Hi Friends,
Spring is upon us, so this bumper newsletter covers our August wrap up and also an update on our plans as the new season commences.
Throughout the past month we’ve continued to settle into our new premises and it’s really starting to feel like we’ve always been here. We are grateful for all the luxurious space and of course our beautiful clients who have followed us across. We’ve also had the pleasure of meeting so many new faces in the area in both the form of neighbours and new clients – so if you are a recent subscriber here; well…. Hello!
Daddy Cool
Father’s Day is approaching on Sunday the 4th of September. We have lots of gift ideas in store, please reach out if you’d like some inspiration or help. We’d also like to take this opportunity to wish all the dad’s and father figures out there a wonderful day with your loved ones, you deserve it!
Calling all August & September Babies
Peridot
Peridot is the yellowish green gem variety of the mineral olivine and the birthstone for August.
The word “peridot” comes from the Arabic faridat, meaning “gem’ and was valued in many ancient and medieval cultures. It appeared in priests’ jewellery as early as the second century BC and later in the chalices and churches of medieval Europe. Peridot has also been used for centuries as a protective talisman, shielding the owner from evil spirits and “terrors of the night.”
Peridot has an amazing story. Although most of the Peridot seen in jewellery today comes from sources such as China, Myanmar, Pakistan, Tanzania, Vietnam and the United States, some actually journeyed to Earth on meteorites!
Peridot is a softer gemstone and therefore needs particular design consideration when being set into a piece!
Sapphire
Sapphire is the birthstone for September and has traditionally symbolized sincerity, truth, faithfulness and nobility. For countless centuries, sapphire has adorned royalty and the robes of the clergy. The elite of ancient Greece and Rome believed that blue sapphires protected their owners from harm and envy. Clerics of the Middle Ages wore sapphires because they symbolized Heaven. Ancient Persians believed the earth actually rested on a giant sapphire, which made the sky blue.
Sapphires are harder than other coloured gemstones, making them a wonderful choice for daily wear. They also come in every colour if the rainbow.
Kashmir, Myanmar (formerly Burma) and Sri Lanka are three historically important sources for sapphires. Significant quantities have also been found in Australia; in fact, we were the world’s leading producer by volume from 1965 to 1985!
With the movement towards responsible mining becoming more prevalent, Australia’s high standard of mining practices gives assurance of responsibly mined Sapphires, something we really value here at Stelios Jewellers. As such we are HUGE fans of Australian Sapphires and have an impressive selection in store. Which leads us on to our next topic.
Ethical Jewellery Production and Choices
We are seeing significant movement of our clients towards this area – indeed it appears to be an awareness that is growing in all aspects of consumerism, which is wonderful.
Questions such as: who makes my jewellery? where does my gold come from? and an interest in the assurance of conflict free diamonds and a lean towards lab grown diamonds, are all valid and important areas of information when choosing an Artisan to make such a significant heirloom, one that will hopefully be worn for generations to come among your family.
We are proud to say that almost all Stelios pieces are made right here in Perth, by our very own skilled Jewellers.
On the rare occasion an item is sourced from outside of our premises we are mindful of purchasing from companies whose ethics mirror our own, the same applies to the suppliers of all our gemstones and other raw materials.
This enables us to guarantee that your piece was made in fair and ethical conditions. Fun even!
We recycle our precious metals on a regular basis. Unfortunately, we cannot always recycle yours directly into your particular order as we refine our gold in large batches before it’s suitable for reuse, this ensures optimal quality. The short answer is yes, much of our fine metal is recycled.
All the mined diamonds we buy in are conflict free. This means they, to the best of our knowledge, have not financed civil war.
We are also seeing growing interest in Lab Grown Diamonds, which deserve a subject title of their own!
Lab Grown Diamonds
At Stelios Jewellers, we are believers in educating our clients about what is available on the market. The choice between lab-grown and mined diamonds is a personal one. Here is a little more information on Lab Grown Diamonds for those unfamiliar:
In today’s diamond market there are two different types of diamonds, underground diamonds and above ground diamonds.
Underground diamonds are those that are mined traditionally, and above ground diamonds are those that are created in a lab.
The lab-grown diamonds come in both CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) and HPHT (High-Temperature High Pressure).
CVD lab-grown diamonds are type lla (the most-purest diamond) and when tested with a Diamond tester they test as a diamond. CVD Diamonds do not have fluorescence.
HPHT is also grown in a lab but is of lower quality and will not always pass as a diamond with a diamond tester.
All diamonds above 0.30ct will either have a GIA (Gemological Institute of America), IGI (The International Gemological Institute) or a GCAL (Gem Certification & Assurance Lab) certificate. All lab-grown diamonds are also laser inscribed with LG (Lab-Grown) on the girdle to avoid any confusion with a mined diamond.
It takes approximately 500 hours to grow a 1ct CVD Lab-grown diamond.
Lab-grown diamond positives:
Eco-friendly
30 – 40% cheaper than a mined diamond
Assurance that they are conflict free (origin guaranteed)
Mined diamond positives:
Natural resource, every diamond is unique and has been formed by the earth over millions of years.
Job creation (often in Third World Countries) and a movement of many mines to re inject into the community, with educational and community benefit.
Lab-grown diamond negatives:
As technology and science become more refined, the stones will devalue as the supply will become saturated.
Mined diamond negatives:
Impact on the earth
Although all diamonds sourced by Stelios Jewellers are conflict-free, there is some negative association with mined diamonds in this area which is unfortunate.
Please reach out if you’d like further information on ethical work practices and lab grown diamonds, we’d love to chat.
Lastly, welcome Paul
Over August we welcomed a new team member, Paul Taseff.
Paul is a multi-award-winning jeweller with over 35 years’ experience in the industry!
In addition to being an exceptionally talented individual he’s just a really nice guy. We are very lucky to have him on board. Please say hi when you see him about.
Until Next time,
The Stelios Team
