April Birthstone - Diamond
If only I was born in April! The most well known of all the gemstones, Diamond, is April’s birthstone.
Diamonds have a long and complex history, with the first diamonds mined in India in the 4th Century. They were prized for their ability to refract light and as cutting tools as they could engrave metal. Over time, diamonds became more and more valuable, mostly because they were thought only to be found in India, and that supply was diminishing.
It wasn’t until Erasmus Jacobs found a pebble in South Africa in 1866 that things changed. The pebble turned out to be a 21 carat diamond, and prospectors arrived in their hundreds to mine the area. With such a large amount of diamonds available, prices dropped rapidly and the wealthy turned to other, coloured gemstones as diamonds were deemed a little too common.
In 1880, a British man, Cecil John Rhodes formed De Beers, which fairly successfully worked to limit and control the amount of diamonds on the market. Even then, prices remained lower, at almost half of their previous value.
The popularity that we see in diamonds in modern times was helped by a major advertising campaign commissioned by De Beers after WW2 in 1947. The phrase “A Diamond is forever” suggested that diamonds should be the only choice for engagement rings. Today, diamonds are present in almost 80% of gemstones sold across the world.
Some of our favourites include:
Outstanding later Art Deco ring, set with a mixture of brilliant cut and large baguette cut diamonds. Centre emerald cut diamond of approximately 0.65cts, with total diamond weight 2.75ct. The design is a masterclass: a square mount in platinum, built on strict rectangular geometry, with every element — the central emerald cut diamond, the flanking baguettes, the outer border of brilliant cuts — arranged in precise, architectural order.
The centre stone is an emerald cut diamond of approximately 0.65 carats — a cut that was itself a product of the Art Deco era, its long straight facets perfectly suited to the geometric aesthetic of the period. Around it, four large baguette cut diamonds are set in a stepped rectangular frame, totalling approximately 1 carat, before giving way to an outer border of twenty brilliant cut diamonds that complete the square and bring the total diamond weight to approximately 2.75 carats.
The diamond quality throughout is excellent: G/H colour, placing the stones in the near-colourless range, and VS2–SI1 clarity, meaning inclusions are minimal and not visible to the naked eye. At this colour and clarity across a total weight of 2.75 carats, the ring faces up with exceptional brilliance and whiteness.
The mount is platinum throughout, tested and confirmed, though unmarked. Platinum was the defining metal of the Art Deco period in fine diamond jewellery, and its natural whiteness allows the diamonds here to perform without any colour interference from the setting.
Store Location: Hungerford
Ring Size: M
Gemstones: Central emerald cut diamond approximately 0.65cts, outer baguette cut diamonds approximately 1ct and brilliant cut diamonds make an overall diamond weight of 2.75ct. Diamonds VS2-SI1 and G/H colour.
Hallmarks: Unmarked, tested as platinum.
Measurements: 17mm top to bottom, 15mm wide
Item Code: JM5
Ring Resizing: Please choose the size you require once adding your item to your cart.
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Stunning princess cut diamond earring studs, each 0.75cts in a beautiful pinky brown champagne colour. Total carat weight 1.5cts. Earrings set in 14ct gold.