With Mother’s Day coming up in a few weeks, I decided to sit down and take a minute to reflect. I think back to a phase I went through as a teenager; when I believed all holidays were a result of stellar marketing campaigns run by the “Hallmark” company. I refused to make a card, buy a gift or even really wish my mom. My younger siblings diligently gave her their school assigned handicrafts. At 6pm, I was informed by my sister, that my mother wasn’t talking to me. I confronted my mom about this. Without a word, she wept soft, silent tears and looked away. Out of guilt I drew a picture of her, crudely folded the paper into a card and wrote a short note saying I was sorry and wished her a Happy Mother’s Day. She forgave me.

Today, I think back to this incident every May and I’m taken aback at how thoughtless I was as a rebellious teenager. I have three children of my own; and my mother who is now far away because of geography is the person I rely on the most to get me through life’s challenges. I consider myself lucky to have both her and my husband’s mother just a phone call away. We’re living in a strange time in human history. COVID-19 has separated families and already taken several thousand parents away from their children permanently. No matter how old you are, no-one and nothing can replace the presence of a mother. I am an entrepreneur, a part-time chauffeur and now a home-school teacher, but I will never stop being my mother’s child, nor my children’s mother.

Motherhood is the single most challenging adventure I have ever embarked on. It is also the most rewarding, and frustrating. My son is eight, my older daughter is six, and my youngest will turn two in June. I look at them and my heart is complete. To imagine that my mother thought this once, when she looked at my siblings and me. This year I can’t send her anything but my thoughts and words. Which seem like enough; but will never be. For those of you who can, I insist that you begin by simply telling your mother that you love her. Send her something that she will remember and treasure, because even though you are her most precious gift, she can’t keep you with her through time and space. Wish your mother’s in law, because they have given you your partner. And please, don’t forget all the other women who persevere everyday through numerous obstacles to be the best that they can be for the life they have given or chosen to nurture.

Now, I’m going to have my husband read this; as a reminder that he’s in charge of ensuring that my children make me something thoughtful on the 10^th of May! For all the forgetful husbands and sons, as well as the faraway daughters, our Mother’s Day Edit is now live!

When I became "Mom"

Diamonds often come with a hefty price tag. They’ve earned the reputation of being quite intimidating. From the heart of Antwerp, the diamond capital of the world; we’re here to simplify these alluring gems and tell you everything you need to know. Welcome to Diamonds 101!

The Basics

Diamonds are made of a single element, carbon. The carbon atoms are arranged in a crystal structure, forming the hardest natural material known to man. They can be found in the earth or grown in a lab. Mined diamonds and lab-grown diamonds are chemically, physically and optically identical. Their quality is also graded in exactly the same way. Diamonds get their brilliance from the way light moves within the stones. The unique ability of a diamond to transmit light results in its sparkle.

The 4C's

These parameters created by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) are equivalent to the global language of diamonds. Understanding “Colour, Clarity, Cut and Carat” is essential for any diamond jewelry consumer. They represent the quality of the diamond.

Colour Diamonds, in their purest form are colourless like drops of water. The “colour” of a diamond actually refers to its lack of color. Diamonds are graded on a scale that ranges from D-Z. The D represents the clearest. As we go up the scale towards Z, we get a yellow tinge (not to be confused with yellow diamonds). Majority of the diamonds available to consumers are near colourless and lie in the G-J range. The diamonds we use in our core collection are colourless and range from D-F color. We made this choice because the less colour in the diamond, means it is more brilliant, valuable and rare. We want your diamonds to catch the light and glitter all the time.

Clarity The clarity of a diamond refers to the absence of inclusions and blemishes within the stone. Most natural and lab-grown diamonds have imperfections. They are judged by how visible these characteristics are under the 10x magnification of a jeweler’s loupe. The clarity of a diamond effects it’s transparency, brilliance and ultimately, it’s value. There are seven main divisions on the clarity scale. Flawless diamonds are very rare. Most commercially available jewelry contains slightly included diamonds. We believe in a high-quality product and we use only VVS grade diamonds or higher.

Cut The cut grade is a measure of fire, sparkle and brilliance. The manner in which a diamond is cut determines how the stone will interact with light. This is why certain shapes of diamonds shine more than others. The cut grade also measures the symmetry and proportions of the diamond. Round brilliant cut diamonds transmit the maximum light. Their cut ranges from Excellent to Poor. We use only Excellent cut diamonds in our jewelry.

Carat The carat is a measure of weight. It is equal to 200 milligrams. Larger diamonds are rarer and thus a higher carat weight often means a more expensive diamond. The overall value of a diamond however does not depend entirely on the carat weight. It is a combination of all four elements. A poorly cut diamond can weigh the same as an excellent cut diamond, but the latter will have a better appearance and will also be more expensive.