Cuini Amelio-Ortiz Jewellery design of the 1960s-Historical Movements & style Are you old enough to remember the 1960s as the decade of radical change? The young people rose and time seemed to accelerate. It is obvious that such a decade produces its own style.     Fashion changes with the rhythm of its time and the 1960s rhythm was frenetic, fresh and uncompromising. This was also evident in the jewellery, which reflected the spirit of the time in the work of John Donald, Gerda Flöckinger, Jeane Thé, Gijs Bakker and many others.   London calling! It is no coincidence ..read more

Viola Eichler I have just counted, at the moment we have no less than 530 different gems on offer! It is really unbelievable how many varieties and sub-varieties we offer. Sometimes I really am astonished. There are about 4700 different minerals in the world, but not all of them are suitable for gemstone jewellery. Gemstones can only be cut from a fraction of the total product mined and only about 10% of the raw material of these minerals are of a suitable quality for setting in gemstone jewellery. Cuprian -Pink-Tourmaline A gem must have three important attributes: beauty rareness durabil ..read more

Cuini Amelio-Ortiz I’m often asked ‘what’s more expensive, a Diamond or a brilliant?’ The regularity of the question prompted me to write a small article clarifying the subject. 9k-champagne-diamond-gold-ring Diamond, the king of kings Most of us are familiar with Diamonds. At least from a distance. I personally dream of owning a “D” coloured, three-carat, flawless, baguette-cut jewel. I just need to figure out how to finance it, but that’s another story that doesn’t concern this article. As I stated, we all know what a Diamond is: that gem that drives us crazy beca ..read more

Sudan Edwina Young Fashion Forecast Fashion week/month is over. Let’s take a look at the London and NY style trends and dive into the Rocks & Co. Fashion Forecast-Spring 2020. On the London runways, we saw sleek monochrome suits for women at Burberry, where the look was more casual but still refined, in hues of grey and beige, presented under the tutelage of head house designer Riccardo Tisci. The collection included corsets, gingham minis and cool evening wear that can be worn as bridal wear. Rocha went way back to the designer’s Irish roots. Simone Roch ..read more

Simona Nicolai  A millenary tradition In Italian lore, on January 6th, the Befana comes by night in broken shoes and patches on her dress and apron, flying on a broom to deliver gifts to children. This beloved figure is connected with the Epiphany and is regarded similarly to St. Nicolas and his connection with the birth of Christ. Epiphany is a Christian celebration with the Divinity story of the three kings visiting Jesus in Bethlehem, and John the Baptist, baptising him, at its centre. The Italians include the Befana in nursery rhymes and songs that, have ..read more

Cuini Amelio-Ortiz Antwerp-Diamond City What, you may ask does Antwerp – Diamond City actually mean? Pelikaanstraat, Schupstraat, Hoveniersstraat and Rijfstraat are the four streets where the “Antwerp World Diamond Center” aka Diamond City, is located. It is right next to the renovated main train station; and Cathedral of Our Lady, on the main square. These are both incredibly beautiful buildings. and anchor points to this important destination, especially exciting if you are a Diamond Jewellery, architecture and art fan. Antwerp is known worldwide for the Rubens House-museum, t ..read more

Simona Nicolai When I travel, I always try to combine the useful with pleasure.  I devote some time to the discovery of new cultures, new lands and new experiences. One conclusion on a recent trip was that women, par excellence, are better at shopping. This time my holiday includes a very special shopping mission dedicated to the search for the beloved bracelet. Bangles and bracelets in a thousand shapes I embarked on my trip to Australia with great enthusiasm, for numerous reasons, more or less evident. Although I was never a great wearer of jewellery, that does ..read more

Sudan Edwina Young   Some of the most popular and high-end gems in the world of Gemstones are part of the big happy Beryl family. Beryl that is chemically free of substances appears colourless. The mineral group rates 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale of hardness, with a chemical composition of Be3Al2Si6O18. Ranging from colourless to black the various colours are a result of trace elements. 9k-Santa-Maria-Aquamarine-gold-ring   The colour range is quite wonderful.  The elements that create the deep green Emerald, for example, are either chromium or vanadium. If the Beryl ..read more

Cuini Amelio-Ortiz In the US, engagement rings are a real ritual, as is petitioning. Many American women are still impatiently awaiting the question: Will you become my wife? A thing that seems a bit “old-fashioned” to many Europeans.   About 100 years ago it was still common in the USA for the engagement ring to cost three times the groom’s salary. A tradition that is now much looser. Nevertheless, the prices for an engagement ring remain high, because even today it is still expected that the engagement ring is worthy of its important message and an omen of the happy union. A relatively ..read more

Star Sapphire     Gazing at the colour blue can help evoke a calm and peaceful state. Mediterranean blue, navy blue, sky blue, baby blue, Tiffany blue, indigo blue. With the sky and ocean as our first and constant experiences of these hues, it is no wonder we are enamoured with our own planet’s primary colours. A blue painted wall or even a blue floor can be a wonderful and serene accent to your home or workplace. In many Mediterranean countries, blue is painted on the outsides of houses, sometimes with white, creating a painterly colour play between the fa ..read more