Natural Yellow and Blue Diamond Ring

Edwardian inspired 950 palladium and diamond ring. Set with one 1,01cts natural yellow round brilliant cut diamond, four enhanced blue heart shape diamonds with a total weight of 0.68cts and ten small round brilliant cut diamonds.

Palladium is a natural white metal, with purity at 95%. Palladium is incredibly durable, and because there are no alloys in palladium that can tarnish and can cause spotting, it make rings virtually tarnish proof.

Palladium can support more intricate design than white gold. 

Princess Cut Diamond Engagement ring

950 Palladium and Gold Engagement ring

In the case of minerals and gemstones, hardness refers first to scratch hardness, then cutting resistance. 

The name diamond refers to its hardness (Greek - Adamas, unconquerable)

Only about 20% of all diamonds can be used for jewellery. Most of them are used in the industry, they call them industrial diamonds.

For commercial purposes, gem diamonds are graded from white to yellowish. Enclosed minerals, flaws, cleavages and growth lines affect clarity. To grade for cut, the type and shape of cut, proportions and symmetry as well as outer marks are taken into consideration.

The 5 "C" that one need to keep in consideration when purchasing diamonds:

CONFLICT free diamonds

CARAT Weight

CLARITY

COLOUR

CUT

Multi Coloured Quartz Ring

Quartz is the most widespread of minerals occurring in igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic environments.

This handmade cluster is paved set with small round brilliant cut diamonds  and one octagon cut multi coloured quartz gem.

A fine detailed gallery has been crafted from sterling silver.

Diamond engagement ring

18ct Yellow gold ring with diamonds set in 950 Palladium.

Palladium diamond ring

Palladium offers everything that platinum does: the natural white lustre and it's naturally hypoallergenic. But palladium doesn't have the high price tag of platinum. In the past, the affordable alternative to platinum was white gold. It’s an alloy made of pure yellow gold mixed with other metals to make it white in colour.

Rhodium is then used to give the product a protective, shinier coat. Although beautiful and durable, the rhodium wears off of the gold over time, and lotions, soaps and normal daily wear accelerate the process. To maintain the white finish the ring may need to be rhodium-plated by a jeweller as often as once a year.

Palladium & 18ct yellow gold Diamond engagement ring

The name Diamond refers to its hardness. (Greek - Adamas). There is nothing comparable to it in hardness; it is therefore nearly imperishable.

Pink Tourmaline & Diamond Pendant

The pink and red varieties from lithium-rich pegmatites have lower density, ussually around 3.03, than the dark green and blue varieties that generally average about 3.10.

The most desired colours are pink, intense red and green. Because of the strong pleochroism, the stone must be cut so that the table lies parallel to the main axis. 

Because of the variety of colour, Tourmaline can be confused with many gems: especially Amethyst, Andalusite, Chrysoberyl, citrine, Demantoid, Hiddenite, peridot, Smokey Quartz, Pink topaz and Zircon.

Pink Tourmaline & Diamond ring

No Gemstone has such richness in colour and variation as Tourmaline. Known in antiquity in the Mediterranean area, the Dutch imported it in 1703 from Sri Lanka into Europe.

according to colour, the following varieties are recognised: colourless or nearly, pink to red, yellow brown to dark brown, green in all shades, blue in all shades, lilac to violet blue, and black.

Uni-coloured Tourmalines are quite rare. most crystals have various colour shades or even different colours.

Emerald & diamond ring

The name Emerald derives from the Greek Smaragdos, which in turn came perhaps from the Persian.

It means "green stone".

Emerald, together with Aquamarine and Beryl, belongs to the Beryl Group, being the most precious of the group.

Swiss Blue Topaz & Palladium Ring

The vast majority of Topaz is colourless and the cut stones are often sold as "silver Topaz".

Deposits of natural blue Topaz are fairly widespread, the best material coming from Brazil, Russia and Zimbabwe.

Handmade Palladium ring set with a rectangular Swiss Topaz

Kunzite & Diamond Cocktail ring

Spodumene is a rock-forming mineral occurring in lithium-rich granites and pegmatites.

Spodumene is known under several varietal names depending on its colour. The well known lilac-pink variety Kunzite was named in honour of G.F. Kunz, the American gem expert.

Kunzite and Diamond palladium ring with hand engraving

African Black-wood & Palladium

Palladium and African Blackwood wedding ring

Gents wedding ring

Gents wedding ring in sterling silver and Corian

Edwardian Style Diamond engagement rings

                                                         Centre stone in claws

                                                     Centre stone in a tube with mill-grain

Green Tourmaline & diamond ring

2x rectangular green Tourmaline  set with 3x Princess cut diamonds in 18ct white gold

Lemon Quartz ring

3.62ct Lemon Quartz cusion cut stone set in a Clasical 6 claw setting

Red Gold

Red gold is a gold and copper alloy widely used for specialized jewellery. It is also known as pink gold and rose gold. As it was popular in Russia at the beginning of the nineteenth century, it is also known as Russian gold, although this term has become somewhat rare.

Gold has many subtle variations in colour. By changing the alloys, with fine gold one can get many different hues. Popular alloy is red gold. It is a strong colour and works well on its own or with the yellow and white gold. Copper is used to achieve the red. In yellow gold, sterling silver and copper are used and in white gold palladium and silver are used. Compared to white gold, red and yellow gold are quite a bit harder.

Although the names are often used interchangeably, the difference between red, rose, and pink gold is the copper content – the higher the copper content, the stronger the red coloration. A common alloy for rose gold is 75% gold and 25% copper by mass (18 karat). Since rose gold is an alloy, there is no such thing as "pure rose gold". Up to 15% zinc can be added to copper-rich alloys to change their colour to reddish yellow or dark yellow.

The warm colour of red gold makes it ideal for wedding bands and engagement rings. A lot of the old jewellery from past times had a rose gold look. The hardness makes it great for men's wedding rings. In most cases the other colours of gold (yellow and white) are laid into the red gold. The colour of rose gold jewellery may intensify with age due to a slight tarnishing of the copper. This can be very attractive. Copper, due to its smaller atom size compared to gold, has a great strengthening effect in rose gold jewellery. Rose gold is often combined with other coloured gold’s such as yellow gold and white gold to highlight the different colours of each. The famous Trinity Ring with three looped rings of rose, yellow and white gold is an example.

During ancient times, due to impurities in the smelting process, gold frequently turned a reddish colour. This is why many Greco-Roman texts, and even many texts from the Middle Ages, describe gold as "red".

Platinum

Caring for Platinum Jewellery
Ensure your precious platinum pieces remain in perfect condition with advice and tips on jewellery storage, cleaning and maintenance. Look after your precious platinum jewellery and its looks will last forever.

Platinum is Hypo Allergenic
Platinum's purity makes it the perfect alloy for people with sensitive skin. Because platinum is more pure than gold and has been mixed less metal than other alloys used to create jewellery, it does not cause allergic reactions. People who suffer from allergic reactions when they wear gold jewellery in their ears or who experience rashes on their fingers when wearing gold jewellery should consider platinum.
Where should I keep my platinum jewellery when I am not wearing it?
Store pieces separately, in a jewellery box or chamois bag so they don’t get scratched by other items. Store your platinum jewellery and other precious items in a safe place such as a personal safe or safety deposit box.


How do I care for platinum jewellery?
Clean platinum in the same way you clean other fine jewellery to maintain its fine appearance and ensure that it lasts. Use a mild solution of 50% household ammonia and 50% warm water and then gently rubbing it with a soft cloth. Note that harsh chemicals such as ammonia should not be used on gemstones other than diamonds because it may damage them.

Will Platinum jewellery scratch?
All metal can be scratched, however with platinum the metal has merely been displaced. Take your platinum jewellery to a qualified jeweller twice per year for inspection and for polishing and cleaning. Only allow a trained professional jeweller to do adjustments, resizing, polishing and cleaning of your precious platinum jewellery.
Be aware that overtime platinum develops a natural patina that many people prefer over the "just polished" appearance of platinum. When this happens to your platinum jewellery you may take it to a qualified jeweller and have the item polished for that "high gloss" look or simply ask them not to remove the patina if that is your preference.

Can I wear my platinum ring while doing manual work?
Do not wear your platinum or other fine jewellery when doing home cleaning, gardening or other types of heavy work or manual labour. jewellery is designed to be decorative, not indestructible. Although they won't hurt the platinum, chemicals may discolour diamonds or gemstones and also cause allergic reaction with your skin if trapped between the ring and your finger.

The Shop

The beginning of a new chapter for Marius Nel Jewellers:

Opening of its new jewellery studio in  Lifestyle Centre, Randburg, Randpark Ridge, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Tanzanite gem stones

Information on Tanzanite Jewellery

The Tanzanite Gemstone is one of the most gorgeous gemstones mined in East Africa. Tanzanite is a stunning variety of Zoisite with a velvety blue colour. You can also find a tinge of purple in Tanzanite gemstones. The Tanzanite gem stone was first found in the year 1967 and was given the name Tanzanite by Tiffany And Company, the gemstone was found in Tanzania and was therefore named Tanzanite. This gemstone was introduced in the world market in the year 1969. 

The Tanzanite gemstone shows a trichroic effect that is a 3 colour visibility when viewed from different angles. The three colour effects are blue, purple and bronze.

Almost always heat treated: The natural colour of tanzanite is brownish and this is how most rough tanzanite appears. Heating of tanzanite gemstones, results in a colour change that ranges from Blue to Purple.
Colour enhancement using heat treatment is a widely accepted treatment for the Tanzanite gem stone.

 When valuing a Tanzanite gemstone keep the following in mind:

• Size: As is the case with most gemstones, big Tanzanite gemstones are more expensive and rare as compared to smaller pieces.
• Colour: Tanzanite gems that are bluer rather than purple are more expensive. To bring out the blue colour in the Tanzanite gemstone, the gemstone cutting loss is higher but worth the sacrifice. 
• Inclusions, Cracks and Colour zoning: Tanzanite gemstones with inclusions and cracks would be valued at a lower price. Further, if you notice a Tanzanite gemstone with uneven colour through the gemstone, remember that the value would fall too. These rules also apply to most other gemstones. Looking after Tanzanite jewellery:

Tanzanite is a fairly soft gemstone, so you need to be careful how you clean and store your pieces of tanzanite jewellery.

• As a rule, do not wear jewellery with Tanzanite gemstones when doing physical work like gardening, cooking, clothes washing etc.
• This gemstone is a bit more delicate than many other gemstones and therefore cannot be worn when doing strenuous activity. A sharp knock could chip or crack your tanzanite and it could also easily become scratched.
• Never clean Tanzanite jewellery in an ultrasonic cleaner or any harsh chemicals, as these may damage the surface of your gemstone.
• Use a slightly dampen soft cloth and gently rub away any dirt or impurities that have collected on the stone or around the precious metal of the setting.
• Because heat can affect the colour of tanzanite, it is best not to store your tanzanite jewellery too close to a strong source of heat.
• Keep your tanzanite jewellery separate and not tangled up with any other jewellery pieces as it may get scratched or damage.
• If you should be getting a Tanzanite ring resized or repaired ensure that the gemstone is first taken off from the mounting.
• The Tanzanite gemstone could shatter with the heat of a torch.

Jewellery course

Palladium Diamond ring

Palladium, along with platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium and osmium form a group of elements referred to as the platinum group metals. Platinum group metals share similar chemical properties, but palladium has the lowest melting point and is the least dense of these precious metals.

The beginning stages of a engagement diamond ring.

Ore deposits of palladium and other platinum group metals are rare, and the most extensive deposits have been found in the norite belt of the Bushveld Igneous Complex in the North West Province in South Africa.

All of the parts before assembly. 

Palladium itself has been used as a precious metal in jewellery  as a alternative to platinum or white gold. This is due to its naturally white properties, giving it no need for rhodium plating. It is much lighter than platinum.  Like platinum, it will develop a hazy patina over time. Unlike platinum, however, palladium may discolor at high soldering temperatures, become brittle with repeated heating and cooling.

Holes has been drilled before assembly.

Palladium is a soft silver-white metal that resembles platinum. It is the least dense and has the lowest melting point of the platinum group metals. It is soft and ductile when annealed. It greatly increases its strength and hardness when it is cold-worked.

Ring has been assembled. 

Palladium does not react with oxygen at normal temperatures (and thus does not tarnish in air). Palladium heated to 800°C will produce a layer of palladium(II) oxide (PdO). It lightly tarnishes in moist atmosphere containing sulphur.

Palladium-Ruthenium engagement ring with one 0.50ct Princess cut diamond and fourty 0.02ct small round brilliant cut diamonds. This ring is finished  with mill grain on the edges.

White 18ct gold with a yellow 18ct band

The classic marquesse solitaire with baguette diamonds on the side. Every woman's dream.

18ct Gold or 9ct Gold?

This question always service as soon as a person wants to purchase jewellery. Depend on the Jewellery company in what they specialise they usually will convince you that the metal they supply is the better and safer option. Let’s look at the facts. What is gold?

Gold jewellery is seldom pure gold (24ct) because the metal is so soft that it scratches and bends easily. Gold is a metallic element with the symbol Au. A soft metal (hardness 2.5-3), gold can be made harder by alloying it with copper, silver, and other metals. Gold is the most malleable and ductile metal. The "carat" number in gold refers to the percentage of gold in the alloy.

Almost all usual, coloured carat golds are based on gold-silver-copper alloys, often with small alloying additions. All three metals have the same crystal structure (face centred cubic, FCC) and so are compatible with each other over a large range of compositions. Typical minor additions include deoxidisers such as zinc and silicon, grain refiners such as iridium and cobalt and possibly metals such as nickel to strengthen the alloy.

Metal resistance is measured by what is called the Vickers scale where harder metals obtain a higher Vickers score than less hard metals. 9ct has a Vickers hardness of 120 and 18ct has a Vickers hardness of 125. This shows 18ct as harder, but the difference is so slight that in practical terms 9ct and 18ct are much the same.

Alloying 24ct gold, affect other physical properties of the metal. By adding 12.5% Fine silver and 12.5% copper to the fine gold you create 18ct gold that has a rich yellow colour to it. At this moment there is only 75% pure gold to this alloy. Most high end jewellery pieces like Cartier, Tiffany and Van Gleef and Arpels pieces are manufactured with 18ct gold. To create 18ct gold with a red colour to it you can alter the percentage of alloys to the 75% gold. For example: Take 75% fine gold add 4.5% fine silver and 20.5% copper. By doing this, one will have a very rich red 18ct colour gold.

As soon as you add more than 25% alloy to 75% gold the metal can not be stamp or Hallmark as 18ct or 750 anymore. The caratage has been change and lowered.
Once you get down to an alloy of 9 carat, there isn't really much gold in the metal. Nine carat yellow gold is a metal alloy which mostly contains 37.5% fine gold, 52.1% copper – zinc and 10.4% fine silver. This is the standard alloy for 9ct gold. You can take 37.5% fine gold, 31.25% fine silver and 31.25% copper to create a rich yellow colour, but the melting temperature is not very high and very difficult to work with.
9ct gold is also available in red or rose gold. These alloys contain 37.5% pure gold, 58.9% copper and 3.6% silver to give it a red tinge.
There is a noticeable difference in colour between 9ct gold and 18ct. 18ct gold has got a richer yellow shine to it because there is 75% gold in this alloy. 9ct gold have paler yellow colour to it because of the percentage of fine silver and copper in the alloy. 9ct gold contains only 37.5% gold.

To conclude: depending on ones budget 18ct gold (750) is always better to buy because of the percentage of gold in the metal, the richer colour and that the metal will last longer because it is more malleable. 9ct gold (375) is in truth not any more gold but rather yellow copper or silver depending what type of mixture alloy you use.

Topaz Ring

Cabachon cut Topaz set in Sterling Silver and 18ct yellow gold. Available at Veronica Anderson Jewellery, Sandton City, Johannesburg