The Art of
Wearing
Something Rare

Natural diamonds are formed over billions of years beneath the earth's surface under extreme heat and pressure — typically 100 miles below ground. They are extracted through mining operations across Africa, Russia, Canada, and Australia. Their rarity, geological age, and the conditions required to form them are what give natural diamonds their enduring value. No two natural diamonds are identical.

Lab-grown diamonds are produced in controlled laboratory environments using one of two processes — High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) or Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). They share the same chemical composition and optical properties as natural diamonds. However, they are produced in weeks rather than billions of years, which makes them significantly less scarce — and therefore less valuable as a long-term investment. They are graded by the same institutions using the same 4C criteria.

Natural diamonds hold and appreciate in value over time — they are assets. Lab-grown diamonds depreciate significantly and have limited resale value. If you are purchasing jewelry as a long-term investment, a heritage piece, or something you intend to pass down, natural is the only choice. If budget is a primary consideration and you want the visual of a larger stone, lab-grown can be a practical option — and at Jazxhi, we offer them by request with full transparency.

Cut — Determines how light moves through the stone. A well-cut diamond reflects light brilliantly from every angle. Cut is arguably the most important of the four.

Color — Graded D (colorless) through Z (light yellow). D–F is considered colorless and commands a premium. G–J is near-colorless and faces well in most settings.

Clarity — Measures the presence of internal inclusions and surface blemishes. FL (Flawless) is the rarest. VS1–VS2 (Very Slightly Included) offer excellent value with inclusions invisible to the naked eye.

Carat — Refers to the weight of the stone, not its size. One carat equals 0.2 grams. Two diamonds of equal carat can appear very different in size depending on cut and shape.

Karat (K) measures the purity of gold — how much of the metal is pure gold versus the alloy metals mixed in for strength and durability. Pure gold is 24 karat, meaning 24 out of 24 parts are gold. Because pure gold is too soft for practical jewelry, it is alloyed with metals such as silver, copper, zinc, or palladium to increase hardness.

10 karat gold contains 41.7% pure gold and 58.3% alloy. It is the most durable gold alloy, highly resistant to scratching, and the most affordable. The lower gold content gives it a slightly paler color. It is common in fashion and commercial jewelry but less prevalent in the fine jewelry market. Jazxhi does not typically work in 10k, as our standard begins at 14k.

14 karat gold is 58.3% pure gold. It is the most widely used alloy in American fine jewelry — offering an ideal balance of durability, rich color, and value. It resists scratching, holds stone settings securely over time, and maintains its warmth through daily wear. Most of our commissions are offered in 14k as the foundational option.

18 karat gold is 75% pure gold — the preferred standard of European and high jewelry houses. Its richer, deeper color is immediately distinguishable from 14k, and its higher gold content makes it more prestigious as a material. It is slightly softer than 14k, which means it can develop a natural patina over time — something many collectors consider part of its character. Most luxury maisons work exclusively in 18k.

22k Gold (91.7% pure) — Used in select high jewelry and cultural pieces. Very rich color but quite soft for everyday wear.

24k Gold (99.9% pure) — The purest form of gold. Rarely used in wearable jewelry due to its softness. More commonly seen in bullion and investment pieces.

Platinum (95% pure) — The most prestigious metal in fine jewelry. Naturally white, extraordinarily dense, and hypoallergenic. It does not require rhodium plating like white gold, and its patina deepens beautifully over time. Available for select Jazxhi commissions.

Every fine jewelry piece begins as a concept — a sketch or digital rendering developed in CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software. CAD allows the jeweler to engineer the piece with precise measurements: the exact dimensions of the setting, the placement of each stone, the weight of the metal, and the geometry of the form. This stage ensures the piece is structurally sound before a single gram of gold is committed.

Once the CAD model is approved, a wax or resin prototype is printed and used to create a mold through the lost-wax casting process — one of the oldest metalworking techniques in human history. Molten gold is poured into the mold under pressure, cooled, and broken free. The raw casting is then cleaned, filed, and prepared for the bench work that follows.

Stone setting is one of the most demanding skills in jewelry making. Common setting styles include prong (the stone is held by small metal claws), bezel (a continuous metal rim surrounds the stone), pavé (small stones set closely together across a surface), and channel (stones sit within a track). Each method requires a different tool set and level of precision. A single misaligned stone can compromise the structural integrity of an entire setting.

The final stage of fabrication is finishing — where the piece is refined to its intended surface quality. High-polish finishing produces a mirror-like reflective surface. Satin or matte finishes are achieved through brushing or sandblasting. Rhodium plating is sometimes applied to white gold to enhance its brightness and protect against scratching. Final inspection checks every prong, seam, and setting before the piece leaves the bench.

The world's diamond supply is concentrated in a handful of nations. Botswana is the largest producer by value, home to the Jwaneng mine — one of the richest diamond mines on earth. Russia's ALROSA group is the largest producer by volume. Canada produces some of the most ethically traceable diamonds in the world from its northern mines. The Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola are also significant producers, though ethical sourcing from these regions requires careful certification.

Sapphires are found across the world but the most coveted specimens originate from three historic sources. Kashmir sapphires — mined in the Himalayas in the late 19th century — are considered the finest ever found, prized for their velvety cornflower blue. Burmese (Myanmar) sapphires display a rich, vivid blue with exceptional clarity. Ceylon (Sri Lanka) sapphires offer a lighter, brilliant blue and remain the world's most consistent source. Sapphires also occur in Australia, Madagascar, and Montana.

The ruby is among the rarest and most valuable gemstones on earth. The Mogok Valley of Burma (Myanmar) produces the legendary "pigeon blood" ruby — the deepest, most saturated red in the gemstone world. Fine Burmese rubies regularly command higher per-carat prices than diamonds of comparable size. Mozambique has emerged as a significant source of high-quality rubies over the past two decades. Thailand and Madagascar also produce commercially important quantities.

Colombia produces the world's most prized emeralds — the Muzo and Chivor mines yield stones of unmatched depth and saturation, often described as the "true green" against which all others are measured. Colombian emeralds are graded to a different standard; their characteristic inclusions — known as "jardin" — are considered part of their identity rather than a flaw. Zambia produces darker, more saturated stones with fewer inclusions. Brazil yields a wide range of quality at more accessible price points.

Alexandrite — One of the rarest stones in existence. Changes color from green in daylight to red under incandescent light. Finest specimens from the Ural Mountains of Russia.

Paraíba Tourmaline — Electric neon blue-green, colored by copper. Originally discovered in Brazil; now also found in Nigeria and Mozambique. Among the most valuable tourmalines per carat.

Tanzanite — Found exclusively near Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. A deep violet-blue stone discovered in 1967 and considered a thousand times rarer than diamond.

Amethyst — A variety of quartz ranging from pale lilac to deep purple. Major sources include Brazil, Uruguay, and Zambia. The signature stone of the Jazxhi palette.

Spinel — Long mistaken for ruby, spinel is a distinct and increasingly sought-after stone. The Black Prince's Ruby in the British Crown Jewels is, in fact, a red spinel.