Pick the Perfect Diamond...

Purchasing a diamond can test the nerves of even the most astute buyer – but what do you look for? What makes one diamond worth more than another?

To understand why two diamonds of the same size are completely different prices, here is a simple guide to the essentials of diamond grading.

A diamond's value is based on the quality of its Cut, Clarity, Colour and it's weight, measured in Carats.  These are affectionately known as 'The 4 C's".

CUT

For a diamond to sparkle most brilliantly, the proportions and angles of the cut stone need to be precise to reflect the maximum amount of light back out and achieve what is known as 'total internal reflection'. This may not be the case if it has been cut too deep or too shallow. If a diamond doesn't catch your eye or if it doesn't flash in the light, it's probably not well cut. Good cutting is what brings fire to the ice.

CLARITY

Diamonds are mostly pure carbon, but during crystallisation other minerals can become trapped in the cooling rock. These impurities known as 'inclusions' show up as the various characteristics that affect the clarity of a diamond. Clarity is measured on a scale ranging from pure (flawless) to heavily included (I-3). The visibility of inclusions and blemishes that can be seen by an experienced grader under 10X magnification in good lighting sets the stone’s clarity, and the actual clarity grade is determined by the number, nature, position, size and colour of the inclusions.

COLOUR

The most sought after diamond is one where no colour is evident at all.

Diamonds are graded on the colour ranging from no colour at all (D) to deeply tinted yellow/brown (Z). Beyond "Z" is where the diamond's colour is no longer a 'tint' but an actual colour which is vivid and rich. These are called "fancy coloured diamonds" and are breathtakingly beautiful and rare.

CARAT

Carat is a gemstone’s unit of weight. It’s equivalent to 0.2 grams and is divided into one hundred points, so a diamond measuring 75 points is 3/4 carat in weight, or 0.75ct. The unit was devised in the States in 1913, its name coming from the carob seed, used by early traders as counterweights to measure precious gems.

So, when deciding  to buy a diamond, keep in mind the 4 C's as a factor of buying consideration.  I always ensure my clients are totally informed about these features and actually observe the differences by looking at real diamonds of different quality grades.  It is important to work out which quality is of greatest importance to you personally, and then to be guided in selecting the diamond that will hold the greatest value and sentiment for your budget.

I hope this week is good to you all.

Much love 

Cat ¨

http://www.catherinebuddjewellery.co.uk/ 

Aquamarine is for March...

Happy birthday March babies! The beautiful aquamarine gemstone is your birthstone. It is also recognised as the gift for anniversary number 18, or even an 18th birthday. 

Aquamarine is the blue-green variety of Beryl, which is the same gem family that includes Emerald.   

It's colour ranges from pale blue to greenish-blue to deep blue, and is determined by trace amounts of iron in the crystal structure.  A saturated deep blue is typically the most desired colour.

Aquamarine in Latin means "water of the sea". Legend says that it was Neptune's gift to the mermaids and it was originally found in a mermaids treasure chest. It holds the power to keep sailors safe at sea and guard against storms.

Aquamarine is also said to promise a long and happy marriage and due to the colour, can of course also be the bride's 'something blue'!  Aquamarine is a fascinatingly beautiful gemstone, loved by many it for its beautiful blue shades reminiscent of the sea, which can complement almost any skin or eye colour.

Tip: clean with a luke-warm mild soapy solution, and use a soft toothbrush to gently clean around the stone where dirt can collect.

Happy birthday to all March babies.....

Much love

Cat ♥

http://www.catherinebuddjewellery.co.uk/

Leap Year Love ♥

Today is the extra day of a leap year, the 29th February, and is when the conventional proposal process is reversed.

Some may see today as a prism of opportunity whilst others see it as a day to be feared.  Whatever you think, today is the day that women are meant to feel that they can propose to a man, without fear of being branded forward, desperate or any other such concepts. 

Curiously, according to Wikipedia, it was law imposed by 5 year old Queen Margaret of Scotland in 1288, that required fines to be levied if a marriage proposal was refused by the man; compensation ranged from a kiss to £1 to a silk gown, in order to soften the blow. I think I'd rather the silk gown to soften the blow of rejection!

In Denmark, the tradition is that women may propose in a leap year on February 24th, and that refusal must be compensated with 12 pairs of gloves, whilst in Greece, marriage in a leap year is considered unlucky. 

And if you’re not a woman pondering a proposal, and have no plans on getting caught up in the matrimonial mayhem, you might prefer to think of your leap day as a quadrennial gift - a free 24 hours that exists outside our normal routine - a free day to do something a little bit different and to try something that you wouldn't normally do....

Are you planning to propose today?

Much love

Cat ♥

Love is.....

All around the world people are celebrating Valentine's Day with gifts and going to any extent to prove their undying love towards their partner. For some, today is all about red roses, cupids and hearts, however, for others the mere thought of the customary onslaught of romance sends them into a cold sweat.  Statistics say that one billion cards are sent on Valentine’s Day each year, and whether you love it or loathe it, February 14th continues to be a key date in the diary. 

In honour of St Valentine I wanted to share one of the most remarkable love stories, originally published in The Telegraph in January 2008....

Just 3 days after Boris and Anna Koslov married in 1946 they had to say goodbye to one another.  Boris was a soldier in Russia’s Red Army and had to return to his military unit. Anna stayed and patiently waited for  Boris to come back to her.

Sadly this was not meant to be. Under Stalin's brutal regime,  Anna and her family had been declared enemies of the state and were sent into exile in Siberia. Anna threatened to commit suicide rather than go, as she couldn't bear the idea of living without Boris by her side. But she was forced to go and had no chance to contact her husband.

When Boris returned home from his military expedition, he found the house empty. Anna was gone and there was no trace of her. 

Boris spent years searching for Anna, but never found her. Over the years, both Boris and Anna remarried other people, and had children. But they never forgot about one another.  Boris became a writer and when he wrote his first book, he dedicated it to Anna.

As the years went by, Boris and Anna’s respective spouses passed away. In 2007, Anna, decided to go back to her original home village to visit the house she and Boris lived in after their wedding. Now an elderly woman, she had never forgotten about that magical time with the love of her life. 

In a remarkable twist of fate, the town received another long-lost visitor on that very same day – an 80-year-old man who had come to lay flowers at his parents’ gravestone. Stepping out of his car, he spotted a familiar face across the road - Anna's.   He approached her and they recognised each other. All the feelings that were once there between them came back. The time had done nothing to destroy the bond they had and they fell in love with each other all over again.

 Despite 60 years passing, Anna and Boris got married again. "Since we found each other again, I swear we haven’t had a single quarrel. We’ve been parted for so long and who knows how much is left for us, so we just don’t want to lose time on arguing.”

Isn’t that just amazing?

In Finland, Valentine's Day is called "Ystävänpäivä" which translates into "Friend's day"....a day more about remembering your friends, not only your loved ones.

So..... "Happy Friend's Day!".  I hope this week is good to you all. 

Much love

Cat ♥

www.catherinebuddjewellery.co.uk

A Weekend of Wedding Show Fun! ♥

This weekend has been a busy one and has been all about weddings at the BIC Wedding Show 2012.  It was my first time exhibiting at a wedding show and it was a really great way to meet brides, their girlfriends, sisters, mums, dads, and even some brave boyfriends who ventured in!  Being a 3-day event, and the largest wedding exhibition on the South Coast,  I didn't think this show was a bad one to start with!

There were so many lovely brides at the show and it was really interesting to learn all about their wedding plans  and especially to hear their thoughts on wedding rings. Traditionally wedding rings were always plain bands - a circle of metal with no beginning and no end which symbolises 'eternity'. Nowadays more and more brides are now choosing to have even more sparkle to compliment their engagement ring and diamond set wedding bands are becoming so popular. It was also great to see that so many guys are keen to wear a ring and get involved in the design :-) 

With over 130 exhibitors there were lots of things to see, but for me, the Nomad Food and Flowers stand really stood out, and was full to the brim with fantastical loveliness, vintage inspired gorgeousness, sea shells, candles and the most delicious and delectable brownies ever.  The stand was very busy, all of the time - a reflection of how popular Nomad are..and of course the brownies probably helped!

On the Catherine Budd Jewellery stand, lots of people put their name down to win the bottle of Rosé Bollinger...why wouldn't you!?  

It's the official champagne of the royal household and if it's good enough for royalty,  it's definitely good enough for us! Something a little bit special that perhaps you wouldn't normally buy yourself, it will make a decadent drink on a special occasion....or in fact on any occasion....as Lily Bollinger famously said.....

"I drink it when I’m happy and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I’m not hungry and I drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it - unless I’m thirsty."

And, if you don't drink, it would be an ideal gift for friends and family members who have helped and supported you in the lead up to your big day. A lucky winner will be chosen at random this week.....watch this space!

So , after feeling like the BIC was my second home this weekend, having plenty of fun and making lots of new friends,  I have to say that I really enjoyed the show and am already looking forward to the Wedding Show at Lulworth Castle on February 26th. I would highly recommend Brides take time out to visit the event - if you're not based in Dorset, why not make a trip of it with your best friend and stop over night near the sea? :-)

Wishing you all a happy Monday and I hope this week will be good for you.

Much love

Cat ♥


www.catherinebuddjewellery.co.uk/

Dorset Society - Valentine's Edition

February's edition of Dorset Society magazine....page 73....

Much love

Cat ©

www.catherinebuddjewellery.co.uk

The BIC Wedding Show - 3rd to 5th February 2012

I’m delighted to tell you that I’ll be exhibiting at the BIC Wedding Show in Bournemouth from Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th February.  I will be in the Windsor Hall - stand W44 - and I’m super excited about meeting lots of potential new brides and their grooms :-)

The BIC Wedding Show offers the largest wedding exhibition on the South Coast, bringing together hundreds of inspirational wedding ideas for couples who are organising their special day. With over 130 local and regional exhibitors showcasing a wide range of wedding day services and accessories, this Wedding Show is the place to be for any Bride to be.

There is a great programme for the weekend.  Highlights include choreographed fashion shows, live performances from singers and musicians, plus fitness advice in a dedicated BH Live fitness zone. There will also be a de-stress zone offering free mini treatments, specialist zones for hair, health, the ‘first dance’, a groom's zone offering a mobile fun casino to entertain those who may like a ‘flutter’ and new for 2012, a Champagne and Pimms Bar.

If you’re in and around Bournemouth or just fancy making a visit to come to the Wedding Show, then you’re in luck! I have 4 complimentary tickets worth £6 each to giveaway.  If you are interested, please email me (info@catherinebuddjewellery.co.uk) with your name and address, and how many tickets you would like, and I will pop them in the post to you.

For further details, visit the BIC Wedding Show website for all the information you need, how to get there, and more.

I look forward to seeing you and hearing all about your wedding plans!

Much love,

Cat ©

www.catherinebuddjewellery.co.uk