth one million USD on its own, on each shoe.

These fairytale 4 ½ inch stiletto shoes are every girl’s dream and with their steep cost, may just remain that! While they’ve been worn once by Allison Kraus at the 2004 Oscar ceremony, these shoes now sit on display in Beverly Hills, California and are worth $2 million USD.

3. Dream Shoe Designer: Stuart Weitzmann and Jeweller, Le Vian

Tying 3rd and 4th place with himself on the most expensive shoes list, Stuart Weitzmann, in collaboration with Le Vian, have created another $2 million USD pair of evening shoes.

Rightfully so, these million dollar stilettos rank in the top 5 of the world’s most expensive shoes due to the 185 carats of museum quality tanzanite, 28 carats of diamonds and another huge 16 carat tanzanite that dangles on the front of the heel from the ankle strap. All of these rare and precious stones are placed on the silver leather embellished shoe making it one of the daintiest and rarest high-heeled stilettos ever made.

2. Dream Shoe Designer: Ronald Winston from the House of Harry Winston

Not to be outdone by Stuart Weitzman, Ronald Winston carries on The Wizard of Oz theme by celebrating its 50th anniversary with these Harry Winston Ruby Slippers. Tying in at first place with Stuart Weitzmann on the #1 spot, not only are they eye-blindingly glittery with very possibly, more rubies that any person has seen at once, they also carry more weight than any shoe designed to date! Completely covered in 4,600 valuable rubies, these low-heeled pumps have a total weight of 1,350 carats or pure ruby.

To coincide with this one-of-a-kind pair of treasures, it also carries a one-of-a-kind price tag of $3 million USD!

1. Dream Shoe Designer: Stuart Weitzmann

The factor that determined whether the Harry Winston Ruby Slippers or the Stuart Weitzmann Rita Hayworth Heels took the number one spot was which shoe was more current.

Labelled as the most recent, over-the-top creation in designer shoes, these shoes were inspired by earrings worn by the late Rita Hayworth and worn only once by singer/songwriter, Kathleen Bird York, at the 2006 Oscars. Now owned by Rita Haworth’s daughter, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, they’re off the market although their beauty can still be admired from afar.

These open-toed heels were designed using a rust-coloured satin and decorated with rubies, sapphires and diamonds, all nested in the satin ruffle at the toe of the shoe. Unsurprisingly, the Rita Hayworth shoes hold their value at $300 million USD.

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Luxury Emerald And Diamond Tiara

Published on June 19, 2011 in Diamonds, Emeralds, Eskae Private Jeweller, Gemstones, Hand-made Jewellery, Jewellery and White Diamonds. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Breaking the news again after auctioning off the word record holding Graff Pink just last year, Sotheby’s is at it again this year, bringing a circa 1900s and extremely rare emerald and diamond tiara to this years auction!

This exquisite, once-in-a-lifetime jewel encrusted tiara was created by renowned jewellers, Chaumet, for Guido Count von Henckel, First Prince von Donnersmark, as a gift for his second wife, Princess Katharina. The emeralds, themselves, are believed to be a part of a collection owned by Napolean III’s wife, Empress Eugenie before the tiara was designed for Princess Katharina.

Not only is this the most rare and valuable emerald and diamond tiaras to come to light, it’s also one of the most historic and prized jewellery pieces to make its debut at Sotheby’s in over 30 years!

Sotheby has recently released this description of the Luxury Emerald and Diamond Tiara:

“The tiara is a crown of foliate and floral inspiration. The base is set with a central row of eleven larger cushion-shaped diamonds, each set between pairs of muguets, above a line of laurel leaf motifs and surmounted by festooned ribbons, pierced and millegrain set throughout with rose and brilliant-cut diamonds, surmount by a row of eleven polished pear-shaped emeralds. The emeralds, totaling approximately 500 carats, graduated in size from the center, each emerald drilled and held in diamond set cusp motifs, the nine largest tipped by rose diamonds, mounted in silver and gold, later detachable tiara fitting”.

Quite the description to match the tiara’s intricate, magnificent historical piece of work!

Understandably so, this amazing and brilliant Luxury Emerald and Diamond Tiara is estimated to sell for $5 to $10 million dollars in Geneva on May 17, 2011.

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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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Jewellery Definitions Page

Published on September 28, 2010 in Art Deco Jewellery, Bridal Jewellery, Designer Jewellery, Engagement Rings, Eskae Private Jeweller, Gold, Hand-made Jewellery, Jewellery, Mens Jewellery, Platinum, Refreshing Ring Rejuvenation and Wedding Jewellery. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , .
  • Claw setting – is a setting made from either gold or platinum with prongs or wire like structure to hold your diamond secure
  • Bezel setting – is a setting which fully surrounds the diamond or gemstone in place with gold or platinum being “rubbed over” the edge of the stone
  • Half bezel setting – the same as above but where only half of the diamond or gemstone is covered
  • Bead setting –Tiny beads are raised by pushing gold or platinum over the edges of the diamond

  • Thread setting – a series of diamonds are set generally in a line down the shoulder of the ring using the same technique as the above
  • Pave setting – is a style of setting multiple diamonds using the same technique as a bead setting. This is generally used in a blanket effect with small diamonds
  • Channel setting – a channel is opened to fit exactly the size diamond and then a groove is cut to allow the diamond to sit inside the channel. Once the diamond sits correctly the gold is pushed over the girdle of the diamond to hold it secure
  • Shank – the jewellery term for the band component of a ring
  • Shoulder – the part of a ring that is between the shank and the setting, generally there are diamonds set into the shoulder to enhance the beauty and sparkle of the centre diamond
  • Setting – the component of a ring that holds the diamond or gemstone in place
  • Platinum – a precious metal used in jewellery manufacturing which exhibits a superior whiteness and brightness compared to white gold
  • Palladium – a natural element from the platinum family of elements, generally used in the alloy when making premium grade white gold to help improve the whiteness and brightness of the gold
  • Rhodium – a natural element found in the platinum group of elements.
  • Rhodium plating – a liquid solution that coats the white gold through a process called electrolysis and makes it whiter and brighter compared to its natural state which is considered grey compared to platinum
  • 24ct gold – pure gold with no other metal or element being added to it
  • 18ct gold – a 75% pure alloy of gold silver and copper. Considered the perfect mix for working in gold, it retains most of the inherent shine, strength and other properties that gold has compared to the other metals it is alloyed with.

  • 9ct gold – a 37.5% pure alloy of gold, silver and copper. Is a more commercially affordable alloy of gold because the actual content of gold is less than 50% in the mix. Because of the amount of extra alloy being added to create 9ct gold, it makes the alloy particularly brittle and can be prone to stress fractures and breaks, often mistaken as being stronger than 18ct gold.
  • Ring mandrel – a rod of steel used to measure the correct finger size when making a ring
  • Gold plating – a liquid solution that coats most precious metals with gold through a process called electrolysis
  • Enamel – comes in two types
    • Vitreous enamel – which is in a powder form when raw, once applied to the gold or platinum and then heated, it forms a glass like layer of colour in the area it was applied to. This can be colour blended and produces a very high lustre similar to that of glass
    • Cold mould enamel – is more like a plastic acrylic. It goes on like a paint and once cured it forms a high lustre finish where applied
  • Solder – an alloy of gold to the same carat but mixed with various elements to reduce the melting point so that when heated the gold solder will liquidise
  • Hard soldering – the process of heating up a piece of jewellery and applying silver, gold or platinum solder to a join between two or more pieces.
  • Soft soldering – the process of heating up two separate pieces of metal, not necessarily silver gold or platinum, and then applying a lead based type of solder. The melting point for the solder is considerably lower with this type of soldering than it is with hard soldering
  • Ring re-sizing – the process where your ring is either increased or decreased in finger size
  • Re-tipping – the process of repairing any worn out claws on a setting, by adding new strips of gold to the setting
  • Laser welding – a relatively new technology in the jewellery industry which allows us to use lasers which is super heated beams of light to spot weld two or more pieces of gold or platinum together. This process allows a far greater level of accuracy and cleanliness, than the traditional hard soldering technique.
  • CAD – a computerised designing system being introduced worldwide in the jewellery industry. It is the same idea as architectural CAD software.
  • Wax model – a wax mock up at 100% scale of a ring that will be created for you.
  • Fitting – an appointment with me that lets you look at the ring or piece of jewellery before any diamonds are set in it. I get the opportunity to make sure the size is 100% correct and that you are 100% happy with the look of the piece of jewellery
  • Engagement ring – a symbolic ring which represents the love and bright future a couple will share – given by the man to his lady love when he asks her to marry him.
  • Wedding ring – a ring presented to your fiancé on the day of your marriage. It is traditionally an unbroken circle representing “no end” in the relationship and everlasting love.

  • Eternity ring – a ring presented either at your 1st year anniversary or the birth of your first child – which ever happens first – it represents the fact that you are now wed for eternity
  • Wedding day Gift – traditionally this is a pair of earrings that match her engagement ring or a pair of cuff links that has some kind of family resemblance for him
  • Engraving – the process of marking gold or platinum with an inscription or pattern
  • Carat – the unit of measurement designed to measure the weight of diamonds and gemstones
  • Karat – the unit of measurement designed to measure the purity of gold
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Hand-Me-Down Diamond rings

Published on May 12, 2010 in Designer Jewellery, Diamonds, Engagement Rings, Hand-made Jewellery, Jewellery and Wedding Jewellery. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , , , , .

What to Do with an Unexpected… and Outdated… Hand-Me-Down Diamond ring

It’s touching and meaningful when a relative presents you with a diamond ring that’s been in your family for years.  But what do you do when the diamond ring is… well… let’s just say “outdated”?

At this point, you have a few options:

a)     You can pretend that you love the diamond ring and wear it only when you know you’ll be seeing the person who gave it to you.

b)    You can pretend you love the diamond ring and put it into your jewellery box, never to have it see sunlight again.

c)     You can tell the person that you appreciate the gesture but would rather not have the diamond ring.

d)    You can be creative and use the basic elements of the diamond ring to craft an entirely new diamond ring that’s completely yours!

Obviously, I don’t recommend (a), (b) or (c).  If you choose (a) or (b), you’ll be wasting a perfectly good diamond!  And if you choose (c), you’ll probably hurt someone’s feelings (never a smart idea!)  That leaves you with option (d), which I feel is the ideal way to have the best of all worlds.

A diamond ring that’s in an outdated setting is nothing new to expert jewellers nor is it something that cannot be fixed.  Truly, we see this kind of “problem” on a somewhat regular basis.  Many women (and men) come to us specifically to turn what is old into something modern, fresh and wearable.

There’s no one way to create a new piece of jewellery from your heirloom diamond ring, which is why I always include an in-depth consultation with individuals who want to revitalise a drab diamond ring.

Sometimes, they simply want to add some other gemstones to increase the value of the ring; other times, they want to remove elements of the ring to show off a precious diamond.  Occasionally, clients even want a large diamond ring to be disassembled, the diamond to be cut into several smaller diamonds, and the ring to be reassembled in a contemporary fashion.

Don’t allow a beautiful diamond ring to languish in a box!  If you’ve been named the recipient of a piece of jewellery that could use a professional “makeover”, consider it an honor, even if the piece of jewellery is garish, out-of-date or simply not your style.  Turn that “ugly duckling” into a beautiful swan that can be worn with pride!

To find out more about just how we can turn the “ugly duckling” into a beautiful swan click on the link to our designer jewellery page and get in touch with me from there.

Sam Kritsotakis

Eskae Jeweller – Your Private Jeweller

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Designing your Engagement Ring

Published on May 5, 2010 in Bridal Jewellery, Designer Jewellery, Diamonds, Engagement Rings, Hand-made Jewellery and Wedding Jewellery. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

Designing your own Engagement Ring

A marriage proposal is one of the most important and personal events of a lifetime.  A very special engagement ring will reflect the significance of this event.  When you become engaged, you and your partner can create a lasting symbol of your unique love for each other with a custom engagement ring design. With the help of an experienced jeweller, the process of designing a custom engagement ring will bring you and your loved one closer and help you create a ring that both of you will treasure forever.

The Design Process

Once you’ve decided to create an engagement ring that will reflect you and your partner’s personalities and taste, the next step is to consult a jeweller who specializes in custom engagement ring design.  An experienced jeweller has the technical expertise required to guide you through the design process.  Your jeweller will explain the process to you in simple terms and make sure you have input at every step.  You will gain an understanding and appreciation of how much is involved in custom designing an engagement ring.

Your jeweller will help you make a series of important design decisions related to ring design, including:

  • The type of stone – Diamonds are a traditional choice for engagement rings, but a truly unique design can be created using other types of stones.  Emeralds, rubies and pearls can be striking alternatives to diamonds.
  • The size and shape of the diamond or gemstone – Once the type of stone is chosen, your jeweller can recommend suitable sizes and shapes.  When recommending a diamond or gemstone, your jeweller will take into account your personalities, what you want to communicate through your engagement ring and a host of other considerations.
  • The style of the setting – The design details of the setting will have a major impact on the overall style and look of the ring.  The setting can be traditional, with a clean and crisp look that will allow your diamond or gemstone to sparkle with its own “fire and brilliance” or it may be embellished with side stones, engraving or filigrees, adding more detail and intrigue to the design.
  • The metal used for the setting – The setting design, the diamond and gemstones used and the ring budget will determine the best metal for the engagement ring.

After you have expressed your design preferences, your jeweller will create a custom design for your approval.  Many couples have seen another ring that they want to copy, or they may want to combine 2 or 3 design elements from other rings.  If this is the case with your ring design, feel free to bring in drawings or photos to give your jeweller an idea of what you have in mind.  A talented jeweller will incorporate these suggestions into a single cohesive ring design, adding any details that may be needed to complete the design and convey what you would like to have represented in your ring.

The Surprise Engagement Ring

A marriage proposal and engagement ring are often planned as a surprise.  In this case, the design decisions will be made solely by the man.  His fiancée’s lifestyle, looks, body size and shape, personality and taste in jewellery should be taken into account when designing a custom engagement ring.  Family members or close friends can be a great help in creating a design that will be cherished for a lifetime.

Wedding Band Considerations

The design for your wedding bands should be considered when designing your engagement ring, especially if a bridal set consisting of the two rings is desired.  Using similar stones, metals and design motifs is the best way to tie together the engagement and wedding rings.

Generally speaking, if you use a similar design in both engagement ring and wedding bands, you will gain the benefit of having them look they were designed together at the same time.  When the engagement and wedding ring are worn together they will truly look like a matched set and not two unmatched rings that were bought at different times and places and thrown together.

Custom Engagement Ring Budget

You and your partner need to be aware that a custom designed ring may cost a bit more than purchasing a mass market existing design due to the exclusivity of having an engagement ring designed specifically for you.  It’s important to establish a budget and to work with your jeweller to stick with your budget.  Your jeweller will be prepared to offer many suggestions on how to stick with your budget.  Be prepared to listen to your jeweller’s suggestions and work with the options that are presented to you.

If you would like some further information on how we can design and hand craft for you a custom engagement ring click on the link and my website will give you more information.

Sam Kritsotakis

Eskae Jeweller – Your Private Jeweller

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Jewellery Marks in Australia

Published on December 21, 2008 in Gold, Jewellery and Platinum. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , .

Makers Marks – Sponsors Marks – Trade Marks – Associations Marks on precious metals has a long tradition in Australia, mainly due to our British past and the centuries old British tradition of hallmarking, (identification through the use of stamps and/or other marks in the precious metal during the crafting process). the British Hallmarking system, was a well established practise even at the foundation of our country back in the roaring 1700′s.

Most Marks found on Australian Jewellery and Silverware date from the early 1800′s. The early colonial smiths used either the Master Smiths initials or the full name often with devices that were replicas of the British Assay Offices. It is common to see articles made by Alexander Dick of Sydney Town or David Barclay of Hobart Town. With A.D. or DICK New South Wales along with the lion rampant or leopards head or DB alongside an anchor symbol.

The gold and silversmiths in the colonial period were not subject to the rigours of an Assay Office nor were they duty bound to uphold the regulations of the British Hallmarking Acts, these hallmarks found on colonial period precious metals were a voluntary guarantee from the manufacturer that the article was genuine.

The Royal Mint opened it’s Sydney Office in 1855 and the Melbourne Office in 1872. At this time specified gold coinage became readily available. By the 1870′s Melbourne merchants were pressing for the introduction of a hallmarking system. The concentration of gold and silversmiths in Victoria lead to the first Industry Association, namely – The Manufacturing Jewellers Association of Victoria founded in 1899.

This Association applied three guarantee marks to it’s work, the first mark identified the manufacturer, the second mark was a quality mark in carats and the third mark was a device guaranteeing the quality of material. The third device was typically an Australian Symbol significant for it’s time ;

  • 9 ct ‘Sheaf of Wheat’
  • 12 ct ‘Pick and Shovel’
  • 15 ct ‘Fleece’ (suspended sheep)
  • 18 ct ‘Sailing Ship

Unfortunately due to World War I and the attrition of workshops the Association faded during the 1920′s. In 1910 the Manufacturing Jewellers Association of New South Wales was formed and significantly, became the Gold And Silversmiths Association of New South Wales in 1924. The New South Wales distinctive device was markedly different to the Victorian previously used, the metal standards of 9 – 15 and 18 ct gold were accompanied by a ‘Kookaburra’ and ‘Silver 925′ was accompanied by a ‘Wren’.

In 1916 the Sydney Hallmark Company was registered, retail jewellers were the major protagonists for the formation of the company. At the 1920 Brisbane Conference of the Federated Jewellers Association the principal of the Hallmark was adopted unanimously. The following marks were adopted as standards on gold articles :

  • For gold articles the symbol was a ‘Kookaburra’. With this stamp accompanied by marks indicating gold standard in carats and parts per thousand.
  • For silver articles the symbol was a ‘Wren’. With metal quality in parts per thousand.

The unanimous decision meant that all registered maker’s marks and a year letter were to be stamped in all cases and in keeping with the British System the order of stamping was -

  • Makers mark
  • Kookaburra
  • Carats/parts per thousand
  • Date letter

The date letter commenced with ‘A’ for 1923 and to distinguish the state of origin the Kookaburra and Wren would be a perfect oblong for New South Wales, the top right corner removed for Victoria, the top left corner removed for South Australia and bottom left corner removed for Queensland.

With the coming of the Second World War and due to a lack of support the Hallmark Company discontinued operations in 1940. It’s effective period of operation was from 1922 until it’s demise in 1940. The Federated Retail Jewellers Association acquired the rights to the Marks and in 1964 the Company Marks were removed from the Commonwealth Register.

In 1988 a group of Gold and Silversmiths formed the Gold and Silversmiths Guild of Australia. It’s principal aim is to establish a system of registering Makers Marks, identifying an articles as Australian made and of stated metal quality, with the provision for identification of year of manufacture. The Guild attracts a membership of dedicated gold and silversmiths, jewellers, designers and artisans who want their individually – designed and handcrafted pieces to be acknowledged for what they are.

The Guild System identifies :

  • The Maker
  • The metal purity
  • The Australian origin
  • The date of manufacture

The Guild is currently in it’s twentieth year of operation making it the longest running organised system of voluntary ‘Hallmarking’ in Australia. In line with the traditions, Guild members place their Makers Mark first, then the metal purity mark, which is expressed as parts per thousand and has the elemental substance shown as a pictogram border and which complies with the Standards Australia regulations, the third mark is the Guild symbol, which is a Kangaroo head set in a square on its diagonal pictogram border, the final stamp is the Date Mark which follows the convention of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths UK. the Date Mark also incorporates the current UK script letter in the Australian Guilds distinctive square on its diagonal border.

In line with the UK convention the Date Letter changes on the first of January each year and by agreement the four distinctive stamps appearing on Australian Guild members works are referred to ‘Guild Marking’ and not hallmarking, as our system is not administered by a Hall.

For more information please go to www.gsga.org.au

ESKAE jeweller is a fellow member of the Guild and you will be able to see us on the Guild website. Our member no. is 90, so if you want to look us up that will make it easier. It is a great information site and something that should be encouraged in Australia as a national system of identifying Australian made and quality Australian goods.

ALL jewellery at Eskae conforms to and is marked according to the Guild standards.

Your Private Jeweller

Sam Kritsotakis

Eskae Jeweller

P.S

If you have any jewellery that you are struggling to find out the history on, I have a great network of jewellery valuers, who will be able to help you. If you do not find the information you need on the GSGA website I would be happy to get one of my trusted valuers to have a look at the piece for you. To arrange a private consultation please email me at Sam@EskaeJeweller.com.au to arrange the most convenient time and place for you.


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