Tuesday 26 March 2013

Diamond Masterclass: The Four C's


Welcome to our very first Masterclass! It's the beginning of the week, our brains are refreshed from the weekend and we're ready to learn. What better time to kick off some jewellery education! Jewellucation? Whatever you want to call it, let's start our first masterclass with a girl's best friend - the beautiful diamond.

So we all know it's shiny, it's stunning... What else?

A lot of work goes into making that rock the gorgeous accessory you see on your finger. There are actually four characteristics that make each diamond unique; the four C's. 

These are cut, colour, clarity and carat weight. The combination of the four C's determines the value of a diamond.

Let's break it down:

Cut
While diamonds come in different shapes (like round, pear, etc) the term “cut” actually refers to the diamond's proportion. A diamond's cut determines its light reflection - its sparkle factor. When a diamond is cut to the right proportion - neither too deep nor too shallow - the light will reflect inside the stone from one mirror-like facet to another and reappear through the top, making it sparkle from within. So the cut affects how "shiny" your diamond is.

Colour
Cassandra Mamone selects colourless diamonds from the top three colour grades only: D, E, and F. These are the rarest and so the most valuable. Fancy coloured diamonds are an exception, and are lusted over due to their extreme rarity. The quality of these diamonds is judged by the intensity of their hue (think pink, blue, yellow). Unlike white diamonds, the more colour, the rarer the diamond. 

Clarity
Diamonds were formed millions of years ago, deep within the earth under enormous heat and pressure. As a result, most diamonds contain tiny marks known as inclusions which make each stone unique, like a birthmark. Nearly all diamonds contain these unique clarity characteristics. 

When viewed under magnification they look like tiny crystals, clouds or feathers. Diamonds with no inclusions are categorised either as flawless (FL) or internally flawless (IF). It's no surprise that these diamonds are exceptional and costly.

The inclusions don't necessarily weaken the stone and, as long as they don't interfere with the passage of light, they won't affect its beauty either. The fewer and smaller the inclusions, the more valuable a diamond will be.

Polished diamonds.


Carat 
And finally, the carat. We've all heard of one or two carat diamonds, but what exactly does it mean? Well, a diamond's size is measured in carat weight, and one carat is equal to 0.20 of a gram (or one-fifth). Each carat is divided into 100 points, so a diamond of 50 points weighs 0.50 carats. 


Congratulations! You've just survived your first Diamond Masterclass and you now know the crucial elements which come together to form stunning diamond jewellery like the one below.

The Positano ring from the Cassandra Mamone Sorrento collection features 71 pave set white diamonds
 - in total it's approx 2.84 carats. 
The ring is 18 carat white and rose gold.

Now you may have a greater appreciation for that ring on your finger, or you may impress your friends at the dinner table... But most importantly, you may be starting to understand why at Cassandra Mamone we're so passionate about a beautiful little rock!

Until next time,

Kisses
The CM Team

Saturday 16 March 2013

Piece of the month!


Here at Cassandra Mamone, all of our jewellery comes with its own special story. Each month we hope to share with you the inspiration, love and passion behind each piece.

This month we take a look at a very special engagement ring.

The engagement ring features a 1.51 carat diamond

When Simon wanted to propose to his girlfriend Danielle, he knew exactly who to call to find the perfect engagement ring.

Two months before he popped the question, Simon caught up with Cassandra Mamone who helped him pick a 1.51 carat brilliant cut D-colour diamond. 

Simon proposed to Danielle on Christmas morning. The two lovebirds were taking a walk through North Adelaide and Danielle was power walking ahead while Simon was dawdling behind. Simon called out her name and when Danielle turned around she saw him metres away from her, on one knee. 

Simon called out for her to help him, and in Danielle’s words “I thought jeez, as if he fell over, he’s walking as slow as a snail!"

She went back to see what was wrong and as the bells of the North Adelaide church rang out, Simon asked Danielle to be his wife.

And of course she said yes! 

Shortly after that, Cassandra was thrilled to create the perfect ring for her friend of eight years. The final product featured the brilliant diamond set with square claws. The diamond is surrounded by small pave set brilliants around it, with mill grain edge and split arms, made in Platinum.

The gorgeous Danielle with her beautiful engagement ring

What do you think of Danielle's gorgeous engagement ring? Do you have your own special engagement story? Let us know in the comments below!

Kisses,

The CM Team