White Gold - an automobile

History shows us that we have preferred the colour of gold to stay as close to the colour of pure gold as possible. However, to wear gold jewellery in its purest form is almost impossible, or at the very least, far too soft.  The gold would have to be so heavy and thick to ensure it does not bend. 

In order to harden the gold for more general use, to fashion into jewellery, various yellow alloys (alloy is basically the mixture of more than one metal) are mixed with the pure gold.  Gold itself is a yellow metallic element, the colour caused by gold absorbing violet and blue light, but reflecting yellow and red light.  Metals mixed with gold to produce alloys include copper and silver, common components of most yellow gold alloys and nickel, zinc and palladium to produce the white alloys.

Contrary to what most people imagine, white Gold is not a shiny white metal.  It begins as yellow gold and has many components to create its beautiful gleam, not the least its rhodium coating applied after is completion, without this, the white-gold might be dull, grey or even a pale pink.  The rhodium plating should be re-plated each 12 to l8 months to ensure it keeps is shiny appearance.

It became quite fashionable in the l920’s and again in this century.  During the l920’s three patents were filed for different “recipes” of white gold alloys and using different components to produce the whitening, or bleaching affect.  The most common metal that creates a significant bleaching in gold is nickel, an advantage, as it is inexpensive and a good colour match for platinum.  Unfortunately, nickel often creates allergic reactions on the skin, such as dermatitis.  Approximately one in eight people may experience an allergic reaction from this alloy.  There are some regulations covering the use of nickel in jewellery being implemented quite soon, and hence, all or most jewellery sold will have to be nickel-free. 

White gold, as it is called, is a wonderful substitute for platinum – itself fashionable and popular today.  However, as we know, Platinum is quite expensive, it needs great temperatures to be able to work with and as a Master Craftsman, believe me, it can be quite hard to work with, much more complex than gold although is an ideal setting metal for Diamonds.

The other metal ideal as a component to create white gold alloy is palladium.  A very close relative to platinum.  Its disadvantage is that it is quite expensive.  Another disadvantage is the high melting point, a jewellers workshop must be quite modernised in order to cope.

Another hidden factor in the high cost of alloy components is that there are large proportions of scrap produced during jewellery manufacture.  Because this involves expensive precious metal alloys, recycling is very important.  Also, when scrap contains high levels of expensive metals like palladium, there are extra costs involved in recovering it, which have to be added back to the production costs.

Other bleachers include silver, platinum, chromium, cobalt, tin, zinc and indium.  Silver would be a great property, but unfortunately, it does not have a very great bleaching effect.  Copper does not tend to whiten.  A typical palladium containing white gold alloy might be, in parts per thousand:  Gold 750, Silver 40, Copper 40 and Palladium 170.

I prefer to use l8ct white gold alloys for our diamond rings, containing palladium, which is nickel-free.

White gold is a magnificent alternative to Platinum when utilizing Diamonds, as the colour itself enhances these beautiful stones and helps to reflect their dazzling light.

Now, and on a less serious note, and to leave to the very last –  white gold has been utilized in a variety of non-jewellery items, not the very least that of a car! 

Yes, as only a totally self-indulged billion who obviously has it all, would want .  Using the term very lightly, the “car”, a Mercedes, fully built in white gold, with a price tag of approximately $50 million!   How do you put a price tag on this!

Have a look for yourself at http://benz-in-white-gold

Mysterious Platinum?

By Robert E. Cliff  F.G.A.A. JP

Platinum, the name derived from the Spanish term ‘platina del Pinto’, literally translated into “little silver of the Pinto River”, is a very dense, malleable, precious, silvery-white metal.  It is one of the rarest elements in the Earth’s crust occurring naturally in alluvial sands of various rivers (sometimes mistaken for silver).  It occurs in some nickel and copper ores along with some native deposits, mostly in South Africa, which accounts for 80% of the world production, other large deposits, still being mined can be found in Canada and Russia – with 11% of the worlds production.  Of course much higher deposits can be found on the Moon – yet to be mined!

Its bullion has the ISO currency code of XPT.  Coins and bars and ingots are traded or collected.  Its price, like other industrial commodities, is more volatile than that of gold.  In 2008, the price of platinum ranged from $744 to $2,253 per ounce.  Generally, in economic stability and growth, the price tends to be as much as twice the price of gold.  In the economic climate of the last three years, the gap between gold and platinum has decreased and as of May 2011 Gold was fetching approx $1,434 (Australia dollars) per ounce and Platinum $1,682 (Australian dollars) per ounce!

There is little evidence of it being used by ancient people; however, there is much evidence that it was used by pre-Columbian Americans near modern-day Esmeraldas, Ecuador to produce artifacts.  The first European reference to platinum is in 1557 in the writings of the Italian Julius Caesar Scaliger as a description of an unknown metal “which neither fire nor any Spanish artifice has yet been able to liquefy”.  1741 saw Charles Wood, a British metallurgist, find various samples in Jamaica.  Antonio de Ulla credited the discovery of platinum to the Spanish in 1746.  In l786 Charles III of Spain provided a laboratory to aid in the research of Platinum. Pierre-Francois Charbonneau, finally, succeeded in producing 23 kilograms of pure, malleable platinum by hammering and compressing the sponge form while white-hot.  He realized that is strength would lend value to objects made of it.  This started what is known as the “platinum age” in Spain.

In the l8th century, platinum’s rarity made King Louis XV of France declare it the only metal fit for a King.

The frame of the Crown of Queen Elizabeth (the late Queen Mother), manufactured for her coronation is made of platinum – the first British crown to made of the precious metal.

As it does not oxidize at any temperature, its resistance to wear and tarnish is well suited for making fine jewellery. In 2006, of the 239 tonnes of platinum sold, 130 tonnes were used for vehicle emissions control devices, 49 tonnes for jewellery & watchmaking (limited edition Watches generally utilize Platinum in their construction), 13.3 tonnes in electronics and 11.2 tonnes in the chemical industry as a catalyst.  The remaining 35.5 tonnes went to various minor applications such as anticancer drugs etc.

Platinum’s rarity as a metal has caused advertisers to associate it with exclusivity and wealth.  ‘Platinum’ debit cards have greater privileges than do ‘gold’ ones.  ‘Platinum awards’ are second highest possible, higher than ‘gold’, ‘silver’ and bronze, but below “Diamond”.

A question often asked “is white gold the same as platinum?’

 The answer to this is quite simply, no! 

White gold is an alloy of gold and some white metals such as silver and palladium.  Measured by 24ct, l8ct, l4ct, 9ct etc simply made by mixing gold with other metals such as copper and zinc.  18ct. White gold is made by mixing 75% gold with 25% other metals such as silver and palladium.  Therefore, the amount of gold is the same, but the alloy is different. 

When white gold rings are new they are coated with another white metal called Rhodium, similar to platinum and share many of the properties of platinum including its white colour.  Rhodium plating is used to make the white gold look whiter and much harder.  However, it does wear away eventually.  To keep your white gold ring looking its best, it should be re-rhodium plated approximately each 12 to l8months.

In Jewellery, unlike gold, Platinum is used in almost its pure form (approximately 95% pure).  It is extremely long wearing and is very white, so it does not need to be Rhodium plated like white gold.  It is very dense (heavy), so a platinum ring will feel heavier than an l8ct gold ring.  However, it is expensive, approximately twice the price of an l8ct. White gold ring (excluding any gemstone costs).

Platinum is a prestige choice and is often chosen for its sophisticated appeal and popularity amongst the rich and famous.  Due to its high cost, it is not normally used in the full range of Jewellery, mainly utilized in ladies Engagement rings, wedding rings – and especially wedding rings for the men (due to its hardness).

As a craftsman, Platinum can be quite challenging to work with, but gives such pleasure when a beautiful design is completed.  If your preference is the white colour of metal, Platinum is so suited to Wedding bands and Engagement rings – eternally engaging, and like a Diamond – so precious!

Tanzanite - Blue Treasure in the shadow of Kilimanjaro!

Africa – does anyone think of gemstones when they hear that name, Diamonds yes, but Gemstones?  They should, a continent that provides the world with many truly magnificent gemstones and one that is the most beautiful and treasured  is Tanzanite. Named after the east African state of Tanzania, the ONLY place in the world where it has been found.

Discovered in l967 in the Merelani Hills near Arusha, in the shadow of Kilimanjaro, this magnificent deep-blue crystal Zoisite, had been lying in wait for millions of years, grew in deposits on the inside of these unusual elevations.  Unseen by man until passing Masai shepherds noticed some sparkling crystals lying in the sun and took them along with them. – perhaps thought to be Sapphires.  When the stone was tested, it was found to have different properties than Corundum (Sapphire).  What the shepherds had found was a crystalline form of the mineral Zoisite.

The search for these magnificent crystals goes on today in Merelani in several fairly small mines – some utilizing modern methods, most not!  Generally speaking only smaller crystals are found, however, now and again the miners unearth larger ones and it is these that are coveted.   The trade of this gemstone is in the hands of licensed merchants, mostly small scale.   Approximately 90 percent of all Tanzanite merchants are official members of the International Coloured Gemstone Association and are thus bound by high ethical standards and in this way the exclusive gemstone is not subject to trade in dubious channels, but instead, despite its rarity, passed on along reputable trade routes to established cutting-centres and subsequently to major jewellers all around the world.

When the magnificent and rare gemstones was first offered to the New York jewellery company Tiffany not long after it was first discovered, they loved it, however, their marketing team felt that the name Zoisite  (or correctly speaking, blue Zoisite) was too close to the word “suicide”, and would not market well.  They proposed to give it the more marketable name of Tanzanite after the place where it was found.  The name quickly became general use and it was Tiffany’s, who, two years after is discover, presented the exclusive gemstone to the general public via a huge advertising campaign.

Tanzanite has a fantastic deep blue and runs from ultramarine blue to light violet-blue, the most coveted colour is blue surrounded by a delicate hint of purple – especially magnificent in sizes over 10 carats.  Most raw crystals are somewhat spoiled by a brownish-yellow component, however, a good cutter, when he heats the stone carefully to a particular temperature and cuts even more so (ensuring the stone has no inclusions in the first place) will have the beautiful colour showing in no time .  This burning method of treatment, customary in the trade of Tanzanite, can only be done with perfect stones.  Working with tanzanite can be very difficult, for even the best of the cutters.  This exclusive gemstone is cut in every imaginable shape from classical round shape to a number of imaginative designer cuts.

The United States and surrounding areas consume more Tanzanite than any other region in the world.  The continuing availability of this stone must be understood by the fact that the geological formations in Tanzania where this is found are quite unique and perhaps not found anywhere else in the world, thus meaning, that someday the supply of Tanzanite will be exhausted.  Conservatives have suggested 10 – 12 years for the current life a some of the mines, liberals – 20 plus years! 

Not a particularly hard gemstone, however quite durable, but should always be worn carefully when set into Jewellery.  I advise a setting that provides good protection for the stone and ultrasonic cleaning should be discouraged.

The price of Tanzanite continues to rise with less and less gem quality crystals being mined – supply and demand.  Price depends on the depth of colour and size (colour and cut come in to play as does with Diamonds).  Tanzanite is often purchased for its investment potential.  One of the leading Gemstone produce of Tanzanite announced in 2010 that we would see an increase in the price per carat of l6.5 percent.

The largest of these crystals was found 270 metres underground in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro and measured 220mm by 80mm by 70mm – approximately the size of a brick!  No price has been placed on this as I write as more analysis needs to be undertaken.  It weighs approx 16,389 carats, tentative plans are to have this round stone cut of course, into highly prized smaller gems.

May I suggest that purchasing should be only considered through a Registered Gemmologist and Valuer, thus ensuring that your magnificent piece of “Tanzanite” is thus and not another gemstone “spiked” with colour. 

 To own a piece of Jewellery with a glorious Tanzanite set within sees you joining one of the most exclusive clubs in the world!

The Corporate & Personal Forces Behind Modern Jewellery

THE CORPORATE & PERSONAL FORCES BEHIND MODERN JEWELLERY

By Robert Cliff

It is interesting to explore the personal and corporate forces behind modern jewellery.

Who creates it, who buys it and why?

Jewellery may be the oldest art.  It has always meant something important to almost all the human race; sometimes it has been money, sometimes a prayer to the gods, sometimes a status boast or an invitation to seduction, almost always a reflection of character and a contribution to beauty.  Jewellery style is poised between the requirements of dress on the one hand and of airing one’s importance and personality on the other, even of expressing one’s religion and enlisting the magical help of one’s gods; it has the background, too, that artists in every medium, at any period, speak to some extent with a common language.

Why does talk about fashion in clothes usually lead to purchasing, whereas talk about new styles in jewellery so often leads only to more talk?  Is the jewellery scene really becoming livelier? And if so, how?

Jewellery designers are now emerging into the public eye more than for centuries past and with their improved status are using better materials.  All designers prefer to work in gold; nearly all of them use diamonds.  Very few of them like the base metals.  This may seem irrelevant, as who could possibly choose glass rather than diamonds, iron rather than gold?  

Rene Lalique did, who from 1905 had among his customers the richest people in France, made some of his most important jewells in glass and brass.  Julio Gonzales, a colleague of Picasso, son of a goldsmith and a modern abstract sculpture, made lots of jewells around 1910 in punched iron, probably none in gold.  However, today, there is a change back to solid quality, more gold, more diamonds and precious stones.

Much of this new emphasis in the word’s jewellery is due to the astonishing social revolution since 1945, the distribution of wealth, the rise of the mass market.  In the wealthier countries many people can now buy Jewells, whereas fifty years ago only the rich could do so.  The present enterprise in jewellery is due not only to changes in taste and spending power, but perhaps mainly to the colossal increase in the number of buyers.  The spread of education, of newspapers and of television has brought a much wider appreciation of art.  Apathy and caution naturally influence anyone buying and selling expensive jewellery – the risk of experiment can lead to bankruptcy, and thus our designs are influenced, less money risk, more enterprising designs.

Another cause of the new trend is the Science of Publicity – it helps ones image; a lively image helps sales; and the only way to get publicity is to provide news.  Hence the unexpected recent gallivanting of some of the oldest and most dignified retailers.  They need the publicity which young designers can get them, to harness and locate the new purchasing power wherever it may be.

However, most of our dynamic enlightenment has come from De Beers.  The main driving forces behind the publicity enlightenment; they set up International design competitions, and advertised diamonds in most of the wealthiest countries in the world and have set up diamond publicity committees in eleven of them. Giant corporations have the same power today as the great princes of the past.  All credit to them for showing the same public spirit!  But what they cannot have is personal taste, often so necessary to harness an artist’s vision.  Competitions are the substitute and they are a matter of luck; nobody knows what the word ‘best’ means, nobody can foretell what will be the corporate opinion of judges who do not know each other; nobody can be sure how the selected drawings will look when made up, nobody can know whether the made-up prize winners will in fact be sold or prove commercial tragedies.  If a competition is run by experienced retailers, who think they know what sells easily, the results will be unexciting and will achieve no publicity; a jury of people that have developed an appreciation of beauty, especially in the arts may make a startling choice and get the publicity, but the result may not be to the tastes of the shoppers.  Artists are helped much more by a precise, personal brief from their client than by the chance verdict of a jury thousands of miles away which did not know what is was looking for and which often does not even see its finished selection.  Competitions are no more than the appetizer which should create better private patrons.

De Beers have helped to spread the lure of diamonds throughout society; it is no longer a matter of “diamonds for duchesses”.  The same goes for the Chamber of Mines of South Africa; they may have revived the fortunes of gold. Gold is often linked with Fort Knox and with money and often seems too precious and awe-inspiring to impinge on ordinary life; this fear of the legendary into a desire for the charming has been transformed.

Precious jewellery is now recognized as art, exhibited and enjoyed not as a menial disguise for minerals, but as a positive facet of human nature – a desire, and a want that is now a need and a need that is readily fulfilled by most!

Are you safe to buy Diamonds online?

GWP Magazine – February 2011

ARE YOU SAFE TO BUY A DIAMOND ON LINE?

By Robert E. Cliff F.G.A.A., JP

The growth of purchasing over the internet can’t be denied, and should not be ignored as an option.  It can be convenient, it can be the source of a good price, and it can allow you time to reflect without any pressure.  Although it may seem a risky endeavour, buying over the internet can be safe, you must do your due diligence however, be well informed and most importantly, have a trusted professional third party – the most important part to guarantee your success.

When I began in business, nearly 40 years ago, only the quite very rich could afford to buy the big Diamonds; times have changed and many realize their ‘want’ and are quite prepared to invest in a magnificent stone.

Searching for your stone on-line is convenient; it is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  You can browse around in your swimmers or in your PJ’s, and in the comfort of your home if you want.  There are literally millions of Diamonds available to purchase on-line, all apparent qualities, sizes, clarities, cuts and colours with various ‘Certificates’ of guarantee.  Of course there will always be shonky dealers who are looking to rip you of and yes, there can be a good chance of this.

 Yes, it will be confusing and daunting; however, there five tips that you should follow that can reduce your chance of being defrauded and ensure you acquire what you really want.

Tip 1:

Research what it is you are going to buy. I am sure you know all about the 4 C’s (Carat, Cut, Colour, and Clarity). Carat – the weight, Cut – the shape, Colour – how much colour or tint in the stone (white stones are actually colourless and the most prized) and Clarity – the amount of blemishes or internal markings.  However, the proportions of the stone need to be taken into account, as it can determine how much your stone will sparkle.

Tip 2:

This is a very subjective area and can be the area in which you will find your most confusion and mistrust.  There is a standard pricing guide, Rapport Price List, used by all buyers of diamonds.  This is not available, as a rule, to the general public.  If you do manage to acquire this Report, any diamonds that are available cheaper than the guide are not necessarily a good buy, and likewise for any available that are more expensive may actually be much better as they have other characteristics.  Remember, every Diamond is unique!

Tip 3:

Ensure the company from which you choose to purchase your diamond from is reputable.  Just like all businesses that are good and bad:  keep to the well known sites, look for years in the business,  information on their home page & history, contact availability (telephone numbers), feedback from other purchasers, a good, clear unconditional return policy and purchasing options that are secure, safe and well known.  Ensure they can guarantee that your Diamond is ‘Conflict Free’.  The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme requires all rough diamonds to be accompanied by a certificate, there are 75 countries represented, thus, when the cutting process is undertaken, we, as purchases of a cut stone are ensured a legitimate trade in diamonds. Diamonds from Liberia or Cote de Ivoire (West Africa) say their stones are conflict free; however, this is a false label.

Tip 4 – the most important tip of all:

A good reputable company will be quite happy, and this is the most important tip I can offer you, to ship your choice to a third party for you to view before purchasing. This may incur a small feel, but for peace of mind it will be well spent.  Your third party must be a Certified Professional Diamond Valuer, someone you trust.  Here your third party can do a basic appraisal for you so you are assured you are acquiring what has been offered to you.  You look, feel the romance of the stone and, if you are happy, all you then need to do is contact the seller, pay and have them release the stone to you from your trusted third party.  If the company you are dealing with is not comfortable with sending your stone to your reputable, professional third party so you can view before you pay, my advice is – keep clear!

Tip 5:

If you are to keep your stone as an investment, ensure you have firstly insured it and then secondly, it is boxed securely and professionally and then have it kept/stored in a very safe and secure place. 

If your intention is to have it set, do so immediately, this may be a very expensive purchase, but its cost has nothing to do with its size.  Small items are easily lost! 

All diamonds are meant to be worn, viewed, admired, they are a beautiful natural adornment – ensure you are able to enjoy yours and that it is admired by all, as it should be.

Change is a wonderful thing, it is a natural evolution, don’t be frightened.  Like all good things worth having, ensure you make educated decisions, have choices and seek professional support.

Was the Hope Diamond another Titanic?

By Larry Woldenberg - GWP Magazine

According to Sue Cliff of Robert Cliff Master Jewellers, the movie Titanic’s theme evolved around a diamond thrown into the ocean called “The Heart of the Ocean”. The implication was that just like the Hope Diamond (from which it was named after), it, too, carried a curse.

But did the Hope Diamond really carry a curse? A look at its history shows both tragedy and prosperity depending on the era. Interestingly, Sue points out: “As art imitates life, so life imitates art”.

Common lore says the large blue Hope Diamond was stolen in the 17^th Century by a man named Tavernier from the forehead of a Hindu goddess statue of Sita. Because of this, Tavernier was later torn apart by wild dogs in the frozen tundra of Russia. If this were true, the Hope Diamond would certainly qualify as a first rate curse!

But the truth is quite different. Jean Baptiste Tavernier was a French jeweler who actually purchased the 112-carat diamond in India in 1642. It’s believed to originate from the Kollur mine in Golconda.

As a commercial jeweler, Tavernier  sold the diamond in 1668 to the Sun King, King Louis XIV, along with hundreds of other diamonds. Undoubtedly, he earned a princely sum from this, for he was made a noble and died after a full life at the age of 84 in Russia. While it is not known how he died, it was certainly not at the hands of wild dogs.

Meanwhile, King Louis had the diamond cut to one half its size in order to enhance the diamond’s brilliance and was often seen wearing it on a long ribbon around his neck.

The diamond then stayed in the Royal Family’s possession until the French Revolution whereupon it was surrendered and was later stolen. It’s true that Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were beheaded in 1793, but can this be laid at the feet of the Hope Diamond? Probably not, for it would have happened regardless.

The diamond then suffered the fate of another re-cutting—this time to hide its origins as another jeweler, Daniel Eliason, purchased the stone. Eventually the diamond passed to Henry Phillip Hope from which the stone derived its name—the Hope Diamond.

The idea of the stone being cursed arose from the story that Henry went bankrupt after its purchase. But, once again, history fails to corroborate  this story. Actually, he was one of the heirs to a banking firm Hope & Co. which was sold in 1813. After that, Henry became a collector of fine art and gems. Since he never married, he willed his estate to his three nephews. The eldest took possession of the diamond and, after years passed, a grandson, Lord Francis Hope, inherited the stone. Here good fortune ended as Lord Francis had gambling debts and had to sell.

After changing hands several times more, the gem ended up with Pierre Cartier. He found a rich buyer in Evalyn Walsh McLean who upon hearing of the diamond’s history replied that, for her, bad luck turned into good luck. Evalyn then wore the diamond continuously as a good luck charm, only taking it off for a goiter operation. But the scourge of the curse seemed to vehemently re-surface. First, her first-born son, Vinson, died in a car crash at the age of nine. Then her daughter committed suicide at the age of 25, followed by her husband being declared insane and confined to a mental institution until his death in 1941.

If ever there was a curse, this was the strongest evidence.

Upon Evalyn’s death the diamond was sold to pay the estate’s debts. A far-sighted New York jeweler, Harry Winston, bought it and used it to raise monies for charity. He then donated it to the Smithsonian Institute in 1958 in hopes that a national jewel collection would be initiated. It currently is on display as part of the National Gem and Mineral Collection in the National Museum of Natural History for all to see.

So does art imitate life and life art? Apparently Richard Burton thought so when he bought a 69-carat diamond in 1969 for Elizabeth Taylor. It had been cut from another Harry Winston diamond that originally came in at 240 carats. Elizabeth Taylor wore it for the first time when she attended Princess Grace’s 40^th birthday in Monaco. Nine years later in 1978 she sold it for a reported $5,000,000 to another New York jeweler, Henry Lambert, and donated the proceeds to a hospital in Botswana.

Thank you Robert Cliff Master Jewellers for bringing these intriguing stories to our attention.  

THE CORPORATE & PERSONAL FORCES BEHIND MODERN JEWELLERY

By Robert Cliff

It is interesting to explore the personal and corporate forces behind modern jewellery.

Who creates it, who buys it and why?

Jewellery may be the oldest art.  It has always meant something important to almost all the human race; sometimes it has been money, sometimes a prayer to the gods, sometimes a status boast or an invitation to seduction, almost always a reflection of character and a contribution to beauty.  Jewellery style is poised between the requirements of dress on the one hand and of airing one’s importance and personality on the other, even of expressing one’s religion and enlisting the magical help of one’s gods; it has the background, too, that artists in every medium, at any period, speak to some extent with a common language.

Why does talk about fashion in clothes usually lead to purchasing, whereas talk about new styles in jewellery so often leads only to more talk?  Is the jewellery scene really becoming livelier? And if so, how?

Jewellery designers are now emerging into the public eye more than for centuries past and with their improved status are using better materials.  All designers prefer to work in gold; nearly all of them use diamonds.  Very few of them like the base metals.  This may seem irrelevant, as who could possibly choose glass rather than diamonds, iron rather than gold?  

Rene Lalique did, who from 1905 had among his customers the richest people in France, made some of his most important jewells in glass and brass.  Julio Gonzales, a colleague of Picasso, son of a goldsmith and a modern abstract sculpture, made lots of jewells around 1910 in punched iron, probably none in gold.  However, today, there is a change back to solid quality, more gold, more diamonds and precious stones.

Much of this new emphasis in the word’s jewellery is due to the astonishing social revolution since 1945, the distribution of wealth, the rise of the mass market.  In the wealthier countries many people can now buy Jewells, whereas fifty years ago only the rich could do so.  The present enterprise in jewellery is due not only to changes in taste and spending power, but perhaps mainly to the colossal increase in the number of buyers.  The spread of education, of newspapers and of television has brought a much wider appreciation of art.  Apathy and caution naturally influence anyone buying and selling expensive jewellery – the risk of experiment can lead to bankruptcy, and thus our designs are influenced, less money risk, more enterprising designs.

Another cause of the new trend is the Science of Publicity – it helps ones image; a lively image helps sales; and the only way to get publicity is to provide news.  Hence the unexpected recent gallivanting of some of the oldest and most dignified retailers.  They need the publicity which young designers can get them, to harness and locate the new purchasing power wherever it may be.

However, most of our dynamic enlightenment has come from De Beers.  The main driving forces behind the publicity enlightenment; they set up International design competitions, and advertised diamonds in most of the wealthiest countries in the world and have set up diamond publicity committees in eleven of them. Giant corporations have the same power today as the great princes of the past.  All credit to them for showing the same public spirit!  But what they cannot have is personal taste, often so necessary to harness an artist’s vision.  Competitions are the substitute and they are a matter of luck; nobody knows what the word ‘best’ means, nobody can foretell what will be the corporate opinion of judges who do not know each other; nobody can be sure how the selected drawings will look when made up, nobody can know whether the made-up prize winners will in fact be sold or prove commercial tragedies.  If a competition is run by experienced retailers, who think they know what sells easily, the results will be unexciting and will achieve no publicity; a jury of people that have developed an appreciation of beauty, especially in the arts may make a startling choice and get the publicity, but the result may not be to the tastes of the shoppers.  Artists are helped much more by a precise, personal brief from their client than by the chance verdict of a jury thousands of miles away which did not know what is was looking for and which often does not even see its finished selection.  Competitions are no more than the appetizer which should create better private patrons.

De Beers have helped to spread the lure of diamonds throughout society; it is no longer a matter of “diamonds for duchesses”.  The same goes for the Chamber of Mines of South Africa; they may have revived the fortunes of gold. Gold is often linked with Fort Knox and with money and often seems too precious and awe-inspiring to impinge on ordinary life; this fear of the legendary into a desire for the charming has been transformed.

Precious jewellery is now recognized as art, exhibited and enjoyed not as a menial disguise for minerals, but as a positive facet of human nature – a desire, and a want that is now a need and a need that is readily fulfilled by most!

PRETTY IN PINK!

By Robert E Cliff  F.G.A.A., JP

As long as about three thousand years ago, man bent down to pick up a glistening pebble and by some chance found it to be different from other stones.  From that time, diamond began to acquire magical powers and to be regarded with awe, worship and avarice. They were collected, treasured, had legends built around them, were traded in, used as tools, treated as a gem, used to raise loans, fought over and eventually, symbols of love and trust.  Mans early instinct to treat diamond as unique was true, because today probably more effort goes into discovering the nature of diamond than into research on any other material.  Diamond is the hardest substance man has ever discovered and the purest that occurs in Nature.  Most highly prized as a gem, however, it is composed of one of the commonest substances on earth, ordinary carbon.

It has been estimated that only about 130 tons of diamonds have been mined since they were first discovered thousands of years ago – the reward is small against the effort of discovering the source and then mining it. 

Diamond is the only mineral that still has to be sorted by hand as a last stage in the mining process.  There is no substitute for the human hand, eye, and brain, in gauging quality and estimating value.  There is no other mineral that has such a high intrinsic value when mined.  Diamond crystals are therefore kept under guard from the moment they are discovered.  They remain so through the stages of sorting, cutting, and setting in jewellery, yet they are commonly transmitted from place to place through the ordinary post.  Extreme security precautions have to be taken to protect both crystals and polished stones from crooks.  Yet within the trade itself, diamonds of great value pass from hand to hand on a signature and often without even that formality.  Anyone unconnected with the diamond trade is amazed at the extent of the trust placed in each other by buyer and seller.  This trust is the keystone that keeps the entire trade in being.

You will pay anywhere from tens of thousands of dollars to over a million dollars per carat for the world’s most valuable diamond and the Argyle Diamond Mine (East Kimberley region of Western Australia) produces 95% of the world’s supply!  As rare as they are beautiful, pink Diamonds are sought after by collectors, designers and celebrities.

Their scarcity is a large part of the Argyle Pink Diamond’s appeal – comprising less than 0.01% of Argyle’s annual diamond production.  However, only a small percentage of Argyle Pink Diamonds are worthy of tender-quality status (for fine jewellery), in 2009 just 43 stones were worthy of tender, and all chosen for their magnificent colour and clarity. According to their Business Manager, Argyle Diamonds mines each year a million carats of diamonds to get just one carat of tender-quality diamonds, because they are so rare, not everyone can own one, they are highly sought after and find their way into important pieces of jewellery.  Some are so highly prized that they are given their own names, e.g. ‘Shalimar’, (1.25carat, round, magic and intense in colour), named after the exotic garden sanctuary built by Indian emperor Jahangir for his beloved wife.  ‘Scarlet’, another outstanding stone unearthed, 1.10 carat, oval diamond – certified as a very rare red diamond and I believe there are only five comparable red diamonds on the world market at the moment.  ‘Aphrodite’, after the Greek goddess of love and passion, sold for a record price – name of the bidder and final price not released.  During 2009, ‘Argyle Amour’ was sent to tender, a magnificent 2.61 carats of intense pink and heart-shaped, perhaps the most valuable heart-shaped pink diamond every produced from the Argyle Diamond Mine.  What will become of these magnificent pieces, locked away in a collectors safe until investment tides turn, perhaps adorning the neck of glamorous celebrities such as Halle Berry, Jennifer Lopez and Victoria Beckham, all of whom are said to be partial to pink diamonds?

The Argyle Diamond Mine established its own colour-grading system in the l980’s to accommodate the intense-coloured diamonds it produces.  This is now an internationally recognised system, pink Diamonds range on a scale from 1-9, colours running from purplish pinks to rose and pastel pinks.  A 1P grading using this system indicates a more intense pink than a 9P grading. The Argyle Pink Diamonds are legendary and easily recognised by professional coloured-diamond dealers, renowned for their intensity of colour compared to the pink diamonds found sporadically in countries such as India, Brazil and Africa – they tend to have a blue fluorescence. 

The Argyle diamond Mine, owned by Rio Tinto, will decline in production over the next two to three years and is predicted to have just 10 more years of life, which makes its rare offerings keenly sought by investors, collectors and diamond experts from around the world.

Most top-end jewellers create fashionable pieces by setting pinks with white diamonds, many to become a classically designed heirloom piece.  It is unusual to see pink diamond earrings as the individuality of each diamond makes them so hard to match.  Many collectors will wait years to collect a perfect match.

As the Argyle Diamond mine begins to scale back its operations in preparation for closing within the next decade, Rio Tinto’s annual tender process will no doubt create increased frenzy and intense competition among collectors.  The romantic appeal of the pink diamond is destined to live on after the mine has closed, ‘Shalimar’, ‘Scarlett’ and ‘Argyle Amour’ will have their own romantic stories to tell.

OPAL – A SOUND INVESTMENT?

By Robert E Cliff F.G.A.A., JP`

“Opallios”, Greek word for “to see a change in colour”. 

Opal comes from Eastern Europe, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico and most importantly, from Australia (our national Gemstone).   It occurs in volcanic lava and in sedimentary and igneous rocks in veins, as lumps or in pipes.  It can be found in Brazil, South Africa, Zimbabwe and the USA.  

Black opals are the rarest and most valuable of the stones.  The difference between them is that they are found in different parts of Australia and each has very unique appearances.  Black opals are considered the “Rolls Royce” of opals, and have a high price attachment associated with their status and rarity.

 A top quality black opal can secure a higher price per carat than a good, clear one-carat diamond.  In contrast to the diamond industry, there is no monopoly in the world marketing of opal and true market forces of supply and demand determine price.

Federal Government agency Austrade estimates current Australian production figures for uncut opals between $100 million and $200 million.  However, few Australians would have opal designs in their jewellery boxes,  the US, Japan and much of Europe enjoys the stone. Three major mining areas in Australia, each producing a different variety of the stone: Coober Pedy in South Australia; Lightning Ridge in New South Wales and central Queensland.

There are four types of opal commonly used in jewellery: white, black, & boulder.  Opal is one of the few non-crystalline gem stones; a hardened jelly made up of silica and water.  The play of colour, or iridescence, is due to the interference of white light on minute silica spheres in the structure of opal.

The world’s most valuable opal, black opal, is found in the town of Lightning Ridge.  The stone has underlying dark background hue, which gives the colour a greater intensity;  the word “black” doesn’t refer to the face of the opal but to its background, and its precious colours come in a rainbow of shades. The worlds most valuable Black Opal is “Aurora Australis”, found at  Lightning Ridge in l938,  valued at $1 million.  It weights l80 carats and sparkles red, green and blue against a black backdrop. 

Coober Pedy is home of the white opal, sometimes referred to as the milk opal -  pale white or light body tone. They are much more plentiful than any other kind of opal and generally display less vibrant colours.   The towns of Mintabie and Andamooka also have the gem.

Boulder opals are lesser known but have equally stunning colour.  Here the opal runs in thin veins on ironstone backing (hence the dark colour), price is generally less per carat due to the ironstone content of the stone.  Found all over Queensland.  It is often found as a thin veneer of opal of vibrant colours naturally covering the surface of the ironstones rock.  

German geologist Johannes Menge made the first Australian Opal discovery in 1849 in Angaston, South Australia.  This area in Queensland attracted many miners during the l880s.  Production actually began at White Cliffs NSW in l890.  When Australian Opal first appeared on the world market it was at first thought not to have been genuine – perhaps because of the fire of colours never before seen in the European specimens.

Around this time is has been said that the diamond merchants saw the amazing attributes of opal and realised that it was going to be a serious threat to their livelihood.  Opal was increasing in popularity and could represent a threat to this lucrative diamond trade. Rumor has it that the diamond trade spread the belief that opals are bad luck to protect themselves and give opaIs a bad reputation.  The diamond trade continued to flourish however and by 1932 most Eastern European opals were unable to compete with Australian opals and ceased production.  This is when Australia won the title of premier opal producer of the world.

Australian opal can be a sound long-term investment, with value appreciation climbing yearly.  Few visitors to Australia return home without buying an opal.  In the past, most purchases were quite modest, however today we see a far greater realisation of the investment values of solid or precious opal.

Buying for Investment:

·         Solid Opal is most valuable.

·         Red on black is most valuable colour.

·         The next most valuable colour, Orange, followed by yellow, green and then blue being the most common.

·         Think about what you are going to use the stone for.  Shape & size is an important factor when considering the setting for jewellers.

·         Brilliance

·         Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity.

Cautions when buying:

·         Solid Opal is a soft stone, approx. the same hardness as glass, avoid high temperatures (boiling water) or low extremes, e.g. Zero humidity bank vaults.

·         Be cautious of people selling boulder opal at price per carat, they may be leaving the heavy ironstone on the back of the stone.  This is a dishonest way of pushing up the price of the stone.

·         High quality stone should be set in a high quality setting.

·         Ensure any Certificate of Authenticity (signed) is by a Registered Valuer. 

Opal has been plagued for centuries by misinformation, superstition, wives’ tales.  It has also been considered a good luck talisman,and prized by many civilisations, possessing magical properties.  Romans believed that like the rainbow, it brought its owner good fortune, a token of hope and purity.  Greeks believed the opal bestowed powers of foresight and prophecy upon its owner.

It certainly has not stopped overseas customers and celebrities enjoying the stone, US media mogul Ted Turner famously gave actress Jane Fonda a massive black opal Engagement ring, and there have been many others.

With Australian Opal fields slowly running down, it is logical that values on quality gems will steadily increase year by year.  For the overseas visitor, it is also logical to buy at the source of supply and save money.

 Australian precious opal is the most sought after and the most stable of opals in world markets.

IN WHOM WE TRUST!

Robert E. Cliff

(GWP Magazine July 2010)

Faith, confidence, expectation & reliance – all the ingredients of trust, all the reasons why we once happily referred all our friends to “My Doctor”, “My Dentist”, “My Hairdresser” and “My Jeweller”.  Australia, once relatively insulated from the rest of the world, has matured and our wants and needs have changed.  We are far more discerning now in our purchasing experiences and thus should be wary of our vulnerability.

I will attempt here to offer our reader a basic appreciation of precious metals, gemstones and qualities that may help and to encourage us back to that old fashion world of Trust!

Seeking out a reputable jeweller - firstly, one that is actually a Jeweller and secondly, one that you trust to help you make an honest, informed decision.  This is actually more priceless than your purchase!  Salesmanship is out of control, and like buying a car, you have to ensure that the service is going to be there in the future.  Ensure that your “jeweller” is actually a Jeweller and not just a retailer of jewellery.  Registered Jewellery Trade certificates & Manufacturing Workshop, Industry memberships such as Registered Jewellery Valuer & Gemmologists, Retail Traders Association, is to name just a few of the necessities and that were, once a pre-requisite of being called a Jeweller.

Diamonds are breathtakingly beautiful, get the blinkers off and don’t be blinded by size or price.  Diamonds of equal size can vary significantly in value, depending on their quality.  All your Diamond purchases should be accompanied by a Valuation for insurance at the very least and your Diamond should have its own appraisal (not to be confused) that must include the four main factors that affect a diamond’s quality rating – that is, cut, colour, clarity and caret weight.  This appraisal will ensure your diamond is not synthetic, free from treatments and is conflict free.  Note, most diamonds have a one or many flaws, it is the degree of the visuality that affects the value of your diamond – most can only be seen using very powerful microscopes – done before the stone is set into a piece of jewellery.

Coloured Gemstones, of excellent quality are as prized as diamonds for their durability, beauty and rarity.  In all beautiful gems, their value is often owed to its cut – it allows us to enjoy and appreciate its true colour and splendour within.  Transparent gemstones cut from a single original crystal are the most prized, however, it must be noted that most coloured gemstones sold today have been treated in some way to increase their value.

In purchasing your gold Jewellery always search for the carat mark stamp that refers to the amount of pure gold contained within your piece.  Pure gold (24ct) is too soft for most jewellery so it is alloyed with other precious and base metals to increase its durability.  White and rose gold are created by mixing yellow gold with small quantities of other metals. For white gold it also has a coating of rhodium to enhance its brightness (In the past, nickel was used in white gold, however, due to skin allergies, it  is infrequent in its use today).  The makers mark, manufacturer’s identity stamp, jeweller’s logo or initials are often visual on Gold jewellery. 

	PRECIOUS METAL MARKINGS
GOLD	SILVER	PLATINUM
9k or 375	Sterling	Plat
14k or 585	925	Pt
18k or 750		950
22k or 916

Pearls much loved traditionally and admired for the uniqueness and luminous beauty.  The diamonds of the sea are a personal favourite of mine!  Most Pearls sold today re cultured, meaning that man has triggered the shell to create a pearl by inserting, physically, a small irritant that the oyster naturally coats with layers of nacre to give pearls their glow.  Natural Pearls are formed when this happens naturally – and today, extremely rare.  Size, depth of lustre and iridescence of the pearl gives Pearls their value.  Bigger, in this case, is generally better, but shape affects value too.  Irregular shaped pearls are sold as baroque pearls.

Antique jewellery certainly has its own specialised market, however, in Australia there is very little of it, genuine antique that is and you are likely to pay too much for a rare piece.  “Estate” Jewellery does not guarantee that it is a genuine antique.  Genuine antique pieces always had the makers stamp inside.  Any pieces said to be Antique and from England should carry a LAPADA certificate which guarantees it is over 100 year old.  When buying Antique Jewellery for an investment – know how you may resell it so you can realize your investment and be prepared that it may be some time before fashion swings your way.

I do believe, that all fine Jewellery purchases should be accompanied by a detailed Valuation report, a document that is acceptable for your insurance company, and an estimate of the market price for your item at time of purchase. Registered Valuers are experts in gemstone grading and in detecting synthetic substitutes.

With apparent vast “choices”, great dollars spent in advertising and all ensuring us  that they have  ”much better value for money” than anyone else, it is here where I am seeing caution depart.   “Caveat Emptor” (the Latin phrase for “buyer beware”) has never before in the Jewellery Industry in Australia been more true when investing in fine Jewellery.  Ensure, with confidence, that when you are making that very special, emotional, frivolous or investment purchase that you are undertaking this with someone you have faith in, and has a conviction to your beautiful fine jewellery’s future.  It’s all about Trust!