In February 2020, Dr. Anthony Fauci, leading US epidemiologist, estimated the new coronavirus would kill about 0.1% of infected people, i.e. slightly more than the normal flu. In March, the US Congress was informed that the estimated deaths from COVID would be ten times higher than for seasonal influenza, that 1% of the infected population […]
You probably discovered some dealers make a big thing of the blue fluorescence which diamonds exhibit under UltraViolet light. In the past, the 4 C’s – Carat, Cut, Clarity and Colour – were used to describe the rarity of a polished diamond and to determine its value. However, it was never intended to be […]
Decades ago, the value of a diamond was known only to those who could assess its rarity and beauty. Today, a number of international lists are available that suggest a price for every type of diamond. Of these, the Rapaport Diamond Report is the most widely used. These lists are used by diamond dealers and […]
Today, you will find black diamonds everywhere. Because the name black diamond, unfortunately, is used to brand a product, service or market segment, such as tractors, computer software, brake pads, heavy metal music from Stratovarious, even our own black yuppies are called “Black Diamonds”. So, what happened to the original black diamond – the blackest, […]
Synthetic, or man-made diamonds are now readily available. Please note: we are not talking about things that look like a diamond, such as Cubic Zirconia or Moissante, but of diamonds that have been grown over a few weeks in a laboratory. Prins & Prins is one of the few jewellers who employ qualified […]
Only from the Meralani Hills in Tanzania, comes TANZANITE – the most unique gemstone discovered in the past century. According to historical accounts, Masai herdsmen discovered the gem in 1979, after the heat from bush fires changed the brownish colour of the mineral zoisite, into a magnificent violet blue. After a devastating monsoon in 1998, […]