Karats, or carats, refer to the pure gold content in gold alloys, and is a measurement of the ratio of gold to other metals in the alloy. Other metals in alloys can include copper, silver and palladium, with small amounts of zinc and iridium.
Karats, or carats, refer to the pure gold content in gold alloys, and is a measurement of the ratio of gold to other metals in the alloy. Other metals in alloys can include copper, silver and palladium, with small amounts of zinc and iridium.
Precious emeralds have been used in bespoke jewellery for centuries. Emerald is part of “top 3” coloured gemstone suite, along with ruby and sapphire. These highly coveted gems are prized for their beauty, exceptional colour and fascinating historical provenance. These highly coveted gems are prized for their beauty, exceptional colour and fascinating historical provenance. Emerald is the most precious green coloured gemstone and a member of the beryl gem family, whose members also include aquamarine, morganite, heliodor and goshenite.
Sapphire is the most precious blue gemstone, and blue is sapphire's most well known colour. But sapphires naturally occur in a rainbow of colours beside various shades of blue: teal, black, white, grey, orange, pink, green, purple, yellow and the rare and extremely valuable Padparadscha (pinkish orange). Bi-colour or parti sapphires (stones with two colours in the same crystal, eg yellow and blue) occur in Australia as well as Africa (Madagascar, Tanzania and Nigeria). Due to its durability, varied colour and value, sapphire is a great alternative to diamond for contemporary engagement rings.
Salt and pepper diamonds are a great alternative to the traditional white diamond as engagement ring centre stone. They have become a popular choice in contemporary engagement rings due to their uniqueness. Salt and pepper diamonds are natural diamonds that are heavily included. Each one has distinctive markings, some resembling a pattern of stars in the night sky – these are called galaxy diamonds. These black markings are carbon spots, pieces of the diamond that never crystallised properly. Salt and pepper diamond engagement rings vary greatly in design as well as the shape of the centre stone, and can be anything from classic to asymmetric and non-traditional.
Lab grown diamonds are sustainable, totally conflict free and look identical to natural diamonds. Lab grown diamonds are not imitation diamonds, which are made of non-diamond material. The only chemical difference between lab diamonds and natural diamonds is that most natural diamonds contain tiny amounts of nitrogen, and lab diamonds do not, making them sparkle more and shine brighter. Lab grown diamonds cost on average 30-40% less than natural diamonds, allowing couples to choose a bigger diamond for their engagement ring if they wish.
Diamonds are made of carbon – but there’s something almost supernatural about them. Just the word ‘diamond’ invokes luxury, desirability and toughness. Diamond has been the gemstone of choice for contemporary engagement rings, but did you know, that it is not just a sparkly rock? Diamond is the hardest known substance, the greatest conductor of heat, has the highest melting point of any substance (4090°C or 7362°F), and the highest refractive index of any natural mineral, which gives the diamond its 'fire'. Learn more about diamonds from their origins and formation to the 4Cs - carat, colour, clarity and cut, that determine their value.
There are two main types of opal – precious and common. Precious opal displays iridescence, or play of colour, due to the diffraction of light off the tiny, closely packed silica spheres in the atomic lattice of the gem. Common opal does not possess iridescence due to its silica spheres being random in shape, size and arrangement.
Parti sapphire is part of the most important gem family, corundum, which also includes ruby. Sapphires have consistently risen in value and popularity, due to their beauty, durability and versatility. The rarity of parti sapphires makes them valuable, especially bigger stones, and stones with brighter colours. Compared to blue sapphire though, parti sapphire is exceptionally good value. Parti sapphire engagement rings have been rising in popularity due to the gem's exceptional beauty and individuality.
In Sydney, where Lizunova Fine Jewels is located, there are many engagement ring jewellers to choose from. Buying or commissioning a bespoke engagement ring that symbolises your love and commitment is a big decision. For many people, it’s the biggest sum they will spend on a single piece of jewellery in their lifetime and the decision which jeweller to select to make their future heirloom can be daunting. Here's what to look for.
Natural blue topaz can vary in colour from very pale to inky blue, called London Blue, the most valuable of this spectrum. Topaz also naturally occurs in white and amber colours, the latter, Imperial topaz, is highly prized. Blue topaz never crosses into the green spectrum & this teal-coloured wonder is a true gift of nature.
Each sapphire is carefully hand-picked for its quality, beauty and rarity. We use only high-grade, conflict-free diamonds.
Exquisitely designed and expertly handcrafted rings and jewellery, to be cherished forever.
Ethically handcrafted in Sydney by our team of master craftspeople.
We ship worldwide and your parcel is insured in transit.
By appointment only.
Our appointment hours are
Tuesday to Friday 10.30am - 5.30pm Saturday By appointment Sunday & Monday closed
Level 5, Suite 6/74 Castlereagh St,
Sydney NSW 2000 Australia.
By appointment only.
We use Australian ring size measurements, which are in an alphabetical range from A-Z.
As your fingers contract and expand due to the temperature, humidity, exercise, etc, your ring will fit on your finger tighter or looser. Your ring should fit comfortably and you need to find a balance between too big and too small. It is recommended that you should have to push your ring on tightly over your knuckle and it should spin slightly around the base of your finger. There should be some resistance when the ring is taken off – this will help to keep the ring on when your fingers are cold or wet. The correct size is the one that you feel the most confident and comfortable with.
We suggest that you size the finger you intend to wear your ring on at room temperature – this should provide you with a size that should be close to perfect most of the time.
Top-heavy rings can tend to spin on your finger, as the base of your finger is usually thinner than your knuckle. We suggest when sizing your finger for a top-heavy ring, that you err on the tighter side, rather than a loose fit. This will mean that the ring will stay on the top of your finger and it will ultimately be more comfortable to wear.
If you’re choosing a wide ring, you will tend to go up a size. There is more surface area on a wider ring and therefore more metal to grip to your finger.
If you are interested in a ring that is 5mm or wider, we suggest going up a size (one size larger than the sizing gauge). We suggest going up another size if the ring you are interested in is 9mm or larger (two sizes larger than the sizing gauge).
If you are buying a ring as a gift for someone, we recommend that you measure the inside diameter of a ring the person you’re buying the gift for, regularly wears on the finger your gift will be worn on.
If you do not know your ring size you can use this guide to obtain an approximate measurement.
Before measuring the finger on which the ring you’re purchasing will be worn, please ensure the following:
The number that lines up with edges of the opening is the ‘interior circumference’. Please note this number and then refer to our Ring Size Chart to choose the correct ring size.
If you do not know your ring size you can use this guide to obtain an approximate measurement.
If you have a ring that is worn on the finger you need sizing, print out the ring size guide (take care to print it at 100%), and place the existing ring over the circles. Measure the inside of the ring against the outside of the circle. If you can hardly see the black line which goes around each circle, you have chosen the right size. Compare the ring to the adjacent circles to check that you definitely have the right size.
You can then double check this measurement by measuring the inside diameter of the ring, and matching that against the ring diameter measurements shown.
Alternatively, if you don’t have a ring available, you can measure the finger itself to obtain an approximate ring size. You can do so by wrapping a piece of string or thin strip of paper around the finger on which you wish to wear the ring, marking it with a pen where it overlaps. Measure the piece of string with a ruler to obtain the circumference of the finger, and compare that to the European Size measurement shown on the chart. We would recommend that in order to obtain the most accurate measurement when taking your ring size in this way, you do so at the end of the day when the finger is at its largest, and not when your hands are unusually cold as this would lead to a smaller ring size.
If you require any further assistance in obtaining your ring size, please contact us and we will be happy to help.