For his now wife, then girlfriend, K took the plunge by selecting a gemstone which he knew would fit her perfectly. A deep forest green tourmaline.
He came to us looking for a green gemstone, needing suggestions that were not Emeralds and not Tsavorites. As we all know, green tourmalines come in a few shades of green. K wanted green, with no blue modifier and no yellow modifier. It was the sweetest thing as he already had an idea of what designs his then-girlfriend would want for her ring.
While the trend at that time was to go for green tourmalines with a blue modifier (the ‘buzzword’ thrown around was teal tourmaline / peacock tourmaline), K knew she wanted a deep forest green colour.
We narrowed down some options and finally found the colour K was looking for.
There is no other way to describe this beauty. Seeing this piece brings a sense of calm and serenity. Deep forest green against a background of diamonds and 18K Beige Gold.
Did you know that Tourmalines come in a huge variety of dazzling colours? This ranges from colourless, yellow, mustard, raspberry red, fuchsia pink, shades of green and blue, turquoise and lagoon.
How is the Blue Spinel different to the Blue Sapphire?
How is the Blue Spinel different to the Blue Sapphire? Are they both natural gemstones?
Fine quality blue spinels are unlike any Blue Sapphires the regular consumer typically sees in the shops or online.
Clients often ask us: What is the difference between a Blue Spinel and Blue Sapphire?
Blue sapphires exist usually in the pure blue shade, often without any secondary tones.What varies is whether it is a light blue, medium blue, vivid blue, inky blue or deep blue. On the other hand, blue spinels come in a spectrum of blues, often with a secondary undertone or overtone of grey, green, or lilac/purple. This lends a depth of colour to the gem, quite unlike any other Blue Sapphire.
We share below a quick visual example of the difference between a Blue Spinel and a Blue Sapphire. It is quickly apparent that the colour tones of the Blue Spinel and a Blue Sapphire are quite different, yet both gorgeous in their own ways.
Commercial Quality Spinels VS Fine Quality Spinels:
Unfortunately, commercial quality blue spinels are usually lack-lustre, appearing somewhat dull and in an overly dark shade of colour. Common examples are as below.
Often times, a good portion / area of the stone appears to be nearly black or cast in shadow. As a result, you would find it difficult to see the individual facets of the stone being reflected back to the eye. It is possible to see that the stone is blue, but the actual colour is not seen evenly throughout the gem.
On the other hand, fine quality blue spinels will a nice brilliance and lustre, with good amount of sparkle throughout the stone. It will not appear overly dull or cast in dark shadow. Scroll through to see visual examples of fine quality Blue Spinel set in a beautiful 18K white gold setting.
An example of a commercial quality Blue Spinel that has too much shadow and appears overcast and dull.
Customisation Process:
Recently customised for a client, below features a stunning and mesmerising spinel in Midnight Blue, set in 18K White Gold and diamonds. Look at the depth of colour on this gem! Mysterious midnight blue so mesmerising one could stare at the stone for hours on end. Notice that most of the facets can be seen from the top of the stone.
As with sapphires, Spinels that are well-cut and eye-clean are not common. Beautiful Spinels are not overcast in shadow nor having areas that lack in colour.
There is something very endearing about blue Spinels. The blue is not the usual “pop” of blue, but an enigmatic blue hue that grows on you and looks more beautiful with time. As is said, in every gem connoisseur’s collection, there is always at least one Spinel sitting in that private collection.
This piece is also design to be in a seamless fit with the wedding band.
It was a delight for us to handcraft such a beautiful bespoke spinel engagement ring.
Would you like to customise a similar piece?
Contact us now at: heritagegems@gmail.com or WhatsApp +65 97716923 and we’d be happy to get you started.
Check out the links below for some inspiration on other types of spinel engagement rings
Nothing spells luxury quite like rich green – a rare tsavorite and diamond engagement ring. In a vivid, alluring shade of green. It captures the attention of anyone who sets eyes on it.
What is a tsavorite?
As with the Spinel, and Mandarin Spessatite, true gem connoisseurs know the rarity and value of the Tsavorite. It belongs to the garnet family. It ranks 7.5 on the MOHs scale and offers good scratch-resistance.
Forget about ancient history where royalties, maharajahs and maharanis have adorned the emerald in their numerous jewels and crowns in part, because mining technology in the early 1800s just simply wasn’t able to discover the Tsavorite Garnet yet. In today’s world, 99% of all emeralds have some form of oiling or resin enhancement (yes, including those accompanied by certificates from reputable gem labs stating “Minor Oiling”). Often, they are filled with fissures and fractures that it is difficult for one to really appreciate the visual beauty of the emerald (if not for the abundant marketing telling consumers that emeralds are so beautiful).
How rare is the tsavorite?
The “downside” of the Tsavorite is that it is twice as rare as the emerald and found often, in much smaller rough sizes as compared to the emerald. With low mining and production of faceted Tsavorites, it is difficult to swarm the commercial mainstream jewellery market with Tsavorites simply because there just isn’t enough to go around. But it does not take one long to realise just how exquisite a gemstone the Tsavorite is. Relative to the emerald, the Tsavorite can withstand small knocks better mostly due to the fact that the emerald has so many fissures, internal cracks and inclusions. Due to these internal crack lines existing in 99% of emeralds, any small external impact (accidental or not) will likely result in the emerald being chipped or broken on the surface.
Tsavorites come in a beautiful range of light green, medium green to vivid and deep intense green and also in the mint shade of green.
Set in our custom-blend 18K Beige Gold, below features a vivid intense green Tsavorite and diamond engagement ring that looks so breathtaking and regal at the same time. We are in love with this piece that is not only timeless in both colour and also design. Truly elegant.
The key to finding a beautiful intense green Tsavorite is to look for one that is as eye-clean as possible. Intense vivid green Tsavorites have a tendency to look slightly lacklustre, especially if the gemstone is not well-faceted resulting in areas of dark/overcast sections. However, good quality Tsavorites usually have a ‘lively’ appearance to them, with good brilliance and scintillates even in natural daylight.
Beautiful vintage style engagement rings never fail to evoke romantic feelings.
Our client very graciously shared her wedding day photos and nothing says love better than a couple with their megawatt smiles, vintage inspired engagement ring and a stunning lace dress.
Beautiful blue Spinels are extremely rare. Yes, equally as rare as the unheated blue sapphire. Blue spinels and most other Spinels are typically non-treated and non-heated. The unique feature about the blue spinel is that it has a very magnetic shade of blue, one that seemingly grows on you rather than simply catching your eye at the first instance. Spinels have long been mistaken for sapphires, or Corundums, because its lustre and brilliance quite resembles the Sapphires.
It’s nice to be able to create your own history and story by customising a vintage styled engagement ring because there’s just something alluring and romantic about it. They make for great photos as well!
Photo Credit: From Client, taken by Daniel Sim Photography
Photo Credit: From Client, taken by Jasper Avenue Sydney
A bespoke customised piece of jewellery to call your own, in a shade of colour that captures your heart and eyes is truly a gift to be enjoyed and appreciated for the years to come.
There’s always something truly memorable and nostalgic about a vintage style engagement ring.
Congratulations to this lovely couple and wishing you both bliss in your journey!
Wanting to redesign your old jewellery into new? Remodelling your old jewellery is easier than you think. There is special meaning in keeping an inheritance, set in a new style to keep with the times.
“Something old, Something new, Something borrowed, Something blue, And a silver six pence in her shoe”
An 1883 English folklore recounts that the old item provided protection for the baby to come and for good luck.
Have you recently inherited some of your mother’s or grandparents’ older jewellery? Would you like to wear it as a part of your “something old, something new”? A piece of jewellery that you could both on your wedding day and even after your wedding? Something you could wear daily or even on special occasions?
Older styles of jewellery, while it has its appeal, may not be as easy to wear with apparel of modern, contemporary styles. And sometimes, it requires a little more than a simple cleaning job at your local jeweller. Remodelling your old jewellery or upcycling your old jewellery is the perfect way to update a special memento. It is a way of keeping a part of you that you cherish, in a style that is relevant to you. Keep
After redesigning, this pieces looks so much fresher and reminds one of Spring. Not at all ostentatious, dressy enough for an occasion, yet, simple enough for an evening out.
Who ever said wearing Jade pieces needs to look dated or old? 😉
Want some vintage design ideas? Or perhaps tips on how to care for your jewellery? Click below:
An ethereal, romantic and beautiful collection of bridal jewellery with such pretty wedding stationery, which bride can say no?
Such a versatile bridal jewellery collection that can match almost any bridal dress, without being too much or OTT, it allows the bride to wear the jewellery and not the other way around.
In shades of cream, blush pink, grey and white, wear it even post wedding day and it will most certainly match any day or night outfits.
In collaboration with Bridestory Singapore, we feature a pearl collection for that special day, for that special bride-to-be.
The modern day bride can be ethereal, rustic, romantic without being too OTT if the gown is accessorised with the right choice of jewellery and hair accessories, paired with a beautiful gown and the correct makeup.
Jewellery on your wedding day need not be boring and neither should it clash with your bridal gown and bridal look. When planned properly, it can enhance the bride’s features, and pearls can add that glow to your complexion.
Wearing pearls at night completes the look of elegance without being too garish. A simpler pearl pendant paired with cap-sleeved bridal gown helps even out the proportion of an otherwise empty neckline.
For visuals of other pearl and bridal jewellery available in the bridal collection, pls see: Bridal Jewellery Collection
We will be showcasing our latest collection of unheated Sapphires, Malaia Garnets, Spinels in a wide assortment of colours, including our new ready-to-wear collection.
27th October (Friday) – 30th October (Monday), drop by Marina Bay Sands, Booth B113 to view.
Customise your art pieces with us at the show, in time for Christmas!
On showcase will be our new collections of Spinels in a variety of colours, Blue Sapphires, Yellow Sapphires, Mandarin Spessatites, Tsavorite Garnets, Malaia Garnets, Padparascha Sapphires.
Also on display is our latest ready to wear collection featuring pearls, rubies and sapphires.
Cultured pearls are typically divided into 4 types:
Freshwater Pearls
South Sea Pearls
Tahitian Pearls
Akoya Pearls
After one has shopped around for some pearl jewellery, one would realise that freshwater pearls are typically sold for much less than their other counterparts.
Environment:
Freshwater pearls are cultured and farmed in freshwater, lakes and rivers, typically in China. Because freshwater pearls are farmed in an environment which is fairly predictable (i.e.:) lakes or manmade pools of water, supply is fairly predictable.
South Sea, Tahitian and Akoya Pearls on the other hand, are cultured and farmed in the open oceans, and are more often than not, exposed to unpredictability in weather and water conditions (e.g.: red tide) which are beyond the control of the farmers.
The average freshwater mussel can produce up to 32 freshwater pearls per culturing cycle making freshwater pearls easily available and in abundance. See first photo above.
On the other hand, each oyster can usually only produce 1 pearl at any one time. While theoretically each oyster can be implanted with a new nucleus up to 4 times before it is discarded, most oysters can only be cultured up to twice. Thereafter, the oyster can not be used to produce any more pearls of good quality.
Taking into consideration all above factors, it is no wonder that freshwater pearls come at a fraction of the price to South Sea, Akoya or Tahitian Pearls.
While this does not mean that one type of pearl is better than the other, consumers should be aware that freshwater pearls come at a much lower price point and should not be tricked into believing that freshwater pearls are in the same price range as ocean-cultured pearls.
There are retail jewellers and internet retailers who do not disclose the origin of their pearls and do not inform or misinform consumers about whether the pearls are freshwater pearls or ocean-cultured pearls.
What’s worse is when a jeweller tries to pass off a freshwater pearl as an ocean-cultured pearl (be it either South Sea, Akoya or Tahitian).
Below, GIA explains why freshwater pearls are less expensive than other types of pearls
Photo Credit: From Client, taken by Daniel Sim Photography
Photo Credit: From Client, taken by Jasper Avenue Sydney
