glossary

laboratory gemstones

Designed to last a lifetime, our laboratory gemstones are carefully selected not just for their beauty but also for their brilliance, colour, clarity, durability and hardness.

Our laboratory gemstones are segregated into two genres based on their gemological composition and chemical structure:  

Idem Gemstones

These laboratory-grown gemstones share identical optics and gemology to their natural mined counterparts. They possess exact chemical composition and structure as well as hardness, colour and brilliance to their natural mined counterparts. Idem gemstones may come with inclusions or have perfect clarity. (Explore our Idem gemstones)

Alius Gemstones

These laboratory-created gemstones share identical optics to their natural mined gemstones however their gemology differ from their natural mined counterparts. They have a different chemical composition and structure to their natural mined counterparts. These gemstones have a unique balance in optical qualities, beauty, saturation, hardness and durability. Alius gemstones may come with inclusions or have perfect clarity. (Explore our Alius gemstones)

Natural gemstones

Natural gemstones occur naturally in nature and mined from the earth. (Explore our natural gemstones)

 

Our metals

24 karat gold

The “Caratage" is the measurement of purity of gold alloyed with other metals. 24 karat is 100 percent pure gold with no other metals, at this composition the metal is extremely soft and malleable, it bends, warps and scratches easily making it an unlikely metal for durable jewellery.

18 karat gold

18 karat gold contains 75 percent gold and 25 percent other metals, often copper or silver. 18K gold is the purest form of gold used for wearable jewellery.

14 karat gold

14 karat gold is made up of 58.3 percent gold and 41.7 percent alloy, 14K gold is a popular to-go gold for jewellery, though with a colour less saturated than 18 karat gold, this karat offers greater durability.

Vermeil

Vermeil is a technique originating in the 19th century, where gold was applied to sterling silver. Gold vermeil is also made through the gold plating technique but requires a thicker layer of gold. In this case, the gold layer must be above 2.5 microns. Due to this thicker gold layer, vermeil is a durable option for jewellery pieces. 18k gold vermeil is a 2-3microns thick coating of 18k gold on sterling silver. Rhodium vermeil: Rhodium is a member of the platinum family, that has been used as a coating for jewellery and silverware since the 1930s. it is a silvery-white, hard, and corrosion-resistant metal that is incredibly shiny and reflects up to 80 percent of light. The incredible lustre that the metal imparts makes for stunning pieces of jewellery.

e-Coating

This relatively new trend in jewellery design makes it possible to add non-traditional colours to a metal’s surface without giving an enamel-like finish. E-coating, aka electro deposition or electro-coating, uses an electrical current to cover a metal surface with an organic lacquer. Aside from the uniqueness of e-coated jewellery and the beautiful finish e-coating provides, e-coated jewellery is more durable, and when properly cared for, can last years.