Tag Archives: Precious Gemstones

Men’s Fashion, in Gold and Silver

Be it wedding rings, or ‘just’ for fashion, men are becoming more creative with their jewellery. Gone are the days when men will get the thinnest or the most basic wedding ring, just because they have to. A ring can also be a statement, as you can see in these designs, custom made in the last few months.

Chunky Men’s Ring with Round Diamond. Unpolished White Gold leaves the yellow tone of the original colour and makes this design that extra bit special. What is even more amazing, is that the tiny gap on the side of the ring, is positioned to reveal the entire laser inscription on the diamond girdle. Now, that will give you an idea of how small those numbers really are. Another chunky design with a square Diamond to match the shape. Matte Finish for that rough, manly look.

Same shape in a much smaller version – for the pinky. Can be set with a gemstone of choice, and if you have a family crest or want to engrave your initials, that will sit just fine, too.

More about Men’s Jewellery: Signet Rings – Make your Mark

The Power of Gemstones

Whether you are a believer of Feng Shui, the power of crystals, colour therapy or just happen to be a lover of pretty things, precious gemstones can be of great meaning and relevance to you. Apart from everyone having their special stone — the birthstone — each gemstone is also believed to have different characteristics and healing properties.

We recently found out that a dear friend was ill, and since we work with gemstones, we designed a pendant with healing powers.

Now, we cannot guarantee that the Pink Tourmaline that we made for her has stronger powers than other gemstones, but we are firm believers of sending love and happy vibes – and happiness is known to have amazing healing power.

Beautiful Birthstones

As a child, I used to love my birthstone. It was such a pretty purple colour. Most of all, I knew it was special because it was just for me. I might have grown out of the magical beauty of it, but the Amethyst is still my favourite stone. And for those who think that only Diamonds make nice jewellery, have a look at this…

A custom set Blue Sapphire Birthstone added to a Goldilocks™ Necklace.

An Amethyst Birthstone hidden on the inside of the engagement ring – what a beautiful surprise!

This couple happen to share a birthstone – so what better choice than Ruby Wedding Bands.

A 60th Birthday present for mum – using the Birthstones of mother and son.

So many nice ways of incorporating birthstones into jewellery. And for you lucky girls of April, the Diamond is still your best friend!

x Sara

Jewellery Clearance Sale – Liquidation Prices

Are you looking for Christmas presents? Or maybe you just need to reward yourself after a year of hard work? The Gold & Silver Clearance Sale might just be able to act as your little Christmas helper this year.

Regardless of budget, there is something for everybody at the sale. Starting at $90 for a pair of pearl earrings or gift pendants, you are sure to find something to brighten up your Christmas.

Chris is getting into the spirit by decorating the Showroom Christmas Tree…

Diamond rings starting from $260

Which is your favourite gemstone? Rings and Pendants in various sizes

Chandeliers for those Special Occasions

See what Gold and Silver’s Creative Director has to say about her jewellery in our previous post.

The Gold & Silver Clearance Sale is on while stocks last at

302 Orchard Road
#06-04A Tong Building
Singapore 238862
Tel: +65 67330263

Opening Hours are: Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm , Saturdays 11am-5pm, Sundays, Mondays & Public Holidays Closed.

Goldilocks™ Doodles – It’s Happy Hour!

We are welcoming a new member to our Goldilocks™ Doodles family. Young (at heart), sophisticated and definitely fun-loving, she is serious about her work and even more committed to a good laugh. Catching up on the gossip with her girlfriends after work, is what gets her up in the mornings. Never one to say no to a party, this girl has her dancing shoes on at all times.

Enter Goldilocks ‘Martini’, on Chain, a twist of White Gold and Peridot, with a dash of fun. We used a Peridot for the Olive, but it can also be changed  into a Diamond Lychee… ;)

Celebrity Engagements: The return of ‘Diana’

The British love their royal gossip, so when Prince William, oldest son of Prince Charles and the late Lady Diana, recently proposed to his longtime girlfriend Kate Middleton, we can only imagine the excitement that the British magazines were experiencing.

William proposed to his Kate – not with a huge Diamond from a private jeweller – but with the same ring that his father used to seal the engagement to his mother, Diana, in 1981.  Since that famous proposal, the setting has become a modern classic and is commonly known as a ‘Diana’ design. Part of royal jeweller Garrard’s collection, Diana picked the ring out herself, thus making the design wildly popular for years to come.

It appears as William and Kate’s engagement has made this design Oh-so-right once again. Sapphire jewellers in the UK and America are reporting a huge surge in enquiries, even in this short time since the engagement was announced.

The classic Sapphire setting with an oval centrepiece surrounded with Diamonds can also be made with Rubies or Emeralds, and are often used in matching earring and pendant designs.

Gold and Silver have collected various pieces inspired by Diana. They will be available at the Gold & Silver Clearance Sale mentioned in previous post.

Creative Director Liza Lim on Jewellery Trends

Those of you who have followed us over the years, will know of our mother-company Gold & Silver (started by Chris’ grandfather back in 1946, and run by his parents, Lawrence and Liza Lim for the last 30 years). Times have changed, our company is evolving. To make room for the new More than Diamonds, we will be clearing all jewellery items from Gold & Silver during our Christmas Sale.

Gold & Silver 20th Anniversary in Paragon

In this process, we wanted to find out more about the jewellery trends throughout the years and what to look out for in future. The clear choice was to go straight to the source, Liza Lim, Creative Director of Gold and Silver, chief designer and purchaser for the last 30 years.

What kind of jewellery has been the most popular throughout the years? Diamonds have definitely been the most popular throughout the years, but a large number of expats and tourists like precious stones like Sapphire and Ruby. They are especially popular to commemorate a special occasion, like child birth or an anniversary.

Liza's jewellery designs grace fashion magazines regularly

What is your personal favourite? I have always liked Jade, because of the beautiful green colour. And as a Chinese, Jade is always close to the heart.

From sketch to ready piece - multi-coloured Jade Earrings with South Sea Pearls

Any recommendations for this sale? Jewellery is very personal and each person has their own taste and preference. When I design jewellery, I make sure that each piece is the best it can be. I select quality gemstones and control the craftsmanship myself. After that, it’s just about finding the person who falls in love with that particular piece.

Have the customers changed since the move from Paragon to Tong Building? Our customers have accumulated since we opened shop in Paragon 25 years ago. Apart from the tourists and passers-by we had in Paragon, we have many loyal customers who have followed us to this new location. Now in Tong Building, the customers generally know better what they are looking for before they even come in.

Liza demonstrating the versatility of her jewellery

What is your speciality? I have designed most of my Earrings and Pendants detachable with versatile wearing in mind. It can be a Diamond stud that you wear on its own for work, and add a South Sea Pearl for a function. There are several pieces that you can mix and match, so that you can wear the colours you need as well as the right level of dressiness to suit the occasion.

Detachable Earrings to suit all occasions

What do people usually buy as their first piece of jewellery? And what comes after? Singaporeans like pampering themselves, so when they come up to a certain age, they like investing in a piece of genuine jewellery. Pendants are often the first choice, although many like rings because they are more visible and easy to wear everyday. Most Europeans will buy a simple pair of earrings as their first piece and wait to buy a ring until they receive an engagement ring.

The Gold & Silver Clearance Sale is on 11 – 30 November at

302 Orchard Road
#06-04A Tong Building
Singapore 238862
Tel: +65 67330263

Opening Hours are: Monday-Friday 11am-6pm , Saturdays 11am-5pm, Sundays & Public Holidays Closed.

Just a Minute: Lily Beckett

Nicholas Petrucci is based in London, but knew about More than Diamonds through a friend. When starting his search for an engagement ring, Nick already knew that he would not be looking for a Diamond. Finally he found an Opal Ring he liked and was certain that his fiancée would too. We had an email chat with his fiancée, Lily Beckett, about his choice.

Hi Lily, please tell us a bit about yourself

I’m 28 years old, I work as a freelance make up artist. I’m never in one place long, travel about a lot and am constantly on the move. I’m expecting my first child in one month and excited about the change it will bring to my life.

We all know the famous phrase “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend”, but it does not seem to apply to you. Please explain.

I chose an Opal rather than a traditional Diamond because they are far superior in my opinion, because they have so many different colours to them, like a rainbow, and are slightly more magical looking. I like white gold because it is a precious metal but not as traditional as yellow gold. The classic ring design just makes the most of the Opal and shows it off nicely.

Nicholas told us that he had proposed without a ring at one point, and then made an ‘official’ proposal when he found the ring a few months later. Please share with us your proposal story.

I met Nick in New York, we knew each other about 5 years previously but the romance happened in New York. When we both returned to our homes – me to London and Nick to Atlanta – we were constantly in touch. I had a break between jobs so I decided to go out to meet Nick in San Francisco, where we spent 2 weeks together traveling California and stayed in the Redwoods forest for sometime. I then returned to London and Nick went to work in northern California. One month later Nick came to live with me in London. He proposed to me a month later at my mums house, nervously. He had no ring at this point but I accepted his offer. I had no doubt in my mind that this was the man I would marry. One month later I fell pregnant, a happy surprise.

It wasn’t until 6 months later in Paris when he gave me my beautiful 18K White Gold and Opal ring. We were in a hotel room, it was the night before he was due to go to Sweden to work for 2 months, and we would be apart for all this time as I didn’t want to fly because of the pregnancy. I was sad, and then the next minute he put this beautiful ring on my finger.

Do you have any tips for boyfriends who are looking for an engagement ring?

I feel that an engagement ring should be well thought about and suited to the personality of the wearer. There are so many beautiful stones out there – why go for a Diamond? I wouldn’t change mine for anything. I’m constantly getting compliments on what a beautiful fiery Opal it is.

Just a Minute: Kevin & Cheryl

Kevin Seah is a fashion designer who has made a name for himself creating couture and bridal gowns. Last year he extended his services to a men’s readymade and bespoke line. Recently he also landed regional distributorship for Alfred Sargent shoes and a wide range of fantastic quality European fabrics.

Cheryl Ow Hui is a make up artist for bridal, film, commercials and special effects, in addition to training professional classes and workshops at Make Up Forever.

Kevin custom made both of their outfits and Cheryl was in charge of her own makeup and hair. This DIY couple is arguably Singapore’s most stylish duo! And it comes as no surprise that their engagement and wedding rings are something out of the ordinary. We wanted to know more.

MTD: Congratulations on tying the knot! You recently had a small intimate wedding affair and we will have to wait until next year for the big party! A few questions for the happy couple…

Diamond solitaires are the most popular rings for engagements. What made you choose a Blue Sapphire for yours?

Cheryl: The Blue Sapphire has an air of mystery to it and I have always been fascinated with it.  My first pair of earrings were given to me by my mother. It was a flower design with a tiny little sapphire in it and it was the prettiest thing in the whole world to me at that point.  I suppose that’s another reason why I love the Blue Sapphire, it brings back lovely memories for me.

Your wedding outfits follow a vintage theme and so did your engagement ring. Please share your thoughts.

CheryI: I find vintage objects have more character, and soul. Even women back then had so much more style and they took great pride in doing their hair and make up.  Nowadays it’s a wet mop of hair running into the MRT. I wanted my engagement ring to represent me and the things I like.  When people look at my ring I want them to say ‘Wow Cheryl, its  so you” and not ‘wah so big hor how much did he pay for it?’  It’s your engagement ring for crying out loud!!

Kevin, having many years experience of designing wedding gowns, you must have seen quite a few options for rings as well. What were you looking for in your own wedding rings?

Kevin: I wanted something simple, timeless and unique, hence the brushed finish.

Want to look as good as Kevin & Cheryl? Make a visit to

Kevin Seah
28 Maxwell Road
#04 – 08 Red Dot Traffic Building
Singapore 069120
Office Telephone: 63345128

Are Diamonds a Girl’s Best Friend?

Diamonds are without a doubt the most popular precious stone used for engagement rings and wedding bands, but an increasing number of people are seeing the benefits of also letting other gemstones symbolize their love and commitment.

Cheques

Throughout history, European royalty have used Sapphires, Emeralds and Rubies as symbols of their wealth and power, but they also indulge in these precious stones for their engagement and wedding rings. Precious stones allow for more variety and shape, which will give you options to create designs that you might not have considered for plain Diamonds. Instead, let the Diamonds play the supporting role.

Apart from some untreated stones with amazing colour, Sapphires, Rubies and Emeralds are often more affordable than Diamonds, so you might even get bigger stones compared to a single Diamond.

Sapphire Rings

One of the highest-ranking alternatives to Diamond is The Sapphire. Sapphires are known to symbolize loyalty and faithfulness, which has lead it to become a popular stone for engagement and wedding rings. In combination with Diamonds, the colour of Sapphires stand out and make for very impressive conversation pieces. And if you want something unique to symbolize your engagement or marriage, what better way than with a Royal Sapphire.

Trilogy

Diamond Engagement Rings Flanked with gorgeous Blue Sapphires!