Studio Vincent would like to extend a warm welcome to FM107.1 listeners! Studio Vincent is a new sponsor of this fantastic radio station and the SV crew is excited to meet those of you who stop into our gallery for the first time.
Come in on your lunch hour or after work, or swing through on Saturday to try on some of our beautiful jewelry.
For those of you who are already SV clients, make sure to tune in to FM 107.1 on weekdays from 5-9 am to listen to Ian and Margery.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Staff Favorites: Emily
If you want to make Emily Johnson smile, all you have to do is talk to her about Michael Zobel. Easily one of the most talented designers and goldsmiths of his time, Moroccan-born Michael Zobel uses exquisite gems, unusual techniques and fabulous shapes to give life to his unbelievably awesome jewelry.
When I asked Emily about her favorite piece in the gallery she gravitated towards the beautiful ring pictured below. The warm grey gold contrasts strongly with the platinum, and Zobel uses black diamonds to highlight the stark white of the most precious of metals. With a BFA in sculpture from MCAD, Emily is impressed by how Zobel can take the most basic kind of jewelry, the ring, and make it into a sculptural wonder. Not only does this ring have a delicious weight, but the ribbed texture makes it comfortable despite its width.
Emily's love for Zobel might have something to do with the fact that she owns one of his pieces already, and the grey gold and platinum ring pictured above would be a fabulous addition to her collection. Pictured below is Zobel's "Metropolis" ring, from the personal collection of Emily Johnson. The ability to take a completely normal gem like quartz and turn it into a small masterpiece like the ring below is uncommon: it takes precision, skill and, above all, imagination. The sculpted quartz and champagne diamonds set in platinum are transformed into a tiny city that never ceases to amaze.
Zobel's jewelry is like nothing you've seen before and I'm sure Emily would agree with me that seeing it merits a trip downtown, even during rush hour. Here are a few other pieces from his collection...come try them on and marvel at how good a piece of jewelry can make you feel.
-Louisa Podlich
When I asked Emily about her favorite piece in the gallery she gravitated towards the beautiful ring pictured below. The warm grey gold contrasts strongly with the platinum, and Zobel uses black diamonds to highlight the stark white of the most precious of metals. With a BFA in sculpture from MCAD, Emily is impressed by how Zobel can take the most basic kind of jewelry, the ring, and make it into a sculptural wonder. Not only does this ring have a delicious weight, but the ribbed texture makes it comfortable despite its width.
Emily's love for Zobel might have something to do with the fact that she owns one of his pieces already, and the grey gold and platinum ring pictured above would be a fabulous addition to her collection. Pictured below is Zobel's "Metropolis" ring, from the personal collection of Emily Johnson. The ability to take a completely normal gem like quartz and turn it into a small masterpiece like the ring below is uncommon: it takes precision, skill and, above all, imagination. The sculpted quartz and champagne diamonds set in platinum are transformed into a tiny city that never ceases to amaze.
Zobel's jewelry is like nothing you've seen before and I'm sure Emily would agree with me that seeing it merits a trip downtown, even during rush hour. Here are a few other pieces from his collection...come try them on and marvel at how good a piece of jewelry can make you feel.
-Louisa Podlich
Friday, April 17, 2009
Let's talk a little about diamonds: Clarity
If you've ever shopped for diamonds before, you probably know a little bit about the 4 Cs: Cut, Clarity, Color and Carat Weight. But what if this is your first time looking for a diamond? How do you decide which features are most important when you're on a budget?
Today we'd like to focus on diamond clarity.
When you're out shopping for diamonds, you will likely be attracted to one look over another. You might like the quiet elegance of a step-cut diamond, like an emerald or an asscher, or you might like the fire and excitement of a brilliant-cut diamond like a round or a princess. Both step-cut and brilliant-cut diamonds have their own beauty, but it's important to understand the role clarity plays in choosing a quality stone from each category.
Clarity refers to what you might think of as "nature's birthmarks" in a diamond. All but very few diamonds have some inclusions, although most are invisible to the eye without magnification of 10x. Inclusions can be surface blemishes, tiny fractures in the gem, particles of other minerals or even crystals. Sometimes these inclusions are hidden under a facet of a diamond and sometimes they are right out in the open. Generally speaking, inclusions are not a desirable trait for fine diamonds.
The diamond industry has created a scale to help grade the level of inclusions in each diamond. IF and F are internally flawless and flawless diamonds. Diamonds with a grade of VVS1 or VVS2 (very, very slightly included) may have one or two very small inclusions which would be invisible even under a microscope to anyone with an untrained eye. Diamonds with a grade of VS1 or VS2 (very slightly included) may have a few inclusions, but they would still be difficult to see, even with magnification. SI1 and SI2 (slightly included) diamonds can be found at most jewelry stores and often have inclusions that can be seen easily under a microscope. I1, I2 and I3 (imperfect) diamonds often have extreme blemishes either internally or on the surface, making them undesirable for everyday wear. You will never, ever find an I diamond at Studio Vincent.
After you've decided on a step-cut or a brilliant-cut diamond it's time to start examining clarity. If you've chosen a brilliant cut, you can often find beautiful gems in the VS2 to SI1 range with inclusions that are invisible to the naked eye. Many times these inclusions are hidden under one of the facets of the diamond and they don't drastically affect the path of light that makes diamonds so sparkly. Be careful of clarity, though, if you are considering buying a tension setting. Any inclusions or cracks near the edge of the gem could cause your diamond to break. The tension rings sold at Studio Vincent all have high-clarity diamonds for just this reason.
If you've chosen a step-cut diamond, clarity is a little more important. Because there are fewer facets, step-cut diamonds often have large, flat planes. Inclusions have fewer places to hide, and there's nothing less attractive than a beautiful emerald-cut diamond with a big blemish in the middle. For these beautiful cuts we suggest looking in the VVS to VS range.
Clarity can play a big role in diamond pricing because the fewer inclusions, the rarer the diamond. In order to find the gem that's perfect for you it's important to see it first. Each diamond is cut by hand and has a different personality. Who knows? You might even like the inclusion you find in yours! Come visit the Studio Vincent crew with all of your questions and we will help you find a diamond that will put a twinkle in your eye.
Today we'd like to focus on diamond clarity.
When you're out shopping for diamonds, you will likely be attracted to one look over another. You might like the quiet elegance of a step-cut diamond, like an emerald or an asscher, or you might like the fire and excitement of a brilliant-cut diamond like a round or a princess. Both step-cut and brilliant-cut diamonds have their own beauty, but it's important to understand the role clarity plays in choosing a quality stone from each category.
Clarity refers to what you might think of as "nature's birthmarks" in a diamond. All but very few diamonds have some inclusions, although most are invisible to the eye without magnification of 10x. Inclusions can be surface blemishes, tiny fractures in the gem, particles of other minerals or even crystals. Sometimes these inclusions are hidden under a facet of a diamond and sometimes they are right out in the open. Generally speaking, inclusions are not a desirable trait for fine diamonds.
The diamond industry has created a scale to help grade the level of inclusions in each diamond. IF and F are internally flawless and flawless diamonds. Diamonds with a grade of VVS1 or VVS2 (very, very slightly included) may have one or two very small inclusions which would be invisible even under a microscope to anyone with an untrained eye. Diamonds with a grade of VS1 or VS2 (very slightly included) may have a few inclusions, but they would still be difficult to see, even with magnification. SI1 and SI2 (slightly included) diamonds can be found at most jewelry stores and often have inclusions that can be seen easily under a microscope. I1, I2 and I3 (imperfect) diamonds often have extreme blemishes either internally or on the surface, making them undesirable for everyday wear. You will never, ever find an I diamond at Studio Vincent.
After you've decided on a step-cut or a brilliant-cut diamond it's time to start examining clarity. If you've chosen a brilliant cut, you can often find beautiful gems in the VS2 to SI1 range with inclusions that are invisible to the naked eye. Many times these inclusions are hidden under one of the facets of the diamond and they don't drastically affect the path of light that makes diamonds so sparkly. Be careful of clarity, though, if you are considering buying a tension setting. Any inclusions or cracks near the edge of the gem could cause your diamond to break. The tension rings sold at Studio Vincent all have high-clarity diamonds for just this reason.
If you've chosen a step-cut diamond, clarity is a little more important. Because there are fewer facets, step-cut diamonds often have large, flat planes. Inclusions have fewer places to hide, and there's nothing less attractive than a beautiful emerald-cut diamond with a big blemish in the middle. For these beautiful cuts we suggest looking in the VVS to VS range.
Clarity can play a big role in diamond pricing because the fewer inclusions, the rarer the diamond. In order to find the gem that's perfect for you it's important to see it first. Each diamond is cut by hand and has a different personality. Who knows? You might even like the inclusion you find in yours! Come visit the Studio Vincent crew with all of your questions and we will help you find a diamond that will put a twinkle in your eye.
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