MATERIAL
We here at MONATELIER are particular about the cut and quality of the rough diamonds we procure. Our agents visit the diamond exchange in Mumbai, India to purchase our rough diamonds directly from major diamond polishing companies that also supply brands like De Beers.
By purchasing materials without going through trading or wholesale companies, we are able to reduce costs and pass these savings onto our product prices.
In addition, by acquiring materials from the same official channels as De Beers, we completely avoid the possibility of blood diamonds and synthetic diamonds from getting mixed in.
Diamonds are selected by our staff members who are certified by the GIA (Gemological Institute of America), the world's standard for diamond grading, to ensure that diamonds of the specified quality are met in our products.
Diamonds are graded according to the 4Cs (Carat/Color/Clarity/Cut) set by the GIA. At MONATELIER, the standard is SI2 G Color Good Cut.
*Blood diamonds: Diamonds acquired outside authorized official channels like De Beers have a high likelihood of being “blood diamonds;” diamonds exported and sold illegally by organizations in order to finance their wars.
**GIA: A non-profit organization that sets the standards utilized in the global diamond trade. Diamonds not certified by the GIA are usually not eligible for trade.
Diamonds acquired in civil war zones have become a major source of funding for warring organizations who use the foreign currency earned from the jewelry to purchase weapons, exacerbating their civil wars. It is especially important to prevent in the case of rebel groups, who widely conduct inhumane practices. The international community has been urged to take action to address this problem by removing the means to do so, defining diamonds produced in civil war-torn countries as "blood diamonds," etc., and requiring the industry to exclude their purchase from the trade.
We at MONATELIER are also particular about the bullion used in our jewelry, which is why we use a special K10 that is harder than regular K10 that still maintains the same gold content.
Ordinary K10 contains 41.7% pure gold, mixed with around 58% silver and copper. Gold and silver are soft metals, so copper is mixed in to increase hardness. Even so, your typical K10 is still easily deformed, so care must still be taken when handling it as jewelry.
This special K10 used in MONATELIER jewelry is a material that deforms less easily even when worn on a daily basis, so it can be kept and worn for long periods of time with peace of mind.
The Difference in the Degree of Deformation Under the Same Pressure
While ordinary K10 deformed by 20% at a force 3.86 kg, the K10 we use here at MONATELIER showed almost no signs of deformation. (Tests were conducted by the Yamanashi Industrial Technology Center.)
Ordinary K10: 20% deformation under approx. 4 kg load
MONATELIER K10: Almost no deformation under the same load.
Nickel is a metal that can be mixed with K10 to improve workability during manufacturing. However, since nickel is an allergen, direct contact with the skin can cause problems such as rashes, and in recent years, it has also been found to be carcinogenic.
At MONATELIER, we do not use nickel or any other allergenic or carcinogenic substances in our materials or processing materials.
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