The Vibrant Beauty – Pink Spinel

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For the true gem connoisseur, beholding a Spinel brings them many a great delight. For centuries, the Red Spinel has been commonly mistaken by many as the Ruby. Similarly, the Pink Spinel is commonly mistaken for the Pink Sapphire. This is mainly due to its lustre and brilliancy that rivals that of the Rubies and Sapphires. True gem-quality Spinels are rare and extremely hard to locate.

Tip of the day: The Spinel has a Refractivity Index that ranks dangerously close to that of Sapphires, resulting in brilliancy that rivals that of the Sapphire.

Several royal artefacts such as the Crown Jewels of Iran and the Imperial State Crown of the United Kingdom feature Spinels amongst Sapphires and Emeralds.

Below is a newly completed commissioned-work featuring 4.78ct Pink Spinel accented by 1.3cts diamonds in 18K white gold. A timeless piece of jewellery with an understated elegance.

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Vintage Tsavorite Earrings – Green Splendour

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A recently completed piece of art for our client whose favourite colour is green. And not just simply any green, as gemstones come in many various shades of green, from light mint green to olive green to blue-green to a moody sea green.

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Individual pieces of Tsavorites in sizes 3cts and above are rare and difficult to come by. So when we were able to source for a pair totalling 7.9cts, our client could not believe her luck.  After all, she wanted a pair of dress earrings that she could wear to her dinner events, and galas. So a decent sized pair of earrings was a must.

Needless to say, we were delighted in helping her create her ideal pair of Tsavorite Vintage earrings. The design she was after was something relatively simple, elegant, vintage yet not boring. Her other requirement: the gemstone itself must be of good – top quality. Intense rich green with good lustre and brilliancy. This is definitely a stunning pair of gemstones that seem to radiate beauty & brilliancy from within.

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A classic gempiece – Colombian Emerald

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An unusual and rare piece of Colombian emerald in the perfect deep blue-green so highly prized in emeralds, finely crafted into a very elegant timeless engagement ring.

For those familiar with emeralds, it is generally accepted in the market that emeralds are almost never eye-clean. However, this particular piece is truly an exception. It is so incredibly clear and transparent, yet displays such an intense rich blue-green colour. A rare find.

 

Being a discerning buyer of Tsavorites

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With so many various shades of greens of Tsavorites available in the market, how does one tell which colour is more valuable than others? Key factors to look out for when buying gemstones are colour, brilliance (fire) and cutting. Assuming a gemstone has good brilliance and a good cut, colour is the most important factor.

For Tsavorites, the best/optimum colours are those ranging from glass green to medium green to a deep, intense green. But not overly dark or too green to a point where the stone appears black. Colours lighter than glass green are also not the most ideal. Below (3.35ct) is a fine example of a good glass green colour, with good brilliance and good cut.

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3.35ct – Glass Green Tsavorite

An example of deep, intense green (but not overly dark) with good cut but slightly lacking in brilliance is the 2.86ct below.

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2.86ct: Deep intense green Tsavorite

If you are getting confused, look below for yet another example (1.77ct) of a deep, intense green Tsavorite that has moderate brilliance and moderate quality cut, but good colour.

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1.77ct: Deep intense green Tsavorite (good colour), with moderate brilliance and moderate quality cut.

The “poorest” example is as shown below (2.2ct) which has a green colour that is bordering on “too dark”, somewhat lacking in brilliance and poor- moderate quality cut. However, make no mistake, even this “poor quality” specimen is considered above average quality compared to most seen in-stores or available in the mass market.

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2.2ct: Dark green Tsavorite with moderate brilliance and poor-moderate quality cut.

Tsavorite

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To the unknowing eye, this beautiful green gemstone is usually mistaken for an Emerald. It is deemed a valuable gemstone not simply because of its high Refractive Index (1.72, not lacking far behind Sapphires which have an RI of 1.76) and its relative hardness (Mohs Scale of 7.25 versus that of Sapphires which is 9). Ranking high on the Refractive Index results in usually good – high brilliance if the gemstone is properly cut and faceted.

Tsavorites are usually pure and untouched by human intervention. Some gemstones require various forms of treatment, heating process, oiling to achieve a certain level of brilliance and colour. Not the Tsavorite – it is possible to find beautiful, brilliant Tsavorites that are as Mother Nature intended for them to be.

An example is this ring carefully handcrafted for client. Simple, classy, yet stunningly brilliant.

Unheated Blue Sapphire Earrings

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Above is an example of commissioned work to our discerning client who appreciates the true meaning of fine quality gemstones.

A pair of esteemed, unheated blue sapphire earrings set in 18K white gold and diamonds. Beautiful, eye-clean, 100% natural unheated gemstones are becoming increasingly rare. So rare, that sometimes jewellers tell clients that unheated sapphires/gemstones do not exist. Indeed, this pair of blue sapphires meets all these requirements.

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For the best of both worlds

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For those looking to adorn yourselves with diamonds and bling but do not wish to stretch that pocket too far, look no further. Gemstones such as Amethysts, Blue Topaz, Yellow Beryls, Citrines, Peridots, Rose Quartz are definitely much more affordable than most other types of gemstones.

Nonetheless, affordability is not to be mistaken with cheap. These gemstones are simply more inexpensive when compared with other more rare and precious gems. The main reasons are due to its common availability and these gemstones are usually always heated or have gone through some form of irradiation treatment.

A recently completed example of fine jewellery that does not burst your pocket is showcased below. A beautiful Swiss Blue Topaz set in 18K white gold and diamonds.

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Design sketch

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A work-in-progress photo

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The final product

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The final outcome is a stunning rock that is both classy and elegant, yet easier on the pocket.

Engagement Jewellery

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A recently completed set of jewellery for an esteemed client who was looking for a complete set of jewellery for her engagement. Our client does not reside in Singapore.

She was intrigued by pink colour gemstones but was not sure of which gemstones were a good colour with nice lustre and brilliancy for her specific budget. After much detailed discussions and understanding her requirements, we finally decided on sourcing Pink Tourmalines to make a pair of earrings and a ring.

We managed to source an almost identical pair of Pink Tourmalines. However, due to our strict in-house Quality Control and exacting standards, we were unable to set this into a pair of earrings for our client since the original size of the gemstones were not an exact matching pair in terms of size. At Heritage Gems, re-cutting gemstones is not an issue. Photo above was before re-cut.

While the gemstones were being sent to the re-cutting process, we proceeded on design & sketches for the complete set of jewellery.

The final set below, completed. Sweet, beautiful and simple. Pair of drop earrings and ring set in 18K white gold with Brilliant Pink Tourmalines.

Sui Generis Collection

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Items below were recently sold. A huge thank you to our valuable clients for your continuous support. We do not recreate the exact same piece as these items belong to our Sui Generis Collection.

Pendant Necklace: 4.14 carat Tanzanite surrounded by 2.52cts diamonds

Drop Earrings
Pair of Pink Tourmalines 8.35 cts
Pair of Rare Burmese Peridots 12.4cts
Accented by 1.8cts round and marquise diamonds



Drop Earrings
Pair of cabochon Garnets: 7.35ct
Pair of South Sea Pearls
Accented by pink sapphires and diamonds

Contact Us

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We specialize in fine quality gemstones, set in gold or platinum metalwork featuring bespoke craftsmenship in a unique design you can call your own. For a gemstone/design consult, we are contactable at:

Email: heritagegems@gmail.com
Mobile: +65 97716923

A successful show at the SIJS 2012

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Thank you to all our valued clients and friends who visited our booth at the Singapore International Jewellery Show 2012 at Marina Bay Sands. We appreciate your continuous support. It was a successful show for us and we hope to see you next year.

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Heritage Gems at the Singapore International Jewellery Show 2012

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Heritage Gems is a local boutique jewellery design house specializing in both custom work and ready-made fine jewellery. We take pride in providing our clients with only top quality gems and diamonds, coupled with bespoke craftsmanship. Our team of craftsmen each have over 25 years of experience in hand-crafting luxurious fine jewellery.

Our unique yet wearable designs are tailored for the modern, sophisticated woman.

We will be at the 8th Singapore International Jewellery Show 2012, at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Hall this July 12 – 15. http://www.sijs.com.sg/

On showcase, will be our private collections open to the public for the first time. Also on display at this show will be loose sapphires, rubies, emeralds, tanzanites, diamonds, pearls and sem-precious gems.

Following this show, remaining items will be displayed in-store, also for the first time, at Delfi Orchard Mall.

So be the first to lay your hands on our best pieces. Visit us at our booth: J29, at the Marina Bay Sands Singapore, Halls A – B.

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A fully customised beautiful pair of yellow sapphire earrings

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We had a client come to us late last year, with a specific request for a pair of yellow sapphires to be made into earrings. She was after pear-shaped sapphires, in a nice bright yellow hue that would complement her nice tan, in an ideal size that would complement her frame and build. The key factors in looking for matching pair of gemstones to be set into earrings are:

1. identical shape & size
2. both gemstones should ideally be of matching hue and saturation (for certain types of gemtones, this criteria borders on near-impossible. Eg: Emeralds. This criteria is even more difficult to fulfill if the client would like for the gems to be unheated/non-treated). Reason: 100% natural gemstones may not be exactly identical in hue and saturation due to the fact that these gems are obtained from different locations within the same mine. Being 100% natural, no two gemstones will be exactly alike – Similarly, no two fingerprints will be exactly identical.
3.  almost similar levels of clarity

So, our client’s request certainly was difficult, but for Heritage Gems – it was not impossible. In the early weeks, we chanced upon this pair of oval-shaped yellow sapphires, that were not in the shape as per client’s request.

However, this was not a problem for us as we have the facilities to re-cut, re-facet and re-polish the gems to her requirement. So our design discussions with our client began. She wanted the yellow sapphires to be the feature colour of her earrings. Preferring that pave diamonds (if any) would not distract the attention away from the beautiful colour of her sapphires. She’d envisioned the finished look to be simple, classy, yet stunning. Final look of the earrings are below.

Timeline for customised fine jewellery, depending on client’s requirements and level of complexity can range anywhere from 3 months – 9 months.

A close-up shot of one side of the earrings

The Valerian Collection – our June feature collection

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Inspired by a gorgeous purplish blue flower, called the Jacob’s Ladder or the Greek Valerian, usually found in the northern parts of Europe. This special flower is a summer flower that starts blossoming at the beginning of summer in June, lasting through July. Hence, for the month of June’s feature collection, Heritage Gems brings to you an assortment of cocktail rings inspired by the Greek Valerian, that will add glitz to any of your outfits.

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Jacob’s Ladder or Greek Valerian. Source: http://www.flowersgallery.net/summer/jacobs-ladder-specs-pictures-informations/

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Above from left to right: Pink Spinel, Yellow Chrysoberyl, Magenta Rhodolite, Blue Zircon. 

At Heritage Gems, our range of top-quality gemstones and fine craftsmanship of jewellery reflect the discerning tastes of our clientele.

In this Valerian collection, only the finest gemstones are used. We feature top quality in terms of brilliance, lustre, intensity of hues and saturation of colour. All gemstones used in this collection are loupe-clean.

Price range from SGD10,000 – SGD24,500 depending on the gemstone. Weight of the centre gemstone ranges from 7 – 9 carats, depending on gemstone.

**Different types of gemstones have different carat weights even though they measure exactly the same size.

Bridal Jewellery

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A discerning client had chosen to have her bridal jewellery done by Heritage Gems. A stunning, fairy-like diamond necklace and bracelet, adorned the bride on her special day, complementing her bridal gown. Needless to say, this was a stunning bride. A complete set of necklace and bracelet in 18K white gold, totalling 7.07 carats worth of diamonds.

Our bride was quite particular about her jewellery. It had to be a matching set with her own pair of earrings that she had already intended to wear on her big day. It required one month from conceptualisation of design, going through a few revisions and finally the bride was happy with what was on the drawing board. The entire set was handcrafted in 3 months. Our pave diamonds are individually hand-picked to ensure a consistency in colour, clarity and exactness in size.

This being a custom-made order, our measurements of the jewellery were done with utmost precision. Notice how the necklace sits perfectly on the bride’s collar-bone, and the drop of the necklace sits beautifully just above the cleavage, complementing her bridal gown perfectly.

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Photo courtesy of the bride’s friend. Diamond Necklace in 18k white gold, 4.5carats of hand-picked diamonds.

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Diamond Bracelet in 18k white gold, 2.57carats of hand-picked diamonds.

Your must-have versatile pair of earrings

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We are featuring a pair of Yellow Sapphire Drop Earrings this week. Stylish and versatile enough for day-wear or that glamorous night out. Perfect for the splash of colour to your outfit. SGD6,500.

DAY WEAR

NIGHT GLAM

Your Buying Guide to Tanzanites – Read this before your next purchase

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For those who have caught the Tanzanite Bug, mesmerized by this blue-purple-violet gemstone – below is your buying guide to Tanzanites. The Tanzanite is a plechroic gemstone – meaning it will display different shades of blue/purple/violet/lilac when viewed from different angles.

New Colour of Love – the gem that is 1000 times rarer than Diamonds

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A birthday around the corner, your wedding anniversary next week.

What do you give to your wife who already has the common, colourless rock? The new colour of love, in multiple shades! Blue, Bluish-Violet, Violet-Blue and Investment Grade Tanzanites. Tanzanites have one of the most mesmerizing blue/violet shades found in one single gem. This is due to its geological formation.

The most important C of Tanzanites is Colour, followed by Clarity, Cut and Carat.

3.58ct Perfect Solitaire Investment Grade Tanzanite.
1.04ct diamonds
18k white gold

** The above photos are taken with a regular iphone and a regular pentax digital camera and have not been enhanced in any way. 

How rare is Tanzanite?

Considering that Tanzanites are found in only one place on Earth, Tanzania in East Africa, it is a game of a single source with limited supply. In addition to this, the Tanzanian Government has banned the export of unprocessed Tanzanites into India (which is where 90% of the world’s supply of rough Tanzanites are faceted, cut and polished). Supply of Tanzanites is estimated to last approximately another 30 years, though with more advanced technology, miners could possibly mine deeper underground to achieve more.

The Tanzanite Foundation claims Tanzanites to be 1000 times rarer than Diamonds.

Investment Grade Tanzanites

Colour Chart Source: http://www.lapigems.com

Top quality colour Investment Grade Tanzanites are difficult to find. We are referring to good saturation (not one notch more, not one notch less), high brilliancy, a vivid hues of Bluish-Violet. Too much saturation, too much of blue or too much violet or very dark shades of Tanzanites will lower the value and price of your Tanzanite.

So you have the money, can you buy a piece of Investment Grade Tanzanite?

As mentioned, supply of Investment Grade Tanzanites are limited due to its single source. Even with money, the average consumer may or may not be able to lay their hands on Investment Grade/AAA coloured Tanzanites.

If you can afford, but can’t wait to have an Investment Grade Tanzanite, perhaps settle for yet another common, colourless rock

A mother’s love

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A beautiful bride and a loving mother. Necklace and Bracelet in 18k white gold and diamonds.

Behind the scenes

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A glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes; one of our craftsmen, hand-mounting individual diamonds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The finished  product: a beautiful pair of diamond earrings. 3.25cts

wedding bands – circle of love

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A recently completed set of wedding bands with engraving, in 95% pure platinum. Simple, yet understated elegance. Fitting of this perfect couple.

The couple is very pleased with their wedding rings. As the groom says: “I like my ring. Its nice, classic and comfortable. & my colleagues think our rings are nice too!”

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Enter the world of Rubelites

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Rubelites, not to be mistaken as Rubies belong to the Tourmaline family. Fine quality rubelites are very hard to come by. Most rubelites available in the market these days are usually red, tinged with brown tones. Purplish to pinkish overtones remain the most desirable colours for Rubelites – the main body colour being red. Rubelites are traditionally classified by GIA as class III gemstone: meaning, this gem almost always has inclusion and is almost never eye clean.

Above: Rare, collector Rubelite. 16carats. Beautiful vibrancy, lustre and colour!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rubelite Ring with a tinge of pink. Sweetness!

Precious Gems

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Pure beauty. Unheated, unenhanced, entirely natural blue sapphires.

 

 

 

Blue Zircon. If you love the colour of the ocean, azure blue waters of the Maldivian sea, you will not go wrong with the Blue Zircon. PS: Zircons are gemstones of the earth, not to me mistaken by Cubic Zirconia, which is a synthetic material! Zircons usually rank high on the Refractivity Index, hence the superb lustre and brilliancy.

 

 

Debunking Jewellery Myth #1 – Chipped Diamonds

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Some people have come to me with their diamond rings and showed me that their solitaire diamond has chipped at the sides, or the girdle (in gemmology terms). They’re baffled and can’t understand why, as diamonds are ”supposed” to be extremely hard.

Well, it is true that diamonds are hard, but they are not as tough. On the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, diamonds rank 10 which is the hardest possible, followed by Corundums (commonly known as Sapphires) which rank 9, followed by Quartz being a 7 and finally Talc rank 1, which is the softest possible. Hence, diamonds are hard: defined by being resistant to scratching, which means that a diamond can only be scratched by another diamond.

However, a diamond is not as tough as it is hard. Toughness is defined in gemmology as the resistance to breaking, chipping or cracking. Truth be told, because of diamonds’ crystalline structure, which has certain cleavages along certain planes; when hit at the correct angle, can actually cause the diamond to fracture or chip.

Bottom line: all forms of jewellery is an art form meant to be cherished, appreciated and well taken of. At all times, try not to wear your diamond or engagement ring when doing “heavy-duty” work. Take care when lifting or shifting any heavy-duty objects. If you suspect something does not look right with your jewellery, bring it to a jeweller you can trust (may or may not be the same jeweller who sold you the jewellery). Try to have your more precious jewellery cleaned, inspected and repolished every 1.5-2.5years. Yes, that includes platinum jewellery. Although, as far as we know, most jewellers will charge a nominal fee for repolishing. (Think of it as regular car-servicing sessions. You may not know there may be something wrong with your engine oil, or brake pads etc. But your technician will be able to tell. )

Our Ring of Romance

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In designing this ring, I drew inspiration from the rich history depicted on the stained glass windows of the magnificent yet romantic churches in Italy. During the medieval times, apart from churches and public developments such as town halls, only the very wealthy could afford stained glass windows as part of their architecture in their homes. As well, the most appropriate gemstone to be paired with the romance of this ring was to go in search of a wine-coloured gemstone – and no other type of gemstone exudes this exact shade of berry wine colour, except the Rhodolite Garnets.

For a piece of Italy on your finger, retailing at SGD2,980.

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18k white gold featuring a 6.6carat Rhodolite Garnet surrounded by diamonds.

For that casual Sunday look

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This pair of bright and cheerful earrings, stunning enough for that lunch date on a Sunday, retailing at SGD2,890. Fancy, yet not OTT, these earrings will definitely add that additional oomph to your dress. A staple pair of earrings for this summer.

18K white gold, intense blue sapphires, happy yellow citrines surrounded by pure white sapphires.

PS: did you notice that there are no diamonds used in this pair? In designing this pair, our vision was fun, cheery and bright earrings, yet at the same time, striking a balance between fine precious gems and a casual statement.

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