Journal
Notes on buying diamonds
Plain explanations from a GIA Graduate Gemologist in Mumbai, written for the person sitting across the counter.
18K vs 14K vs 9K gold: what the karat actually costs
A worked comparison of 18K, 14K and 9K in Mumbai: purity, price per gram, and what the same 5.5 gram ring costs in each, line by line.
Making charge: per gram or percentage, which costs more
The same 5.5 gram 18K ring priced with a flat making charge and with percentage rates at 8, 12, 15 and 20 per cent, totals compared.
An itemised estimate versus a lump sum quote
The same ring quoted as one total and as four separate lines, and what each format lets a buyer check before paying a deposit.
How to read a diamond certificate before you buy
How to read a diamond certificate or grading report, how cut, colour and clarity affect appearance, what reports omit, and how to verify the stone
Making charges on gold jewellery, explained
What making charges on gold jewellery cover, per gram versus percentage rates, why quotes differ, and how to compare two estimates line by line
Lab-grown and natural diamonds, what actually differs
The difference between lab-grown and natural diamonds, how each is formed, what grading reports state, and what to ask before choosing between them
How a custom ring is made, from photo to polish
How a custom ring is made from a photo, from choosing the diamond and designing the setting to workshop casting, stone setting, and final polishing
Send a photo, get an itemised estimate
Describe the piece you have in mind and we will list the gold, the diamond, the making charge and GST separately. Free, and yours to keep whether you order or not.
Get an estimate