The Laings Journal
Meet the team at Laings – today we meet Louise Slater, a Diamond Supervisor based in our Southampton store. Louise is passionate about diamonds and has been an important part of memorable purchases, helping our customers find the perfect engagement ring or a beautiful gift for someone they love.
Here we meet the team, chat with Louise and find out more about what it’s like working with diamonds all day.
Thank you for joining us for our meet the team blog!
What is it for you that makes diamonds so special?
For me, what makes diamonds so special is how from a rough state, which doesn't appear as anything, it can be cut to create something so captivating. The scintillation you get from a triple excellent cut diamond is astonishing and it really can take your breath away. Diamonds are so special in how they are cut into something like this, they are unique and have their own beauty, making each stone distinctive with its own sparkle.
What is your favourite diamond cut and why?
Amongst all the diamond cuts there are on offer, my favourite would be an Oval. The reason for this is I love the variations of fancy cut diamonds however nothing looks classier than the traditional round brilliant. Therefore an oval cut diamond is for me the middle ground between a traditional round brilliant and a more contemporary design.
Do you have a favourite customer engagement story?
It can be the classic engagement stories that you remember, the big holidays or the romantic gestures. However, when I get to know my clients and they tell me their plans for their proposal I really enjoy hearing all of their different ideas. The personal, private ones people do in their homes just between them, to ones on Christmas day in front of the family or the special trips to beautiful destinations that look like something off a postcard. Everybody has a different personality and relationship so what they chose to create in this moment is their own. I know a lot of thought goes into that perfect moment. For this reason, no I don't have a favourite but all proposals for me are truly special and I love being part of it all when they choose the engagement ring.
For you, what do diamonds symbolise?
I believe, diamonds symbolise a moment in time which is extremely special to the wearer, whether that's receiving a beautiful engagement ring at a proposal or receiving a diamond pendant for your 40th Birthday. Diamonds highlight special moments in a person's lifetime, every time they wear it or receive a compliment it will remind them of the memory.
What is your favourite piece in stock at the moment?
My favourite piece of Jewellery which we currently have is a 3.03ct Oval Cut Diamond Ring. The diamond isn't only of a phenomenal quality for the weight of the stone, an E Colour with a VS Clarity, the craftsmanship behind the manufacturing of the ring as well is incredible. As soon as you slide the ring onto the finger you can feel the beautifully finished court profile to the inner band and despite the large carat weight of the stone, the tapered Baguette's set into the channel set shoulders, bring the length of the diamond right in as it reaches halfway around the band. I know this isn't a piece for every day however I wouldn't say no to any opportunity to wear this beautiful piece. It becomes a talking point, a statement and not to mention the sparkle that comes off of it too -stunning!
What’s your best piece of diamond buying advice?
My best piece of advice is to look at the colour and clarity of the stones. Higher quality stones in time will become rarer to find and therefore finding a diamond of a D colour and a VS1/2 clarity is something that will be timeless for the wearer. It can also be passed down the generations, to a daughter and then a granddaughter and so forth. Diamonds will never be out of fashion, but having high-quality colour and clarity is what makes them stand out above the rest.
What’s your favourite piece of diamond jewellery that you wear?
My favourite piece of diamond jewellery is my diamond pendant. For my 21st birthday, I said to my parents I would like something which is more sentimental and something I can hold on to and treasure. To my surprise, I was given a beautiful diamond pendant. This is a piece of jewellery I wear every day, I know it'll last a lifetime and for me is attached to the memory of my 21st Birthday.
Why should diamond-lovers shop at Laings?
At Laings, for anyone who loves diamonds, we truly have lots to offer. Our stones are carefully selected to ensure we have the most beautiful diamonds and the client falls in love for how they look when they're worn. We don't just stop with what we have available in-store, at Laings we can go above and beyond to find the perfect stone that the client is after, whether that takes weeks or months we will find the one for them. We also have a fantastic team who have a passion for diamonds and we will quite happily offer a coffee and talk for days about them.
How have you spent lockdown?
During lockdown, I kept busy by improving my fitness and regularly going for run's first thing in the morning to start the day off right. I also used the time to improve my career skills, and my diamond, watch and jewellery knowledge. This meant when we re-opened I was felt up to date on all the knowledge that I needed to help people. Besides refreshing my knowledge, I have an A-Level in Art and haven't had the time to draw and paint for years. It's one of those things I have been wanting to do but just haven't had the chance. I had the time to pick up that pencil again and sketch, it's such a nice feeling to get in touch with those hobbies or talents you have but may have not had time to practise them. Most importantly I stayed home, staying safe with my family.
Louise and the rest of the Southampton team are now delighted to welcome you back in store – you can book an appointment by visiting HERE.
Thank you for taking the time to meet the team and get to know a little more about Louise. Follow our latest news on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest, or if you have any questions, please pop us an email at [email protected].