Category: Uncategorized (Page 2 of 2)

Award Winning Jewels

November 9, 2015 / Duncan Parker

Diamonds International Award Winning Jewel, 1960, by Bick & Ostor, Montreal. Lot 297 in the Dupuis Fall 2015 Auction

JEWELLERY DESIGN

Jewels are small works of art. Each is designed and planned by an artist who has the ideas to create a small wearable artwork. Jewellery design competitions are a place for artists to shine. The designer uses precious materials and creativity to produce a jewel that makes us sit up and pay attention.

INSPIRATION for Award Winning Jewels

Award winning jewels are the result of the artist’s imagination, plus competition guidelines, and materials that provide inspiration.

A designer will have their own ideas and style that set their jewel apart from the competition. There are judges for competitions who will decide which designs stand above the rest. Those selected will be featured as the award winning jewels.

Award Winning Jewels: Lot 297 Fall 2015 Diamonds international winner 1960

Original Watercolour Rendering (Left), and the Finished jewel (Right), Diamonds International Winner, 1960, by Bick & Ostor, lot 297, Dupuis Fall 2012 Auction

COMPETITION

Jewellery designers will use competitions to express themselves in ways that may not be possible in day to day work. It is a little like clothing design: Runway fashion shows express the pure art of the designer, but may not show the regular day to day designs. Award winning jewels will be one-of-a-kind, and use the finest materials and artisanship.

Many industry groups hold design competitions. The jewellery world has these contests in many specialty areas.

The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) has the annual “Spectrum Competition” for designs featuring coloured gemstones. AGTA Spectrum Awards

Cultured pearl brooch, Lot 338, sold in the Dupuis Fall 2012 Jewels Auction, was an Award Winner in a Pearl Jewel Design Competition

The Cultured Pearl Association of America selects award winning jewels from entrants to its competition for cultured pearl jewellery design. Cultured Pearl Association of America design awards

DIAMONDS INTERNATIONAL Award Winning Jewels

Diamonds International Awards catalogue 1960

Diamonds International Awards Catalogue from 1960, featuring the Bick & Ostor Maple Leaf Jewel

The BIG one in the world of international jewellery design competitions is the Diamonds International Awards. For decades, designers from around the world have sent their best diamond jewel designs to the contest by deBeers marketing office, the “diamond is forever” people. The award winning jewels were selected by specialists, and travelled the world to show what amazing things could be done in jewels featuring diamonds.

Award Winning jewels: Jane Parker seejane draw design Diamonds International Winner Speckled Trout

Diamonds International Award Winning Jewel by Jane Parker, 1990 (made by Birks, not sold at Dupuis Auctions)

At Dupuis, we are proud to be able to offer a Diamonds International Award winning jewel in the Fall 2015 Auction.

Flawless

October 20, 2015 / Duncan Parker

Internally flawless 3.15 carat emerald cut, D colour diamond ring, lot 420, in the Dupuis Fall 2015 Jewels Auction

Flawless

The word “flawless” means one thing. “Flawless” indicates that an item is without imperfection or blemish. It conveys the impression of something very special, out of the ordinary.

Sports and Arts

Only the rarest of things is flawless. In the sports world, a baseball pitcher with a “perfect game”; not allowing any opponents to reach base has certainly done something flawless. In music, a singer hitting every note and conveying every emotion through an opera has perhaps given a flawless performance. In gems, flawless has a very particular meaning.

Internally flawless 3.23 carat, fancy intense yellow diamond in a ring, Lot 419, in the Dupuis Fall 2015 Jewels Auction

Gems

Gems are traditionally examined under a standard ten times (10X) magnification. If a gem is examined under a microscope or with a jewellers “loupe” at 10X and absolutely nothing is found in that precious stone, then it is considered flawless.

Gems occur in nature and form under all sorts of conditions, and among all sorts of other gems and minerals. It is highly uncommon to find a gem that has no other crystals or other tiny features inside, these common features are called “inclusions”.

Often the inclusions in a gem are so tiny that you can only see them by using a microscope or jeweller’s loupe. Sometimes an inclusion may be large enough to see with the naked eye. As a gemologist, I find crystal and mineral inclusions fascinating, but while the big and interesting inclusions make a gem a curiosity to a gemologist, they do certainly decrease the value.

Internally flawless 1.12 carat fancy yellow diamond, lot 417 in the Dupuis Fall 2015 Jewels Auction

Diamonds

A flawless diamond is extremely unusual. Due to the conditions of the formation of these gems, it is extremely rare to find a gem that is considered “flawless”. Only occasionally will a diamond receive such a grade. It makes them particularly valuable.

An “internally flawless” gem has a total lack of internal features that might be seen under 10X magnification, but may have some very tiny surface feature that doesn’t enter into the gem at all.

In the Fall 2015 auction, we have a number of these important gems. It takes a long time to grade these gems, because you really have to be completely thorough in examining them to ensure that they really are flawless. These have all received the grading through the independent and internationally recognized grading laboratory at Gemological Institute of America (GIA) http://www.gia.edu

Inclusions in Gems, a view of the inner world of gemstones

January 28, 2015 / Duncan Parker

INCLUSIONS IN GEMS

A view of the inner world of gemstones

“Three phase” inclusions in a emerald

The inner world of gems is fascinating. Inclusions found within gems are the things that get gemmologists hooked on this science. We love to look at the fascinating crystals, growth features and strange structures in gems. Many inclusions are crystals of minerals.

Emerald:

An emerald may be identified as natural if it has three-phase inclusions (a solid, a liquid and a gas; with the solid being a crystal of some kind, and the gas being a bubble that sometimes can move around in the liquid). Emeralds originating from Colombia are particularly noted for three-phase inclusions.

Diamonds:

Diamonds can have lots of interesting inclusions, sometimes another diamond inside a diamond, but often a crystal of an entirely different mineral. We often see reddish garnet crystals in diamonds.

Diamond with bright red garnet inclusions

Sometimes we might see several different colours of inclusion in the same diamond. This one has an inclusion of garnet that is orange brown colour and another that is green and is possibly diopside:

Diamond 0.33ct orange brown and green crystals

Diamond with orange-brown garnet, and green (possibly diopside) crystal inclusions

Sometimes we don’t know what an inclusion is, being inside another gem makes it hard to get at, and complex to test, but it’s still really interesting to look at. This orangish inclusion in the corner of a diamond looks a bit like a lighthouse floating in space, or a Dalek (ask a Doctor Who fan). It isn’t either of those things, it’s a mineral, however, we’re not sure what that mineral is.

Pinkish brown crystal inclusion in a diamond

There are naturally occurring fractures in gems, they are often called “feathers”. I guess the reason for calling them “feathers” is because they can sometimes look like that. This one in a diamond really looks like a feather:

Diamond inclusion feather incident light

“Feather” in a diamond

Sapphire:

Sometimes we see inclusions of one colour mineral in another colour of gem. Here is a red crystal of a mineral called rutile in a blue sapphire. If it is placed just right (or wrong) the colours can combine to create a new colour to the eye (more purplish, in this case, with red mixed with the very nice blue)

Blue sapphire with a red rutile crystal inclusion

Emeralds can have some very interesting inclusions, apart from three-phase ones. Here we have opaque cube shaped yellow metallic pyrite inclusions that are of a size that can be seen with the naked eye. Emeralds usually have eye-visible inclusions of some kind.

Beryl emerald with pyrite inclusions 8 copy

Emerald with pyrite cube crystal inclusions

Quartz:

Among the most commonly seen gems in the world are those of the quartz family. There are so many varieties, colours and textures of quartz found all around the world, and each can have distinctive inclusions. Often, quartz is a modestly priced gem, and specimens with noticeable and desirable inclusions are often available. This example of “rock crystal” quartz features dark reddish-black needle-like inclusions, scattered like pick-up-sticks.

Rock crystal quartz with scattered needle-like tourmaline crystals

Inclusions are such an interesting feature of gems, and for any gemmologist with a microscope or a loupe, they’re among of the most fascinating features of a gem. While most people tend to think of inclusions in a negative way, they make gems unique, and give each its own fingerprint, providing hours of distraction for a gemologist, or anyone else.

Garnet: A Gem of All Colours

November 18, 2014 / Duncan Parker

Lot 500: Antique Garnet, Diamond, Enamel and Gold Pendant Necklace. Offered in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Jewels Auction

Garnets are among the most familiar gems, and they are the birthstone for January. We usually think of garnets as brownish red, but they come in a rainbow of colours and are among the most interesting gems available. They are used in everything from casual to formal jewels. They can make a thoroughly modern statement and are also found in very fine antiques.

Rhodolite

Lot 488: Rhodolite Garnet, Diamond and 18K White Gold Ring. A modern Kieselstein Cord ring, offered in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Jewels Auction

Far from being from a narrow palette of brownish to reddish, pyrope and almandine garnets, or the pinkish red “rhodolite”, we have a rainbow of possibilities.

Demantoid

Demantoid garnets are among the most precious garnets. Most famously found in Russia, these green garnets can be bright and lively, and are often seen in antique jewellery. Demantoid is one of the few gems in which people actually want to see detectable inclusions, and these golden fibre inclusions are called “horsetails”, their presence helps to prove that the gem is demantoid.

Lot 319: An Antique Demantoid Garnet and Diamond Bee Brooch. Offered in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Jewels Auction

Grossular

Grossular garnet is found in a number of colours, an attractive cinnamon colour is called hessonite.

Lot 628: Three Unmounted Hessonite Garnets. Offered in the Dupuis Spring 2014 Jewels Auction

Another colour of grossular garnet is a yellowish green.

Lot 105: A Garnet, Diamond, Platinum and Gold Floral Pendant/Brooch. Grossular garnet cabochon. Offered in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Jewels Auction

Tsavorite is the most precious of grossular garnets. Principally sourced in Tanzania, these are among the most beautiful of green gems.

Lot 537: Unmounted 3.35-Carat Tsavorite Garnet. Offered in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Jewels Auction

Tsavorite garnets are often used as accent gems around feature stones in modern jewellery, and the rich green works very well to complement other colours.

Lot 43: A Lavender Jadeite and Tsavorite Garnet Ring. Offered in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Jewels Auction

Colour Change

The newest, and possibly rarest, garnet is a colour change gem that shows blue in daylight and a purple to pink in incandescent light. This fascinating phenomenon is highly desired among collectors, and is unquestionably a conversation starter.

Lot 237: An Unmounted Colour-Change Garnet. Offered in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Jewels Auction

Garnets are unquestionably a beautiful and fascinating gem that can have an appeal to every taste, style and budget.

Lot 446: Enamel, Diamond, Garnet and 14K Gold Pansy Brooch. Offered in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Jewels Auction

Colour in diamonds

November 6, 2014 / Duncan Parker

Lot 411: A Coloured Diamond Ring. 6.50 carats, fancy yellow colour, VVS-1 clarity. Offered in the Fall 2014 Dupuis Jewels Auction

We usually think of diamonds as being colourless sparkly beauties that create joy among the recipients. And so they are. However, we also have diamonds that are colourful sparkly beauties, too. Colour is a property of almost all diamonds, but in many cases it is so slight that we have a hard time noticing it.

In some rare cases, there can be enough colour to make diamonds very interesting and attractive. The colours may be anywhere in the spectrum.

What is is that makes a diamond valuable? You know the famous “4 c’s”; carat weight, clarity, cut, and, of course, colour. Colour can have a huge influence on the value. The rarer the colour, the more value it will have, all other things being equal.

Lot 329: A Pair of Diamond Ear Studs. One centre diamond is “D” colour, the other is “E”. Offered in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Jewels Auction

What is rare colour? Most diamonds have a degree of yellow in them, but in many we don’t really notice it. Diamond colour is graded alphabetically. “D” in diamond is totally colourless, and as we make our way through, we find more tint with each further letter in the alphabet. Only when we reach “Z” do we edge towards a pretty and desirable colour in a diamond.

YELLOW

Diamonds that have yellow colour slightly lighter than “Z” may be called “light fancy”, more intense than “Z” are considered “fancy” yellow diamonds, stronger yellow than “fancy” are called “intense”, and the strongest, brightest yellow is called “vivid”.

Lot 299: A Coloured diamond Pendant Necklace. Light fancy yellow diamonds. Offered in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Jewels Auction

Lot 487: Coloured Diamond and 18K White Gold Ring. Natural fancy yellow. Offered in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Jewels Auction

Lot 365: An Unmounted Coloured Diamond. Fancy intense yellow 3.05 carats, VVS-1 clarity. Offered in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Jewels Auction

Lot 269: A Coloured Diamond Ring. Fancy Vivid yellow, 2.04 carats, VVS-2 clarity. Offered in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Jewels Auction

THE FULL SPECTRUM

If we go beyond yellow, there is a spectrum of colour available in diamonds, from tiny variations in tint to a whole rainbow.

A range of natural colour diamonds, from faint pink, yellow, blue and brown, through fancy, intense, vivid and deep

The words used to describe yellow colours are also used to describe other colours: Faint, Light Fancy, Fancy, Fancy Intense, Fancy Vivid for increasing colour saturation, plus Fancy Dark, and Fancy Deep for the darker tones.

Historically, diamonds that have noticeable and attractive colour have been known to be rare and highly desirable. The Dresden Green, a 41 carat bright green diamond in the collection in the Green Vault in Dresden is one of the most famous. Probably the most famous coloured diamond in the world is the Hope Diamond at the Smithsonian in Washington, it is a 45.52 carat fancy blue colour.

BROWN

Brown colours, often referred to as “Champagne” diamonds are more available than other colours, due to production at the Argyle mine in Australia. There is good demand for these diamonds, particularly among designers of modern jewellery.

Lot 644: Coloured Diamond and Two-Tone 18K Gold Ring. Brown colour. Offered in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Jewels Auction

CHAMELEON

There are some unusual diamonds that do tricks. They change colour when left in the dark for a few days, and then are exposed to light, or are examined at room temperature and then are gently heated to about 150 degrees C. These unusual and rare diamonds change from a somewhat olive green in light, or at room temperature, to a yellowish brown when kept in the dark, or heated.

Lot 534: Unmounted 1.64 Carat “Chameleon” Diamond. Offered in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Jewels Sale

PINK

Pink is among the most desirable of colours, and the Argyle mine in Australia is the source of most pink diamonds. Pinks have been in very high demand, and prices have escalated amid speculation about the imminent closure of the Argyle mine. The Victor Mine, in Ontario, Canada has also produced the occasional, very rare pink. Brazil has produced some large pink diamonds.

Lot 658: An Unmounted 0.21 carat Coloured Diamond. Offered in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Jewels Auction

BLUE

Blue diamonds are extremely rare, and occasionally a bidder will have the opportunity to add one to their collection through auction. Blue is a rare accident of nature, some have originated in India, some in Africa, and some at the Argyle mine in Australia. The Hope diamond would have originated in India.

Lot 298: A Coloured Diamond Ring. Light Grey Blue. Offered in the Dupuis Spring 2014 Jewels Auction

RED

The rarest of all colours is red. Red diamonds are so rare that most of us will never see one. There are only be a few produced each year. Some red diamonds may sell for over as a million dollars a carat. The Argyle Mine in Australia is the best known source for red.

Diamond Natural fancy red Argyle 0.22ct (4)

Red diamond, 0.22 carat, mined at the Argyle mine in Australia

Auction is the place where we see the majority of important coloured diamonds offered for sale. At Dupuis, each auction sees numerous coloured diamonds available for bidding.

www.dupuis.ca will take you to past and current catalogues.

Nature in Jewels

October 17, 2014 / Duncan Parker

A Diamond and White Gold Floral Brooch: Lot 352 in the Dupuis Fall Auction

The work of the goldsmith and jewellery artist constantly reveals influences of nature in jewels. Faberge’s eggs, made to commemorate birth, life and reconciliation are an obvious example. The sprays of flowers that were so popular in the 1950’s and 1960’s, bringing the garden indoors, add sparkle and glitter to any occasion.

Organic Gems

Five Coral and 10K gold jewels: Lot 507 in the Dupuis Fall 2014 auction

We regularly see genuine pieces of nature in jewels, too. We refer to these as “organic gems” and they are actually the product of nature, used as jewels or as gems in jewellery.

South Sea Cultured Pearl and 18K gold Necklace: Lot 542 in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Auction

Pearls are probably the first gem ever collected: Smooth, shiny things that came right out of an oyster, ready to wear.

Amber is fossilized resin from pre-historic trees. It’s been collected around the shores of the Baltic Sea for centuries. It is at its most interesting, and far more valuable when there are other elements of nature in jewels of amber; insects or plant material, or even small lizards. These inclusions aren’t found in other gems, and make amber quite unique.

Coral (red coral and black coral), Diamond, Cultured Pearl and Sterling Silver Brooch: Lot 450 in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Auction

Coral is a beautiful jewel of nature, most popularly in red, orange and pink colours. Coral provides an excellent accent to jewellery and also stands on its own very well as beads or carved gems.

Fauna

A Gold Snake Bangle Bracelet: Lot 267 in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Auction

There are also many realistic or fantastic representations of nature in jewels, a favourite at auction is animal shapes, either domestic or wild animals, or mythological creatures. The Cartier Panther, a Van Cleef & Arpels lion, dolphins, or the articulated fish on grandmother’s charm bracelet. These are all animal forms found regularly in jewellery. Dragons, gryphons, and unicorns are among the fantastic creatures seen in jewellery.

14K Gold Cat Brooch: Lot 460 in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Auction

Gem Set and 18K gold Dog Brooch: Lot 459 in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Auction

Cats are often seen in jewellery, from domestic large-eyed kittens to dangerous lions, they cover the range from cute to daunting. “Man’s best friend”, the dog, is represented in jewels regularly, whether a charm of our favourite pug or a hunting dog represented carved in intaglio in an Essex crystal. Of course, we also see real dogs wearing jewels sometimes. Which self respecting lap dog would turn down the offer of a diamond collar?

A Diamond and Gold Bird Brooch (by Van Cleef & Arpels): Lot 29 in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Auction

Birds are very common representations of nature in jewels. Perhaps symbolizing freedom, or simply because some of the most beautiful and elegant creatures on the earth are birds, winged creatures are often seen flying through the air below our ears, or as pendants on a chain, or as brooches.

Flora

Gold Oak Leaf Cuff Bracelet, by Buccellati: Lot 28 in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Auction

Branches and leaves embrace our wrists, fingers, or collars regularly. Tendrils, vines, bunches of grapes are common themes, bringing elements of plants in nature to our wardrobe of accessories.

Diamond and 14K White Gold Pendant/Brooch: Lot 543 in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Auction

Often the elements of nature in jewels are more subtle, and are only representations that leave an impression of nature without a direct reference to a plant or animal. These inspirations are probably the most common, and are among the most inspired designs around.

Nature is all around us, so it isn’t surprising that jewellers find themselves being influenced by the beauty of it all.

A Diamond, Pink and Yellow Sapphire Floral Brooch: Lot 335 in the Dupuis Fall 2014 Auction

Jewels tell stories

July 15, 2014 / Duncan Parker

Jewels tell stories, sometimes publicly, and sometimes secretly

Victorian REGARD Ring: Ruby, Emerald, Garnet, Anethyst, Ruby, Diamond spell the word

All jewels tell stories. An engagement ring carries the story of love. A wedding ring carries the story of something never-ending within its unbroken circle. An eternity ring emphasizes that unending circle of life and love.

Through history, we have seen jewels tell stories. There are some commonly seen examples of jewels telling a story. Once in a while, jewels carry a secret message, and sometimes the story is not so secret.

The Victorians had the tendency to like secret messages in their art and crafts. The “REGARD” ring was a jewel that told a story that was not really secret, because these rings were common enough that surely most people would have recognized them. The name comes from the word made up from the initials of the gems in a row across the front. Ruby, Emerald, Garnet, Amethyst, Ruby, Diamond. Other words were possible, but “regard” was most popular. A person, overcome with a strong “regard” for another, would present them with such a ring to convey their feelings. (The possibilities for rude messages are huge, we should be glad they aren’t common jewels these days).

A Victorian REGARD ring missing a ruby and diamond

The Victorians were also very aware of mythology, and mythological themes were often shown in carved cameos. The story told in a cameo jewel may be from classical myths. Here, there is a cameo that represents Night, a shrouded figure, looking downwards, and with a moon above her head, and Day, with clouds around her, looking with upturned face, and rays of light radiating around her head.

A Victorian cameo showing the allegory of Night and Day

The death of Queen Victoria’s husband, Albert, in 1861, sent Victoria into mourning, and the rest of Britain embraced mourning. Mourning jewels tell the story of loss. Usually decorated with black enamel or made from black gems, mourning jewels tell an obvious story of the death of a loved one. Some mourning jewels also incorporate a small piece of hair from the person being remembered

Victorian mourning ring, remembering the loss of a husband at the age of 47, in 1885

Victorian mourning jewels: Black enamelled brooch set with a camel of Rebecca at the well, and a carved jet cameo from the estate of Mrs Robertson Davies, sold at auction at Dupuis

Victorian mourning jewels, one with hair and one set with black banded agate

These days, a “family ring” tells a story. The story told by a family ring is that of the offspring of the wearer, most commonly mothers. When you see a ring with a row of apparently unrelated gemstones that don’t spell a message, it is likely a family ring.

A family ring is usually set with a group of similar sized birthstones, one for each of the children of the wearer. These jewel tells the story of the family of the mother.

A family ring with the birthstones for each of the mother’s children

Other jewels tell stories of a personal or group achievement or a victory. One of the most notable type of jewels that tell a story is a championship ring. These are very rare, and unlike a REGARD ring, which is meant to be a secret message, a championship ring is an obvious public statement.

Issued to members of a victorious team, a championship ring only goes on to a very few fingers. One of the rarest is depicted here, a Toronto Maple Leafs Stanley Cup ring. Last seen in 1967:

Toronto Maple Leafs Stanley Cup ring 1967

The engagement ring, given by Robertson Davies to Brenda, backstage at the Old Vic theatre in London, 1940

Sometimes a jewel tells stories in two ways. A famous owner can add another level of story. An engagement ring tells the story of love, but the engagement ring of a well known person tells another story at the same time. The engagement ring that famed Canadian author, journalist, publisher, and academic, Robertson Davies, gave to his true love Brenda, was sold at Dupuis Auctions, and is silver with a purple glass intaglio. It was very popular at auction because of the combined stories of the engagement and the famous owner, and sold for $1,500.00.

All jewels tell a story, but some tell more than others. Some of the stories are secrets that we may never know, and others are very public, but all are important.

Diamond Shapes

June 26, 2014 / Duncan Parker

Diamond Shapes

12.37 Carat Diamond Crystal

Diamond shapes are widely varied. There is a reason; a diamond crystal is like so many products of nature; slightly variable within a general form. A perfect diamond crystal is an octahedron, in the form of a four sided pyramid pointing up, on top of a four sided pyramid pointing down, in other words: A square shaped eight sided form.

If diamond crystals are square, why are so many cut and polished diamonds in a round shape? The earliest diamonds in jewellery were uncut, and the earliest cut diamonds were actually square, with a cut-off top, like opening a hard boiled egg, this was called a table cut.

Table Cut Diamond in a ring

In the 18th Century, diamond cutters developed a more sophisticated cut to reveal better and brighter sparkle in a diamond. This cut we call “old mine cut”, and prevailed for the century that Brazil was the main world source of diamonds. Old Mine cut diamonds are rounded square forms, but still reflect the original squarish crystal shape.

Old Mine Cut Diamond

Back in the second half of the 19th Century, diamond cutters worked out that a round shape could produce a diamond of uniform brilliance and sparkle, this round diamond took the next step past the old mine cut, and is called the old European cut.

Old European Cut Diamond: Lot 113, Dupuis Spring 2014 Jewels Auction http://bit.ly/DUPUIS-LOT-113

In the early years of the 20th Century, an engineer, Marcel Tolkowsky, calculated the shape and exact proportions and angles to create the most brilliant, sparkly diamond, and in 1919, published his findings. We never looked back, and his work still stands as the basis for the modern round brilliant cut diamond.

Round Brilliant Cut Diamonds: Lot 286 in the Dupuis Spring 2014 Jewels Auction http://bit.ly/DUPUIS-LOT-286

That is the beginning, we have all sorts of other shapes of diamond cut. Why do we have them? First: People have different tastes, so not everyone wants a round diamond, and a round diamond doesn’t suit everyone or every occasion. Second: diamond crystals aren’t all exactly the same. While crystals of diamond are identical in their composition and structure, they might have different outward appearances. Some might be more rounded, some stretched out into a rectangular form, some might come out of the ground as fragments. The diamond cutter will assess each crystal, and will work out how to make the most of it. If a crystal has an unusual form, that may dictate the final shape of the polished gem.

Pear shaped diamond pendant: Lot 388 in the Dupuis Spring 2014 jewels sale. Sold for $509,000 http://bit.ly/DUPUIS-LOT-388

Popularity of diamond shapes may be driven by fashion. One year marquise shaped diamonds may be a favourite, and another year a pear shape may be in vogue. Round diamonds remain the most popular shape, and any shape other than round is called a “fancy shape”. Generally, fancy shape diamonds are cut because the rough diamond would produce the best looking gem and the most advantageous financial result that way.

The diamond cutter’s job is two fold: Make the most beautiful gem, and don’t waste any of the precious diamond. If that means making a heart shape, then that is what will be.

Following are examples of some of the more regularly used diamond cut shapes.

Heart shaped diamond: Lot 517, Dupuis Spring 2014 Jewels Auction

Rectangular radiant cut diamond: Lot 310 Dupuis Spring 2014 Jewels Auction

Princess cut diamonds: Lot 691, Dupuis Spring 2014 Jewels Auction

Trilliant cut diamonds: Lot 669, Dupuis Spring 2014 Jewels Auction

Rectangular cushion shaped diamond: Lot 383, Dupuis Spring 2014 Jewels Auction

Emerald cut diamond: Lot 342, Dupuis Spring 2014 Jewels Auction

Category: Uncategorized (Page 2 of 2)

Award Winning Jewels

JEWELLERY DESIGN

INSPIRATION for Award Winning Jewels

COMPETITION

DIAMONDS INTERNATIONAL Award Winning Jewels

Flawless

Flawless

Sports and Arts

Gems

Diamonds

Inclusions in Gems, a view of the inner world of gemstones

Garnet: A Gem of All Colours

Colour in diamonds

Nature in Jewels

Jewels tell stories

Diamond Shapes

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