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74Irish Silver Hallmarks
Hallmarks are authenticating marks struck on most silver items produced or offered for sale in Ireland. Since 1637 the Assay Office in Dublin Castle has been the only body with the authority to perform this...
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79Blue diamonds
Diamonds are found in almost every colour of the rainbow; most are slightly yellow or brown. However, a very small percentage are other colours, such as pink, intense yellow, green, red or blue. Blue is one...
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82The most perfect cushion cut diamond in the world
As mentioned in a previous hub, cushion cut diamonds are old cuts, generally pre-1920s. They are characterised by smaller top facets ("tables"), and slightly deeper proportions. This results in greater light...
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74The Orloff diamond
The Orloff Diamond in the Imperial Sceptre According to the legend, the Orloff Diamond, at one time the third largest cut diamond in the world, was set in the eye of the Hindu god Sri-Ranga in a temple in...
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67Antique Irish Silver
Silver has been used in Ireland since prehistoric times; magnificent pieces of silversmithing are currently in the National Museum in Dublin. Following the granting of a charter by King Charles I, an assay...
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67Antique Limerick Silver
Under the charter of Charles I that set up the assay office in Dublin in 1637, all silver produced in Ireland was to be sent to Dublin for testing and hallmarking. However, Ireland in the 17th and 18th...
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80Grading clarity in a diamond
Diamonds are commonly graded according to "The 4 C's"; these are Colour, Cut, Carat and Clarity. Clarity refers to the degree of purity if the diamond, specifically whether or not there are "flaws" in the...
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79Antique Diamond Jewellery
Antique cut diamonds are generally considered to be those cut before the 1920s, when the modern cut, based on the mathematical models of Tolkowsky began to be used. There are several main differences between...
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62Irish silver table centrepiece
The candleabra Main engraving In Georgian and Victorian times, gifts of large pieces of silverware were often made to noteworthy people. They typically have an engraving which details the donors, the...
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