Going For Gold: Exploring the Winning Metal of the Medal
As we gear up for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, we’re diving into the topic we hold close to our hearts: The metal of the winning medal, Gold. This metal has long been a symbol for achievement, having been revered by ancient civilizations such as the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Since the 1904 Olympic Games, […]
Winter 2024 Jewellery Trends To Look Forward To
From the latest runway trends to renowned international brands, when we create stunning new pieces, we always draw inspiration from the world around us. Here are the 2024 trends that we are most excited about as we head into winter: Charmed To Meet You Charms are an exciting trend to kick off our list as […]
Attracting Positive Energies: Talismans Explained
Whether you wish upon a star, hang a horseshoe above your door or enjoy picking four leaf clovers, we all have little rituals that we believe will bring us good luck. The concept of luck as a whole is deeply rooted in personal beliefs, traditions and superstitions and will significantly vary from one culture to […]
Celebrating Love Stories: Uwe Koetter’s Role in Crafting Your Custom Wedding Band
In the safe feeling of lasting love & partnership, there exists a desire for a symbol – a tangible testament of your everlasting commitment to each other. This is why we understand that crafting bespoke wedding rings is not just an art, it’s an intimate journey, a story told in precious metals and symbolic gemstones. […]
Eternal Love: The Symbolism of Gemstones in Uwe Koetter’s Engagement Rings
When it comes to love and commitment, the choice of an engagement ring extends far beyond aesthetics. We, at Uwe Koetter, South Africa’s leading bespoke designer of engagement and wedding rings, have delved deep into the symbolism of commonly chosen gemstones, infusing every engagement ring with narratives of love, passion and enduring commitment. Diamonds The […]
Radiant Gifts: Timeless Treasures for Loved Ones
‘Tis the season to bring sparkle and shine into the lives of your loved ones and we’re here to show you just how. This season, it’s more than about gifting but rather showing your love and appreciation to those nearest and dearest to you. Join us as we uncover some of our favourite pieces to […]
Introducing Our Selene Range – Inspired by the Moons of Our Solar System
We have always cherished the art of storytelling through our jewellery. We believe that every piece should resonate with the wearer, reflecting their unique journey, and now, we’re excited to introduce our Selene Range – a collection inspired by the celestial wonders of our solar system’s moons. In crafting the Selene Range, we’ve drawn […]
Birthstones: The Meaning and Significance Behind Each Gem
Birthstones – precious gems, in general – have captivated humanity for centuries, symbolising identity, protection, and prosperity. Each month is associated with a unique gem, carrying its own historical, mystical and cultural significance. Uwe Koetter embraces the rich symbolism behind birthstones and creates exquisite jewellery pieces that showcase their irresistible charm. Join us on a […]
Jewellery and Identity: How Personal Style Reflects Who We Are
In the realm of fashion and self-expression, jewellery holds a unique place. Beyond being a mere accessory, jewellery becomes a mirror-like reflection of our personality and a statement of our individuality. At Uwe Koetter, we understand the power of jewellery in defining and enhancing one’s identity. In this blog, we will delve into the fascinating […]
The Art of Custom Jewellery: How Uwe Koetter Brings Your Dream Piece to Life
Have you ever thought about purchasing custom jewellery? Not only are they a reflection of who you are, but they can also be passed down through generations, creating a family heirloom to be treasured for years to come. At Uwe Koetter, we understand the importance of creating bespoke pieces that capture your unique story. In […]
Jewellery Care 101: How to Clean and Maintain Your Jewellery
Cleaning and taking care of your precious jewellery not only helps it retain its beauty but also ensures that it can be cherished and passed down through generations as an heirloom. In this guide, we will walk you through the essential steps of jewellery care, including how to clean different types of precious metals and […]
5 Tips for Buying an Engagement Ring
Buying an engagement ring is an exciting and deeply personal experience. It’s a connected symbol of love and commitment that you and your partner will cherish for a lifetime. Naturally, Uwe Koetter offers bespoke designs based on design consultations done at our store in Green Point, Cape Town. The design consultation will include discussing your […]
The Power of Symbolism: How Jewellery Connects Us to Our Beliefs and Values
Adorned in the finest jewellery, from head to toe, priceless diamonds and gems sparkle in the sunlight, dazzling the kingdom as the empress approaches the podium. They’ve never seen her up close, but they know it’s their leader by the radiating adornments. In ancient times, being in possession of valuable items was an indicator of […]
Beauty Beyond the Obvious
Our perceptions determine our reality. We hardly consider why they exist, nor what (or who) has informed them. We simply function by them – believing them to be correct. In fact, perceptions are such a strong driving force that the primary objective of marketing is to establish and/or influence consumer perceptions. Perceptions used to be much more homogenous. For many decades […]
Cultural Heritage
We’d like to take a moment to stand still amidst all the #heritage and #braaiday posts and letters and refocus on what the incredible tradition of Heritage Day means to South Africans, and to us. Heritage Day allows us to honour the rich diversity that is our inheritance. We love being South African, and we […]
Distinctive
Being distinctive takes courage. It takes guts to challenge convention and group think. It takes critical thought not to accept what we are told blindly, but to challenge the foundations of our thoughts. However, as we pursue this path of being distinctive, invariably we have to make choices. Choices that may not be popular with others. This […]
The Heart of the Heart
The process of being refined and renewed is generally not an easy one. In order for us to strip away what is no longer useful, not serving us, dragging us down or maybe even hurting us, is probably one of the most difficult things we can do. But we are not left defeated. The protea […]
Questions your Jewellery designer should be asking you
Surely one of the most intimidating things ever, is being asked, “Exactly what is it you want?”. Let’s be honest, most of us can’t even decide what it is we want to wear in the morning. How much more perplexing is it to have the answer to a jewellery design question? We at Uwe Koetter […]
The History and Lore of Eternity Rings
An Eternity How do you define “Eternity”? Eternity could be a moment of longing for something that is just one moment too long. It could be a phone that doesn’t ring. It could be nine months and one day. Or, it could be looking into someone’s eyes and knowing that days will never complete without […]
Signet Rings, Family Crest Rings and the Gentleman’s Ring
History of the Signet/Family Crest Ring There seems to be an innate movement towards really knowing who we are and identifying with that. The signet ring is a symbol of exactly that: this is who I am, this is my family, my history, my crest. This is my bloodline, and this is who I bring […]
Cape Quarter – Our Store at the Lifestyle Centre
Completed in 2009, The Cape Quarter’s modern buildings subtly combine with the facades of historical heritage buildings that made up the original 3 blocks. It is one of the oldest parts of Cape Town, and one of the few to have retained much of its original character. De Waterkant and the Malay Quarter nestle against […]
V&A Waterfront – Our Store in the Alfred Mall
Located in the Alfred Mall, our store in Waterfront has been trading for more that 20 years from the same location. With its vibrant ambiance, incredible views and cosmopolitan visitors the V & A Waterfront is worth a visit for young and old. Contact details for our Waterfront store can be found here: Contact Us […]
Solitaire Diamond Ring or Diamond Cluster?
Despite the fact that the single stone diamond engagement ring is the most popular, the diamond cluster engagement ring is making a comeback. Cluster rings have been around since the Georgian era beginning in 1747 but have seen variations in their formation according to the trends of the day. Essentially a diamond cluster is a […]
The rarity of pink diamonds
The Pink Diamond In September a subsidiary of Russian diamond mining company, Alrosa, announced that it had recovered a large pink rough diamond weighing 27.85 carats, making it by far the largest pink rough diamond ever discovered by the company. It is of gem quality and almost free of inclusions. Coloured diamonds weighing over ten […]
Fancy cut diamond facts
A fancy cut diamond is any diamond cut that is not round. Whilst the round cut makes up nearly 80 percent of the market, fancy cut diamonds are becoming increasingly popular. Some settings and metals are better for fancy cut diamonds Certain settings enhance fancy cut diamonds. An example is the three stone engagement ring. […]
The heart-shaped diamond cut
If diamonds are forever, what better symbol of eternal love and affection is there than the heart-shaped diamond cut? One of the most challenging cuts to create, it takes a very skilled cutter to create a flawless heart-shaped diamond. It has 59 carefully sculpted facets and is a very popular way for a diamond cutter […]
Floating diamond engagement rings
If you’re looking for an engagement ring thats appears classic but with a modern twist, you might consider the floating diamond engagement ring. The diamond is literally suspended within the ring setting so that it appears to be floating rather than held by claws or channels. Floating engagement rings use open, elevated settings that highlight […]
Purchasing A Marquise Cut Diamond
The marquise diamond cut is also known as the football-shaped cut, the boat-shaped cut, the eye-shaped cut, or the navette, which means ‘little ship’ in French. It has an elliptical shape with pointed ends featuring 58 facets. It dates back to the 18th century when King Louis XV of France (1710-1774) commissioned a jeweller to […]
How to pair a wedding ring with your engagement ring
There are many factors to consider when choosing a wedding ring. Does it fit well with your engagement ring? Can it be worn on its own for those times you need to remove the engagement ring for exercise or travel? It isn’t always necessary to match the metals in your wedding and engagement rings. The […]
Pear-shaped diamonds
The pear-shaped diamond, often referred to as the teardrop shape, has a round bottom and a narrow pointed top. It is a perfect combination of the round brilliant and marquise cuts. Whilst less popular than other cuts, it has been around for hundreds of years. Perhaps the most famous pear-shaped diamond is the Taylor-Burton diamond, […]
How to choose the side stones for your engagement ring
Side stones have the effect of enhancing the central stone and they also help to create balance so that a large central stone doesn’t look out of proportion on the ring. Choosing the number of side stones The two side stone setting is a popular choice but you can have as many stones as you […]
Engagement Rings Gemstone Choices
There has been a lot more interest in using other gemstones for engagement rings because of the rising cost of diamonds and the issue of conflict diamonds. Every gemstone has a grading on the Mohs scale which tells us how hard it is and therefore how susceptible it is to scratching. Rubies, sapphires and aquamarines […]
The Pros and Cons of Different Precious Metals in Wedding Bands
Deciding on which precious metal to accompany the design or precious stone you have in mind for your wedding band or ring can be intimidating. It may well be that the precious metal alone is the focus of the band, and it is therefore important to make the correct decision. And yes, even though Uwe […]
Diamond colour grading explained
Almost every diamond sold today is rated using the GIA colour scale even if it hasn’t been certified by the GIA. The GIA rates diamonds on a scale of D (flawless) through Z (light colour). All D-Z diamonds are considered white even though they contain varying degrees of colour. Fancy coloured diamonds (yellow, pink, blue) […]
Fire, brilliance and scintillation – what’s it all about?
When your jeweller talks about these three aspects, to what exactly are they referring? In a nutshell, they all relate to what you can see when light hits the facets of a diamond or gemstone. How much brilliance, sparkle and fire you see will depend on the cut of the facets. Facets make up […]
Do more facets on a diamond produce better performance?
In a world where more is so often considered superior, it’s easy to assume that the more facets a diamond has, the more it will sparkle. Facets are the flat surfaces between the edges of a cut and polished diamond. The modern round brilliant cut diamond consists of 58 facets, 33 on the crown (the […]
What is 3D printing?
At Uwe Koetter, we recently launched our e-commerce site and one of the options we offer is 3D printing. As surreal as this might sound, this is something many jewellery designers are exploring today. It has become one of the leading ways to design, develop and deliver new and innovative products to the market. It […]
Bow-ties, fish-eyes and other diamond imperfections
We all know about the rarity of diamonds, but even rarer than diamonds is the possibility of finding a perfect diamond. The majority of diamonds have flaws in them. Flaws on the inside are called inclusions and flaws on the outside are called blemishes. There are many different types of inclusions, the most common being […]
The Gentleman’s Ring
An updated version of this article can be found here: https://uwekoetter.com/signet-rings/ and our signet rings can be found here: https://uwekoetter.com/product-category/all-jewellery/signet-rings/
The ultimate guide to understanding chain types
If you find that special pendant but not sure what chain to choose, here is an overview of the top 5 choices: Anchor This is the classic jewellery chain that is consireded as one of the strongest types of chains. It alternates a single, small, round link with a larger oval link. Wheat It has […]
The Good Vibes Charity Bracelet in Collaboration with 2oceansvibe Media
Uwe Koetter is proud to support The Good Vibes Charity Bracelet in collaboration with 2oceansvibe Media. The bracelet design is modern and trendy but boasts at the same time elegance and sophistication. Celebrities such as Bobby Skinstad and Jack Parow have joined the venture to support this worthwhile cause and wear their Good Vibes Charity […]
