Most diamonds are not colorless but come in very varied, more or less intense colors. The most frequent colors are yellow, brown, grey, and green.
The most sought-after colors are in descending order: colorless or exceptional white, white, pink, blue, red, gold, canary yellow, lemon yellow, watery green, emerald green, orange, cognac, champagne, violet Bordeaux, etc.
We describe the fineness & content of gold purity in terms of karats. This term is only used for gold & not for Platinum or silver.
One karat is 1/24 of the total purity of gold. The abbreviation for karat is ‘K’, let’s say:
For example
1 carat is = 0.200gm i.e. 200 milligrams or 1/5th of a gram.
5 carats = 1 gram.
Half a carat = 50 cents/points = .100 mg = .50 carat
one forth(1/4) of a carat = 25 cents/points= .050mg = .25carat & so forth.
Conflict diamonds are diamonds that originate from areas controlled by forces or factions opposed to legitimate & internationally recognized governments & are used to fund military action in opposition to those governments or in contravention of the decisions of the U.N. Security Council.
A Blood Diamond, also called conflict diamond converted diamond, or war diamond, is a diamond mined from a war zone & sold to finance an insurgency invading army’s war efforts or a war world’s activity. These terms are particularly used in the context of the diamond trading to indicate the negative effects of their sale. These Diamonds are mined particularly in Africa where around two-thirds of the world’s diamonds are extracted.
These rough diamonds are then smuggled out of the mining areas and are routed through illegal channels to barter the trade in guns, ammunition, bombs & other warfare goods, or even drugs for a fraction of the value they are actually worth. This also perpetuates inhuman conditions in mining as the legit money due to the trade does not flow back into the industry.
Platinum is a very dense metal. This makes it possible to create delicate-looking, but very strong, jewellery designs. Platinum has superior strength, and the most durable of all metals to become a treasured heirloom. Because they are strong, platinum prongs need less maintenance. This makes platinum settings a good choice for engagement & wedding rings.
Platinum
Kundan means pure gold. Excellent, hand-beaten sheets of pure gold are hammered together in the form of cups or holders to hold the Diamond/Stone. Each ‘cup’ is filled with a natural glue or wax called ‘lac’. This is then covered by a very fine film of pure silver which is used simply to cover the lac and give a background to the diamond/stone to make it look a bit shiny. The diamond/stone
is then ‘pressed’ in the lac and the edges of the cup are gently pressed onto the edges of the stone / Diamond to secure it in place. Once the lac dries up, it will harden, thus holding the stone in place.
To give a well-groomed finish, the reverse side of the products can also be beautifully decorated by a technique called meenakari.
If uncut or partly cut diamonds are used in the above formation then it is called Polki kundan jewellery or if imitation or glass or quartz is used then it is called plain kundan.
In earlier times white sapphires were used instead of Polki to reduce the cost, while the luster would remain akin to uncut diamonds.
Polki is an uncut or partially cut diamond. In this genre, Polki is used in other precious metals, in designs inspired by The Mughal & Medieval eras. The artisan uses a combination of silver and gold to create a white and yellow gold look, using the color of silver and the contrast of gold to his advantage. Usually, real uncut diamonds are used in these products and the value of the product depends completely on the design and labor that went into creating each piece.
In this technique, ‘Rings’ of metal are created to fit each stone as it has been set in the mosaic pattern. The rings are then connected by manual linking and the stones are set in.
No wax is used as an adhesive in this work to place the uncut diamonds on the ornament. Hence the term “Open Polki”. The back of the polki pc is open & not filled with lac or wax. It’s unique & looks very royal in bigger sizes and intriguing in smaller. Normally quality goods are made in an open polki setting.
Jewellery designs inspired by the old European era are replicated in an eclectic mix where the top portion is in silver & gold is used only for the base. The top Silver portion is then oxidized & tarnished deliberately to give it an antique look. Mostly uncut diamonds/ Polki/Rose/ single & old cuts are used to complete the Victorian look.
The enamel work done on a metal surface is known as meenakari. The word Meena stands for enamel and the work ‘Kari’ is the art. Glass, Color, and other colored stones are crushed into very fine powder and then melted & prepared for enamel. This powder mixture is laid carefully in predefined boundaries of metal created by either soldering very fine outlines in gold or by hammering into the metal to create grooves where the color should fill in.
The color is then ‘blown’ in by heat torches to melt and fuse in with the metal surface. The trick of the art is to get the heat to just the right temperature where it will melt and fuse the glass into the metal without overheating it and getting it foggy or over-melting the surface of the metal. The final effect of meenakari looks similar to stained glass paintings.
This technique has further evolved into Thewa Art work but the original version in itself looks gorgeous to be with. You can get a range of colors, textures, shades, and looks with meenakari which would be otherwise impossible to create in jewelry.
A Synthetic diamond is man-made, the result of a technological process, as opposed to the geological process that creates natural diamonds. Synthetic diamonds have essentially the same chemical composition, crystal structure, optical, and physical properties as diamonds found in nature. Most synthetic diamonds are categorized as either HPHT (high-pressure, high-temperature) or CVD (chemical vapor deposition) diamonds, depending on the method of their production. Since HPHT and CVD diamonds are virtually identical to natural diamonds, differences in their atomic structures only become clear when they are viewed by a trained
grader in a gem laboratory. Chemically and optically it’s almost indistinguishable from a mined diamond. You typically need equipment like a UV spectrometer to be able to tell the difference.
Hence, it is recommended that you should BUY certified diamonds only.
Moissanite, in its natural form, is very rare. Currently, moissanite is a synthetically produced stone, whose structure is silicon carbide. The color of the Moissanite in a GIA diamond scale is from I to V, with grayish, greenish, yellowish, or brownish hues. Brilliance is 8.90 & dispersion is 1.01 with birefringence.
It’s harder and its density is closer to diamond than CZ, but its optical properties are different. Light refracted through a diamond should still be white (or the color of the diamond), but it will split into multiple colors with a moissanite.
Cubic Zirconia or CZ, should not be confused with zircon which is a natural stone. CZ is synthesized in a laboratory environment, being heated and cooled down to annealed crystals which are then cut and polished into gemstones.
CZ is denser than diamond and quite as hard. It has a different refractive index, so it will look slightly different with light shining
on it. Most natural and synthetic diamonds have some slight color, while CZ is completely clear. Because they’re easier to make, they’re often “too perfect”.
Hence, it is recommended that you should BUY certified diamonds only.
Kimberley process certification scheme, established in 2000, is an international governmental certificate endorsed by UNGA & UNSC that was set up to prevent the trade in diamonds that fund conflict (therein called Blood or Conflict Diamonds).
It’s an Import–Export Certification which requires participating governments to certify the origin of rough diamonds & put in place effective controls to prevent conflict stones from entering the supply chain in the diamond industry. And ensure that Diamond’s purchases were not financing violence by rebel movements & their allies seeking to undermine legit goods.
Launched since 2002/03, the K.P. has made life harder for criminals in places like South Africa, Sierra Leone, etc and it has brought large volumes of diamonds into the legal market that would otherwise not have made it there.
As of 2010, there are 75 governments participating in KP, wherein the tripartite structure means NGOs & the diamond industry hold official status as observers along with the state government, in all working groups & decision-making processes.
GOLD WEIGHT
For centuries the troy system has been used for weighing gold and other precious metals. Internationally prices are quoted in US Dollars per troy ounce of pure gold.
This chart will help you to become familiar with Troy’s weight system about grams.
1 grain = 0.0648 gm 1 pennyweight = 1.5552 gm
1 ounce Troy = 31.1035 gm Ten Tola Bar = 116.64 gm
1 kilo = 1000 gm
GOLD ‘FINISH’
‘Finish’ is the treatment given to gold jewelry to create patterns or designs. It is often mixed to create contrasting effects. Finishes available at Multani Jewellers include Brushed, Diamond Cut, Diamond Laser, Embossed, Enameled, Engraved, Etched, Filigree, Florentine, Hammered, High Polish, Matt, Sand Blasted, and Satin Finish.
POPULAR CHAIN DESIGNS
Include: Bizantina (King Chain), Box, Curb Link, Figaro, Herringbone, Herringbone-plated, Marina (Anchor), Panther, Rolo (Bulcher), Rope, Rosetta (Rose), Serpentine (S chain) and Speega (Palm tree).
