Archive | Jewellery and Coins

The Royal Canadian Mint makes history to commemorate history – by Greg Klein (Resource Clips – September 4, 2018)

September 5, 2018 in Canadian Regional Media and Web Publications, Jewellery and Coins

http://resourceclips.com/

Impractical but legal tender just the same, the Royal Canadian Mint’s latest batch of coins features, not for the first time, a world first. This one’s an oval- and concave-shaped one-kilo 99.99% silver coin. Using innovative techniques to portray a traditional theme, it shows a boatload of voyageurs having “just cleared a treacherous cascade, their canoe almost launching itself from this incredibly sculpted and immersive design.”

The oval shape “beautifully frames the design while its concave shape heightens the sense of perspective,” the Mint enthused. “The ultra-high relief delivers incredible depth and dimension which are further enhanced by the coin’s antique finish.” The result “showcases incredible artistry and the Mint’s technical prowess that has made it a global leader for over a century.”

Although hardly the Mint’s largest coin, this one sells for 10 times its face value of $250. Just 400 copies have been struck. Continue Reading →

Ashes to ashes, carbon to…: Could synthetics bring death to diamond mining? Or a kind of reincarnation? – by Greg Klein (Resource Clips – August 20, 2018)

August 27, 2018 in Canadian Regional Media and Web Publications, Diamond Mining, Jewellery and Coins

http://resourceclips.com/

Somehow a real diamond got mixed up with the fakes. This summer the Gemological Institute of America reported its highest-ever single swoop of synthetic diamonds masquerading as naturals—1,101 artificial stones out of a parcel of 1,102. Efforts to pass off synthetic melee (variously given as under 0.15 or 0.2 carats) have increased exponentially since the GIA offered its detection service in 2016, the organization stated.

But while synthetics have improved substantially in quality, their chief risk to the diamond trade appears to be not false pretenses but positive consumer response. Customers willingly buy the man-made versions, attracted by lower prices as well as claims of ethical superiority that challenge the allure of a naturally created wonder.

And in a high-tech society, the lab-created substitutes can inspire a sense of wonder too. They’re created by one of two methods. Expressed simply, the high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) process dissolves graphite or another form of carbon through a metal alloy to bond with tiny seed diamonds and grow atomically into gem-sized diamonds. Continue Reading →

Hailey Baldwin shows off Justin Bieber’s massive engagement ring – by Cydney Henderson (Toronto Star/USA Today – August 24, 2018)

August 27, 2018 in Canadian Media Resource Articles, Jewellery and Coins

https://www.thestar.com/

Hailey Baldwin’s beautiful diamond sparkler is making its debut.

The model’s engagement ring from her Canadian pop-superstar fiancé Justin Bieber is front and centre on the cover of Vogue Mexico. In the black-and-white image, a fresh-faced Baldwin relaxes her head on her arm, leaving her massive rock for all to see.

Baldwin, rocking her signature blond locks and a tweed jacket, accessorized her look with a 6-to-10-carat oval-stoned stunner from New York jeweller Solow & Co., according to People. Continue Reading →