Frequently asked questions

How will you post my item?

We will post your item by Royal Mail Special Delivery service which is guaranteed to be delivered by 1pm the next day, we will phone you before we post the item to make sure you are there to receive it.

It will need to be signed for and will be fully traceable throughout its delivery, it is fully insured and we take full responsibility for delivery of your item.

Can I come and see my item before purchasing?

Of course you can, you can browse our online boutique (as we like to call it) to see if there’s anything you like then you can phone or email us to see if we can make you the item to your own specification or arrange to come and see an item or talk about your ideas and designs or to choose the stones and finalise designs.

However you want to play it, we can work with you.

If you have a firm idea of what you want then we can help you achieve what you have in mind, if you need guidance in your choice of design or quality of stone or just want to give us an idea of what you want to achieve and the sort of money you want to spend then we can help.

Why do we wear wedding bands?

As far as we know, the ancient Egyptians were the first to place a ring on the third finger of the left hand to signify the marriage union.It was placed on that finger because egyptians belived that the ‘vena amoris’ ‘Vein of Love’ ran from this finger to the heart. They used a ring because they believed it symbolized eternity.

At least in part due to this tradition, it became the norm to wear the wedding ring on this finger on the left hand. This has now become a matter of tradition. However, the most widely accepted explanation is that because the majority of people are right-handed, wearing the ring on the left hand makes it less likely to be damaged or lost during everyday activities.

According to some customs, the wedding ring forms the last in a series of gifts, which also may include the engagement ring, traditionally given as a betrothal present. This tradition was quite possibly introduced by the Romans but carries on right through history up to the present day practices.

Other more recent traditions such as spending 3 months wages on the engagement ring as a guide may have been introduced by the Diamond trade as this was the same time in the early part of the 20th century when Diamonds became popular as engagement rings.

A European tradition encourages the engraving of the name of one intended spouse and the date of one's intended marriage on the inside surface of wedding rings, thus strengthening the symbolism and sentimentality of the rings as they become family heirlooms.

wikipedia article on wedding bands

What are the traditional wedding anniversary years?

What are the traditional Birthstones by month?

Is 9ct gold harder than 18ct gold?

The answer is simply no.

Metal hardness is measured by what is called the Vickers scale where harder metals receive a higher Vickers score than less hard metals. 9ct gold has a Vickers hardness ranging from 80 - 120, according to the composition and condition. 18ct gold has a Vickers hardness ranging from 135 - 165 (both in the annealed condition). This shows 18ct gold as harder.

So why is it often assumed that 9ct is harder than 18ct?

Most people are aware that gold in its purest form is too soft to be used successfully in jewellery. It is also common knowledge that when gold is alloyed with other metals it becomes harder. Many people assume that the more "other" metals added, the stronger and harder the resultant alloy. As you can see from the compared Vickers hardness of 9ct and 18ct this is not the case.

There are many different combinations of metals that can be used to make gold alloys and there are many different compositions for both 9 carat and 18 carat ( A carat simply means 1/24th, i.e. one part in 24. 9 carat must be at least 9 parts gold out of 24, which is equivalent to 37.5%. The other 62.5% is made up of alloying additions such as copper, silver, palladium and zinc. 18ct, which is 18 parts out of 24 pure, is equivalent to 75% gold, the remaining 25% is composed of the same type of alloying additions to 9ct). You would be quite correct to assume that each different composition has its own very different characteristics including hardness. It is quite possible to make hard or soft compositions for 9ct and also for 18ct.

What else affects the hardness of gold?

The process in which the item of jewellery is made will also affect its hardness. If any metal is worked by rolling, stretching, bending, hammering or other mechanical process it will tend to become harder and more brittle (it can however be annealed to soften it).

Many alloys can also be hardened or softened by appropriate heat treatment. Heat treatment includes heating to a variety of high temperatures followed by low temperatures for long or short periods of time, followed by cooling at different rates.

What are the differences between the two?

18 ct alloys are almost completely resistant to chemical attack in normal use whereas 9ct alloys are much less resistant. 9ct alloys, for example, will go dull or even black from exposure to chemicals in the atmosphere, they will also discolour in contact with perspiration, chlorine in swimming pools, medication taken by the wearer, bleach and other household chemicals (tarnish can however be removed by polishing).

Can a diamond be damaged?

Yes, even though they appear very hard they can be damaged by high pressure force, the edges are especially vulnerable and can chip if care is not taken, think about cast iron and how strong that is but if hit with enough force it will shatter. They can also scratch each other and because they are so hard can damage other stones by scratching them.

What does ‘Carat’ mean?

The word ‘Carat’ is the Greek word for ‘seed’. It was first used in ancient times to measure weight.

How much does a Carat weigh?

A carat weighs approximately seven thousandths of an ounce. Therefore around 142 carats are required to make an ounce.

A carat is divided into 100 points. A quarter of a diamond is therefore 25 points or 0.25 carats.

What is the difference between red, yellow and white gold?

Even though gold is yellow in colour, when alloyed/mixed with other metals, different colours can be produced. These other metals can be a mixture of palladium, silver, copper, and zinc. White and red gold can be made dependent upon the amount of metal it is alloyed with.

What is a diamond made from?

A diamond is made purely of carbon.

What is a diamond certificate?

A diamond certificate (otherwise known as grading report) is a document that provides specific information about the quality of a diamond.

Why are rings worn on the ‘Ring Finger’?

In terms of practicality, the third finger is the most convenient in terms of offering protection. This is because the first two fingers of a hand are usually more active. This is also the reason why it is on the left hand as opposed to the right.

What does ‘enhancing a gemstone’ mean?

To enhance something means to make it better. In terms of a gemstone the simplest and most basic way is done by cutting or fashioning. However, there are other methods of enhancement such as heating, oiling, irradiation and also dyeing. Theses are methods, which are used to enhance colour, and clarity. In most cases, any enhancements made to a gemstone are permanent.

How should I clean diamond jewellery?

Here are some general guidelines for the care and cleaning of your diamonds:

• Avoid wearing your diamonds while doing housework, gardening or any other kind of rough work. Even though a diamond is extremely durable, a hard blow could chip it.
• Do not place your fingers directly on top of the diamond as oils in your skin will dull the shine (a bit like leaving finger marks on photos)
• Take off your diamond jewellery when putting on any hand creams as the oils in the creams will again make your diamond look dull.
• Unless you regularly clean your diamond jewellery even the best cut and colour diamond will look dull and dark! These methods should NOT be used for any other kind of gems as no other gem is as durable as a diamond:
• Put the item in some just boiled water and soak for 2-3 minutes, take out the diamond jewellery and brush the item with a soft brush (e.g. old toothbrush) especially at the sides and under the diamond, using the toothbrush to get to the hard to reach places but being very carful not to push too hard on the back of the diamond as we don’t want to dislodge it from its setting and seeing your diamond disappear down the sink hole is not an enjoyable experience.
• Avoid using the toothbrush on highly polished areas of the jewellery (as it could cause scratches on the metal parts) focussing as much as possible on the diamond areas then rinse with warm water, shake it a little to remove any excess water and if possible dry it with a soft, lint-free cloth.
• Or using an ultrasonic jewellery cleaner (the boiling water method mimics the cleaning action of an ultrasonic cleaner).

White gold vs. platinum

Is white gold the same as platinum?

The answer to this question is no. White gold and platinum have their own properties which make them unique. The following white gold information and platinum information show you the difference between the two metals.

You will discover the difference between white gold and platinum and whether white gold or platinum is best for your needs.

White Gold

White gold is an alloy of gold and some white metals such as silver and palladium.

White gold can be 18ct, 14ct, 9ct or any carat. For example, 18ct yellow gold is made by mixing 75% gold (750 parts per thousand) with 25% (250 parts per thousand) other metals such as copper and zinc. 18ct white gold is made by mixing 75% gold with 25% other metals such as silver and palladium. So the amount of gold is the same but the alloy is different.

Traditionally nickel was used in white gold, however, nickel is no longer used in most white gold made today as nickel can cause reactions with some people. We do not use nickel in our white gold.

When white gold rings are new they are coated with another white metal called Rhodium. Rhodium is a metal very similar to platinum and Rhodium shares many of the properties of platinum including its white color.

The rhodium plating is used to make the white gold look more white. The natural color of white gold is actually a light grey color. The Rhodium is very white and very hard, but it does wear away eventually. To keep a white gold ring looking its best it should be re-rhodium plated approximately each 12 to 18 months.

Platinum

Platinum is a white metal, but unlike gold it is used in jewellery in almost its pure form (approximately 95% pure). Platinum is extremely long wearing and is very white, so it does not need to be Rhodium plated like white gold.

Platinum is very dense (heavy), so a platinum ring will feel heavier than an 18ct gold ring. Platinum is, however, very expensive. A platinum ring will be approximately twice the price of an 18ct white gold ring (excluding gemstone costs).