Christmas Opening Hours

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

...so take a moment to double check when we're around before popping in to spend your Christmas pennies:

Sunday 25th December          CLOSED
Monday 26th December        CLOSED
Tuesday 27th December        CLOSED
Wednesday 28th December   CLOSED

Thursday 29th December       OPEN 09:30 - 17:15
Friday 30th December            OPEN 09:30 - 17:15
Saturday 31st December        OPEN 09:30 - 17:15

Sunday 1st January                CLOSED
Monday 2nd January             CLOSED
Tuesday 3rd January              CLOSED

Wednesday 4th January         OPEN 09:30 - 17:15

Merry Christmas everyone!

Supporting the local community

Our shop in Beaconsfield has been open for 20 years and we really believe that our active involvement in the local community is a huge contributing factor to our growth and success.  Over the years, Andre has headed up the local Chamber of Commerce, founded the Neighbourhood Action Group and the annual Festival of Lights as well as contributing to countless school raffles and charity programmes.

In these difficult times, it becomes even more important to stay local and to give whatever you can to causes and charities whose funding and support will undoubtedly have dwindled.

In the coming months, expect to see us supporting:
The Rotary Festival of Lights (details to follow soon!)
Jordan's School
The Wooburn Singers
The Prostate Cancer Charity

Do your bit by attending some of these events and by buying local!

And it was all yellow...

Since the weather has turned distinctly autumnal, we thought we’d select yellow stones for our monthly colour focus.

Citrine, a quartz like amethyst, is mined (mostly from Brazil, the US, Spain and Russia) in such a range of colours (from pure yellow to honey, to a brownish yellow) and is relatively inexpensive so remains a popular choice with sun-stone seekers.  The colour in citrines can sometimes appear broken up or patchy, but this rarely noticeable, and the excellent lustre and clarity often compensates for small areas of shading.   

9 carat yellow gold line bracelet set with citrine - £725.00

18 carat yellow gold pendant set with a 45.52 carat heart-shaped citrine and diamonds totalling 0.60 carat on an 18 carat yellow gold round box chain - £6,395.00

18 carat yellow gold drop earrings with a total of 2.40 carat of citrine and 0.14 carat of diamond - £1,495.00

As the name suggests Lemon Quartz is also a quartz, but is classed as a separate stone due to it unique, and more delicate tone.

18 carat white gold earrings set with lemon quartz with 0.05 carat diamond each - £625.00

18 carat white gold necklace set with and lemon quartz with 0.10 carat of diamond - £895.00

18 carat white gold cocktail ting set with lemon quartz and diamonds- £2,750.00

Having discussed sapphires in some detail in our ‘Feeling Blue’ post back in July, we needn’t cover the same ground again here regarding yellow sapphires, but suffice it to say that the range of yellow tones covered by yellow sapphire (from lemon to canary to golden honey) combined with their stunning lustre make them a popular choice for those looking to invest in a precious stone.

Cocktail ring set with a 3.04 carat natural yellow sapphire and a total of 0.60 carat of diamonds - £7,450.00

Amber is widely known as being made from the resin of pre-historic trees, capable of perfectly preserving mosquitos and other small creatures.  Amber is predominantly found along the Baltic coasts of Russia and Poland.  Amber can be anything from honey yellow through to quite a brownish yellow, and in varying degrees of transparency – the darker and more opaque the stone, the less valuable it is.  Amber isn’t hugely popular at this time, but does enjoy perennial revivals in interest.

9 carat oval rubbed over set clip earrings with amber - Was £285.00, Now £114.00



Christmas is coming....

Whilst it may seem a little keen to be using the 'C' word in early October - especially given the fantastic weather we have been enjoying recently - we just couldn't wait to introduce you to some of our fabulous new stock arriving ahead of the festive season.

Check out these beauties...

Keep an eye out for our christmas brochure which will follow in a few weeks.

A comprehensive guide to choosing your wedding band

Many clients searching for their wedding rings come into the shop looking for ‘oh just something simple – plain gold band’.  Little do they know...

Shapes

All rings come in different shapes, but with your wedding ring – something you will wear every day – it is important that your chosen piece is as comfortable as it is pretty.  There is a wealth of shapes available beyond the traditional ‘flat’ and ‘court’ as outlined here:

Widths

Most wedding bands start at around a 3mm width, with 4-6mm being the most popular.  It is worth remembering however that the thicker shapes (like the halo or traditional court) will mean more bulk as the ring gets wider (resulting in the wearer being less able to close their fingers completely together).

Neither the shape nor the width of a ring have a significant impact on the price of a ring by themselves – these are simply design features – but rather, taking the two factors together, along with the overall weight of the design will determine how much metal is needed to produce the chosen ring, which of course is where the cost lies.

Materials

Wedding rings are made from all sorts of things these days (hypoxi-resin, wood, murano glass etc), but the precious metals remain the most popular:

Gold is of course the most common.  It remains popular since, even amidst the recent rising prices, a plain band needn’t be all that expensive, is fairly hardwearing and of course comes in the yellow, white and rose colour.  The carat of the gold refers to the content of gold (versus other metals) out of 1000 parts:  9 carat gold contains 375 parts gold to 625 parts other metals and 18 carat gold contains 750 parts gold to 250 parts other metals.

Platinum is the purest of metals (hallmarked platinum contains 950 parts platinum to just 50 parts other metal), and is traditionally the most precious – with the price tag to match!  If cost is no object, this is certainly the luxe option.

Titanium has enjoyed a period of popularity due to its attractive colour (particularly for men’s rings), but is not widely recommended by jewellers since titanium rings can rarely be re-sized, leaving the wearer to bear the cost of a new ring should their finger size change over time.

For those wanting something a little different, palladium is a fantastic option since it is harder than platinum (and therefore more hard-wearing), and since it can be produced in 500 parts, 950 or 999 parts, can prove an inexpensive way of purchasing a white metal ring.

Production

There are two main production methods in circulation.  Cast rings are much cheaper to produce, saving the buyer money, but rings produced by this method can be porous, meaning less gold content and leaving the ring less hard-wearing.

Alternatively, weddings bands can be milled – a process whereby a strip of metal is rolled around and sealed before being sealed and polished.

There is also a third method, known as stamping, but since this requires expensive specialist machinery, and doesn’t allow for any design embellishment, it is rarely seen on the high street.

Settings and finishes

Modern wedding rings come in a wonderful range of finishes with all sorts of decoration.  Diamond set rings are proving increasingly popular (although clients do find that when combined with an engagement and eternity ring, their finger gets a little to ‘bling’ to handle), with beaded edges, engraved patterns and bi-colour stripes also selling well.  All of these options do add to the overall cost however.

A slightly more cost effective way to obtain a pretty look is to opt for one of the many finishes available – plain polished (the shiny look that you see most often in jewellery) can be replaced with a variety of brushed, hammered or a satin looks

Engraving

Engraving your wedding ring is a lovely and romantic way to personalise your purchase.  New rings (as long as they are not hollow or porous) can be laser engraved direct from the manufacturer or machine engraved, however any engraving by this method will not outlive the ring itself.

Hand engraving does cost more, but offers more depth and character and a far better life expectancy.

Care

Plainer wedding bands should require little more care day to day than a hand polish with a soft cloth, although embellished rings may require soaking in warm water with a little washing-up liquid.

Platinum and white gold rings are rhodium plated to give them the best white appearance.  Over a period of some years, this plating will wear off and will need replacing in order to look as good as new.

Many customers choose to purchase wedding bands of the same material as their engagement ring so that the rings will wear at the same rate.  This is the ideal scenario, but it is also worth noting that all metals will wear over time anyway.

Obviously when it comes to your final choice, there can be no substitute for trying a range on and seeing how they suit your hand, but hopefully our guide has offered you a little food for thought!

Photo credits:

Ring shapes:  http://www.weddingrings-direct.com via http://www.mabellejournee.co.uk/wedding-rings

Ring finishes:  http://www.stuller.com/pages/3128/

de Marsac in the press

Well, just in case you've been keeping up with our exploits, here is the fabulous coverage we received in September's edition of Beaconsfield Life. 

In other news, we are very pleased to help to promote two upcoming local charity events:

Friday 30th September:  Second Hand Rose Designer Clothes Sale for The Children's Trust at The Bellhouse Hotel

Sunday 2nd October: Memory Walk for The Alzheimers Society at Hall Barn

Two worthwhile charities, and two easy and fun ways to help them!

Green Eyed Monster

Continuing our monthly colour-based stone breakdown, September’s chosen hue is green.

Despite being one of the most valuable stones found in nature, Emeralds do not enjoy as much popularity as in the past – although more modern settings with diamonds in white gold are a very striking choice!  Emeralds come from the same family aquamarines (described in our ‘Feeling blue’ feature back in July) in that they are a beryl, but only those with sufficient chromium to give that distinctive, deep, green (coming mostly from Colombia and parts of Africa) are able to carry the ‘emerald’ title.  Light reflection and refraction is not strong in emeralds, which, some argue, makes them less interesting to look at, but a large stone with a strong, even colour will come close to rivalling similar sized diamonds in value.  Even synthetically produced emeralds hold reasonable value.

18 carat yellow and white gold bracelet, set with emeralds weighing a total of 3.25 carat, and diamonds weighing a total of 0.35 carat - £2,850.00

18 carat white gold necklet with integral chain, set with a pear shaped emerald weighing 0.33 carat and diamonds weighing a total of 0.19 carat - £1,295.00

18 carat white gold, emerald and diamond drop earrings - £975.00

18 carat white gold cocktail ring, set with an emerald weighing 1.78 carats and diamonds weighing a total of 0.32 carat - £4,850.00

18 carat white gold pendant set with an oval cut emerald weighing 0.73 carat and diamonds weighing a total of 0.21 carat (with an 18 carat white gold chain) - £2,850.00

Peridot is a semi-precious gemstone - a silicate of magnesium and iron.  Being less expensive, but not given to particular inclusions, as well as being available in a lovely range of tones, from a yellow-ish, through to bottle green, it is a very versatile choice, often used in conjunction with other coloured stones altogether. 

18 carat yellow gold drop necklace with peridot, citrine and diamond - £525.00

9 carat gold drop earrings set with an oval cut peridot and 0.13 carat of diamonds  - £325.00

9 carat white gold ring with a cushion cut peridot and 0.06 carat of diamonds - £575.00

Another silicate, this time of calcium and aluminium, forms a stone from the garnet family – Tsavorite – found mostly in Kenya and Tanzania.  Available in a range of shades, the clear, bottle green makes a lovely alternative to emeralds, especially since the stone offers fantastic lustre.  However, they are rarely found in large sizes.

18 carat white gold bracelet set with a total of 2.06 carats of tsavorite and 1.98 carats of diamonds – £4,850.00

18 carat white gold earrings set with a total of 0.58 carat of tsavorite and 0.30 carat of diamonds –  £875.00

Since some people find the brightness of peridot to be too strong, green amethyst can offer a fantastic alternative within the semi-precious categories.  Amethyst is a quartz – silicon dioxide – which is one of the most widely distributed minerals on Earth and is often used in jewellery (by various names depending on the colour) due to its clarity of colour and excellent lustre.  The green variety used in the jewellery industry is a more muted, pastel green which looks particularly lovely when set with white gold.

18 carat white gold pendant set with a square cut green amethyst and diamonds (with a 9 carat white gold spega chain) – £740.00

A green Beryl is essentially a low grade emerald – the same components as in the real thing, but with insufficient chromium to give it it’s distinctive colour (and value!).  However, when a beryl is pale and translucent, it offers a watery luster which is very pleasing to the eye.

18 carat white gold pendant set with a green beryl weighing 11.35 carats and diamonds with a total weight of 1.18 carats, with chunky chain - £8,250.00

Green tourmaline is an interesting gemstone since the variety of shades it is found in make it very good at imitating other stones.  The darker, more olive coloured stones tend to hold less value than the bright, mid-tone ones.

18 carat white gold cluster ring, set with an oval green tourmaline and diamonds weighing a total of 0.70 carat - £1,625.00

Malachite, a basic copper carbonate which forms in stripes of different green tones, is not typically very high-value, but is much admired in sculpture, and occasionally used within the jewellery trade – more often set in silver.

Sterling silver and malachite bracelet - £495.00

9 carat yellow gold stud earrings set with malachite - WAS £285.00 – NOW £114.00

Jade, most commonly known for its use in oriental art (the paler, ‘nephrite’ jade being prolific until the mid-eighteenth century, when the darker ‘jadeite’ became more popular), is also sometimes used in the jewellery industry.  Found in small quantities all over the world, the largest deposits are located in Russia and New Zealand.

Nephrite jade bead bracelet with 9 carat yellow gold clasp - WAS £95.00 – NOW £47.50



Ti Sento is coming to de Marsac!

We are very excited to announce that we are soon to be the newest stockist of the stunning Ti Sento range of silver jewellery.

Ti Sento jewellery is designed with the wearer in mind - not just in its stylish design (much of which is inter-changeable, allowing you to alter your style day to day), but also when it comes to their patented fastenings. 

Overall, it was the combination of fashion-led design, and excellent hand-finished quality which won us over - and we look forward to introducing it to you from the end of September!

A 're-blog' from the US' National Jeweler: 'The Adjustment Question'

Back in May, in our jewellery valuations post, we spoke of how the prices of gold and small diamonds are increasing so rapidly that client's insurance valuations are quickly becoming outdated.

But what about the impact this increases are having on us, the retailer (and in turn, of course, the buyer) when it comes to replacing sold stock?  This article by Michelle Graff of the US Magazine 'National Jeweler' sums up the current trends perfectly and is well worth a read.

Tricky times - but it is all part of the fun.

The price of gold – a great time to scrap, but a bad time to sell!

Gold prices have gone through the roof.  I know we have already said this recently, but we REALLY mean it!  In recent weeks, the price of gold reached an all-time high – costing over $1,800.00 per ounce.

What this means for the consumer is that it is a great time to sweep up all those little bits of gold that are lurking at the bottom of drawers, or gathering dust in the back of your jewellery box.  Unworn pieces, broken or knotted chains or single earrings can soon add up in weight and be ‘scrapped’ for a great cash price that can be put towards some better purpose (like a lovely new diamond!).

It is worth noting though, that whilst it is a great time to be rid of your useless plain gold, stone set jewellery in good condition might be better sold as an item to be worn, rather than scrapped, since you will get more of the value of the stones back.  However, the economic climate not having been too warm of late, the market has recently been flooded with second hand jewellery, sold more out of necessity than choice.  As we know, when supply exceeds demand in this way, the buyer holds all the cards when it comes to the sale price.

Our advice therefore, is to hold on to any stone-set jewellery that remains in good condition until the economic climate returns to normal, but take your scrap pieces to 3 local jewellers to get the best price you can and take advantage of the high gold price.

Seeing red

Following from the very popular Feeling blue post last month, we thought we would cover another colour – this time focusing on the shades of red available to jewellery buyers.

Whilst RUBIES haven’t enjoyed quite as much popularity in recent years as in the past, the fabulous range of reds available, both from stone to stone but also as the light catches within one individual stone, mean that they will never be completely out of favour.  Having the same chemical composition as sapphires, pale colours with a pink hue are actually known as pink sapphires, with only those with truly red colouring called rubies.  The truest red rubies come from Burma, but many on the market these days come from Thailand since they often have fewer inclusions.

18 carat white gold and diamond pendant set with an oval cushion cut ruby (with chain) - £2,450.00

18 carat white gold and diamond drop earrings set with marquise cut rubies - £3,450.00

18 carat white and yellow gold bracelet, set with oval cushion cut rubies totalling 8.08 carats, and round brilliant cut diamonds totalling 2.89 carats - £11,250.00

18 carat white gold butterfly brooch set with rubies and diamonds - £1,650.00

18 carat white gold 9 rubies x .49 rubies + .14 diamonds - £975.00 + 18ctw chain - £185.00   (£1,160.00)

Often thought of as the semi-precious alternative to the ruby, GARNETS do actually come in almost every colour, just often known by other names.  However, the most commonly used colour within the jewellery trade remains the pleasing wine to brownish-red.  Mined in many locations, including Africa, South-East Asia, North America, Thailand and India, garnets remain readily available and therefore do offer a less expensive option for the red stone shopper.

9 carat yellow gold bracelet set with cabochon cut round garnets - £1,275.00

18 carat white gold stud earrings set with garnet and 0.10 carat diamond - £550.00

18 carat white gold ring with cushion cut garnet in a rubbed over setting - £895.00

CORAL is also most commonly found and used in its tomato-red colour, but can be found in pink and white, or very occasionally in black and blue.  Formed from the calcified skeletons of sea creatures, red coral has been used for ornamental purposes since 3000bc, however it is a more controversial substance these days since the commercial harvesting of it can cause significant damage to the environment, even in areas where it is in abundance such as the Western Mediterranean, the seas surrounding Japan, Northern Australia and the Red Sea.

8mm coral bead stud earrings set into 9 carat yellow gold - £235.00

Uniform red coral bead necklace - £140.00

9 carat yellow gold drop earrings set with red coral and cultured pearls - £180.00

Found in a rather orange-y shade, FIRE OPALS are the less valuable cousin of what the consumer would normally think of as an opal.  However, they can be found both perfectly transparent, and pleasingly clouded so they do have some commercial appeal to jewellers and consumer’s alike.

9 carat yellow gold earrings with fire opals in a rubbed over setting - £295.00

When a pink tourmaline is found in a deeper red, it is known as a RUBELITE.  All the stones within the tourmaline family offer excellent colour reflection so they prove fairly popular as a semi-precious gem. Large stones without any inclusions are tricky to find, but smaller stones are mined in Siberia, Burma, Sri Lanka, Brazil, the US and Madagasgar.

18 carat white gold cocktail ring set with an octagonal cut rubelite and 0.41 carat of diamonds   - £2,550.00

Ask The Experts: Wedding Jewellery

Whilst the internet offers brides a great choice when shopping for ‘on-the-day’ jewellery to suit their chosen look, we feel that there really is no substitute for being able to come into a shop, try some things on and speak some experts about how far your budget can go/how you can keep your special day jewels in tip top condition/what we might be able to design or order in for you to match your style.

So, we invited local wedding planner Isabel Smith of Isabel Smith Wedding Design to take a look around the shop and pick her favourite pieces for brides on almost any budget:

UNDER £100

Silver and cubic zirconia multi-circles collar necklace – was £125.00, NOW £62.50

Silver and cubic zirconia hexagonal hoop earrings with a brushed finish – was £35.00, NOW £17.50

ISABEL SAYS:  “Silver and cubic zirconia is a great combination for a bride on a budget since CZ offers a lot of sparkle for your spending, and they come in every colour under the sun.  I was particularly taken with this set, not just because it is currently in the sale so is an amazing bargain, but since geometric shapes are so popular at the moment.  In fact, I think I’ll feature these on the upcoming ‘bubbles’ design board on my own blog.”

Freshwater pearl long necklace with multi-string tassel end – £49.50

Freshwater pearl and cubic zirconia drop earrings – £30.00

ISABEL SAYS:  “Pearls remain a popular choice for brides and I just couldn’t resist this longer necklace which would go perfectly with a sleek Jenny Packham gown, or any of the stunning vintage-inspired backless dresses that are on the market at the moment.  The sparkly earrings would add interest to the front view, but remain small so as not to overpower the necklace.”

UNDER £250

Silver and cubic zirconia ‘pave diamond effect’ pear drop necklace –£44.00

Matching earrings – £58.50

ISABEL SAYS:  “Now this is something really special.  Everything by the company The Real Effect is designed to imitate diamonds as closely as possible – and they really do!  I picked this particular set since it is so Kate Middtleon-esque but there is something in this range for everyone – and such a bargain too!’

White chalcedony pear shaped pendant set in silver with cubic zirconia – £130.00

Matching earrings – £82.50

ISABEL SAYS: “This set would suit a church wedding so well – simple and chaste, but elegant with just that hint of sparkle.  Since it can be ordered in a range of colours, it could have a very wide appeal; The pretty sky shade set I see here at the shop could be the perfect ‘something blue’.”

UNDER £500

Twisted freshwater pearl necklace – £440.00

Freshwater pearl stud earrings – £37.50

ISABEL SAYS:  “I’ve come back to pearls since this chunky twisted necklace would look so effective paired with a sleek, shorter dress – maybe something prom shaped with some fabulous coloured shoes?  The simple stud earrings leave the necklace (and shoes!) to speak for themselves.”

Diamond set yellow and white gold circles pendant with yellow gold chain – £395.00

Yellow and white gold disc stud earrings – £95.00

ISABEL SAYS: “Yellow gold isn’t nearly as popular with brides as it used to be, but it is enjoying such a revival outside of the wedding industry, I was really keen to select at least one yellow gold option.  If you’re wearing a coloured dress, and the tones suit, yellow gold can be so effective.  This necklace ticks all the boxes – yellow gold in a modern setting, white gold AND diamonds – what more could you want?”

UNDER £850

Black and white diamond set necklace in white gold – £395.00

Matching earrings – £425.00

ISABEL SAYS: “Black and white diamonds are so cool – I love the combination.  This set is such a good price and would add a really contemporary feel to any bride’s outfit.”

White gold butterfly necklace set with diamonds – £625.00

0.10 carat rubbed over setting solitaire diamond earrings – £175.00

ISABEL SAYS: “Butterflies still feature at a lot of weddings since they tie in with the ‘country garden meets vintage chic’ trend that is so popular.  This little butterfly is so so pretty, and the solitaire earrings make a fantastic wedding day gift for the groom to buy the bride since they can then be worn every day.”

Under £1500

White gold circles collar - £1,250.00

White gold hoop earrings - £89.50

ISABEL SAYS: “I love the delicacy of this collar – it is so pretty on!  And the simple hoop earrings make a great match.   With two such wearable pieces, you can re-capture your wedding day magic every day.”

White gold heart-shaped ring with floating diamond - £925.00

White gold and diamond heart stud earrings - £465.00

ISABEL SAYS:  “Hearts are always a classic choice – and very appropriate for a wedding!  Avoid things taking a tacky turn by keeping things very clean and simple, like these earrings, and avoiding any large hearts around your neck.”

Blow the budget

White gold and diamond crossover pendant with chain - £1,825.00

Matching earrings - £1,775.00

Pave set diamond double disc pendant set in white gold - £3,750.00

Pave set diamond 'falling curtain' earrings - £3,750.00

Solitaire diamond with a baguette and princess cut diamond surround - £10,625.00

Matching earrings - £11,950.00

ISABEL SAYS: “Now I’m having some real fun!  De Marsac has so many stunning statement pieces alongside their matching sets, I have found it literally impossible to choose.  The crossover set is so pretty when against the skin, whilst the ‘curtain effec’t drop earrings are just pure artwork!  You can’t beat the overall quality of the glacier clear diamonds in the square set though – that’s a serious investment set.”

Not forgetting the little extras

Starburst brooch in silver with cubic zirconia - £97.50

Butterfly brooch in silver with cubic zirconia - £75.00

ISABEL SAYS: “Brooches should never be overlooked when it comes to your wedding style – these beauties could be used to trim the sash on your dress, the silk wrapping your bouquet, or even in your hair.”

Silver Sale Extended - Now Includes Rotary Watches

Our super silver sale has now been extended to include ALL our Rotary watches - even the current models have a whopping 30% off!

But hurry - the sale can't last forever!

What does your 'new for old' insurance policy REALLY mean?

One of the services that we offer here at de Marsac is written jewellery valuations that can be submitted to your insurance company to aid you should you need to make a claim.  Whilst we have been encouraging clients to update their valuations recently in line with the sharp rise in the prices in gold and precious stones, there is another element to the insurance story that is well worth telling:

A practice very common amongst insurance companies, but little known by the consumer, is that of negotiating discounts with certain jewellery suppliers or shops - a discount that isn't passed on to the claimant but can tie them into choosing their replacement item only from the retailers on the approved discount list.

What this means for the poor soul who has lost or broken their beloved ring/earrings/necklace is that rather than being able to return to the independent jeweller from whom they bought their original item and then simply reclaim the replacement costs, they could be issued with a voucher to spend at the insurance company's preferred retailer - sometimes then leaving them with an item worth a lot less than the original piece.

The best way to combat this is simply to look at the small print of your policy or speak to a independent insurance broker as they will be able to advise you about policies that offer suitable coverage for the value of items that you own.

Feeling blue

As with any design-led industry (fashion, interior design, even car production), trends come and go in cycles.  For example white gold has overtaken yellow as the most popular type in the last 15 years, however we now see signs of a comeback.

One thing that is certainly la mode is blue stones:  Rubies and emeralds are out of favour with many clients, and sapphires are in – helped a great deal of course by the popularity of Kate Middleton’s stunning engagement ring.

Interestingly, sapphires have exactly the same chemical composition as rubies, with only the trace elements determining whether the colouring will be ruby red or sapphire blue.  In addition to being available in varying shades of blue (often from Burma), sapphires can also be found (mostly in Sri Lanka) in pink, yellow, lilac, green, white and orange.  However, the stunning and even cornflower blue of the stones found in the (now mostly exhausted) Kashmir mines remain the most desirable. 

Whilst it is possible to heat treat a pale sapphire to bring out the desired hue, it is possible to tell the difference so these stones are not as valuable. There are also synthetic stones on the market so the buyer should be made aware of what they are purchasing.

'Eternity' style bangle set with a total of 5.37 carat of sapphire and a total of 0.54 carat of diamonds - £6,750.00

2.80 carat sapphire pendant (and chain), set with a total of 0.20 carat of diamonds - £6,200.00

Cocktail ring set with a 0.98 carat rectangular cut sapphire and a total of 0.76 carat of diamonds - £2,950.00

5 sapphire 'eternity' ring with a total of 1.99 carat of sapphire and a total of 0.68 carat of diamonds - £2,450.00

Cocktail ring set with a 3.04 carat natural yellow sapphire and a total of 0.60 carat of diamonds - £7,450.00

Collar necklet set with a total of 1.80 carat of pink saphhires and a total of 0.71 carat of diamonds - £4,250.00

However, it is also worth noting there are a lot of other blue stones available too, offering the buyer a fantastic range of shades and tones at almost any price point:

Tanzanite, only found in Tanzania (hence its name), has only been available since the 1960s.  At this time, supply was unstable so it was very expensive – only really available to very rich collectors.  However, since further mines have been founded and supply has stabilised, tanzanite has become a very popular choice for modern buyers, both for the unique factor, and for its slightly more purple colouring.

Cocktail ring set with a 4.23 carat cushion cut tanzanite and a total of 0.55 carat of diamonds - £7,950.00

3.63 carat cushion cut tanzanite pendant (and chain) set with a total of 0.35 carat of diamonds - £5,750.00

Ring set with a 0.68 carat princess cut tanzanite and 10 cushion cut diamonds with a total weight of 0.66 carat - £2,625.00

Often used by modern jewellers as ‘something a little different’ to sapphire or tanzanite is Iolite.  A wide variety of shades are found in nature, but it is the deeper, violet toned stone that we see most in jewellery.  Being readily available in many parts of the world, yet not that well known, iolite also has the advantage of being less expensive than other blue stones.

Iolite and diamond pendant set with 9 carat white gold (with chain) - £200.00.  Matching earrings - £185.00

Ring set with a 2.86 carat iolite and a total of 0.75 carat of diamonds - £2,500.00

Aquamarine comes from the same family as emeralds in that it is a beryl, however whereas the presence of chromium in the chemical composition would give us the green of the emerald, it is the presence of iron that gives us our natural aquamarine blues.  They are much paler in colouring than sapphires, tanzanites and iolites, offering a lovely light sky blue.  Although aquamarine is fairly readily available (mined in Brazil, Russia, Madagascar, The US and Afghanistan), natural aquamarine doesn’t have an exceptional brilliance, so synthetic spinel is often used in larger pieces to give the desired effect.

Emerald cut aquamarine pendant and chain - £550.00

2.72 carat pear shaped aquamarine pendant (and chain) with a total of 0.54 carat of diamonds - £2,850.00

Cocktail ring set with a 2.73 carat aquamarine and a total of 0.73 carat of diamonds - £2,450.00

Cocktail ring set with a 7.17 carat natural blue spinel and a total of 0.89 carat of diamonds - £4,750.00

Blue Topaz is more readily available than its similarly coloured friend aquamarine, both naturally and in the form of paler stones that are radiated to bring out the more intense sky blue colouring, making it a less expensive option for the buyer.  It is however a very uniform blue so perhaps less pleasing to some eyes than the slightly varying tones of an aquamarine when turned in the light.

Cocktail ring set with a 3.98 carat blue topaz and a total of 0.54 carat of diamonds - £2,150.00

Fancy, multi-shade blue topaz pendant (and chain) set with a total 0.31 carat of diamonds - £3,650.00

13.8 carat pear shaped blue topaz pendant (and chain) set with a total od 0.50 carat of diamonds - £1,575.00

Zircon is a naturally occurring stone that in its white form was at one time commonly used as a diamond substitute since it has a very similar brilliance.  However, with the invention of the cheaply produced and totally synthetic cubic zirconia, the zircon’s role as a diamond substitute has diminished, and its reputation has suffered due to the similarity of the name.  However, clear or pale zircons that are heat treated, are readily available in a very pleasing mid tone green/blue, whilst retaining that brilliance that made them so popular originally.  Best of all however are the very rare blue zircon’s whose colour has occurred naturally

Natural blue zircon and diamond cocktail ring - £8,500.00