Laura and John Bartle – Customer Story
Laura and John have a unique story to share from their experience with us at Pruden and Smith. Their journey led to them having not one, not two, but three bespoke engagement and wedding bands made for their special day(s). Read about their experience below.
Choosing the perfect ring
When Laura and John decided to get married, they began looking for bespoke engagement rings. Initially, their searches resulted in finding an online jeweller that allowed customers to tailor their designs by choosing their preferred metal and gemstones. This wasn’t enough, and wanting a personalised experience to commemorate their special occasion, they continued searching and were delighted when they came across Pruden and Smith.
Taking a slight detour on a weekend trip to Eastbourne, Laura and John visited our Workshop and Gallery in Ditchling. They spent an hour with Kat, our Gallery Manager and Gemstone Specialist, who explained the different qualities of the special metals they could choose from. Having decided on Platinum or 18ct Gold Trap Rings, Laura and John went to the Green Welly for a coffee break and to celebrate. It was during a conversation there that John, an Engineer, wondered if he’d be able to hammer the ring himself, so after revisiting the workshop it was agreed they could add their own special ‘punch’ mark.
When John bravely took the hammer
At their second Design Appointment, Laura and John met with our Creative Director, Rebecca to choose the diamonds and which gaps to set them in the Trap Ring. Then, Rebecca guided them on a tour of the workshop, to share the journey of how each piece of Pruden and Smith jewellery is handmade on-site. Following this and after a demonstration from Rebecca, John bravely took the hammer and punched their signature design into the side of Laura’s engagement ring.
A workshop proposal!
When the rings were ready a few weeks later, much to Laura’s surprise, John had arranged with Rebecca and Kat to officially propose to Laura upon collection of her ring at the Workshop – an exciting and memorable first time experience for us all.
Laura’s Trap Ring was initially going to be an all-in-one engagement, wedding and eternity ring, but they were so pleased with the results that they decided to buy matching 2mm Side Hammered 18ct Gold Wedding Bands, with their punch marks on the outer surface that they again added themselves.
The Hand Tying Ceremony in Scotland
Unfortunately, Laura and John’s unique story took place during Covid, which unsurprisingly had an impact on their wedding plans. In the uncertainty of it all, they decided to hold a Hand Tying Ceremony in Gretna Green, Scotland to celebrate their commitment to one another. For this, they commissioned another two 18ct Gold rings, to match their wedding rings – these ones had a “rebellious” black diamond embedded into the side of the rings, and of course their signature ‘punch’!
On the morning of their wedding day, John presented Laura with a unique eternity ring – with black, white and grey diamonds. “It was absolutely perfect. I now have (if I have added up correctly) 10mm of various, beautiful, stunning, bespoke rings and I love them all.” said Laura.
The journey continues…
Since their special engagement and marriage story, John and Laura have become regular customers of ours at Pruden and Smith, buying a range of gifts for themselves, their friends and family.
Laura shared that her jewellery from Pruden and Smith is now the only jewellery she wears and, after having received some inheritance, she chose to commission another item. This time it was for a side hammered bangle with their signature ‘punch’ marks added. Laura explained to us that: “It was perfect – and still is. I showed this to my Uncle Lou who was really pleased that I had used his money on something so special – and in his words – to remind me of him, we all had a laugh over this comment but a few months later he passed away so this bangle is even more special to me.” Having heard about the significance of this bangle, we feel proud to have created such a unique piece, that holds sentimental value for Laura and her family in memory of her uncle.
Our team are thrilled to have been part of their captivating marriage story. Stories like this are why we love designing handmade jewellery that will be: Forever. Original.
We’d like to thank Laura and John for their continued support of our business, and look forward to working with them in the future.
Thank you for reading!
Redesigning your old jewellery maintains its sentimental value while producing something of beauty you will enjoy wearing. If you look in your jewellery box it is likely to contain treasured items of jewellery that remind you of precious memories documenting your life, your families and friends. Pruden and Smith offer you the opportunity to review your entire collection. Starting with a free overview of all your jewellery we discuss each item its sentimental value, its financial value and what aspects of it you like or dislike. Items that you do not wear are assessed by testing and cataloguing the sizes and shapes of any stones that might be reused and the colour and carat of the metals without damage to the items). Discussions about what you would like to achieve from the process are both informative, creative and fun. A plan is developed, often with several pieces that can be made over time for different members of the family. Precious metals if not of sentimental value can be practical/economical for reuse costs involved in creating your new jewellery. Browse our website, or visit our workshops and gallery and imagine what you would like to create. If you’re inspired make an appointment instore or