By Rebecca Fitzsimmons
Founded in 1978 in Guelph by brothers Greg and Jeff Buzbuzian, Knar Jewellery specializes in fine jewellery, watches and accessories. We asked Jeff to share a few gems of expertise about diamonds:
Considering factors like cut, quality and carat weight, how do you choose the perfect diamond?
So often, people will have one idea in mind or their heart set on a specific style or design, but leave with something entirely different. It’s the same of jewellery in general, diamonds specifically. They might try the exact ring or something similar on, but somehow it loses its lustre. I always say keep an open mind. You have to go and try it on and imagine your lifestyle. When the shape of the diamond looks good on, they feel it. People don’t buy our jewellery — they buy the feeling it gives them. There’s also a durability factor. Whether it’s work or hobbies, some people use their hands a lot. We help guide people through the selection.
There are several cuts of diamond: round, oval, pear, princess, emerald, heart shape, cushion, and marquis. Which one is your favourite?
Personally, I’m very fond of the oval cut, but hands down the round diamond is the most brilliant of all. It can have the highest light performance of all diamonds. However, these days there’ve been many improvements in fancy shapes to give them higher light performance as well. Diamond cutters can tell through experimentation and changing the angle of the facets whether it’s reflecting the most light, and the better a diamond is cut, the more colours of the rainbow are displayed. The cut of the diamond becomes a significant part of its emotional aspect as well.
Diamonds come in a variety of different colours. Are they popular?
There are different qualities and colours. Black diamonds have been a fashion trend, yet don’t have a high value, but in jewellery they’re used more as artistic elements. There are also pink, yellow, blue and green — the most rare are blue, pink and green. In a world where diamonds have been so popular for so many years, it’s really provided something new and different that people can add to their collection.
Regardless of size or cut, what factors should people keep in mind when choosing a top-quality diamond?
Cut quality is the most important thing. Most diamonds start off being twice the weight they are than what they actually finish at once it’s been cut and polished. The better the cutter, the more time they take, the more magnification they use when they’re cutting the diamonds, continually shaping and polishing until they get it to the leanest and best proportions. When you achieve that, it sparkles the most. Our Hearts on Fire diamonds are known for that. They’ve been able to prove they consistently cut the world’s most perfect diamonds.
Less than one per cent of diamonds are flawless. Some characteristics are invisible to the naked eye, and some have what we call birthmarks. They’re not unattractive; they’re natural. It would be like looking at a piece of marble — to find a piece of marble with very little veining is fairly rare. Diamonds are similar. For clarity, as long as it’s not really cloudy, it doesn’t affect the beauty of the diamond. In fact, some people like the characteristics that are inside the diamond.
What are your thoughts on lab-created diamonds?
At the end of the day, (natural) diamonds are original. When you think about the fact it’s taken millions of years for them to form, there’s definitely something extra precious and rare about something that came out of the ground, as opposed to something that’s being
manufactured.
What’s trending that people will be wearing to holiday parties or putting on their wish list this year?
I can confidently say that yellow gold is very strong. It becomes a great fashion accessory. It’s a warm tone compared to white metals like sterling silver or platinum. It started about three to four years ago — Europe always sets the trends — and it’s still probably got some time to go before everyone is wanting yellow gold again. Having said that, white gold and platinum have become classics. Coloured gemstones are popular too: rubies, emeralds, sapphires. A lot of people have diamonds, but not a lot of people have what I would call significant gemstones.
In addition to rings, we are seeing the bracelet trend is very big on the fashion side of things. The wearer gets to see it on themselves, they get to enjoy it too, whereas a necklace and earrings are somewhat forgotten about. The trend is for men as well. I can’t believe the number of men’s bracelets that are being purchased today.