Hancocks
French Cut Diamond and Emerald 'Donut' Eternity Ring in 18ct Yellow Gold
A handcrafted diamond and emerald yellow gold 'Donut' eternity ring by Hancocks. The ring is a softly square shape and set with alternating French cut diamonds and emeralds all the way around, channel set between domed ‘donut’ edges of 18ct yellow gold with a brushed satin finish.
£14,750.00
Information
Maker
Hancocks
Origin
London
Period
Contemporary
Gemstone
12 x square French cut diamonds, total 1.20cts
12 x square French cut emeralds, total 1.10cts
Setting
18ct yellow gold
Dimensions
UK finger size M, US finger size 6.25
Width: 7.6mm
Weight Description
15.3 grams
REF
124430-BV
Discover this Jewel
As diamond cutting techniques progressed, stones with a greater number of facets had become increasingly sought after because they displayed more brilliance than earlier, simpler cuts. The design of the French cut had developed from the addition of extra facets to the old table cut diamonds thereby altering them into much more lively stones. This style of cut has changed very little to this day and its evolution marks one of the earliest milestones in the development of the brilliant cut diamonds we know today.
0.5CT
0.5 carat
1.0CT
1 carat
1.5CT
1.5 carat
2.0CT
2 carat
3.0CT
3 carat
4.0CT
4 carat
5.0CT
5 carat
6.0CT
6 carat
(Diagrams not to precise scale)
Today, this C is often the first thing someone asks about but it is worth remembering that not all diamonds that weigh the same will look the same size to the eye because it will depend on the cut of the stone and particularly its depth. With regards to the impact of weight on price then the price per carat will obviously rise as the carat weight increase. However, it must be noted that as larger diamonds are rarer than smaller ones the price does not rise evenly, for example a 2ct diamond is not simply double the price of a 1ct diamond.
D
Exceptional White +
E
Exceptional White
F
Rare White +
Colourless
G
Rare White
H
White
I
Slightly Tinted
J
Slightly Tinted White
Near Colourless
(Diagrams not to precise scale)
In terms of how this affects price, essentially, the whiter the diamond and higher the colour grade the greater the value of the diamond. However, it is important to remember that a lower colour grade does not equate to a lower quality, the grade is a measure of rarity, the whiter stones are simply rarer and therefore command higher prices.
The chart below shows the colour grading scale used by the GIA, the Gemmological Institute of America.
FL
Flawless
No inclusions or blemishes of any sort are visable to a skilled diamond grader using 10x magnification.
IF
Internally Flawless
No inclusions and only blemishes are visable to a skilled diamond grader using 10x magnification.
VVS
Very Very Slightly Included
Inclusions are difficult for a skilled diamond grader to see using 10x magnification.
VS
Very Slightly Included
Inclusions are noticeable to a skilled diamond grader to see using 10x magnification.
SI
Slightly Included
Slight inclusions are noticeable to a skilled grader using 10x magnification.
(Diagrams not to precise scale)
All these factors are taken into account and a judgement is made as to how detrimental they are to the overall appearance of the diamond. It is worth remembering that, unlike colour grading, clarity grading is done under 10x magnification with a microscope so any inclusion in a diamond will be far less noticeable to the naked eye than it is to the diamond grader. Ultimately the cleaner the diamond, the fewer the inclusions and less impact they have – the better the clarity grade will be. The table below shows the grading system used by the GIA.
(Diagrams not to precise scale)
1. Brilliance: This refers to the reflection of white light from both the surface and the inside of a diamond.
2. Fire: This is the term we give to the coloured flashes you see in a diamond resulting from the splitting up of white light into its spectral colours.
3. Scintillation: This is the sparkle a diamond displays, the pattern of light and dark flashes caused by reflections of light as a diamond is moved. Other considerations include symmetry and the quality of the polish which impacts how well the light reflects off the surface of the diamond.
Emeralds
Colombian Emerald
Historically, the very finest quality emeralds have been found in Colombia, in particular three key mining areas - Muzo, Coscuez and Chivor - which between them have been supplying the world with exceptional gems for many hundreds of years.
Stones from these locations are widely regarded to be the most beautiful and intense in colour with a purity of green unmatched by those from any other source. Whilst the earliest record of emerald mining was in Ancient Egypt, indeed Cleopatra loved these gems so much she is reputed to have had her own mine, the beauty of the stones from Colombia could not be rivalled. Since the 16th Century these stones have been widely traded throughout Europe and their superiority in terms of colour and size meant they quickly became the most highly prized emeralds in the world. Mining in these areas continues today and they are still producing exceptional quality gems which are as desirable today as they were to the early Colombians who first discovered them.
No Oil
Emeralds that have been certified as having no traces of oil in them are particularly rare. Almost all emeralds are treated with oil, usually at source, to enhance their clarity. This is such common practice that finding an emerald without any trace, however minor, is something special and truly noteworthy.
Zambian Emeralds
The first emeralds were found in Zambia as far back as the 1920s but they were not mined in any significant quantities until the 1970s. Today, Zambia is considered second only to Colombia as an important source of emeralds in terms of value.
The primary mining area is Kafubu and the most significant concessions are Kagem, Grizzly and
Chantete, all of which are open-pit mines. Currently Kagem alone is producing in the region of
20-25% of the worlds emerald supply. The output is varied in terms of both colour and clarity
but the top end of the range is acknowledged as very fine indeed. These emeralds get their
intensely saturated green colour from a combination of chromium, iron and beryllium. This iron
content is also significant in terms of durability as it helps to create a stronger internal
structure meaning that emeralds from this area measure slightly higher on the gemstone hardness
scale than those from other localities.
In 2018, the Kagem mine uncovered a significant 5,655-carat emerald. Named Inkalamu (meaning
lion) this gem was notable not only for its size but also for its exceptional clarity and evenly
saturated colour. Two years later in 2020, the same mine produced an even larger 6,225-carat
emerald which was subsequently named Insofu (meaning elephant). These extraordinary finds, like
all the emeralds in this area were formed more than 450 million years ago thanks to surging
magma from the earth’s mantle encountering a specific set of minerals in just the right
environment to allow for emerald crystal growth
Ural Mountain Emeralds
Emeralds were first discovered in the Ural Mountains in the early part of the 19th Century in an area about 100km northeast of Ekaterinburg. The story goes that in 1830 a local man noticed some green crystals around the roots of a fallen tree near the Takovaya river.
It didn’t take long to establish what they were and organised mining began within just a few
months. However, the world didn’t see any of the emeralds that were excavated over the coming
decades as they were regarded as property of the Russian crown. It wasn’t until the very end of
the century that this changed, when the Tsar took the decision to lease the mines to the New
Emerald Company (due to the ever-increasing costs of running them) and over the next 18 years
the company exported over 40 million carats of rough emerald. Quality varied with some crystals
suitable only for carving whilst others were perfect for faceting into beautiful gems with good
strong colour and high transparency and clarity.
In 1918 the Soviet government took ownership and control of the mines and production continued
apace with millions of carats mined each year, sometimes even exceeding the output of the
world-famous Colombian mines. During the 1940s and 50s the focus of mining in this area turned
towards beryllium ore, however emeralds were still recovered as a by product of this search and
production.
The focus shifted back again in the 1970s as demand for emeralds increased and new localities
for the ore were discovered elsewhere. Mining continues today and a walk around any major gem
fair will reveal a selection of Ural Mountain emeralds available for sale. However, these stones
are unquestionably rarer than those from larger more commercial localities such as Zambia and
Colombia.
Director’s Notes
The origins of the French cut can be traced back to the 15th Century however it wasn’t until much later, during the 17th Century that it really became fashionable. Having found favour with European Royalty, the style became particularly popular in France and it is likely that this is where the name originated. As diamond cutting techniques progressed, stones with a greater number of facets had become increasingly sought after because they displayed more brilliance than earlier, simpler cuts. The design of the French cut had developed from the addition of extra facets to the old table cut diamonds thereby altering them into much more lively stones. This style of cut has changed very little to this day and its evolution marks one of the earliest milestones in the development of the brilliant cut diamonds we know today.
