Cheers everyone! We hope this finds you all happy and well. To all of our clients who have purchased a ring please remember to bring it back for its yearly checkup. We will do a safety check of your stones and clean, polish and rhodium plate (if necessary). This service is free and your guarantee relies on it so please come and see us again.

 


This exquisite ring has a 1.25CT rubelite-pink tourmaline set in 18CT White Gold.

This stunning stone is enhanced by 32 round brilliant diamonds.

It is available right now for $2195.00.

 
 

This delicate rose gold ring has 3 natural rubies and two diamonds set in a distinctive and very elegant setting. It will be available shortly from our “Buy Now Boutique”.
 
 


Harry Winston created a life-size pair of ruby slippers -- valued at $3 million -- commemorating the classic film "The Wizard of Oz." The slippers feature 4,600 rubies weighing in at 1,350 carats, with 50 carats of diamond accents.


 
 
Information just released by the National Jeweller Network may have eBay quaking and many jewellery designers reaching for their lawyers’ phone numbers!!
LVMH wins $63M in eBay counterfeit lawsuit

july 30, 2008

Paris—A French court has ordered eBay to pay LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton 40 million euros (about US$63 million), ruling that the online auction giant did not do enough to prevent the sale of counterfeit goods on its site, according to a report on Monday from Bloomberg.

A ruling in a U.S. lawsuit filed by Tiffany & Co. against eBay is still pending. The bench trial was held before a federal court judge in New York in November 2007.

 
 

So many times our customers have asked whether 9CT gold is harder than 18CT gold. Precious Metal Technologies have the answer.

“It is surprising for most people to learn that the simple answer is no. It would be fair to assume that this confusion has arisen due to the fact that pure gold is known to be quite soft, too soft, in fact, to be used successfully in local jewellery. 18CT obviously contains twice as much gold as 9CT, the assumption being it is therefore softer….

There are many different combinations of metals which can be used to make gold alloys with each combination having specific characteristics. This can be further influenced by mechanical working and/or heat treatments, however, most common 18CT gold alloys are both harder and more hard wearing that their 9CT equivalent.

Alloy
As Cast Hardness

Max.Annealed Hardness

9CT
70-105
160-170
18CT
85-125
170-230

The “Vickers” hardness test method (as shown by above table) consists of indenting the test material with a diamond indenter then establishing the relationship between the load applied and area of indentation.”
 
 

The birthstone for July is Ruby. It is named after the Latin word for red – rubeus. The colouring pigment is chrome. The most desirable colour is “pigeon’s blood”, pure red with a hint of blue. It is the hardest mineral after diamond, although it is only 1/140th as hard. Inclusions are common and are not indicative of lower quality, but show the difference between a natural and synthetic stone.
In folklore, it is said to represent freedom from care and chastity. In India it was worn to guard against attacks and to attract friends and good fortune. In China and Japan it was thought to bring health, happiness and long life.

The Hixon Ruby Crystal is a 196.10-carat gem that was donated to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles in 1978 by Frederick C. Hixon. It is considered to be one of the most perfect large ruby crystals in the world.
 


Madame Lily Bollinger:
"I drink it when I'm happy and when I'm sad.
Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone.
When I have company I consider it obligatory.
I trifle with it if I'm not hungry and I drink it when I am.
Otherwise I never touch it, unless I'm thirsty."

Cheers!