WHO TO CALL: Fashion Editor Layne Christensen IS IT real or fake? Alan Hodgkinson examines a 0.35-carat syntheti by DeBeers for research pu ; including the Hodgkinson Test, for determining the authenticity of a gem. By Layne Christensen THE POWER of Love: Six Centuries of Diamond Betrothal Rings, a glossy, 32- page booklet published by the Diamond Information Centre traces the history of the engagement ring. Fifteenth Century: The diamond is the acknowledged. symbol of conjugal faithfulness because of its resistance to fire and steel. It becomes part of the ritual of weddings, It is used in its natural crystalline structure, an eight-sided formation, like two pyramids joined at the base. Medieval goldsmiths craft elaborate and imagi- native settings. Posies, or lithe poems, are inscribed inside the ring’s band. Sixteenth Century: Skilled Renaissance goldsmiths produce a new style of marriage ring, the gimmel, Froin the Latin gemelli, or twins, the ring has two hoops which slide together, It is a symbolic allusion to marriage: like vo people joined as one. A sharp. pointed diamond is cov- eted for writing on glass and the likes of Elizabeth | and Walter Raleigh seratch out their flinations on a window pane. Seventeenth Century: Another ramantic symbol emerges: the two clasped hands of the _ ede (italian for “faith"), In elaborate rings, the hands embrace a large rose-cut diamond heart. The. Puritans try hard to have the weddign ring abolished but are unsuccessful, Eighteenth Century: The discovery of dia- monds in Brazil increases supply. Improved can- dle-lighting livens the social scene at night. The round brilliant replaces the rose cut so that ladies can show off their. sparklers. Polishing tech- niques and settings improve to meet demand for enhanced sparkle. ’ Nineteenth Century: ‘The successful busi- ness man shows off his spoils from the Industrial Revolution by loading his wife with jewelry.: Diamond mines are discovered on the African continent and become available to a wider pub- lic. By Victorian times, the bride has come to _, expect two rings: a gem-set engagement ring and a wedding band. Cut, color and clarity rise to a new importance with the invention of the Tiffany mount, a clawed setting that exposes the stone to the fullest play of light. NEWS photo Mike Waketleld Fwentieth Century: Platinum, “the metal of ic diamond, “grown” heaven,” is universally adopted for its brilliant . The Scottish gemologist has developed methods, — untarnishable whiteness, durability and strength. Cuts are varied: emerald, square, rectangular, pear, ovat, marquise and heart shape. The Modern Brilliant cut, with 58 facets, is said to have “perfect mathematical proportion.” Famous rocks The Taylor-Burton: This pear-shaped dia- mond weighs in ata whopping 69.42 carats. When it was sold at auction in 1969 it was named by the buyer, Cartier. The very next day Richard Burton bought the “Cantier® for his bride, Elizabeth Taylor, paid an undisclosed sum, and renamed it the ‘“Taylor-Burton.” In 1978 ‘Taylor put it up for sale, Prospective buyers had to pay $2,500 just to view the gem. The next year it was sold for nearly $3 million, reportedly to a Saudi Arabian. ‘The Regent: An Indian slave discovered this historic diamond in 1701. Weighing 410 carats in the rough, it was purchased by William Pit, the English Prime Minister, and was cut into a cushion-shaped brilliant of $40.50 carats. Louis XV, then Regent of France and still a boy, wus its next owner. When he became king it was set in the crown. Napoleon got his hands on it. follow- ing the French Revolution, and had it set in the hilt of his sword. ft now rests atthe Louvre. | ‘The Blue Hope: This dark-blue gem brought, not hope but misfortune to its owners. Once owned by Louis XIV, it was stolen during the. French Revolution, In 1830 it resurfaced and was purchased by Henry Philip Hope. All Hope's family died in poverty. Similar disaster befell a later owner, Edward B..McLean, then owner of the Washington Post. In 1962 the 45,52-carat stone. was. donated to the Smithsonian Institution where it is a huge draw. THE. DIAMOND information Centre reports that 88% of brides today receive a diamond engagement ring. ‘The diamond mind ALAN HODGKINSON is a colorful character pos- sessed with a diamond mind. When out of his pocket he nonchalantly draws a handful af gems worth no less than a quarter-mil, you can’t help but pay attention to what he has to say. : Hodgkinson is a gemologist from Glasgow. His spe-’ cialty is diamonds. His: purpose for being in town recently was the Canadian Gemmological Association's annual conference, where he showed off a rare blue syn- thetic diamond. Unlike man-made diamonds, or cubic zirconia, syn- Jewellers 1955-1995 : 1598 Lonsdale Ave: North Vancouver 988-4717 thetics possess all the chemical properties of a natural diamond. “They’re just grown indoors,” "says Hodgkinson of the procedure where nickel iron is heat- ed to 1300°C. According to Hodgkinson, synthetics grown in Japan and Russian have already begun to creep onto the mar- ketplace, and that worries him. “The trade needs to be forewarned,” he says, “and the public has got to be reas- sured.” Buy diamonds only from a certified gemologist. he advises. . =~ Layne Christensen 10K Gold Neckchains and Chain Bracelets 40% ore Prices from $50 Sale ends Nov. 30/95 Up to 20% off storewide all year that iy - Tues-Sat 9:00-5:00 /7’S ABOUT TIME — YOU CALLED! 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