Washing and Caring tips for Pure Silk Products

Washing and Caring tips for Pure Silk Products:

Silk, the Queen of textiles: Silks are lustrous & colourful, soft & strong, light & comfortable with fantastic drape unsurpassed by any other fiber either natural or synthetic. Caring of your silks is very important to get long cherishing of your gorgeous silks.

Silks should be socked for 2 or 3 minutes in cold water(with few drops of Citric Acid or Vinegar) before and after washing. Each piece should be washed separately.

Soap should be mild & little, water should be warm & soft (pinch of Borax; Sodium Borate or Ammonia can be added if water is hard) for better results. Soap should be uniformly & completely dissolved.

Hand washing with soft brushing is highly recommended to machine washing, process should be quick to avoid long contact with soap water. Extra soap should be removed by rinsing 2 to 3 times in fresh warm water and soaked for 2 to 3 minutes in cold water as above.

Silks should never be squeezed or twisted either to remove soap or extra water should be rolled in Turkish towels and pressed to remove extra water. Drying should be a plain surface and not on hangers or wires.

Ironing results will be better if little moisture is left and on back side of the surface with medium heat to avoid damage & iron marks.

Store in cool dry place in brown craft paper cover, in case of saris avoid stacking more than three, frequently reverse and change the folds. A small sandal wood piece instead of naphthalene balls would provide dry, cool and fresh condition for silks. Once in a while the saris should be subjected to fresh air. Sweat should never be allowed to settle & should be removed by rinsing in cold water as above to avoid damage.


Courtesy: Silk Mark Organisation of India.

Diamond Cut

Arguably the most complex and contested of the 4Cs, Diamond CUT, is not be mistaken for diamond shapes. We covered Shape in the first of the 4Cs mailer.

Diamond Cut has the greatest influence in the overall beauty of the diamond. It determines what we generally refer as the diamonds sparkle! It determines how well a diamond will reflect and refract light.

When gemologists say "cut," they are talking about a gemstone's proportions, such as its depth and width and the uniformity of its facets--all characteristics that control brilliance, durability and other features we look for in a diamond. The more precisely a diamond is proportioned and polished, the bigger it will look and the more brilliantly it will perform.

Diamond Anatomy :

When talking about the cut of a stone it is important to be familiar with the anatomy of a diamond. The illustration below is for a round brilliant cut diamond. Different diamond shapes have the same components; however special cuts, radiant cut, princess cut, and all custom cuts have additional facets for added brilliance.

Each shape has different ranges of cutting proportions. For purposes of our discussion, we will concentrate on the round brilliant cut diamond. The modern round brilliant cut diamond has 58 facets and accounts for about 75% of all diamonds.



As shown in the images below, when a diamond is well-cut, light enters through the table and travels to the pavilion where it reflects from one side to the other before reflecting back out of the diamond through the table and to the observer's eye. This light is the brilliance we mentioned, and it's this flashing, fiery effect that makes diamonds so mesmerizing.

In a poorly cut diamond, the light that enters through the table reaches the facets and then 'leaks' out from the sides or bottom of the diamond rather than reflecting back to the eye. Less light reflected back to the eye means less brilliance.

The result of the complex relationship with light is a magnificent display of three attributes.

Brightness is the combination of all white light reflecting from the surface and interior of a diamond.

Fire describes the "flares" or color emitted from a diamond. Its the prismatic effect.

Scintillation describes the flashes of light you see, when the diamond, the light source or when the observer move.

Common Problems with Diamond Cuts

• A broken or chipped culet.

• A culet that's missing or one that's off center.

• Misaligned or extra facets.

• A girdle that is too thick, creating poor proportions, or too thin, making it easier to damage.

• A fringed girdle, with tiny cracks going into the diamond.

• A table that slopes to one side.

Always buy diamonds from a reputable jeweler and ask questions about diamond characteristics. Inspect as many diamonds as possible so that you can make good comparisons.


Courtesy: Surat Diamond

Diamond Shapes

Diamond: Remarkably simple yet unmatched in popularity, is the most sorts after gemstone to create fine jewelry as compared to any other gemstone. This formidable gemstone is the hardest substance on earth has appropriately become the Ultimate Symbol of Love.

In this five series email we try to explore the ultimate determining factors of this gemstone that makes it so varied in values, appearance and quality. The 5 most determining factors are Shape, Cut, Colour, Clarity, Carat, Weight.

We explore the Shape today. To be noted here is that Shape is different from Cut. Shape refers to the basic form of the diamond: oval or pear shaped, for instance. Cut or proportions, on the other hand, refer to the ability of each of these shapes to reflect light.

Round: : The most popular of diamond cuts is the modern round brilliant, whose facet arrangements and proportions have been perfected by both mathematical and empirical analysis to have exceptional brilliance, and light reflectivity. The round brilliant that we know today was invented by Marcel Tolko sky, a Belgian mathematician born to a family of diamond cutters who, in 1919, wrote his doctoral thesis on diamond proportion and symmetry, and "invented" the round brilliant. More than 75% of diamonds sold today are rounds.

Princess : The princess diamond is the most popular shape after the round brilliant and is typically square in shape, although it can also be rectangular. The princess shape was created in the 1980s and displays the same high degree of brilliance as the round brilliant. It is a unique and distinctive alternative to the popular round brilliant. It's important to note that when weighing color grades and prices, sometimes a lower color grade diamond in a princess shape will manifest as visible color in the corners of the stone. Flattering to a hand with long fingers, it is often embellished with triangular stones at its sides.


Emerald: - The emerald cut is not a brilliant cut, but rather features a large open table with step cuts. The emerald cut is traditionally rectangular and most closely resembles the natural diamond shape. Although the emerald diamond is not as brilliant as the round shape or princess shape, it is considered to be an elegant cut, vintage in style, and less "flashy" than other shapes.



Asscher: - The Asscher diamond is almost indistinguishable from the emerald cut aside from its larger step facets, dramatically cut corners and square shape. Also, because of its proportions, it typically has more light reflection and fire than an emerald shaped diamond. As with the emerald diamond, the Asscher diamond also has a certain antique, elegant air about it. The Asscher diamond, similar to the princess diamond, can sometimes show color impurities in its corners. Therefore, although the price for an Asscher diamond with lower color grade can be enticing.


Oval Diamond: - This is an even, perfectly symmetrical design popular among women with small hands or short fingers. Its elongated shape gives a flattering illusion of length to the hand.


Marquise: - This football-like shape that comes to a point on either end, which is said to maximize the illusion of increased diamond weight, giving the appearance of a much larger-looking diamond. A modification of the round brilliant, the marquise shape also offers a high level or brilliance and light reflection. It is gorgeous when used as a solitaire or when enhanced by smaller diamonds.


Radiant: - This square or rectangular cut combines the elegance of the emerald shape diamond with the brilliance of the round, and its 70 facets maximize the effect of its color refraction. The radiant shape was born over twenty years ago and is considered to be the father of 'fancy cut' diamonds. The proportioning, facet arrangement and shape of the radiant diamond is considered a good shape for colored diamonds since it is widely held that these factors intensify color.


Heart: - This ultimate symbol of romance is essentially a pear-shaped diamond with a cleft at the top. The skill of the cutter determines the beauty of the cut. We recommend you should look for a stone that is perfectly symmetrical.

Pear: - The pear shaped diamond is also a modified brilliant shape, a combination of the round and marquis shapes. It is also known as a teardrop shape for its round bottom and sides which taper to one common point. It also belongs to that category of diamond whose design most complements a hand with small or average-length fingers. It is particularly beautiful for pendants or earrings.


The shape of things to come in diamonds has already produced other fanciful and innovative styles such as the flower, regent, triangle and kite. Nor does it stop there. Individuality and taste determine the fashion, and the magic of the gem cutter transforms each stone into a unique work of art.





Courtesy: Rajiv Mehta.

Surat Diamond Jewellery

Match Your Necklace To Your Neckline.

While matching your necklace to your ensemble, women often just look at the color and style of their outfit. Another important aspect to consider is the neckline of what you are wearing. The length and the style of the necklace chosen to accessorize your outfit, has a lot to do in how your ensemble turns out to be - Elegant, Chic, Gaudy or Overdone.

When donning a garment with a plunging neckline, shorter necklaces may be a wise choice. Girls who choose to don a V-neck or broad necked kurta a short gold chain or even a black chord thread adorned with a pendant will look good and catch the attention of the jewelry.

For clothes that feature a high neckline, like a Chinese collar kurta, a crew neck T-shirt,or a formal office shirt,which when worn covers your neck, a longer necklace is best. An elaborate string of pearls or a long silver chain will look just lovely even with a turtleneck.

With Sarees the rules could vary. With an elaborate saree, like a rich kanjeevaran (Rekha sorts) or ones with heavy embroidery a short necklace which falls right on the neckline looks classy. If it’s a plain saree with just a border a long necklace adds glamour to the ensemble.



However a bright bead necklace or an elaborate short necklace also will go well with a plain saree. Mid-length necklaces are also lovely, and can work for necklines of all heights. These pieces can also add a little weight to feminine,floaty blouses, and make your get-up appear more polished.



Ladies should make sure they have these go-to pieces in their jewelry box at all times. A waist-length necklace that can be looped, a mid-length piece and a shorter chain that rests on your collar bone are all necessities.

Just like the Little Black Dress, having staple jewelry items on hand is a must!

Regards,

Rajiv Mehta

Surat Diamond Jewellery