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Why Walker & Hall?

Over 123 years, we have learnt a thing or two.


As an NZ family owned business, Walker & Hall feel grateful to have been part of some of the most special celebrations of New Zealanders for 123 years. Although we have been around for a long time, we continue to develop and grow, always with a focus on providing quality jewellery pieces that will represent love and achievement for a lifetime, and onto the next.

You may already be familiar with us and what we do, but we are sure we can share something with you that is new and exciting. From understanding how we come to offer the best quality diamonds and gemstones, to understanding the 1899 difference and how we have used our experience to craft the perfect symbols of love that will become the heirlooms of the future.

Take a closer look and we know you will see what makes a piece from Walker & Hall so extraordinary.

1899 Collection

The hallmark of quality.

Our signature 1899 Collection is a celebration of our heritage; Walker & Hall was established in New Zealand in 1899.

Crafted in superior quality metals and featuring high clarity accent diamonds, a design from the 1899 Collection is a piece you will be proud to treasure for generations to come.

BROWSE 1899

1899 WHITE GOLD

Looks better for longer | Superior durability | Hypoallergenic

Understanding White Gold

In its purest form (24ct), gold is yellow in colour and too malleable to be suitable for most jewellery. To give pure gold the properties required to make fine jewellery, other metals are added, which creates a gold alloy. The purity of gold in the material is represented by the carat, for example, 18ct gold is 75% pure gold and 25% other metals.

When creating white gold, white coloured metals are mixed with pure gold to create an alloy. The alloy colour will vary from slightly off white through to a subtle yellow depending on the choice and concentration of metals used. Rhodium plating is then used to give a whiter, brighter finish. Over time, particularly on rings and bracelets, this plating will wear off revealing the base colour of the alloy underneath. Different white gold alloys may look the same when new, but with normal wear, the true colouring underneath will be revealed. A more yellow coloured alloy will require more regular maintenance to restore its original appearance.

Palladium is the premium metal for mixing with pure gold to make white gold as it gives a whiter base colour, a better lustre, and it is hypoallergenic. The cheaper and common alternative to palladium is nickel. When used as an alloy in white gold, nickel will result in an inferior base colour and lustre, and it can cause an allergic reaction in as many as one out of eight people.

1899 White Gold Comparison

Palladium is the premium metal for mixing with pure gold to make white gold as it gives a whiter base colour, a better lustre, and it is hypoallergenic. The cheaper and common alternative to palladium is nickel. When used as an alloy in white gold, nickel will result in an inferior base colour and lustre, and it can cause an allergic reaction in as many as one out of eight people.

Our Expert Recommendation

Our 1899 18ct white gold has an exceptionally high palladium component, being at least 50% of the alloyed metal used, along with no nickel. This high standard of quality results in an improved durability and appearance over a longer period of time compared to other white metals, and ensures it is suitable for all skin types.

We have full confidence in recommending our 1899 white gold as the best material for any special piece you want to last a lifetime, and through the next.

GEMMOLOGICAL EXPERTISE

We Go Above The Grade | Details Make A Difference | Trust In Integrity

Take a Closer Look

Gemmology is a very specific field of expertise with many years of involvement and practice required to build the necessary knowledge base. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) was the first to create standardised diamond grading (The 4Cs; Colour, Clarity, Cut and Carat weight), which gave customers confidence in what they were buying as they were able to make easy value comparisons. GIA remains the leading global standard for gemmological grading, research and education.

The 4Cs have been succesful in assisting both customers and industry professionals to quickly identify diamonds in a similar range of quality characteristics. The fact remains however that no two diamonds are identical and diamonds that have the same grades can vary significantly in price and appearance.

Diamond Clarity

For example, the diamonds pictured both have the same clarity grade of SI2 (Slightly Included 2). The diamond on the left has many smaller black inclusions, some of which relfect within the diamond and can be seen multiple times from the top view down. The diamond on the right has a larger white inclusion which is located outside the table on the pavillion facet. One of these diamonds looks free from inclusions to the naked eye, the other does not.

Our Expert Recommendation

Our premium 1899 diamonds are selected by our GIA trained in-house gemmologist with over 25 years experience in the diamond industry. Diamonds are carefully studied to ensure we select only those which represent the finest within each grade, ensuring our customers are getting the best in both value and appearance. This process takes significant expertise, time and care.

We invite you to look closely and compare.

QUALITY YOU CAN TRUST

Accuracy & Authenticity | Personal Process | NZ Family Owned

Technology & Testing

At Walker & Hall we are constantly working to ensure we are at the forefront of quality assurance so that we can be proud to put our name on and stand behind every piece. We make continual and significant investments in technology in order to maintain our core goals of 'Integrity, Quality and Service'.

We ensure the accuracy and quality of the precious metal components of our jewellery with an Olympus XRF machine. Our on-site XRF machine indentifies and reports on the fineness and purity of any metals present in a given alloy, right down to minor traces, providing surety and accuracy of materials.

Diamond Testing

Our diamonds are natural and we are proud to confirm this by being the first and currently only owner in New Zealand of the GIA iD100, which in recent independant testing scored a perfect 100% in detecting synthetic diamonds and diamond simulants. This level of expertise has become essential to provide reliable assurances as to the genuine nature and origin of any diamond.

The grading of any non-certified diamonds is ensured to be accurate with GIA facetware technology, so we can provide precise cut grades and weight measurements. The GIA colour master stones allows us to provide accurate clour grading, and one of our two in-house GIA trained gemmologists assesses clarity by international standards.

Our Expert Recommendation

The result of thorough testing and quality control is that when you buy a piece of jewellery from Walker & Hall, you can rest assured the gems, metals, and all its construction is at the highest level possible. Through the combination of technology, our process and expertise at every step, you can trust you will receive the quality you should expect.

This item is available by Special Order. Please enquire for pricing and ordering details.