Hancocks
French Cut Diamond and Sapphire Eternity Ring in PIatinum
A beautiful and elegant French-cut diamond and sapphire eternity ring by Hancocks, set alternatively with one rectangular French cut diamond followed by two square French cut sapphires, all in a finely crafted platinum channel setting.
£9,750.00
Information
Maker
Hancocks
Origin
London
Period
Contemporary
Gemstone
5 x elongated French-cut diamonds weighing a total of 0.93cts
12 x square french-cut sapphires weighing a total of 1.26cts
Setting
Platinum with London assay and maker's marks.
Dimensions
UK finger size L (US size 5.5). Can be made in any size.
REF
121503
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.
Sapphires
Ceylon Sapphires
The small tear drop shaped island of Ceylon (now known as Sri Lanka) lies off the tip off India in the Indian Ocean. Renowned for centuries as a source of beautiful gems, for a relatively small island, the wealth and variety of gemstones found here is nothing short of extraordinary.
Today it remains one of the most important gem localities in the world but it is probably best known for its range of sapphires which occur here in a rainbow of colours including the highly prized and rare Padparadscha sapphire. Ceylon blue sapphires are prized for their bright, mid to deep blue colour. The lighter stones are sometimes referred to as 'cornflower blue' with some having a little touch of violet to their hue whilst the deeper colours can look very similar to Burmese stones. Most Ceylon sapphires are found in alluvial deposits which are predominantly mined by primitive methods. The variation in colour as well as the tones and hues within those colours is unique to Ceylon.
Burma Sapphire
Whilst rubies from Burma are justifiably revered around the world, their sibling sapphires were, for many years, somewhat overlooked. The Victorian London jeweller Edwin Streeter described them as being overly dark and, despite this not being the case, his opinion was repeated by others and seemed to stick.
It took decades to reverse this but today Burmese sapphires are recognised for the wonderful gems they are, indeed many view them as surpassed only by sapphires from Kashmir. Burmese sapphires are found predominantly in alluvial deposits in the Mogok area in close proximity to rubies. Whilst rubies account for the majority of the gem output, sapphires forming only 10-20%, it is the sapphires that occur in larger sizes with rough weighing 40/50/60/cts not uncommon. Burma is also now known for producing excellent star sapphires, these rare gems appear to have a bright six rayed star floating just under the surface and are very beautiful. The best Burmese sapphires possess a rich, desirable intense blue with excellent saturation however they also occur in lighter shades as well as in purple, yellow and green.
Kashmir Sapphire
Kashmir sapphires have a truly exceptional colour, a rich, deep velvety blue that often seems to be lit from within. Importantly they also maintain this colour whatever lighting conditions they are viewed in, a fact which separates them from most other sapphires.
Their intense beauty, coupled with their rarity and the fact that only a handful of new stones appear on the market each year, means these wonderful gems are hugely desirable and command some of the highest prices for coloured gemstones in the world. They were discovered in 1881 after a landslide in the Himalayan Mountains of Kashmir revealed the beautiful crystals embedded in the soft, clay-rich earth. They were mined extensively over the next few years, under the control of the Maharaja, during which time many fine and large sapphires were discovered. However, by the end of 1888 operations had ceased and since then, despite various attempts, very little of importance has been recovered.
Padparadscha Sapphire
Padparadscha sapphires are a particularly special variety of sapphire, being the rarest of colours that sapphires are naturally found in. True padparadschas are a unique blend of pink and orange, exhibiting elements of both these colours in the same stone.
Historically found only in Ceylon, the name 'padparadscha' (pronounced pad-per-add-sha) is derived from the ancient Sanskrit word 'padmaraga' referring to the colour of a lotus flower. However, most lotus blossoms are actually more pink than orange so today it is often thought of as a mix of lotus pink and sunset orange. Due to their rarity these stones are amongst the most expensive in the world. As with all gemstones, those that are certified untreated will attract a premium and, like blue sapphires, many padparadschas are heated to improve their colour. Today orangey-pink sapphires are found in Vietnam, Tanzania and Madagascar. The spotlight was turned on these beautiful gems when Princess Eugenie became engaged with one in 2018. As with all sapphires, padparadschas are hard and durable which makes them ideal for setting in rings, particularly ones which will be worn every day such as an engagement ring.
Teal Sapphire
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.
Whilst we're all familiar with the blue variety of sapphires, some might not know that this family of gems comes in a rainbow of different colours including pink, purple, yellow and of course green. Green sapphires will range in hue from a yellowy-green through to a lovely deep slightly blueish green, a colour known as 'teal'. Named after the band of colour around the eye of the Eurasian Teal (a type of duck) it is a rich slightly mysterious colour that shifts its hue depending on the light, sometimes more green and other times more blue. For those who love the colour green and are thinking of a green stone for an engagement ring, a green sapphire can offer a more durable alternative to an emerald for those with a busy, active lifestyle. A fine quality green sapphire is typically more affordable than the same quality emerald would be too, size for size.
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 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.
