The Power of....

.... the Zodiac

Since ancient times gemstones have been considered lucky depending on their associations with the various signs of the constellations in the Zodiac. These are not necessarily the same gems associated with the months of the year, but because the days governed by the constellations overlap the month divisions, some similarities appear. The choice of res[ective gems foe each sign has varied through the ages, with Romans, early Christians, Medieval Jews and Arabs, primarily, all having their own preferred list. The selections below represent what many people believe to be lucky stones of the Zodiac today. The stanza of poetry relating to each one are from an old and anonymous rhyme.

AQUARIUS
* Januaru 21 to February 21*
GARNET
If you would cherish friendship true,
In Aquarius well yoy'll do
To wear this gem of warmest hue -
The garnet.

PISCES
*February 21 to March 21*
AMETHYEST
From passion and from care kept free
Shall Pisces' children ever be
Who wear so all the world may see
The amethyst.

AIRES
*March 21 to April 20*
BLOODSTONE
Who on this world of ours his eyes
In Aires opens shall be wise
If always on his hand there lies
A bloodstone.

TAURUS
*April 20 to May 21*
SAPPHIRE
If on your hand this stone you bind,
You in Taurus born will find
"Twill cure disesass of mind,
The sapphire.

GEMINI
*Mat 21 to June 21*
AGATE
Geminis's children health and wealth command,
And all the ills of age withstand,
Who wear their rings on either hand
Of agate.

CANCER
*June 21 to July 22*
EMERALD
If born in Cancer's sign, they say,
Your life will joyful be alway,
If you take with you on your way
An emerald.

LEO
* July 22 to 22 August*
ONYX
When youth to manhood shall have grown,
Under Leo lorn and lone
"Twill have lived but for this stone,
The onyx.

VIRGO
* August22 to September 22*
CARNELIAN
Success will bless whate'er you do,
Through Virgo's sign, if only you
Place on your hand her gem true,
Carnelian.

LIBRA
*September 22 to October 23*
CHRYSOLITE
Through Libra's sign it is quite well
To free yourself from evil spell,
For in her gem surcease doth dwell,
The chrysolite

SCORPIO
*October 23 to Noverber 21*
BERYL
Through Scorpio this gem so fair
Is that which every one should wear,
Or tears of sad repentence bear,-
The beryl.

SAGITTARIUS
* November 21 to December 21*
TOPAZ
Who first comes to this world below
Under Sagittarius should know
That their true gem should ever show
a topaz.

CAPRICORN
*December21 to January 21*
RUBY
Those who live in Capricorn
No trouble shall thier brows adorn
If they this glowing gem have worn,
The Ruby..

The POWER....

....months of the Year

In Poland, many years ago, a tradion grew up of designating particular gems as lucky for people born in month of the year. This belief probably evolved from the spiritual philosophies of the Jewish wanderers who found asylum in Poland, for the Poles absorbed much of these teachings into their culture.
Besides the gemstones for each month, two ages old poems are quoted in month order below, with a stanza of each divided out for its particular time.

JANUARY: GARNET
No gems save garnets should be worn
By her who in this is born;
They will insure her constancy,
True friendship and fidelity.

The gleaming garnet holds within its sway
Faith, constancy, and truth to one always.

FEBRUARY : AMETHYST
The February- born may find
Sincerity and peace of mind,
Freedom from passion and from care,
If she an amethyst will wear.

Let her an amethyst but cherish well,
And strife and care can never with her dwell.

MARCH : JASPER, BLOODSTONE
Who on this world of ours her eyes
In March first opens may be wise,
In days of peril firm and brave,
Wears she a bloodstone to her grave.

Who wears a jasper, be life short or long,
Will meet all dangers brave and wise and strong.

APRIL : DIAMOND
She who from April dates her years
Diamonds should wear, lest bitter tears
For vain repentance flow. This stone
Emblem of innocence is known.

Innonce, repentance - sun and ahower -
The Diamond or the sapphire is her dower.

MAY : EMERALD
Who first beholds the light of the day
In spring's sweet flow'ry month of May,
And wears an emerald all her life,
Shall be a loved and happy wife.

No happier wife and mother in the land
Than she with emerald shining on her hand.

JUNE : AGATE
Who comes with summer to this earth,
And owes to June her hour of birth,
With ring of agate on her hand
Can health, long life, and wealth command.

Thro' the moss-agate's charm, the happy years
Ne'er see June's golden sunshine turn to tears.

JULY : TURQUOISE
The heav'n-blue turquoise should adorn
All those who in July are born;
For those they'll be exempt and free
From love's doubts and anxiety.

No other gem than turquoise on her breast
Can to the loving, doubting heart bring rest.

AUGUST : CARNELIAN
Wear a carnelian or for thee
No conjugal felicity;
The August-born without this stone,
'Tis said, must live unloved, alone.

She, loving once and always, wear, if wise,
Carnelian - and her home is paradise.

SEPTEMBER : CHRYSOLITE
A maid born when September leaves
Are rusting in the autumn breeze,
A chrysolite on brow should bind -
"Twill cure diseases of the mind.

If Chrysolite upon her brow is laid,
Follies and dark delusions flee afraid.

OCTOBER : BERYL
October's child is born for woe,
And life's vicissitudes must know;
But lay a beryl on her breast,
And Hope will lull those woes to rest.

When fair October to her brings the beryl,
No longer need she fear misfortune's peril.

NOVEMBER : TOPAZ
Who first comes to this world below
With drear November's fog and snow
Should prize the topaz's amber hue-
Emblem of friends and lovers true.

Firm friendship is November's, and she bears
True love beneath the topaz that she wears.

DECEMBER : RUBY
If cold December give you birth-
The month of snow and ice and mirth-
Place on your hand a ruby true;
Success will bless whate'er you do.

December gives her fortune, love and fame
If amulet of rubies bear her name..

The POWER...

.....of Words

In France and England during the eighteen century, jewellery was often set with gems the first letters of which, combined, formed a motto or expressed a sentiment. Some of the more common ones appear below. In the sentimental late nineteenth century, this practice was repeated, and it is stiil used by romantics today.

AEI ( Greek for "Forever" or "Eternity" )
Alexandrite
Emerald
Indicolite (Blue Tourmaline)

AMITIE
Alexandrite
Moonstone
Indicolite
Topaz
Idocrase
Emerald

BONHEUR
Beryl
Opal
Nephrite
Hyacinth
Emerald
Uralian emerald
Ruby

CHARITY
Cat's eye
Hyacinth
Aquamarine
Ruby
Iolite
Tourmaline
Yellow sapphire

DEAREST
Diamond
Emerald
Alexandrite
Ruby
Essonite (Hessonite)
Sapphire
Turquoise

FAITH
Fire opal
Alexandrite
Iolite
Tourmaline
Hyacinth

FOREVER
Fire opal
Opal
Ruby
Emerald
Vermeille
Essonite
Rubellite

FRIENDSHIP
Feldspar
Rock crystal
Idocrase
Emerald
Nephrite
Diamond
Sard
Hematite
Olite
Pearl

GOOD LUCK
Garnet
Opal
Obsidian
Lapis lazuli
Cat's-eye
Kunzite

HOPE
Hyacinth
Opal
Pearl
Emerald

LOVE ME
Lapis lazuli
Opal
Vermeille
Emerald
Moonstone


MIZPAH
Moonstone
Indicolite
Zircon
Peridot
Asteria
Hyacinth

REGARD
Ruby
Emerald
Garnet
Amethyst
Diamond

SOUVENIR
Sapphire
Opal
Uralian emerald
Vermeille
Emerald
Nephrite
Iolite
Ruby

ZES ( Greek, "Mayest thou live" )
Zircon
Emerald
sapphire


DAYS of the Week.
Auspicious times for earing genstones grew out of various beliefs in their powers to do good, and so different gems were designed as lucky on particular days of the week, as follows:

Sunday .... Ruby
Monday.... Moonstone
Tuesday... Coral
Wednesday... Emerald
Thursday... Cat's-eye
Friday .... Diamond
Saturday... Sapphire.

...

POWER ....
.... of Seasons

It is believed that even the season played its role along with the gems to the mankind.
The natural characterastics of the individual stones has its effect on the related stones.

Seasons of the year.

Gems of Spring
Amethyst
Green diamond
Cheysoberyl
Spinel ( rubicelle )
Pink Topaz
Olivine ( peridot )
Emerald

Gems of Autumn
Hyacinth
Topaz
Sapphire
Jacinth
Cairngorm
Adamantine
Tourmaline
Oriental chrysolite

Gems of Summer
Zircon
Garnet ( demantoid )
Chrysoberyl ( Alexandrite )
Spinel
Pink Topaz
Ruby
Fire Opal

Gems of Winter
Diamond
Rock-crystal
White sapphire
Quartz
Moonstone
Labradorite


MEDICINE

Gem stones were believed to have natural healing power to human, so as to it, gem stones were worn for prevention of diseases and it was important that the different stones were worn on different parts of the body. According to one authority:
-the Jacinth should be worn on the Neck
-the Diamond should be worn on the Left arm
-the Sapphire should be worn on the Right finger
-the Ruby or Turquoise should be worn on the Index or little finger.

The indispensable materials which should be in every good pharmacy included the following gem stones:

Jacinth Coral
Sapphire Jasper
Emerald Topaz
Hemite Pearl

In the sixteenth century, the following gems were used in all tonics prescribed to pretect the haert against the effects of poison and the plague:
Sapphire Sardonyx
Ruby Emerald
Garnet Jacinth
Coral

In a German druggist's price list of 1757, the following gems appear:
1 pound rock-crystal, 6 groschen
1 pound ruby, 1 thaler
1 pound of emerald, 8 groschen
1 pound sapphire, 16 groschen
1 pound lapis-lazuli, 5 thalers

The Power ....
..... Rings

In prehistoric times rings were probably associated with the sun, which brings warmth, light and life to the earth. One of the oldest and most interesting talismanic rings is known as the NAORATNA, the "nine-stone" gem mentioned in old Hindu treatise on gems:
Manner of composing the setting of a ring:-

In the center - The Sun - The Ruby
To the East - Venus - The Diamond
To the Southeast - The moon - The Pearl
To the South - Mars - The Coral
To the Southwest - Rahu - The Jacinth
To the West - Saturn - The Sapphire
To the Northeast - Jupiter - - The Topaz
To the North - The Descending node - The Cat's Eye
To the Nortwest - Mercury - The Emerald.

Such is the planetary setting.

Later, rings were associated with the magic circle that a magician drew around himself when he summoned spirits and demons to do his bidding. a magic circle helped the magician control his unearthly assistants, just as the legendary Ring of Solomon enabled him to bind all the demons of the world to do his will.

The continuous round shape of a finger ring has continually signified eternity, for we pass through time to eternity. The breaking of of a finger ring was omnious. At an early time, people inscribed thier names on finger rings and soon found it was necessary to widen and thicken the part of the the ring to be so inscribed. This resulted in the formation of signet rings. in the fifteen century, the German writer Trithemius of Spandau suggested: "Make a ring of gold or silver. Cast it at the hour in the day in which you were born. Inscibed upon it the four letters of the Tetragrammaton. Place it upon the thumb of your left hand and at once you will be invisible." - ( The Tetragrammaton is the four letter unspeakable name of God, written "JHVH" and represented in English as "Jehovah" or "Yahweh". Among ancient Jews it was probably a pseudonym intended to keep knowledge of God's true nam,e from sorcers. In the Middle Ages it was believed to be the source of great power when inscibed on an amulet.)

Finger rings are perhaps the most popular of all amulets. Many people have believed in a connection between the ring and the wearer so that what happens to one affects the other. For many centuries English monarchs gave their faithful followers gold rings known as cramp rings and they were credited with curing mild and serious illness. The material from which a ring was made contributed to its power, whether gold, silver, iron, clay, bone, glass, or horn. it was a Medieval belief that when you, " dream that you have found a ring, great honour will come to thee"


COLOUR

The symbolism of colour played an important part in recommending particular stones for special purposes in jewellery. Red stone s were generally thought to be remedies for bleeding and inflammatory diseases, to provide a calming influence, and remove anger. Yellow stones were believed to cure bilious disorders and diseases of the liver. Green stones traditionally have been suggested to correct diseasesof the eyes. The blue stones both calmed spirits of darkness and brought the aid of light and ensured sure-footedness.

In the East of England, folk say;
Blue is true; red's brazen;
Yellow' jealous; white is love;
Green's forsaken; and black is death.


ELEMENTS
An old myth relates the offerings made by the four elements to the deity:
The Air offered a rainbow to form a halo about the gold;
The Fire offered a meteor to serve as a lamp;
The Earth offered a ruby to decorate the forehead;
The Sea offered a pearl to be worn upon the heart...

THE POWER THAT BE...

Great gems went with great people...
gems were the historic perfume of the rich and powerful...
history was about the rich and the powerful. The gems went along with it.... Only in the last few hundred years were they ( jewels ) considered a form of monetary exchange. For most of man's history they were considered to have magical powers.
--Richard B Sapir

The power which jewelry embodied and reflects about its wearers have been held important to man since primitive times. Anything bright and colourful found in the earth or sea was prized by early man, perhaps because possession of it set the person apart. The possessor could thereby assume powers over his peers and attribute them to the object. Or perhaps it was the object which bestowed its power to the possessor. Up to the present, jewelry has been an individual adornment quick to identify rank, authority, wealth and influence to both those who wear it, and, in its absence, to those who merely observe it.

Jet, shale, amber, ivory and shell are among those first materials used in the making of personal adornment. Frequent mention ofcertain gem stones in the Bible attest to the importance of them in early recorded history. The breastplate of the highest priest, for example, contained twelve stones of great value, each engraved with the name of one of the tribes of Israel. Persians, Indians, Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, and the now extinct civilizations in South America all held precious stones in high esteem with legengds concerning their method of formation and thier so-called "virtues".

The center of the ancient jewel trade was Alexandria where traders from Athens, Persia, Egypt and Rome gathered. The Romans learned to gather gems from Greek collections which they plundered and brought home. In turn, the Roman soldiers introduced the riches of the East to the West. Cleopatra reputedly entertained Caeser in a banquet hall with porphyry column, ivory porticoes, onxy pavement, thresholds of of tortoise set with emerald, furniture inlaid with yellow jasper, and couches studded with gems. Julius Caerser learned quickly. He collected many precious stones himself before he declare pearls prohibited from all below a certain rank and forbid any gems to be worn by unmarried women. Among the great Roman collections of old, those of Alexander the Great, Hadrian, Pompey and Augustus remain infamous. Still, the largest collections known are those of Indian princes. In the thirteen century, Marco Polo recorded previously unkown, and since unmatched, collections in India, China, Burma and Sri Lanka.

Many of these early collectors believed that precious gems actually lived and were capable of maturing or "ripening." Some thought that tropical heat was necessary for the full development of their forms, and in the seventeenth century Garcilaso de la Vega in South America wrote that emeralds "take their tinture from the natue of the soil from whence they are produced, ripening there with time like fruit in their proper season." It was also widely believed in these times that gems were capable of human feeling and passions so that they could express jealousy or shock. For example, as will be seen in the individuals sections which follow follows in this note, pearls, diamonds, coral, emeralds, and other stones were believed to anticipate the future, respond to their owners'state of health, and express feelings so that they took on the properties of fetishes.

These and the other gems have been credited with occult powers since ancient times. They were first, perhaps, worn as amulets, and later as ornaments. Many astrologers and students of ancient teachings believe that each stone has its own personality and attributes. Rambam, the great Maimonides, on the other hand, wrote that, "there is no wisdom in a stone, for it is not the property of objects to be wise. . . the only value in adiamond or in ant other gem is what man places onit. Otherwise it is no different from the pebble underfoot. astone can no more make a person wise than it can make him good. A stone has no will of its own, much less power to act on it" Maimonidaes further illustrated his point by asking if a one carat diamond made a persbn somewhat bright and a ten carat diamond made him a genius.

People believed these things about stones because life was just too powerful and terrifying without them. people have known since early ages that the great and terrifying things of life are always beyond the absolute control of man.

Necklaces
Among the most ancient forms of jewelry is the is the necklace, for very old beads of pebbles, bone and shell are known from the earliest to mankind. Stone Age teeth strung together into necklaces have been found in cave deposits. since then, each civilization has contributed its forms of ornamental and revered neckwear. Egyptian necklaces of gold and gem stones from around 2000 B.C. show rounded and polished gems. greek and Roman strings of beads include the liberal use of agate and ,ore elaborate settings. As new sources of different gems became known , their appearance in the highest levels of societies are seen at each age...

The Gift of LOVE

Finally became the POWER of LOVE

Across the WORLD...

.....the 21st Century

Despite the abundance of diamonds in certain parts of the East, surprisingly little is know about their introduction to Asia. Based on archeological research, as early as the seventh or eight century BC diamonds were mined in India. They entered China through the Western regions and were referred as "the blade that cuts jade." According to Chinese belief at the time, "Diamonds are worn by foreigners and it is said that they can avert evil airs".


China - Diamond Ring ( 265 - 316 BC ).

In 1975, at Nanking's Hsiang Shan, a group of tombs containing local aristocrats from the late Western Chin were uncovred. among the objects found was adiamond ring. The diamond, about 1 - 2mm in diameter, is in its natural crystalline structure and was mounted with the tip of the pyramid facing ourwards. The plain ring band has a square hole of about 4mm in length in which the diamond was set.
Indonesian tradional Court Ring.

This ring, dating back to the mid - 1800's, is typical of the Central Jawanese courts. It features a large, table-cut diamond set in a silver bezel. The band itself is 22K gold and was probably worn or given as a form of ornament, as the Western concept of betrothal rings did not appear in Indonesia until the mid-1900's


Indonesian Tradional Sumatran Ring.

This beautifully crafted tradional ring is from the province of Acheh in Northern Sumatra. it features three large rose-cut diamond skins set in 18K gold. The ring is around 200 years old and was probably passed on through the gernerations of a particular Sumatran noble family.

Malaysian Studded Diamond Ring.

This solidly crafted ring with its linear shape is studded with 7 pieces of diamond skins. The ring originated in Malaysia's Kelantan region where the vast majority of specialist craftmen were once located. This ring was ordered as one of a pair, the other with a different design. The two rings were worn on differentfingers at the same time by the owner. The ring weighs 6.9 grammes and is 2mm high.




Malaysian 'Moon And Star' Ring.

This ring of 20K yellow gold is an exquisite example of craftmanship also frm Kelantan. The ring once belonged to one of the Malaysia's royal families. Its uniqye astrological design, featuring the Moon and Star is typically in keeping with the beliefs of its Muslim owner. The ring weighs 55 grammes and stands 2mm high.

The 4C'S

Today's diamond is judged by four dintinct factors that combine in a number if ways to arrive its value. These are called the 4C's.

CARAT WEIGHT
As with all precious stones, the weight - and therefore the size-of a diamond is expressed in carats. The word carat originated in a natural unit of weight: the seed of the carob tree. Diamonds were traditionally weighed against these seeds until the system was standardised and one carat fixed at 0.2grams ( one fifth of a gram). One carat is divided into 100 "points" so that a diamond of 25 points is descibed as quarter of a carat or 0.25 carats.

CLARITY
Almost all diamonds contain minute trace of non-crystallised carbon, the element from which they were born. Most are not discernible to the naked eye require magnification to become apparent. Called inclusion, they are nature's finger print and nake every diamond unique. However, the fewer there are, the rarer the stone will be.

COLOUR
Diamonds can cover the entire spectrum of colours; the majority range from those with a barely perceptible yellow or brownish tint, up to those that are very rare and are descibed as colourless. Some even rarer stones are naturally coloured and are often refferd to as Fancies. These diamonds are only found very occasionally and come in tints such as green, pink, blue or amber.

CUT
Of all the 4C's, cut is the one most directly inflenced by man. The other three are dictated by nature. The cut or make of a diamond will dramatically influence its fire and sparkle. and it is the skill of the cutter that has most dramatically affected our perception of the diamond.


HOW A DIAMOND HANDLES LIGHT

The cut enables a diamond to make the best use of light.

1. When a diamond is cut to good proportions, light is reflected from one facet to another and then dispersed through the top of the stone.

2. If the cut of the diamond is too deep, some light escapes through the opposite side of the pavilion.

3. If the cut is too shallow, light escapes through the pavilion before it can be reflected.


DIFFERENT DIAMOND CUTS




1 . The Round Brilliant.
Throughtout history, the shape of a finished diamond has taken many provocative and seductive forms.
Such as the curvaceous Oval. The symmetrical Emerald. The delicate Pear. The bold Square. The elegant Marquise.
Diamond shapes that take the world's most treasured stone beyond the more tradional round Brilliant.
Feast your eyes on the Seductive Shape Diamonds that have captured the heartd of men and women through the ages.
Admire the fire. Thrill to their colourful history. Behold their distinctive silhouette.
Bearing in mind that diamonds come in all sizes and carat weights to suit your individual desires.

2. The Oval
The Oval shape diamond is distinctive for its feminine shape. A slightly elongated form, the Oval gives off a sparkling, "twinkling" appearance,catching and reflecting light from all directions.
The resurjence of more feminine fashions makes the Oval a natural choise for today's sophisicated women. one of the world's most famous Oval shape diamonds is the " Koh-i-Noor" from India which resides in the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London.

3. The Marquise
One of the most elegant diamond shapes is the Marquise.
The shape is oblong and characterised by pinpoint flashes of fiery brilliance that comes to a point on both ends. this shape is often used as a centre stone, mixing ovals and rounds as accent stones in contemporary mountings.
It was named after the exquisite Madame de Pompadour, renowned marquise, duchess and mistress of King Louis XV.

4. The Heart Shape
The Heart shape is one of the most distinctive shape among all the shape, because of the shape resembles heart, the place where the flower of LOVE blooms.
Rings with this diamond dignifys the most well renown Royal Engagements and Royal Weddings. It is also believed that when Heart shaped diamond is presented, the wearer will feel the electrifying love straight to the heart.

5. The Emerald Cut
One of the more dictinctive diamond shape ever, the Emerald shape diamond emphasises the transparent beauty of the stone.
rectangular in outline, its four corners and left right symmetry make to symbol of discipline and order. In 1949, King Farouk of Egypt bought the famous Jonker Diamond an exquiste example of an Emerald shape.
In 1952, he exiled and the whereabouts of this diamond remain a mystery.

6. The Pear Shape.
The Pear shape diamond is distinctive for its feminine shape. The delicay not only in the shape but also in the look. The extraordinary fire sparkling and brilliance that comes at the point.
This diamond often used as centre stone and the shoulders of the ring with small round brilliant to give supportive sparklings.



THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIAMOND CUTTING

The above illustrates the othordox cutting which known as the Old European Cut. Which did not get the real fire and brilliance until they have the following;


The above is the modern brilliant cut with 58 Facets, whereby, the cut never went too deep or too shallow. In these cutting the culex is carefuuly taken care to enhance the ultimate sparkle to reflect the full fire and the brilliance.



The above is the modern setting which gives exclusiveness to the wearer.

The Gift of LOVE...
...20th Century.

".... the first yellow beam of the sun struck through the innumerable prism of an immense and exquisitely chiselled diamond - and a white radiance was kindled."

When Scott Fitzgerald wrote 'The Diamond As Big As The Ritz', he had no lack of inspiration. For his century, this century, is the one in which the diamond reached its full potential. Modern cutting and polishing techniques were able to release the full beauty of a stone so that white light radiated like a beacon from each of its facets. Modern materials liberated the diamond from old-style settings, opening up fresh new vista for 20th century craftsmen.

Around 1900, platinum was universally adopted. With its brilliant untarnishable whiteness, its durability and strentgh, platinum, has been dubbed the 'metal of Heaven'. With the unique resources of platinum to hand, the jeweller was able to reduce the ring setting dramatically. The design concerntrated more and more on the stone; the setting was reduced to a skeletal frame; decorative metaphors became secondary. The diamond itself was all the symbolism required.

Cuts became monuments of mathematical perfection: emerald, square, rectangular, pear and navette; set as solitaires, or in clusters. For the modern millionairess, a large solitaire - either coloured or white, or a colouerd diamond between two white stone - would be the fashionable choice.

"Square-cut or pear-shape, These rocks don't lose their shape" .... diamonds have always been girl's best friend.

When the Round Brilliant shape cerished fame - the discovery of new materials, such as platinum, combined with more sophisticated diamond cutting techniques have opened up new vistas for diamonds and the 20th century craftsmen. Reducing the setting to a skeletal fram allows the light to reach every ones of the diamond's 58 facets, producing the maximum fire and brilliance. In about 1890 Tiffany's of New York developed this universal setting. The large centre stone with baguette diamond shoulders has become a 20th century classic.

Along with the fame by the round brilliant cut, cherished fame in the 20th century the diamond polisher has found the perfect mathematical propotions for producing stones of dazzling fire and brilliance. A classic round brilliant stone will have 58 facets, each onr polished by hand.

This classic cut has been adapted to give us even more in choice in the shape of our diamonds - heart, pear, marquise and princess cuts, to mention but a few, all sparkle with polished precision.

The above illustrate, the glorious rings for today's bride, Around brilliant solitaire with baguette shoulders, A solitaire heart, a large pear with further pear cut diamonds on each shoulder, and a square-shaped stone with a princess cut.

Tempting designs appeared in the catalogues and advertisments of all the great house; Harry Winston, the American jeweller; Tiffany; Boucheron; Cartier - first with baguette-cut diamonds in geometric outline. These and others made rich use of modern materials and techniques.

The imaginative skills of 20th century designers continue to delight lovers with exquisite new ways of presenting these romantic stones. As recently as 1981, the German manufacturer Niessing invented the platinum tension set ring; here the diamond is poised, magically suspended as it were, between the two halves of the hoop.


Niessing and the Platinum Tension setting in April 1981, Niessing, in Germany, invented a brilliant new method of revealing the diamond in all its glory. Platinum has the unique ability of holding incredible tensions and the stone is literally suspended in a slit in the shank anfd held in the platinum's vice-like grip.

The Queen Victoria was not the only monarch to be presented with an historic diamond. In 1905 the Cullinan was discovered. Twice the size of any diamond yet found, this remarkable stone was handed, in its rough form, to king Edward VII, who took a great personal interest in the cutting of the Cullinan. This heart-stopping feat was performed by Joseph Asscher in Amsterdam on 10th February, 1908 at 2.45 p.m. precisely. The poor man fainted at 2.46 - as the cleaving blade broke. The 9 major stones cut from the Cullinan are part of the Royal Collection today. The third and the fourth largest stones are often worn by Queen as a brooch and are called, affectionately, "Granny's chips".

The present Queen has the loveliest of diamond betrothal rings. This ring was personally designed for her by Prince Philip. Theheirloom stones came from her mother, Princess Andrew of Greece. The platinum ring is set with eleven diamonds, a central solitaire of three carats, and five smaller stones on each shoulders.

Nancy Mitford once observed that, "the diamond is a stone possessed for the female mind, however unsophisicated, of curious psychological attributes", and she compared its magic with a love potion. Even in the modern world, the love potion of diamonds continues to work its magic for all.


The fashionable solitaire has now become the most popular pledge of marriage. Diamonds are no longer only for royalty or the very rich. They have now become more accessible as an everlasting promise of love.

Whatever the flux and flow of jewellery fashion, the diamond engagement ring is still, unassailably, the most desired sign of love for the 20th century bride.... "Ryches be unstabl And beauty will dekay, But faithful love will ever last Till daeth dryve it away."

Despite today's modern scepticism over the magical powers of precious stones, the diamond - intrinsically the greatest and most beautiful of gems - will always be, in its shining of the union of two people in love.


Grace Kelly - Only five days after meeting Prince Rainier for the second time Grace Kelly confessed to her mother that she was ' very much in love'. He presented her with a 12 carat emerald-cut diamond solitaire and a few months later their fairytale romance was sealed by a civil marriage. The following day there was a full nuptial mass held in the Catherdral in Monacco.

Elizabeth Taylor - The Name of Elizabeth Taylor has become synonymous with diamonds. Many of them were bought for her by Richard Burton during their long and eventful romance.


Queen Elizabeth II - Princess Elizabeth arrived at Westminister Abbey looking like a "Fairy Queen". The glamour and romance of her wedding was like a ray of sunshine after the war.

She was given many beautiful diamonds when she married but most precious must have been her engagement ring.

A large solitaire diamond supported by diamond shoulders was made with heirloom stones from a tiara of Prince Philip's mother. The remaining stones were transformed into a bracelet.

The above ring - for 20th century engagement rings the symbolism in the design of the mount has largely disappeared. All the romantic associations are now represented in th stone; the diamond itself has now become the ultimate symbol of LOVE....

The Gift of Love...

...the 19th Century.

The ceuntury opened with woman, demure and decorative, fragile and revered, well established upon her pedestal. Queen Victoria painted by Franz Xavier Winterhalter on her wedding day. "I wore a satin gown with a very deep flounce of Honiton lace, imitation of old. I wore my Turkish diamond necklace and earrings, and Albert's beautiful sapphire brooch." recorded Queen Victoria in her journal on Monday,10th February, 1840. The jewellery matched her idealised status... pretty, feminine, sentimental. Symbols of love, hearts, crowns, flowers, followed her from the previous century. So too did the memorial ring. Portrait rings carried the loved one's likeness, executed in exquisite details. Hidden in lockets, brooches and rings, were locks of hair, lovers' or childrens', which were tenderly cherished.

But alongside this delicate and appealing jewellery of sentiment, jewellery had an important role as a status sybol in the 19th century society.

The Industrial Revolution made money for many. The successful businessman showed off this newly accquired wealth in public by loading his wife with jewellery.

Diamonds became increasingly sought after. In 1870 supply met demand with the great discovery of diamond mines on the African continent. At a stroke, the status symbol of the diamond became accessible to a far wider public. For more and more young couples a diamond engaggement ring, usually a solitaire or a combination of several smaller stones, was first choice.

By this time it was established that a bride could expect two rings: a gem-set engagement ring, and the actual wedding ring which, in Victorian times, was no more than a slim gold band. Trade catalogues of the time show the immense variety of designs available, some for as little as 2 pound. These are solitaires, half hoops, double or single clusters, fan, panel, navette, cross-over or 2-part designs such 'Toi et Moi'. The brilliant cut was dominant. Peruzzi, a Venetian cutter, is attributed with inventing the first version of this 58-facet cut; but only in the 19th century was the brilliance and power of the diamond fully revealed.

The rich new supply of rough diamonds influence design, emphasis passed from the setting to the stone itself. The single, immaculate diamond became the height of fashion... and the revolutionary new Tiffany mount made this more feasible than than ever before.

Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning's Diamond Engagement Ring perhaps Robert Browning was thinking of this ring when he wrote these words:

"... on the finger which outvied Still by fancy's eye described, In token of marriage rare: For him on earth, his art's despair, For him in heaven, his soul's fit bride."

Lines 286-291 of "James Lee's Wife" from Robert Browning's Dramatis Personae."

The sentiment expressed by the 18th century style of acrowned diamond heart continued to appeal to lovers in the early Victorian period. This ring was chosen for the romantic marriage between the poets Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning in 1846. After their marriage they moved to the Casa Guidi in Florence, Italy.

Tiffany, the famous New York jewellers, invented a dramatic open setting with plain metal band, where the stone is suspended by 6 tiny platinum claws or prongs, platinum having the exceptional property of great strength even when finely worked. This setting allows the fullest play of light to the exposed stone from each facets. Unlike the ols-style setting covering all but the face of the stone, where flaws could pass undetected, the Tiffany mount was a fine means test of a diamond's quality, giving the cut, colour and clarity a new importance.

Throughout this prosperous century, no-one enjoyed jewellery more than Queen Victoria. She had an immense collection and spent many thousands of pounds with her Court jewellers, Garrard. In 1850, her collection was crowned by the Koh-i-Noor ('Mountain of Light'), then the world's largest diamond, a gift from the East India Company.

Possibly one of Queen Victoria's favourite piece was a simple enamel band set with a single diamond, given her by her beloved Albert four years before they married. Later, for her official engagement ring, Queen Victoria chose something less demure - a snake ring. Snake rings were favourite 19th century symbol. The coils, would round into a circle, symbolised eternity. Superior versions had diamond heads and eyes.

The 19th century saw far-reaching changes in jewellery design. First, dedicate and imaginative sentiment ruled. In the 1860's the docile woman on the pedestal stepped down in favour of the vote, education, and the new freedom; jewellery corresponding became large, bold and assertive. At the close of the century, a romantic free-thinking spirit emerged and Art Nouveau brought a fluid delicay back to design.

Throughout all the changes, the vivid beauty and indestructibility of the diamond ring continued to be the ultimate symbol of love and hapiness.

Inn addition to the use of the keeper ring to hold the diamond rings, the brilliant diamond cluster enhanced by the mazarine blue ground, neatly bordered with white enamel. The compact shape and broad hoop indicate that this ring dates from the early 19th century.

There are also beautiful band of graded diamonds is typical of jewellery fashionable at this time. Sadly, this particular example is a memeorial ring for Admiral Frank Sotheron who died in 1839 but the rings of similar design would have been used for betrothals and weddings.

To add to the famous rings during this century; the ring with symbol of hands holding a heart continued to appeal well into this century. The heart in this ring is set with a clear and brilliant diamond and the mitre shaped crown surmounting it indicates a Russian origin. Two beautiful hands gloved in diamonds present it to our view.

Portraits of loved one have been treasured token for many centuries, for example Henry VIII sent his miniature to Anne Boleyn with the message:

"I send you the thing which comes nearest that is possible, that is to say my picture..."

This ring shows a delicate portrait of a very sweet lady beneath a large flat diamond. It is likely that the central part dates from the 18th century and was enlarged in the 19th century by the outer circle of large brilliant, sparkling diamonds, to suit the fashion of time.

There were also the rings that were with the hoop broadened out to a wide bezel pave set with rose-cut diamonds in silver collets, as early as the 19th century.

The Gift of LOVE...

...the 18th Century

A Gretna Green Wedding - A contemporary engraving in 1791 shows a hapless couple, marrying in haste, in less than salubrious circumstances. rush rings, of course, lasted about as long as the relationship.

"I'll crown thee with a garland of straw,

And I'll marry thee with a rush ring."

The use of rush rings to celebrate an alliance between a couple was mainly confined to improper liaisons. Just as the diamond is the symbol of performance so the rush ring was as fleeting as the union it blessed. But, for the wealthy and wise, the 18th century provided a sparkling galaxy of betrothal ans wedding rings.

The discovery of diamonds in Brazil increased the supply dramatically; diamond jewellery became the chief concern of the jeweller. At the same time, improved candle-lighting meant that more social events could take place at night, when these sparkling stones could be seen at the their best. Evey fashionable lady liked to appear with her fingers glittering with diamonds, both white and coloured. No other gem-stone had the charisma of the diamond, and so diamonds became a woman's favourite accomplice in society.

To meet the desire for sparkle, polishing techniques were again improved and rose cuts were superseded by the round brilliant. Settings were cut down to reveal more of the diamonds; and, to further expose the diamond's white sparkle, diamonds were set in silver to enhance their whiteness and brightness. In the same way, the old technique of lining settings with coloured metal foil was still used to emphasise other stones: red for a ruby, green for emerald. From about 1760, the backs of the rings were lined with gold to prevent tarnish rubbing off on a lady's finger.

By the mid-18th century, the light-hearted rocco spirit influenced design. Now that coloured as well as white diamonds were acceptable, the stones became more more and more the focus of elaborate design. There were many variants of the heart motif, set with both white and coloured diamonds, transfixed by arrows, twinned and crowned, or tied with a lover's knot.



The late 18th century lady took great delight in showing off her delicate and clever little rings to her friends. In this example the word 'AMITE' (friendship) is set with small rose-cut diamonds. An endering messege from an admirer.

Set in silver the letters give the diamonsd a spark-ling whiteness. Each letter is mounted on a band of the thinnest gold, riveted at the base. The ring fans out when pulled open, and closes again to deliver its harmonious messege.

From the 1770's such emblems were replaced by loving declarations spelt out in diamond letters - SOUVENIR, AMITIE, AMOUR - on flat, dark blue enamelled bezels framed in pearls or rose-cut diamonds. There was also an ingenius extension of the gimmel principle were each letter was attached to a separate hoop which all came together to form one ring.

Pretty, delicate, colourful, feminine jewellry of this kind was the perfect expession of the elegant and refind taste of the period. Rings symbolic of love were treasured, and none more than the betrothal ring. Keeper rings, the forerunner of today's diamond eternity rings, made to be worn above the precious rings, became popular. To safeguard her wedding ring, Queen Charlotte placed a diamond keeper next to it on her finger. This keeper ring is still at Windsor Castle. Sentiment was not confined to fine ladies. The great lexicographer, Dr. Samuel Johnson, defined a ring in his dictionary as: a circular instrument placed upon the noses of hogs and the fingers of women to restrain them and bring them into subjection." All the same, after his wife's death, the devoted Dr. Johnson kept fer wedding ring in a box bearing the following insciption:

"Eheu! Eliza Johnson, Nupta July 9

1736, Mortua, eheu! Mar. 17, 1752."

In this century, the posy ring changed character. Instead of being hidden in the hoop, the inscirptions were decoratively enamelled on tn the outside - the sentiments suggesting light-hearted felivities rather than bsolemn intent. (Ironically, the Romantic motto "San peur" was the choice married Lord Byron inn 1815.) The enchanting history of the posy ring finally ended with the Wedding Ring Act which, by making full hall-marking compulsary, banished the space needed for inscriptions.

The 17th century symbol of the heart crowned, as reward for faithful love, has been brought up-to-date by the mid 18th century jeweller. The heart-shaped bezel is set with a pear-shaped diamond, and diamonds embellish shoulder.


There are many versions of the popular theme of crowned heart in the 18th century, and in this example the diamond for endurance is twinned with an emerald to give the stones an addaed brilliance. To seal the betrothal pledge the hearts are bound together and crowned with diamonds.


To protect her precious wedding ring ring Queen Charlotte wore a "keepr" or diamond hoop. A copy is above shown here with a more modest 18th century ring with diamond set in silver and mounted on a gold hoop. The silver does not challenge the whiteness of the diamonds but the gold protects the figure from tarnish.

The Gift of LOVE...

...the 17th Century

The technical skills of Renaissance goldsmiths now produced a new stlye of marriage ring, the gimmel (from the Latin 'gemalli' - twins). The gimmel, or twin ring, has two hoops, sometimes three, fanning open from a pivot at the base. When shut, the hoops slide together so perfectly that only a single ring can be seen. This symbolic allusion to marriage was further emphasised by an inscription on hoop taken from the marriage service: "WHOM GOD HAS JOINED TOGETHER LET NO MAN PUT ASUNDER." Martin Luther married Catherine Bora 1525 with just such an inscribed gimmel ring at Amsdoff's House in Wittenberg .

At a dintinct remove from this kind of sentiment, a sharp, pointed diamond in a ring was much coverted for writing on glass. This whimsical form of flirtation was enjoyed by many of nobility, including Elixabeth I who exchanged crytic words on a window pane with Sir Walter Raleigh:

"Fain would I rise, but that I fear to fall"

To which Elizabeth scratched this reply:

" If thy heart fail thee, Do not rise at all."

Althogh the diamond enjoyed high esteem in the 16th century, even more of its beauty was revealed in the next.

Around 1600, the gimmel merged with another romantic symbol, the two clasped hands of the fede ( Italian for 'faith' ). The entwined gimmel hoops ended in hands which, when the ring was closed, joined together. To these symbols was added a third, the heart. In especially eloborate rings a pair of enamelled hands embrace a large diamond heart.

Other 17 century rings are ornamented with hearts aflamed with desire, pierced by Cupid's arrows crowned as fidelity's just reward held in a single hand, or clasped in a pair of hands. These designs were set with rose and table-cut diamonds. Gustavos Adolphus of Sweden gave his sweetheart Ebba Brahe, an exquisite ruby heart encircled with diamonds as a love ring.

In complete contrast, to this atmosphere in which romantic symbols were fashionable, the Puritans, reacting against Church ritual, tried hard to have wedding ring abolished. They were not successful.

Although posy rings enamelled with sprays of flowers with the inscriptions inside the hoops were most often used for 17th century weddings, diamond marriage rings still had great appeal. At the proxy marriage of Mary of Modena with James 2nd in 1673, a large diamond, probably rose-cut was placed on the fifteen-year-old bride's finger. When their son, James Stuart (the old Pretender to the English Throne) married the Polish princess Clementina Sobiska in Italy, 1719, the same ring was used at the ceremony.

17th century wedding rings were often worn on the thumb although during the wedding service the requisite fourth finger was used. This custom of placing the ring on the fourth finger stands from the preist in the Christian wedding service touching three fingers of the left hand with the ring: "In the name of the Father...Son...and Holy Ghost," ending with the ring on the fourth finger.

A more romantic legend has it that vein from the fourth finger leads directly to the heart, seat of love.

In 1668, we find Samuel Pepys writing that his aunt is "mighty proud of her wedding ring lately set with diamond." The loquacious Samuel also records that posy rings were still a firmly established wedding custom-noting that while the roast lamb was cooking, his family passed the time woking out the poem for Roger Pepy's wedding ring.

Much thought was given to the composition of this posies. Some reflect the strict morality of their Puritan influence were weighty religious aspirations:

"Pray God make us such a pair

As Isaac and Rebecca were."

But many more have charm and wit:

"Love him who give thee

This ring of gold ,

For he must kiss thee

When thou art old."

Relatively, quiet sparkle of the 17th century diamond ring, the clusters of small stones table or rose-cut rimmed in gold and enamelled in black or blue with white highlights, have a gentle beauty and dignity which makes love rings from this period especially attaractive.