Different Types of Metals

In processing industry and in gem & Jewellery manufacture we find different types of metals are being used. Some of these are mentioned by names and sometimes these are referred to by their types. Here is a list of six types to which most metals belong. Some metals have their presence in more than one berth.

1. Precious Metals: Metal that has intrinsic economic value is considered as a precious one. Economic value is determined by factors such as rarity of the metal, use of the metal in industrial processing, jewellery and coinage, usefulness as an investment vehicle and has potency of being traded widely in an established exchange house or in an over the counter market. Gold, Silver and Platinum are key precious metals. Platinum is an extensively traded metal in the platinum group whose other members are: Ruthenium, Rhodium, Palladium, Osmium, and Iridium. Out of these Rhodium is the priciest item. One of the standalone metals is Titanium which is deemed to be the strongest metal on earth

2. Non-Precious Metal: Any metal that is not classified under precious one is given a blanket description of non-precious metal. Iron, Steel, Lead, Zinc, Tin and Copper are few of the non-precious metals used in processing industry

3. Noble Metals: Metal that has resistance to corrosion or oxidization against air and moisture is grouped under the flag of noble metal. Gold, Silver, Members of the Platinum Group and Titanium are noble metals

4. Base Metals: Metals that oxidize, tarnish or corrode relatively easily when exposed to air and moisture are termed base metals. Base metals have two characteristics: these are available in plenty and the prices are fairly low. Examples include: Aluminium, Lead, Nickel, Copper, Tin, Zinc and Iron

5. Ferrous Metals: The word ‘Ferrus” denotes iron in Latin. By extension, any metal that has iron present in it to an appreciable extent is treated as ferrous metal. In the alternative, an alloy that has high iron content is also given the same label. A prominent ferrous metal is steel used in almost all industrial processes. Surprisingly gem & jewellery fabrication has waken up to the idea of using stainless steel in turning out accessories

6. Non-Ferrous Metals: Metals that do not contain iron in appreciable quantum are flagged as non-ferrous metals. These are priced higher than ferrous metals. Certainly prices for Aluminium, Copper, Tin and Zinc are quoted relatively higher than that of iron in the market place.

Muthu Ashraff

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Yellow Gold Jewellery, Adoration Continues

Gold evokes elation, warmth, wisdom and wealth; yellow brings in cheerfulness, pleasance and the presence of mine. When fabricated as yellow gold jewellery it is synergy unlimited. This sums up in adoration for yellow gold jewellery continuing unabated. So it is no wonder why people rock around yellow gold jewellery amidst heightened competition from white gold and platinum products and against the backdrop of spiralling gold price.

Elegance and warmth of yellow gold jewellery has never been disputed in the twentieth century as jewellery houses in the western and eastern halves continued to churn out fascinating patterns and designs for their patrons. Most of these jewellery pieces were fixated in 22 Karat. As times went by this gave way to 18 K gold jewellery in yellow and other shimmering colours. White gold was demanded more in the European and North American sectors. But the shine and brilliance of yellow gold jewellery cannot be dethroned that easily. Result: more yellow gold jewellery is manufactured than other types.

Escalating price of gold dampened the demand of high valued 22 K gold jewellery to a great extent. Gradually, jewellers learnt to tide over it by reducing the gold content and processing the production of lesser gold content pieces. Still the colour yellow was retained. Tantalizing 22 K gold in spot yellow and cheery bright yellow of 18 K remain as main lines of products. The latter became fashionable in the case of diamond jewellery or gem & jewellery, more so because of the fitting contrast between the white colour diamonds or coloured gemstones against the shade of yellow in the base metal.

Reducing gold content, however, has its limitations. At lower Karatage the pieces of jewellery are more vulnerable to cracks and scratches. Additionally, the jewellery pieces get harder due to the use of alloys such as titanium; in turn this lends a big blow to the softness of gold. Yet another limiting factor is that, reducing gold content results in lower melting point precluding repairs if such are needed later on. Moreover, less gold content jewellery such as 14 K and 10 K are notoriously vulnerable to bends and cracks. Keeping the gold content high not only preserved the cheerfulness of yellow colour but added to the serviceability of the jewellery pieces. On and off gold jewellery needs polishing to remove dirt and tarnish.

Major plus point for yellow jewellery is its therapeutic potential. Yellow gold does not cause any type of skin irritation, allergy or dermatological degradation. On the contrary wearing gold jewellery specially the yellow one increases your mental ability. The colour yellow is called “the great equalizer”. It acts in different ways: moderator, equalizer, eliminator and builder. It moderates sex and lust; equalizes your thoughts and actions; eliminates your depression; finally it builds up your body and energy. Combined with the synergy of gold as a metal providing warmth, wisdom and wealth yellow gold jewellery has etched for itself a distinct class of therapeutic agent. Incidence of arthritic disorders and chronic diseases is lessened when you wear yellow gold.

Richness of yellow gold in monetary terms is determined by its scrap value or trade-in value. When it comes to aesthetics value its richness is anchored on the way it sits with different types of skin tone. Across the globe the skin tone varies widely. There are three important sub-sets in the skin tone. One is the very light to very dark spectrum of the skin tone; second deals with the aspect of yellow pigments in a particular wearer. Third and final one is concerned with warm-cool and moist-dry syndrome. Yellow gold is the only jewellery that fits into every permutation or combination of the three aspects relating to skin tone. Just one thing the jeweller has to do make it work. By mixing silver, copper, zinc etc., in different proportion he has to get proper alchemy of yellow tint to go with the skin tone. Spot yellow, bright yellow, light yellow, pale yellow and pink yellow are few of the common tints to select from.

Muthu Ashraff

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Is Ruby the Right Gem for You?

Yes or no; the answer depends on you, your purpose, position, personality and last but not least your cosmics. Ruby can make you grow in persona, stature and wealth; contrarily it may cause your downfall. Read for more…

Ruby has a fascinating name; arising from the Latin word ”Rubrum” meaning red, the stone has majestic appearance. No wonder why this is referred to in Sanskrit as “Ratnaraj” meaning the king of gems & crystals. So we have two aspects: red denoting fire and king denoting an element of suspense. School day stories about how a king vacillates in treating his royal retinue are still fresh in our minds. One day a member of the entourage is appointed as minister by the king and not to be carried away, on the following day he is tried for treason, convicted and hanged. Such was the suspense and intrigue the royals conducted themselves, and have probably passed this element onto our subject of discussion, ruby as gemstone.

To dig deeper, ruby is red, passion and fire. Fire is a good servant but a bad master. It intermingles in positive and negative nature; appears in constructive and destructive form; moves in slow or quick space. Fire can fluctuate heavily between the extremes. When fire is high your cylinders are firing faster and when it is down you are rendered in-active. Fire is all about quality of leadership, action, assertiveness, sexual potency and creativity. On the flip side, fire drives you to lose your temper, puts your marriage on the rock, and in some cases shoves you towards criminality. If you have fire as predominant element in you, ruby is going to be counter-productive as it adds more heat to the system

Ruby is besotted with another unique feature. It can up-lift you from low beginnings to higher elevation in education, career and business. This is because ruby has transparency and fluorescence, when these two are combined with red colour it transmits waves in a spectacular manner. Its emission ranges between short waves in ultra-violet rays and long waves as infra-red rays. When you wear a ruby you transform yourself into a passionate person, ostensibly projecting your power and position in business and pleasure.

As crystallized aluminium ruby has traces of chromium oxide that gives it crimson vivid colour and at the same time causing fissures and cracks inside. Then there are inclusions and impurities. Quite a number of stones have dark patches of brownish or blackish colour called as “Extinction” in the industry. All these add up to a remarkable phenomenon on the wearer. Ladies who hug ruby towards their body as gem & jewellery have to pay dearly with losing their lustre. Some end up with skin rashes that remain forever.

What I have been discussing so far is about genuine natural ruby. In the market 90% of the ruby available is heat treated. Filling cracks, cavities and cleavages is admissible and need to be done to ensure brilliance and transparency. But heat treatment gives only artificial features and has no relevance to either aesthetics or cosmics. Then there are plenty of synthetic stones, flawless and equally beautiful. About 75% of these are used in industrial purposes. The balance flitters into the market posing as genuine rubies. Unless you know the gem merchant or jeweller woe be on you if you buy without scrutiny.

As I said in the beginning if you feel that you need the gem for achieving a specific purpose, boosting your personality, up-grading your position or just to harness your cosmics then settle for a ruby. Set it with on suitable metal to be worn as pendant, ring, brooch, bracelet, necklace, charms, earrings and so on.

Check with me for a professional selection.

Muthu Ashraff

Business Adviser

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E-mail: cosmicgems@gmail.com

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Select Your Ruby by its Colour

Ruby red is a distinct colour by itself; christened after the fabulous stone we often associate ruby with its reddish hue and consider the stone and the colour too sacrosanct. But in reality, ruby comes in a range of colours from red to purple. Gem & Jewellery connoisseurs elevate ruby as king amongst the world of gems & crystals merely for its beautiful colour. Indeed colour remains the primary criteria for selecting your ruby.

As a crystalline form of aluminium oxide or corundum, ruby need be colourless. What gives ruby the red tinge is the presence of minute quantum of chromium. When concentration of this element is more then we have pink colour stone instead of the lovable crimson. Harder than steel and ranking 9 in the Mohs scale ruby is just next to diamond in terms of sheer strength. Ruby has two mutually exclusive features; either it is transparent or translucent. Most rubies found in the world have transparency in varying degrees. Indian ruby, on the other hand is opaque. Ruby has fluorescence, a brilliant form of luminousness. Coupled with transparency and fluorescence ruby can transmit waves in a spectacular manner. On short waves it emits ultra-violet rays and in log waves it spreads out infra-red rays. Admittedly, the colour of the stone could serve to limit its capacity to remit such waves.

In considering colour of ruby, we have to take into cognition three independent yet inter-related aspects. These are hue, tone and intensity of the colour. Hue is generally the modification of basic colour; thereby we get a dominant colour and secondary colour or colours. Tone tells us about lightness or darkness of a particular colour. Finally intensity or saturation as used in the gem trade conveys the strength of the stone in a range from vivid to weak. Let me give you few examples of rubies across the world to illustrate the varying colours that are available for your selection.

Burma: The legendary “Pigeon-Blood” red stone is mined from Mogok in the North of Burma. Red, Medium and vivid Mogok Ruby is full of crimson light with transparency and fluorescence in equal measure. It is a very rare stone now. Mong Hsu ruby is mined from Shan state in North-East of Burma and is noted for its bi-colour hue in original form. A purple core and a red periphery makes this ruby somewhat duller. Heat treatment has transformed this stone to purplish-red. At present about 90% of Burmese rubies come from Mong Hsu.

Ceylon: Resembling a ripe raspberry Ceylon ruby is red, light, vivid and much sought after. More appealing one is the Star ruby of Ceylon with purplish red hue light with medium intensity. To offset absence of high vividness the gem is blessed with an element known as rutile that affords the stone with a silky light giving rise to what we call as an asterism. Wondrously placed the asterism shines horizontally across the table like a twinkling star.

Thailand: Ruby from Thailand has a fantastic hue of dark red petering towards light brown. This captivating colour is dubbed as “Siamese Colour”. However, there are two setbacks. One is that the high content of iron saps its fluorescence. Second, unlike in the case of Ceylon Star ruby there is no rutile element to shower star type glow.

Vietnam: Pink and slightly pink ruby abounds in Vietnam; treated gems could turn out to be pinkish red, dark stones with fair strength.

Tanzania: Mainly red stone with dark to light tone, ruby from Tanzania is strong in intensity but often lacks high transparency or fluorescence.

Muthu Ashraff

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How Purity of Gold varies?

Purity of gold is not same; it ranges from 24 K to a mere 10 k. The gold fineness in the case of 24 K is high whereas it is less than half in the case of 10 K. Let me illustrate briefly how fineness of gold is generally denoted and the type of fineness that is traded amongst nations and the sheen of colour that spreads out from it.

Purity of gold jewellery is stated in Karat or millesimal fineness or in gold percentage. When we talk about 24 K we mean the Karat is 24, millesimal fineness is 999 and the gold percentage as 99.9%. The most easiest and convenient form is to state gold in millesimal fineness, a system of denoting the purity of metal by parts per thousand of pure metal by its mass. But the common people refuse to bow to this metric system and continue the legend of Karat. I have opted for both Karat and millesimal fineness in the following list of gold jewellery traded in the world:

1. 24 K gold: Commonly sold in bars or biscuits 24 gold jewellery is also available in basic jewellery form referred to as “Chuk Kam” or pure gold in Cantonese. Shining bright in gold colour, 999 gold is widely traded in places having majority Chinese nationals including China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau. Switzerland is the only exception for 24 K territory

2. 23 K gold: Available only in Thailand 965 gold is dark yellow in tinge, yet blends richness of gold with basic designs of jewellery

3. 22 K gold: The king among the Ks, 917 yellow gold is the most popular karat in which gold jewellery is made in eye popping designs. Accepted as the one and only gold karat in South Asian countries including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka it has extended its tentacles into several territories outside the region into Malaysia and Middle-East where large Indian ethnic communities live

4. 21 K gold: Still retaining the yellow tint 845 gold is a craze in and around Persian Gulf region extending to all four sides, west to Levant north to Turkey south to Arabian Peninsula and East to border lands of Pakistan

5. 20 K gold: Except in parts of Malaysia and Indonesia 833 yellow gold is not a manufacturer’s delight

6. 18 K gold: Glittering light yellow 750 gold is sought after in the opposite sides of the Mediterranean Sea. Italy and France in Southern Europe and Egypt in North Africa are noted for the use of 18 k gold jewellery

7. 16 K gold: This light yellow 666 gold jewellery has no great following in many countries. Never the less it is still being made by jewellers on order for wealthy and aristocratic clients in Europe

8. 14 K gold: Immensely popular in both USA and UK this light yellow 583 gold jewellery comes in brilliant designs to offset the lower gold purity

9. 10 K gold: An engaging yet pale yellow background gives this 416 gold steady clientele in North America, Canada and United States in particular vote for 10 k gold jewellery

10. 8 K gold: Northern Europe, especially Germany goes after this 333 gold despite its pale yellow glint.

Muthu Ashraff

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E-mail: cosmicgems@gmail.com

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Looking at Amazing Amethyst Gold Jewellery

Astounding it is. What you see as sheen of colour in amethyst gold defeats your eye. Christened after amethyst gemstone, amethyst gold beams out a spectrum of light tint bluish purple to slightly dark shade of engaging violet. In gold jewellery amethyst colour is unique. It has no parallel for its pacifying and refreshing qualities and its functionality as a metal serving multiple purposes from personality enhancement to therapeutic recovery.

Amethyst gold is a result of an alloy of 78.5% pure gold with 21.5% aluminium. Technically it is beyond the range of 18K gold where the purity is fixed at 75%. As special class alloy, amethyst gold jewellery is made by jewellers on order and for a purpose. Debuted in Germany, amethyst gold alloy was introduced by Dr. Dreher with a suite of details including alloy recipe, casting technology and finishing method for manufacturing. As a new alloy it has enthusiasts as well as vocal distractors.

Those who oppose the use of amethyst gold anchor their reasoning on two aspects. First the alloy is too brittle due to the inclusion of aluminium and as a result the alloy cannot withstand stress. Arising from this, arguably it cannot be made into a whole piece of standalone readymade jewellery. If one to offset this by reducing aluminium content and by increasing gold purity then he would see the tint of purple colour being diluted. Second, aluminium due to its oxidizing feature could cause skin irritation.

Supporters of amethyst gold have convincingly nailed these critiques. They suggest that by adding alloys including titanium and zinc in proper portions the metal could be strengthened. It is reported that Zinc reduces wear and seizure resistance of aluminium alloys. The addition of magnesium up to certain percentage is also recommended for reducing wear and tear.

Forestalling any probable skin irritation is facilitated by opting for coating amethyst gold over the part that does not touch the skin. Thermal spraying is one of several methods used in coating or colour plaiting. Another alternative is to set amethyst jewellery as an upper part with the bottom one made out of 18 K gold jewellery in yellow or white gold. Still many enthusiasts believe that amethyst gold jewellery is made for a particular purpose and once that is served it can be removed and scrapped. Many analysts are optimistic that amethyst gold jewellery will turn out to be a big success time to come as fabricability of it is improved over the period of time and any potential health hazards arising from the use of aluminium is minimized.

I for one believe, that amethyst gold jewellery is god sent gift for those who wish to improve personality, mitigate weaknesses in health, enhance psychic ability, harness cosmics, augment aesthetics and to achieve a particular purpose, whatever it may be, in a short to medium term horizon. Accentuated with fitting gems & crystals chosen from such fine stones as Amethyst Garnet, Diamond, Sapphire, Topaz, Spinel, Tourmaline, Tanzanite, Opalite, or other crystals your amethyst gold gem & jewellery can make you an achiever.

Muthu Ashraff

Business Adviser

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E-mail: cosmicgems@gmail.com

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Inspiring Jewellery for Aspiring Men

Aspiring men are not second to women when it comes to the question of wearing fascinating jewellery. Unlike in the case of women they do not see the urge to adorn with body hugging jewellery, really. Any jewellery they wear in seven areas of the body listed below can do marvels, provided it has gone through a whetting process.

1. Neck: Chains are made in discerning patterns and style for the use of men snuggling the area below the neck. Necklaces are too effeminate though. Narrow and broad chains are craze amongst men in East and West. Besides the designs these give an aura of delight and brightness. Lockets and talisman tied to a chain accentuates the feel. So are pendants and trinkets. Brave, articulate and achieving men go for chokers ostensibly to display their yang

2. Chest: Historically men are wearing more ornaments in and around their chest area. From military downwards to simple artisan pieces of jewellery have lent awe, respect and attraction to their chests. Lapel pins or tacks originated from military have found expression in colourful pieces in majestic and artistic styles in the attire of partygoers. Buttons and brooches with clippings are not uncommon amongst the rich and fastidious. Modern day office wear is symbolized by a tie. Pins and tacks for ties with clutches are readily available. Tie clips along with accent stones or chains are definite cynosures

3. Arm: Amulets have gained traction in the Eastern part of the globe. Although hidden amulets are associated with protection these are reported to function as fountains of positive cosmics. Most amulets are made with intricate artwork rendered into reliefs of figurines or images of gods

4. Wrist: Bands and bracelets are generally worn around a wrist. Bracelets with carvings or set with diamonds and gemstones give an added flip to men. Cufflinks can be worn to link layers of two cuffs in long sleeves of upper garments or half-coats. Studs enhance the style and personality of macho men who wear fitting upper garments

5. Finger: Choice of ring as a chief piece of jewellery is tradition bound in many cultures that encouraged the use of it in nuptials and religious ceremonies

6. Waist: Usually most men wear some kind of chain around their waist for different reasons unannounced to outsiders. And these are generally not exhibited either. Belt buckle is, however, different kettle of fish. Buttons on the buckle grab the attention of men and women, so selecting and using appropriate buttons mean a lot to the aspiring men who flaunt it ostentatiously

7. Ankle: Partly for cosmic reasons and partly for cultural pressures men wear different types of anklets mainly in the East. Conceivably, most men would not admit the reason for their wearing anklet. Interestingly, an anklet can shower lot of cosmic energy to men who use the right types of anklets.

It is advisable to go for an assortment of jewellery rather than pitching on a single type. Primarily, usage the right metal is something you should care about. Out of the array of metals such as gold, silver, platinum, palladium, copper or stainless steel you must select the one suit you fine. Moreover, the base metal and how is to be alloyed with the right type of metals, minerals and elements must be weighed in. On equal footing you have to decide whether you go for plainer or set your jewellery with diamonds and gemstones. Reputed jewellers would generally give counsel on this matter, albeit they have vested interest.

Let me chime in with a suggestion. You can call or write to me for professional assistance in choosing the right jewellery for you.

Muthu Ashraff

Business Adviser

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E-mail: cosmicgems@gmail.com

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What an Alloy does for Gold Jewellery?

Pure gold is too soft and brittle to fabricate jewellery. Hence, several types of alloys are used. Few of these alloys are well known such as silver and copper. Many other alloys, though not widely known are commonly used.

Use of Gold Alloy

Metals, minerals and elements functioning as alloys are used for several purposes. A key purpose for its use is to reduce the karatage of the base metal. As I said at the beginning, pure gold at 24 Karat is too soft and brittle for making jewellery and must be reduced to lesser karatage. Second reason for using alloy is to get required shade of colour. Adding mechanical properties such as strength and hardness is the third reason. Fourth, alloys enhance fabricability of jewellery by affording malleability, ductility and solderability. Malleability relates to the property of being worked into a shape without breaking whereas ductility relates to the propensity to be drawn into thin wire without breaking. Solderability defines the ease of joining. Finally alloys help in usability of gold jewellery in the hands of the ultimate user. Withstanding bending, breaking or cracking is a key benefit afforded to the user.

In using alloys the jewellery industry must avoid banned or discouraged elements. Use of lead is banned throughout the world due to poisoning. In similar vein European countries have given blanket warning over the use of nickel. Let me give you a full canvas of alloys approved and commonly used in the gold jewellery industry by listing the name of metal, minerals and elements and their main functionality:

1. Copper: Malleability, ductility, hardness, redness and pinkish tone

2. Silver: Malleability, glossiness and greenish sheen

3. Platinum: Grey whitishness, hardness and strength

4. Palladium: Added features to platinum with more silvery colour, softness; density and malleability

5. Zinc: Used extensively to aid fluidity, solderability and as whitening agent

6. Rhodium: Used mainly as protective whitish coating for white gold jewellery giving it perfect hue and long term use

7. Chromium: Whiteness, polished surface, density and hardness

8. Manganese: Grey-whitish glint

9. Iridium: Grain refinement and silvery -whitish tint

10. Cadmium: Used to vary green tint as well as to enhance solderability

11. Iron: Brittle alloy facilitating blue colour

12. Cobalt: Grain refiner used to support heat resistance

13. Silicon: Used mainly for fluidity

14. Tin: Sparingly used in soldering and as metal to metal connector

Muthu Ashraff

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Shimmering Colours of 18K Gold Jewellery

Lustre of gold is epitomised in 18 Karat jewellery produced in several eye pleasing tints. Let me give you a bird’s eye view of how 18K jewellery is mesmerizing men and women with various shades:

What is 18 Karat Gold?

Proof gold boasts 99.99 % fineness or purity and commonly known as 24 Karat gold. To make durable, long lasting and vivid colour jewellery the purity has to be reduced to 75.00% by alloying with other metals. The purity of gold has to be kept constant at 75% to be qualified as 18K. What varies is the type of alloy and the proportion in which these are mixed to obtain different shades of colour. Here is a list of ten such shades:

1. Yellow gold: Bright yellow, pale yellow, pink yellow and greenish yellow are tints obtained by mixing silver, copper and zinc in different proportion

2. White gold: Mixing platinum or palladium at about 25% brings dull whitish sheen. Zinc is added as whitening agent. Alternatively, mixture of palladium 17%, silver 4% along with an alloy of metals including zinc for the balance brings out much brighter white gold. In both cases rhodium plating is used to preserve whitishness for a considerable period

3. Grey White gold: The colour of overcast sky is arrived at by mixing iron at 17% and copper at 8% suitably adjusting for a manganese alloy

4. Red gold: This is the straight product after mixing almost 25% of copper suitably adjusting for zinc

5. Pink gold: Pinkish glint is the product of the mixture of 20% copper and 5% silver after making provision for zinc with a pinch

6. Rose gold: This pleasing colour is found by mixing copper at 22.25% and silver at 2.75% with an appropriate dose of zinc

7. Light Green gold: This soft colour is made after mixing silver 23% and cadmium 2%; zinc is added in moderation

8. Green gold: Verdant colour is made from a mixture of silver 20% and copper 5% and appropriate quantum of zinc

9. Deep Green gold: Thick sheen of green is arrived at from a mixture of several metals: silver 15%, copper 5% cadmium 4% and zinc 1%

10. Blue gold: Iron at almost 25% with iridium and zinc will do for the blue sheen

Sparkle and brilliance of colour of 18K gold jewellery is one thing and choosing the right shade for you is another issue. What colour and tint is useful to you depends on your liking for the colour as well as on your personal cosmics. Wrong selection of colour brings misery more than draining tour money.

Make a right choice of 18K gold jewellery; for professional advice call or write to me.

Muthu Ashraff

Business Adviser

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E-mail: cosmicgems@gmail.com

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How Gold Jewellery Price is worked out?

You always wonder why the jewellery piece you have bought from the store is costing more than the price of gold. You are at a quandary to figure out why such a vast difference pervades between these two prices. Take heart; lot of things go into making the jewellery piece you are holding other than basic gold metal.

Price of gold jewellery is worked out after adding the cost of fabrication, outlay for aesthetics, marketing expenses and a margin for the manufacturer. The resultant sum is known as “Trade Price” on which the manufacturer would pass it over to a wholesaler. When you buy gold jewellery from the manufacturer direct, you pay above the trade price; the difference is construed to be the wholesaler’s margin. If you buy from a third party retailer the price includes both wholesaler’s margin and the retailer’s profit.

Let me give you a broad brush stroke of how trade price is arrived at and what is the cost or value imputed. First, let us look at the fabrication cost taking place in the first circuit. It consists of five layers:

1. Basic metal price is the primary item that relates to the gold price prevailing at the time of sale. To this jewellers add the cost of alloy metals. These include, but not limited to, copper and silver. Composite alloys are also used, imported from countries like Italy and Turkey

2. Materials and consumables is the next one; cost of beads, beading wire, soldering and consumables among other things are valued and brought into the cost

3. Cost of labour is the third layer; wages of skilled craftsmen and others involved in the manufacturing process directly need be ascertained. It is done on piece basis or hourly basis

4. Absorption of overheads is charged thereafter. Overheads including power & electricity, cost of premises, insurance & up-keeping, wear & tear and tools & equipment are totalled and a rate of absorption is arrived at to be imputed into the fabrication cost

5. Fifth and final layer on fabrication cost is the estimated gold loss that is incurred in manufacturing jewellery articles. There is an element of waste, whether jewellery is machine cast or man-made. May be the wastage in cast jewellery is sliced. Never the less, it is clear gold loss cannot be eliminated totally in whatever the production process adopted.

Aesthetics value is in the second circuit that must be taken care of. We are concerned, chiefly with two items in aesthetics: Design and brand. Cost of design is not an overhead but a sunk cost. Since most designs are patented nowadays, each time a designer wear comes out it is loaded with the portion of the design cost, to amortize the amount spent on developing such design. In some cases, fees paid to consulting designer are proportioned instead of total design cost. When branded jewellery is made out, then additional premium is added.

Marketing cost lies in the third circuit; a whole lot of expenses covering packaging, display, promotion, distribution and selling creep into the price of jewellery. While all these are expenses incurred or deemed to have occurred, the fourth circuit, that is profit margin is often arbitrary and sounds like making a killing. Profit margin of jewellery products can range from a bearable 15% to a whopping 150% depending on the item being marketed as branded, designer wear, Avant- garde, fad, fashion or simply put craze.

Muthu Ashraff

Business Adviser

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E-mail: cosmicgems@gmail.com

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Body Hugging Women Jewellery

Amongst many types of jewellery worn by women all over the world quite a number are meant to hug their body. Eleven parts of women’s body flaunts gold, silver and platinum jewellery in plainer or set with gems and diamonds. These jewellery pieces exhibit opulence, glamour and glitter.

What catches the eye most is that the ladies look lot prettier when they wear body clutching jewellery because the parts of the body bedecked with jewellery turn out to be centres of attraction. Does it end there? No. Chosen jewellery products accentuate the women’s appeal, aesthetics and predictably their cosmics. Let me elaborate the eleven parts of body where women wear body hugging jewellery and let me sketch these parts from head to toe.

1. Crown: Tiara set in diamonds and circlets set with pearls are donned in the crown. A tiara protrudes towards the forehead while circlet goes round the head so to speak. Generally white or yellow gold is preferred

2. Nose: Ring with or without chain, stud with chain or set with captivating gems and diamonds are popular. Most Eastern cultures support this habit. Piercing left nostril is preferred over the right one

3. Ear: Earrings, cups, clip-ons are often worn by fastidious women. Besides clasping the ear need for piercing to hold the pieces of jewellery is necessary. Pendants are added for glamour. A number of women wear what we call as sleepers to stop pierced hole in the ear from closing due to non-use

4. Neck: Cuddling the body in style necklaces are made in narrow or broad bands. White or yellow gold is common metal. Silver is catching up as an alternative. Chain with pendants is a lovely piece of artwork for the spectators. Lockets and talisman are also worn clipped to a chain. Choker is a fancy product that makes the wearer looks like Nephrite.

5. Arm: Women dressed in sleeveless or short sleeved blouses or full length gowns would find an amulet giving a great deal of extra effect. Most amulets are made in gold or silver in intricate works

6. Hand: This part envelopes entire area from elbow down to the wrist. Bangles are worn in multiple numbers made of all kind of metals. Wearing a bracelet decked with diamonds and gems is not uncommon amongst fastidious ladies

7. Finger: Rings made from various metals and set in diamonds and/or gemstones give a woman majestic look, not to mention beauty at best

8. Waist: Chain is the chosen medium for jewellery nestling around a swaggering waist. Choice of metal is best left to a gracious lady.

9. Genital: Many readers would be surprised over the inclusion of most discreet part of women. In ancient cultures wearing metal lock around the mouth of genital was practised to preserve virginity. In modern times rings are clipped, especially in the upper part of women’s genital. Like in the case of nose and ear genital ornament requires piercing sides of the genital. If this is not acceptable women can choose to wear pendant or trinket that clings to a waist chain and lays over the genital, gently and snugly

10. Ankle: Admittedly, wearing jewellery pieces below the waist does not attract attention of viewers. Therefore, anklets are generally fabricated with sound making beads. Pearls sprinkled in between the hanging beads add more glitter to otherwise dull jewellery. In India traditional dancers use various type of ankles on stage and off stage. Gems or diamonds are not attached to an ankle, unless these are specifically recommended. Silver is the preferred colour

11. Toe: Rings worn around toes of the right legs are common in Eastern cultures. These are for purely cosmic reasons.

Choosing the right jewellery, metal, gemstone and diamond is anchored upon the predilection of the person who wears it. Ostentation apart, matters such as aesthetics and cosmics must be taken into account before a lady selects the right piece of jewellery.

Call or write to me if you need professional assistance in choosing the right jewellery for you.

Muthu Ashraff

Business Adviser

Mobile: +94 777 265677

E-mail: cosmicgems@gmail.com

Web: http://www.cosmicgemslanka.com

Blog: http://cosmicgemslanka.com/blog/

 

What is Cut in Gems and Diamonds?

Before buying gems and diamonds you are often advised to look at the five Cs: colour, cut, clarity, carat weight and certificate. Out of these most bewildering is cut. To add to this bewilderment is confusion between cut and shape. Let us journey into the world of precious stones to find out exactly what is cut in gems and diamonds.

Cut refers to the method that is employed by a gem or diamond professional in faceting. The number of facets and how each facet is set in specific proportion and dimension is the subject matter of faceting. The arrangement of facets influences the fire and sparkle in a gem or diamond. By using a specific cutting method, these professionals attempt to enhance brilliance by allowing natural or artificial light to enter through the surface of the gem and reflect back to the naked eye. When I said, enhance it means that the gem already has brilliance and the cut only improves this inherent quality. Most jewellers value gem by its reflecting quality. If a gem fails to reflect back brilliance of fire then the gem is assumed to be poorly cut or opaque in nature.

Shape, on the other hand refers to the general outward appearance of a gem displaying an overall outline for a viewer. There are three types of cut spawning a plethora of shapes. Let me out line the type of cuts and sample of shapes each such cut generates:

1. Step Cut: These are incisions into the gemstone resulting in a series of steps along its surface. In a step-cut you will feel like as of you are climbing up or down, that is when you fondle the facets. This effect is facilitated by arranging facets in rows such that it stimulates a mirrored staircase. Square and rectangular are general shapes born out of step cut. Emerald gemstone is often cut in this manner giving rise to the practice of using emerald as synonymous with step cut. Baguette and cushion are other shapes coming out of step cut. Asscher shape patented by Royal Asscher Diamond Company is considered by analysts as most attractive and inimitable shape into which diamonds can be cut.

2. Brilliant Cut: In this method facets are farming outward from the centre of a gem in a pre-determined angle to facilitate internal reflection. Consequently light entering into a diamond spreads out and stimulates a ball of brilliance that escapes out in rays of light. Brilliant cut is often used to magnify the natural brilliance by several folds. Round shape is the primary result of this cut. By the way about 75% of diamonds are sold as round brilliant. Notable other shapes include, but not limited to, oval, navette and heart.

3. Mixed Cut: Beauty of step cut and brilliance of round cut is synthesised in a mixed cut that employs both methods in measured terms. Mixed cut is resorted to when it is necessary to reduce the visibility of inherent flaw or defect in a gem and increase its sparkle. Princess is the most sought after shape arising out of mixed cut. Trilliant and radiant are two shapes in which gems can be facetted easily. There are quite a number of gems available in fancy shapes emanating from mixed cut.

Muthu Ashraff

Business Adviser

Mobile: +94 777 265677

E-mail: cosmicgems@gmail.com

Web: http://www.cosmicgemslanka.com

Blog: http://cosmicgemslanka.com/blog/

 

Buy your Ceylon Sapphire today

Style and sparkle of Ceylon Sapphire is legendary. Lauded by Ptolemy the historian and Marco Polo the Traveller, Ceylon sapphire is so unique in colour and lustre that it still remains part of the royal treasury of many kings and queens. Princess Diana wore an 18 carat oval shaped blue sapphire on her engagement. Continuing the tradition Princess Kate settled for a 14 carat oval shaped blue sapphire for her engagement ring.

When you buy your Ceylon sapphire you are joining the league of royals, celebrities and connoisseurs who value quality, brilliance and associated fortune of blue sapphire. Though sapphires come in different shades Ceylon sapphire is about the bluish variety. Undoubtedly, Ceylon sapphire is a brand name for blue sapphire that has made many other countries selling blue sapphire under the guise of Ceylon sapphire. Hence, you must ensure that you buy Ceylon Sapphire from reputable jewellers or come to Colombo to savour the best quality gems and decide upon at your heart’s content.

Round brilliant shape of blue sapphire is much sought after despite its rarity. It has given rise to the nomenclature “Sapphire Cut” which signifies perfection of the gem cut into 58 facets like in a diamond but with a higher depth to width ratio. This ratio reaching 80% is not uncommon. Oval shape is most preferred by royalty for its sparkle while pear and heart shapes are for the delight of young brides for their fire and harmonizing of yin and yang. More classic styles in the form of emerald and radiant shapes are the concern of connoisseurs, collectors and wealthy families that intend to pass their treasury to their progeny as inheritance. Princess shape, on the other hand brings forward a blend of ancient and modern, as it combines two types of cuts: round and step cuts in a single gem.

Colour of blue sapphire remains the critical variable in selection. Colour has three dimensions: hue, tone and purity. Hue ranges in a spectrum between blue to purple; tone straddles from dark to light; purity can be either vivid or weak. Predictably, most buyers prefer blue colour over other hues. What clinch the sale are variations of the tone. Medium blue, called alternatively as royal blue refracts bluish light with a tinge of violet mesmerising royals to set the gem in their engagement rings. Deep blue tone shines like evening sky silhouetting over peacock plumes. Light blue tone is velvety and combined with purity in vivid form brings you lingering moments of pleasure.

Price per carat of Ceylon Sapphire is subject to quality of the stone in terms of cut, colour, caratage and clarity. Clarity deals with the subject of absence of blemishes or inclusions. Any blue sapphire that reflects light evenly in any shapes is passed as of good clarity as this stone when originally found is often opaque. Market price of Ceylon Sapphire ranges in wide margin from US$ 1000 to 30,000 per carat. Depending on your budget, you can source Ceylon Sapphire as just gemstone or set in white or yellow gold jewellery.

Call or write to me to advise and assist you in buying Ceylon Sapphire today.

Muthu Ashraff

Business Adviser

Mobile: +94 777 265677

E-mail: cosmicgems@gmail.com

Web: http://www.cosmicgemslanka.com

Blog: http://cosmicgemslanka.com/blog/