November Topaz Delight

Topaz is the birthstone for November, and the Zodiac stone for Saggitarius. Typically richly blue with hues that often evoke thoughts of the sea-side or a clear Summer's day, Topaz is actually more commonly found in a variety of colours, from yellows and pinks to brown or clear Topaz - as well as their more popular Blue variety. 

It is associated with the planet Venus, the planet of love and passion, and with such a clear, smooth and colourful quality, it isn't hard to see how you can be passionate about this vibrant gemstone. The ancient Egyptians also used Topaz as a powerful amulet to protect against harm - as did the Greeks. Topaz is quite a hard gemstone (reaching an 8 on the Mohs scale), meaning that it can make for durable Jewellery - just make sure it does not undergo any heavy trauma, or the gemstone (like any diamond) can break.

Tremonti has two Blue Topaz delights to tantalize the senses - a thin band Blue Topaz ring in the style of Karin Tremonti's Sophisticated Collection - perfect on its own and even better in a combination with the rest of our single-stone Sophisticated range (featuring Diamonds and large Precious Gemstones); and a large Topaz Silver ring - chunky and perfect for making a true statement in Topaz style!

 

So looking for a little luck and protection? Look no further than Tremonti, and make your dreams come true!

02 6041 6310 | 638 Kiewa Street Albury NSW | WWW.TREMONTI.COM.AU

Looking after Gold

make your gold NEW AGAIN...

18ct Yellow Gold necklace from Karin Tremonti's Original Collection - 77 grams of pure 18ct Gold, created exclusively by Karin Tremonti and set against Cuttlefish pieces. A labour of love and luxury! $13,000

 Fine Jewellery does not stand on its own, and even the best of designs can do with a clean once in a while. At Tremonti Fine Gems and Jewellery we deal with and create fine 18ct Gold designs, which, if you click here and read our article on Gold carat weights, means that it will not tarnish, blacken or stain. But if you are dealing with lower carat weights, especially the 9ct Gold designs favoured by commercial stores, you will find your Jewellery needing a new lease on life. Here's how to clean your Gold Jewellery at home:

You Will Need:

• Dishwashing detergent
• Small bowl or cooking pan
• Toothbrush (ensure it has soft bristles)
• Soft cloth

The Cleaning Process:

1. Close the drain of the sink or insert a strainer into the drain. The last thing you want is to see your precious jewelry slipping down the drain! (You can even put your Jewellery if it is very dirty in a pan and put it to the boil - as long as your Jewellery has no Emeralds in its design, as this will ruin them!)
2. Fill the bowl with warm water. (Alternatively you can run it under the tap)
3. Add a small squirt of dishwashing detergent.
4. Place the gold piece in the solution and allow it to soak.
5. Use the soft brush to gently scrub away dirt and build-up.
6. Rinse thoroughly with clean water.
7. Dry with a soft cloth.

Be very mindful of the Gemstones or Diamonds included in your design, however. Some are not made to be immersed in water for long. Also if your design is Pave' set (glued/adhesed to the design), make sure you do not immerse this section in the water, as cheaper non-Tremonti designs especially may break the glue!

You can keep your Jewellery in even better condition if you clean them with a soft cloth (preferably a Jewellery cloth) after use. Also make sure not to store the jewellery with anything sharp, and make sure your brush is very soft - remember that gold is soft and can be damaged if you do not take proper care of it!

18ct Yellow Gold Earrings with White Diamonds from Karin Tremonti's Original collection - 10 grams of pure 18ct Gold created exclusively by Karin Tremonti and hand-cast on cuttlefish pieces. A labour of love and luxury! $1,750

But easiest of all - bring in your Gold jewellery and we will clean it specially for you with the care, safety and quality of a master fine Jewellery boutique.

All of Tremonti's designs come with a guarantee - free cleaning at any time with given notice (drop off/pick up only)

02 6041 6310 | 638 Kiewa Street Albury NSW | WWW.TREMONTI.COM.AU

18 carat VS 9 carat Gold

18ct vs 9ct gold

Learn about what you're really wearing...

There are many myths and stories surrounding 9 carat Gold, the most often heard being that 9 carat Gold is harder than 18 carats - but this is not true! Both Golds have the same softness - it is in fact another important factor that separates 18 carat gold from 9 carat Gold.

"Pure" Gold is very rare, and is usually inappropriate in Jewellerymaking as it is extremely soft. Commercial Gold jewellery is typically an alloy, with the amount and type of other materials added to the Gold determining the final carat (gold content) of the finished alloy. Alloys can also contribute to the colours of Golds - Rose or White - so they're not just a practical addition!

24 carat means it is pure gold - 1000 parts gold - this is very rare and makes the jewellery very delicate and breakable.

Just a small slice of Karin Tremonti's Original collection, exclusively featuring 18 carat Gold and luscious Diamonds and Gemstones. From $1,750

 18 carat gold is Karin Tremonti's speciality, and is made of 750 parts Gold to every thousand - 75% combined with an alloy. It stands apart from lower carat weights as it is strong, beautiful, durable and - most importantly - does not tarnish, corrode or react with the wearer's skin. This is the carat weight for Jewellery that will stand the test of love and time.
18 carat Gold is typically made up of 75.1% of pure Gold, 15.97% Silver & 8.93% Copper (the Silver and Copper ratios may vary)

14 Carat gold is 585 parts Gold to every thousand, and does not tarnish as much as 9ct gold, but is still not as pure and durable as 18ct Gold.
14 carat Gold is typically made up of 58.6% Gold, 5.43% Silver & 35.97% Copper (the Silver and Copper ratios may vary)

Tremonti prefers to exclusively stock mostly 18ct Gold, so this 9ct one-off White Gold Huggie Earring is just $195!

9 carat gold is only made from 375 parts gold to every thousand and only 37.5% of it is pure. And - you guessed it - it has the tendancy to tarnish, corrode and react with the wearer's skin. Most commercial stores will stock 9 carat gold because it is cheap - and while the designs can be beautiful, they need constant maintainence. If you get any skin allergies, 9 carat gold often reacts poorly against the skin. 9 carat gold Jewellery can also be more brittle than 18 carat gold designs, so the wear and tear they can go through is also significantly less. It is certainly not the Gold to pass the test of time!
9 carat gold is typically made up of 37.6% Gold, 10.3% Silver and 52.1% Copper & Zinc (the Silver, Copper & Zinc ratios may vary)

18ct White and Rose Gold Ring from Karin Tremonti's Classic Collection, with a 0.93ct Cognac center Diamond and White diamonds. $8,840

At Tremonti we offer primarily 18 carat Gold. We want our Jewellery to stand the test of time, and as one of Karin Tremonti's most popular projects is designing specialised custom wedding rings for her loved-up clients, by using 18 carat Gold she seals the wishes and hopes for a long and loving relationship in every design.

18ct Yellow Gold Earrings from Karin Tremonti's Original Collection, 35 grams of 18ct Gold with Freshwater Pearls and white Diamonds in a clip-on design. $10,625

Jewellerymaking is Karin Tremonti's passion, and a material that is both durable and accessible to all is the only way to achieve her dream. Why not make it part of your own?

02 6041 6310 | 638 Kiewa Street Albury NSW | WWW.TREMONTI.COM.AU

Gold - A brief history

all that glitters... is GOLD

Common name: Gold

Latin Name: Aurum

Chemical Symbol: Au

 A Brief History

Gold was first found in its natural nugget form thousands of years ago. With a soft quality and a gleam that shines bright like the sun, it isn't hard to see what drew the first people to appreciate Gold as a luxurious item and symbol of power...

100 grams of 18ct Yellow Gold combined with polished Ebony and studded with Cognac Diamonds - sleek, smooth and comfortable style. $12,000

It is believed that Gold jewellery was first created in either ancient Bulgaria or ancient Southern Iraq (both are placed during similar time periods) over 5000 years ago. Early civilisations associated Gold with gods and power, with Gold often being reserved for shrines, idols or royal materials, as well as rich and sought-after jewellery and adornments.

Gold has always been valuable to humans, even before it was used as currency. Gold was so valuable that people began trading and bartering with it, with Greece becoming the first country in the world to use Gold as currancy, mining the earth and water for Gold for thousands of years.

 

But don't get excited! Australian Gold coins nowerdays are just made from Aluminum Bronze. If you want real Gold, you'll have to take a trip to see the golden girls at the Tremonti Studio-Gallery!

02 6041 6310 | 638 Kiewa Street Albury NSW | WWW.TREMONTI.COM.AU

A Versatile Gemstone - Types of Opal, Enhanced by Style

There are many different types of Opals available, which are as diverse as the people that wear them. Tremonti has a wide range of Opal to suit all tastes - and it's not hard to pick the right one for you with so many quality designs available!

Black Opal

Dark, yet brilliantly vibrant, Black Opal is the rarest and most valuable of all Opals. A term given to any Opal showing a dark body colour, Black Opals are known for their sharp colour hue. All of Tremonti's Black Opal jewellery comes from Lightning Ridge in Australia, and with Karin Tremonti's credentials as a Gemstone expert, you can only expect the best quality around. 

14K Gold Australian 22.53ct Black Opal Ring, $10,000

Boulder Opal

Boulder Opal is a variety of precious Opal that forms naturally within the host rock. It mainly occurs in Queensland, formed as the in-fillings of cracks or voids, usually in ironstone boulders.
Boulder Opal can be light or dark, depending on the appearance when viewing from the face of the Opal. In high demand and extremely valuable, Boulder Opals are a beautiful example of Nature's raw majesty.

14K Gold 11.62ct Australian Boulder Opal Ring with 0.52ct Cognac Diamonds, $4,685.00

Crystal Opal

Crystal Opal is an offshoot of "White" Opal - these Opals have a pale tone with incredibly vivid hues, often having an almost holographic shine to their sharp colours. With brilliant colour play, you can often see the hues contained throughout a Crystal Opal, making it a delight to behold - and to wear. Crystal Opals are semi-transparent in their most luxurious form, and can come from all Opal mining fields, although the most common source for Karin Tremonti is from the Opal fields in Mintabie.

Custom Crystal Opal Design Handmade for a Client by Karin Tremonti

14K Gold, 9.16ct Crystal Opal with 1.49ct Garnet, $5,200.00

18K White Gold with 2.14ct Crystal Opal Ring (Top), $11,500; 18K White Gold with 0.41 Crystal Opal, White Diamonds & Fancy Sapphires (Bottom), $4,300.00

Welo Opal 

Unlike most Australian Opal stocked and used by Karin Tremonti, Welo Opal hails from Ethiopia, Africa, and has an entirely different spectrum of hues to the average Australian Opal. Ethiopian Opal was first found in Gondar and is from a plateau in the highlands, and has a delicate variety of colours - red hues being the most common, and blue hues the least - a fresh new twist on the amazing Opal!

14K Yellow Gold and Silver with 0.67ct African Opal & 0.05ct White Diamond, $820.00

14K Yellow Gold and Silver with 0.66ct African Opal Ring, $670.00

  Like the look of any of the designs you see here, or want to find the right Opal to suit you? We're only a call, click or short drive away - Talk to the experts in Gemmology and Opals today!


02 6041 6310 | 638 Kiewa Street Albury NSW | WWW.TREMONTI.COM.AU

Opals - What, where, why should I care?

What is an Opal?

Stunning Diamond and Opal Ring Set from Karin Tremonti's Personal Collection

Lucky Opal, the rainbow gem or "The Stone of Hope", is the birthstone of October. But you can get its fortunate properties no matter what month it is!
Opals have been used throughout history, prized as one of the most unusual and stunning gemstones. Philospher Pliny the Elder wrote about the beauty of of Opals all the way back in 77 AD - naming it one of the most highly prized and valuable of all gemstones in the Empire!

"Memoirs of the Ocean" by K. Tremonti

  Opals have been used in the crowns of kings - the Crown Jewels of France and Hungary include an extensive selection of Opals. The Crown of the Holy Roman Empire contained an Opal stone. Napoleon presented his Empress with a magnificent Opal with brilliant red flashes - "The Burning of Troy".

Queen Victoria was a lover of Opals and wore them throughout her reign, making Opals the highest in fashion in the British Empire for long after her reign ended! It wasn't long before famous designers such as Tiffany, Lilque and Cartier began using Opals in their designs - and they have been extremely popular ever since!

So next time you think about slipping on an Opal delight, think of the regal style and famous history contained within the brilliant colours of this amazing gemstone. 

Where do they come from? 

Black Opal from Tremonti Collection

About 95% of all the World's Opal comes exclusively from Australia, and has been valued for centuries as a precious and desirable gemstone. The native Australian Aboriginals even have many stories surrounding this gift of nature, one being the following as told by the Euraliah country Aboriginals, whose territory covers (amongst others) Lightning Ridge in Australia, home of the ultra-rare Black Opals.

Black Opal from Tremonti Collection

"The Dreamtime creator came down to earth in a giant rainbow. He gathered together all the tribes and said he would return when he thought they were wise enough to carry out his plan to have peace forever on Earth.
On the stony ridges where the rainbow had rested there was a great area of rocks and pebbles. The next morning, when the sun rose and shone his light on that spot, the rocks and pebbles flashed and glittered in the sun with all the colours of the rainbow that had given them birth: red, orange, green, yellow, blue and violet. These were the first Opals."
Want to learn how they're made? That's a mystery in itself! Check out our mini-factoid post here to find out why.

Common Opal Mining Locations

Nowerdays Opals come from many different mining points in Australia, including Coober Peddy, Lightning Ridge and Mintabie. Depending on the area, you can find all sorts of Opals in many different shades - perfect for someone who likes to celebrate Australia and might be a bit picky about the sort of shades they want to capture within their Opal!

Why should I care about Opals?

Because the majority of Opal is mined right here in Australia, you are capturing both your own slice of Australian style and raw, natural beauty. Tremonti care about supporting its local community and the full splendour of Australia, so all of our Opals are hand-picked for quality from Australian Opal fields - except for the rare and chic Welo Opal, which Tremonti sources from Africa.

Black Opal from Tremonti Collection

Opals are versatile and colourful, with shades that flicker and change in the light. Diamonds might be forever but an Opal captures the splendour of the world in a single stone - and no two Opals are the same. In addition, cleaning Opals are no fuss at all - as long as Doublet and Inlay Opals are kept safe, they may be cleaned with a little gentle water - be mindful of these two partial Opal types, as they can deteriorate in quality (merely due to their backing) if immersed for too long. A Solid Opal, however, like the kind used in all Tremonti pieces, is safe to clean with water, and even some detergent if need be.

Opal, Diamond and Gold Earrings from Karin Tremonti's Personal Collection

In addition, Tremonti designs are tough and durable, meaning that you can enjoy Opal without worrying about damaging it easily. Opal Perfection!

02 6041 6310 | 638 Kiewa Street Albury NSW | WWW.TREMONTI.COM.AU

Buying Opals Safely - What to Look For

Click to Fullview

It's important to read as much as you can about opals so you know what you're getting, weather you're buying a gemstone or jewellery - just like any Diamond or Gemstone, it pays to be informed so you don't get stung by a bad investment! At Tremonti we will always guarantee to provide the highest-quality Opal with the best variety and range of hues in town - Karin Tremonti has years of experience as a certified Gemmologist, meaning that hand-picking a quality Opal for her clients is second-nature.

Before buying, determine whether you are looking at a doublet, a triplet, or a solid opal. Doublets & triplets consist of a very thin slice of opal, cemented onto a black backing. This causes the stone to be dark & bright in colour (the idea being to replicate the highly valuable black opal). The advantage of buying a doublet or triplet is a lower price (they are much cheaper to produce) - however the disadvantage is they may eventually be destroyed if repeatedly immersed in water. Solid Opals are therefore considered much better - they're 100% the "real thing" and are a quality, long-term investment. This is why Karin Tremonti always uses Solid Opal in her designs - her idea is always to use top-quality materials that you can wear anywhere!

Pick a stone that appeals to you! Each stone has an individual personality, much like people, so nobody can tell you what your opal should look like. Red on black is most valuable, but if you like blue, go for a blue stone!
Consider what you're going to be using the stone for. Shape and size is an important factor when considering the setting for jewellery. If you are buying a high quality stone, consider matching it with a high quality setting.
Consider the brilliance - A brilliant stone is good, no matter the colour or body tone, but you'll pay more. Stones classed as 'bright' are still beautiful, and even subdued stones can still be amazing.
Colour values - red is the most valuable, followed by orange, yellow, green, and then blue being the most common.
Certificates of Authenticity - always ask for a signed certificate of authenticity with your opal. Not only is it good for insurance purposes, and re-sale value, you are also making the dealer accountable.
Learn how opals are valued - Educate yourself on the general principles of opal valuation and compare stones. There is no 'formula' for figuring out the value of a stone, although people have tried and are still trying to formalise this process. There is no substitute for years of experience mining, cutting, and valuing stones. Buy from someone who has a good reputation, preferably someone who cuts or mines the stones themselves.
Cracks and faults - Any opal vendor worth their salt will clearly state any inclusions or faults within a stone which are visible to the naked eye. Natural inclusions and faults are OK, but don't buy a stone with cracks. If you are inspecting the stone in person, make sure it's dry, then hold it up against a lamp to inspect it for cracks. Be careful not to mistake natural formation lines in opal for cracks (eventually you will be able to tell the difference). A cracked stone is virtually worthless. The person you are buying the stone from has an obligation to make you aware of any cracks or faults in the stone before you purchase it. 

Tremonti will always let you know if there are any inclusions, but this is rarely necessary - as a Certified Gemmologist, Karin Tremonti doesn't muck around with poor quality Gemstones - she has her sights always set on the luxurious and quality.

02 6041 6310 | 638 Kiewa Street Albury NSW | WWW.TREMONTI.COM.AU