Month: May 2020

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Signet rings

Traditional Birthday Gifts: Signet Rings

Traditional Birthday Gifts: Signet Rings

Traditional Birthday Gifts: Signet Rings have come back round into fashion and are one of the most frequently requested coming of age birthday gift. To suit all budgets they come in silver, 9ct and 18ct yellow white or rose golds and platinum. Which birthday signifies the coming of age is now very much up to individual families: 16th, 18th, 21st, 25th are all candidates along with graduations, first job and leaving home dates.

These rings were designed with a very practical purpose in mind. Originally signet rings were used to stamp, or sign a document. The metal shapes leave a permanent mark in any soft wax or clay and this would be placed onto a variety of legal documents. The earliest known use of a signet ring was around 3500BC and their mark was trusted more than a signature. Every ring was unique, the markings usually included the family crest but there would always be a significant mark which personally identified the ring holder. Some of the rings were simple monograms or icons which were associated with the most important families. All rings were reverse engineered to ensure that the design came out properly when they were stamped on a document. Of course, this level of detail also ensured the rings were expensive and very difficult to copy. If you want to read more about the signet rings history this is an interesting short article by The History Press.

You can now look up your family crest online by typing in your surname or create your own. Ideally your signet ring will be personalised in someway as to be unique to you. From elegantly engraved lettering to secret gemstones and intricate pictures. What would you commission?

Rose Gold Signet RingEngraved Rose Gold Signet Ring

A 9ct Rose Gold Signet Ring with Rampant Lion

 

 

Engraved Monogram Signet Ring

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A 9ct Yellow Gold Signet Ring with Monogrammed engraved Initials

 

Regimental Signet RingRegimental Signet Ring Seal Impression

A Regimental Signet Ring

 

 

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Bespoke jewellery Bespoke rings

Lockdown Entertainment: Redesign Your Old Jewellery Online

Lockdown Entertainment: Redesign Your Old Jewellery

Lockdown Entertainment: Redesign Your Old Jewellery. (currently offered online using zoom-book here) Spend a few happy hours going through your jewellery box or attic and identify anything that you no longer wear or that is broken. You are looking for items made in gold, white rose or yellow or platinum and gemstones. We do use silver and other materials but only if they are really of great sentimental value to you or you can end up paying to have it remade more that what it is finally worth. Many of the items that you find will likely have many memories attached. Perhaps you wore the piece for a long time before it wore out or perhaps someone close to you gave you a ring that was not to your taste. Other times the memories are not so positive perhaps from relationship breakdown where you have been left with valuable materials that you can’t enjoy. Every piece of jewellery always tells a story. before you know it you may have spent hours just getting this far.

Once you have gathered your materials and your memories together you can begin to speculate: Who would you like to make a piece of jewellery for? For yourself or for gifting to a friend or family member? What will the item be? How many items will your jewellery make? Its useful to have thought about this before your design appointment but don’t get overly attached to any one idea before your metal and gems have been inventoried. Creative Diamond eternity rings sussexWriting an inventory of your materials is the first part of your appointment. Once designer Rebecca Smith has established what metals and gems you have and has listened to your requirements she can give you an idea of the number and type of items that the materials will transform into. Sometimes you can sell some of your materials to cover the making charge.

Recycled diamond and gem cuff bangle bespoke sussex

Many of our designs have been developed as a canvas to unite gemstones and metals that may at first seem difficult to combine, even broken opals. This cuff bangles is a perfect example of how to bring together recycled gemstones and diamonds.

Three colour gold ruby stacking rings

Sussex Designer Three colour gold ruby dress rings

 

Creative Three colour gold ruby stacking rings

 

This ring combines the three colour golds from a number of different pieces of jewellery along with rubies and diamonds taken from a pair of broken traditional eternity rings. It couldn’t look more Recycled diamond and gem cuff bangle bespoke Sussex! The ring was designed to stack as three individual rings, one for each daughter eventually. Great planning! Its also super flexible if you want an every day ring that you can build up or down depending on what you are doing.diamond Trilogy Earstuds

Of course redesigning your old jewellery does not have to be a super exotic affair. these simple diamond trefoil earstuds were made from the platinum and diamonds from an old eternity ring.

So create some Lockdown Entertainment: Redesign Your Old Jewellery Online with our help. Book your appointment here