Behind The Scenes

We're so excited to share with you some behind-the-scenes shots from our most recent photoshoot.

Shot by the talented Haley Renee around the Adelaide CBD during sunset, the stunning photos captured Cassandra Mamone's latest collection, Sorrento.

Jewellery used in this shoot includes April's piece of the month - the Cognac Beauty - as well as Amalfi Bride earrings and Granita ring.

Photographer: Haley Renee
Stylist: Ben Conroy
Dresses by: Jade Tropea and Jaimie Sortino
Make up: Millie Herd
Hair: Liz Hinds
Model: Alice from Finesse Models Australia
Prep location: Couturist Warehouse on Gilbert Street.

Model Alice with Cassandra Mamone

Alice also models the Amalfi Bride earrings
featuring 18ct rose gold with white diamonds

The shoot showcased the Granita ring,
featuring a .80ct brilliant centre diamond
surrounded by a quarter carat of pave` set brilliants.

Our designer Cassandra Mamone on set!

Alice models the beautiful
Cognac Beauty ring

The18ct rose gold Cognac Beauty

What do you think of the photos? Let us know in the comments below!

Kisses,

The CM Team

Piece of the Month - Cognac Beauty

When Cassandra Mamone took a trip to Italy last year, she was mesmerized by the stunning Amalfi coast.

It was this beautiful backdrop that provided the inspiration for Cassandra’s latest collection, Sorrento.

The first piece she designed for the collection was the stunning Cognac Beauty.

"Cognac Beauty" from the Sorrento collection

Made from 18ct rose gold and featuring approximately .85ct cognac champagne diamonds, this gorgeous ring sets the tone for the entire Sorrento collection and quickly became the signature piece.

“Inspired by the breathtaking cliffs, sparkling seas and the white washed and terracotta villas, I want everyone woman that wears a piece from this collection to feel the beauty that is Sorrento”, says designer Cassandra Mamone.

Cassandra took note of the fashionable and luxurious Amalfi coast, a wedding destination favoured by many. The Cognac Beauty ring was inspired by the beautiful views surrounding stylish hotels and restaurants, where glamorous ladies stop by for long lunches.

CAD drawings for the "Cognac Beauty" ring

When designing the ring, Cassandra knew she wanted to combine the perfect complements of rose gold and cognac diamonds. Flattering to all skin tones, the rose gold base accentuates the delicate colour of the cognac diamond.

Cognac diamonds

Cassandra's initial designs

Mixing the classic with the contemporary, Cassandra has designed a ring that sets the benchmark for a stunning collection; an affordable luxury.

“[The ring] has a real elegance behind it and yet it is unique with its combination”, she says.

The .80ct centre cognac diamond is bezel set, and the mill grain edge adds a delicate touch. The pave` set diamonds on either side of the centre stone add just a hint of sparkle.

“This piece oozes femininity”, says Cassandra.

“I love it!”

We love this unique and elegant ring too, which is why it’s April’s Piece of the Month!

What do you think of the Cognac Beauty? Let us know in the comments below!

Kisses,

The CM Team

Diamond Masterclass: Selection

Last week we looked at the basic elements of a diamond. This week, we take it up a notch with a more in-depth look at the cut and shape of diamonds.

Cassandra Mamone proudly works alongside couples to create a unique, custom-made engagement ring and the cut and shape of a diamond is usually a good place to start when choosing your dream ring.

Below is a list of some the common diamond shapes and cuts:

There's a lot to choose from, right? It's a tough decision to make, but it mostly comes down to personal preference. But before you go out and buy, there a few important things to consider.

Before we look at the differences between each cut and shape, we first need to understand a few basic concepts:

Depth percentage: this is the depth of the stone from the table to the culet.

Table: this is the size of the diamond, measured from the narrow-girdle diameter.

Ratio: this is the overall diamond in length to width.

Girdle: the outer edge of a fashion stoned (usually the part that sits in the setting).

Culet: the point or flat surface on the bottom of the diamond.

Okay, now we're ready to move on. Here, we explain what to look for in your chosen cut or shape.

Round 
The Classic diamond cut, also know as Brilliant, is the most popular diamond shape for engagement rings. The depth percentage of these diamonds should range between 58-63% and the table percentage should range between 55-64%. Perfectionists, however, will look for a depth of 59-62% and a table of 56-58%.

Granita by Cassandra Mamone
Featuring approx .80ct brilliant centre diamond with
quarter of a carat of brilliants pave` set surrounding, forming a trilliant shape

Princess

The Princess diamond cut is one of few brilliant style diamond shapes with sharp, uncut corners. These diamonds are typically cut square rather than as a rectangle. Brilliant style refers to vertical direction crown and pavilion facets instead of step style horizontal facets.

Radiant

The Radiant diamond cut appears as a straight-edged rectangular or square stone with cut corners. Radiant diamond shapes have 62-70 facets.

Radiance by Cassandra Mamone
Featuring approx .80ct radiant diamond

Emerald

Emerald cut diamond shapes are usually rectangular. The optimal length-to-width ratio of this diamond cut should be between 1.5:1 to 1.75:1.

Oval

The Oval diamond cut is based upon the traditional configuration of Round Brilliant diamond shapes. With an optimal length-to-width ratio of 1.5:1, this oval diamond shape is universally acceptable as pleasing to the eye.

Pear Shaped

Pear diamond shapes are based upon the traditional configuration of the Round Brilliant diamond cut. They have a rounded end and a single pointed end, and a long pear shape diamond creates a slimming effect on the fingers. The typical diamond pear cut will contain 58 facets.

Asscher Cut

Asscher cut diamonds resemble emerald-cut diamonds, but Asscher are square. An Asscher cut diamond reveals the clarity of the diamond in the same way as an Emerald cut; showing flaws and the colour of the stone. Unless the diamond's colour is very good, you may detect a light yellowish colour in your diamond. The ideal cut for an Asscher Cut Diamond is a length-to-width ratio between 1.00 and 1.05.

Marquise Cut

Marquise cut diamonds maximize carat weight and give the appearance of a much larger diamond compared with other diamond shapes. Marquise diamonds look beautiful set with round or pear-shaped side stones. Like the Pear, Marquise diamonds make fingers look long and slender. Marquise cut diamonds may show slight colouration in lower colour grades. The preferred length-to-width ratio on Marquise diamonds are between 1.75 and 2.25.

Heart Cut

Heart cut diamonds have the advantage of a nearly round pavilion that provides beautiful brilliance. When choosing a colour grade, colour may be slightly visible in its corners. Length-to-width ratios between .90 and 1.10 for heart-shaped diamonds are pleasing to the eye.

Cushion Cut

Cushion cut diamonds have rounded corners and larger facets to increase their brilliance under candlelight. This cut varies in their degree of rectangularity. For cushion-cut diamonds pleasing to the eye, look for length-to-width ratios between 1.1 and 1.2.

We hope you enjoyed our second Diamond Masterclass!

Which cut and shape do you like the best? Which did you choose for your ring, and why? Let us know in the comments below!

Kisses,

The CM Team 

Diamond Masterclass: The Four C's

Welcome to our very first Masterclass! It's the beginning of the week, our brains are refreshed from the weekend and we're ready to learn. What better time to kick off some jewellery education! Jewellucation? Whatever you want to call it, let's start our first masterclass with a girl's best friend - the beautiful diamond.

So we all know it's shiny, it's stunning... What else?

A lot of work goes into making that rock the gorgeous accessory you see on your finger. There are actually four characteristics that make each diamond unique; the four C's. 

These are cut, colour, clarity and carat weight. The combination of the four C's determines the value of a diamond.

Let's break it down:

Cut

While diamonds come in different shapes (like round, pear, etc) the term “cut” actually refers to the diamond's proportion. A diamond's cut determines its light reflection - its sparkle factor. When a diamond is cut to the right proportion - neither too deep nor too shallow - the light will reflect inside the stone from one mirror-like facet to another and reappear through the top, making it sparkle from within. So the cut affects how "shiny" your diamond is.

Colour

Cassandra Mamone selects colourless diamonds from the top three colour grades only: D, E, and F. These are the rarest and so the most valuable. Fancy coloured diamonds are an exception, and are lusted over due to their extreme rarity. The quality of these diamonds is judged by the intensity of their hue (think pink, blue, yellow). Unlike white diamonds, the more colour, the rarer the diamond. 

Clarity

Diamonds were formed millions of years ago, deep within the earth under enormous heat and pressure. As a result, most diamonds contain tiny marks known as inclusions which make each stone unique, like a birthmark. Nearly all diamonds contain these unique clarity characteristics. 

When viewed under magnification they look like tiny crystals, clouds or feathers. Diamonds with no inclusions are categorised either as flawless (FL) or internally flawless (IF). It's no surprise that these diamonds are exceptional and costly.

The inclusions don't necessarily weaken the stone and, as long as they don't interfere with the passage of light, they won't affect its beauty either. The fewer and smaller the inclusions, the more valuable a diamond will be.

Polished diamonds.

Carat 

And finally, the carat. We've all heard of one or two carat diamonds, but what exactly does it mean? Well, a diamond's size is measured in carat weight, and one carat is equal to 0.20 of a gram (or one-fifth). Each carat is divided into 100 points, so a diamond of 50 points weighs 0.50 carats. 

Congratulations! You've just survived your first Diamond Masterclass and you now know the crucial elements which come together to form stunning diamond jewellery like the one below.

The Positano ring from the Cassandra Mamone Sorrento collection features 71 pave set white diamonds

 - in total it's approx 2.84 carats. 

The ring is 18 carat white and rose gold.

Now you may have a greater appreciation for that ring on your finger, or you may impress your friends at the dinner table... But most importantly, you may be starting to understand why at Cassandra Mamone we're so passionate about a beautiful little rock!

Until next time,

Kisses

The CM Team

Piece of the month!

Here at Cassandra Mamone, all of our jewellery comes with its own special story. Each month we hope to share with you the inspiration, love and passion behind each piece.

This month we take a look at a very special engagement ring.

The engagement ring features a 1.51 carat diamond

When Simon wanted to propose to his girlfriend Danielle, he knew exactly who to call to find the perfect engagement ring.

Two months before he popped the question, Simon caught up with Cassandra Mamone who helped him pick a 1.51 carat brilliant cut D-colour diamond. 

Simon proposed to Danielle on Christmas morning. The two lovebirds were taking a walk through North Adelaide and Danielle was power walking ahead while Simon was dawdling behind. Simon called out her name and when Danielle turned around she saw him metres away from her, on one knee. 

Simon called out for her to help him, and in Danielle’s words “I thought jeez, as if he fell over, he’s walking as slow as a snail!"

She went back to see what was wrong and as the bells of the North Adelaide church rang out, Simon asked Danielle to be his wife.

And of course she said yes! 

Shortly after that, Cassandra was thrilled to create the perfect ring for her friend of eight years. The final product featured the brilliant diamond set with square claws. The diamond is surrounded by small pave set brilliants around it, with mill grain edge and split arms, made in Platinum.

The gorgeous Danielle with her beautiful engagement ring

What do you think of Danielle's gorgeous engagement ring? Do you have your own special engagement story? Let us know in the comments below!

Kisses,

The CM Team

Welcome!

After ending a successful 2012 with so much promise of what the New Year could bring, the Cassandra Mamone team are excited to begin new adventures in 2013.

And what better way to share our journey with you! This blog is an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the day-to-day world of Cassandra Mamone and will showcase the journey towards our new fine jewellery collection, Sorrento.

So who exactly is Cassandra Mamone?

Cassandra is a South Australian based fine jewellery designer and the owner/director of Cassandra Mamone.

Launching her first range back in May 2010, Cassandra's pieces have been featured in publications around the country appearing as Editor’s Favourites, Gift Ideas, and on models as part of fashion spreads.

We asked Cassandra to sum up her passion for jewellery.

"Jewellery to me is so much more than an accessory," she said.

"For me, jewellery is about the way it makes someone feel; a statement, a reflection of their identity and their personality. My designs aren’t about following trends, or recreating popular styles, and I rarely look to what others are doing when I am designing."

Cassandra Mamone is about bringing clients’ visions to life in the most beautiful designs that are completely unique and in sync with the wearer. Cassandra Mamone's jewellery are of the highest quality and classic by nature but strikingly original. 

So welcome! We look forward to sharing with you the inspiration, the drive, passion and glamour behind Cassandra Mamone.

Kisses,

The CM Team