Unique Archives - Knox Jewelers

August’s Custom Engagement Ring Spotlight

1-1 Unique Engagement Rings — Knox Jewelers Custom Design 3520

2-1 Unique Engagement Rings — Alternative Views of Knox Jewelers Custom Design 3520

This new custom created engagement ring is brightening up everyone’s outlook here at Knox Jewelers. This recent custom creation features an extraordinary 2.00 carat round yellow sapphire. An unusual scalloped diamond halo and dramatic double claw prongs frame the center gemstone. This chromatic yellow sapphire reminds us how extraordinary colorful engagement ring can be!

The profile view of this custom design is not forgotten. Bead-set diamonds, milgrain edging and elaborate scroll relief engraving don either side of the ring. A top view band of matching bead-set diamonds finishes this design to perfection.

Knox’s ability to flawlessly incorporate colored stones into any custom piece is demonstrated in this and several other recent commissions. A perfect pairing of vintage detailing, glittering diamonds and a stand-out center stone makes Design 3520 a custom ring that is sure to attraction attention. Knox hand finishes and outstanding craftsmanship will ensure that this platinum and fancy colored sapphire engagement ring will last a lifetime.

3-1 Unique Engagement Rings — Production Photos for Knox Jewelers Custom Design 3520

4 Unique Engagement Rings — Production Photos for Knox Jewelers Custom Design 3520

Every ring at Knox Jewelers is made by hand from the ground up. We are extremely proud of our in-house design team that works tirelessly to add even the smallest details to your perfect custom engagement ring. We document the creation of our custom piece with jeweler’s eye view production photos, allowing you the chance to see your beautiful ring come to life.

This distinctive golden hued diamond halo ring engagement ring design can be recreated to accommodate any type, shape, or size center stones. Contact Knox Jewelers today to custom tailor this design to your preferred precious metal and central gemstone selection to create your own one-of-a-kind engagement ring!

Engagement Rings with a Twist

For most engagement rings, the focus and embellishments are directly solely on the center gemstone. But here at Knox Jewelers, we like to focus on the details interwoven into the band and profile of your ring, as well as your center stone. These are the small things that make your custom engagement ring completely your own. If you are a fan of uniquely detailed engagement rings, you may enjoy the trend that has been passing through our custom design studio recently. We have received a surge of custom design requests for both engagement rings and wedding band with twisting, infinity-style designs.

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Both beautiful and complex, braids and twists are the perfect detail to add interest to a wedding band or the shank of your custom designed ring. Braids and overlapping patterns capture the attention of any viewer, urging the eye to trace the intricate designs. Twists and turns are not only visually appealing, but they can also hold a greater symbolism. A braided design could represent the tightly woven bond between you and your partner. If followed, a strand single strand of a braid in a circular ring is never ending, like the love between you.

Similarly, the twisted infinity-like symbol that has been eagerly requested in several designs lately, is both refined in its design and profound in its representation. The original infinity symbol stood to embody an unlimited and immeasurable duration of time with the simplicity of an overlapping circle or figure eight. This representation is perfect for couples who are starting their lives together and are promising to love one another for a never-ending amount of time.

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The infinity symbol or a braided design can easily be incorporated into many styles of wedding bands, engagement rings, or wider right hand rings. We can help you custom create anything you have in mind when it comes to your twisted engagement ring or wedding bands. Overlapping elements featured in a design is a modern and fashionable way to express your style and add sentimental meaning at the same time.

2067_1_image Unique Engagement Rings — Knox Jewelers Custom Lalana Design

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If a twisted engagement ring is the perfect symbolic representation of your never-ending love, let us help you get started with the custom creation process. Contact us today with your braided or infinity style requests. All of our finishing details are created by hand, so things like engraving, filigree, milgrain and side diamonds can add to the final look to your twisted creation. We can tailored any design around your preference in center setting, metal and gemstones selections. Nearly anything is possible with Knox Jewelers custom creation.

Citrine – November’s Golden Gem

Citrine, along with golden topaz, is the official birthstone for the month of November. In recent decades citrine has gained popularity in the jewelry industry and has become a yellow gemstone staple in the marketplace. Its name is derived for the Latin word citrina which means “yellow”. Citrine’s durability, affordability and attractive color make it one of the most sought after varieties of quartz. Its color also makes its an affordable alternative to golden topaz and yellow sapphire. Everything you have ever wanted to know about this golden gem and how Knox Jewelers can help you to create the perfect birthstone jewelry will be revealed below.

1. Citrine is a gemstone variety of the mineral quartz.

Quartz is one of the most common minerals on earth. Its physical form can range anywhere from sand grains on a beach to large gemstone crystals of amethyst or citrine. Though they look very different, all quartz varieties are composed of the same chemical elements, silicon and oxygen. The size and color of their crystal formation is the largest difference between quartz species. Citrine is the pale yellow to brownish orange, transparent variety of this mineral. Other popular quartz gemstones include amethyst, smokey quartz and rock crystal. Gem varieties of quartz usually form in large crystals with exceptional clarity.

2. Citrine’s most popular colors are a deep yellow and a reddish orange.

Citrine is available in varying hues ranging from pale yellows to deep orange browns. Though the most sought after hues of citrine in the marketplace are vibrant and free of brown tints.

3. Citrine crystals found in nature are extremely rare.

The exact elements and environment needed for citrine quartz crystals to form is rare. Some natural citrine is mined in Bolivia, but the supply is incredibly scarce. Most citrine gems on the market today are produced by heat treating amethyst, which is also a quartz variety. Most of amethyst heated to become golden is found in huge geodes mined in Brazil.

4. Citrine owes its yellow and orange colors to trace amounts of iron in its crystal structure.

All varieties of quartz are mixtures of silicon and oxygen. Iron is the trace element that give citrine its golden color.

5. Fine quality and large citrine gemstones remain affordable.

Citrine is one of the most popular and frequently purchased yellow gemstones because of its availability and fair cost. Even fine graded citrine has an economical price. Sizable citrines remain modestly priced, as price per carat does not rise dramatically for larger sizes.

6. Quartz varieties, like citrine, have been used in jewelry for centuries.

Quartz in any form was commonly used in Europe and the Middle East as gemstones for carving. Citrine exclusively has been found as an ornament going back thousands of years. It was a popular decorative gem in Ancient Greece, and adorned weaponry in 17th century Scotland. More recently, citrine was a go-to gem in the Art Deco era where the gemstones large sizes lead to over-sized and elaborate pieces.

7. Before modern technology, citrine was often mistake for topaz.

It is nearly impossible to visually tell the difference between a faceted citrine gemstone and another of yellow topaz. The largest difference between the two is their hardness. A citrine has a Mohs Hardness rating of 7, well topaz is slightly harder with a rating of 8.

8. Gemstone quality quartz can be found all over the world.

Natural citrine, though rare, can be found in Bolivia, Spain, Madagascar, Mexico and Uruguay. Most of the amethyst that is suitable for heat treatment to become citrine is mined in Brazil.

Create the Perfect Jewelry with Citrine

If you are looking for a special piece of jewelry that will be cherished for a lifetime, we are here to help. Knox Jewelers specializes in unique custom jewelry designs and engagement rings. Citrine in any shape or size can add color to one of our custom created jewelry designs for a one-of-a-kind look!

Contact Knox Jewelers to find out more about our products or services, including our custom jewelry design service. We look forward to hearing from you.

Notable Sapphire

Did you know that sapphire is the official birthstone for September? This gemstone has captivated the world for centuries and has long been associated with royalty, wealth, and religion. In fact, the stone is given as a gem for the 5th wedding anniversary. By the end of this short article, you’re going to find out everything you ever wanted to know about sapphires and how you can create the perfect birthstone engagement ring or custom jewelry with Knox Jewelers.

1. Sapphires don’t have to be blue!

Sapphires are known around the world for their vibrant blue color. However, this gemstone is characterized by any corundum (a type of mineral) that doesn’t qualify as a ruby and isn’t red in color. It’s a little-known fact that sapphires can be gray, orange, purple, yellow, and even black!

2. Sapphires are associated with royalty.

Sapphires symbolizes truth, faithfulness, nobility and sincerity and for centuries have been associated with romance and royalty. The world’s most famous sapphire? Perhaps the one in Princess Diana’s engagement ring – given to her by Prince Charles. Because of this, sapphires evoke connotations of fairy tale and royalty. Sapphires made the news again when Prince William gave this then-fiance Kate Middleton an engagement ring with the mineral – just like his father did more than 20 years before.

3. Sapphires have an illustrious history.

Despite its connections to modern-day royalty, sapphires have long been associated with monarchs throughout history. In fact, kings and queens believed that blue sapphires protected them from harm in ancient Rome and Greece. In the Middle Ages, priests would wear sapphires – the mineral was an instantly recognizable symbol of heaven. Even today, people wear sapphires to protect them from spirits or enemies – making this birthstone one of the most popular in the world.

4. Orange and pink sapphires are among the most rare.

Different colored sapphires are becoming increasingly popular, especially those which are found in Sri Lanka. These sapphires range from light to medium tones of orange and pink and instantly catch the eye. These vibrant gems carry the name Padparadscha, meaning color of the Lotus Flower in Sanskrit. This shade of sapphire is among the rarest natural colored sapphire.

5. Sapphires are really strong.

Not a lot of people know this, but sapphires are really strong. In fact, they are the strongest natural gemstones in the world – second to diamonds. These gemstones can be found in various locations around the world, including Cambodia, China, Australia, Kashmir, and Madagascar.

6. Blue sapphires are still the most sought-after.

Despite sapphires coming in a wide range of colors, the most popular are still those with a concentrated blue hue which stays consistent under different lighting conditions. This gemstone is often given as a gift to friends, family members and partners for special occasions and is seen as being extremely valuable in various cultures and countries around the world.

7. Sapphires have been found in large sizes.

Most sapphires mined today weigh under two carats, but larger gems can be found. The Millennium Sapphire is the world’s largest polished and cut sapphire, weighing a whopping 61,500 karats! Many large sapphires are kept in museums in cities around the world.

8. Synthetic sapphires are sometimes used in jewelry.

This September birthstone can also be created synthetically – the first being in 1902. These can be difficult to distinguish from natural sapphires by the untrained eye, and they are often used as an alternative in jewelry.

9. Color-changing sapphires actually exist!

Color-changing sapphires do actually exist and display different hues in various lights. Color change sapphires appear blue when in natural light but a violet color in artificial light. Most natural sapphires undergo heat treatment to improve their clarity and color – a practice which can prevent the birthstone from chipping or breaking.

CREATE THE PERFECT JEWELRY WITH SAPPHIRES

Looking for a unique engagement ring that will wow your partner? A piece of jewelry that will make the ultimate gift? You’ve come to the right place! Knox Jewelers specializes in unique custom jewelry and engagement rings, including antique designs. We pride ourselves on the customer service we provide and offer lifetime warranty, maintenance services, and trade-in. We can search for sapphires in every color imaginable, which can add some sparkle to an engagement ring or jewelry piece. If sapphire’s not your thing, we can custom create rings in every shape, size, and type of gemstone.

So, what are you waiting for? Contact Knox Jewelers today for more information about our custom jewelry and engagement rings.

Crystal Inclusions – A Rare Addition

This week at Knox Jewelers we encountered a surprising addition enclosed within one of our oval-shaped diamonds. Hidden under a facet junction nestled a tiny green mineral crystal surrounded by the diamond crystal during formation. This clarity characteristic inside a gemstone serves as evidence in its creation. It could lead you to discover how and sometimes even where it formed. Many characteristics can be clues to the events in a gem’s history or the Earth’s own history.

Crystal Clarity Characteristic

Clarity characteristics in diamonds are common. There are very few diamonds that receive the clarity grade of Flawless, most contain some imperfection whether it be an inclusion, a feature enclosed within the diamond, or a blemish, a feature on the surface of a diamond. Diamonds can have many interesting inclusions. Sometimes they can contain another smaller diamond crystal but more often they hold embedded crystals of an entirely different material.

Common Crystal Colors

The color of the included crystal will depend on the type of mineral they are composed of. The most common internal crystal colors are colorless (other diamond), black (carbon), red (garnet) and green (peridot or diopside). Most of the time we can not conclusively determine the mineral an included crystal is, being inside another gem makes it hard to get to and even more complex to test, but color can narrow the spectrum down to a smaller number of options. Even if we don’t know exactly which gemstone it is, included crystals are still a very fascinating addition.

Crystal Formation

As a gemstone grows it competes with other crystals for space and nutrients. A fast-growing crystal can enclose a smaller, slower-growing crystal that then becomes part of the bigger crystal’s life story. The formation and internal world of diamond is incredibly fascinating and we were very excited to come across something so unusual. Inclusions, especially mineral crystals, can be an interesting feature within your diamond. Many of them are very small and not viable to the naked eye, but with magnification they are very intriguing to study.

Pros and Cons of Included Crystals

Most included mineral crystals are small and unnoticeable, but a diamond’s clarity and value could be affected by larger inclusions that can be seen with the naked eye. More obvious colored crystal inclusions are generally undesirable and these inclusions are usually met with negativity. On the other hand, these additions can also make a gemstone unique. They tell the story of the gem’s birth and give each one its own fingerprint. A small crystal could add character to a diamond and turn it into something uniquely your own. Your center stone would be a conversation piece for years to come, and especially appropriate if your favorite color was green!

Choose Your Diamond Today

Stop into Knox Jewelers if you’re looking for something that is original and finely crafted. A little piece of art that you can wear and is different from the rest, with a personally chosen diamond to match. Let Knox Jewelers fashion the ring you will have for the rest of your life. If you happen to have any questions at all about diamonds or their clarity grade, please be sure to let us know. We’re always happy to answer any questions you may have, and we look forward to working together with you to design a work of art that will last and be passed down throughout the ages. Get in touch with our friendly and professional staff today, and we’ll get started on the journey to creating your very own, one-of-a-kind piece of custom jewelry.