Choosing Your Perfect Gemstone

I strongly believe that every stone tells a story, and choosing the right one should resonate with your unique style, values, and purpose. Here’s a breakdown of the key features, benefits, and reasons you might choose each stone for your piece of jewelry.

1. Moissanite: The Brilliant Alternative

Overview:

Moissanite is a gemstone that rivals diamonds in brilliance and durability. It was first discovered in a meteorite crater, making it one of the rarest minerals on Earth. Today, most moissanite is lab-created, offering a sustainable and affordable alternative to traditional gemstones.

Why Choose Moissanite?

  • Affordability: Moissanite costs significantly less than diamonds, making it a great option if you want a large, sparkling stone without the high price tag.
  • Brilliance: Moissanite reflects more light than diamonds, giving it an unmatched fire and brilliance.
  • Durability: It ranks 9.25 on the Mohs hardness scale, making it highly resistant to scratching and perfect for everyday wear.
  • Eco-Friendly: Since it's lab-created, moissanite has a lower environmental impact compared to mined stones.

 

2. Sapphire: Classic Elegance and Versatility

Overview:

Sapphires are a timeless gemstone known for their rich blue hue, though they come in a variety of colors. They have been associated with royalty, wisdom, and nobility throughout history. Lab-created and natural sapphires offer the same stunning beauty with varying levels of affordability.

Why Choose Sapphire?

  • Color Options: While most known for its deep blue, sapphires come in an array of colors, including pink, yellow, green, and white, offering a range of personal expression.
  • Durability: Sapphires rank 9 on the Mohs hardness scale, making them highly durable for everyday wear.
  • Symbolism: Sapphires are traditionally linked to wisdom, loyalty, and serenity, making them a thoughtful choice for meaningful jewelry pieces.
  • Lab-Grown Options: Lab-grown sapphires are more affordable than natural ones but retain the same chemical and optical properties.

 

3. Lab-Grown Diamond: Modern Luxury with a Conscience

Overview:

Lab-grown diamonds are created using cutting-edge technology that mimics the natural diamond-forming process. They are identical to mined diamonds in terms of appearance, chemical composition, and brilliance but come at a more affordable price and without the environmental and ethical concerns of mining.

Why Choose Lab-Grown Diamonds?

  • Ethical: Lab-grown diamonds avoid the environmental and ethical issues associated with traditional diamond mining.
  • Affordability: They are typically 20-40% less expensive than natural diamonds, allowing for larger or higher-quality stones within the same budget.
  • Identical to Natural Diamonds: Lab-grown diamonds have the same physical, chemical, and optical properties as natural diamonds—only an expert can tell the difference.
  • Sustainability: The production process has a lower carbon footprint and uses fewer resources than mining.

 

4. Natural Diamond: The Timeless Classic

Overview:

Natural diamonds are the ultimate symbol of luxury, love, and timeless beauty. Formed over billions of years under intense pressure, each diamond is unique and rare, making it one of the most prized gemstones in the world.

Why Choose a Natural Diamond?

  • Symbolism: As the traditional choice for engagement rings and significant milestones, natural diamonds represent enduring love and commitment.
  • Rarity: Each natural diamond is unique, formed over millions of years deep within the Earth, adding to its allure.
  • Heritage: Diamonds have a rich history of being the gemstone of choice for royalty and special occasions, embodying luxury and prestige.
  • Value Retention: Natural diamonds often hold their value better over time compared to

Shoreline Solitare Ring

Custom Shoreline Ring using clients sentimental silver, gold and diamond.

"The ring arrived and it is SPECTACULAR!! I Love it so much!! Thank you Nadine The ring brings out how beautiful the diamond is!" - Andy

Sand Band

Wedding band made using sand collected from the beach the couple first met.

"Such a meaningful ring, my husband LOVED IT! Nadine was a pleasure to work with" - Jen

Memorial Shoreline Ring

Memorial Shoreline Ring using my clients sentimental gold, gemstone and ashes from her grandfather to add texture to the yellow gold section of the ring.

"For a while I have been wanting to turn my Grandads ashes into something really meaningful.A few months back I finally found the right person to that, I fell in love with Nadine’s work at the Renegade Markets & knew instantly she was the right person for the job, when I saw her beautifully hand crafted jewellery. I saw her shoreline collection, which represented the ocean and sand. This was fitting for me because my Grandad took me to the beach every summer holiday when I was a child. I had some old jewellery & the gemstone (& of course Grandads ashes) I wanted to use. Nadine has brought my vision to life. I now have a bit of him everywhere I go, in this ring - imprinted, the way he imprinted me & my life.Nadine I am so thankful I met you and what you have created for me is truly more than I could ever imagine. Thank you so so much. I am forever grateful & I cannot highly recommend enough if I tried.This ring is half white gold & half yellow gold. The gemstone is an Aquamarine, my Grandad’s birthstone.

Custom Sand Band

This gold custom Sand Band featuring a mixture of emralds, rubies and diamonds was made using a collection of my clients gold that did not suit her current style.

" Perfect, Nadine created the perfect ring which incorporated sentimental jewellery into a beautiful piece that will be treasured and worn daily. The whole process from start to finish was easy. Nadine answered all of my crazy questions and had beautiful ideas. I was able to trust her vision every step of the way. I am blown away with the result" - Linda