Natural diamond, Lab-grown diamond, or Moissanite – which is best?

jodiegearingAdvice, Stone Knowledge6 Comments

Anyone looking at diamond jewellery online quickly uncovers a minefield of different terms – Natural Diamonds, Lab Diamonds, Moissanites… what on Earth is the difference between them!? Lab diamonds and Moissanite cost much less than natural diamonds, but there must be a catch – what are the downsides?  In this article, you will learn the pros and cons of each … Read More

Diamond Education: The 4 C’s

jodiegearingStone Knowledge1 Comment

When choosing a diamond, the first things you will need to decide upon are the cut (shape) and your budget. If you’re opting for a white diamond, there are four things a good jeweller will discuss with you when giving you your stone options, collectively known as the Four C’s. But before we go into these four characteristics, you’ll need … Read More

Diamond Shapes

jodiegearingAdvice, Jewellery Trends, Stone KnowledgeLeave a Comment

When it comes to choosing a diamond for a piece of jewellery, the first decision you’ll need to make is its shape. The shape of a diamond means more than simply the outline shape of the stone. Each cut has a totally different number, shape and positioning of facets. These variations can have a real impact on sparkle and how … Read More

September Sapphire

jodiegearingCommissions, Stone Knowledge

The birthstone for September is sapphire – one of the ‘big three’ precious coloured gemstones (sapphire, emeralds and rubies). Although you see sapphire jewellery in every high street jeweller’s window, you rarely see any colour other than blue. It is a common misconception that sapphires are just blue – they come in every colour under the sun! Colours other than … Read More

What does Carat or Karat mean?

jodiegearingAdvice, Metal Knowledge, Stone KnowledgeLeave a Comment

Carat in jewellery can either refer to the weight of a gemstone, or the fineness of gold. Confusingly, in the UK, we use the same spelling for both. In the US, K (or K, Karat) is more commonly used when describing gold fineness and ct (carat) is used when discussing the weight of a gemstone. Why carat? Both in gemstone … Read More