Bring on the Bling

March 2014

From rubies to sapphires, emeralds and diamonds, learn how to pick the right gems for that added glitter as you accessorise
Be it diamonds, sapphires or rubies, it all boils down to brilliance - how the stone is cut to get as much light as possible to return back up, through the top of the stone to your eye
Be it diamonds, sapphires or rubies, it all boils down to brilliance - how the stone is cut to get as much light as possible to return back up, through the top of the stone to your eye

Accessorising is an ancient practice dating back as early as 75,000 years ago. As it is today, jewellery was worn as a fashion statement as well as an expression of social standing. But precious stones, precious metals, shell and even leather were also worn as talismans to ward off evil, for good luck and even as a form of self- expression.

In the world of gemstones, there are a few superstars – diamond, emerald, ruby, and sapphire – favoured because of their beauty and rarity. Insidedigs deeps to unearth the truth about them so you will know exactly what you are getting into the next time you go gem-shopping!

1. Diamonds – A Girl’s Best Friend

Great Picks:

Cartier’s quartet of diamond encrusted rings retains the brand’s classic style injected with a modern touch. From a floral design to abstract patterns, and Cartier’s signature Trinity band, the collection is a statement of elegant style and impeccable taste.

White diamond specialist, Larry Jewelry’s Cherish (S$119,800) is a 2.53-carot pear-shaped diamond surrounded by 11 round diamonds set in 18k white gold. Their Dawn of Hope (S$535,400) ring features a whopper of a diamond - the 5.01-carat round diamond set in 18k white gold.

Why So Pricey:

Gemstones in general are costly because, as natural minerals, they take millions of years to form. So, supply cannot be easily increased even if demand does. Deposited in the top layer of the Earth’s crust up to 40 kilometres deep, they are also not easily accessible.

Diamonds top the list because only an estimated 350 tons of this stone has ever been mined. Of these, only half are of gem quality and even fewer are large enough to be cut into diamonds bigger than the head of a matchstick. The production process is also tedious. To produce a one-carat diamond, some 250 tons of ore must be minded and processed, passing through the hands of hundreds of people across at least four continents.

How to Pick the Right One:

Diamonds are famously graded on four criteria - cut, clarity, colour, and carat.

“Cut is the most important factor. It determines the optimum combination of brilliance,” said Eric Tay, Retail Director, Larry Jewelry in Singapore.

“Our Lazare Diamond, of which we are the sole distributor Singapore and Indonesia, for example, retains the highest standard in cut grade. We adhere exclusively to an exact formula for cutting diamonds to precise angles and proportions to optimise reflection and refraction of light.”

If you are concerned, a trusted jeweller is important.

“Stones selected by Cartier have to go through a rigorous selection process that not only looks at the usual characteristics of a top quality stone but also the character of the stone. For example, a diamond could be of the best grade, but if it does not have the sparkle or fire that Cartier looks at, then that diamond will not be selected,” said Cartier’s spokesperson.

2. Green with Envy

Great Picks:

Part of Cartier’s L’Odyssee de Cartier Parcours d’un Style collection, the emerald bracelet in platinum with five Colombian sugarloaf cushion-cut emeralds, onyx and diamonds is one-of-a-kind.

At Lee Hwa Jewellery, you can have beauty in your hands, or more specifically, on your finger. Their emerald ring has a 2.82 carat emerald surrounded 96 round diamonds with a total weight of 1.32carat (price available on request). You can pair this with the necklace that boasts a 5.62 carat oval emerald surrounded by 118 round diamonds with a total weight of 0.95 carats (price available on request).

Why So Pricey:

It might surprise some to know that top quality emeralds can sometimes cost more than diamonds. Emeralds have been prized since ancient times when they were thought to have healing powers. Of all the precious stones, emeralds are the rarest. In addition, they are mined by flux and hydrothermal methods which require expensive equipment and a lot of energy but yield only small quantities. Finally, emeralds are hard to cut and can shatter easily in the process.

Great Picks:

L’Odyssee de Cartier Parcours d’un Style earrings by Cartier in white gold with two East African rubies pear-shaped cabochons totaling 21.47-carats, and emeralds, pearls, and onyx accents set in diamonds is a dazzling example of how gemstones can create wearable works of art. The dragon motif recalls the splendour of China.

13 fancy-shaped rubies surrounded by 144 round diamonds that come up to approximately 3.18 carat make Lee Hwa Jewellery’s necklace a testament of quality and craftsmanship. To accompany it, Lee Hwa Jewellery offers the ruby ring with a 4.03 carat oval ruby surrounded by 66 round diamonds totalling 0.67carats.

Why So Pricey:

The oldest of precious stones, the best rubies are mined in Myanmar. Rubies are valuable because of their deep, rich colour and shine; and also because rubies of fine quality are exceedingly rare. They can be rarer than white diamonds by up to 300 times because Chromium, the element that makes rubies red, is available in the Earth at only 100 to 300 ppm (parts per million, a way of expressing very dilute concentrations of substances).

Great Picks:

Cartier’s platinum, 24.46k cushion-cut panther sapphire ring from Ceylon, with onyx spots & nose, and emerald eyes lets you give in to your wild side. It is wearable art at it most exquisite.

Lee Hwa Jewellery’s sapphire necklace features a unique pear-shaped sapphire surrounded by seven round sapphires and 82 diamonds that come up to an amazing 3.34 carats. This will go wonderfully with the ring and its 4.24 carat oval sapphire surrounded by 68 round diamonds that weigh a total of 0.5 carats.

Why So Pricey:

Number Three on the coloured gemstones list is the sapphire. They come in a range of colours (though the deep red ones are called rubies), with velvety blue being the most popular.

Related topics