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Emerald Gemstone… Fit For a Queen!

Did you know? Queen Elizabeth II, has been seen wearing emerald jewellery on various occasions. Notably, she wore an emerald necklace and earrings known as the Grand Duchess Vladimir Suite for her official Diamond Jubilee portrait in 2012. The late Princess Diana, also known as the Princess of Wales, had a fondness for emerald jewellery. She was often seen wearing a stunning emerald and diamond choker necklace, known as the Cambridge Emerald Choker, which she received as a wedding gift. There are several notable women in history who wore Emeralds The ancient Egyptian queen was famous for her love of emeralds and frequently wore them as a symbol of her power and wealth. The former First Lady of the United States, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, was known for her impeccable style. She frequently wore emerald jewellery, including an emerald and diamond engagement ring. Emeralds are connected to the concept of renewal and growth due to their vibrant green color. They symbolize freshness, vitality, and rejuvenation. They are associated with new beginnings, personal growth, and a positive outlook on life. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis with Emerald and Diamond earrings. The iconic Hollywood actress and fashion icon Elizabeth Taylor owned a remarkable collection of jewellery, including emerald pieces. Her emerald and diamond necklace, known as the Taylor-Burton Emerald, was one of her most famous possessions. Earrings and ring designed and produced by Penchant Fine Jewellery. The first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, Empress Josephine, was a renowned collector of jewellery, and emeralds were among her favoured gemstones. The wife of Napoleon III, Empress Eugénie of France, was known for her exquisite taste in jewellery. She often adorned herself with emeralds and other precious gemstones. Emerald designs by Penchant Fine Jewellery Fall in love with your own design. Book your private and exclusive personal consultation with Penchant Fine Jewellery. Book a free consultation with Jackie

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May 30, 2023

Discover the Beauty and Benefits of Amethyst

The wonders of Amethyst It is a variety of quartz, which is one of the most abundant minerals on Earth. Amethyst crystals are formed in cavities or fissures within igneous rocks or hydrothermal veins. Amethyst is a versatile gemstone that can be used in a wide range of jewellery designs, from simple and understated to bold and dramatic. How it is formed Amethyst crystals can form in a variety of geological environments, including volcanic rocks, hydrothermal veins, and sedimentary rocks. The specific conditions of temperature, pressure, and mineral composition in these environments can influence the size, shape, and quality of the amethyst crystals that form. Overall, the formation of amethyst is a complex process that involves a combination of geological processes and chemical reactions over millions of years. This is why it is purple… The purple colour of amethyst comes from the presence of iron and manganese impurities in the crystal lattice. The exact colour and intensity of the purple hue can vary depending on the concentration of these impurities. It can be found in… The most valuable amethysts come from Brazil, Uruguay, and Zambia. High-quality amethyst with a deep, rich colour can be hard to find. Spirituality Spiritual properties: Amethyst is believed to have many spiritual and healing properties. It is said to promote calmness, clarity, and spiritual awareness, and to help with addiction and compulsive behaviour. It is also a popular choice for home décor and spiritual practices, such as meditation and crystal healing. Historical significance Amethyst has been prized for its beauty and spiritual properties since ancient times. In Greek mythology, it was believed to ward off drunkenness, and in the Middle Ages, it was worn by bishops as a symbol of their spiritual authority. Amethyst and Penchant Fine Jewellery We have designed and produced a wide range of rings, earrings and necklaces. It’s common to see amethyst and yellow gold paired together in jewellery design, as they can complement each other nicely. Yellow gold has a warm, rich tone that can enhance the purple hue of amethyst, while diamonds add sparkle and contrast to the overall design. The choice of metal and gemstone pairing can also depend on personal style and cultural preferences. In some cultures, yellow gold is considered a symbol of wealth and status, while in others, silver or white gold may be preferred. When designing jewellery, it’s important to consider the properties of the materials being used, such as their durability, hardness, and maintenance requirements. For example, amethyst is a relatively hard gemstone, which makes it suitable for use in rings and other jewellery that may be subject to daily wear and tear. Overall, the choice of materials and design elements in jewellery can help to create a unique and meaningful piece that reflects the personality and preferences of the wearer. Where Amethyst jewellery can be found You are welcome to have a look in store and see what we have in stock. Remember that we can also design and create your own custom and unique style. When designing custom jewellery, it’s important to work with a skilled jeweller who can bring your ideas to life. Click here to contact us: Contact Us – Penchant Design View our shop here: Collections – Penchant Design Let’s get social: Penchant Fine Jewellery (@penchant_design) • Instagram photos and videos  

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February 24, 2023

Explore the rare CSARITE colour changing gemstone

Join Jackie on her Turkish adventure and exploration of the CSARITE mine This mine is home of the CSARITE gemstone, a gemstone which changes colour depending on the light source it is exposed to. Jackie Hahn, owner and lead designer of Penchant Fine Jewellery, has been invited to visit the mine in Turkey at one of the coastal towns called Bodrum. https://penchantdesign.com/ A photo collage of some Jackie’s adventures in Turkey. Where and what is the CSARITE mine Location, a single site, single mine gem in the rural countryside of the Mugla province of South West Turkey, roughly 25km from the small city of Milas, lies the only mine currently known to produce CSARITE®. Located in the westernmost part of the infamous Menderes Massif, the mine is positioned in one of the most continuously deforming areas of the world. At the peaks of the Ilbir mountains lies the world’s only CSARITE® mine more than 3000ft above sea level This, alongside its remote location continues to test modern engineering and technology. It is only because of perseverance and ceaseless cooperation with local communities that Milenyum continues to successfully extract this magnificent gemstone from the Turkish landscape. A New Gemstone for a New Generation Why is the CSARITE® so unique Found in only one place in the world, in a single mine in the rural Turkish mountains of the ancient region of Anatolia, CSARITE® is amongst the world’s rarest and most exquisite gemstones. With a rare and natural ability to shift colours under different light sources, CSARITE® ceaselessly transforms by day and night, indoors and out. Exhibiting a spectrum of natural colours from earthy pistachio and olive greens to golden campaign yellows, deep sunset gingers, and soft pinks and reds, CSARITE® is dynamic and expressive. Join us on this adventurous journey. We will be sharing stories and pics throughout.

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September 8, 2022

Which gemstones and metals match

Ever wondered whether there are rules or only guidelines regarding the matching of Diamonds or Rubies yellow gold or rose gold? Here are some guidelines, hints, and tips on how to match different gemstones and metals. There are certain metals and stone combinations that goes well together, however the colour of metal might not suit your skin tone. It is often a matter of personal taste. When you come in for a consultation at Penchant Fine Jewellery, you will have the opportunity to match your desired metal to your skin tone. As a designer, I will advise you throughout your journey. For now, I would like to suggest the following and share some helpful guidelines. From time to time, I love designing something out of the ordinary. Matching up colours that are opposite on the colour wheel. This tends to work quite well. For example: Red and blue, purple, and yellow, violet, and yellow and of course, Autumn colours, or ‘colder’ winter colours in different hues. The world is your oyster. This is one of the reasons why we offer a free consultation, so that you can play around with colour combinations and ideas until your dream design comes true. I often just take coloured stones and mix and match them to see what looks good and what doesn’t. My favourite rainbow combos are, pink (raspberry Garnet, rhodolite), matched with Peridot Greens and London Blue Topaz. My second favourite is Sapphires, Rubies, Emerald and Tanzanite. I really admire those colours together. My favourite metal combos are white metal colours combined with rose gold. For those who are not too fond of rose gold, a white metal and yellow gold combo also blends well. In our shop, our blossom daisy range is the perfect example. With these designs we go all out and use all three colour metals, white, yellow, and rose. From all aspects, this compliments this collection. I really enjoy playing around with colour gemstone and metal combinations. If you have anything specific in mind, please do not hesitate to contact Penchant Fine Jewellery. As lead designer I am happy to advise you. https://penchantdesign.com/customise-your-dream-jewellery-piece/ Do remember that these are simply guidelines and not rules set in stone. Should you love the look, your jewellery piece will bedazzle. Yellow, green, and red compliment yellow gold, however rose gold can be paired with red as well. Rose gold is ‘flatters’ purple, and if you want to be different, use blue tones with rose gold. Diamonds or even Moissanite makes any coloured stone offset look splendid; it is always a winner. Some colour combinations that have been quite popular in the last century, is matching a beautiful peach colour Morganite, with some diamonds and rose gold, or even just diamonds in Rose gold. This combination creates a beautiful and unique look. There are certain metals and stone combinations that goes well together, however the colour of metal might not suit your skin tone. It is often a matter of personal taste. When you come in for a consultation at Penchant Fine Jewellery, you will have the opportunity to match your desired metal to your skin tone. As a designer, I will advise you throughout your journey. Contact Us – Penchant Design Follow this link to see our giveaway: https://penchantdesign.com/win-a-moissanite-with…/ 079 471 7324 info@penchantdesign.com 62 Huguenot Street, Franschhoek, South Africa. https://penchantdesign.com/ https://www.instagram.com/penchant_design/

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August 25, 2022

January’s Birthstone is a Garnet, which is also the gem for the 2nd Wedding Anniversary

I can’t believe it is January and the start of a new year! I am proud to say that Penchant Fine Jewellery had a great festive season. It is our busiest time of year as tourists and locals flood to the beautiful valley of Franschhoek. This results in high foot traffic, which leads to many happy faces popping into our store. We are so grateful to have heard more foreign voices and see more familiar faces in person this year.  View our new branded store launch event here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CXxoFXZqemq/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link  On that positive note, I am wishing everyone a fabulous 2022 and will get straight onto sharing insights on the beautiful first birthstone of the year, the Garnet. is the Garnet family has  vibrant and meaningful collections of gemstones part of its clan.  The Garnet received its name from a sacred fruit, known as the pomegranate. Garnet, coming from the Latin word Garanatus, means seeds or seed-representing. Some garnets do resemble the seeds of a pomegranate (we will show some examples in our posts!), which is why this is the chosen name for these lovely family of stones.  Garnet is also the gem for the second wedding anniversary. That reminds me! If it is your birthday or 2nd wedding anniversary this month then you can receive 15% off any Garnet item in our store.  Shop our collection here: https://penchantdesign.com/collections/  Where is Garnet found? Garnet is found all over the world and isn’t subjective to a few locations. The stone is also close to the earth’s surface and not buried underneath mounds of pressure and sediment. The Garnet stone is created when rock and aluminium content are combined together.  The Duchess of Cambridge’s birthday ring Let me share an interesting fact about Garnets…before the Duchess of Cambridge got engaged to Prince William, Catherine Middleton often wore a pearl and garnet gold ring. The press frequently speculated whether it was a gift from Prince William. Why? Because the garnet is the Duchess’s birthstone (she was born in January), while the pearl is Prince’s William’s birthstone (born in June). Lastly, I would like to remind all my lovely Penchant customers that I am running a competition where you can win a beautiful ring if you enter! All you have to do is post an image of your favourite Penchant piece, share with us why it is authentically you and tag us! The competition runs till the end of February 😊So, no excuse to not enter…go-go-go! Enter Now: https://penchantdesign.com/my-penchant-design-piece-competition/ Best of luck and hope to see everyone in the store again soon!  Stay beautiful, Jackie and the Penchant Team

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January 21, 2022

The Birthstone for November is Blue Topaz or Citrine

Did you know that Blue Topaz is extremely rare? It is said to believe that topaz portray healing and peace properties. The gemstone was founded by Romans over two millennia ago on an island in the Red sea. The Romans believed it would protect them from evil and their enemies. During the gold rush of the 18th century, the Brazilian topaz became very popular amongst European aristocracy. The famous exquisite Braganza topaz is set in the Portuguese Royal crown. Colour Topaz is a silicate mineral of fluorine and aluminium. Interestingly blue Topaz is more rare and therefore needs to be heated and irradiated to obtain its colour. However, the heat treatment or irradiation is permanent and it won’t discolour after time. Blue Topaz can range from light blue to deep ocean blue. It also presents a slightly turquoise hue that resembles aquamarine. Due to the rarity of the topaz, it is important to treat this gemstone with the utmost care. We will be sharing some clean & caring tips with you too. Care and Cleaning Topaz is a natural crystal and therefore can be brittle if knocked or exposed to sudden change of temperature. It is recommended to use warm water and soap, use a cloth or soft toothbrush to clean your stone. Gently pat your topaz dry afterwards and it will be as good as new. Planning your Christmas shopping Can you believe we are approaching November already?!  Now is the perfect time to start prepping for all your Christmas gifts. Spoil your special person with a divine item of Blue Topaz jewellery. These stones are perfect gifts for your 4th, 13th or 17th wedding anniversary as well. We also have gift vouchers that can be added or given as a gift for your loved ones to choose their own preferred item of jewellery. If you need any more convincing, the Blue Topaz appears in a variety of colours yellow, grey, red and colourless pale blue and pink.  What about Citrine? Is an alternative birthstone for the month of November. It is known as the 13th anniversary gift. Citrine pairs perfectly with tourmaline, peridot or aquamarine. Moreso, it was wildly popular in the 1940s for its retro style. Colour The citrine gemstone has a beautiful golden glow to it. For many years people have treasured it as the gift from the sun. The name is derived from the french  word citron, or lemon. The colour ranges from a light yellow to deep honey like yellows and browns. It is the perfect pop of colour to any outfit. Meaning Citrine has healing properties associated with it. Previously the warm colours evoked a sense of warmth, sun and illumination. The gemstone resembles romance, positivity, and happiness. Recently it has become the gemstone of vitality, freshness, new beginnings, mental clarity, and emotional well-being.  None of us can deny that these last two years have been a roller coaster of emotions. We need to protect our emotional well-being daily.  What a spectacular gift it would be? Care & Clean Citrine is not as brittle as topaz and is more durable. Although it is more durable it should avoid excessive exposure to high heat. To keep your gemstone clean try not wearing it whilst applying lotion or cleaning products.  Clean with a mild dish soap in water with a soft brush behind the stone to remove any dust and greasiness. There are many more interesting facts about these 2 gemstones, which we will be sharing throughout the month on our social media platforms. Stay tuned for this month’s content and follow us on Instagram or Facebook.  We have both of these gorgeous birthstones available for you to view in our store. We would love for you to come visit and see our collections or have something made especially just for you with our collection of loose stones on display.  Stay Beautiful, Jackie Hahn & Penchant Design Team

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November 12, 2021

The birthstone for October is either a Tourmaline or an Opal

Did you know Tourmalines come in nearly every colour? Can you believe it is October already!? A new month presents a new opportunity to share insights into the history and meaning of all the gorgeous gemstones. The name “tourmaline” comes from the Sinhalese words tura mali, which mean “stone of mixed colors.” Starting with Tourmalines that come in an array of beautiful and vibrant colours. From the deepest of blues and greens to the lightest of pinks and yellow, this stone comes in nearly every colour. A certain species of tourmaline, called schorl, can even come in black or dark brown. It’s thanks to this amazing colouration that this stone has earned the title of the ‘Rainbow Gemstone’. This gemstone happens to be one of my favourites for this very reason. What is so unique about a Tournamline?  One of the reasons are that a Tourmaline  is  pleochroic,  which  means  you  can  see  different  colours  when  viewed  from  different  angles. In addition, you also get Bi-coloured Tourmalines as the crystals may be green on one end and pink on the other.  The second reason is because a Tournamline can be as clear as a diamond! The only thing better than a wide variety of stunning colours is a colourful stone that allows light to pass through, creating a majestic effect that will leave onlookers in awe.  Opal, the alternative birthstone for the month of October  Along with tourmalines, Opal is the birthstone for the month of October too. It is also the stone given to celebrate the 14th year of marriage. The name Opal is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit upala, meaning “precious stone,” and later the Greek derivative “Opallios,” meaning “to see a change of colour.” How did the Opal stone form? Opal formed millions of years ago when heavy rains soaked the sun-baked ground in the arid desert, and rainwater carried a dissolved mineral called silica into cracks inside rocks. When the water dried, the silica deposits were left, and these layers formed Opal. Do Opals come in many colours? Yes, they do and each Opal reflects light differently therefore no two Opals are exactly the same colour. However, you get mainly 3 colour types.  White Opal is the most popular type in jewellery because it’s pearly white colour is easy to wear and combine with any outfit. It can be milky, translucent or opaque, and it shows a stunning, pastel-shaded play of colour when you move it in the light. Fire Opal on the other hand comes in translucent orange, yellow or red hues. It is sometimes called Mexican Opal. Black Opal is the rarest type of Opal. Its background is very dark and because of this its play of colour really stands out. However, its price can be prohibitive and its dark colour is hard to wear; that’s why it is usually reserved for big, expensive statement jewellery pieces. There are many more interesting facts about these 2 gemstones, which we will be sharing throughout the month on our social media platforms. Stay tuned for this month’s content and follow us on Instagram or Facebook.  We have both of these gorgeous birthstones available for you to view in our store. We would love for you to come visit and see our collections.  Stay Beautiful, Jackie Hahn & Penchant Design Team  

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October 14, 2021