Blue Jager - are they real?

Posted On 20.11.09 by CaratLane | 2 comments



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Image Source: http://www.freestatetourism.org/images/stories/free_state_images/jagers-_diamonds.jpg


Most of us have heard mothers and grandmothers speak nostalgically about Blue Jager diamonds; rare, beautiful diamonds with a bluish glow, almost mythical treasures hardly ever seen, but rumoured to be owned by this or that celebrity.

Have you wondered what the Blue Jager diamond really is? Is it even true? Can you get one now? In the age of technology, it is now time to demystify the legendary Blue Jager.

To begin with, yes, they do exist. The word Jager, or Jagger as it is sometimes spelt, stands for the Jagersfontein mine in South Africa, from where these diamonds were sourced. The Blue Jager diamond is an extremely rare diamond with a blue body hue, but this should not be confused with a blue diamond, which is a diamond with trace boron impurities that colour the diamond blue. The Blue Jager appears like any other “white” diamond, except where it is exposed to UV light.

To understand the Blue Jager diamond better, we must learn about fluorescence. When an object absorbs light of one wavelength, but emits light of a different, usually larger, wavelength, the object is said to fluoresce. About two-thirds of diamonds fluoresce under ultra-violet light, present naturally in sunlight, but can also be projected artificially. Jager diamonds emit a blue fluorescence when observed under artificial UV light, or even sunlight.

However in the diamond trade, the best diamonds are colourless or as close to colourless as possible, with little or no inclusions. While certain types of fluorescence might make a diamond attractive when set in a jewel, any type of fluorescence usually takes away some of the value of the diamond. Blue Jager diamonds are valued more for their rare occurrence, than in the sense of traditional diamond value.

The Jagersfontein mines closed down in 1971. It can said therefore that genuine Blue Jager diamonds are no longer sourced, although fluorescent diamonds are still fairly common.

What did you know about the Blue Jager diamonds before this post? Share the stories you've heard, we'd love to hear them.

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The Hope diamond “naked”

Posted On 11.11.09 by CaratLane | 0 comments

Image source: blogs.smithsonianmag.com

The Hope Diamond is a large, deep-blue diamond that is housed at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, Washington D.C, USA. Hope diamond's price is estimated at $200 million.

Although several myths are associated with the Hope diamond's origins, including a famous one about it being stolen from an idol in an Indian temple, the Hope diamond is originally part of an older diamond called the Tavernier Blue, a 115 carat triangular diamond brought to Europe in the mid-1600's by a Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, a french merchant. Although there is no clear account as to where Tavernier obtained the stone, experts estimate that it must have come from the Kollur mines in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.

After a chequered history of adorning royal crowns and frequent disappearance, the large, 45.52 carat blue diamond resurfaced, put up for sale by Henry Phillip Hope, after whom the diamond is now named.

Eventually, in 1958, the Hope diamond was donated by its last owner to the Smithsonian Institution, where it has been on display ever since, set inside a necklace.

The Institution plans to temporarily set the Hope diamond in a new setting, but in the meanwhile, since September 2009, the Hope diamond is on display “naked” as a stand alone piece, for the first time in its recorded history.

Much myth and legend has been associated with the Hope diamond, and the best known among which is its famous curse. Stories about the malefic effects of this diamond on all those who owned or handled it started to circulate in the early 20th century American newspapers.

While there isn't much established fact to the curse, it is certainly true that the Hope diamond is bewitchingly beautiful, attracting thousands of spellbound admirers every year.



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Birthstone of the month - Citrine

Posted On 6.11.09 by CaratLane | 0 comments

A citrine is basically a type of quartz, an abundant earth mineral. Pure quartz is a colourless crystal, although coloured variants are quite common and are often treated as gemstones suitable for jewellery. Of these, quartz ranging in colour from yellow to brown is called citrine, and appears similar to yellow topaz. Citrine gets its warm hue from the presence of iron in it.

The word citrine may be traced back to French, in which the word “citron” stands for lemon. The gemstone gets its name from its warm, citrus yellow hue. Citrines are rare in the natural world, and most of the world's citrine now comes from Brazil.

Like all quartz, several therapeutic and mystical properties are associated with citrines. They are believed to dispel negative energy, and reverse depression and lethargy, and are also said to promote optimism, positivity and accumulation of wealth. Merchants often have a tradition of keeping a citrine in their cash registers for good luck. Because of this, citrines are often called the “merchant's stone”.

Citrine is the traditional birthstone of November. All of this month, CaratLane will be featuring an exclusive collection of rings, earrings and pendants featuring citrines set along side diamonds in stunning patterns. Fresh, fashionable jewellery for the always hot November-borns.

Click here to look at our citrine jewellery collection.

As autumn fades into winter, citrine beautifully captures the last yellows of fall. Brighten your birthday month and warm up the winter ahead with a sunny citrine jewel from CaratLane.
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