All Fine Jewelry Is Not Created Equal
“There’s more to it than what meets the eye.”
We’ve all heard this saying time and time again. But would you think about this when making the purchase of your engagement ring? The ring that represents your love for one another, and the ring that you hope will last for generations to come? Unfortunately, Cub has had many clients come in for an appraisal on a piece purchased from a local retail store, or even a “custom jeweler” in town and they leave disappointed after seeing photos under the microscope that reveal defects and poor craftsmanship. Not to mention an appraisal far under what their purchase price was. That’s not to say this is always the case, but this is why it is so important to make informed decisions when purchasing your engagement ring, or any piece of fine jewelry for that matter.
At Form To Feeling, you will work solely with Cub Root, GIA Graduate Gemologist and AGS Certified Gemologist to ensure your piece will last for generations to come, and quite frankly - to ensure you are not getting ripped off.
So today, let’s talk about the factors that you might discuss with Cub when you come in for your custom design consultation.
What is Porosity?
Think of porosity in terms of how holey is your ring? Think swiss cheese compared to solid metal. In cast jewelry, porosity weakens the basic structure of the piece, causing ring shanks to break, prongs to break off, and galleries to crack. Even looking at a ring as close up as you can with your naked eye, you would never be able to see the porosity of a ring. Cub has a microscope in his office that he examines every single piece with. When we create a piece at Form To Feeling, we ensure there are no defects to your piece, so that it truly will last a lifetime and beyond. We will even go so far to say that if your piece does not last, due to manufacturing defect, we will always take it back and completely remake it.
Unfortunately when you go to a large chain retailer, or purchase a ring that has been mass produced, there is no guarantee the piece you are purchasing is of a quality that will last even 5-10 years before it breaks down. Unless you bring along your microscope, you may be left with a piece that will snap in half the second it is manipulated for resizing or adjustments in the future. And yes, we have seen a ring purchased brand new from a large local retailer that literally snapped in half due to the excessive porosity.
Diamond Melee Quality. Does it really matter?
Well first, what is Diamond Melee?
The easiest way to explain it is the teeny tiny little diamonds that go anywhere in a piece of jewelry. On an engagement ring, these are typically on the shank, halo, or prongs of the ring.
At Form To Feeling we use only Grunberger Precision Cut® diamonds that are calibrated within 0.00250 of a millimeter, ensuring that they will match and fit the settings we design perfectly, while being the most beautiful choice, cut to perfection. When diamond melee are not precise or top quality, the piece can look dull, dingy, lifeless, uneven and messy. Which completely defeats the purpose of using diamonds. We aren't about that dull, dingy life. Especially when it comes to your ring.
Brightness, fire and scintillation? Come again?
You want your diamond to sparkle, right? Well, when you say sparkle, Cub Root, Graduate Gemologist, thinks brightness, fire and scintillation.
Brightness is the internal and external white light reflected from a diamond, fire is the scattering of white light into all the colors of the rainbow, and scintillation is the amount of sparkle a diamond produces, and the pattern of light and dark areas caused by reflections within the diamond.
We often think of a diamond’s cut as shape (round, heart, oval, marquise, pear), but what diamond cut actually means is how well a diamond’s facets interact with light. Diamonds are renowned for their ability to transmit light and sparkle so intensely. However, with a poor cut, your diamond will lack the sparkle you’re going for. Precise artistry and workmanship are required to fashion a stone so its proportions, symmetry and polish deliver the magnificent return of light only possible in a diamond.
At Form To Feeling, we only choose the best diamonds and you are always involved in viewing all options available to you before making a diamond purchase.
“It’s simple. My goal is to create one of the most rewarding experiences imaginable. I give my time and attention to each client individually to truly understand their wants in order to excel at delivering the highest possible quality jewelry and service. Because my purpose is to give physical form to the emotions and feelings you have for one another.”
