EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
LET'S GET EDUCATED
It's ok to be a little obsessed with sparkle
LAB DIAMONDS
Lab-grown diamonds are just that - diamonds.
They have the same physical, chemical, and optical characteristics as natural diamonds, and exhibit the same fire, scintillation, and sparkle.
They can only be distinguished from natural diamonds by using specialized equipment.
These diamonds are grown in highly controlled laboratory environments using advanced processes that mimic the conditions under which diamonds naturally develop when they form beneath the Earth’s crust.
Lab-grown diamonds cost significantly less than natural diamonds, offering consumers an affordable alternative.
DIAMOND GRADING
The first step in choosing the perfect diamond is determining the shape that most suits your personal style.
The Four C’s (carat, cut, colour and clarity) are primarily used to determine the quality and overall value of a diamond.
Your personal preferences will determine which one of the four is the most important.
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Neededasdfghjkl
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What are your payment options and can I pay in instalments?We understand that investing in a piece of jewellery is a big commitment, and paying in instalments can be a big help. We would be happy to receive the payment in 4 instalments, 25% each, over a period of 3 months. After the first payment, we will start with the digital design. After the second payment, we will start with manufacturing. The item will only be shipped once we have received full payment.
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Do you offer a cleaning service?Make sure to follow our cleaning instructions on a weekly basis. If the ring still doesn't sparkle like it used to, please don’t hesitate to bring it in for a service. A full service should be done every 6 months to a year and costs R250-R500, depending on what needs to be done. Should something need repairing
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What do I do if I lost a small stone from my ring?Diamonds or gemstones set in small settings such as pave settings can occasionally fall out, as these settings/claws are incredibly tiny and delicate. This can happen due to normal wear and tear over time or a hard bump against a surface. It’s always good to remember that fine jewels should be handled with love and care. Please refer to our care instructions and warranty.
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Do you have a warranty?We certainly do. Please familiarise yourself with our warranty and get in touch if anything is unclear.
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What do engagement rings normally cost?This is one of our most difficult questions to answer, as this is purely personal preference and dependent on the design or stone you have your heart set on. Contrary to popular belief, the ring doesn’t have to be 3 times your monthly salary, but rather an amount you are comfortable with. Please note, that as we work with gold and platinum only, our engagement rings typically start at R11,000.
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How long will it take to create my piece?Our lead time is roughly 4 weeks, depending on the type and intricacy of the design. This does not include shipping timeframes and is subject to change. If you feel this timeframe is not suitable and you would like an alternative option that may be quicker. Please contact us to see if a rush order would be possible.
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How much is a 1ct Diamond?This question is as broad as ‘how much is a car?’. What make, model, mileage...? Diamonds are graded using the 4C’s. Once you have identified what’s important to you, we will gladly send you a few options to consider. Still unsure what you are looking for, but you have a rough idea of what you want to spend? We will send you the best possible options for your budget.
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What if I need to resize my ring?Your first resize is free, thereafter it is R250. We can arrange shipping for you at R130 each way, including insurance. Please email info@theiajewellery.co.za to arrange.
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Does Theia Jewellery offer engraving?We do not specialise in engraving ourselves, but we are happy to send the piece to a trusted engraver on your behalf. The engraving cost depends on the design. Feel free to get in touch for more information.
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I am interested in creating an engagement ring. Where do I begin?For inspiration, you can start by exploring our social media to view some of our previous work. If would like to visit us at our Cape Town showroom, to discuss the design in person, you can book an appointment here. You don’t live in Cape Town? No worries! We have clients all over the world. We are happy to correspond via phone, email, and virtual appointments. Get in touch, so we can start collaborating on that special piece.
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Can I supply my own stone and metal?We would love to use an heirloom stone and design something new that reflects your personal style and taste. If you have solid gold that you would like to recycle, you can bring it into our studio where it will be weighed to establish the value. As this existing metal may contain other alloys that we cannot work with, we send it off for refining and provide you with credit for the value.
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CutIf you’re looking for the most sparkle, then a diamond’s cut quality is very important. It’s graded from ‘Poor’ to ‘Excellent’ by precisely measuring the angles and sizes of the facets of the diamond. At Theia, we always recommend diamonds that have a ‘Very Good’ to ‘Excellent’ cut grade.
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ShapeEach shape has its own unique qualities and visual characteristics.
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CaratCarat is a measurement of weight and is primarily what influences the value of a diamond. One carat is 0.2g.
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ColourThe colour of a diamond drastically affects the overall look and value of the stone. The colour is graded from D, being colourless, to Z, containing the most colour. If you want that pure white look try to stick to the colours D to J. Also, don't be scared of warmer coloured stones when warmer metal is your preferred choice. The warmth in yellow and rose gold is complemented by a warmer stone and vice-versa. And then we have our Fancy colours... Yes, diamonds come in every colour of the rainbow from black to pink and everything in between. These colours are graded in their own way and can be a great investment.
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ClarityA diamond’s clarity is graded from ‘Flawless’ to ‘Included’. But perfection is a rarity in the natural world. One can spend an entire lifetime in the jewellery industry without ever encountering a ‘Flawless’ diamond. At Theia, we ensure that all of our diamonds are eye-clean, meaning the inclusions are too minuscule to be seen by anyone other than a trained eye using magnification.
MOISSANITE
Moissanite is truly an underappreciated gem.
When Moissanite was discovered in 1893 by a French scientist named Henri Moissan, he initially believed he had stumbled upon diamonds due to their captivating sparkle.
However, it was later revealed that, while Moissanite bears a striking resemblance to diamonds in terms of appearance, it differs significantly in composition.
Natural Moissanite remains very rare; thus, the majority of Moissanite on the market today is grown in a lab. On Moh’s scale of hardness, moissanite scores 9.25 out of 10, making it one of the hardest substances on earth and a great choice for everyday wear.
Brilliance, which refers to a stone’s ability to reflect white light, is a good measure of how much a stone will ‘sparkle’. Moissanite has a refractive index of 2.65 to 2.69, which is much higher than a diamond.
Moissanite also has a higher dispersion ("fire") than a diamond, meaning it will reflect more colors.
They are dramatically lower in price than a diamond of the same size and quality due to the fact that they are grown in a lab.
JEWELLERY CARE
Fine jewellery is delicate and should be cared for to keep it in optimal condition.
Please follow our care instructions:
- Store your jewellery piece(s) in a safe location, lying flat, and where it won't touch or scratch another piece.
- Take off your jewellery before showering, bathing, or swimming.
- Do not adjust your jewellery yourself, but rather ask a professional jeweller to do so.
- Do not wear platinum and gold jewellery next to each other as your gold will scratch, due to the hardness of platinum. The same goes for silver, which is a relatively soft metal.
- Keep your jewellery away from all chemicals such as lotions, perfumes, hair sprays, and cosmetics.
- Take off your jewellery before sleeping or strenuous activities like cleaning or going to the gym.
- For necklaces and bracelets, clasp the necklace when removing it to ensure the chain does not tangle or knot.
Have your pieces checked and serviced by a professional jeweller every six months to a year; otherwise, you risk irreparable damage or even losing stones.
To clean your jewellery, mix a few drops of dish soap in warm (not too hot) water. Let your piece(s) sit in the solution for a few minutes. VERY GENTLY scrub the metal and diamonds with a soft baby toothbrush. To rinse, place the item in a new container of lukewarm water. This process should not be repeated more than once a week. Do not clean pearls with any chemicals, abrasives, or solvents.
-
Neededasdfghjkl
-
What are your payment options and can I pay in instalments?We understand that investing in a piece of jewellery is a big commitment, and paying in instalments can be a big help. We would be happy to receive the payment in 4 instalments, 25% each, over a period of 3 months. After the first payment, we will start with the digital design. After the second payment, we will start with manufacturing. The item will only be shipped once we have received full payment.
-
Do you offer a cleaning service?Make sure to follow our cleaning instructions on a weekly basis. If the ring still doesn't sparkle like it used to, please don’t hesitate to bring it in for a service. A full service should be done every 6 months to a year and costs R250-R500, depending on what needs to be done. Should something need repairing
-
What do I do if I lost a small stone from my ring?Diamonds or gemstones set in small settings such as pave settings can occasionally fall out, as these settings/claws are incredibly tiny and delicate. This can happen due to normal wear and tear over time or a hard bump against a surface. It’s always good to remember that fine jewels should be handled with love and care. Please refer to our care instructions and warranty.
-
Do you have a warranty?We certainly do. Please familiarise yourself with our warranty and get in touch if anything is unclear.
-
What do engagement rings normally cost?This is one of our most difficult questions to answer, as this is purely personal preference and dependent on the design or stone you have your heart set on. Contrary to popular belief, the ring doesn’t have to be 3 times your monthly salary, but rather an amount you are comfortable with. Please note, that as we work with gold and platinum only, our engagement rings typically start at R11,000.
-
How long will it take to create my piece?Our lead time is roughly 4 weeks, depending on the type and intricacy of the design. This does not include shipping timeframes and is subject to change. If you feel this timeframe is not suitable and you would like an alternative option that may be quicker. Please contact us to see if a rush order would be possible.
-
How much is a 1ct Diamond?This question is as broad as ‘how much is a car?’. What make, model, mileage...? Diamonds are graded using the 4C’s. Once you have identified what’s important to you, we will gladly send you a few options to consider. Still unsure what you are looking for, but you have a rough idea of what you want to spend? We will send you the best possible options for your budget.
-
What if I need to resize my ring?Your first resize is free, thereafter it is R250. We can arrange shipping for you at R130 each way, including insurance. Please email info@theiajewellery.co.za to arrange.
-
Does Theia Jewellery offer engraving?We do not specialise in engraving ourselves, but we are happy to send the piece to a trusted engraver on your behalf. The engraving cost depends on the design. Feel free to get in touch for more information.
-
I am interested in creating an engagement ring. Where do I begin?For inspiration, you can start by exploring our social media to view some of our previous work. If would like to visit us at our Cape Town showroom, to discuss the design in person, you can book an appointment here. You don’t live in Cape Town? No worries! We have clients all over the world. We are happy to correspond via phone, email, and virtual appointments. Get in touch, so we can start collaborating on that special piece.
-
Can I supply my own stone and metal?We would love to use an heirloom stone and design something new that reflects your personal style and taste. If you have solid gold that you would like to recycle, you can bring it into our studio where it will be weighed to establish the value. As this existing metal may contain other alloys that we cannot work with, we send it off for refining and provide you with credit for the value.
-
CutIf you’re looking for the most sparkle, then a diamond’s cut quality is very important. It’s graded from ‘Poor’ to ‘Excellent’ by precisely measuring the angles and sizes of the facets of the diamond. At Theia, we always recommend diamonds that have a ‘Very Good’ to ‘Excellent’ cut grade.
-
ShapeEach shape has its own unique qualities and visual characteristics.
-
CaratCarat is a measurement of weight and is primarily what influences the value of a diamond. One carat is 0.2g.
-
ColourThe colour of a diamond drastically affects the overall look and value of the stone. The colour is graded from D, being colourless, to Z, containing the most colour. If you want that pure white look try to stick to the colours D to J. Also, don't be scared of warmer coloured stones when warmer metal is your preferred choice. The warmth in yellow and rose gold is complemented by a warmer stone and vice-versa. And then we have our Fancy colours... Yes, diamonds come in every colour of the rainbow from black to pink and everything in between. These colours are graded in their own way and can be a great investment.
-
ClarityA diamond’s clarity is graded from ‘Flawless’ to ‘Included’. But perfection is a rarity in the natural world. One can spend an entire lifetime in the jewellery industry without ever encountering a ‘Flawless’ diamond. At Theia, we ensure that all of our diamonds are eye-clean, meaning the inclusions are too minuscule to be seen by anyone other than a trained eye using magnification.