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With the price of gold at record levels, or so it seems, I would like to give you the perspective of the jewellery creator. To begin may I offer you some historical background to bring the rise in value of this precious metal into context.

Since the late 1800‘s the U.S. currency has been backed by gold and as of 1944 traded with a fixed conversion rate of USD 35 per troy ounce. In 1971 the then U.S. president Nixon decided to break with tradition, remove the dollar from the gold standard and hand the precious metal to the speculators on the stock markets. After a mere 9 years of climbing this commodity reached a peak price of $ 850 per troy ounce in 1980. Following this short term spike gold settled in the $ 300-400 range for nearly 2 decades, reaching a low of $ 251 in August 1999. The next 9 years has brought a steady rise and spiking sharply in 2008 to break the $ 1000 mark for the first time. As I am writing this gold is traded at $ 1380 or $ 1383 Canadian per troy ounce.( As an interesting aside, the 1980 peak price is equivalent to $ 2359 in 2009 USD, adjusted to inflation).

To jewellery designers and creators like myself the sharp rise of our raw material  poses many challenges. I can design my work with a reduced gold weight in mind and possibly compromise durability as well as comfort. I can change from 18 karat to 14 karat, reducing the pure gold content in the alloy, thereby sacrificing the lustrous beauty of the gold. Many lower gold alloy compositions are also prone to discolourations or oxidization.

These solutions aimed at reducing input costs may help to some extent while introducing compromises that detract from the desired outcome. My aim is to offer you and all my clients jewellery created for life. Starting with an idea, function, esthetics and colours are finely balanced to create the design. Yet, a design is only as strong as the meticulously executed finished piece to the highest possible level of excellence. In combining these elements I believe to pay homage to and respect gold as the fine precious metal we value so much.

Bayot Heer

info@bheer.com

With spring approaching in the northern hemisphere so is the season for love, engagement and marriage. The diamond ring is the primary symbol to celebrate the betrothal.

You may know about the 4c’s in diamonds and may have even memorized all its meanings. I would like to introduce you to the many shapes diamonds are cut and their corresponding personality traits of the recipient.

Round brilliant shape is the most common diamond sold, and offers incomparable versatility when designing a ring. This shape best reflects family-centered, dependable, secure and safe personality traits.

Princess shape is square or rectangular with pointed corners, cut with similar numbers of facets as the round brilliant cut. This choice speaks of a disciplined, conservative, efficient and honest personality.

Emerald shape, a rectangular diamond with cut corners, the facets are cut parallel to the perimeter of the stone, also known as step cut. The small number of facets in this design requires the diamond to be of high clarity. The emerald cut shape shares the characteristics with the princess cut.

Oval shaped diamonds are very well suited for women with smaller hands or fingers and are often paired with smaller diamonds or coloured stones. This shape speaks of an individualistic, creative, well-organized person, willing to take chances.

Marquise shape, an oval shape with tapered, pointed ends, this diamond is often chosen by people with short fingers to create the appearance of slender fingers. Extroverted, aggressive, innovative and career-minded persons may find this unique shape very compatible.

Pear or drop shaped diamond is complimentary to people with small and short fingers. This shape is best suited for conforming, considerate and adaptable  personalities.

Radiant shape, square or rectangular with cut corners, this diamond is a beautiful combination of the emerald and round diamond shapes. This cut is favoured for fancy yellow diamonds to enhance the brilliance and colour. The radiant cut shares the personality traits with the emerald and princess shapes.

Find your match.

Bayot Heer

bheer.ca

Valentine’s Day can trace its roots farther back than its modern-day association with greeting cards and flower shops.

The Romans celebrated the “ Feast of Lupercalia”, festival of fertility on February 15th, where boys and girls were matched by drawing names the day before, February 14th.  The pairs would stay together for the duration of Lupercalia or until next year’s celebration, by which time many had fallen in love and married.  By the third century, the Roman Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage, deeming single men to be better soldiers for his army.  Along came priest Valentine who defied his ruler and continued to perform weddings. This defiance earned him his execution on February 14th and he was later elevated to sainthood.

Other versions of legend Valentine have him helping Christians escape persecution, only to be caught and sentenced to death. While in prison, Valentine falls in love with the jailer’s daughter and before his death, sends his sweetheart a love note ending with the notation, “From your Valentine”.
To commemorate these events, Pope Gelasius declared February 14th “St. Valentine’s Day” in the year 498, putting an end to the former pagan celebration.

By the Middle Ages, people in England and France saw February 14th as the day when birds started to look for their mates, further linking this day with notions of romance.  St. Valentine was later named the patron saint of lovers.

The mass-produced cards of today grew out of the popularity of handmade love notes, or “Valentines”, exchanged by sweethearts and it is now celebrated as a day of love and friendship.

Yours in friendship,

Bayot Heer

bheer.ca

Welcome to a place where ideas, information and interaction are encouraged. A new blog will be posted regularly exploring the world of jewellery and I invite you to contribute your comments as a way to promote discussion. My intention is to lift the veil of mystery surrounding jewellery and to help you make informed decisions during the selection process.

This is also a place where you can share your experiences and stories with us. You may write about your personal experience in giving or receiving a precious gift. Buying a ring on impulse can be as powerful as having a piece of jewellery carefully designed and custom made. Share the moment when you “popped the question.” You may have spent weeks planning the event, orchestrating every last detail. You may have seized a spontaneous moment to ask for your lady/man’s hand in marriage. The answer you received may have put you on top of the world…or it may have thrown you for a loop.  Either way, your stories come to life on this website.

A wedding engagement is by far the most popular occasion for selecting jewellery. For men in particular, this can cause much stress and anxiety.  It’s all about choosing that perfect ring for that special someone. You may have had a wonderful experience in finding just what you were looking for or you may have enlisted the help of family and friends to ease the pressure of your responsibility. For others, neither of the above applies as things did not go as planned.  This major event is rich in story possibilities.

Along with your stories, I invite your questions and will attempt to answer them as best I can.  You may have concerns about the metal your jewellery is created with or the gemstones you own. I would like you to wear your precious gem pieces with the confidence that only knowledge can bring.

My contributions will range from technical and design-oriented matters, to precious metals, and my personal favourite, gemstones. We can talk about the various colours of alloyed gold, their properties and applications. The topic of gemstones covers a vast variety of specimens, representing a spectrum of spectacular colours. It’s a fascinating field!

Your participation in this blog will make for its success.  I look forward to reading from you!

Bayot Heer
bheer.ca