Archive for June 2015
Pearls, pearls, pearls…
One of the most recognised strands of pearls is the one worn by Audrey Hepburn in the movie “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”. Interestingly, they were costume pearls. Elizabeth Taylor was given the large pearl featured as the drop of this elaborate necklace by Richard Burton. The natural pearl, known as ‘La Peregrina’ is said…
Read MoreOur latest pearl commission.
Our latest pearl commission offered a unique challenge – designing a pearl pendant that also included some very precious jade. Nicholas drew the following options: and the customer chose the top one. The manufacturing process was a very intensive one for Matthew and the finished piece is bringing a lot of joy to its…
Read MorePlatinum
We received a request this month asking about platinum is, so we’re taking this opportunity to explain about this fascinating metal. Platinum is the densest and heaviest of all white metals used in jewellery manufacture. It is the scarcest metal mined in the world, is difficult to extract, and there are only two locations that…
Read MorePIKE Jewellers’ 1st birthday!
Hi to all our readers and this month is a celebration as June signifies the first birthday of PIKE Jewellers! It seems only a short time ago that we closed our doors at Burnside Village and began this new chapter of the PIKE family business. Through the enthusiasm and encouragement of my wife Helen and…
Read MoreHow can you tell a real pearl from a fake?
We have a lot of people come and see us at PIKE to ask if the pearls they have been given by their grandmother, aunty or family friend are real or not. Sometimes we can tell just by looking – the size, shape, the evenness of the colour. It is getting harder to tell, with…
Read MoreWhat is the difference between natural, South Sea, Freshwater and Akoya pearls?
So, what is the difference between natural, South Sea, Freshwater and Akoya pearls? Natural Pearls: A natural pearl is one that is formed in nature without any human intervention. A natural pearl forms when a foreign substance (for example, sand) makes its way into the shell of the oyster. As a ‘defence mechanism’ the oyster…
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