The “5 C’s” with Charles Rose
The “5 C’s” with Charles Rose
The “5 C’s” with Charles Rose
The “5 C’s” with Charles Rose

The “5 C’s” with Charles Rose

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Selecting a diamond ring can be tricky business.

Whether you’re sharing the experience with your future fiancée, or your groom is game enough to take the plunge on his own – there are some important points to consider.

When it comes to diamonds and the highest quality jewellery, we are fortunate enough to work with Melbourne and Geelong’s very best in Charles Rose.

We recently sat down with business owner, Marcus Rose, to uncover the crucial considerations of diamonds, and gain an understanding of the ever-important “5 C’s” (colour, cut, carat, clarity and certification).

 

Explain the ‘C’s’ and their importance.

Diamonds are natural and cannot be categorised as good or bad. Each is unique and some are very white, some yellow, other blue, green and so on. Some have marks or cavities (the word ‘flaw’ is a misnomer) or little coloured crystals or black marks, others have no marks. Some are large, some are small, but they are all good. The ‘quality’ issue is really only a preference issue. Some people like large and are happy with some colour, others like very clear gems.

The only thing that may be negative about a gem is whether it has been incorrectly dealt with by a human being – this can happen when the diamond is polished. The polishing may be faulty – for example the proportions of the stone or the polished facets may not be as they should be. How should they be? – there are ideal proportions and when followed a diamond will sparkle more and be brighter, it will reflect more light. Another possible fault is if the diamond has been tampered with – for example if a cavity has been filled (this is done by using a fine laser to burn a hole through into a cavity then filling up the cavity and the hole with a clear filler).

 

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What are some other considerations to be made when selecting a diamond ring?

Select a design that you love, as you will hopefully wear it forever. Remember that all designs will go out of date, but designs that are refined and balanced will become classics. It is best not to be overly avant-garde.

What are the most common settings and cuts, and how do they fit a certain ‘style’ of bride or woman? 

Certain styles are classics – the solitaire round brilliant, the three stone (with larger centre) and so on. Modern variants include halos of small gems, and some styles are modern yet classical, for example square clusters of fancy cut gems including baguettes and brilliants. The styles that are conservative may nonetheless have wow factor if they have perfect balance, finish and perhaps are larger than normal (eg. over 2 carats), or feature a fancy cut gem. The styles that suit a personality are hard to predict, the journey is a very personal one and often revealing a character trait not immediately apparent. Jewellery is a form of sculpture in miniature and a unique purchasing moment for a customer.

 

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How does a groom-to-be know what size ring to purchase?

He can borrow a ring (or “borrow” it for a day) and have the size checked in a jewellery store. Alternatively, guessing is reasonable (a groom-to-be can secretly try on a ring, say on a little finger) and if purchasing from a reputable jeweller a re-size would normally be done without charge.

If he has had no hints dropped, and is unsure of his partner’s style – where does a man start with planning the purchase?

A man that is prepared to surprise with an engagement ring is both brave and a romantic. Hopefully he will be rewarded for this dangerous behaviour, surely such a ring would have priceless sentimental value to a sensitive bride-in-waiting. The best course for such a man is to select from a range in a good store that makes service and advice a priority.

 

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Talk to us about metal options – gold, white gold, platinum – what’s the difference?

Pure gold is yellow but soft. It is alloyed to reduce the purity and increase the strength. 18 carat is 75% pure. White gold is yellow gold that turns white when the alloy is palladium and silver – it still turns white at 75%. Platinum is a rare earth metal, heavier and rarer and dearer than white gold. It is no better as a jewellery metal, but looks slightly different to white gold and the extra cost and rarity is a wow factor for many people.

What is the process for selecting wedding bands – is this considered when shopping for an engagement ring?

It is better to select a wedding band at the same time as purchasing a diamond engagement ring. This will ensure the two bands sit properly together and compliment each other aesthetically. Poor fit can damage the bands over time.

 

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Budgeting for an engagement ring can be tricky when you haven’t been through the process before – how can Charles Rose accommodate for all needs and price points?

How long is a piece of string – all budgets are personal. The good thing to know is that over the next 20 years fine diamonds will slowly run out of supply and the prices are very likely to rise considerably. That will make spending money a little easier. In truth everyone should balance expectations, aesthetics and financial capacity when making the purchase. The best way to do this is to try on rings and see what budget variations mean in terms of outcomes. People with a modest budget should definitely look at diamond cluster designs. These are good for all budgets, but particularly when a budget is modest they give a ‘big’, impressive result.

What are some important things to remember when caring for your diamond?

Diamonds should be checked every six months or so to ensure the setting has not been damaged or the stones are loose. Cleaning should be done once a month, and a jeweller will ultrasound clean a ring for free – far more effective that the alternative of soapy water and an old toothbrush. Every year or two you should have your diamond ring machined polished on a jeweller’s bench. This will make it look brand new again, which can come as a shock.

 

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Tell us about the Charles Rose experience and how the team make the process of finding a ring, so wonderful.

Charles Rose are diamond specialists and so the level of advice and expertise is high. The firm carries a quality pret-a-porter range, however many customers opt for our bespoke service and have a ring designed and made to order. A large collection of loose diamonds are available so that all styles can be adapted to budget and expectation. Charles Rose jewellers can work directly with customers if they prefer, and it is possible to watch jewellery being made.

The techniques used by the Charles Rose master jewellers are old-school and include making the gold alloy on premises to ensure quality and consistency. Diamond setting is also completed in house, as is the complete design process. Rings are entirely crafted by hand, not just finished off.

The environment is highly professional and welcoming, without an expectation that the customer will or must purchase. Time is generously allocated to customers to allow them to savour the styles and learn about quality and practical issues.

High quality diamonds are a speciality and pricing is conservative, resulting in high value in the purchase. Feature gems are all internationally certificated and laser inscribed. The original international diamond-grading certificate is given with the purchase, together with a Charles Rose certificate of guarantee and warranty. The quality if fully guaranteed, and customers are given lifetime support in their purchase. The firm has been in operation for over 90 years so this is no idle promise.

Charles Rose design an exclusive, contemporary yet classical range of fine jewellery and boast three fine stores in central Melbourne and a fourth on the Bellarine Peninsula in Geelong.

 

See more about Charles Rose and their stunning range here, or visit a store today. Some happy Charles Rose customers have been featured in our real weddings, see the loved up glow of Natalie and Marcus, Julie and Stewart and Dani and Tim.

 

 

 




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