A bespoke engagement or wedding ring can take as little as 3 to 4 weeks for a standard ring band, or 8 to 10 weeks for a handmade shaped ring or more complex design.

What is a hallmark?

A hallmark is a mark placed on or inside a piece of jewellery by an independent body known as the Assay Office. This is your guarantee that the jewellery item you have purchased from us is authentic and is made from the metal as described. Different metals carry their own different hallmarks reflecting the type and purity of the metal. Please see here the link to our Dealer's Notice which explains this further, or visit www.assayoffice.co.uk for further information.

What are the birthstones for each month of the year?

Of course we can! All gold starts its life as yellow, then is mixed with other metals to create different colours of gold. A standard service is to clean, polish & rhodium plate your white gold pieces to restore shine & keep it looking brighter. We recommend that white gold rings benefit from this every 12 months and will enjoy a full health check by a jeweller in our workshop at the same time.

• Caring for your jewellery items is extremely important. To keep yours in the best condition possible, we recommend the following…
  
• Remove jewellery before doing housework, D.I.Y., gardening, showering, exercising, swimming etc.
  
• Jewellery worn every day will wear. Metals will become thinner over time & claws will lift & break. A sign that your item is in need of attention or repair is that it feels rough to the touch and begins to catch on your clothing.
  
• Keep pieces in a jewellery box with separate compartments & store in an anti-tarnish environment.
  
• Clean jewellery regularly with a soft polishing cloth with tarnish preventative, but please take care.
  
• Stones can become damaged by knocking jewellery; especially rings & wristwear. It's a popular myth that diamonds are indestructible but this is not the case – diamonds are cut & faceted after all.
  
• Soap, detergents, chlorine etc can all tarnish and damage jewellery. Always allow perfume, aftershave, deodorant, hairspray, creams & lotions to dry before wearing your jewellery. Spraying onto jewellery, no matter how little, can tarnish metals & discolour pearls.
  
• Always take off gem-set jewellery before washing your hands or using lotions & creams. The settings can easily get clogged up & thus dull the appearance of the stones.
  
• Silver can tarnish when exposed to the atmosphere or acidic perspiration. Gold doesn’t react in the same way but will always benefit from a gentle clean.
  
• Gem-set pieces can be carefully cleaned with a very soft brush & lukewarm, mildly soapy water. Dry thoroughly with a lint-free cloth. Wipe your pearls with a soft damp cloth to remove any perfume etc which will damage them.
  
• We advise that if you notice any changes in your jewellery, then get it checked at a reputable jewellers with a workshop on site. We offer a full repairs service & a cleaning & polishing service. If you have any doubt or queries, don’t hesitate to have it checked. It’s much better to be safe than sorry.
  
• Check with your insurance provider that your precious jewellery is covered on your policy. We offer a valuation service for insurance, which is an estimate to replace lost or stolen items.
•  We recommend the use of Connoisseurs Beauty treatments for jewellery as a fast and effective way to clean and care for all your jewellery items. You can view and purchase Connoisseurs from our online shop here .