Tag Archive for 'Gold'

Gold – Pure gold Ferrari 599 GTB

Published on August 14, 2010 in Fun Stuff and Gold. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

These pictures were sent to me by a friend of mine as a joke – he knows I like the finer things in life and my preference in cars is for the ones that either cost way too much money in the first place, go way to fast for a human to be driving them or both…

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

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How to Clean your Jewellery at Home!

Published on July 31, 2010 in Bridal Jewellery, Diamonds, Engagement Rings, Gemstones, Jewellery, Tips for Home, Wedding Jewellery and YouTube. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .

Here is a great video for you that will demonstrate to you easily – how you can clean your diamond set, gemstone set or plain gold jewellery at home!

I take you through the steps of how you can get a semi professional clean right in the comfort of your own home. Your jewellery will not be polished, but the best advantage of this technique is that all of the grime and layered on dirt will be removed. What this means for you is that the “stuff” that is caked onto your precious diamonds and gens actually gets in the way of light coming through and into the diamond or gemstone. So when this layer of grime is removed, we open the diamond or gemstone up to the full amount of light again, which will significantly enhance the sparkle and brightness of the jewellery you are wearing.

This is best done a little while before you go out to that special party, or event, it will only take you a couple of minutes to do so it really is quick and easy!

Please note CAREFULLY the instructions contained within the video as they must be adhered to for the best result.

Sam Kritsotakis

Eskae Jeweller – Your Private Jeweller

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Gold vs. Platinum: And the Winner Is?

Published on July 29, 2010 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

For generations there has been a mighty battle between platinum and gold, both vying for the first place positioning in the world of jewellry settings. Sometimes it is a matter of preference as the wearer may find inherent value in one metal over another. For others, the appearance of the metal dominates the decision. At the end of the day – is one better than the other?

Gold

An element, gold naturally occurs in nature. It is mostly found in solid form in the veins of the siliceous rocks, although it can also be eroded and found as a powder, granules or nuggets in riverbeds. In its native state, the gold is free of any other element. As a compound, it is known as telluride. Roughly 25 percent of the gold in the world is found in South Africa, although the United States, Australia, Canada, China and Russia are also leading producers.

The earth at one time had plentiful supplies of gold, especially in chucks or nuggets large enough to be mined or picked out of streams and rivers. Gold is thought to be more common in the oceans, although measured known amounts in the world are estimated to be 0.005 parts per million. As a result, gold is one of the ten rarest elements in the crust of the earth. Its value, however, is driven not by rarity, but by the element’s inherent beauty.

Platinum

In contrast to the eroding characteristic of gold, platinum is a metal that will not corrode, fade or tarnish. It is known to originate from the heavens, arriving on earth in meteorites that have been landing on the planet for billions of years. At one point in history, those searching for gold passed over platinum as an inferior metal.

As platinum looks much like silver, it was given the name platina by the Spanish when it was discovered in 1590. It wasn’t until two centuries later when King Louis XVI of France declared platinum to be the only metal fit for kings that the metal finally earned its place of honor. It has since been the chosen metal of the royals, serving as the foundation of the crown for the late Queen Mother, Queen Elisabeth.

Why Platinum is Better

What we know today is that platinum is much better and more valuable than gold. In fact, it is 35 times more rare than gold, making it an excellent precious metal investment. To give you an example, the amount of known gold on this earth would fill four Olympic-sized swimming pools; the amount of known platinum would fill only one of the same sized pools – knee high.

Platinum is a white metal that is used almost in its purest form in jewellery. Generally speaking, it is 950 parts pure platinum per 1000 parts. Platinum is a very dense metal and will feel heavier than a gold piece of jewelry of the same size. If we took two identical rings, one made of 18ct gold, it will weigh 10 grams; the same size ring in platinum would weigh 16-18 grams.

Platinum wears much better than gold as it is more durable. Over the course of 80 years, a gold ring would wear out if it is worn on a regular basis. The Platinum ring would not erode like the gold, but would instead flatten and thin over time. While this would require some care to help maintain its integrity, the gold ring would need repair and replenishment of the gold.

And the Winner Is: Platinum

There is little more beautiful and brilliant than a flawless white diamond set in platinum. In fact, the whiter the diamond, the more important it becomes to set it properly in white, bright and precious platinum. As platinum is both strong and pliable, it makes for the perfect metal to craft the diamond or gemstones setting in.

The main point is platinum can be so highly finished or polished, it can be like looking in a mirror, which reflects the light back into the diamond or gemstone. This reflection gives it more sparkle or Fire or Brilliance. In addition, jewellers can create very intricate jewellery pieces with the metal. When fine prongs are created, the diamond – or other stone – is held securely and beautifully in place.

While some may still prefer gold over platinum in the creation of the perfect piece of jewellery, especially when considering the band component of your ring, but when it comes to the setting that is to hold your diamond or gemstone in place, the value, durability and appearance of platinum wins every time.

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The Worlds Rarest Metals

Published on May 31, 2010 in Gold and Platinum. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Which metals do you think are the rarest in the world?

I am pretty sure that you would be able to pick at least two of them.

Gold and Platinum.

They are fairly common place in our society today, and have a fair amount of history behind them with many ancient cultures being established on their finding the metals and their ability to trade the metal with other cultures. Some of the other ones on the list I have my doubts that you would have even heard of them before, even myself working with precious metals all day every day haven’t even heard of some of them!  Click on the link below to find out just which metals they are and if you have heard of them before.

http://www.curiousnotions.com/home/metals.asp

Sam Kritsotakis

Eskae Jeweller – Your Private Jeweller

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the eternity ring history

Published on March 8, 2009 in Diamonds, Emeralds, Gemstones, Gold, Jewellery, Platinum, Rubies, Sapphires and White Diamonds. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

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

What is the meaning behind an eternity ring?

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

What is the tradition attached?

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

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

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

When do you normally get an eternity ring?

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

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

What is the typical design?

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

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

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

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

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The Right Hand Ring

Published on January 18, 2009 in Diamonds, Gemstones, Gold, Jewellery and Platinum. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

Every lady who is married or engaged, obviously has themselves a beautiful set of rings for their left hand. most people have their engagement, wedding and eternity ring designed as a set, which is the ideal way to go because they will always match together and look stunning when worn as they are meant to be worn.

but…

have you ever looked down at your right hand and thought that it looks a little bit lonely? perhaps a little bit barren when you compare it to your left hand which has all this bling of diamonds and jewels on it?

if this sounds like you, then read on!

the right hand ring is the perfect opportunity to express yourself! it can be a ring that makes a loud statement about who you are and what you are, what you stand for and how you would like to be seen.

traditionally the right hand rings is to compliment the rings you have on your left hand, which of coarse is absolutely fine if that’s what you want to do with it. just remember that jewellery is a form of expression and there are not really any limits as to what you want to do. if you want to use lots of diamonds then go for it, if you want to throw some vibrant and dazzling coloured gemstones into the mix then by all means let your imagination run with it.

the main point is that you should feel open to letting this happen as a natural progression of who and what you feel you are. this way you will always be and feel like the ring is truly a part of your being. which is always the best result, both for me as someone who crafts these pieces for you, and you as someone who wears these beautiful pieces of jewellery.

one other point of note, is to not be afraid of having a bold ring on your right hand, if you wear it on your middle finger, your hand will carry it stunningly. i believe it is why we have a middle finger! I’m not talking about using chunks of gold en mass that make your ring feel like it weighs a tonne, but i am talking about giving the ring a certain amount of proportional volume that suits the design and crafting process, so that this ring will not only show through as a part of you, but it will also capture, refract and reflect the light through all the diamonds and gemstones that have been used.

here at Eskae Jeweller, we not only specialise in engagement and wedding rings, but we also have the capacity and design ability to design and craft you a magnificent right hand ring. if this is something that you are interested in looking at, or even if you have some old pieces of jewellery that you don’t wear any more, we can have a look at them for you and use the stones in the new design. that way you still get to keep the memories attached to that particular stone and you will have a stunning new ring to attach new memories to!

get in touch with me now at Sam@EskaeJeweller.com to book an appointment for the designing of your right hand ring, and just wait and see just how special and excited this project will have you feeling! i bet it will make you feel like a king or queen every single time you look at it…

Sam.

Eskae Jeweller

P.S. for the first 3 people to contact me about a right hand ring, i will give you up to 0.35cts of diamonds at no charge! that’s right 0.35cts for free, that you can use in a stunning new ring! it can be either several small diamonds to total 0.35ct or a few slightly larger diamonds that total 0.35cts you choose but be quick as this is only valid for the first 3 people to contact me about a right hand ring

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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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Wedding Day Traditions

Published on December 7, 2008 in Diamonds and Jewellery. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

what is the tradition for your wedding day? most people are not aware that there are a couple of small things that you can do that will make your day that extra bit more memorable. they are only small but can make a big difference to the way you and your partner remember your special day.

for instance, did you know that it is tradition for the groom to have a gift for his bride? and that she should also have one for him?

in the most traditional scenario, the groom will present his bride to be with a pair of earrings that match or at the very least tie in with her engagement ring. for example, if you have a princess cut diamond set with 4 claws as your engagement ring, then you would have a pair of princess cut 4 claw earrings made to match the overall design of the ring.

you don’t need to be stuck with traditions though, at ESKAE we have just made a wedding day present for a client who got married yesterday, he was not taken by the idea of the traditional earrings, and after meeting his now wife a few times, he made the right decision by going for a right hand ring. this ring matched the style of the wedding bands and had a combination of small pink diamonds, white diamonds and coloured gemstones set around the ring.

there are plenty of options that we can look at when t comes time for you to tie the knot and really make your day that extra little bit more special

in terms of what the bride traditionally gets for her man, is a pair of cuff links that either have his family crest engraved into the face or his initials engraved into the face. there is another option here, which i believe is probably the best one that is to design the cuff link to actually tie in with the design of her engagement and wedding rings.

i have made a couple of great pairs of cuff links in this fashion, where she has a round brilliant cut diamond as her engagement ring and she has followed this through with round diamonds in her wedding band, so what we did for him is we used the round diamond theme and combined it with a round piece of black onyx and keeping in theme with her rings we used white gold as the metal.

this colour combination provides not only a striking contrast but also keeps the look of the piece masculine and very smart. this way he can wear them at work or he can wear them when out and about on the town with out feeling like he has a girlie pair of cuffs on.

these are only a few ideas, and we can literally do anything that you might like to gift your better half! if this is something you are interested in looking at for your day get in touch with me here at Sam@EskaeJeweller.com and we can run through the options available to you.

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