FAQ
JEWELLERY
What are the differences between the various gold types?
There many differences between golds. You will see gold that is all different carats, ranging from:
- 24ct -Fine/Pure Gold
- 22ct - Most commonly seen in Asian countries
- 18ct - Very common for engagement rings in Australia
- 14ct - Very common in USA
- 9ct - commonly used in cheaper jewellery for dress rings, necklaces, bracelets etc
The other consideration is the colour of gold:
- Yellow Gold
- White Gold
- Rose Gold or Rose Gold
What is handmade jewellery? Do you custom-make jewelleries?
Handmade jewellery is a fine skill that a master jeweller possess. This process is where the jeweller will use an ingot of gold (bar of gold) and forge, roll and bend the metal to process the jewellery by hand. This is by far the best way to have jewellery made as long as you are dealing with a true craftsman that has a passion for creating jewellery. In this process you can have more control with producing a quality product whilst work hardening the metals so that they last a lifetime.
The other method is to CAD Cast the jewellery at a mass production level which quality control is hard to maintain at a high standard.
Have you ever wondered why your grandmother's rings are still in good condition? That is because they have been handcrafted by a master jeweller.
How much does custom jewellery cost?
Having a custom piece of jewellery does cost a fraction more than your typical mass production jewellery. Depending on the design and materials we use will impact on the cost of having it crafted to perfection.
How long does it take?
Normally here at Troy clancy Jewellery we require anywhere from 2 -6 weeks to make your jewellery for you. This depends on the complexity of the piece.
What if I don't know the ring size?
That is perfectly ok. We usually can have a very good guess at the size of the ring based on the description you give us about your loved one. Or if you could borrow a ring of hers, even for another finger, we can determine the size from that. All of our rings can always be resized afterwards and we offer a 24hour turn around for this so she can enjoy her ring immediately.
Can I use my own Gold?
Yes you can. We would just need to test the gold content to be sure that the gold is reusable.
Can I use my own Gemstones?
Yes you can. We will need to check all gemstones before committing to use them.
What Metals do you work in?
We love to work with all metals :-)
- Platinum
- 18ct Yellow Gold
- 18ct White Gold
- 18ct Rose Gold
- 9ct Yellow Gold
- 9ct White Gold
- 9ct Rose Gold
- Sterling Silver
Is Custom work more costly than ready made jewellery?
This really depends on the design and materials needed to create your masterpiece.
If I am having my goods shipped, do I pay customs duty & tax?
This really depends on the country you live in. If we are exporting from Australia there is no Tax payable here in Australia. However you will need to check with your customs department for entry into your country.
How do I pay for my desired purchase?
We accept the following payment methods:
- Visa
- Mastercard
- PayPal
- Direct Transfer
How long does it normally take to receive my purchase?
We will give a quoted time for delivery, once we have reviewed your design.
DIAMONDS
What is a diamond?
Technically, a diamond is an element of carbon. Within a diamond, the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. This means that the carbon atoms essentially expands outward at the same rate in all directions during its initial growth.
Because of its structure, a diamond can be contaminated by very few imperfections (or inclusions), caused from different elements of boron or nitrogen. This is combined with its tendency to be transparent, which results in the colourless, clear appearance of most diamonds. Blue diamonds come from boron inclusions, yellow diamonds from nitrogen inclusions, brown diamonds from lattice defects, and green diamonds from exposure to radiation.
A diamond is the hardest naturally occurring material on Earth. Diamonds are also a lot rarer than gold. About 175,000 tonnes of gold have been mined in all of human history, while only around 500 tonnes of diamonds have been mined in the same amount of time.
Where do white diamonds come from?
Natural jewellery quality diamonds are mined in approximately 25 countries across five continents. However, Africa, Russia, and Canada account for more than 90% of the world’s natural gem-quality diamond production. Combined production in these three locations exceeds 80 million carats of gem-quality diamonds per year, which is equal to almost 17 metric tonnes of diamonds. Africa accounts for more than 50% of the global diamond mining industry, with majority of the diamonds mined in just four countries: Botswana, Angola, South Africa, and Congo.
Australia, Russia and Congo are the largest producers of industrial quality diamonds, mining 60 million carats per year (or 75% of the global non-synthetic production).
What are the 4C’s?
Every diamond is a miracle of time and place and chance. Like snowflakes, no two are exactly alike.
Until the middle of the twentieth century, there was no agreed-upon standard by which diamonds could be judged. GIA created the first, and now globally accepted standard for describing diamonds: Colour, Clarity, Cut, and Carat Weight. Today, the 4Cs of Diamond Quality is the universal method for assessing the quality of any diamond, anywhere in the world.
The creation of the Diamond 4Cs meant two very important things: diamond quality could be communicated in a universal language, and diamond customers could now know exactly what they were about to purchase.
(Ref: GIA http://www.4cs.gia.edu/EN-US/index.htm )
What is an "Ideal Cut"?
A Ideal Cut diamond is term that Diamond merchants and jewellers use to grade the diamond for its cutting proportions. The Accredited Gem Appraisers (AGA) have scientifically calculated the correct cutting percentages to create maximum sparkle of the diamond.Those proportions are: http://www.troyclancy.com.au/education/diamond-charts.html
How does a diamond get from the mines to the stores?
We source all our diamonds from De Beers Cut and polishing houses. De Beers mine the diamonds and only do business with 72 companies called sightholders. Those sightholders purchase the rough diamonds and take them to their factories for cutting and polishing. Once the diamonds have been cut into jewellery quality diamonds they send those diamonds to diamond laboratories for grading. Once the diamond has been graded and a certification report has been produced we then will purchase our diamonds from the sightholders direct.
What is the difference between a "certified diamond" and a "non-certified diamond"?
The difference is huge! If you are purchasing a diamond that has been graded by a diamond laboratory like GIA, then you can be assured that what the jewellery store is offering you is exactly what they say it is. If you are about to consider buying a non-certified diamond. Then chances are you will be paying an inflated price for a diamond that is graded by someone at that jewellery store, giving you the only option but to trust that jeweller that they have graded the diamond correctly. But more often than not they will make out that the diamond is a far better quality diamond then it really is and charge you a considerable amount of money for that.
What's a karat? What's the difference between karat and carat?
Karat or Carat are exactly the same thing. It refers to the carat of the gold and also the weight of a particular gemstone. Depending on the country you live in you may spell it differently.
Is it safe to receive a diamond in the mail?
This all depends on the level of trust that you have with the company you are dealing with to send you what you are believed you are purchasing.
How do I care for my diamond?
Diamonds love oil and grease. So naturally form the oil in your skin it will coat the diamonds. The reason why your diamonds appear cloudy is because the oil coats the back of the diamond and dust and dirty sticks to the oil. The best way to clean your diamond is to make a tupperware container full of warm water and a circle of dishwashing liquid. Then by using a toothbrush you can clean the top and back of the diamond to make it sparkle again.
If you have purchased your jewellery from us, then we can clean your ring for you for free. We offer a lifetime cleaning service for anything that we have created for you.
When buying a diamond engagement ring, how do I determine a budget?
It is "traditional" for a man to spend a minimum of 2 months’ salary on your special ladies engagement ring. We are sure that this would shock both men and women. However these days it really comes down to what you can comfortably afford to spend without re mortgaging your house to get it.
What should I consider when purchasing diamonds?
You should familiarise yourself with the 4C’s before you enter any store to discuss diamonds. This may sound a little cliche, but the 4c;s are the same no matter where you go. This way you can have a good understanding of what to look for instead of receiving a sales pitch from someone who really has been taught to sell the stock they have and not so much on what is good and what is not.
What's the most important thing to remember when buying a diamond?
The most important aspect in my opinion is to not get caught up with too much fancy talk from the shops. Any good jeweller will be able to show the correct characteristics of the diamond and be able to back up the opinion with information from industry standards that have been set by companies like GIA: http://www.gia.edu/ Accredited Gem Appraisers: http://www.gemappraisers.com/
What is diamond melee?
The term Melee is what jewellers use to refer to small diamonds. This is for diamonds that are from 0.0025ct to 0.18ct.
Why do similar pieces of jewellery have such different prices?
There is a lot to consider when comparing jewellery. The main focus is on the materials:
- Diamond size
- Quality of the diamond
- Precious metals used
- How has the piece been manufactured
Obviously to have a master jewellery design and handcraft you a piece with carefully selected gemstones will be far more expensive than a piece that has been mass produced straight of Thailand or China. The difference is like having a dining table from Ikea that is flat packed and you put together yourself or going to a professional that will design and handcraft you a beautiful table made out of cedar.
What's the best way to care for a diamond?
You have just spent a lot of money on your ring. You should be careful with how you wear it in your day to day life. If you are going to the gym, gardening or renovating your house then obviously you are at risk of damaging your ring. Even though diamonds are very hard, if not cared for correctly they can be damaged. I would suggest that if you are doing anything that you think could be risky to hurting your hands, than you should take it off.
METALS
What is the difference between platinum and white gold?
We have created a great blog post on this topic for you.
http://www.troyclancy.com.au/blog/white-gold-v-platinum
Why are platinum prongs/claws best for engagement rings?
If your ring has been handcrafted, then the platinum has been work hardened to be very strong for holding your diamond. Platinum in its raw form is very soft and should be handcrafted to work harden the metal to make it strong enough for a piece of jewellery. If you are considering a CAD casted ring as a cheaper alternative, then you would be better off going for 18ct white gold instead as it is harder in its raw form. You have to remember that in any form of mass production that the metals are melted and poured into a mold making the ring in its raw form.
What is Rose or Pink Gold?
All gold that is mined from the ground is a rich yellow colour. To create pink/rose gold jewellers will mix an alloy which has a higher content of copper to turn the colour of the metal to a pink colour.
How is gold soldered?
To connect pieces of precious metal together to create a piece of jewellery, we will use gold solder. It is essentially gold, however by using an alloy it melts at a lower melting temperature so that the ring itself does not melt. This is down by using a mini torch.
Why do pure metals need to be mixed with other metals?
Pure or Fine gold is a very soft metal. so we mix an alloy into the gold to make it much stronger for everyday wear.
To explain the break down easily, this is how it works:
- Pure/Fine Gold = 24ct which = 100%.
- 22ct Yellow Gold - Stamped 916 = 91.6% Pure/Fine Gold and 8.4% Alloy
- 18ct Yellow Gold - stamped 750 = 75% Pure/Fine Gold and 25% Alloy
-14ct Yellow Gold - Stamped 585 = 58.5% Pure/Fine Gold and 41.5% Alloy
- 9ct Yellow Gold - Stamped 375 = 37.5% Pure/Fine Gold and 62.5% Alloy
The higher the carat the richer the yellow colour will be. In this scenario the Alloy consists of 50% Pure Silver and 50% Pure Copper.
What would be the best carat gold to use for my wedding ring?
Most commonly you would have had your engagement ring made in either Platinum or 18ct Gold. I would suggest that you have your wedding ring made in the same metal so that they match in colour. For a men’s wedding ring, it is really up to the colouring that you prefer. there is no right or wrong in this scenario.
Can I combine two or more different metals in a design?
Most definitely. A two toned ring has a great effect.
How do I keep my jewellery clean?
To remove all the scratches from your ring and make it look like new again. It is best to return to your jeweller. At home you can clean the ring by making a tupperware container full of warm water and a circle of dishwashing liquid. Then by using a toothbrush you can clean the top and back of the diamond to make it sparkle again.
If you have purchased your jewellery from us, then we can clean your ring for you for free. We offer a lifetime cleaning service for anything that we have created for you.
How do I insure jewellery?
There are many insurance companies that offer jewellery insurance. Like most Insurance companies all the policies are different and cover different amounts etc.
We prefer to recommend Q Report Insurance and have additional information on this type of insurance here: http://www.troyclancy.com.au/Jewellery-Insurance
