the diamond grading report

Diamond certificates, or certs, as they are known in the diamond industry, are often called the fifth C, in addition to the well-known 4Cs of diamond stones: carat weight, cut, color, and clarity. A diamond certificate is the evaluation by a third-party, not by either the diamond buyer or seller. Unfortunately, an 3rd party certification is necessary, as it would be easy for an unscrupulous jeweller to take advantage of an uninformed buyer and sell a stone, which might be sold with higher qualities and value than it really does. While many of the diamond grader's certifications might be different from the next, the following are a list of the most commonly used diamond graders in North America:

• Hoge Raad voor Diamant (HRD) - Commonly referred to as the "Diamond High Council" is one of the highest standards in diamond grading. HRD's diamond certificates are considered legal documents in the European Union.
• Gemological Institute of America (GIA) - Is a non-profit organization that created the "4 C's" methodology as well as the International Diamond Grading System. Reports from this institute omit certain aspects of diamond cuts that other reports cover (e.g. crown height percentage, pavilion depth percentage, crown angle, pavilion angle). Keep in mind that GIA issues reports - not certificates.
• American Gemological Society (AGS) - Certifies diamonds based on their cut grade on a rating scale from 0 (most desirable) - 4 (least desirable). AGS is now more widely used for gemstone grading rather then diamond grading. 
• European Gemological Laboratory (EGL) - Has the least amount of structure in comparison to the above graders. EGL is an independent network of diamond grading laboratories. Grading standards tent to vary from one labe to another, making EGL less desirable and trusted than HRD, GIA, and AGS grading reports. 




As there are relatively less restrictions in diamond grading than any other retail industry it really is a buyer-beware market. Select a jeweller that will educate you on your stone and allow you to view the diamond loose. By hand selecting your stone and viewing the stones flaws under a microscope you are ensuring yourself that you are making an educated decision. Diamond qualities can vary from grading, report, and certification and it's beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.

the ombré fade.

Ombré (from the French world "ombrer" meaning to shade) is a colouring technique when the shade fades from light to dark. The gradient colours are stunning when used in hair trends, nails and billowy silky fabrics. I've even used the ombré trend with lipstick with a dark purple/red fading into a natural pink in the inner lip. You can say I'm a little obsessed. I adapted the hair trend a number of years ago now because of it's easy up-keep and beach hair look but I'm in love with bright spring coloured ombré jewelry this spring. 

The idea is to have a gradual change between gems with a smooth transition without a distinguished line between shades. I love ombré faded jewelry on big bold gems for statement pieces and and small gradual fades on gems of the same size. We recently had a client who inherited a number of pearl pieces from her grandmother that did not suit her taste. We restrung the pearls of different colours to a subtle ombré fade that incorporated her grandmother's heirlooms with an unexpected twist of today's look. We loved how elegant and trendy the pearls looked! 

 

the mokada process

The perfect ring has many important steps before it finds the perfect person. Yes, there may be times when "the ring" captures your eye with the elation you were hoping for but what happens when you can't find a piece that evokes those emotions? More than half (59%) of proposals in 2011 had custom aspects in the engagement ring. There are many steps in the custom design process but mokada has conception  it to four steps.

The Concept Stage

We explore pictures, drawings, descriptions, likes/dislikes with you to narrow down to a general design concept. 

The Design Stage

Working with you, we come up with a design for what you have envisioned. With a 3D image of your jewelry, you'll be confident that you are getting exactly what you want. Once the final design has been approved we create a wax model of that is optional for viewing before the piece is sent to cast.

We Work For You

mokada believes that your jewelry should be a perfect fit; including the budget. Pricing for any piece has many different variables; choice of metal, size and quality of set stones, intricacy of design, and weight. mokada can cast your heirloom in 18k gold, 14k gold, 10k gold, platinum, and sterling silver. Quality of stones, especially diamonds, play a large part of preference and budget. Once the Design Stage is complete mokada works for you in determining which variables are the perfect fit.





Today's Heirloom

It feels different when you wear a piece of custom-designed jewelry. Many thoughts and emotions come to play when going through the design process of creating tomorrow's family heirloom. It will fill you with pride to know that you had a hand in creating a beautiful family heirloom. Nothing brings us more excitement when seeing your concept come to realization.

To start your custom design process today contacts us at www.mokada.ca 

Will you be my Valentine?

When did it all start?

There are a few theories on the origin of Valentine's Day, but the most popular dates back to the time of the Roman Empire during the reign of Claudius II, 270 A.D. Claudius didn't want men to marry during wartime because he believed single men made better soldiers. Bishop Valentine went against his wishes and performed secret wedding ceremonies. For this, Valentine was jailed and then executed by order of the Emperor on Feb. 14. While in jail, he wrote a love note to the jailor's daughter, signing it, "From your Valentine." 

History & Fun Facts

• The ancient Romans celebrated the Feast of Lupercalia on Feb. 14 in honor of Juno, the queen of the Roman gods and goddesses. Juno was also the goddess of women and marriage.
• Many believe the X symbol became synonymous with the kiss in medieval times. People who couldn't write their names signed in front of a witness with an X. The X was then kissed to show their sincerity.
• Girls of medieval times ate bizarre foods on St. Valentine's Day to make them dream of their future spouse.
• In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who would be their Valentine. They would wear this name pinned onto their sleeves for one week for everyone to see. This was the origin of the expression "to wear your heart on your sleeve."
• In 1537, England's King Henry VII officially declared Feb. 14 the holiday of St. Valentine's Day.
• Alexander Graham Bell applied for his patent on the telephone, an "Improvement in Telegraphy", on Valentine's Day, 1876.
• Richard Cadbury produced the first box of chocolates for Valentine's Day in the late 1800s.
• More than 35 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate will be sold for Valentine's Day.
• Over $1 billion worth of chocolate is purchased for Valentine's Day in the U.S.
• 73 percent of people who buy flowers for Valentine's Day are men, while only 27 percent are women.
• 15 percent of U.S. women send themselves flowers on Valentine's Day.
• On average, men shell out $130 each on candy, cards, jewelry, flowers and dates. That’s more than double what women commit to spending.
• The most fantastic gift of love is the Taj Mahal in India. It was built by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan as a memorial to his wife.
• In the 1800s doctors commonly advised their heartbroken patients to eat chocolate, claiming it would sooth their pain. To this day, many women find comfort in a box of chocolates when dealing with heartbreak.
•  220,000 is the average number of wedding proposals on Valentine's Day each year.
• More at-home pregnancy tests are taken in the month of March then any other month of the year.

History of a Diamond

Diamonds are a girl's best friend, so how well do you know your bestie? Here's a quick cheat sheet on our most adorned jewel.

Opal - October's Birthstone

"October's child is born for woe, 

And life's vicissitudes must know,

But lay on opal on her breast, 

And hope will lull those woes to rest."

The word opal is derived from the latin word "opalus" which means "a stone". The gemstone presents a unique play of colours and delicate tints. Opal also means "to see an change in colour". The opal occurs in several types of colours. The white opal is often associated with the pastel glints of the colours in a rainbow. The black opal has a blue, tray or black attributes. Fire and the crystal (also known as water) opal is colourless and almost transparent with sudden bright flashes of colour.

The October's birthstones traditional traits are said to be associated with hope, innocence, happiness, faithfulness, loyalty and confidence. The opal is reputed to have benefits related to health problems relating to the eye's vision and eye infections. Opals were used to enhance visualization, imagination, dreams as well as healing. 

A Cut Above The Rest.

The shape of a diamond is something that should reflect your individual style. It should be something you fall in love with every time you look down at your hand.

Here is a chart of the variety of different diamond-cuts! We've picked three great cuts to talk about today! Enjoy!

Emerald-Cut

Emerald-cut diamonds are unique in their long and slender shape. For a classic, elegant look this cut, which has a large surface face  and fewer detailed but deeper, more dramatic cuts that therefore highlight it's clarity. 

Oval-Cut

One of the rarest cut diamonds is the Oval! Round cut diamond will always remain classic but the oval is something exciting and unique in the ring world. It's gives a modern and funky twist to your typical ring. 

Princess-Cut

The Princess-cut style diamond ring is one of the most common diamond cuts. If you’re looking for something contemporary and timeless, consider the Princess-cut. It has qualities from both the square and round cut diamonds, but combined with a subtle shape from the emerald with pointed edges and a range of detailed dimensions that give the diamond that extra sparkle.

Come see us at Mokada and let's talk more about what cut would best suit you!

Join The Mokada Trend - Think Custom

Why wear something someone else has when our custom designed jewelry is tailored to your individual style, tastes and emotion? Symbolize who you are and what you love in one perfectly handcrafted peiece. We at Mokada take pride in the high-grade quality materials we use to make your dream peiece a reality.

Watch this video and see a little more about what we do! 

Unwavering professional integrity and unrivaled education is the backbone of our organization and the core of an extraordinary customer experience. 

Our creations are nurtured in an environment where customer satisfaction is paramount. Our suppliers and design team share the same values and integrity. Placing your business with us demonstrates that you believe it is important...and for that, Mokadä is extremely grateful.

Come in for a visit, sit down with us and lets talk jewelry!

We at Mokadä are happy to be apart of your milestone occasions.

Guys and Jewelry

It's 2012, but let's face it: if you come across a guy who's shopping for jewelry, he's likely shopping for a woman. At Mokada, we understand that whether you're male or female, most people aren't experts when it comes to jewelry. That's why we're here for you!

Here's a few thoughts based on our experiences with men looking for jewelry.

A Knight in Black Onyx

Guys shopping for themselves.

As we continue to grow our business, we meet more and more men coming into the shop looking for jewelry for themselves. Some know exactly what they want, but for many, the concept of wearing jewelry is brand new. We recommend starting with something not too flashy. We've done a fair amount of leather pieces for men recently. The most popular choices have been leather-strapped pendants as well as masculine bracelets. Bracelets aren't just for guitar-rocking twenty-somethings anymore; they're trendy!

The most popular gem for men is certainly the black onyx. The stone is said to promote a healthy egotism and its dark colour conveys a sense of strength. Rings featuring a black onyx create a muscular, elegant statement for the modern day man. Mokada also does team rings for hockey and other sports team to celebrate championship or team anniversaries.

G308 Stainless Steel Bracelet

Guys shopping for someone special.

Not to offend the seasoned purchaser, but most men don't know where to start when it comes to jewelry. In fact, the even the word 'jewelry' can make them shudder in fear of the unknown. We're here to say, welcome.

Whether you seek direction and information about specific products or would like lots of guidance in choosing a lovely piece for someone close, we can help to become your personal shopper. Share some insight about your special someone with Katelyn or Mona and they will be happy to provide intelligent recommendations based on who you're buying for.

What's more is that we keep your purchase on file, so that the next time you're looking for jewelry, we can remind you exactly what you purchased last time, and perhaps suggest a matching piece!