By Lewis Malka
/ in Wedding Proposals, Engagement ring
/ January 24, 2020
/ Comments Off on Proposing in February? The gloves are off.
If anyone thinks the notion of a woman proposing to a guy on February 29th is a bit outdated, that’s because it is – chronologically, if not culturally and politically.
The tradition of Leap Year proposals is said to date back to the 5th Century and a deal struck between Saint Brigid of Kildare and Saint Patrick, an Irish bishop and the man now recognised as the patron saint of Ireland.
Interestingly, for those who are firmly in the camp that believes this tradition is a prime example of gender ...
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By Lewis Malka
/ in Uncategorized
/ December 16, 2019
/ Comments Off on What can we learn from the Tamara Ecclestone theft?
Given her family wealth, it’s unlikely there’ll be many people losing sleep over the fact Formula 1 heiress Tamara Ecclestone had a reported £50 million-worth of jewellery stolen from her home last night.
Thieves broke into her 55-room Kensington home (yes, you read that right – 55 rooms) and got away with a sizeable haul of jewellery that included individual items worth six figures.
I’ve heard more than one person utter the words Well, she can afford it since the news broke this morning and th...
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By Lewis Malka
/ in Uncategorized
/ November 24, 2019
/ Comments Off on A golden way of making money before Christmas
Who among us couldn’t do with a bit of extra cash at this time of year?
The weeks leading up to Christmas are traditionally heavy on the old wallet or purse as Santa ticks off items on the Nice list, and there’s no let-up on the normal day to day expenses that go with getting through the week.
Finding a bit of ready money can be hard, but the chances are you’re literally sitting on a little gold mine without even knowing it – and if you’re lucky it could be enough to make this a great Christmas...
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By Lewis Malka
/ in Sustainability
/ November 7, 2019
/ Comments Off on Can buying diamonds save the Earth?
Saving the planet is a big business these days.
Concern over the ozone layer and anxiety over CFCs found in aerosols and HFCs found in old fridges have been prevalent for the last 30 years at least – but the global move to save the planet has been breathtakingly fast in just the last few years.
Last week I went out for lunch with my kids. It’s a regular family thing and one of the highlights of the week for me. But my youngest, Amelie, has this thing - every-time we go to a restaurant she has t...
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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...
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By Lewis Malka
/ in Wedding Proposals, Engagement ring, Diamond Jewellery
/ July 1, 2019
/ Comments Off on Getting engaged? Get a plan!
So, you’ve decided she’s a keeper and you’ve decided to pop the question. It’s time to come up with a plan to make sure it’s a moment you’ll both remember for all the right reasons.
I’m going to assume at this point that the two of you have talked about the future and you’re already near certain she’ll say yes (if you haven’t then I’d recommend you put your plans on hold and have that chat before you take the plunge).
Although spontaneous proposals can sometimes be wildly romantic, most of them ...
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By Lewis Malka
/ in Valuations
/ June 24, 2019
/ Comments Off on The true value of a handmade piece of jewellery
Buying or being given a handmade item of jewellery is a unique pleasure. Everyone can appreciate the opportunity to wear something that’s a total one-off and while not every item of specially commissioned jewellery comes with a significant price tag, many do.
I’ve written before about the importance of having your jewellery properly valued for insurance purposes and repeating that valuation process at regular intervals to ensure that if something does happen to a valuable item, you’ll get the ma...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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