Plate, basically, is a very thin layer of metal, normally put over a different, often cheaper metal base. Various different types of plate are used in jewellery for different reasons. This week I ran into a couple of inexplicable types of plating which has inspired this rant. I bought a couple of 9ct gold chains which were plated in a higher carat of gold (why??) and I ran across some rhodium plated silver jewellery, which I also think is a bit of an odd choice. Plating is always a thin layer, and that gives anything plated a limited life span before it wears through and changes colour. If you ..read more

Diamonds don't really need much of an introduction, and have been admired for centuries, some historians estimate they were traded as early as 4 BC.  Diamonds were first found in India somewhere between 3,000 and 6,000 years ago, and were used in religious icons. The name comes from a Greek word meaning unalterable or unbreakable. Historically, the diamond first became a popular gemstone in India, when the Moghuls and Imperial Colony easily mined diamonds from deposits along three major rivers. Today, the diamond is most widely known as the stone to give as part of an engagement ring. Th ..read more

March's birthstone is an aquamarine, which is a member of the same mineral family as emerald and morganite. The name comes from the Latin aqua marina, water of the sea. The most valuable colour is darkish blue, similar to a very pale sapphire, although there are various different shades. Aquamarine has been highly valued in jewellery for a long time, aqua coloured glass pieces intended to imitate this stone have been found which were at least 2,000 years old. For centuries, this timeless gemstone has been a symbol of youth, hope, health and fidelity. Since this gemstone is the colour of ..read more

February's birthstone amethyst is a variety of quartz, as are an awful lot of things. It comes in various shades of purple and violet from very pale to dark. Whilst amethyst used to be very precious more recently large deposits have been found and it can now be quite affordable. A good variety of stones is available from traceable sources including Nineteen48, Gemstones Brazil and Fair Trade Gemstones. I would put amethyst along with garnet into the underappreciated category, particularly when set in 9ct gold, it feels a little softer than it does when next to silver. Rose cut pale ameth ..read more

There has been a trend for some time for thin wedding and engagement rings. I’m personally a huge fan of delicate jewellery, here are a few tips for ordering your slim wedding ring. Sometimes customers are determined to have the thinnest possible ring, at other times people are worried about the longevity of quite wide pieces, there is a balance to be found between these. Personally, I tend to think of anything 2mm and under as being a slim ring, a ring doesn’t need to be 1mm to have a delicate look. At 2.5mm you are looking at something which will generally be wider than it is thick, and ..read more

Today I'm sharing a few images of hammered gold rings.  I love hammering gold, it gives a gorgeous sparkle to the finish of a ring, with a delicate band it can be a pretty, low maintenance and cost, alternative to covering something in diamonds. For a wider band the look can be a bit more rustic. A pair of 3mm bands with a soft hammered finish, one 18ct and one 9ct In terms of maintenance, a hammered finish is going to pick up less in the way of obvious knocks and scratches as it's worn so it's a very practical option. The hammered surface will very slowly wear, so a piece might need ano ..read more

If you have ever watched antiques roadshow (I'm pretty sure that is all of us who are old enough to remember when there were only 4 TV channels) you might have seen the experts looking at these little marks inside jewellery or on silverware. The first attempt at regulating the standard of precious metals was made by Henry III in 1238, and most of the elements of modern hallmarking were in place by the 15th century. The Leopards head mark (see below) has been used since 1300.  A hallmark is legally required if you are selling over a gram of gold, half a gram of platinum or just over seven gram ..read more

  This list should not be considered to be exhaustive when it comes to the issues you might encounter with wedding rings, but is a few things that regularly come up.  White Gold Generally in the UK both 9ct and 18ct are sold plated in rhodium which is a bright white, more similar to sterling silver but really cold. Underneath the plating 9ct white is mostly made up from silver and gold, so is a soft warm white. 18ct is generally mixed with palladium so is darker and more steely, like platinum but with a brownish tinge in some lights. Rhodium plating lasts somewhere between 6 months and 2 years ..read more

When it comes to choosing wedding rings one of the key questions is which material to choose. If you have an engagement ring then that sometimes makes the decision for the brides ring, some couples like to match but I find more don’t than do choose to have the same materials. Gold 9ct gold is probably the most popular choice for my designs. The colours of 9ct are quite soft in comparison to 18ct gold, it’s very easy to wear, hard wearing enough for every day and the most reasonable option, apart from sterling silver. 18ct gold has double the actual gold content, and is therefore generally jus ..read more

Over the next few weeks I’m going to publish some general information on the areas to consider when buying a wedding ring. This is primarily from my own point of view as a maker. Rings don’t necessarily have a fixed place in the long list of things to consider when planning a wedding. They are sometimes at the front of people’s minds after buying an engagement ring, and sometimes they end up right at the end. I would recommend having a look around to get an idea of what you want at least a few months before, and doing a bit of basic research before you set a budget if you need to. The main co ..read more