Interior Decoration

BEDS & INTERIOR BY BJERREHUS Hovedgaden 53 DK-2970 Hørsholm Phone: +45 29 12 13 17 See map page 14,D4 www.bedsoginterior.dk Email: beds.interior@gmail.com See our advertisement under: Beds & Bedding

FRK PAPE Holmbladsgade 9 DK-2300 København S Phone: +45 21 20 91 80 See map page 13,G9 www.frkpape.dk Email: frkpape@gmail.com

GEISMARS VÆVERIER A/S Store Strandstræde 21 DK-1255 København K Phone: +45 33 33 08 30 See map page 13,C7 www.geismars.dk Email: info@geismars.dk See our advertisement page 7 ILLUM A/S Østergade 52 DK-1100 København K Phone: +45 33 14 40 02 See map page 13,D6 www.illum.dk Email: info@illum.dk See our advertisement on the inside of the cover page

INDRETNINGSHUSET REFURN Viborggade 14 DK-2100 København Ø Phone: +45 22 54 88 70 See map page 14,F5 www.re-furn.dk Email: kontakt@re-furn.dk See our advertisement under: Upholstery

MAISON COPENHAGEN Gl. Kongevej 95 DK-1850 København Phone: +45 26 78 31 02 See map page 12,E2 www.maisoncopenhagen.dk Email: info@maisoncopenhagen.dk See our advertisement under: Furnitures

SAMPLEWOOD INTERIOR DESIGN Fiskerbakken 8 DK-3250 Gilleleje Phone: +45 60 15 78 15 See map page 14, A3 www.samplewood.com Email: info@samplewood.com See our advertisement under: Tables

Photo: Andrea Sophie Uttenthal

A DIAMONDS ARE EVERLASTING

By Clara Alberte Uttenthal

With a sparkling brilliance and an instantaneous shine when light moves through the stone, diamonds have become one of the most extravagant and sought-after gemstones of all time.

Natural versus lab grown diamonds

Thousands of years ago when diamonds were first found in India, they were a rare commodity, and only the wealthy elite could afford them. Today, the gemstones are mined on a more industrial scale, but you must be on your marks when buying diamonds.

“One advice I want to give people, who are wanting to buy diamonds, is to buy them from a company that ONLY sells natural diamonds, and not lab grown diamonds”, says Anders Juel Andersen, jeweller and goldsmith to the Royal Danish Court and CEO of A. Dragsted in Copenhagen.

He further points out that it’s nearly impossible to tell the two apart and that only a certain machine can detect whether a diamond is natural or unnatural. Oftentimes, the lab grown diamond is a little “too perfect” and consists of no inclusions, also known as imperfections.

A common misbelief about lab grown diamonds, is that it’s the more sustainable choice since they are synthetically made in a lab. However, the process of lab-manufactured diamonds uses large amounts of energy often generated from fossil fuels, according to Andersen.

It takes many years, immense pressure and extreme heat for a diamond to naturally form inside the Earth. When this process is copied in the lab, the machines are actively working various hours a day, which contributes to carbon dioxide emissions, proving that lab grown diamonds do in fact leave a carbon footprint.

Choices to be made

Andersen emphasises that it can be a risky affair to shop for diamonds, so it’s important that you trust the person, you’re buying from and you shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions.

Pink, green, white, yellow, princess, emerald, cushions – diamonds come in a broad spectrum of colours and cuts, which needs to be taken into consideration before purchasing a gemstone for yourself or your loved one.

“If you have your heart set on a certain colour and shape, you should of course buy that one”, Andersen said.

However, if you are considering investing in a diamond, you should look to the light

Design by A. Dragsted

yellow gemstones. In recent years, pink, blue and violet diamonds have been very popular, which has caused the prices to increase significantly. As of now fancy and vivid yellow diamonds are gaining popularity, and Andersen predicts that when the prices of such become too competitive, people will turn to light yellow diamonds.

When you do invest in diamonds, you could be tempted to keep them in a safe, but Andersen encourages people to make a personalised jewellery. He said that it’s a shame not to make use of the diamonds, just be sure to insure the gemstones properly.

Cut, colour, clarity and carat

The four C’s refer to cut, colour, clarity and carat. How well a diamond is cut determines the sparkle of the gemstone and its ability to reflect light. According to Andersen, you should buy a diamond with the cut description “excellent” or “very good” for it to be of outstanding quality.

While diamonds come in almost every naturally occurring colour, the rarest diamond is colourless. Gemologist at Klarlund, Nathalie Gorder, explains that the Gemological Institute of America uses an alphabetical grading scale to determine a diamond’s colour. D is the highest grade of an absolutely colourless diamond.

“The reason the scale starts on D, and not A like the alphabet – it’s actually a bit funny – is in case we find a diamond whiter than the whitest we already have, so we keep the scale open for such”, Gorder, who sells and purchases diamonds for Klarlund, said.

When looking at a diamond’s clarity, you assess whether it has small imperfections. Blemishes refer to flaws in the surface of the diamond, whereas inclusions are internal. Andersen emphasises that it’s valuable that the diamond is clear and that you shouldn’t settle for anything less than SI1 or SI2, which refers to inclusions you can see with magnification.

The weight of the diamond is called the carat and determines the price. However, the bigger the diamond is not always better, because it might have small inclusions or be low on the colour scale.

“If you purchase a diamond over 0.5 carat, it simply has to come with an international certificate to be sure it’s a natural diamond and not a synthetic one”, Gorder said.

Happy shopping

Andersen echoes the importance of getting a certificate for your diamond. He adds that it shouldn’t be one the store you buy the diamond from makes, but instead a legitimate piece of paper that grades the four C’s of the diamond. It also doesn’t hurt to ask around at a couple of jewellery stores, as well as get the gemstone verified before you purchase the diamond of your dreams.

There are plenty of goldsmiths and jewellery stores in Copenhagen, especially in the city centre, now it is up to you to find one that caters to your personal taste.

Photo: Klarlund Jewellery