White gold is one of my favourite precious metals and is still a popular choice for bespoke jewellery. However, I worry it is often chosen as a budget white metal option as opposed to Platinum rather than being selected for its own merit. This is because white gold is traditionally Rhodium plated; what you see in jeweller’s windows is actually … Read More
Why is my white gold tarnishing?
You’ve got a new beautiful white gold ring you have worn for a few months, but then you notice the metal around the back of the ring and the setting have changed colour. Patches of your ring are a totally different shade of white, and next to the bright silvery areas that remain, these patches almost look yellow. Is your … Read More
Recycling Jewellery: Reimagining Unworn Gemstones & Precious Metals
I have seen a real increase in customers enquiring about reusing metal and gemstones from existing jewellery. Very often, it is broken and unworn items or, even more commonly, inherited pieces that are not to the client’s taste but hold immense sentimental value. Increasingly, people are considering upcycling these pieces into something new rather than having them go to waste … Read More
Five Reasons to go Bespoke
Making a purchase of fine jewellery is rarely for pure adornment. It could mark a special birthday or anniversary, celebrate a landmark moment, represent a loved one, or be for a proposal! Jewellery really means something to its owners – it is not just about its material value. The most common route is to explore jewellery shops on the high street … Read More
September Sapphire
The birthstone for September is sapphire – one of the ‘big three’ precious coloured gemstones (sapphire, emeralds and rubies). Although you see sapphire jewellery in every high street jeweller’s window, you rarely see any colour other than blue. It is a common misconception that sapphires are just blue – they come in every colour under the sun! Colours other than … Read More
What does bespoke actually mean?
Bespoke is a word often bandied around by companies, but what does it actually mean? The word has an interesting history as discussed in this article. Initially, the word bespoke was “a past participle of the verb ‘to bespeak’ which meant ‘to exclaim or call out’, then it changed to describe ‘to discuss, decide upon’ and lastly became ‘discussed in … Read More
Seriously Special Wedding Rings
Alix and Tom approached me to design them a pair of unique wedding rings using metal and diamonds from inherited jewellery. Tom wanted a simple gold band for his wedding ring, but he didn’t want to simply buy a high street ring – he wanted it to be made from gold he had inherited from his late mother. We looked … Read More
Rose Gold
Rose gold, also called red or pink gold, has re-gained popularity in recent years as an alternative to white metals and yellow gold. This copper coloured metal has become so popular we now see its warm tone replicated in interior design, with ‘rose gold’ coloured taps, handles and lamps, and also in our technology with ‘rose gold’ coloured mobile phones and … Read More
Engraved Engagement and Wedding Ring set
Alicia approached me to design a bespoke engagement ring and wedding set after scouring the internet for a bespoke jewellery designer. She said that something about my website ‘spoke to her’, which was amazing to hear! We meet up for a really fun consultation with her mother in law and daughter in tow lending their input to the designs. The … Read More
Bespoke Ruby Wedding Rings
Jonny and Hayley got in touch with me to design a set of co-ordinating bespoke wedding rings to complement Hayley’s beautiful white gold, ruby and diamond engagement ring. Jonny lives in Scotland, the other end of the UK to me, and Hayley flits between the US and Scotland, so this was the definition of a remote design project! They really … Read More