Louis Vaugoin - Großhandel mit Juwelen, Gold- und Silberwaren

Frequently asked questions

How to store jewellery, pearls and cultured pearls professionally?

To avoid that pieces of jewellery scratch eachother they should be stored in a jewellery case and when travelling always individually wrapped.
Pearls, cultured pearls and stonechains have to be knotted and cleaned regularly as well as all settings and clasps should be checked by an expert.
Most jewellery cann be cleaned with a toothbrush, warm water and fine washingpowder. Especially diamondjewellery should appear almost as new afterwards.
Silverjewellery is best stored dry and dustfree in transparent bags.
Should, in any case, the silver still oxidise it can be cleaned with a special silverpolish.

The following gemstones and organic materials must be cleaned neither with an ultrasonic cleaning system nor chemicals:

Lapis Lazuli
Malachite
Turquoise
Emerald
Pearls, cultured pearls, Mabe cultured pearls etc.
Amber
Coral etc.

How to protect silver from oxidising?

Silver polishing cloths and silver clean leave a longer lasting protective film after cleaning.

To preserve the warm tone of the silver, i.g. hollow-ware, it should be first polished and then treated with zapon. i.e. a thin layer of zapon lacquer is applied.

A light rhodium coating increases abrasiveness with the disadvantage of the silver loosing its soft shimmer and gains a sheen almost like steel.

Silver is best stored in closed transparent bags, respectively dry, dustfree and not exposed to sunlight

Scrapgold and scrapsilver

These are terms for all pieces which are worn and partially not usable and repairable or out of fashion which are bought in at scrapgold- / scrapsilver price.

This price is always lower than the price for new noble metal!

The scrapmaterial is collected by the jeweller and if necessary traded in for newly supplied items at a factory or swapped at a refining establishment into pure metal.

Louis Vaugoin also buys your scrapmaterial as well as dental gold for further conversion.

What is the difference between diamond and a cut diamond?

Diamond is the raw mineral, pure crystallised carbon.

The cut diamond is a cut diamond in brilliant cut, with proportioned top and bottom, with 56 facets and a table.

Recently a new diamond cut was presented, the Lucére®. This cut is only cut in Belgium and South Africa. 65 facets provide for an unprecedented lustre and optimal refraction.

What is the signification of the various levels of clarity of the diamond?

Inclusions, depending on size and peculiarity, decrease the value of the diamond, however they are an important attribut of genuineness.
Here the tenfold loupe gives evidence for this criteria.

Flawless

A diamond may only marked as flawless if it is absolutely transparent and free of any inclusions.

VVS
Very, very small inclusions, at tenfold magnification only very difficult to identify.

VS

Very small inclusions, at tenfold magnification difficult to identify.

SI
Small inclusions, at tenfold magnification easy to identify, but through the tabel not visible to the naked eye.

PI
Inclusions (piqué I), which are visible at tenfold magnification however do not influence the lustre.

P2
Larger and/or numerous inclusions (piqué II), which are easily visible to the naked eye through the table and slightly influence the lustre.

P3
Large and/or numerous inclusions, which are very easily visible to the naked eye and influence the lustre obviously.

What is the KIMBERLEY PROCESS?

UTo monitor and control the legal ex- and import of raw diamonds the KIMBERLEY PROCESS, a control system in cooperation with the UNO, has been installed. Furthermore this system of the guarantee of origin for cut diamonds and diamond jewellery confirms the conflict free origin from the mine to the consumer.

What is the difference between zircon and cubic zirconia?

The zircon is a natural mineral, a gemston with a very strong lustre.

The cubic zirconia is a synthetic stone, one of the best diamond imitations and is available in all colours. To bring this imitation to perfection this synthesis is also provided with attributes, which may fake diamond inclusions.