Category: Gemstone jewellery

Unusual Aquamarine Eternity Rings

Post author By prudenandsmith
Post date 22nd March 2022

Our top twelve Unusual Aquamarine Eternity Rings? Aquamarine is one of our best selling gemstones. With its watery blue green sea tones it makes the perfect companion to diamonds. At 7 on the Mohs scale it wears well and is hard enough to withstand daily wear. It is is the birthstone for March and the gemstone used to celebrate the 19th wedding anniversary.

Eternity rings are traditionally gifted on the 10th wedding anniversary and if you are looking for something a little unusual then aquamarine is the perfect choice. It cones in a wide range of gemstone cuts from round brilliant, princess cut, the very popular emerald cut and the art deco favourite the baguette cut. All the designs in our eternity ring catalogue are available in aquamarine, on its own or mixed with diamond. Try it with green Tsavorite for a vibrant unusual mix! aquamarine looks equally good in both platinum, rose gold or yellow gold.

Princess Cut and round brilliant diamonds and aquamarines work well together as the cuts match well. mix platinum and gold to warm up you ring.

All our rings are designed to fit with your existing rings if required. Often today the eternity ring is also worn on the right hand to allow for a more unusual ring that expresses who you are without the constraint of fitting with your wedding and engagement ring. Anything goes!

Baguette cut and diamond full and half eternity rings Claw set and fitting aquamarine and diamond alternating eternity rings

Aquamarine is a fascinatingly beautiful gemstone, it’s name comes from the Latin for seawater not just for it’s colour but because it was said to calm waves and keep sailors safe at sea. The best Aquamarines combine high clarity with limpid transparency shining over an extraordinarily beautiful range of blue to green colours. It occurs in large crystals inspiring creative gemstone designers to create new artistic cuts again and again due to it’s many good qualities and it’s hardness makes it very tough and protects it to a large extent from scratches. It is almost as popular as the classics: ruby, sapphire and emerald. The more intense the colour of an aquamarine, the more value is put on it.

Aquamarine jewellery Engagement rings

Aquamarine Engagement Rings

Post author By prudenandsmith
Post date 31st January 2022

Aquamarine Engagement Rings are an unusual but increasingly popular modern choice. Perfectly matched with diamonds and platinum with a smattering of yellow, rose or even green gold. We design you a unique ring based on your personal style or iconography. From a traditional modern take on the classic cluster or art deco inspired engagement ring, through a simple contemporary classic to the creative and organic.

Art deco inspired rings use the emerald cut or the baguette cut diamond and aquamarine. The rings like the gemstone cut have simple angled lines and clean cuts that give a geometric elegance that is just as fresh today as it was in the 1930’s.

The Edwardians popularised the classic cluster ring. A central aquamarine instead of the traditional sapphire really updates the look that had a resurgence in recent times when Princess Diana’s engagement ring was gifted to Kate Middleton by Prince William on their engagement.

Contemporary engagement rings can take any form and its important that they express who you and your partner are. in the rings above an aquamarine and a diamond was set into a design based on our inwards spiky engagement ring to symbolise a couples love of astronomy and the study of the planets. The green and white gold aquamarine engagement ring symbolises a couples shared love of the beach and the sea.

As you put together your ideas for an ideal engagement ring to propose with it can be useful to think about the moments that you have shared together and if any of those themes symbolise your relationship for you both. An aspect of this can be used either boldly or subtly to make your ring a unique expression of who you are.

Talk to our designer Rebecca Smith about aquamarine Engagement rings online or instore.

Make Appointment

Eternity rings Ruby jewellery

Ruby Eternity Rings Handmade in Sussex

Post author By prudenandsmith
Post date 16th September 2021

Ruby Eternity Rings: Ruby Old Cut Diamond Eternity Ring

Ruby eternity rings are a wonderful alternative to a purely diamond eternity ring. Perfect for anyone who loves a splash of colour. Rubies are also the birthstone for July, and the traditional wedding anniversary gift for the 40th wedding anniversary. Ruby works particularly well with diamonds for contrast. You can also combine rubies with other gemstones such as sapphires. Rubies can be cut into many different shapes, we love to create unusual eternity rings with square or baguette cut rubies.

By far the most popular combination for a ruby eternity ring, is to set the rubies with diamonds in yellow gold. The warmth of the gold brings out the red in the rubies and the cool white diamonds provide contrast. Rubies also look fabulous in platinum or white gold, the vivid red really stands out against the white metal. When choosing an eternity ring it is important to consider what you will wear it next to. If you are going to be wearing the ring next to another ring then it must be made from the same metal. Some people choose to wear their eternity ring on another finger so that they can choose something a little bit different to their existing jewellery.

Many of our ruby eternity rings have rubover settings where the rubies are fully enclosed in a metal surround. This setting style is very popular because of its contemporary style and because they are very practical to wear. Other setting styles include claw set and channel set. Sometimes these styles can be ideal when you are matching an existing ring set in this way.

Unusual Ruby Eternity Rings

If you are looking for a ring that will stand alone you can get really creative. You can also choose a more substantial design. We love to create these really unusual pieces. Here are a few of our favourites:

Our Ruby Eternity Ring Side Hammered is a great design if you are looking for something a bit chunkier. The rubies measure 6x4mm and the overall width of the finished ring is 10mm. The undulating edge of the side-hammered metal gives it a fluid organic feel.

Wider rings don’t necessarily have to have larger stones. These two rings are made up of lots of smaller diamonds and rubies to create a wider band overall. With this look you can either create a single wide band or stack of three narrower rings that slot together to create the wider effect.

Another way to create a band with more impact is with the metalwork itself. This intricate filigree style ring is ornate and impactful whilst also remaining delicate and feminine.

If you’re looking for the perfect ruby eternity ring, book a free design consultation with Rebecca Smith to discuss your ideas: book here

Birth Stones Sapphire jewellery Uncategorised

Alternative Sapphire Birthstone Jewellery

Post author By prudenandsmith
Post date 11th August 2021

Sapphire is the birthstone for September. If you know someone with a September birthday, you might enjoy our alternative sapphire birthstone jewellery ideas. Whilst the most well-known colour for a sapphire is blue, they can also be pink, purple, green, yellow, and orange. If you’re looking for unusual sapphire birthstone jewellery, coloured sapphires are a great choice. This rainbow sapphire eternity ring was made as special commission in varying shades of coloured sapphires pave set into platinum.

Mixing a couple of shades of sapphire can create a beautiful tonal quality. This side hammered eternity ring has a mix of pale blue, bright blue and pink sapphires with diamonds. Sapphires also look nice mixed with aquamarine and diamond as we have done in this Bubbles pendant.

This gorgeous 7ct multi coloured sapphire stacking ring was designed from a collection of a clients own sapphires. They were bought many years ago in India and have sat in a drawer waiting to be used. Blue sapphires look gorgeous in both yellow gold or white gold/ platinum. For something a little different why not choose rose gold. This ring was handmade in rose gold to compliment the pink hues of the stones.

Alternative Sapphire Birthstone Jewellery: Yellow Sapphires

At Pruden and Smith we love yellow sapphires. They are sunny and bright and make a real statement in a sapphire dress ring. Yellow sapphires can vary in shade from a pale lemon yellow, to a warm amber. We often set yellow sapphires in yellow gold to reflect their warmth and pair them with diamonds set in white gold to add a cool contrast.

If you are interested in coloured sapphires, why not book a design appointment with our designer Rebecca Smith. She can get a selection of wonderful sapphires in for you to choose from. Book your free consultation here or call 01273 846338.

Birth Stones Peridot jewellery Uncategorised

Peridot August Birthstone Jewellery

Post author By prudenandsmith
Post date 6th July 2021

Peridot is the birthstone for August. Peridot is a variety of the mineral olivine. It is one of only two gemstones not formed in the Earth’s crust, but in the molten rock of the upper mantle. It is associated with calm, peace, harmony, and health. This lovely vibrant stone adds a great flash of colour to our favourite peridot August birthstone jewellery designs. It is set off equally well by gold or silver and can be paired with other gemstones such as diamond, aquamarine and topaz for tonal harmony, or amethyst for vibrant contrast! We personally love to mix the warmth of gold and peridot with the calm coolness of diamond and aquamarine. It is a great addition to a coloured cluster ring, or unusual stacking ring. It can even make a lovely eternity ring when paired with diamonds.

Peridot August Birthstone Jewellery under £150

We’ve put together a little gift guide showcasing some lovely peridot birthstone gifts under £150. Whether you prefer a simple silver peridot stud, or an unusual chunky rough peridot stacking ring, there is something for all tastes.

Hammered Heart Peridot Pendant – £150
Hammered Peridot Earstuds Heart – from £120
Silver Nugget Earstuds 6mm with 3mm Gemstone – £99
Peridot Stacking Rings – £120 each

Unusual Peridot Rings under £400

Birthstone jewellery doesn’t have to be boring! It can be hard to find something unique when searching for birthstone jewellery. There are a lot of plain pendants and earrings, but finding something with a little more personality can be tough, particularly if you are looking for an unusual peridot dress ring. Here are a few of our favourite silver designs to give you some inspiration:

Side Hammered Peridot Pear Ring – £380
Silver Peridot Wrap Round Ring – £220
Parallel Inwards Spiky Ring Marquise Peridot – £380
Moi et Toi Cocktail Ring with Peridot and Blue Topaz – £360

For more peridot gift ideas check out our peridot gallery.

Birth Stones Ruby jewellery

Ruby July Birthstone Jewellery

Post author By prudenandsmith
Post date 8th June 2021

We design a wide range of ruby July birthstone jewellery, everything from understated ear studs to bold cluster rings. Ruby is one our favourite coloured stones to work with. It is a variety of the mineral corundum, the same mineral family as sapphire, and gains its colour from the presence of the element chromium. Long considered a stone of kings, ruby has been prized since antiquity for its vibrant colour, and is said to symbolise nobility, passion, and personal power/energy. As well as being the July birthstone it is also given on the 15th and 40th wedding anniversaries, and is a popular choice for engagement rings and Valentine’s Day jewellery.

All of our ruby rings are designed and handmade in our on-site workshop. We work to order in rose, yellow, or white gold and platinum. Rubies pair particularly well with diamonds and 18ct yellow gold. Here are a few of our favourite designs…

Prices of rubies are primarily determined by colour. They range from pink to dark red, the brightest and most valuable red called ‘pigeon blood’. We have an excellent supplier of top quality rubies from Thailand and Burma for bright and deep red rubies to be mounted in fine jewellery and a FairTrade mine in Tanzania for slightly cheaper pinker gems. The mine has also been able to supply us with some natural ruby crystals and some uncut ruby shapes that look fabulous combined with our gold and silver “nugget” beads.

These gold ruby pear shaped earstuds and pendant were made for a ruby wedding anniversary. The AAA quality rubies measuring 5x4mm can be set in handmade in 9ct or 18ct yellow, rose or white gold or platinum with post and scroll fittings.

Alternative Ruby July Birthstone Jewellery – Ruby Zoisite

Ruby Zoisite is a naturally occurring composite gemstone comprised of both ruby and zoisite crystals in a single stone. It can vary in colour and pattern depending on the particular composition of the individual specimen. Zoisite has an earthy emerald green colour, contrasted by the pink and red highlights of the ruby. Ruby-zoisite is also heavily included with black hornblende minerals. Ruby-zoisite is currently only found in Tanzania. Although ruby-zoisite is not fine ruby, it is one of the most colourful ornamental gemstones available.

For more ruby jewellery ideas check out our ruby jewellery gallery: prelive.prudenandsmith.com/shop/gemstone-jewellery/ruby-jewellery

Bespoke jewellery Bespoke rings Birth Stones Emerald jewellery

May Birthstone: Emerald Birthstone Jewellery

Post author By prudenandsmith
Post date 21st April 2021

May Birthstone: Emerald Birthstone Jewellery doesn’t have to be boring. Birthstone jewellery has a reputation of being uninspiring and often not even made from real gemstones or precious metals. At Pruden and Smith we do birthstone jewellery with a difference! Our work is lovingly designed and handmade in the heart of the historic arts and crafts town of Ditchling.

We have a wide rage of emerald jewellery. Our unusual Brazilian rough emerald designs are in stock and available to buy in store or have delivered next day. Beautiful bespoke emerald rings can be handmade to order in approximately 4-6 weeks. Take a look at our emerald jewellery collection to find the perfect emerald gift!

Emerald Rings Under £1000

Emeralds vary greatly in price depending on the cut clarify and colour of the stone. If you are looking for an emerald ring on a budget, these emerald and diamond rings under £1000 could be the perfect choice. The emeralds are mixed with diamonds for some extra sparkle. Our Emerald Diamond Offset Bubbles Ring features five round 2mm emeralds and five 2mm round diamonds set in your choice of 9ct yellow, white, or rose gold. This design also makes a wonderful emerald eternity ring. This Vintage Emerald Diamond Trilogy Engagement Ring features a 4.5mm round emerald and two 3mm diamonds set in 18ct yellow gold with a beaded edged details. This dainty ring is a lovely piece for the vintage jewellery lover.

May Birthstone: Emerald Showstoppers

Whether it is a 3ct oval emerald, a 1ct pear shaped emerald, or a 3ct emerald cut emerald, we can source stunning emeralds with a real wow factor! To find out more about emeralds and discuss commissioning a bespoke emerald ring, book a free one-hour no-obligation design consultation with our designer Rebecca. BOOK A DESIGN CONSULTATION HERE.

Emerald Birthstone Jewellery with a difference – Rough Emeralds

For something a bit different, take a look at our rough emerald jewellery. Our rough Brazilian emeralds have been carefully cut to preserve the rough texture on the surface of the emerald for a natural organic “found” look. The roughness of the cut of emerald gives an undulating outline to the gold plated silver setting edge which has been textured to match.

Aquamarine jewellery

Aquamarine Jewellery The March Birthstone

Post author By prudenandsmith
Post date 10th March 2021

Aquamarine hues can range from blueish green, blue-green, greenish blue, to deep blue, and its tones can vary from very light to moderately dark. In Western cultures, due to its colour and name, it has a folklore strongly connected to the sea. Here’s a selection of the many varied looks of Aquamarine Jewellery The March Birthstone.

Stunning as a solitaire contemporary engagement or dress ring:

Mixed with diamonds in platinum for a classic multi stone ring or eternity

Mixed with multi coloured gemstones in fun stacking rings and pendants

Giant included aquamarine cabochons make fabulous cocktail rings

Blue Topaz is a less expensive gemstone with some shades resembling aquamarine. Some shades are more electric than you would expect of aquamarine like this swiss blue topaz stacking ring. Blue topaz tends to be heat treated where as Aquamarine is not. Pale shades or included material is less expensive than the stronger colours.

Contact our designer to select you a beautiful aquamarine to view as a starting point to creating your own handmade bespoke Aquamarine Jewellery The March Birthstone. Book your appointment here

A little history:

Aquamarine has been used as jewellery for at least 3000 years and is referenced in Sumerian, Egyptian, Greek and Roman writings. The Greeks called it the sailor’s stone and The Roman philosopher Pliny suggested ‘the lovely aquamarine . . . . seems to have come from some mermaid’s treasure house’. In those days it was not called aquamarine but ‘sea-green beryl’ and in some ancient texts it was one of the seven sacred stones taken to sea to ensure a safe return.

Pricing and origin:

Aquamarine can be found in fairly large sizes but it is color and clarity that make the price. Cutters remove the blemished or impure parts of the stone to create a smaller, strongly coloured stone. A small transparent stone of saturated deep blue will be worth a stone twice its size if it is pale with inclusions.

Although Brazil was once the prime source of the valuable Santa Maria aquamarine those mines have been exhausted and now it is only colour that really determines the value not where the gemstones come from. So long as they possess that strong blue colour they can be mined in Madagascar, Burma or Colorado! Original documented gems with good colour from Siberia or Brazil are highly valued.

Engagement rings Sapphire jewellery

Dutch Tulip Sapphire Engagement Ring

Post author By prudenandsmith
Post date 7th July 2020

The Dutch Tulip Sapphire Engagement Ring was handmade in platinum and features a 1ct Ceylon Sapphire in a beautiful rich shade of blue. This unusual engagement ring features a tulip flower setting for the central sapphire, with diamonds set in an organic leaf design on the shoulders of the ring. The diamond settings have a beaded edge to give the ring that delicate vintage feel.

Designing the Dutch Tulip Sapphire Engagement Ring

This ring is part of our Vintage Engagement Ring Collection which is made up of a series of setting styles and bands that can be interchanged to created a personalised look. For this client, the tulip design of the setting was very significant because tulip it is the national flower of his fiancé’s home country, The Netherlands. Sapphire was also of personal significance so we incorporated both of these elements in the design. The client was presented with a number of design variations to choose from, below you can see a CAD sketch featuring an alternative band style.

Sapphire is the most popular coloured gemstone for engagement rings. It is the birthstone for September and the traditional gift for a 45th wedding anniversary. As well as blue, sapphire comes in a large variety of other colours, including yellow, orange, green, pink and purple. Sapphires in colours other than blue are called fancy sapphires or particoloured sapphires. In many cultures, sapphires are said to symbolise nobility, truth, sincerity, and faithfulness. Sapphire is also a very practical stone for everyday wear due to its hardness. It scores 9 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness which is the second highest rating next to diamond at 10, making them a perfect choice for an unusual engagement ring.

If you are considering commissioning a bespoke engagement ring or would like to know more about sapphire engagement rings why not give us a call or book a free design consultation today!

Emerald jewellery Engagement rings

An Unusual Choice: Emerald Engagement Rings

Post author By prudenandsmith
Post date 8th March 2020

Emerald engagement rings are in the news today as Boris Johnson announces his engagement. In a visit to the races the engagement ring was revealed for the first time and it is An Unusual Choice: Emerald Engagement Rings are not as popular as the sapphire engagement rings that have been favored by the Royal family but are a stunning alternative along with ruby. These traditional statement engagement rings are all set as cluster rings where a large centre gemstone is surrounded by a frame of smaller diamonds.

*A Traditional emerald and diamond cluster ring*

Whist creating beautiful classically traditional rings we also love to design and make contemporary rings. We love this unusual emerald engagement ring and diamond wedding band made for a client last year. It features a one carat round emerald set in 18ct yellow gold with a rounded end platinum shank. The 5 mm wide wedding band was channel set with 1ct round brilliant cut diamonds giving a very modern and individual look.

A platinum contemporary 1ct emerald engagement ring and 2ct diamond set wedding band

These rings have featured round and oval emeralds however we often think of an emerald as being an “emerald cut” gemstone. The emerald cut was developed especially for emeralds as when they are cut square their structure means the corners are prove to chipping off easily so the octagonal emerald cut made practical sense to gem cutters. We usually set the emerald in yellow gold as it strengthens the richness of the green of the emerald as you can see in this ring and the one below. Using white metals for the setting brings out the blue of the green more, making it cooler on colour tone. Its very individual which colour is preferred. You can compare the colour effects in the two rings just handmade as bespoke commissions in our workshop below:

Fresh out of the workshop an emerald cut diamond and emerald cut emerald ring in 18ct yellow gold

And another beauty, this time in platinum, an Art Deco inspired Engagement ring

2ct emerald cluster ring — *A stunning fishtail set 2.5ct emerald ring*

We use emeralds in a variety of other ring styles. From eternity rings to fun rings, all of which can be commissioned as a bespoke engagement ring from our Sussex workshop in Ditchling. What would you ask us to create?

An Unusual Choice: Emerald Engagement Rings, Dress Rings and Eternity Rings

Cookie	Duration	Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional	11 months	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
tk_ai
viewed_cookie_policy	11 months	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

Cookie	Duration	Description
_ga		Google Analyics
_gat_gtag_UA_7793593_1		Google Analytics
_gid		Google Analytics