AGATE - Agate consists of silicon dioxide which was sedimented in ancient times to form beautiful flowing bands of different texture and colours. There are always many layers and bands of differing materials in all sorts of designs and colours - in quartz, chalcedony, jasper, or iron oxides - making agate one of the most intriguing gemstones for lapidary. Agates of all kinds have been popular in talismans over the centuries. Beautiful specimens of concentric rings are found at Winona, Minnesota. Heating agate artificially produces even more spectacular agates. There are many different kinds of Agates: Moss Agates or Seaweed Agates, Agatized Coral, Crazy-lace Agate, Plume Agate or Scenic Agate, Tree Agates, Onyx Agate, Eye Agate and Rainbow or Iris Agate with its many colours.

AMBER - The name is Arabic but it has come to us from the French and in Greek it means 'electricity'. Pliny asserted amber as the sap of certain trees. It is now confirmed to be the fossil resin of an extinct species of pine tree of the Tertiary period. . It frequently preserves within itself plant structures and insects. In prehistoric it was used as a talismanic charm against disease and also burnt as incense. It has a peculiar electrical property discovered by Thales, one of the 7 sages of Greece, when it is subjected to friction on a natural woollen material to demonstrate an electro/magnetic power. Amber is found in colours from green to gold and orange, brown and even red. It is found either clear or opaque in nature with any cloudy appearance caused by imprisoned bubbles. Amber was also employed as an essence or scent and still is used as an ingredient in modern perfumes. Amber has wide distribution in Europe, Sicily and the Adriatic, Australasia, America and Russia, Siberia, Greenland, U.S, Mexico, Burma and Romania . It is occasionally washed up on beaches.

AMETHYST - Occidental or True Amethyst is a form of quartz. or coloured Rock crystal consisting of silica. Oriental amethyst is alumina. Others are violone, a silicate of aluminium and lithium. It contains iron in the quartz. The deeper the colour, the more valuable - due to presence of manganese oxide. Oriental Amethyst or Violet Sapphire is a form of corundum and similar to sapphire and ruby. A beautiful sample is a violet gem weighing 48 carats in the Allison Gem Collection, Australia The best examples come from Siberia, Ceylon, Brazil and Persia but a large one found in a cave of amethyst in Brazil is a huge crystal which measures 33' by 6' x 3'- the largest ever found.

AQUAMARINE - This gemstone is a transparent, pale water blue beryl with iron giving it the green/blue tint, varying from pale green to deep sea green. It is relatively inexpensive and mined in India, Siberia and Brazil, the most abundant source of aquamarine. This blue green stone is heated to produce the blue colour so popular in modern jewellery. A magnificent example of 46 carats is in the Allison Australian gem Collection.

BERYL - Beryl is used as a copper alloy and also in constructing the atomic bomb. Beryl and Aquamarine differ only in colour - Beryl is bright blue to white and Aquamarine is sea green to deep green. Best known is the deep green form of beryl, the precious emerald. The yellow beryl is the heliodor and pink beryl is morganite and there is also an extremely rare Red Beryl. Beryl is known for its huge crystals. Madagascar yielded a single crystal weighing nearly 40 tons far surpassing the 18-27 foot monster ones previously obtained from New England.

BLOODSTONE - Bloodstone is opaque and always cut as a cabochon, or un-faceted stone. It is a variety of green Jasper with many blood red specks in its composition. These are formed by iron oxide with which it is impregnated. Ancient Egyptians highly valued bloodstone amulets. It was once very popular in cutting seals and cameos. Found in India, Siberia and Russia. The Chinese believe it produces best results when set in gold.

CARNELIAN (Cornelian) - This is a translucent, orangey-red chalcedony sometimes found in yellowish tones and white, frequently with two combined. On exposure to the Sun the hues become brighter but not in artificial light. It is capable of high polish which was why it was considered as the best stone to use as a seal, according to Pliny. The transparent red type of carnelian is known as Sard and comes from Arabia, India, New Zealand, Europe, Mesopotamia, Surinam and Siberia. Many ancient Etruscan and Egyptian scarabaei have been found carved from this stone. Buddhism includes this in sacred 7 stones -Tibetans call it A-yu and as talisman has occult properties.

CORAL - Coral is formed by calcium carbonate in the skeletons of colonies of soft bodied molluscs in tropical waters. It ranges in colour from the rare black, to pink and reddish-orange, the classical "coral" of fashion. It is also found in a blue colour. The ancient Romans and Greeks used it in ornamentation. Red, pink, white and blue corals are made of calcium carbonate but black and golden corals are formed of the horny substance conchiolin. In all corals the skeletal structure is visible as delicately striped of spotted graining. Red and pink corals from the Mediterranean. were popular for centuries and often used in rosaries. There was an extensive trade through Europe into Arabia and to India where coral was also used medicinally. The black and golden corals fished off Hawaii, Australia and West Indies are more recent discoveries.

CRYSTAL - Rock Crystal or Frozen Water has always been considered a pure stone and once used as a divining stone and in modern fortune telling when the gypsies keep the tradition alive in using a crystal ball, a custom which is said to have begun in Persia. The stone is traditionally associated with mystical properties and linked to the moon. It is one of the 7 sacred substances of Buddhism. Its crystal has 6 sides and rarely is it found in large pieces - but the largest quartz crystal ever found was in Brazil - it was over 5m long and weighed more than 48 tonnes! Synthetic rock crystal is manufactured in Japan for industry and also jewellery.

DIAMOND - Diamond - the beautiful and most popular precious stone consists of pure carbon, the blackest of substances, which crystallizes in the cubic system at enormous pressures and high temperatures, sometimes from depth of 150 km in the earth. Apart from its unique flashes of light and colour from its faceted stone, the diamond has special properties and is the hardest of all stones. The best gem quality stones are colourless and transparent with a slightly blue tint but the pink and tinted diamonds are becoming popular also. Diamonds are said to have first been found in India more than 2000 years ago. Previously in that country diamonds were known but were never cut because it was believed that it had magical properties were destroyed by cutting. Cutting in Europe began after 1300 AD. Lasers are now used to cut diamonds but the only mineral capable of cutting a diamond is a diamond. Top world producers now are northern Australia which supplies 1/4 of the world's needs - particularly for industrial purposes and also the coloured "champagne diamonds" and in the South African Kimberley region.

Body piercing has seen an explosion in popularity over the past few years. This in turn has lead to a huge increase in the range of body jewellery available, both in style and in materials.

It wasn’t long ago that surgical steel jewellery was the ‘norm’ for body piercings with a small amount of silver and gold jewellery available for healed piercings. However, this has changed and you can buy body jewellery in a huge range of materials that include steel, silver, gold, titanium, plastic/acrylic, glass, bone, horn and even wood.

The range may now be extensive but there is a problem… what type of jewellery is suitable for your piercing? Not all of the above materials may be suitable, especially if your piercing is still relatively new and/or unhealed.

For new body piercings there are only a few materials now recommended. It used to be the case that surgical steel jewellery was the automatic choice for new piercings. However, it has since been found that a very small minority of people can have a reaction to the small nickel content in most surgical steel, so a directive from Brussels has since stopped the use of steel for new body piercings. Although there is a form of surgical steel available that’s nickel free, high production costs and the emergence of newer, more readily available materials have prevented this from becoming popular.

So what is ‘safe’ for a new or unhealed piercing? Titanium is perhaps the No1 choice for new body piercings at the moment. Available simply polished or with a very wide range of inert, anodized or PVD coatings it is our jewellery of choice by far. From belly bars and ball closure rings to labret studs are all available in titanium and at a price almost on par with steel.

Another option, especially suited to those who want their piercings a little less visible, is bioplast or flexible acrylic. Being a form of plastic the material is very inert making it ideally suited for all piercings and with the ability to flex a little it is usually far more comfortable than conventional jewellery such as titanium. The only drawback for some is that it simply isn’t as attractive as titanium jewellery; especially the coloured or gem set titanium pieces.

Although not as pure or inert as titanium or bioplast, sterling silver is also an option for some people on newer piercings although not recommended for brand new piercings or those still ‘weeping’. However, as the vast majority of ‘silver’ jewellery features a surgical steel bar that passes through the actual piercing, with only the detailing being made of sterling silver, most silver body jewellery should be treated as surgical steel for use in piercings i.e. not recommended for brand new piercings or those still with discharge but ideal for anything else.

So what is not recommended for newer piercings? It is important to stress that for brand new piercings, or those still weeping, you should only consider truly inert and ‘safe’ materials such as titanium or bioplast/acrylic and all jewellery should be properly sterilised prior to use. Surgical steel is no longer recommended for unhealed piercings for the reasons stated above. Gold is only ever suitable for completely healed piercings (i.e. usually 6 months+ after the piercing and no weeping or discharge) due to the very high level of impurities most gold carries. Organic materials such as wood, horn and bone should only be used for healed piercings simply because they can carry contaminants and are very difficult to sterilise fully.

As a final word of advice, as with all things body piercing related – if in doubt consult your piercer.

GARNET - Garnets are found in various shades and colours from brown to purple shades. But its dark red variety is valued as a precious stone although the mineral is quite common. Garnet crystals are 12 faced. The stones have been prized in jewellery for over 5000 years. When many garnet crystals are gathered in a rock cavity they are likened to a ripe pomegranate. Cut as brilliants, garnets are used as ring stones with large ones as pendants, often with cabochon cut and carved. Garnets and star garnets from are found in Australia.

JADE - This is the name given to both nephrite and jadeite which are tougher than steel although not particularly hard. China, New Zealand and Alaska supply good Jade. Burma also. Brazil it occurs naturally Used since Neolithic times for weapons and tools and later for delicate carvings. Aztecs used jade. In ancient Egypt the stone was called Nemehen. Pure Jade is white with impurities causing different colours and most pieces are mottled. It is generally translucent or opaque green in colour and is lustrous rather than brilliant. The most prised of all jades is "imperial jade" the transparent emerald green coloured by chromium. It has been always revered in China as a sacred stone. Its quality as a gemstone is judged by the intensity of the green colour and its coolness to the touch. Jadeite is the rarer of the jades and Myanmar remains the only commercial source. Much of the Central American jadeite originates in Guatemala. Soapy jade is the term for the inferior grades used commonly for carving decorations, lamp stands etc.

LAPIS LAZULI - This stone consists of blue silicate lazurite with variable amounts of calcite and the brassy gold flecks of pyrite which is more abundant in the poorer quality material. Afghanistan has the best quality that consists mostly of lazurite and is deep blue. In ancient times it was also known as "sapphirus". The Egyptians used to ground it into pigment to use in paintings and murals and in eye shadow and used in manufacture of amulets and symbols, particularly in the representations of the goddess Isis and in the Sacred Eye of Horus. Later it was ground for use as pigment in religious paintings for the glorious blue of the Madonna's robes. In China, royal seals and carvings were made of it. It is considered as a sacred stone in Buddhism. Lapis lazuli is one of the most ancient in items of jewellery - having been known and used for over 6000 years. It was mined in Afghanistan and Siberia near Lake Baikal, but nowadays produced profusely in Chile.

MOONSTONE - Moonstone is a Feldspar, comprised of calcium sodium or potassium aluminium silicates. Sri Lanka is the most important source of Moonstone. India produces strongly coloured stones as beige, pink, green, yellow, grey, white and brown. It is considered to be a sacred stone in India and by tradition, it is always cut en cabochon. It is an important stone in Ayurvedic medicine. Beautiful sheens come as with other stones, with subjected light and its particular sheen is called "adularescence" and most prized when the sheen is bluish in colour. Throughout the world it is associated with the Moon and very popular semi precious stone is used in jewellery everywhere. Their fascination lies in their gentle glowing and elusive sheen and above all the softness of their quality, compared with the strength and brilliance of faceted jewels.

OPAL - Opal is one of the few gem minerals which is non crystalline. Opals are referred to in history and in legend. Pliny is said to have liked it and Orpheus is said to have declared that the opal 'fills the heart of the gods with joy". Shakespeare refers to ... "this miracle and Queen of gems". Opal consists of pure silica (silicon combined with oxygen) with traces of numerous compounds which explains the many differing types. Opals were rare in antiquity. It is thought to have become commonly known only after the time of Alexander the Great. The only known mines in the earliest times were the Carpathian Mountains. The stone is extremely porous with the weight varying in proportion to the amount of contained water. The colours are determined by structure and the light which causes ever changing effect. Finest opal and opalized wood and fossils are found also in Australia at Coober Pedy and Andamooka. France also supplies some and also Idaho... Opals are usually cut as en cabochon. Their varieties include - Hungarian opals are very fine and were once popular in Europe.

Mexican Opals fine transparent variety of opal - Black opals are extremely vivid flashes of colour including red, with dark background and of highest value Milky opal or white opals are opaque with smaller and less spectacular softer markings and colours. Fire opals or Harlequin Opal is the finest quality and variety of gemstone Water Opal is clear and colourless with internal play of colour. Rose Opal or potch opal has a beautiful pink colour but opaque. Hydrophane Opal is opaque but appears colourless in water.

PEARL - Along with Coral, this extremely popular gemstone used in jewellery, is found in the seas not the land and is therefore not of the same composition nor characteristics of the earth born gemstones. Care must be taken to preserve the quality of pearls. Pearls are made of calcium carbonate formed within an oyster. The basic irritant is usually a grain of sand which stimulates the oyster to cover it with its own body secretion - eventually forming the well known round and perfect pearl. The lustre of the pearl comes from minute crackles on its surface - finer than those on opals. Their lustre increases in the body warmth of human beings and therefore the practice of allowing the shop attendants to wear the strings of pearl has a practical basis. Different pearl qualities depend upon colour and size and range from the tiniest "seed pearls" to the rare gems of considerable size Harvesting pearls from the wild is singularly unrewarding and cultured pearls have been able to meet the demand for these beautiful natural ornaments. Cultured pearls have been produced in China for several centuries as now in Japan, Australia and the Pacific.

RUBY - Next to diamond, rubies (and sapphires) are the most valued of the gems. Ruby is a variety of corundum, When the corundum includes chromium, it becomes ruby, when it contains titanium and iron instead and therefore is blue - the sapphire. The world's finest come from Myanmar, Pakistan and Afghanistan, also Burma, Thailand, India and Ceylon .Burmese ones are exceptionally beautiful - found near Mogo N.E. of Mandalay. "Pigeon Blood" rubies are the highest in the scale of value. Thai Rubies are often found with spinel and are darker red than the Burmese Rubies. A fine ruby is a magnificent gemstone. Ruby has been synthetically produced successfully since 1904. But the genuine rubies are valued because of their rarity and therefore have not dropped in commercial value, in fact have risen. Rubies are also used in Space research in connection with communication systems to cut out surface sounds of the earth and pick up beams from space.

SAPPHIRE - Pink Sapphires, Blue sapphires and Yellow Sapphires are found in Thailand and East Africa. They are next to diamond in hardness and therefore resistant to wear. Australia is the largest producer of blue and golden sapphires. Non-blue sapphires are White Sapphires or Golden Sapphires. The largest sapphire known was 950 carats from Burma. The largest in Australia was 886 carats from Queensland in 1934. There are star sapphires and star rubies found which contain fine fibre crystals giving star effect when cut in en cabochon.

TOPAZ - Topaz is an aluminium silicate containing about 20% water and fluorine and comes in several colours. Yellow quartz is sold today under the name of topaz and it is one of the most popular colours, although there are others which are greenish and of reddish tint.. Golden Topaz from Brazil is a golden brown to pink colour. The main suppliers are Brazil, Germany and Russia. Japan also produces topaz. Topaz is harder than Rock crystal and is known for its huge crystals - a colourless one from Brazil was found weighing as much as 600 pounds, well formed and clear throughout. The largest known topaz was cut in 1977 and weighed 21,327 carats. Another is known at 36,853 carats. Found in Australia topaz is usually light yellow, green and blue also. Hardness 8 and Orthorhombic crystals brilliant and beautiful stone found in quartz rose rocks. Associated with tin ores . Tinted by heating. Sky blue topaz found in the Scottish Highlands, Brazil and Siberia.

TURQUOISE - This stone is composed of aluminium copper sulphate hydrated phosphate of aluminium and copper) and is only medium hard. Egyptians are the first people known to mine it in Sinai over 6000 years ago. The finest is said to be found in Naishapur, Iran, where it has been mined for about 3000 years. It is found also in Sinar, Turkestan and Tibet. The colours range from pale blue to deep green/blue. Water content affects the colour of the stone. It responds to human touch and warmth and in the Middle East is used as a reflector of babies' health in the crib etc. It is relatively soft and has a waxy lustre. It is porous and its colour may deteriorate if skin oils and cosmetics are absorbed during wear. It's famous for its change of colour when difficult influences are near and for this reason was attached to cradle of babies to reflect the child's vitality and to alert them to any change in tone and colour. Some believe it becomes moist and changes colour when warning against Poison. The gem is regarded as a pledge of true affection and drawing evil influences. The green variety is found in New Mexico and in Australia.

Diamonds are the most durable substance on earth. With appropriate care, they can last forever. However, like anything else they can be scratched, chipped, smudged and soiled. Powders, soaps, lotions and even the oil from your skin will create a film on diamonds. Keeping your jewellery looking brilliant requires only simple maintenance. This simple maintenance will be rewarded with beautiful, long-lasting jewellery. It is essential that you aware of how to care and clean for your jewellery.

Caring for you diamonds:

Try to protect all jewellery from sharp blows, harsh chemicals, sunlight and extreme temperatures. Chlorine and related chemicals can severely discolour and damage jewellery as well as loosen stones and settings.

Remove rings when working with your hands, such as gardening or heavy housework. Carefully wipe jewellery with a soft chamois or flannel cloth after each wearing to remove oils and salts.

Store each item of jewellery separately to prevent scratching with other pieces.

Clean your diamonds on a regular basis.

Cleaning your diamond jewellery:

Here are four ways to you clean your diamonds:

1. Detergent bath: Prepare a small bowl of warm suds with any kind of mild liquid detergent. Brush the item of jewellery with a small soft brush creating a lather. Place the piece on a wire strainer and rinse with warm water. Pat dry with a soft lint free cloth.

2. Cold Water Soak: Mix a small bowl of solution with 6 parts water to 1 part household ammonia. Soak the piece for several minutes, lift the piece out of the solution and tap gently around the piece with a small soft brush. Rinse the piece in the solution again and drain on a piece of tissue paper.

3. Quick-Dip Method: Purchase a brand name liquid jewellery cleaner, be careful to choose the cleaner which is best for your stones. Read the label carefully and follow the instructions. Be careful not to touch your clean diamonds with your fingers, handle the piece by its edges.

4. The Ultrasonic Cleaner: There are several types of these small machines available in the market. They will clean any piece of jewellery that can be soaked in a liquid within minutes. They are comprised of a metal cup, which you fill with water and detergent. When the machine is turned on, a high-frequency turbulence is created. Please read the machines instructions prior to use.

Males buying gifts of diamond jewellery for their family, friends, or loved ones often do not know what the person they are buying for actually likes to wear and would purchase for themselves. There exists a large range of diamond jewellery that women like to wear: diamond rings, diamond bracelets, diamond earrings, diamond pendants, diamond necklaces, and then of course the ever so beautiful loose diamond which can be set into any item of jewellery. Therefore all these choices make buying a gift for a woman extremely hard.

Diamonds are a symbol of friendship, love and commitment and are not a present that should be given without thought and careful planning. Therefore when purchasing a piece of diamond jewellery a man needs to know what he is getting himself into right from the beginning to ensure he not only buys the right type of diamond jewellery but that he buys something that she will love.

There exist 5 steps that should be followed by any man attempting to make a purchase of diamond jewellery. I believe that if these steps are followed you will be successful in your gift buying venture:

Step 1: Know what she likes

There is no point buying her a diamond necklace if she refuses to wear necklaces. This rule applies with all diamond jewellery items. Therefore narrowing down the type of jewellery to purchase is a must; so observe her. On several occasions take notice of the type of jewellery she likes to wear. It is a good idea to make an effort to see her at different times of the day and various levels of formality as she may not like to wear jewellery during the day however when she is going out at night she may wear a lot of jewellery.

Step 2: What colour and size jewellery does she wear?

Now that you have discovered the type of jewellery she actually wears it is time to look at the jewellery in more detail. If she wears earrings, what type of earrings does she wear, are they studs, hoops, or chandeliers? Are they big or small? Flashy or conservative? These are important characteristics to notice. If she wears rings, does she like a solitaire, a three stone setting, diamonds embedded into the ring or no diamonds at all? Now that you are becoming more accustomed to the type and size of jewellery she adorns you need to look at the colour. Does she wear yellow gold, white gold or even rose gold? It is very uncommon for females to wear a mixture of different colour gold jewellery. Therefore it is very important to buy her the gold colour she wears otherwise she will only wear the item out of courtesy not because she wants to. It is also good to know if she has any allergies to certain metals. For example if she is allergic to gold you might need to purchase platinum.

Step 3: Need to know her ring size (for ring purchases only)

If she likes to wear rings, you need to know what size ring she wears. It will make the gift much nicer if you buy the ring in the correct size so she can wear it straight away and does not have to get it resized.

Step 4: Learn about diamonds

Don’t be fooled shop assistants can sell you a piece of jewellery which is extremely overrated and extremely over priced. Therefore if you are familiar with diamond education you will not be fooled. You need to learn about the 4Cs: cut, carat, clarity, and colour. With this information in hand you will know what the shop assistant is talking about and you may even have an understanding of the characteristics you would like her diamond jewellery to have.

Step 5: Start shopping

Now you have all the information you require it is time to find the perfect gift for her at the best price. I recommend checking online, you will be surprised how much time and money you can actually save by surfing the net.

Greek mythology gives the word Titans as those resistors of the Gods on Olympus. An appropriate name for such a magnificent metal. The first sheets of titanium I handled impressed me but I hadn’t seen it made into jewellery. It displayed a very bright and startling blue colour.

Some years later I bought a titanium ring out of curiosity. I was smitten with the metal and its potential. As I tend to wear and favour heavy rings for men I couldn’t help but giggle as the ring was so light in weight.

Titanium is a natural element and was first used in the 1920s. Its popularity soared, even though in secret, during the next couple of decades as part of the cold war and subsequent space race.

The reason for its rise to popularity by the military was because of its great strength, lightness and its resistance to corrosion. It will resist hydrochloric acid, dilute forms of sulphuric acid and will not tarnish. It is three times stronger than steel yet 42% lighter in weight. It is ideal for aircraft and space vehicles. The best alloy for making jewellery is aircraft grade 6-4 90% titanium, 6% aluminium and 4% vanadium.

So why should it make good jewellery?

Well, it is very light. You will barely remember that you are wearing a ring at all. It can be thick for those lovers of bulky jewellery but a fraction of the weight of other metals.

Next it is very strong and that’s important. Men in maual work often don’t wear rings to work often because they get scratched, bent out of shape and tarnished. Not so with this metal. You can work as a plumber all day wearing your titanium wedding ring and wear it to a party that night!

Then it can have a variety of cute finishes from a shiny high polish to a matte, or non reflective finish, or a satin or sparkly frosted look. We probably know it most with a matte or brushed look to it.

On top of that it can be made in a variety of brilliant colours: blues, yellows reds and more. The colouring is done by an anodizing process and it does have one limitation. This colouring will scratch and wear off. So most of the time when this process is done it is done to parts of the piece which are lower than the surface. You see this in sunken lines on a ring for example.

The uncoloured finish is not as white as silver more akin to platinum, but it is much less expensive than platinum. Most gents’ rings are under $200.

The possibilities for jewellery today using this wonderful material are almost endless. It can be made into chains, bracelets, rings, pendants, brooches, earrings, cufflinks and just about everything else. It can be inlaid with other metals such as gold which will enhance it even further.

It also lends itself well to some special manufacturing tasks such as tension rings. These are rings where the stone is held in place by two parts of the ring holding it in tension. The beauty of this method of stone setting is that almost the entire stone is exposed. This is what allows a gemstone such as a diamond to show all of its natural beauty.

There is no other metal that is as strong, as light, as relatively inexpensive, as attractive and tarnish resistant and non toxic which can be used for jewellery.

We need to understand two things before we can make a decision as to whether a piece of jewellery made by hand is better or worse than a casting: What is a casting? What is made by hand?

Hand made Jewellery.

Jewellery made by hand is jewellery which is made by the use of bending, twisting, hammering, filing sawing and soldering metal until it has the form of a piece of jewellery that the maker wants.

Let’s take a simple example: a plain wedding band or wedder as it is often referred to. The jeweller starts off with a lump of gold which he melts down and pours into a steel mould. It comes out of this mould in the shape of something resembling a big nail. He takes this piece and rolls the metal through a mill until finally he get a long flat piece of metal. He cuts that piece to a length which will fit around the customer’s finger. Next he hammers it into the shape of a ring and he solders it to form a ring. After that he might file it into a nice rounded shape, polish it, and he now has a gold wedding band! The whole process probably takes about an hour or a bit more

Now he wants another one for the customer’s spouse to be. So the whole process starts again and proceeds just like the last. Tomorrow a new customer comes in and wants a ring just like the one he made yesterday so wouldn’t it be better if he could have copied the first one some how?

The casting process.

He now makes one perfect wedding ring. Once finished this is called the model or master. From this master he is going to make tens or hundreds of copies all identical to the first one that he made by hand. In the jewellery trade the main casting method is called The Lost Wax Casting Method.

Advantages and disadvantages of the two methods:

A hand made piece takes hours and sometimes days to make while a casting takes minutes to cast a hundred identical pieces. Of course there is cleaning up to do but the time spent is nothing like making a piece by hand. So the labour cost is a fraction of the hand made piece.

A hand made piece is likely to be stronger and denser and as it is hammered and filed it becomes harder in the process. The jeweller is carefully making this single piece and is naturally conscious of its quality all the way.

Sometimes a casting can have bubbles inside which may be missed by the manufacturer causing the item to break years later for no apparent reason. Of course, in a modern, well equipped workshop things like this are under tight control, but it can happen.

Is a hand made piece unique? Not necessarily. The jeweller might have a cast piece which he is copying. I am often asked to copy a grandmother’s piece of jewellery so that it can be given to a second daughter.

So what’s the answer? Which is the better method? A casting will be cheaper and so more people can enjoy the same thing. Would I be happy for my daughter to wear a cast ring? Absolutley, in fact she does. But I have also made her many pieces by hand.

A one off engagement ring may be better if it is made by hand with all that attention to detail and quality, but it is going to cost you for the priviledge!

When does a ring stop being a man’s ring? There seems to be a cross-fertilisation of style when it comes to jewellery. Unisex styles in clothing seem to have given licence for jewellery to go unisex too. Now you can buy anything from gemstone, diamond set in gold and titanium rings for men. Before you would only see men’s rings limited to classic wedding bands.

Now mens’ rings come in all shapes, sizes and different styles. Needless to say, men’s rings vary from the ostentatious bling of the MTV generation to the more subtle, sophisticated silver titanium rings. Pop stars like P Diddy have put diamond-encrusted jewellery on the map. Celebrities and actors have become walking billboards for jewellery retailers falling over themselves in the race to get any exposure for any of their precious jewellery items.

Mens’ watches, mens’ rings in fact anything a man can put on show is the key to nifty accessorising. According to new research out by Verdict, British men and women now spend £2.1billion a year on accessories, one fifth of that is spent on jewellery and watches. So as far as men are concerned, mens’ rings could be just as important an accessory as wearing a watch or carrying the latest mobile phone. The same trend is seen in India, where young men appear more open about revealing a more feminine side. Jewellery retailers in major Indian cities have seen a boom in sales of mens’ rings, bracelets and earrings.

I asked a number of men how they felt about rings. The answers varied greatly, there were opinions of causal indifference to more cagey, measured responses. Well I’d like it to look classy said one. Another one shuddered at the thought of mens’ rings when I asked him and said “well it’s like putting ten tonne weights on your fingers – not good when it comes to typing on your laptop.” Oh well. Perhaps for some men it’s a fierce choice between technology and fashion. For the most part though, the generation of urban metrosexuals all over the world are entertained by the idea that looking cool just doesn’t stop at a pair of trendy jeans and a t-shirt.

For decades women have mastered the art of accessorising. Anything from hairslides, handbags, rings and costume jewellery have been mixed and matched to revitalise ageing ballgowns, dresses, suits and tracksuit bottoms relegated to the dark recesses of a woman’s wardrobe. Now there is a chance for men to get in on the accessorising act too. And what better way for a man to make a statement than wearing a couple of mens’ rings with a causal pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

First of all, think about what type of jewellery she tends to wear, mostly gold or mostly silver? Most women either mainly wear gold, or mainly wear silver jewellery.

Does she wear necklaces? Bracelets? Earrings? If you are unsure, it might be an idea to choose a jewellery set, and let her pick what combination she would like to wear. Are her ears pierced? If you are not sure, have a look at her ears! There are clip-on earrings that are suitable for both pierced and non-pierced ears.

Colours

What colour stones does she tend to have on her jewellery? Also consider what colour clothes she normally wears as the jewellery needs to match or co-ordinate with an outfit. She might mainly wear plain gold or silver jewellery in which case it would be best to avoid picking any jewellery with coloured stones (you can still pick things with diamonds, cubic zirconium, and diamanté). Does she have a favourite colour and if she does, is it a colour she wears? A piece of jewellery with her favourite colour in it is a nice way of showing that you’ve put a lot of effort into the present.

If you are thinking of buying her some jewellery for day wear, what colour clothes does she wear to work or wear casually? Jewellery worn during the day is less glitzy than evening wear. This doesn’t mean it needs to be plain, although simple classic pieces can be worn with so many different outfits. If you are thinking of buying her some jewellery for evening wear, what colour clothes does she dress in to go out for the evening? Jewellery for the evening can be bolder and glitzier than jewellery worn during the day. A diamanté choker may be appropriate evening wear, however a less glitzy necklace may be better for daytime wear.

Style

What type of styles does she wear? If you are looking at necklaces, does she wear chunky ones, fine ones, ornate, or simple? If you are looking at earrings, does she wear long dangly ones, or smaller stud ones? If you are looking at bracelets or bangles, does she wear narrow or wider ones? A lot of women have certain styles that they like, so it’s a safe bet to stick with the style of jewellery you know she would choose herself. The style will vary depending on whether the piece is meant for day or evening wear.

Allergies

Does she have an allergy to nickel? Many pieces of jewellery contain a small amount of nickel which usually causes no problems for the majority of people, however some people can be very sensitive to it. Have a look and see what kind of metals she wears. If in doubt, stick to what you know she can wear.