Affordable, lab-produced diamonds available in city<\/p>\n
Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A Singapore-based jeweler, Gordon Max, has opened a store in
\nSouth Jakarta that offers jewelry adorned with lab-grown diamonds
\nat much more affordable prices than hitherto.<\/p>\n
Besides a wide range of jewelry like rings, pendants and
\nearrings, the store also sells loose diamonds.<\/p>\n
\"We obtain them from a firm in Europe,\" store owner Lilian
\nKhaw said, declining to specify the location or name of the firm.<\/p>\n
Gordon Max sells a 0.05 carat loose white diamond (its color
\nknown as DE) that is almost flawless (with a very slight
\ninclusion, or VVS1), for Rp 395,000 (US$44).<\/p>\n
\"The most expensive loose diamond here is this five carat
\ndiamond -- DE color, VVS1 quality,\" she added, showing a cushion-
\ncut rock.<\/p>\n
The cushion-cut diamond costs Rp 8.9 million, partly because
\nof the sophisticated cut, which gives the gem 100 facets.<\/p>\n
Most common, cut diamonds have 57 or 58 facets, Lilian said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the price of a gold wedding ring adorned with a
\ndiamond starts at Rp 1.5 million.<\/p>\n
Lilian said that her customers at first did not believe that
\nGordon Max diamonds had the same character as natural diamonds.<\/p>\n
\"Not until they compared lab-grown with natural gems and saw
\nthem with their own eyes did they believe that lab-grown diamonds
\nwere as beautiful as natural ones,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Due to the controlled environment, lab-grown gems are often
\nmore beautiful.<\/p>\n
Some Gordon Max customers were wealthy individuals who could
\neasily afford to buy pricey natural diamonds, Lilian added.<\/p>\n
\"For safety reasons, though, they feel more comfortable
\nwearing lab-grown ones. On top of that, they usually keep their
\nreal diamonds in the bank, so it is a hassle to take them out and
\nreturn them to the bank every time they attend a reception,\" she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Lilian said that many customers preferred to be visited than
\ngo to the store themselves.<\/p>\n
\"They don't want people to know they have bought lab-grown
\ndiamonds. One customer didn't even want me to see her in person,
\nso she asked some of her relatives to meet me when I visited her
\nhome,\" she added.<\/p>\n
Lilian said that the same thing occurred with pearls.
\nInitially, the market belittled cultivated pearls until Princess
\nMikimoto wore a tiara adorned with them, she said.<\/p>\n
Obviously, it may take some time before the market accepts
\nlab-grown diamonds for their beauty and for the brilliance of
\nthe invention, instead of for their value alone.<\/p>\n
Gordon Max<\/p>\n
Dharmawangsa Square<\/p>\n
City Walk, Unit 48, 2nd floor<\/p>\n
Jl Dharamwangsa VI<\/p>\n
Kebayoran Baru<\/p>\n
Jakarta 12160<\/p>\n
tel. 7278 7380, fax. 7280 1382<\/p>\n
e-mail: gordonmax@cbn.net.id<\/p>\n
website: http:\/\/www.gordonmax.com<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/affordable-lab-produced-diamonds-available-in-city-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }