By Lewis Malka
/ in Christmas, Diamonds
/ December 2, 2021
/ Comments Off on Diamonds are Forever, Forever, Forever
Diamonds are Forever, the 7th James Bond movie, was released in the UK in December 1971. Fifty years later I take a walk down memory lane. I can’t say I remember it, I wasn’t born until a few years later. I was told by my dad, that back then it was as big a deal. As big a deal as a new Bond movie is released today. Probably more, since it was the return of Sean Connery as 007. Sean's first 007 made the franchise famous in 1962 with Dr. No.
Not everyone enjoyed it. Some people thi...
Read More »
By Lewis Malka
/ in History, Diamonds, Diamond Jewellery, Investment
/ September 30, 2021
/ Comments Off on A Diamond from the Rough
Have you ever wondered what journey a diamond takes before it ends up on your finger?
When they are uncovered from the depths of the earth, they look very different to how we see them in jewellery. And the qualities vary so much. It turns out only 15% of all diamonds mined, are good enough to be used in jewellery! The rest of the diamonds are not thrown away. There is a use for them too. Don’t forget, diamonds are the hardest natural substance in the world. As a result of this, only a diamond ca...
Read More »
By Lewis Malka
/ in Diamonds, Diamond Jewellery, Uncategorized
/ June 15, 2021
/ Comments Off on Why I’ve decided not to get involved with Lab-Grown diamonds in 2023
I’m sure by now you’ve come across the term 'lab-grown' when referring to diamonds. There has been a lot of buzz in the press recently, with some high street brands shouting about them. They’ve been championing the fact that they’re environmentally friendly. How they can be made to order. How they are much cheaper than natural diamonds. And that’s true. But there is a reason for that.
Given that, and with all the marketing, you’re wondering if you should jump on the bandwagon too. You ha...
Read More »
By Lewis Malka
/ in Jeweller, Jewellery Design, Diamonds, Diamond Jewellery, Uncategorized
/ April 7, 2021
/ Comments Off on You CAN teach an old dog new tricks!
Looking back, one of my proudest moments in life was starting in the jewellery trade as a sixteen-year-old apprentice. Learning the skills of a diamond mounter, as we are known, has helped give me the foundations for the work I do today. All the skills needed to understand the construction and framework, for what seems like a simple thing, were skilfully mastered in my first three years.
Technology, like in most industries today, plays a huge part in business. The jewellery trade is no differen...
Read More »
By Lewis Malka
/ in Diamonds, Diamond Jewellery, Selling jewellery and diamonds, Valuations
/ July 8, 2019
/ Comments Off on What is my inherited jewellery worth?
There are many things that change with each generation. Tastes, fashions, technology and culture are all transient things. But while jewellery styles may change, jewellery itself never goes out of fashion.
So, it’s almost certain that in every house across the country there’s a box or two of old jewellery that’s been collected over the period of someone’s life. Some of it will be worn regularly, some of it might not have seen the light of day for decades.
Most of that jewellery will be high in s...
Read More »
By Lewis Malka
/ in Engagement ring, Diamonds, Diamond Jewellery
/ June 12, 2019
/ Comments Off on Halo and goodbye – the changing fashions of engagement rings
It’s not just clothes that are hostages to style trends – jewellery fashions that are on-trend one day can be out of favour the next, and there’s no better recent example than the halo engagement ring.
For a while there the halo ring was all the rage. Originally designed for people who wanted their engagement ring to make a big, loud statement but whose budget didn’t stretch to having a diamond to match, the halo ring ticked a lot of boxes.
There’s nothing wrong in making a statement with the je...
Read More »
By Lewis Malka
/ in Celebrity, Diamonds, Diamond Jewellery, Investment, Selling jewellery and diamonds, Valuations
/ May 31, 2019
/ Comments Off on Thinking about getting rid of some old jewellery? Think again.
So, here’s a question for you. When it comes to jewellery, what do Lady Gaga and Audrey Hepburn have in common?
On the surface of it, it’s hard to imagine there might be any connection between the darling of 1960s Hollywood and the darling of iconic Noughties pop music.
But it was there for all to see on the red carpet at this year’s Oscars ceremony in the shape of a 128 carat yellow diamond worn at the neck of the always-unpredictable singer.
While the media went into a feeding frenzy over Lady...
Read More »
By Lewis Malka
/ in Wedding Proposals, Engagement ring, Diamonds
/ May 23, 2019
/ Comments Off on How much should I spend on an engagement ring?
It’s the perennial question and one I get asked more than any other: How much should I spend on an engagement ring?
The honest answer is that you should always spend what you can sensibly afford. For lots of people that goes against the grain because they’ve grown up believing that you need to spend a fortune on a ring to go with a proposal.
I’m never quite sure whether the person asking the question is hoping to hear a price that won’t break the bank but also won’t make them look like a cheapsk...
Read More »
By Lewis Malka
/ in Wedding Proposals, Engagement ring, Diamonds, Diamond Jewellery
/ May 14, 2019
/ Comments Off on Is there such a thing as the perfect engagement ring? Read this and find out.
Is there such a thing as the perfect engagement ring?
I get asked this question a lot – so much so that I wrote a book on exactly that subject (and there’s a link to buy it at the end of this article). I also made a film about it, which you can watch here. It’s a very hot topic in my world.
So, is there such a thing as the perfect engagement ring? The answer is yes, there is. Can I describe it to you? No, because the perfect engagement ring is perfect only to the person who buys it or the person...
Read More »
By Lewis Malka
/ in Engagement ring, Diamonds, Diamond Jewellery
/ April 23, 2019
/ Comments Off on How to take care of your engagement ring
Your diamond engagement ring is one of the most valuable objects you'll ever own, even if only in terms of its sentimental worth. But what's the best way of cleaning it? Expert jeweller Lewis Malka has the answer.
When someone asks you to marry them and presents you with a beautiful diamond engagement thing, what that person wants most of all is for you to say the word ‘Yes’ (hopefully like you really, really mean it) and that you’ll wear it for the rest of your days.
That’s the plan. And if the...
Read More »
