The Pear cut diamond, also known as the tear-drop cut was created using the best elements of both the Marquise and Oval shaped diamond cuts.

The Pear cut diamond ring is not as common as a Round or Princess cut diamond ring and is therefore a perfect option for those wanting something unique and different.

The team of expert Jewellers at Larsen Jewellery in Sydney and Melbourne can show you a selection of beautiful Pear cut diamonds to choose from, which you can then have set into your personally customised ring design.

It’s important to select Pear shaped diamonds based on the highest cut and symmetry grades to ensure the stone is as symmetrical as possible and demonstrates fire or ‘sparkle’.  Lower cut grades tend to show darkness in the centre of the stone which will in turn negatively affect even the most brilliant diamonds of the highest colour and clarity.

Another element to consider when choosing a Pear cut diamond is the width to length ratio. There is no ‘correct’ ratio but rather it is a matter of personal taste. The longer, narrower cuts can look fantastic in earrings and pendants; whereas the shorter and wider cuts are a wonderful choice for a Pear cut diamond ring or engagement ring.
 

Peridot is a precious lime green coloured gemstone. The most abundant source of this gemstone is Peridot Mesa, on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona. Other sources of Peridot can be found in Myanmar (Burma), Pakistan and China. One of the earliest documented Peridot deposits was discovered in ancient times, in Zebirget, Egypt. Peridot was also used in history to adorn medieval churches.

It is a form of the olivine mineral and forms under extreme heat and pressure, such as in volcanic rock during eruptions and more rarely in fallen meteors. Its colour scheme ranges from a yellow-green colour, to dark grass-green. Brown tinted variations are found, but are not as desirable.

Peridot gemstones smaller than three carats are affordable and easily sourced. Stones larger than this become significantly higher in value. Stones above ten carats are rare to find and are expensive, although they are reasonably affordable in comparison to most other gemstones of large carat size.

Peridot is vulnerable to temperature change and therefore should only be cleaned using dishwashing liquid and warm water.

The vivid green hues of Peridot gemstones are great for statement pieces such as dress rings and earrings. For more information, or to book an appointment to view a range of loose Peridot gemstones to suit your budget, please call Larsen Jewellery in Sydney on 02 9223 2006.
 

The most commonly used variations of this noun, meaning precious items of personal decoration, are jewellery and jewelry. The correct spelling in both Australian and British English is jewellery. In American English, the correct spelling is jewelry. Canadian English, on the other hand, uses both variations, with the most popular being jewellery.

Considering these differences, the singular noun jewel is spelled this way across all English dialects.  

If you are after a special item of jewellery, whether it be wedding rings, a gift for a loved one, or perhaps an engagement ring, Larsen Jewellery can assist you. We specialise in custom made designs, offering a lifetime guarantee and competitive workshop prices. Please call Larsen Jewellery in Sydney on 02 9223 2006.
 

Topaz is a beautiful gemstone and is usually found in shades of light yellow and brown. These shades are naturally occurring and are often sold under the name Golden Topaz.

These precious gems are a much more affordable alternative to coloured diamonds and are often used in fine jewellery.

One of the most common colours related to topaz is light blue, which is created through heat treatment. Most topaz, like the majority of coloured gemstones, are heat treated for colour enhancement. While these stones are less expensive than natural colours, they offer an excellent option for fine jewellery and can be quite affordable.

The most valuable variety of Topaz is Imperial Topaz, which shows tones of orange and red. Unfortunately, in some international markets Citrine is sold as Imperial Topaz as the stones are similar in colour. This practice is illegal and misleading.

Topaz is not an abundant mineral although it is found in numerous countries such as the USA, Sri Lanka, Russia and Mexico.

To care for Topaz stones, try to avoid knocking them as they are not resistant to physical trauma.

For more information, or to view a selection of beautiful Topaz gemstones, please call Larsen Jewellery in Sydney: 02 9223 2006. 
 

Conflict diamonds (also known as ‘blood diamonds’), are diamonds that are mined and traded through violent and illegal means. These diamonds are then sold to fund civil war and terrorism. The conflict diamond trade is a multi-billion dollar industry and millions of lives have been lost as a result. 

This illegal trade has fuelled brutality and war in places such as Sierra Leone, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC); where rebels and warmongers controlled civilians and breached human rights using weapons which were funded by the sale of conflict diamonds.

In 2003, the United Nations established an initiative to prevent diamond sales from funding violence. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) imposes requirements on participants to certify that shipments of rough diamonds are conflict-free. The purpose of the scheme is to prevent conflict diamonds from entering the market and being sold, which would in turn evaporate criminal funding. This initiative also protects individuals from unknowingly purchasing conflict diamonds.

Today, conflict diamonds are estimated to account for less than 1% of world diamond production.

Larsen Jewellery does not sell or deal with any suppliers who are, or may be, involved with conflict diamonds. Larsen Jewellery is also a proud member of the Jewellers Association of Australia and the Goldsmiths Guild of Australia.

To view any of our beautiful, conflict-free loose diamonds, please call Larsen Jewellery in Sydney: 02 9223 2006. 
 

Reported engagement ring specs from the world of celebrity.

Jennifer Lopez
Heart cut 6 carat pink diamond, framed with two white baguette diamonds on a platinum band. This famous engagement ring was given to J.Lo by Ben Affleck, sparking a worldwide desire for precious pink diamonds once Hollywood caught on to their exclusivity.

Heidi Klum
Oval cut 10 carat fancy yellow diamond, claw set with a canary yellow diamond pave set band, 2.5mm wide. Seal proposed with this unique choice, which he designed himself as a statement of his love for Heidi.

Beyonce Knowles
Emerald cut 18 carat flawless diamond, set in a Platinum metal band. This striking statement piece was given to Beyonce by Hip-Hop mogul, Jay-Z. There is nothing understated about this talented duo and the ring is a perfect representation of their expensive style.

Mariah Carey
Emerald cut 14 carat pink diamond, featuring one half-moon diamond on either side. The singing diva expects nothing but the best and is known for her expensive taste, so this stunning and unique choice is well suited to her personality and style.

Christina Aguilera
Round brilliant cut 5 carat diamond, with a channel set diamond band. This beautiful and classic design is a rather safe choice for an A-list celebrity; however this design will remain forever stylish. 

Kristin Cavallari
Square cut 5.2 carat diamond, with a four claw setting and a channel set diamond band. The diamond band is a lovely addition to the ‘wow factor’ of this modern design.

Katherine Heigl
Pear cut 3 carat diamond, with a pave set band diamond band in Platinum metal. A portion of the Platinum used in Katherine’s band came from her mother’s own engagement ring.

Have the diamond engagement ring of your dreams created for you by your own personal jeweller at Larsen Jewellery in Sydney and Melbourne.
 

A Pavé setting can be used to complement the centre stone of your engagement ring and is also a lovely choice for a ladies wedding ring. Pavé means paved in French and in jewellery terms can be understood to mean “paved with gemstones.”

Pavé is made up of many small gemstones, usually diamonds, which have been set closely together and separated only by tiny beads of metal. This setting maximizes the brilliance of the item, by eliminating any empty gaps between the stones and creating the illusion of a surface covered entirely in diamonds or gems.

This setting can be found in many types of jewellery and is most commonly used in white gold and platinum jewellery. These metals are ‘white’ in colour and therefore do not contrast with the white diamonds used; further enhancing the item aesthetically.

The cost of a Pavé diamond ring setting will depend on the quality and size of the diamonds used, in addition to the metal chosen. Pavé set engagement and wedding rings require attentive care due to the generous amount of exposed stones.

For more information on Pavé settings please call Larsen Jewellery in Sydney on 02 9223 2006.
 

Tourmaline gemstones can be used in an engagement ring to compliment the centre stone. The Larsen Jewellery team can show you a variety of engagement and diamond ring designs that would work well with these beautiful and precious gems.

Tourmaline has the largest colour range of any gemstone, with shades of pink and green being the most common. Some electric-blue shades of tourmaline, which are coloured by copper, are called Paraiba tourmaline; these are very rare and are the most highly valued of all. Another variation is Chrome tourmaline, which is intense green in colour due to the presence of chromium in the crystal. Many tourmaline gemstones can have two or more shades in the one stone. The most notable variety is watermelon tourmaline, which displays both pink and green shades and is reminiscent of the colours of watermelon, hence the name. Other alternative colour options are yellow or ‘golden’, orange, brown, purple, black or ‘schorl’ and colourless.
 

Princess Diana's ring is a fine example of how beautiful sapphire engagement rings can be.

Yellow sapphire is a lovely alternative to diamonds when choosing an engagement or wedding ring design. Larsen Jewellery can provide you with a wide range of yellow sapphire stones to choose from, which you can view in person at our Sydney and Melbourne design studios.

Yellow sapphire is renowned for its superb yellow colour; ranging from pale buttery shades, crisp citrus colours and ‘burnt’ yellow tones through to the highly valuable tones of golden sapphire. Yellow sapphire is predominantly mined in Australia and Sri Lanka, however in recent years yellow sapphire has increasingly been exported from some African countries. The Australian variety, particularly the mid-to-golden colours are considered the best quality available.

Since the late 90’s a treatment known as ‘Beryllium diffusion’ has been practiced. The treatment turns poorly coloured corundum into bright, vivid yellows and oranges and is notoriously difficult to detect. Beware of bright-coloured yellow or orange sapphires with prices that seem too good to be true. It is important to note that the sale of beryllium-diffused sapphire requires disclosure to the customer along all points of sale. High quality yellow sapphire should ideally be certified stating that no beryllium has been used with any heat treatment.