Precious metals

Diamond setting is a meticulous process that involves securing a diamond or diamonds into a piece of jewellery, such as a ring. This task is performed by skilled artisans known as setters, who use various techniques to ensure that the stones are not only aesthetically pleasing but also securely fastened. The most common diamond settings include prong, bezel, pave, channel, and tension settings, each offering its unique allure and security level for the stones.

As gold is a soft metal the higher the karat of the gold within your piece of jewellery, the more easily it will get scratched. Yellow gold can of course be polished, but this does remove a layer of the metal along with the scratches. In contrast, when white gold gets too many scratches, you can always polish them out and have the piece replated with rhodium, restoring the jewellery’s surface layer. Lower karat yellow gold is more durable, but if you are allergic to the nickel in gold alloys, a 10 karat or even a 14 karat piece may not work for you. Both yellow and white gold have their disadvantages, and while white gold fairs slightly better in terms of overall durability, neither is a perfect choice in this respect. This is the main reason as to why you should make your choice primarily based on colour.

Getting engaged is a major commitment and for the person making the proposal there are many things to think about.  The most obvious is finding and buying the perfect engagement ring and this can be a minefield as engagement rings come with unique financial and emotional expectations. One of the most often asked questions by our customers is ‘how many carats should an engagement ring be?'  The reason for this question tends to be that carat is commonly associated with both the size of the diamond and its price.  Couple this with a keenness to meet a woman's expectations and you can have a dilemma on your hands as deciding how much to spend rests in striking a balance between dazzling your beloved without tarnishing your future financial goals together.

With the flurry of excitement over the royal engagement of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, many couples are now deciding to make a formal commitment to one another by getting engaged. So if you have finally decided to pop the question to your other half this Christmas you will no doubt want to find the perfect engagement ring beforehand. Here is where it gets interesting!  Considerations such as how much should you be spending, what style of ring to choose, size of diamond…. and many more questions will no doubt be going through your head. But don’t worry we are here to help you choose an engagement ring for your bride-to-be that is on trend and that she will fall instantly in love with.

Precious metals are widely used in making jewellery from diamond rings to bracelets to earrings and cufflinks. The most well-known and widely used in the jewellery industry are gold, silver and platinum. The definition of a precious metal is one that is deemed to be rare and therefore have a high monetary value. Precious metals are naturally occurring metallic chemical elements that are less reactive than their sister group, Noble Metals. Due to their high patina, they beautifully complement diamonds as the light bounces off the metallic surface which gives a striking and radiant shine. They are also pliable and flexible which allows for metals such as White, Rose or Yellow gold to be formed. Whilst the diamond within a ring is undoubtedly the focus of the piece, it is the colour, weight and quality of the band on which the diamond is set that is an equally important factor to consider when choosing a ring. Therefore before you decide on a band, we strongly suggest that you know the differences between some of the most popular precious metals used for ring bands, their durability and aftercare – namely of 18 karat white gold, 18 karat yellow gold and platinum which are the precious metals that we recommend for diamond jewellery.