Resources

A guide to uncovering your birthrigh Everybody has a birthstone - an endowment from Mother Nature in the shape of a precious gem which is given on the month in which you were born... As a gift, there can be nothing more fitting than a piece of Irish made jewellery featuring a birthstone. From simple earrings or a ring to an elaborate necklace, the gift of a birthstone states simply but unmistakably that you have put thought into this gift... January Usually dark red in colour, Garnets...

From the beginning of recorded history, man has asked the age-old question, "What time is it?" Although we have always known the sun rises and sets every day, we did not always know how to tell the time in between these two events. These smaller increments of time have come to dictate our daily lives, and throughout the ages we have searched for ways to accurately measure the day. Cavemen used a pointed stick and a circle of stones to make the first crude sundial. Generations followed with...

Choosing an Association of Fine Jewellers Jewellery Professional When you buy a dazzling piece of fine jewellery, you're making an important purchase. Equally important is the decision of where you're going to make the purchase. The Association of Fine Jewellers is the national association for retail jewellers. When you have your heart set on the jewellery you've always wanted, don't let yourself be dazzled into selecting a jeweller you may not be happy with later. Before you select a jeweller,...

Coloured gemstones Beauty. Rarity. Durability. These attributes attract us to coloured gemstones for personal adornment and make gemstones valuable and precious. coloured gemstones provide the opportunity for uniquely personal expression. Beauty Most coloured gemstones derive their beauty from their colour - purples, blues, greens, yellows, oranges, reds. In certain coloured gemstones colour occurs naturally. Satisfying hues are intrinsic in some garnets, for example. In other coloured gemstones,...

Every rough diamond shipment now has a 'passport' to travel the world. This ensures that it is conflict-free. It also means that the diamonds which you sell are legitimate. What is a conflict / blood diamond? Conflict diamonds are rough diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to help finance conflict against legitimate governments. Although the conflict diamond issue affects the polished diamond market, conflict diamonds are essentially a rough diamond issue that is being dealt...

Rare and fascinating, mysterious and magical, the diamond has ignited romantic passion throughout history. The word alone conjures up a thousand images: rare, precious, desirable, beautiful, sparkling tokens of love. Created deep within the core of the earth more than 3 billion years ago and brought to the surface by volcanic eruption, most of the diamonds sparkling on fingers today are more than 100 million years old! Even before these magnificent creations of nature were mined in profusion...

Fine jewellery Information The Association of Fine Jewellers works to assist our members in educating their employees and their customers. One of the ways we do this is to provide in-store education materials that our members can use with their customers to provide basic information on jewellery products. What You Should Know About Fine jewellery The Association of Fine Jewellers has prepared information to assist consumers in making an informed purchase of fine jewellery. This information...

Gold, one of the world's most precious metals, dates back to the dawn of mankind. All great civilizations built up treasuries of the lustrous metal, reserving golden objects for their most important rituals. The most alluring use of the sun-coloured metal has always been in jewellery. The Egyptians, largest producers of gold in the ancient world, equated gold with the sun, the giver of life, and reserved its use for pharaohs only. The ancient Etruscans created meticulously hand-wrought objects using...

Cultured Pearls Pearls have been a source of fascination and desire since ancient times. Viewed as magic charms, symbols of purity and love, or sources of wisdom and power, pearls are one of the oldest known gems and have been revered by countless civilizations. Legend has it that Cleopatra dissolved a large pearl in a glass of wine and drank it to impress Marc Antony with her wealth and power - a ploy that worked all too well. Knights in the Middle Ages wore pearls onto the battlefield to...

Pure Rare Eternal Precious platinum is the perfect choice for the customer of the 21st century – it is beautiful, versatile and elegant, yet it has hidden strength and resilience. Platinum is pure, it has a brilliant white sheen and is kind to the skin. Platinum is rare, a treasure coveted by influential individuals for centuries. Platinum is eternal, with an everlasting radiance and durability. Choosing precious platinum is the perfect way to express your own individuality, strength and style. Pure P...

Sterling Silver Jewellery and Gifts Since the dawn of civilization, men and women have been captivated by silver's spell and splendor. Throughout the ages this mystical white metal has been used to mark historical milestones, celebrations, achievements and special occasions. No one knows with certainty when the first silver gift was bestowed. But as early as 3100 B.C., ambassadors from Crete were already bringing silver vases as gifts for Egyptian rulers. The metal's popularity has even influenced...