Archive for the ‘Diamond Jewellery’ Category

Measuring Diamond Clarity

Friday, May 21st, 2010

Clarity is one of the four Cs of diamond quality testing. The other three are carat (or size), colour, and cut. For the moment, let’s concentrate on clarity. For most people high clarity is a given when talking about diamond jewellery – not for nothing do we say ‘as clear as diamond’ but it does vary from stone to stone.

Tiny bubbles, cracks, and imperfections inside the diamond (or any other precious brilliant stone for that matter) can lower the clarity. Those that don’t have what it takes to warrant inclusion in jewellery are used for industrial purposes or are broken up so that the high clarity pieces can be used as smaller secondary stones. Fancy cuts can sometimes be used to remove areas of lesser clarity too.

9ct yellow gold diamond trilogy twist ring 0.20ctsClarity is measured on a number of different scales, but most of them have the first few categories in common. F stands for flawless, and is the best possible class. It means there are absolutely no flaws that a trained eye can find under a microscope at 10x magnification. Next is IF or internally flawless. Stones of this class are still considered outstanding and ideal for inclusion in fine jewellery like wedding, eternity and diamond engagement rings.

After that come the VVS (very very small flaws) and VS (very small flaws) classes. These are still very good diamonds, clarity-wise. They can be found in all kinds of jewellery. While they have flaws that are visible under magnification, any stone in either of these classes will look perfectly clear to the naked eye.

A Note On The Colours Of Diamonds

Monday, May 17th, 2010

The most common diamond found in watches and jewellery is the perfectly colourless or ‘white’ diamond, but that is certainly not the only colour available. More than 20 officially approved colours are known to experts. Pink, blue, and champagne are three of the most popular in jewellery.

Colour is distinct from clarity. While clarity scrutinises a diamond for flaws and interruptions, colour refers to the tint. Any colour of diamond can have a high or a low clarity and a correspondingly high or a low quality. Some of the largest and most valuable diamonds found either loose or in diamond jewellery settings in the world are coloured.

Of the ten greatest diamonds ever valued, most are either blue or white. The exception is the Golden Jubilee Diamond, which is the largest cut diamond in the world at more than 540 carat. That’s more than 100g, or the weight of a generous chocolate bar. The clear golden colour is called ‘fancy yellow brown’. It is worth millions of pounds.

9ct white gold diamond pendant and chain 0.05ctsFor those considering a jewellery piece or a watch with diamonds, choosing coloured stones may or may not drive the price up. Because they are rarer, large diamonds with high clarity and a particular tint are usually more expensive than their white equivalents, but there is no denying that they can also be truly beautiful stones.

Selecting a diamond colour to suit your loved one not only shows that you care enough to buy diamonds, but also that you’ve put extra thought in to the choice. For example, nothing beats pink diamond engagement rings for a woman who loves that colour.

Get Your New Diamond Jewellery Insured

Thursday, May 13th, 2010

Fine diamond jewellery is by its very nature expensive. What’s more it’s small, lightweight, and has a high resale value, so this kind of item is the perfect target for thieves and housebreakers. As soon as you receive a piece of diamond jewellery or a watch from us you should add it to your home and contents insurance policy. Don’t wait until your next renewal.

That will cover your ring or watch against theft from your home, but most policies won’t cover accidental loss or damage. They also won’t apply if a theft occurs outside the home. To address that problem we can help arrange cover for you, with a policy especially designed for valuables like watches, rings, and bracelets. The insurance comes through Allianz, who are a well established and well recognised insurance firm, but if you need to make a claim we can look after all the details for you.

Raymond Weil Tango Diamond set watch5799-SPS-00995You don’t even need to contact the insurance company yourself. If you lose or damage diamond jewellery bought from ROX, or it gets stolen, get back in touch with us and we’ll guide you through the process. Your item will be repaired or replaced by us as swiftly as possible.

Consider our special Forever Precious insurance whenever you buy from ROX. Any piece of diamond jewellery represents a significant investment, and like all of those it needs to be protected. We understand exactly how to do that, and will be happy to help ensure the safety of that investment if the worst should happen.

The Most Popular Diamond Cuts

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

The cut of stones used in diamond rings, earrings, and other jewellery has a significant impact on the look and style of the final product. Cut is one of the four Cs of diamond quality, and while different cuts are used for different diamond jewellery purposes, a particular kind of cut may also be chosen to avoid flaws in the raw stone or make the best of an oddly shaped fragment. The various cuts gather light into the stone and make the diamond sparkle in different ways, too.

The most common cut found in diamond rings is the round brilliant. Two of this shape fit into a normal diamond crystal without much wasted material. The style evolved over centuries, and now modern laser cutting methods mean that very elaborate round brilliants can now be made. This kind of cut gathers light well and produces an excellent sparkle.

18ct yellow gold diamond earrings 0.14ctsThe princess cut is based on a square or sometimes rectangular design. Again, they are a popular choice for diamond rings and also stud earrings. Sometimes called a square modified brilliant cut, this style uses diamond crystal even more efficiently than the round brilliant cut. That is the reason that a princess cut diamond ring will usually be slightly cheaper than a ring with a round brilliant stone of the same carat weight, even if the two are of the same quality.

The marquise cut is more oval in shape. Drop-style diamond earrings in this cut are common although it is also used effectively in rings. There are hundreds of other designs, most of them falling under the ‘fancy cut’ heading.

The Rox Online Jewellery Order Process

Monday, May 3rd, 2010

First of all, you need to select the diamond ring or the piece of jewellery you want. At ROX we have a comprehensive catalogue of diamond earrings, ladies and gents watches, and of course rings of all kinds for all occasions. On this site we host articles with all the information you need to make that choice. You can find our helpful jewellery buying guides under ‘Customer Service’ at the bottom of the home page.

18ct white gold diamond shoulder ring 0.33ctTo buy a diamond ring you’ll need to select a size. Of course, diamond engagement rings are usually a surprise so you might have to be a bit sneaky to find that out. If you can’t manufacture the right moment to ask without attracting suspicion, a good trick is to ask your intended’s mum. She will probably know, or might be able to help you get the information you need. However, don’t worry too much. You can always have the ring resized. At ROX we offer a single free resize with any online purchase.

You can put a deposit down or pay in a single lump sum, and then we’ll arrange delivery. Of course, we need to send diamonds by a trackable and guaranteed delivery service, so we use either Royal Mail Special Delivery or DX Secure Mail. For all orders over £50 in value, postage is completely free to you.

If the jewellery you receive isn’t what you expected for any reason, we will happily offer a full refund or an exchange on it if returned within 14 days of receipt.

Cupcakes & Diamonds…

Friday, April 23rd, 2010

You might have read about a rather cool event coming up in Glasgow called GLAM in the City, just incase you haven’t though it’s a three day consumer event for Scotland’s lovely ladies that’s coming to George Square in Glasgow over the 18th – 20th of June 2010. And the headline act? None other than fashion guru Gok Wan – we all love a bit of Gok here at ROX so we definitely had to get involved!

Gok will be joined by Lorraine Kelly (doesn’t everyone love a lazy morning watching her on the GMTV sofa?) and a host of other celebs for three days and nights of fashion, beauty, style, performances and exhibitions from 35 uber cool brands.

That’s where we come in.

We’re going to be exhibiting the hottest styles from Thomas Sabo, Links of London, Monica Vinader and ToyWatch to name just a few at GLAM in the City along with some other great companies including our friends over at Cupcake Glasgow. So we decided to put our GLAM hats on to do something fun and quirky to let everyone know that we’re going to be part of the festivities.

The result? The most GLAM cupcake the world has ever seen – a gorgeous sweet treat adorned with over 25 cts of diamonds… and valued at a staggering £100,000!

Credit: Kieran Dodds

Credit: Kieran Dodds

We invited media along to our Argyll Arcade store where our gorgeous model (and colleague!) Lorna Keir showed off the cupcake… check her  working the cameras…!

Credit: Kieran Dodds

Credit: Kieran Dodds

If anyone fancies treating themselves to the ultimate in luxury (or hinting to their significant other!), you can order a bespoke diamond cupcake in store and make sure you get your tickets to GLAM in the City by visiting www.glaminthecity.co.uk

And here’s a bonus pic of Lorna with her sister, and assistant manager of ROX Argyll Arcade, Jennifer…

Credit: Kieran Dodds

Credit: Kieran Dodds

They’re almost as sweet as the cupcake!

Love,

ROX

Buying Diamond Jewellery: Necklace And Bracelets

Thursday, April 15th, 2010

Buying diamond bracelets are similar to buying diamond earrings in that one size fits all, so there is no need to worry about something being too big or too small in the way that one would have to consider when buying a ring.

Diamond bracelets are wonderful gifts because they combine all the romance and thought that we associate with diamonds, with a more unusual and unique take on the tradition. Diamond bracelets are easy to wear and can be worn with any outfit, from a simple pair of jeans to a little black dress.

In terms of style, diamond bracelets are available as loose bracelets, more ‘fixed’ bangle styles and the tennis bracelet. It became known as this when Chris Evert broke her in-line diamond bracelet at Wimbledon, halted the match and sparked a new trend. It consists of thirty or more diamonds set at perfect intervals all alone the length of the bracelet.

18ct white gold diamond tennis bracelet 0.91ctsAs with buying any diamond jewellery, before you shop it is essential that you are armed with information. The first pertains to your budget and is something that you should stick to. Your partner’s elation at her beautiful new piece of jewellery might lessen if she discovers you have spent a month’s mortgage payment on it.

The second refers to the taste of the woman you are buying for. Take note of her style and likes and dislikes. This is vital for all jewellery shopping but especially diamond necklaces. For example, are her tastes simple or elaborate? This should help you decide between a solitaire and something more ornate, and will boost the chances of your buying a successful gift.

Why Diamond Jewellery Doesn’t Have To Mean A Ring

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

Aside from the sentiment and symbolism of their engagement and wedding rings, there are some women who aren’t really ring fans and don’t enjoy wearing rings (and they may not even like engagement and wedding rings!).

Whether it is because of comfort (not being comfortable with a ring on their finger because it feels restrictive) or aesthetics, these women would probably prefer a piece of diamond jewellery that isn’t a ring.

This isn’t bad news for the individual buying the item of diamond jewellery as a gift, because often a pair of diamond earrings or a diamond necklace can be easier to buy than a diamond ring, and still maintain an air of glamour and superior elegance.

9ct white gold diamond teardrop earrings 0.07ctDiamond earrings are probably the easiest item of diamond jewellery to purchase mainly because there are no sizes to worry about. It is imperative however, that you ensure that the recipient has their ears pierced, otherwise you could rightly be accused of poor attention to detail!

Diamond earrings usually come in the style of either a hoop or a stud. Studs are easiest to wear as they are suitable for dressing up or down, while hoops are a little more feminine.

A diamond necklace offers more scope in terms of a gift of diamond jewellery. As with choosing rings, you will have to chose the style – cluster, solitaire or trilogy are just a few examples. The metal of the setting and chain are also considerations, as is the length of the chain.

At ROX we have a wide selection of diamond jewellery items to choose from.

Make An Eternal Statement With Diamonds

Friday, March 19th, 2010

Diamonds have long been associated with ideas of timeliness and elegance. Perhaps because they are formed over millennia deep in the Earth and their immortality is inherent, or maybe because they have long been used as engagement gifts to cement to the vows of loved ones. Either way, diamond jewellery is perfect for making that eternal statement of love.

The idea to offer precious items in order to mark a special occasion or anniversary isn’t a new one, and is a historic tradition that is century’s old. Only in medieval times however, with high-society’s obsession for symbols and the demand for expensive gifts, did the world see gift-giving become a matter of association. So, for example, to celebrate 50 years of marriage a husband would gift his wife with gold items.

9ct_white_gold_diamond_circles_ring_0.24ct.jpgThis system of gift giving is where we get our anniversary associations from and why, for example, diamond jewellery makes the ideal gift for a 60th wedding anniversary. There’s no reason to be too wrapped up in the traditions of another epoch, however, and diamond jewellery is perfect for any occasion. Whether it’s for a 60th anniversary or your first, its message isn’t just historical but is inherent in its form and structure.

Some great ideas for diamond jewellery gifts include diamond engagement rings, which intimate the everlasting potential of your love, to diamond bracelets which don’t have such romantic connotations and are great gifts for others in your life, such as friends or family, who you feel also deserve the joys of diamond jewellery!

Diamond Jewellery For An Anniversary

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010

You are probably aware that wedding anniversaries are associated with certain materials (some more valuable than others) ranging from paper all the way to diamonds, and you might notice that as the years progress the items become more and more precious! This signifies not only the durability of true love, but the rarity of eternal commitment. For those special men and women who’ve kept their hearts secure for long enough to be able to enjoy a diamond anniversary, then there’s only one gift that will do – diamond jewellery!

Briefly some of the jewellery and materials associated with specific anniversaries are as follows:

9ct_white_gold_diamond_pendant_&_chain_0.03cts.jpg

For the first year a gift of paper is suggested, but maybe a gift of diamonds, such as a subtle pair of diamond earrings, would be more thoughtful (and more appreciated) as it would suggest a diamond anniversary to come.

At the other end of the spectrum, for a 50th anniversary a gift of gold is suggested, as it is considered to be the most precious of materials, and in medieval times was about as long as marriages could last; however, in modern times this is no longer the case, and therefore 60th anniversaries have become associated with diamonds – seen as many as more precious and sentimental than gold.

Of course there’s no reason why you couldn’t make a gift of diamond jewellery for any anniversary (we’re sure your loved one deserves no less!) and such is the variety of diamond jewellery available that choosing the right piece has never been easier.