Engagement Rings set with Lab Grown diamonds worn by famous celebs.
The latest trend is Moissanite and Lab-grown diamonds. Not only are the prices for cultivated jewels lower than a diamond mined from the earth, a lab-created diamond can be grown much faster than it takes to mine one. As the trend becomes mainstream, it’s becoming more popular among celebrities, influencers and consumers as well. Keep reading to find out which three celebrities are lovers of conflict-free, lab-grown diamonds.
1. Camila Mendes
www.theknot.com
In November 2018, Riverdale actress Camila Mendes attended the People’s Choice Awards with a stunning piece of jewellery: a 5-carat lab-gown pink diamond set on a 14-carat gold band.
2. Bindi Irwin
www.usmagazine.com
Bindi Irwin, daughter of the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, received this shining stunner from longtime boyfriend Chandler Powell when they got engaged in July 2019. She shared the news of the proposal on Instagram, along with the details of her lab-created diamond ring. “My ring features a lab-grown diamond and is made with rose gold recycled metal.”
Actors Nikki Reed and Ian Somerhalder confirmed their engagement in February 2015. Reed explained how her first engagement ring didn’t feature a lab-grown diamond, she plans to redesign her jewel with a synthetic stone. “When we were getting engaged, cultivated diamonds hadn’t really hit the market in the way that we are now,” she said. Her engagement ring now does include lab-grown diamonds.
This Post was first published on https://ralphjacobs.co.za/3-celebrities-who-has-lab-grown-engagement-rings/
Geniet nog ‘n aflewering van “So is die Lewe” uit die pen van Marius Britz.
Daar is ‘n anekdote oor Leonardo da Vinci en sy skildery Die laaste avondmaal. Dit lui dat, toe hy sy beroemde skildery van Jesus en Sy dissipels rondom die pasgatafel bykans voltooi het, hy twee kolle oopgelaat het, met detail nog uitstaande: die gesigte van Jesus en Judas Iskariot. Hy het blykbaar sterk gedagtes gehad oor hoe die twee gesigte sou lyk. Jesus s’n moes liefdevol, vreedsaam, gedetermineerd, kalm en rustig wees. ‘n Gesig wat uitstaan, wat treffend alle sintuie vasvang. Judas Iskariot s’n die teenstelling: Da Vinci het ‘n gesig van weemoed, bittere berou, skaamte, emosies soos woede, selfs haat, in gedagte gehad vir hom.
Die skilder het lank gesoek totdat hy op ‘n dag, eensklaps, die gesig gesien het wat voldoen het aan sy persepsies oor hoe Jesus sou lyk. Presies net soos wat hy gehoop het, vreedsaam, liefdevol, selfversekerd, gefokus, suksesvol. Die man het ingestem om geskilder te word, en het poseer as beeld van Jesus se gesig. Dit het net die leë kol van Judas se gesig gelaat.
Drie jaar daarna het Da Vinci hom gekry: verflenterd, bitterheid diep gekeep oor sy gesig, wange hol, gegroef deur namelose pyn, oë verwilderd, kwaad en ontnugter. Da Vinci het hom gevra om te poseer vir Judas. Die man het bitterlik begin huil. Sy woorde was: “Drie jaar terug het jy my geskilder as Jesus. Die lewe het teen my gedraai.”
So is die lewe. Die Duitse filosoof Karl Jaspers het gesê dat mens sorgvuldig jou lewe kan karteer, maar dat die kans altyd daar is dat jou lewensskip op die rotse kan loop, ten spyte van daardie deeglike plan wat jy opgetrek het vir die roete voor jou. Dan kan jy slegs een van drie dinge doen: óf lag, óf huil, óf van vooraf begin beplan. Pink Floyd eggo hierdie gedagte. “Then one day you find, ten years have got behind you. No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.” So vinnig, te gou gaan die lewe verby. Voordat jy nog kon keer of koes.
Soveel mense beland uiteindelik op ‘n ander plek in ruimte en tyd as wat hulle beplan het. Jy beplan jou aftrede op ‘n sekere tydstip van jou lewe, maar vind jou eensklaps in die situasie dat jy jou werk of jou gesondheid verloor, en ingelanseer word in ‘n onbeplande vakuum van niksheid, van opstaan elke dag en wonder wat nou, waarheen. Al die gewaande gemaklikheid waarmee jy sou leef op jou oudag, is weg.
Soos ‘n skip in die nag verdwyn. Of, jy beplan hoe jy en jou lewensmaat eendag julle drome gaan waar maak. Reis deur die land, deur Afrika, deur die wêreld. Maar eensklaps bevind jy alles het verwronge uitgedraai, met spanning, slapelose nagte, en ‘n gevoel van ontsaglike verlies. Jy kom agter dat jy stadiger beweeg, dat jy swak word, dat jou asem jaag as jy ‘n entjie geloop het.
Jy kom agter dat jy kleiner word, meer broos, meer kwesbaar. Jou gedagtes begin al hoe meer dwaal na die verlede. Die pad agter jou voel baie langer as die pad voor jou. Jy kom agter die grootmenslewe tussen die afsetterskoot en die eindpaal is toe veel korter as wat jy verwag het. Coenie de Villiers sing in sy lied “Die laaste maal: Voor jou is die deur gesluit, agter jou is dit nag.”
Hoe moet ons daaroor dink? Die lewe is ‘n reis, en jy het net een beurt. Daar is nie proeflopies, of “replays” moontlik nie. Eers as jy doodgaan, is jou beurt verby. Hoe daardie reis verloop, is jou keuse. Die Griekse digter Konstatyn Kavafis beskryf so reis in sy gedig “Ithaka”, die plek waarheen Odusseus, ‘n legendariese held in die Griekse mitologie, ‘n goeie spreker, briljante denker en ook uiterste platjie, koning is. Uys Krige het dit in Afrikaans vertaal.
Party mense storm beste deur die lewe om seëvierend prestasie op prestasie te bereik. Kavafis wys dit van die hand: “Wanneer jy op reis gaan na Ithaka / vra dan dat jou pad lank mag wees / vol avontuur / en dat jy veel mag leer.” Daar sal wel vyande wees, maar “solank jou gees en jou liggaam geraak word deur seldsame ontroering”, sal jy hulle nie teëkom nie, tensy jy dit vreesbevange afwag.
Op die reis is daar baie hawens waar jy binnegaan – waar jy eksotiese korale, perlemoen, amber en ivoor kan koop, ook sensuele geurige parfuums van enige soort.
Geniet sulke sintuiglike ervaringe, sê die digter, besoek ook die talle stede om by hulle geleerdes “veel, oneindig veel, te leer.” So word genieting, belewenis, kennis en wysheid deel van jou mensheid. Vra juis daarom dat jou reis lank mag wees.
Dan is daar die bestemming, Ithaka, waar jou reis begin het en waarheen jy terugkeer. Onthou altyd, skryf Kavafis, hoe jou reis begin het, hoe jy daardeur gevorm is en voorberei is: “Hou Ithaka altyd in jou gees / Jou aankoms daar is waarvoor jy bestem is / Maar wat die reis betref, moet jou nie in die minste haas nie. / Dis beter dat dit jare sal duur.”
Dit is jou Ithaka wat vir jou die “pragtige reis” gegee het: “Ja, sonder Ithaka sou jy nooit uitgevaar het nie / Sy het niks anders om aan jou te gee nie…” Om daarmee te sê: Belangriker as die begin en die bestemming is die reis self, dat jy “ryk is aan alles wat jy langs die pad verwerf het”.
Uiteindelik bly die sin van lewensvreugde daarin om te weet waarheen jy op pad is, en om alles wat jou reis deur die lewe vir jou opgelewer het, te gebruik om jou te verwonder aan die lewe self, al was dit soms deur die donker dieptes van draai, teleurstellings, swak gesondheid en mislukkings. Jóu Betlehem en Golgota is nie die belangrikste gebeure in jou lewe nie, maar wel jou reis tussen die twee plekke. Dit is wat agterbly, ná alles.
The bones are subject to a police investigation in a murder case in which a 62-year-old former police officer was murdered.
According to reports, the victim was reported missing by his family in October 2020. Police launched a search for him then, without any success until Friday, 12 March 2021, when 26-year-old Mr Sanele Msimang handed himself over to the Harrismith Police Station in the Free State Province.
Msimang informed police there, that he had killed his employer at Standerton somewhere last year and buried his remains in a shallow grave. He was then detained at Harrismith Police Station and arrangements were made that he be brought to Standerton to face charges for this act.
On Monday, 15 March 2021, Msimang arrived at Standerton Police Station and cooperated positively in all aspects of the investigation including pointing out where he buried the remains of his employer which were exhumed and taken for forensic tests.
A murder case was opened and Msimang charged, he appeared at the Standerton Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 18 March 2021, where he was remanded in custody until Tuesday, 23 March 2021.
Whilst busy investigating the murder case, police received disturbing news that the seized human bones were now reportedly missing. A case of theft was then opened accordingly with an additional charge of defeating the ends of justice.
Now for the new twist.
The human bones reported having gone missing at a government mortuary on Friday, 19 March 2021 in Standerton have been found.
Police were informed by their counterparts from the Department of Health, that the bones were mistakenly collected together with two corpses that were scheduled to be taken to Newcastle. The officials then alerted their colleagues in Standerton as soon as they realised that an error had occurred. As a result, it has now been established that the bones were never stolen. However, the investigation into the murder of Mr Jochim Johannes Engelbrecht continues.
Msimang will appear in court today for a formal bail hearing. Meanwhile Msimang remains in custody.
We are all aware of the saying that diamonds are forever, yet can the same be said for the shapes the come in? In this blog, with the help of a few other articles’ information based off of studies they conducted, we’re going to rank 8 popular engagement ring shapes from the most timeless to the least.
Keeping in mind that there’s no right or wrong answer, it’s important to weigh your options when making such an expensive decision. This ring needs to keep you satisfied for years to come.
Keep scrolling to get the full ranking of diamond shapes from the most timeless to the least:
1. Round Cut
A round diamond is the most classic of all. The thing that attracts most clients to a diamond engagement ring in the first place is the wow factor of the sparkle. And the round diamond offers the most sparkle compared to any other diamond shape. Moissanite in Round Cut also works well with this design.
Source: www.ralphjacobs.co.za
2. Cushion Cut
Also referred to as a pillow-cut diamond, the cushion shape blends the modern round brilliant and the old-mine facet pattern. It’s another timeless option with a vintage feel.
Ralph Jacobs Engagement Ring
3. Princess Engagement Ring
The princess cut diamond is one of the brilliant-cut shapes. The princess cut diamond feels more modern than the cushion shape, because of its square edges, rather than rounded corners.
Ralph Jacobs Princess Cut Engagement Ring
4. Oval cut
If you prefer the classic lines of a round diamond, yet seeking something a little different, the oval is the perfect engagement ring choice for you. The oval shape is a variation of the iconic, most timeless round-cut diamond.
5. Pear Cut
The pear-shaped diamond looks like a pure, sparkling drop of water. The biggest advantage of the pear-cut diamond is its versatility, seeing as it can be worn with the point facing up or down, basically providing you with two different types of engagement rings.
Ralph Jacobs Pear Shaped Engagement Ring
This Post was first published on https://ralphjacobs.co.za/8-engagement-ring-shapes-ranked-from-most-popular-to-least-popular/
Halcat National Championship held at Trichardtsfonteindam on the past weekend.
The weekend’s races were conducted in good spirits but sailors had to battle low winds for most of the weekend.
The wind did not completely play its part and at times the sailors had to sit and wait before the sailing could continue. Several times there could be no sailing and sailors were stuck on the water.
Photos by Johan Viljoen
Trichardtfontein dam most probably has the cleanest water in the country and is a very popular sport for sailing.
Steve Hegerstrom won the nationals with Roger Hill in second place and Bill Ellens third.
Steve Hegerstrom, winner of the 2021 Nationals
Gavin Tintinger took fourth with Craig van Deventer in Fifth. Local sailor Peter Van der Meer took sixth place.
A rarer choice, the trillion cut is for someone who wants something off the beaten path and different. If you consider yourself a modern bride, this is the engagement ring choice for you. If you’re the type to feel drawn to standing out and being different then the trillion-shaped stones are a stunning and unique choice of style of engagement ring to consider.
Trillion cut diamonds are triangle-shaped stones, which often has rounded sides. This style was first created in the Netherlands. They may not be as popular as their round cut counterparts, but they are beautiful in their own way. If you are someone who wants something a little different and that deviates a bit from the classic round standard, you should certainly consider this cut.
Trillion cut Moissanites also pair well with any metal, and makes a great statement piece.
The trillion diamond cut is so spectacular because of its sharp dazzling brilliance. It works beautifully as a solitaire stone on its own or also looks impressive as side stones.
The trillion cut is a popular shape for accent stones in beautiful jewellery designs but it can also work as a center stone for someone looking for a different alternative to traditional diamond cuts. The thing that is most eye-catching about a trillion cut is it’s symmetry, proportion and unique shape.
Like all cuts, there are some pro’s and cons to the triangle shaped engagement ring. Below we list the pro’s and cons so you can make an informative decision on whether or not you want to go for this unique design:
Pro’s:
Offers excellent brilliance.
It could appear larger than an equal-sized round or princess cut meaning you can make the most of the diamond’s carat size.
As mentioned above and the premise of this blog, it offers a unique alternative.
Cons:
It is more at risk of chipping because of its points.
This cut doesn’t tend to work well with some prongs designs. V-prongs are the best for a trillion cut stone as they wrap the tips of the stone and protect them.
It requires more cleaning and care than other cuts.
This Post was first published on https://ralphjacobs.co.za/lets-talk-trillion-shaped-engagement-rings/
MPUMALANGA ARMED ROBBER SENTENCED TO TWENTY-THREE YEARS IMPRISONMENT FOR ARMED ROBBERY AND ATTEMPTED MURDER
MPUMALANGA – The Bethal Regional Court has on Wednesday 17 March 2021 sentenced Mfundo Muzi Mpondombi (31) to 15 years direct imprisonment for armed robbery with aggravating circumstances and 8 years for attempted murder which the sentence will run concurrently.
The sentence followed the incident which took place on 12 October 2018 whereby the G4S Security guards were collecting money from the OK shop in Bethal Mpumalanga. It is alleged that on the day in question the crew went to the shop to collect money and after collection, he came out with the trolley bag when he was accosted by the suspect who shot and wounded him and grabbed the trolley bag and ran away with it. The police and the security gave a chase and managed to arrest the first suspect, the second suspect who shot the crew and took the money dropped the money on the street and ran away The stolen money was recovered.
On 23 November 2018 information was received about the whereabouts of the suspect and Operation was conducted by Secunda Serious Organised Crime Investigation and Secunda Crime Intelligent and the address was visited at Emzinoni, Bethal, where the suspect was arrested and he was detained until his case was finalized and sentenced on the 16 March 2021.
Accused number one on this matter Sandile Thabani Thabethe ( 29) pleaded guilty and he was sentenced to 10 years direct imprisonment by the same court on 6 October 2020.
The colour rose gold and rose gold engagement rings are nothing new. And even though rose gold started turning heads since 2014, this blush coloured metal has been around since the mid to late 19th century.
Today, rose gold has become the metal of choice for most engagement rings. The trend has actually spread further than just engagement rings and we can now see it on all jewellery and even come so far that rose gold fixtures are at its height in home décor.
This blog is going to delve deeper into this precious metal, how it is made, how it was used in the past, and get ready to be inspired for your engagement ring.
How is Rose Gold Made?
If you weren’t aware, you know now that rose gold by itself does not exist in nature. Pure gold is always the same colour and is able to change in jewellery due to alloys or other metals that are mixed with it.
Rose gold gets its color by mixing pure gold with mostly copper alloys and a small amount of silver. The more copper in the mix, the redder the jewelry appears; the less copper, the pinker it will appear.
If we’re looking at a typical modern-day rose gold of 18k its formula consists out of 75% gold, 21% copper, 4% silver. Once the silver content starts getting closer to 5% or more, the gold starts to look very pink in appearance.
Rose Gold History
This beautiful colour was first seen in Russia when the famous jeweller, Carl Fabergé began incorporating the copper-infused metal in his designs in the late 1800’s.
It was first known as Russian Gold and eventually was renamed Rose Gold when the metal started trending in other parts of the world. In England Victorian jewellery artisans quickly started replicating the metal into their designs in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.
As quickly as it rose to fame, this metal was forgotten. Favour for luxurious platinum and white gold rose around 1910. It wasn’t until the 1940’s and the beginning of WWII when rose gold became popular again.
WWII played a heavy hand in the reemergence of rose gold because the war created heavy demand for platinum for other war applications, and the metal became expensive and scarce.
Gemstones and Rose Gold
If this blog has no convinced you that rose gold is the only way to go for your engagement ring, we will now inform you on which gemstones work well with this previous, blush coloured metal.
Rose gold also pairs exceptionally well with Moissanites. White shades and different colour shades can be used with Rose Gold.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
