As some of you may have noticed, we are currently running an exciting new competition, where we are giving one lucky person the opportunity to win a bespoke engagement ring, designed and handcrafted especially for you. Click here for info.

For those of you thinking of entering our great competition, or for those considering  commissioning a piece for a loved one or as a treat for yourself. We have put together a concise explanation of how the bespoke process works, just to give you a clearer idea of what to expect and how to get the most out of the experience 

Selecting the Piece

The first step is to decide on the piece of jewellery. Having an idea of whether you would like a ring, necklace, earrings? etc. is a good place to start. Another thing to consider is if it is an entirely new piece or does it perhaps incorporate an old family ring of sentimental value? Family heirlooms often sit around gathering dust, when they could be converted into something more modern and wearable with a rework!

Selecting a Style

Everybody has their own preference of style when it comes to jewellery, as it’s a very personal thing. So deciding on something classic and delicate or bold and chunky is an important thing to be taken into consideration to be able to communicate your idea across to your jeweller.

Collecting images of things you like, can be a very helpful tool to give you and your designer a clearer vision.

Being Clear on Budget

The sky is the limit when it comes to precious metals and stones, so it is important to be decisive about how much is a realistic spend for you. The budget then decipher what materials and techniques can be drafted into the design and construction of the piece.

A Realistic Timescale for Completion

Rome wasn’t built in a day as they say, the same goes for precious jewels! 

Sometimes things need to be sent to engravers, casters etc and it takes time to develop  your dream creation. So, if you need something in a panic for the next day, it’s unlikely that it’s going to happen. 

The simpler ideas can be quicker but be realistic if you have a special date you need it to be ready for. A little bit of organisation really helps, so get that ball rolling asap!

We hope this sheds a little bit of light on the situation for you. Pop in and see us or give us a call at Nude if you have an idea you would like to run by us. We’ll be waiting at our workbenches to make it a reality!

Or for more information click here or to read some testimonials click here.

The 4c's are a universal grading system for diamonds that is in place to keep consistency within the diamond industry. Developed by the Gemmological Institute of America (GIA), diamonds purchased within jewellers often come with a GIA certificate describing the diamond in terms of the 4c's.

Colour

• The less colour, the higher the value

This of course refers to 'colourless' diamonds and not to fancy-coloured diamonds (pinks and blues) that lie outside of the colour scale discussed here. The scale refers to body colour of the diamond which may be completely lacking in colour (the ideal) or may feature hints of yellow or brown. The scale runs from D to Z, with D being completely colourless and Z exhibiting light colour. Even though the colour difference may be subtle it does have a profound impact on the value of the stone.

Clarity

• Natural imperfections

Diamonds are formed within the mantle of the earth and pushed to the surface during volcanic eruptions. A diamond completely free from inclusions or blemishes is quite rare and the clarity grade refers to the size, nature and location of these imperfections.

Flawless-Internally Flawless (FL - IF) no inclusions are visible using a 10x lens, very rare

Very, very slight inclusions (VVS1 – VVS2) difficult to see inclusions with 10x lens, excellent quality

Very slight inclusions (VS1 – VS2) difficult to see inclusions with 10x lens

Slight inclusions (SI1 – SI2) easy to find with 10x lens but difficult to see with naked eye

Inclusions (I1 – I3) may be seen by naked eye

Carat

• 1 carat = 0.2 grams

Carat is the unit of weight that is used for diamonds, it is not necessarily representative of it's size.  A small difference in carat weight can greatly affect the price of the diamond.

Cut

• The cut for a diamond has been mathematically pre-determined

Diamonds have a complex relationship with light, cut too shallow the light falls straight through, cut too deep and the light struggles to reflect back to the eye, generally moving out of the side of the stone. Diamonds have optimum angles that they must be cut at to produce maximum brilliance and dispersion – this is what gives them their sparkle!

Cut grades are classified as:

Excellent - Very Good - Good – Fair - Poor

At Nude Jewellery we can source a variety of diamonds for your bespoke commission.  For information on bespoke diamond pieces or for general advice regarding diamonds please call our customer service advisors on 07957 371 254

Invented by Friedrich Mohs, a German mineralogist, in 1812, the mohs scale of hardness is primarily used to assist in the identification of minerals. Offering a scale of 10 minerals varying from the very soft (talc) to the very hard (diamond), the scale can be useful within jewellery to determine what the gemstone can be used for:

ie is a certain gemstone too soft for everyday wear in a ring?

Can two gemstones be set next to each other without damaging the other?

The idea is that each mineral listed on the scale has the ability to scratch the stones poistioned below it, or to be scratched by the stone in the position above.

So, diamond can scratch all stones positioned 1-9 as diamond is the hardest mineral. Topaz will not scratch corundum or diamond but it will scratch any stone positioned between 1 and 7.

Below is a table breaking down the 10 minerals and the common substances that they are similar to with regards to hardness.

It is worth noting that this scale of hardness is not linear. The difference in hardness between corundum and diamond is not the same as the difference between talc and gypsum. Also, minerals within the same position can still scratch each other.

For further information or for advice on gemstones please call our customer service team on 07957 371 254