GEMSTONES

DIAMONDS

Where do we start with the wonderful world of diamonds?  They are brilliant, bright and beautiful, and some say they are a girl’s best friend!  Here are just a few point to keep in mind when looking at diamonds…

• Our most popular grades of diamond are colour G, clarity VS, but we can source any grade stone on request. They are ethically sourced and, independent of carat weight, bring light and sparkle to a piece of jewellery.

• Diamonds are the hardest of all gemstones. That said, if you knock a diamond-hard enough it will chip, or even break!

• Diamonds are available in all shapes and sizes, although the most popular are round, princess cut (square), cushion shaped and oval.

• White diamonds are generally enhanced by white settings, made in either white gold or platinum, but they can look equally beautiful in any metal.

COLOURED DIAMONDS

Have you always dreamt of a diamond engagement ring but love the idea of some colour?  Diamonds come in lots of colours… yellow, chocolate, champagne and pink to name a few.  A champagne diamond set in rose gold has a beautiful warm colour – a Stonechat favourite!

COLOURED GEMSTONES

If you are looking for a really unique ring, adding colour can be a beautiful way to achieve it.  Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend but coloured gemstones will add more than sparkle to your ring.  Here are a few tips on what to consider when choosing the perfect gemstone for your engagement ring…

• DURABILITY

Consider how hard the gemstone is and how you wear your jewellery.  Some stones, such as tanzanite, emerald and opal are very soft and easily scratched or broken, unlike harder gemstones such as sapphire and ruby.  If you adore the colour of a softer gemstone then do choose it, just be aware that you will need to take good care of it and that the stone may need to be re-polished or replaced over time.

• CONSIDER SOFT TONES

Deep blue may be your favourite colour and if you have always wanted a blue gemstone in your engagement ring that’s perfect.  If you know you want colour but are unsure which one, consider softer, warmer tones such as soft pinks, yellows and browns.  These can be a lot easier to live with over time rather than bold blues or greens and vibrant pinks or reds.

•  METAL MATTERS

You wouldn’t wear a pink top with a red skirt… the same applies to setting coloured stones in different metals.  For warmer gemstones with yellowish tones such as emerald, ruby and green tourmaline, yellow gold is a beautiful choice.  Gemstones with pink and brown tones, like champagne diamonds, morganite and zircon, work wonderfully with rose gold.  Cooler tones of blue sapphire, indigolite and tanzanite work best with a white metal – platinum or white gold.  Be sure to look at the metal colour next to the stone when choosing the final design for your ring.

• SLEEP ON IT

Once you have chosen a gemstone, live with the colour for a while.  It’s a good idea to sleep on it when choosing an engagement ring as your taste will become much clearer as you walk away.  Generally, one particular colour or gemstone will stay in your mind above all the other options.  When it comes to colour this is so important – take a bit of time to think about it and look at the stone /an image of it regularly.  It will soon become clear if this is the stone for you!

TRULY UNIQUE

Gemstones are natural and therefore no two are exactly the same.  It’s no problem to source a loose gemstone or two for you to see.  It’s wonderful to pick the exact stone that will be set in your engagement ring – that way there will be no surprises at any stage!

Call into us in the Westbury Mall, Dublin 2, to view our diamond and gemstone collections.  Online research is great, but nothing compares to seeing gemstones in person!

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