There are many traditions surround February 14th, some romantic, some celebrating the beginnings of Spring  –  In Europe, Saint Valentine’s Keys are given to lovers “as a romantic symbol and an invitation to unlock the giver’s heart” ….. but if ever there was a time to treat your loved one to something special and unexpected […]

We think that every anniversary is a time for celebration (and not just weddings – how about the number of years you’ve been together or a personal achievement?) but while most of us are familiar with the traditional gifts associated with the major milestones, there is a little-known list, (compiled over the years by many […]

Mother’s Day or Mothering Sunday falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent and is the modern celebration of mums and motherhood. There are many historical meanings associated with the day but the sentiment is always the same –  Mum deserves a treat and this is her special day!! However you decide to spoil her, you can’t go […]

Selecting, researching or designing an engagement ring for a surprise proposal needn’t be the head-spinning process it’s cracked up to be.  Whether you’re considering a bespoke, commissioned ring or looking to find the perfect piece glinting at you in the corner of a shop window, then fear not because before you start shopping, we’ve got […]

On the bench today… transforming a family heirloom into contemporary pieces Our client came to us with a traditional claw set sapphire and diamond ring with a request to use both the gold and stones in contemporary pieces (the ring had belonged to her grandmother and had sentimental value). During the consultation, our client favoured the […]

On the bench today… we showcase how you can re-use a sentimental item of jewellery A customer came to us with the hopes of re-designing two inherited engagement rings, looking for a ‘statement’ piece that would re-use the existing gold and diamonds from their sentimental pieces. Taking inspiration from our popular Husk ring (its simple design is […]

  Handmade jewellery vs mass produced It is a misnomer that the majority of jewellery on the market is machine made and mass produced. In fact, high street, mass produced jewellery has been hand assembled and finished by a human being somewhere along the way. That said, there’s nothing like a piece of jewellery that […]

On the bench today… we are showcasing a bespoke 18ct yellow gold fish pendant, produced by our talented in-house team. This commission was for a 60th birthday gift, made from the customer’s own gold and based on a design sketched by his daughter. Having communicated the overall concept of the pendant to us we drew up a technical illustration of […]

Whether it’s decorating the table centrepieces or making your own wedding favours, the DIY wedding craze is in full swing. Pinterest and other social media sites are awash with ideas on how to go about creating and personalising anything from the wedding venue to the cake. It’s a chance for both families to get involved […]

On the bench today… an 18ct yellow gold Constantine ring with Old Cut diamond 0.27ct     Browse Diamonds for more styles and stone setting variations in 18ct yellow and white gold. If you don’t see the exact ring you’re looking for, or would like another metal, then please get in touch for a design consultation. Telephone 01582 […]

On the bench today… 18ct yellow gold bespoke emerald earrings Our clients came to us to make a pair of emerald and diamond earrings to match an engagement ring we had previously made for them: They were looking for an emerald cut stone surrounded by 0.02ct diamonds set in 18ct yellow gold – a traditional […]

On the bench today… the making of our Globe Tide pendant (with cuttlefish casting!) The workshop is always buzzing with activity. The sound of hammering, sawing and polishing spill into the shop but it’s not often we get the chance to sneak next door and observe an ancient jewellery making technique in action! Cuttlefish casting is used […]

National Seed Gathering Season – From 23rd September through to 23rd October To celebrate the beginning of the Seed Gathering Season – traditionally considered to be the start of Autumn and ‘a month-long festival organised by The Tree Council, which aims to inspire people to get outside and gather, nurture and germinate tree seeds for […]

Rachel and her labradoodle are stars of the Christmas issue of Woman & Home magazine!  The national women’s monthly magazine was searching for participants for a feature on how Christmas would be different this year.  Rachel approached the journalist herself.  “It occurred to me that the arrival of my dog Joffa has had such a […]

  Learning a new skill keeps our minds sharp and our lives interesting.  It can enhance your social skills & social life, memory, wellbeing, self worth, even employment prospects. Stretch yourself, surprise yourself, do something different. “Learning affects our well-being in lots of positive ways. It exposes us to new ideas and helps us stay […]

 A few gift ideas for your Dad that will beat the usual socks & chocs! Cannikin cups for a dram of whisky, silver sporting bookmarks, silver sugar and coffee spoons, Crown cufflinks, Golf ball cufflinks, Iced Gem silver cufflinks, Rugby ball cufflinks.                   

Those with April birthdays enjoy the diamond as their birthstone. What is it about this stone which sets is apart from others?  Here is some background…   Where do diamonds come from? Just like gold and silver that form naturally in the earth, diamonds do too. Diamonds are minerals made up of carbon.  They are […]

March birthstone is aquamarine. In her book ‘The Crystal Bible’ Judy Hall writes “aquamarine is a stone of courage.  Its calming energies reduce stress and quiet the mind.  It harmonizes its surroundings and protects against pollutants.  In ancient times it was believed to counteract the forces of darkness and procure favor from the spirits of […]

February birthstone is amethyst. To me amethyst is quite a regal stone, I love it paired with peridot, and it’s a favourite with our customers whether they have a February birthday or not! It looks really beautiful in both white and gold metals as shown here.  It’s also one of my favourite stones which looks […]

On Saturday a lovely couple joined our Ring/Bangle making workshop to make each other’s wedding rings. They took some fantastic photos of the process and shared them with us. Below shows their silver rings, before we’ll cast them in palladium and white gold. For more information on making your own wedding rings, take a look […]

Garnets are such beautiful stones – I love to use the very deep blood reds from Mozambique, so rich and wearable.  The colour reminds me of pomegranate, red apples, and dramatic fairy tale reds.  They are sometimes considered to represent love, and are the brithstone for January. On the Mohs scale which ranks mineral hardness […]

“Who first comes to this world below With drear November’s fog and snow, Should prize the topaz’s amber hue, Emblem of friends and lovers true.” Topaz is the November birthstone.  Here it is described with an “amber hue” but it can also be brown, clear, red-pink, green, or blue. I like to use the blue […]