The 4 C's
Hallmarking
Hallmarking
When buying a diamond it is important to know about 4 C's. Colour, Carat, Clarity & Cut.
Good colour diamonds range from D-F, lesser white ones G-H. Carat is the overall weight (width & depth), Clarity can be anything from VS, VVs, SI, based on any inclusions visible under a loupe & Cut can be Brilliant cut, princess, oval, emerald etc.
Hallmarking
Hallmarking
Hallmarking
I use the London Assay office to get my pieces hallmarked. It is a legal requirement for over 1g of gold & 7.78g of silver to be hallmarked.
Sometimes smaller items weighing under the gram weight are exempt and may not be marked, but most of my pieces are.
Gemstones
Hallmarking
What Metal?
Gemstones can be a bit of a mind boggle as there are so many beautiful ones to choose from! They come as facetted stones, cabochons & beads.
Please see more info on gemstones in the bit below!
What Metal?
How long does it take to make?
What Metal?
It all depends on personal preference when deciding on which metal you'd like something made in. Silver is the softest metal, 9ct yellow gold is hard, whereas 18ct yellow is softer, and is a buttery/ sunshine colour. 18ct white gold is harder than 9ct white gold (opposite to yellow gold) & it is worth noting that most white gold is rhodium plated, giving it that bright white finish. (I do not have a plating machine so wouldn't be able to do this) Platinum is the hardest metal but good for longevity. In my opinion silver & 18ct yellow gold looks fabulous together!
Packaging
How long does it take to make?
How long does it take to make?
My pieces all come in their own textured gift boxes and wrapped up well. I have beautiful sparkly bags as well if you would like one!
If I am sending items in the post I will send them special delivery as that is insured.
How long does it take to make?
How long does it take to make?
How long does it take to make?
Pieces can take anything from 4- 6 weeks to make and may need extra time depending on how complicated they are.
There is the make time, plus allowing 2 weeks to be hallmarked if necessary.
Facetted Stones
Semi-precious beads
Facetted Stones
Precious & semi-precious stones can all be facetted. These add extra sparkle to your piece and are most typical in rings.
Cabochon stones
Semi-precious beads
Facetted Stones
Cabochons are stones which are domed and have flat backs making a more natural look. Typically amber is in cab form which highlights things inside it! One of my most favourite of stones is the rutilated quartz. It is a clear stone, but has shards of rutile running through it which are golden in colour.
Semi-precious beads
Semi-precious beads
Semi-precious beads
Semi-precious beads can come in all shapes & sizes. You can get briolette cuts, pears, cabochon, square, rondell and more.
The lovely thing about beads is that you can mix & match to any palette you want. These are usually strung using silk, cable, or wire-work techniques.
Pearls
Semi-precious beads
Semi-precious beads
There are natural, seawater and freshwater pearls as well as the expensive pearls- Tahitian and Akoya pearls. Freshwater are the most affordable and are grown in mussels in riverbeds. Seawater are grown in mussels or oysters in the sea.
Pearls can also be coloured by adding a dye to the water while they are growing.