Beautiful white opal set in 18K yellow gold, with yellow sapphire and tsavorite garnet. Broadly speaking, opals come in a few different base colours. Mainly, in white, blue, black, fire (ie: red, orange, yellow tones), pink and crystal opals.
What sets the opal apart from other gemstones is that we can immediately notice the rainbow of colours displayed on the surface of the gem as we rock the opal back and forth.
Traditional designs see opals often set with diamonds. As with most of our clients, they wanted something that they know our designers do best. Which is to create a unique, yet aesthetically pleasing and it is to be easy to wear. Often times, in an attempt to create unique, unusual pieces of jewellery, what results is an awkward, mish-mash of colours that look odd and clumsy.
The beautiful white of the opal lends a nice base of which to incorporate other coloured gemstones. This opal also has a nice, soft, almost cashmere-like glow that accentuates the colours of the other gemstones. Elegant, refined, yet unique.
While this opal does not have a distinct colour play, the rainbow of colours can be seen spread evenly across the entire gem, which adds to a premium to the piece.
Also, did you know that Australia is not the only country to product opals? Opal sources include Brazil, Mexico and Ethiopia. All of which produce their fair share of beautiful opals in varying colours and hues.
White opal, yellow sapphire and tsavorite set in 18K Yellow Gold pendant
In the local jewellery scene, both online and in real life, we don’t see purple sapphires featured often enough. But it is a beautiful colour to wear. The jewellery piece should be designed and styled to fit the owner and the of course, the gemstone.
Design Brief:
Our client came through with a request for green and purple with wholly natural, unheated gemstones, but “I don’t want it to look too loud”. It was a design task that needed some planning.
Set in a classic style, with a combination of colours that are not only bold but in fact, complement each other. A lot of thought has gone into the design of this pair of earrings, to create that effortlessly simple yet classy look.
Design Outcome:
Featured in this pair of earrings is a pair of unheated purple sapphire, with green tsavorites and diamonds.
Against a backdrop of glistening diamonds, the rich hues of the tsavorite with the cool purples of the sapphires make for a pretty pair. Bold, yet so easily wearable.
Notes about Purple Sapphires:
Until we actually set our minds to sourcing for a pair of unheated purple sapphires, one would never know the difficulty in finding such a pair. Firstly, as most would know, Sapphires are more often seen in blue, red, pink or yellow. Purple sapphires are in fact, not as common. In addition, sourcing for an unheated, matching pair required a fair bit of time and luck.
Unheated purple sapphires are a beauty in their own right because a vast majority of purple sapphires available in the jewellery market is heated. Heating is done to improve colour saturation of a gemstone. That being said, purple is a saturated hue that is not easy to come by. So, you can imagine the delight in stumbling upon this pair of unheated purple sapphires.
This pair of grey blue Spinel Sapphire ear studs is just what any woman needs to transition her outfit from day to night. So perfectly neutral, yet not bland.
The beauty of grey spinels lies it its ability to appear youthful, mysterious and elegant all at the same time.
We created a pair of grey blue Spinel Sapphire ear studs that were fancy without the fussy dangle of drop earrings. This pair of grey spinels have a very slight hint of blue, depending on the angle of reflection. Yet, upon another glance, the Spinels now appear to have a hint of lilac? We colour-matched the Spinels with Sapphires in 3 different shades of blue. Look closely and your eye will see the palest blue round Sapphire, a medium-hued tiniest round blue Sapphire, with the large Marquise shape stones in a near-cornflower shade of blue.
The result is a pair of ear studs that look like a bouquet of grey blue flowers floating on her ears. Not only unique, but elegant and pretty. No traditional halo of diamonds as seen on nearly every imaginable pair of diamond ear studs.
Whichever way one prefers to appreciate the beauty of the Grey Spinel, it is obvious that the grey tones have an elegant yet captivating, quiet quality about it. No other shades of Spinel will invoke similar emotions as the grey-hued Spinel.
A custom matched set of Emerald jewellery. The task was to source and handcraft an Emerald ring to match a pair of earrings we had customised awhile ago.
The design brief: to create a design that shared similar design elements to the pair of earrings, but for both ring and earrings to have the possibility of being worn on their own. So that neither looks lonely when worn singly. But when worn together as a set, it does not look overpowering or heavy.
Emeralds are very often oiled and having significant inclusions. Oiling is a process that helps fill out cavities that often appear at the edge of the girdle. By immersing the emeralds in oil, oil enters the gemstone from the tiny cavities that exist at the edge of the girdle. The oil will fill out the cavities within the gem. Once the cavities are filled out with oil, it makes the inclusions and cavities less obvious, thereby improving eye-clarity of the gem.
Since it is common for Emeralds to have significant inclusions, it is easy to assume that prices should be relatively affordable. However, this is not so. Main reason for this is due to scarcity of the rough material. Despite the relatively high premium these green gemstones are commanding, it does not stop prices from climbing. A glance at the tip of the iceberg situation of gemstone availability, sourcing and mining here: https://www.gemresearch.ch/news/2022/02/23/dramatic-rise-in-price-for-fine-gemstones-as-high-end-ruby-emerald-and-sapphire-sales-soar
Emeralds are believed to empower the wearer with intellect and wisdom, and develops a person’s logical thinking and arithmetic skills.
Below is the 3 piece emerald jewellery set. Custom matched set Emerald and coloured stone jewellery requires a fair bit of luck and effort. It was not easy to do a “colour matching” as the pieces were sourced at different times and not from the same lot. Nonetheless, a relatively well-matched set in terms of colour and design.
Below features a nesting ring that stacks a beautiful trillion shaped yellow sapphire alongside diamonds and rubies. A beautiful colour combination of yellow, with flashes of red and that extra sparkle from diamonds. We can see how the yellow sapphire and ruby nesting ring looks like, both together and separately.
Nesting rings allow owners a fun way of expressing their personalities through design and colour. There are very few “don’t”s in ring stacking. Feel free to incorporate coloured gemstones in your upcoming ring stack. You could add your birthstones, or select certain coloured gemstones that have a special meaning to you, for example: an anniversary date or month. If it was an anniversary ring, the gemstones could be a combination of both you and your partner’s birthstone. Or, it could also be a family stacking ring, representing birthstones of your partner alongside your children.
Stacking / nesting rings are a great way of commemorating and honouring a certain special occasion or a significant life event. Or even simply a particular coloured gemstone you identify with, despite not having any special significance.
Some folks select their gemstones based on their children’s birth month and corresponding birthstone.
Nesting rings do not need to all fit perfectly. As long as when all the rings are worn, they should create a fairly cohesive look. For example, nesting ring stacks do not all have to be of the same width. As seen in the photos above, some portions of the ruby and diamond ring are of different widths. But as a whole, when both rings are worn, they look like they belong together as a set.
Nesting and stacking rings help us create keepsakes that tell our moments and our stories we hold close to our hearts.
Just exactly how rare is an unheated ruby? Regardless of its origin?
Much has been said and written about the differences in value between an unheated and heated ruby. In addition, there is also a category reserved for “glass-filled” or “lead-filled” or “lead glass-filled” rubies. These 3 terms pretty much mean the same thing, which essentially means, rubies that have been filled with high-lead-content glass, which made the rubies appear more transparent after the treatment process. Filling ruby material with lead glass enabled what would have been nothing more than material specimen mainly used for gemological studies; definitely nothing of decent commercial value. In addition, filling gemstones with lead glass actually adds carat weight to the material. What does this mean for end consumers? Essentially, consumers will pay more for glass instead of gemstones. More can be read about lead-filled rubies here: https://www.gia.edu/doc/SP06A2.pdf
Heated rubies in our present, modern-day gemstone and jewellery market have become more commonplace because it remains a fact that unheated, 100% natural rubies oftentimes, have a lacklustre and dull appearance. Ruby material is heated to improve the colour and clarity of the rough and ultimately, the polished gemstone. It is important to recognise this because it impacts the price differences between heated and unheated rubies and the market premium accorded to unheated rubies. Without the heating process, commercial quality rubies would have a lot more eye-visible inclusions, opacity and dullness, which would result in these rubies being unable to be sold at fair prices or worse, not sold at all.
Unheated rubies as mentioned above, are typically heavily included with a dull appearance. To understand it in a nutshell, as this article aptly describes: “Very few of the recovered rubies are of high enough quality to be sold on the market. In fact, only about 1% of all corundum found is gem quality. Of those rubies, only a fraction remains untreated.” https://thenaturalrubycompany.com/education/ruby-characteristics/ruby-rarity-value/
Let’s all take a moment to consider this statement: of the 1% of all corundum mined from earth being gem quality, only a fraction of this 1% remains untreated and unheated.
“Gem quality” usually means a gem has the aesthetic appeal to the human eye. Eye-clean, with even colour tones throughout the gemstone, with good brilliance and lustre.
Seen below is a rare unheated 1+ ct ruby, set in diamond halo with 18K Natural Gold. It is becoming increasingly difficult to source for eye-clean unheated rubies that are facetted and polished with a nice finish and cutting symmetry. In addition, unheated rubies are almost always presenting themselves in a somewhat dull and lacklustre appearance, oftentimes looking somewhat cloudy.
To find a ruby that checks the following will involve more than just luck: 1. Unheated 2. Eye-clean 3. Lively appearance with fair – good brilliance. Not dull and not cloudy looking 4. In a properly facetted, well-proportioned symmetry
Unlike the vibrant blue, violet, purple Tanzanites that most jewellery lovers are used to seeing in stores, unheated Tanzanites are not as common. Featured below is a pair of unheated Tanzanite earrings.
These gemstones display flashes of blue, periwinkle, cool grey tones, earthy yellow green tones that sparkle underneath. Unheated Tanzanites are however, not a common sight. Unlike most precious coloured gemstones, Tanzanites are typically and usually loupe clean – which make them so easy to love. Tanzanites in general also have very good dispersion, and strong pleochroism. Pleochroism is a term used by gemologists to describe the myriad colours seen in the same gemstone when viewed from different directions. This makes for a very alluring optical dazzle for any gemstone and jewellery lover.
Tanzanites, as the name suggests are mined predominantly in Tanzania. This limited source renders in Tanzanites being at least 1000x more rare than diamonds. Due to it’s small scale of source location, gemologists believe that in the next 2 to 3 decade to come, there will be no more Tanzanite rough left to mine. After the sour has become depleted, there will be no more first-hand owners of this gem and will become precious heirloom material.
These unheated tanzanite earrings are set in a classic design that never gets old, easy to pair with just about any attire. Dress them up, or dress them down. Wear these ear studs with your hair up or down, it will be sure to impress.
Emeralds are the birthstones of May babies. Featured below is a pair of beautiful Emerald May birthstone earrings with fairly high levels of transparency, lustre and cleanliness, all of which, is rare to find in a certified matching pair of insignificantly oiled Emeralds.
Level of inclusions in Emeralds:
As most gemstone and jewellery lovers are possibly aware, the level of inclusions in an Emerald gem is something every Emerald lover will have to accept. Emeralds are a naturally highly-included gemstone. It is nearly impossible for an Emerald to be loupe-clean. Having said this though, a fairly eye-clean, highly-transparent Emerald is highly prized. The transparency of a gemstone is assessed by the absence of any type of cloudiness, “milkiness”, and inclusions within the gem. An example of a gem that almost always and usually exhibits high levels of transparency is the Tanzanite. One could almost describe the transparency level of a Tanzanite as being “glass-like”.
Practical longevity in design aesthetic:
Seen below is an exquisite pair of May Birthstone Emerald earrings. If you have been following us for awhile, you would have realised that we lean towards; and prefer creating jewellery with designs that have practical longevity. Now, this does not mean boring. It means creating pieces that one could wear with almost anything and for any occasion, day and night. In trying to create designs that do not date quickly – this means designs putting ourselves in the mindframe of our client and hearing their design preference and needs. Practical longevity means different things to different people. For some, it could mean having a design that they could see themselves gifting it to their daughters or sons. For others, it could be setting it in a design that goes well with most of their apparel in the their wardrobe. Often times, our designs transcends time and generations.
We marvel at that soft luminous glow emanating from the emeralds. Photos below are taken in natural daylight, with no photo edits.
The luminous blue-green glow in a pair of insignificant-oiled Emerald earringsStunning Pair of Green Emeralds that has a nice lively appearance to the gemPair of insignificant oiled Emerald Earrings
Rarity:
Set in a petite floral-esque design, a pair of certified insignificant-oiled Emerald earrings is rare and not easy to source. With more focus on diamonds and emeralds and less on gold work, the final piece is a sight for sore-eyes.
Check us out on Instagram @heritagegems for more videos on this pair of Emerald earrings:
The March birthstone, Aquamarine, is highly prized for its vibrant clear blue colour. Reminiscent of the sky’s blue, even though Aquamarine in Latin means “sea water”. Aquamarines make for very attractive fine jewellery pieces due to its vitreous lustre, which means it has a shiny, glass-like appearance. Hues and shades of Aquamarine ranges from pale, sky blue to pastel shades of green blue. Prized Aquamarines have hues leaning towards the vivid blues of Swiss Blue Topaz. However shades like these from current mines are considered extremely rare.
See below a beautiful Aquamarine engagement ring, we recently customised with a French Micropave setting and featuring a princess cut peekaboo diamond. This piece is designed in a modern-vintage style which is elegant and timeless.
Aquamarines may be a March birthstone, but it is celebrated and worn by women, celebrities and royalties the world over. It has a beautiful, shiny lustre that easily wins the hearts of many.
Unknown to many, it is not often heavily included. GIA classifies Aquamarines as a Type 1 Clarity level. This means these gemstones are often eye-clean. Other types of gemstones also classified as Type 1 Clarity level include Tanzanites, Tourmalines, Morganites, and Blue Zircons. So, simply put, an Aquamarine that has visible inclusions will normally result in a price drop.
View more videos for this Aquamarine ring on our Instagram (@heritagegems) here below:
The design brief for this set of wedding bands was: something simple, yet unique. It also had to be of course, comfortable for wear. This couple is no stranger to Heritage Gems as they had previously customised their Blue Spinel engagement ring with us a few years back. And they knew exactly our design ethos.
Our guiding principle in the designing of our jewellery are:
Timeless classics (yes, possibly something even your grandmother would wear)
unique simplicity. We create for the purpose and place of the the jewellery and the wearer. Simplicity is not the absence of aesthetics nor beauty. In fact, to create a stunning, yet simple piece of jewellery is a feat.
Pleasing: great design that is pleasing. Pleasing to the eye and pleasing to wear
Wearability and usability over aesthetics. For the purpose of this article, this point in particular is important when in comes to designing and handcrafting wedding bands.
Form and function go hand-in-hand. Because without function, there is no form. An aesthetically stunning, trendy piece of jewellery but does not serve the wearer the function and comfort is basically, pretty much useless.
We handcraft beautiful pieces in elegant yet unique jewellery pieces, which will wear the test of time.
They wanted a pair of wedding bands that would complement (though not necessarily match) the style and design of their engagement ring.
Also, the bride wanted a band that was sparkly enough she could wear as a standalone ring. Yet, simple enough that when paired with her engagement ring, it would not steal the spotlight away from the centre piece.
If you’ve been searching for coloured gemstones at various gem and jewellery stores, you might have wondered why some stones appear more sleepy than some and you wonder if you might have remembered them incorrectly especially when comparison takes place across different stores and often, on different days and times.
Below we share a video of 2 spinels taken using the same iPhone, taken in succession on the same day. With the first 2 frames showing 2 individual stones and the last frame showing both Spinels taken in the same frame.
Spinel #A
On initial comparison, the first Spinel, Spinel A appears well-cut, with good clarity and appears to be decently lively looking. Imagine you see this gem in person at a jeweller during your search process and being quoted $X for this piece.
spinel #B
Separately, you view Spinel #2, Spinel B, on a different day or perhaps on the same day, but at a different time, from a different jeweller. This piece does appear to be more lively. Although, based on memory, you were pretty sure the first piece was probably as lively and probably had as much sparkle as the 2nd piece you are currently seeing. And when you ask for the price on this 2nd piece, you are told a price that is considerably higher than the first. You then begin to wonder if you’re being fleeced.
Searching for your coloured gemstone of choice can seem daunting at first, but if you’re in the right hands, it is in fact a fun and educational process.
Comparing both Spinels
Now, in fact, when you watch both pieces taken in the same video (see last frame), placed side-by-side, it becomes instantly apparent the difference in sparkle, lustre and brilliance between both pieces.
A fine quality coloured gemstone with lively appearance will seem to have light radiating from within the gem. At some points, depending on light angles, fine quality coloured stones can be as sparkly as a diamond!
They came to us looking for a bespoke yet uniquely designed engagement ring. The main request was that the gem had to be an unheated sapphire. Not only does the centre gem have to be one-of-kind, the design must not only be special, yet classy.
The customisation process for this endearing green sapphire ring
It was truly a pleasure to work on this piece. Unheat green sapphires that are finely faceted, loupe clean, with such a beautiful intense hue are rare.
A bespoke engagement ring fitting for the lady of the hour. At Heritage Gems, our art pieces go through a period of idea brainstorming and discussions, working not only with our jewellery artisans but together with whom the piece is intended for. Every small detail of jewellery, not left out of consideration and design discussion. It is an enjoyable process, both for us as jewellers, our clients and also our jewellery artisans.
Featured below is an assymetrically-designed unheated green sapphire engagement ring. The bride-to-be was searching for that special stone, set in a design that was uniquely her. She said she was keen on a sapphire, but not in the usual colours. She did not know during the initial stages of the gemstone / design consultation that she wanted a green sapphire. She was however, open to trying on several colours. After trying on several shades and colours, she found herself more drawn to our unique shade of green in this particular Sapphire. It was not long before her heart was set on this piece.
When it came to ring setting, she knew she did not want the usual halo design ring. “Surprise me!”, she said. And I’m pretty sure we did.
What design options did we suggest? – Design consultation needs
Design brainstorming ideas were tossed and Mr B. said he was quite sure Ms S. would want something that was somewhat unconventional, yet aesthetically pretty and definitely a design that was timeless. They did not want a design that was unique, overly bold / trendy , but would soon quickly become dated.
And so it was decided that an asymmetrical design was the best and most timeless way to spruce up a symmetrically-shaped gemstone. The final product was a a dreamy, mysterious green sapphire engagement ring.
At Heritage Gems, our customisation process of engagement rings and significant occasion jewellery is never taken lightly.
If you’d like for us to create a unique yet charming proposal ring that she cannot say no to, drop us an email at heritagegems@gmail.com or better yet, give us a call on 97716923.
View more videos of this beautiful unheated Green Sapphire ring right here on our Instagram (@heritagegems). If you like our work, drop us a comment on our Instagram and let us know what you think! ^_^
Did you know that fun cocktail earrings and jewellery is not just limited to engagement and wedding jewellery? It was truly a unique and bespoke piece of jewellery for a client whose style and personality is reminiscent of a time past yet ever so modern. A fairly abstract mix of jewellery is what our client loves to match-and-wear.
The gemstones were handed down to our client from her grandmother. Up until the time she met us, she was unable to decide what to do with her coloured stones! That’s when she enlisted our help So we started with the design discussion and consultation stage. Ideas flowed and what resulted was a whimsical, bespoke and bold piece of jewellery that she could wear with all her other jewellery handed down from her grandmother, in one great eclectic mix.
Fun cocktail jewellery hold special meaning to its owner. Who ever said fine jewellery is strictly limited to engagement and wedding occasions only? 🙂
As with every piece of handcrafted jewellery that goes through the hands of our artisans here at Heritage Gems, right from drawing board to the final piece that ends up in our clients hands, great care is taken every step of the way.
Work in Progress Photos
From the jeweller’s bench, artisans delicately handcrafts the pieces that come together to make the complete jewellery.
Before you know it, we’ve handcrafted a stunning, whimsical pair of earrings in a beautiful colourway of gold, black and red.
Voila! A pair of bold, whimsical earrings that our client is very happy with! Customised bespoke jewellery doesn’t have to be overpriced nor overly grandiose in design. It just has to be fitting and paired just right for its owner.
This is the beauty of customised pieces and what sets customised jewellery apart from ready-to-wear pieces. Customise your jewellery with the correct artisans and you will have a stunning piece of jewellery that fits like a glove and accentuates your best features.
Our client review below:
If you are considering to customise a bespoke piece of your own, a piece specially crafted for yourself, contact us at 97716923. It’s an obligation-free consultation.
inspiration on other projects that are also fun cocktail pieces? Click below:
A recently commissioned gorgeous blue spinel engagement ring from a client based in Ireland. The couple had travelled to Asia and gotten in touch about commissioning a special piece to commemorate their engagement.
Simple in style, yet so unique in colour (both the gem in its own right and also the 18K Rose Gold design work). Handcrafted right here in our workshop in our Singapore, a style that looks beguilingly simple, yet requires experienced craftsmanship and skill to craft.
Work in progress photos:
To complete the piece, we top it off with a most unique, fine quality Blue Spinel. In round brilliant cut, loupe-clean, with a fine quality lustre that make this piece shine bright like a diamond.
Have you ever walked into a gemstone or jewellery store and asked to see a Spinel? Chances are the store assistant will likely say they are either out of stock or do not have any at the moment. Or they might pull out from their drawer, some Spinels possibly in an assortment of colours. You will look and analyse the pieces before your eyes. It is likely you will be greeted with Spinels that look somewhat sleepy, a little dull in appearance or not quite sparkly as what you had originally expected.
Commercial quality blue spinels are fairly easily found in a high-street jewellery shop. However, stunning blue spinels that are well-cut and sparkle like diamonds like this gorgeous blue spinel engagement ring are in fact quite rare.
It is easy to notice that gorgeous blue spinels have a unique quality in that they appear to take on slightly different hues under different lighting conditions. For this fine quality Spinel, it appears slightly violet in natural daylight. Yet has a grey undertone that becomes a little more obvious on an overcast day.
We hope you are inspired by the colours, quality of gemstone and design you see in this post.
Dreamy blue spinel engagement rings are never short of perfect. Contact us now on: heritagegems@gmail.com to customise your very own bespoke engagement ring today – because true luxury is within reach.
Moving image of this gorgeous Blue Spinel ring below:
Alternatively, view the video of this Blue Spinel here on our Instagram (@heritagegems):
As with commercial grade unheated natural sapphires, commercial grade Spinels are abundant. Below are some examples of regular Spinels most people come across in stores or at their local jeweller.
commercial grade spinel that has heavily dark zones with 80% of gemstone in shadowcommercial grade spinel with inclusions commercial grade spinel with large window
Commercial grade spinels come as cheaply as $200/ct for sizes under 3cts. However, aesthetically beautiful, well-cut and 100% unheated Spinels are difficult to source. Often times, Spinels, like above, that come through our hands do not make through our quality controls. Investment-grade Spinels in shades of pink, blue and red can command a minimum of $4000/ct and upwards. This is assuming the Spinel is eye-clean/loupe-clean, well-cut with no colour zones, no areas of large windows, no areas of dark shadows.
Some examples of fine quality Spinels are as below. Well-cut, aesthetically beautiful & 100% natural Spinels are becoming increasingly difficult to source.
Yes, you’ve guessed right. It is the Imperial Topaz, which typically comes in shades of rich golden yellow, orange, (think sunset colours), to the most prized colour of Imperial Topaz: the pink-red, red hues.
A request came from a client to have a matching Imperial Topaz ring to her current pair of Imperial Topaz earrings (also crafted in-house, by yours truly).
So, we set about sourcing a matching piece of Imperial Topaz for her.
Imperial Topaz Ring in 18K Natural GoldGolden Sunset colour of the Imperial Topaz
We had crafted this beautiful golden sunset-hued Imperial Topaz in our in-house blend of natural gold, with gold purity at 18K (750). Making this ring in the traditional rich shade of 18K Yellow Gold would have been too much of a clash of gold hues with the centre Imperial Topaz.
Prices of Imperial Topaz
Often times, people are of the impression that the Topaz is an easily available, abundantly occurring, hence low-cost gemstone. This is however not at all true. Topazes come in several colours, including deep blue, teal, Swiss blue (bright vivid candy blue), light brown, brown-grey, taupe tones, as well as colour-less. Topazes in all the above-mentioned shades are not overly pricey and can be had for an affordable price. Prices of Imperial Topaz in a nice warm yellow colour for sizes below 5cts can range between USD 600 – 800/ct.
The joy in appreciating the beauty of the Topaz is that it is a naturally eye-clean and usually loupe-clean gemstone.
Imperial Topaz which are of a beautiful golden sunset colour and also those with orange / peach undertones, well-cut pieces will easily fetch prices between USD 900 – 1200/ct in sizes under 5cts.
Additionally, Imperial Topaz in the most rare colours of red and pink-reds will easily fetch prices of USD 3500 and upwards. Sizes above 5 cts are rarely seen.
Natural or Non-natural?
Most Blue and Brown Topazes seen in commercial shops are very often irradiated or heat treated to achieve these shades / colours. However, true Imperial Topazes are never irradiated / heat treated / chemical treated in any way. Hence the term “Imperial Topaz” is reserved strictly for Topaz in that distinctive golden yellow, sunset yellow, red and pink Topazes that are 100% natural with no heating, chemical treatment or irradiation.
Our client did not want for diamonds on her beautiful ring so instead, we decided to craft a ring for her showcasing a beautiful and elegant gallery (notice the curved, flower petal structure on the side view of the ring below the centre Topaz).
Check out a video of this mesmerising Imperial Topaz ring on our client here on Instagram (@heritagegems):
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
It is never a dull moment when it comes to choosing a fine coloured gemstone for your bespoke piece of bridal jewellery.
Head on down to Marina Bay Sands this weekend and enjoy our exclusive promotion of $300 off the project’s bill when you customise your bespoke piece with us this weekend. Valid only from 26 – 29 October, at the Singapore Jewellery and Gem Fair 2018.
We will be showcasing our latest collection of unheated Sapphires, Malaia Garnets, Tsavorite Garnets, Spinels, in a wide assortment of colours, including our new ready-to-wear collection.
26th October (Friday) – 29th October (Monday), drop by Marina Bay Sands, Booth F112 to view.
Customise your art pieces with us at the show, in time for Christmas!
Book a customised order with us at this fair from 26 – 29 October and take $300 off your total bill. Applicable to all customised jewellery, including wedding bands and wedding jewellery.
Quote “IGOCT2018” at booth #F112 this weekend. Valid only during above dates, only at Marina Bay Sands Expo Hall. Not valid post-event.
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.
Customising a bespoke engagement ring holds a special place in every couple’s hearts as they hold both sentimental and emotional value.
If you prefer to have control over what design you would like to see in your ring and also decide what shades of colours you’d like your centre gemstone to be, it is likely you will enjoy the process of customising your bespoke engagement ring.
Spinels – available in a spectacular variety of colours from Mother Nature:
Spinels, the August birthstone, have been around since the beginning of time. In absolutely gorgeous shade of blue, this proposal ring is unique and one-of-a-kind. In its blue, pink, grey, lilac and red shades, Spinels have often been confused for Sapphires and Rubies. In no way inferior to Sapphire or Rubies, Spinels often come in such a great variety of shades and colours, there is literally more hues and shades of the Spinels than there are the colours of the rainbow!
The beauty and rarity of unheated, untreated coloured gemstones is that one can almost never just simply “order it” from Mother Nature. Finding the preferred shade of colour requires patience and luck. If lucky, we find ourselves with a gem piece that is both well-faceted and nearly loupe clean.
COMMERCIAL QUALITY SPINELS:
Most commercial quality Spinels look overly dark, with poor brilliance. These commercial quality Spinels look much less lively than preferred, with an almost “sleepy” look. What is common in the mainstream market is similar to the 2 pieces below, or at best, a little more brilliant or a little more lively looking than the 2 pieces immediately below.
FINE QUALITY SPINELS:
However, fine quality Spinels are almost never found in the mainstream market as supply is so limited. Most jewellery stores don’t stock fine quality Spinels. Fine quality Spinels, are pieces that look “alive”, brilliant and almost “dancing” when one views them from the table / face up. Pieces which are well-cut, well-faceted, good clarity and eye-clean. It is possible to source for Spinels which are very eye-clean. The better the eye-clarity, the higher the price of the Spinel. To be in possession of nice, lively, brilliant and eye-clean Spinel is sometimes dependent on luck.
What exactly is the Mandarin Spessatite and how rare is it? Most people mistake a garnet to be in a typical red or reddish brown tones. However, the garnet family is fairly large. Some examples of garnets used in fine jewellery:
The base colour of Mandarin Spessatites is orange, often times, with a yellow, brown or red modifier. Resulting in a colour that is yellowish-orange, orange with brown overtone or orange with red overtone. These colours can look nice but the best colours of the Mandarin garnets come in pure orange, with very little hint of any secondary modifier, resulting in people/consumers requesting for a “fanta” orange. Meaning the orange seen in the actual orange fruit. A zesty, bright, fiery orange. The area in Namibia that produced this brilliant, zesty, fiery “fanta” orange Spessatite was quickly mined and depleted in a very short span of 5 years. This mine is now closed. And with that, the production of “fanta” orange has also ceased, driving the prices for “fanta” orange through the roof, making this shade of orange the most prized hue in Mandarin garnets.
Want to see more Mandarin Spessatites and similarly beautiful jewellery creations?
A special commission for a Mandarin Spessatite cocktail ring in a design that stands out in colour and is suitable for regular wear. It was super fun to make and below is definitely a fun piece to wear. Not your conventional gemstone with diamond ring but in a super stand-out colour surrounded by all-black gold and gemstone setting.
Click on links below to see similar pieces in our portfolio:
In our Signature Wire Wrap design, comes this one of a kind unheated ruby ring. Have a quick look on Google Images when one searches ruby ring and it is not difficult to see ruby ring being typically designed in yellow gold.
Some might feel that the rich red hues of pigeon blood rubies clashes with the saturated cast of the typical rich yellow gold.
Hence came the request for a ruby ring set in our in-house custom blended 18K Beige Gold, which is a more subtle natural tone of yellow, enhancing the rich red hue of the ruby (instead of taking the attention away from the ruby), paired with white gold to create a duo-tone gold ring design.
Our Signature Wire Wrap design is unlike any other. A fairly intricate design to create but not overly fussy a design for a ring to be worn regularly.
The end result was a beautiful unheated ruby proposal ring, set in the most unique design that is aesthetically pretty and not OTT. Truly a bespoke proposal ring that she will not say no to!
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:
A beautiful rose gold pink Spinel engagement ring and wedding band set handmade in Singapore. Classic, elegant and such a luxurious look and feel. As it turns out, it is also a seamless engagement-cum-wedding band pair at that.
Rose Gold Spinel Engagement Wedding Jewellery
Spinels engagement rings are one of a kind, unique and stunningly beautiful. Spinels have a lustre and brilliance rivalling even the best sapphires and rubies, it is not difficult to see the appeal for brides-to-be choosing the Spinel over sapphires, rubies or diamonds.
As with sapphires and rubies and most other types of gemstones, prices for commercial quality Spinels and fine quality Spinels differ greatly. Value for Spinels increases greatly if the Spinel is eye-clean, that sparkles as much as any diamond (yes, that is possible). Spinels are in fact more rare than sapphires and rubies.
Pink spinel engagement rings spell romance and are very versatile and easy to wear. Especially pink spinels in pastel, light to medium tones of pink.
Spinels rank very closely on the MOHs hardness scale to the Sapphire, making it easy to wear as regular or daily jewellery.
The other strong plus-point of Spinels is that they are usually not heated or treated, so these gemstones are 100% natural. In comparison, approximately 90% of commercially available sapphires are heated, 95% of the world’s rubies are heated and approximately 98% of emeralds have been enhanced or oiled in some way or another.
seamless engagement and wedding band set
That customised look for your nesting wedding jewellery
For brides-to-be who already know that they would like a seamless and nesting fit, please let us know during our design discussion stage. This ensures we can bring all design elements in alignment for you. As you can see from the photo above, the unique nesting fit spells bespoke and customised like no other. When worn together, it’s instantly recognisable that your wedding jewellery has been customised to a prefect fit for you. Not simply store-bought.
nesting engagement and wedding band set
Need inspiration for your engagement ring? Why not try these below for ideas:
Ever had a bunch of old jewellery items that need refreshing, but you’re not quite sure what to do with them? Would you like to redesign your old jewellery to a piece that you can wear with most of your wardrobe? Often, re-designing your old jewellery allows you to keep the memory alive in a design you would see yourself wear more often.
Below is an example of an old diamond ring and diamond ear studs that have been well-worn over the years and the owner wanted to have it re-designed into something else.
Is it not beautiful after being re-designed and re-set into a diamond cross pendant? Re-styling into a piece that can be worn daily without being overly ostentatious. Simple, classy and elegant.
It is not at all complicated to redesign your old jewellery. Drop us at email at: heritagegems@gmail.com and let’s get some ideas for you.
Need ideas on how to re-style your older jewellery into newer designs? Read on 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
A ring that was customised as a wedding anniversary gift with 3 coloured diamonds to signify the couple’s 3 children.
A style that is unique, yet understated and wearable daily with somewhat of a cool factor and definitely not something off-the-shelf. The lady wanted a design that symbolised the pure, natural love for her family, husband and children, hence the organic-styled design of this ring. As with any family dynamics, there is always undulating up and downs symbolised by the uneven texture of this ring. But at the end of the day, everything comes full circle, symbolised by the circle of this ring.
What is special about this ring is that no 2 sides or faces about this ring is remotely the same.
Read client’s review below at the end of this post for their experience on making a bespoke piece of jewellery with Heritage Gems Singapore!
Coloured gemstones provide such delight to its owner. Because colour is so subjective to each individual, there is no such thing as a colour that is unattractive.
Blue sapphires in a midnight royal blue are as mesmerising as they are mysterious. As with all coloured gemstone jewellery, pick a colour that speaks to you.
Featured below is a heated round blue sapphire ring that is elegant, simple and easy to match with any outfit! Being an engagement ring, this piece has been designed for daily-wear with fuss-free embedded side diamonds. Diamonds are there to add to that spark of the ring but not detract attention away from the beauty of the Sapphire. Such is the beauty of customised pieces.
Set in 18K White Gold.
Read on below for our client’s review on this piece of fine sapphire engagement ring!
Unique blue Spinels engagement rings are never short of stunning.
In our custom-blended 18K Natural Gold, notice that this shade of gold is unlike traditional 18K yellow gold seen typically in Asia. Paired with this shade of blue-violet spinel, this custom-blend of natural gold works well for this blue-violet spinel. Under different light sources, blue spinels sometimes display various shades of grey and violet. This unique colour shift is peculiar to the blue spinel.
This is one such piece – although the camera did not capture the grey in this spinel at all.
Blue Spinel engagement rings are not only refine and tasteful, but spinels are also a treasured gemstone that rank 8 on MOH’s hardness scale. This makes it durable for wear.
What is beautiful about the Spinel is that it is usually and often an unheated, untreated gemstone. It is naturally brilliant and fairly eye clean.
With embedded side diamonds, this style is one that is both elegant and functional that will stand the test of time. Propose with a unique blue spinel engagement rings and she won’t be able to say no. 🙂
Like to check out other similar works? Click below:
Unheated vivid blue sapphires. There is something very elegant about a Sapphire engagement ring. In ancient cultures and medieval times, sapphires were the preferred choice with medieval royalty and clergy as it symbolises honesty and wisdom. As an engagement ring, blue symbolises faithfulness and sincerity.
In assessing sapphires, there is no standardised quality-grading system, but it is very rare to find an unheated sapphire without inclusions.
When in search of an unheated Sapphire, it is common to find local jewellers in Singapore and foreign jewellery brands who will term or market their Sapphires to be natural (read: natural, but heated).
Some jewellers might market Sapphires or gemstones as natural when the gem is actually heated, or has undergone some form of heat process. In fact, in the gem and jewellery industry, a natural gemstone or Sapphire, when indicated as natural, is understood or assumed to be unheated.
So, for a consumers’ piece of mind, they should be sure to ask their jeweller this question point-blank: Is this gem or Sapphire heated? Or gone through any form of treatment? A reputable jeweller will disclose whether a natural Sapphire in question is in fact, heated or unheated.
These questions are important for the buyer as it determines the price you pay.
Take for example, you are at a shop. And you see 2 sapphires that look visually similar in terms of quality. Meaning: both pieces are eye-clean, both are well-cut, both have even colour distribution, both have no areas of excessive shadows or “windows”. However, one piece is unheated and the other is heated. Which will be sold at a premium? In most instances, it will be the unheated gem that is being sold at higher price.
Price of a heated Sapphire can be as low as half or even at a 60% discount to the price of a visually stunning unheated Sapphire.
Below features a 1ct unheated Sapphire and Diamond ring. This vivid blue Sapphire is set in a stunning diamond encrusted goldwork throughout the ring. Designed to be a seamless nesting concept, this ring design can be paired with wedding band without having excessive gaps between the engagement ring and wedding band.
Want to know more about the differences between heated and unheated gems? Or simply want to know about other possible customised engaegement rings? Read now below:
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!
A stellar pair of Tahitian pearls and diamond cluster ear-drops. At 13mm diameter, this pair of Tahitian pearls are of AAA, fine quality with no blemish and very good reflective lustre. Specially sourced on a commissioned basis, this pair of perfectly round Tahitian pearls are of superb quality.
Factors that affect price of pearls:
Roundness: Pearls are classified according to perfectly round, semi-round, oval, button, baroque, cercled (yes, you read that right. There is no spelling error – it is not circled).
Shine/Lustre: Excellent mirror-like lustre, very good lustre, good lustre, average lustre and weak lustre.
Surface: No imperfection/blemish, minimal imperfections, imperfections and important imperfections
Size also plays a big role in price point. Assuming all other assessing factors of quality being the same, the larger the pearl, the more expensive. For example, a 15mm pearl that is perfect round with very good lustre and no blemish would command a much higher price than a 15mm pearl that is semi-round, average lustre and has imperfections.
The pair of Tahitian pearl ear drops were commissioned to complement our client’s existing Tahitian baroque pearl necklace and we must say it is stunning.
The design of the pearl earrings were conceptualised from the natural environment of the ocean where oysters and corals are a part of the natural landscape.
At first glance, it seems the diamonds have been randomly clustered into a somewhat irregular shape. However, on closer look, one would realise there is actually symmetry to be found in the design and the placement of the diamonds. It makes for a very natural piece of art one would wear on herself.
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
A beautiful dainty Sapphire ring: Featuring 3 petite diamonds on each side of the Sapphire, tapering outwards to the ring shank, this is a romantic design that will match any wedding dress.
When it comes to customised pieces, exact and ideal dimensions and sizing is key in the pursuit of perfection – not for everybody or anyone else, but for the wearer.
How broad should the shank be? How large should each diamond be? Relative to the Centre Sapphire? How does the overall ring sit relative to the owner’s finger?
Design is not simply about style and looks but pulling in together aesthetics, functionality, purpose and dimensions. That is the soul and beauty of customised works of art.
She was drawn to the vivid blue of the Sapphire. Intensely saturated, yet not at all opaque and overly dark. Which is difficult to find in natural Sapphires.
A dainty sapphire engagement ring that sets this piece apart from the rest. It looks deceivingly simple yet suits its owner to a T.
Want inspiration on other styles and designs of customised bespoke jewellery? Click below:
We’ve had a client come to us, looking to change his centre gemstone from its existing ruby cabochon to another suitable gemstone. It is in fact, often easier to change the design of the ring, keeping intact the feature gemstone. However, the original design of this ring made it simple enough to find a suitable replacement gemstone that was similar in shape and size so that they owner could enjoy a new look for less!
Below: BEFORE changing the centre gemstone
Below: The “After” shot.
The basic design of the ring had not changed. Our craftsmen did have to subtly amend the ring slightly to suit the new Cabochon. But what a world of difference it makes to the entire ring when the feature gemstone is a clear, beautiful piece as seen below.
Yes, the owner decided to ditch his Ruby Cabochon for a stunning Garnet Cab.
An incredibly eye-clean Garnet Cabochon makes this piece an instant eye-opener! Garnets make for great jewellery as they rank high on the MOHs scale of hardness. They are generally durable and garnets come in a variety of colours! With colour ranging from purple, red to bright fiery orange and intense green, what’s not to love about the garnet?
Tanzanite is known to be a rather soft stone. Tanzanites are also, almost always heated. Nonetheless, if cared for properly by its owner during storage and wear, it is a remarkably beautiful gemstone that can last for decades. Tanzanites are indeed a rare gemstone as they originate only from one source in Tanzania (hence the name). Below is a gorgeous tanzanite engagement ring with a full suite of halo diamonds, both on top and on the sides of the halo.
Tanzanites are typically polished and faceted as large gemstones in sizes 5cts and above. Sizes less than 5 cts are not typically seen in jewellery stores. Hence, it is actually rare to find this piece as seen below, not exceeding 2cts and in a round shape. A premium is usually priced in for all gemstones (regardless coloured gemstone or diamond) that come in round shape as this shape incurs the highest carat weight loss.
Featured below is a very romantic-styled engagement ring with a gorgeous Tanzanite as its centrepiece.
Tanzanites typically displays a good range of lilac, violets and blue all within the same stone. In a more ‘technical’ term, it is a trichroic gemstone, meaning Tanzanites typically exhibit 3 layers of colour. There are very few gemstones known to Mankind that are trichroic.
And what’s more brilliant about this piece is that this design can be worn with a plain wedding band in a seamless effect! No awkward gap between your engagement ring and your wedding band!
If you don’t fancy a plain wedding band, style your engagement ring with a channel-set diamond wedding band, with our seamless effect. Either way, it will be a super gorgeous wedding stack.
A Blue Spinel engagement is on trend and here to stay.
What is not to love about the Blue Spinel? It is a hardy piece of rock, and comes in beautiful shades of light blue, blue-grey, steel blue, midnight blue. Blue spinels come in shades of blue typically soothing to the eye. No, it is not that excessive pop of colour one typically sees in a tanzanite or a heated sapphire. Instead, it is a gentle, calming blue that brings joy to the eyes and if it’s by Heritage Gems, it would be a colour one would enjoy even 30 years later.
The lustre, fire and brilliance of the spinel is not inferior to the sapphire. In fact, spinels have often been mistaken for fine quality sapphires. Eye-clean, good lustre, top quality spinels are less common.
Below is stone that is not as oval as the client would have preferred. Hence, after our design discussion, we crafted a beautiful piece for the lady, who preferred a more elongated oval shape for the overall look of the ring. Notice that this is not a simple halo we have designed. The diamonds on the halo are of graduating sizes.
The Spinel has been the rage the past 2016 for significant occasions and commemorative jewellery purposes, and especially for engagement and proposal rings. And why not?
Spinels come in a range of stunning and beautiful colours. From black, colourless, pink, pink orange, bright pink, lilac, purple, violet, blue, blue-green, teal, blue-grey. That sounds like just about every imaginable colour under the sun! Well, that is definitely more colours than a rainbow!
Below, we feature a very beautiful, unique, yet entirely wearable Blue-Grey Spinel Ring, handcrafted with the finest workmanship. Guess what, it does not have any diamonds! But still sparkles like any respected sparkler should.
When you customise your piece with Heritage Gems, each and every piece is handcrafted with love and care.
Each winding of the wire around the ring is hand-wound with exact care and calculation to achieve symmetry that appeals to the human eye. Handcrafted to exact measurements. This ring is also set in 18K Natural Gold. Nope, not white gold, not yellow gold, not rose gold. It is Natural Gold.
The couple had requested for special engraving on either sides of the ring. “Love” and “Grace” mark the shanks of the ring.
Garnets have good hardness and durability and come in various colours. The gemstone & jewellery industry dedicates a special mention to the Mandarin Spessatite, which ranges from a orange to yellow-orange to deep reddish-orange or a deep orange-red colour. And within this special class of garnets called the Mandarin Spessatites, there is a special locale that produces that signature Tangerine Orange colour. These are the ones from Namibia. In a class of its own.
Namibia produces Spessartites that come in a bright, fiery orange colour. Pure tangerine orange. Not too much yellow, not too much red. Just pure orange, like Tangerines.
It is the Manganese compound that gives the gemstone that bright orange colour. It is best to view Mandarin Spessartites in daylight, as viewing them in yellow light or store light might result in the Spessartite looking more warm in tone than it actually is, making it seem more “orange-y” than it really is.
Below is a stunning, customised set of Mandarin Spessartite jewellery.
What Mandarin Spessatites are famous for is their high lustre, brilliance and best of all, they are normally unheated and untreated. While Mandarin Spessatites do come with some natural inclusions visible to the eye, it is possible to source those that are relatively eye-clean.
Featuring a unique and beautiful Sapphire in our Signature Snowflake design. In their mission in find a special engagement ring that will commemorate their time spent in Singapore, this lovely couple chanced upon our bespoke custom service of handcrafting fine quality jewellery.
Their request was to find a beautiful unheated, untreated sapphire that would catch the eye of this very lucky lady. As her now-fiancee had put it, they were looking for a sapphire that would match the color of her eyes. Alternatively, they were hoping to find a shade of blue that reminds them of the ocean.
As always, design discussion always begins with first understanding the aesthetic preferences of the client, and we match that with the centre stone in question.
This unheated sapphire, set in our Signature Snowflake design, with marquise and round diamonds, there is no better way to capture this Christmas proposal and wedding. Often, snowflake designs involve centre stones which are usually round in shape. However, when the centre piece is a cushion shape piece, the traditional snowflake using marquise diamonds would create awkward angles in ring.
Their next request was to have their wedding bands handcrafted by our master craftsmen. They were quite specific in having this memorable keepsake entirely handmade. In a hammer-effect, unlike most hammered-style bands found in retail stores, there is nothing orderly nor machine-accurate about this style.
At the year end of 2016, this lovely couple brought their wedding jewellery set back to San Francisco where they tied the knot in the San Francisco City Hall.
Below: The couple had very kindly shared a photo of their wedding jewellery taken at the San Francisco City Hall.
Wedding Trio Set – Signature Snowflake design
Click below. Explore our other design options customised previously.
Photo Credit: From Client, taken by Daniel Sim Photography
Photo Credit: From Client, taken by Jasper Avenue Sydney
