How Is Fine Jewellery Made
How Fine Jewellery Is Made? If you understand the basics of how fine jewellery is made, you’ll appreciate your ring more — and you’ll be able to make an informed choice between handcrafted jewellery and pieces that are mass-produced. Below is a practical overview of the most common manufacturing methods in use today, and what […]
How to Design Your Own Jewellery
How to Design Your Own Jewellery Knowing what makes good design helps you create your own ring — and appreciate the skill behind professional jewellery design. Theory of design Conceptual elements Good design often begins with ideas that are not yet visible: meaning, symbolism, and the “glue” that holds a concept together. Once those ideas […]
Selling Your Jewellery
Do you need to sell your jewellery? You may own, or have inherited, jewellery you no longer wish to keep. Deciding how and where to sell it can be confusing, and the wrong choice may result in being paid far less than the item’s true value. Below are the most common routes available, each with […]
How to find her Ring Size
How to Find Her Ring Size Without Ruining the Surprise Planning a surprise proposal but don’t know her ring size? You’re not alone. This is one of the most common concerns we help clients with, and the good news is that perfection is not required on proposal day. Finger size varies between hands, fingers, and […]
Rings That Won’t Come Off
Wedding band won’t come off? This can become dangerous. As knuckles change with age or weight fluctuations, a ring can begin to press into the finger and, in severe cases, become impossible to remove. This is more than discomfort. Blood vessels close to the surface of the finger can be compressed while blood continues to […]
Valentine’s Day Origin and Gifts
Valentine’s Day The first official Saint Valentine’s Day was declared by Pope Gelasius in the year 496 to honour a martyred priest known as Bishop Valentine, who lived under the reign of Emperor Claudius in the second century AD. Emperor Claudius believed that married men did not make good soldiers and therefore forbade young people […]
A Lost Diamond-Any Guarantee from a Jeweller?
Modern jewellery is often set with extremely small diamonds held by very fine claws. Over time, and through normal wear and tear, these claws may wear down or shift, allowing a diamond to loosen or fall out — particularly if the jewellery has been subjected to a hard knock. If jewellery is worn during activities […]
For The Love of Natures Miracles
Dr Petre Prins is a gem — if you will excuse the pun. For all of us at Prins & Prins Diamonds, it is both a delight and an honour to work alongside one of the true gentlemen of the South African gems and jewellery world. His knowledge of gemstones, geochemistry, and jewellery is exceptional, […]
PRINS & PRINS DIAMONDS MUSEUM OF GEMS AND JEWELLERY
Cape Town’s first Museum dedicated to Gems & Jewellery opens its doors The Deputy Mayor of Cape Town, Alderman Nielsen, recently opened South Africa’s first Museum of Gems & Jewellery in Cape Town in VIP style at an exclusive function hosted by Prins & Prins Diamonds. Dedicated to the interaction of man and human ingenuity […]
The Kirstenbosch Crown Jewels
The Kirstenbosch Crown Jewels We are pleased to share more detail about an important South African fine jewellery collection with a meaningful purpose. The Kirstenbosch Crown Jewels were mentioned in an earlier article, when the individual pieces could not yet be shown in full. This update focuses on the craftsmanship, inspiration, and collaborative design process […]
A Look Inside the Heart of Prins and Prins
A Look Inside the Heart of Prins & Prins Many of our clients may never have the opportunity to visit us in person, to enjoy a cappuccino or a glass of champagne within the historic Huguenot House, home to Prins & Prins Diamonds. Others have visited us for years — in some cases across generations […]
Sneak Preview: Glittering Masterpieces Celebrating Fynbos Jewels
Fynbos as Inspiration: The Kirstenbosch Crown Jewels What does Prins & Prins have to do with fynbos? At first glance, fine jewellery and indigenous plant life may seem worlds apart. Yet fynbos, often described as one of the Cape’s true natural jewels, provided the creative foundation for an extraordinary jewellery collection celebrating South Africa’s botanical […]
Gold and Creative Exploration
Gold: A Creative Exploration Does gold have celestial origins? Some scientists have proposed that gold may have been introduced to Earth through meteor impacts billions of years ago. Whether or not this theory is ultimately proven, gold has long inspired celestial imagery as it glimmers in sunlight and captures the imagination. Throughout history, gold has […]
101 Unique features of diamonds, part 3
101 Unique Features of Diamonds – Part 3 In this third instalment of our educational series on the fascinating properties of diamonds, we explore features numbered 39 to 51. These facts highlight the remarkable physical, thermal, optical, and scientific characteristics that set natural diamonds apart from all other materials. A diamond is, by weight, one […]
101 Unique Feautures of Diamonds, Part 2
101 Unique Features of Diamonds – Part 2 In this second instalment of our series, we continue exploring the remarkable and often surprising properties of natural diamonds. Below are features numbered 21 to 38, highlighting their physical behaviour, historical significance, and optical characteristics. When doped with trace elements, diamond can function as a semiconductor. Despite […]