Frequently Asked Questions
Whether you’re thinking about remodelling or reusing old jewellery, planning a bespoke commission or engagement ring, or have questions about antique rings, you’ll find the answers below. If there’s something you’d still like to ask, please get in touch.
General
I'd like to buy a ring online and I'm worried about getting the size wrong, can you help?
If the ring is for you, the best way to find out your ring size is to nip into your local jewellers and ask them to measure your finger. Jewellers usually have wide and narrow ring sizers, so if the ring you want is wide, make sure you’re measured for a wide ring and vice versa. Alternatively, you can send me a ring that fits the finger you intend to wear your new ring on, and I can take a measurement from that.
If it’s a surprise, then it’s a little more difficult. As above I can take a measurement from an existing ring, or you could ask a friend to help. There’s more info in the engagement ring FAQ’s. Many rings can be re-sized but it’s better to get it right first time if possible.
How soon will my jewellery be ready?
Wedding and engagement rings usually take 4-6 weeks from order to delivery, customised wedding and engagement rings usually take 6-8 weeks. I operate a waiting list for bespoke and remodelled pieces, usually around 4-5 months. You can find out more here
If I need something really quickly, is that possible?
Sometimes, yes. It really depends on what you want and how soon you need it.
If I need to work outside of normal working hours to make your jewellery more quickly, then I will charge time and a half for doing so.
All jewellery is required by law to be hallmarked. Hallmarking usually takes 5-7 days, however, the Assay Office also have an “emergency service”. It costs approx £50 per item and if necessary, I can take them rather than putting them in the post. If I do need to take them to the Assay Office it does work out rather expensive – about £375 for my time, hallmarking and travel.
Expedited postage, where available, will be charged at cost price.
Can I buy your jewellery if I live outside of the UK?
Can I return a piece of jewellery I bought online?
Commissioned pieces, rings that have been made in your size, items that have been customised or engraved can not be returned. All other items can be returned. See my terms and conditions for further info.
I love your jewellery, but my budget isn't huge. What's the best way to buy a piece of your jewellery?
The most cost effective way is to purchase or customise an existing design. A simple bespoke design might be a possibility – keep it delicate or slim. The heavier a piece becomes the more precious metal is needed, the more complicated the design and the more stones you add, the more expensive it will become. Also, consider having something made in 9ct gold as opposed to 18ct gold or platinum. You might prefer something unique and bespoke in 9ct rather than a simple piece in 18ct gold – only you know whether your priority is metal or craftsmanship. I’m happy to have a quick chat by phone or email, just get in touch
Can I customise an existing design?
How accessible is your shop/studio?
There are two disabled parking spaces closest to the building and parking for approx 20 cars on the car park outside. There is ramped access to the front doors. There is a low level threshold at the door, approx 15mm high. Once inside the building, everything is on one level, the flooring is mostly carpeted. There is a reasonable amount of space to accommodate a wheelchair. There are toilets on the same level, however none are specifically for wheelchair users. I aim to offer a warm welcome to everyone, if there is something that you need, in order to make it possible to visit, do please get in touch. I will do my very best to help.
Could you pop a loop on the top of a single earring for me and turn it into a pendant?
It is possible to have this kind of remodelling done, but this is not something that I offer, prefering instead to concentrate on more creative projects. Your local high street jeweller may be able to do this for you.
Do you repair jewellery?
I only repair jewellery I have made.
Can you give me a ball park price for a ring please?
I can’t I’m afraid, it’s not that simple unfortunately. There are so many different factors that affect price. The design, the materials, complexity, the time it will take to make, the number of stones, their size, quality and colour. Typically my customers will spend between £1500 and £7500 on a remodel and between £3000 and £15000 on a bespoke piece of jewellery. If you have a set budget, feel free to get in touch, tell me what you have in mind and ask me what I can do, I’m always happy to have a chat 🙂
How do you make your jewellery?
My preference is to hand make. However, sometimes I’ll make the original piece by hand and cast in multiples, finishing and setting by hand. I might carve in wax and cast in sand, or design in CAD, before 3D printing and casting. As a minimum, all of my finishing and setting is done by hand. I balance the best technique for that particular piece against cost and customer budget, using a combination of modern and traditional techniques.
Is hand made jewellery more expensive?
Yes, it is. Many many hours go into hand making a piece of jewellery, not to mention the ongoing skills development, design & development time and the sourcing of materials. When I hand make a piece of jewellery I start from scratch, melting down the metal grain into an ingot, rolling the metal into sheet or wire, then forming, forging, piercing drilling, creating settings, filing, sanding, polishing and finally setting the stones. It’s an incredibly skilled but time consuming way of making jewellery. If hand making isn’t your priority, a cost saving can be made using CAD/CAM.
Isn't all jewellery vegan - surely it's just metal and stones?
I don’t use any of these things in my workshop, I’ve been a vegan for 20 years now and my jewellery will always be vegan.
Is your white gold rhodium plated?
No, my white gold isn’t rhodium plated. 9ct white gold is a warm silver colour. For 18ct white gold I use a high palladium white alloy (16%pd) that’s a bright white gold all the way through (as opposed to rhodium plating which is just bright white on the outside). Rhodium plating is used on cheaper white gold alloys to improve the whiteness of a pale yellow alloy, which is why when rhodium plating begins to wear off, you see patches of pale gold underneath. It’s more expensive, but is a much better option, rhodium plating can need re-doing as often as every 6 months.
Can you find me an antique diamond to use in a ring?
Remodelling
What exactly is jewellery remodelling and redesign?
Remodelling is when a jeweller takes your old jewellery, melts it down and makes it into something new. When I remodel a piece of jewellery I remove any stones before having the metal refined. Once refined the metal can be re-alloyed into any colour or carat and is then reused to make your new jewellery. I can use the metal and precious stones in a completely unique bespoke story piece design, or you can ask for it to be made into something from, or inspired by, my collections. You can use just the stones, just the metal or both.
Which metals can I have remodelled?
From a technical perspective, jewellery made from any metal can be remodelled. However I generally only remodel jewellery made from gold and platinum. This is because the costs involved in refining and remodelling the metal far outweigh the value of silver. If you’d still like to remodel something silver, I’m happy to do so, just get in touch.
I’ve lots of old/broken/inherited/unworn jewellery, can it all be reused?
What's refining and why do you do this?
Refining is a chemical process where pure gold is separated from any other metal it’s been alloyed with. Precious metals are alloyed to give them different properties such as colour, carat and strength. 24ct is pure gold, all other metals are alloys. For instance, 18ct gold is hallmarked 750, this means it is 75% pure gold. It’s then alloyed with other metals to make it harder), e.g. copper or palladium (24 carat is so soft that if it was a ring, it would squash). Copper gives rose gold its colour, whilst palladium produces a white gold. You wouldn’t mix white and yellow gold together if you were melting them down. Instead you’d refine the metals back to pure gold and then alloy them again to whatever colour and carat you require. Refining also removes any harmful metals that may be present in old jewellery, e.g. cadmium, lead and nickel. New regulations strictly govern the use of these metals in modern jewellery as they are harmful to health. An XRF report from the Assay Office can also show whether these metals are present in your jewellery. Refining gives you peace of mind that your metal is not contaminated, won’t be harmful to health and will hallmark to the purity you expect. We can discuss this in further detail when you come to see me. Currently platinum refining is not available, so any platinum pieces that are remodelled will be treated as “customers own metal” and will not be eligible for hallmarking. Refining your metal before reusing it costs more, but is a much better way to do things and avoid problems further down the line, such as cracking.
Does my metal really have to be refined, other jewellers just melt it down?
Putting aside the risks to health, it is possible to just melt down old jewellery, but in most cases it’s not advisable. For instance, jewellery created by casting, uses a slightly different alloy to that you’d use if you were going to make a piece by hand. If you roll or hammer a casting alloy, the likelihood is that it will crack. If you melt down a chain with solder joins in each link, the impurities again are likely to cause cracking – either during the making process or later.
The only exception to this, would be where say you have simple wedding rings with none or minimal solder joins that can be cut out before melting. This metal could then most likely be reused quite reliably and we can chat through the options.
Remodelling without refining the metal first isn’t ideal and is often offered to make the process cheaper. To my mind, if you’re going to go to the bother of making something special, it’s worth spending the extra to do it properly. Refining costs vary depending on the amount of gold you’re refining and what it’s being realloyed into. The average cost of refining is around £350.
Can I remodel/recycle all different carats of gold etc?
Hallmarked gold and platinum can all be reused. Gold jewellery goes for refining first, this ensures that the metal meets current hallmarking standards and doesn’t contain elements such as lead and cadmium which were often used in solder in years gone by. This means that different carats and colours of gold can all be reused as once refined they will be alloyed to your preferred colour and carat.
The refining of customers own platinum is not offered in the UK, so the process for platinum is slightly different. I’m happy to discuss in more detail when we meet.
Can I re-use any of the gemstones from my old jewellery?
Your gemstones can be removed from the existing pieces of jewellery and set into the new piece, put into one of my existing designs (if they’re the right size) or put aside for you to use at a later date. Other new gemstones can also be added if you so wish. Your own stones are reused at your own risk, no liability is accepted for any loss arising from the use of the stones, either during the manufacturing process or at a later date. Your stones will be kept in my safe until ready to be used.
What type of jewellery can my old rings/pendants be made into?
What do I need to think about if I want to remodel my old jewellery?
Decide first what you’d like to have made e.g. a ring, earrings etc. Then have a look at my “remodelling jewellery” page and then give me a quick call or drop me an email if you’d like to discuss anything. I’ll make you an appointment for us to have a chat. We can meet in person in Dumfries, or via zoom if you’re further afield. I’ll have a look at the jewellery you want to remodel and work out what you have and in what carat (9, 18ct etc). We’ll have a chat about what you’d like and take it from there. I only create bespoke and remodelled pieces in gold or platinum.
What exactly has to be done to reuse my old jewellery?
The process can differ, depending on what type of metal we are reusing. I firstly need to dismantle your jewellery and remove any stones. Your gold will then be refined, this goes to a specialist refiner, where it is treated with acids that turn your metal into a pure gold sludge! This is then filtered and the pure gold melted down, before being re-alloyed into whatever colour or carat of gold you’d like. In the studio, I will melt your metal down in a ceramic crucible using a gas torch. Once molten, the metal is poured into an ingot mould. It’s allowed to cool, is cleaned of any oxidation and then I’ll begin to roll it into sheet or wire, using a rolling mill. Once the metal is the right shape or thickness, I’ll then fabricate, cut, form and manipulate the metal into whatever piece of jewellery has been decided upon. Alternatively your metal might be cast into a new piece of jewellery using the lost wax casting method or into one of my existing designs. It will then be polished and set with any stones. Engraving is also available.
Will I need to add any extra gold/platinum to what I already have?
Will remodelling/recycling my old jewellery save me money?
It might, but it really depends on what you decide to have it made into. The processes involved in reusing your old jewellery are time consuming so unless you have a lot of platinum, 18 or 22ct gold, the time involved will generally outweigh the value of the metal. You can of course choose to reuse just your gemstones or diamonds. Using your metal and/or stones in a piece from one of my collections or choosing a simple design are the best ways to keep costs down. I generally advise that you only re-use your metal where it is of sentimental value. However it’s also very environmentally friendly to reuse and recycle.
What does remodelling cost? Can you give me a ball park price for a ring please?
I can’t I’m afraid, it’s not that simple unfortunately. There are so many different factors that affect price. The design, the materials, complexity, the time it will take to make, the number of stones, their size, quality and colour or whether you need more metal.
There is a minimum charge of £750 for remodelling but typically my customers will spend between £1500 and £10,000. If you have a set budget, feel free to get in touch, tell me what you have in mind and ask me what I can do, I’m always happy to have a chat 🙂
Bespoke
Is a bespoke piece of jewellery more expensive?
In general, yes. When you commission a bespoke piece you need to factor in all the time we spend discussing your jewellery, the research and development that goes into a design in order to come up with a concept, the technical problem solving, the sourcing of stones and materials, even before the making part begins which in itself could be lengthy.
My unique bespoke “Story” pieces of jewellery, in 18ct gold or platinum, set with diamonds or gemstones will typically cost between £5500 and £15000. The amount of gold, number and quality of gemstones and complexity of design will all have an impact on the investment you’ll need to make.
If you are choosing to remodel your own jewellery into one of these pieces typically you’d be spending between £3000 and £10000 depending on what metal and gemstones you already have.
Bespoke designs are only made in 9 or 18ct gold or platinum.
Please get in touch to find out more
How soon will my jewellery be ready?
Wedding and engagement rings from my collections usually take 4-6 weeks from order to delivery, pieces from my collections that have been customised usually take 6-8 weeks. I operate a waiting list for bespoke and remodelled pieces, usually around 2-3 months. You can find out more here
Can I pick the exact stone I'd like in my piece of bespoke jewellery?
It depends upon the availability of the gemstones you want, but yes, there will sometimes be a choice. If that’s the case, I’ll happily send you photos, or you can visit the studio to choose in person.
With natural diamonds, you’ll generally be able to choose from a few of similar cut/carat/clarity. Again, we can do this via zoom or in person.
Can you use my own gemstones?
I will reuse stones from old or sentimental jewellery, but not new stones bought from untraceable sources.
Your stones are kept in my safe until they are set in your jewellery. Please note, that I accept no responsibility for any loss that occurs due to you using your own stones, stones can and do break during setting or afterwards.
Do you use laboratory created diamonds in your jewellery?
Yes, I’m pleased to say I have now found an EU manufacturer of lab diamonds. These come in a multitude of sizes and cuts.
If I pay for CAD drawings and don't order the design from you, can I take the drawings to another jeweller and ask them to make it?
No, the fee you pay covers my time to work up your design and the CAD designers time to draw them up. It doesn’t give you ownership of the copyright design.
What's a custom jewellery design?
A custom jewellery design is where we take one of my existing designs as inspiration and we customise that piece to make it more unique to you. This could be as simple as a different colour or carat of metal or a different shaped gemstone. Or it could be taking the story behind the collection and using that as a starting point. So that might be using the texture or shape of a design but designing a new piece.
A custom design is generally a more cost effective way to have a piece of bespoke jewellery and will cost less than a bespoke “story” piece.
What are the "Story" pieces?
My “Story Pieces” are contemporary, usually hand crafted designs, that take your story as inspiration. These are carefully considered pieces where each element of the design will have been specifically chosen. They are creative, collaborative pieces, that are designed exclusively for you and where you are central to the design process. We’ll spend a lot of time talking and part of the process includes the creation of mood boards and sketches. Once we have a design, I source a range of gemstones for you to choose from, before finally, crafting your unique piece. Story Pieces are available in gold and platinum only. If you’d like to find out more about these very special pieces, please get in touch.
Which metals are "Story" pieces available in?
My “Story Pieces” are available in 9 and 18ct gold or platinum. If you’d like to find out more about these very special pieces, please get in touch.
What happens if I commission something and when it's finished I don't like it?
Before you think of working with any jeweller, I’d advise you take a good look at their website and social media. The first thing to ask yourself is do I like their style/aesthetic and what’s their ethos? If what they are making/how they’re making it isn’t what you want, then they aren’t the one for you, so keep looking.
If you do like what they do, have a look at their testimonials. Do they have happy customers? Do their pieces look well made, what’s their level of skill and experience? If you’re still happy, then have a chat by phone or email and make sure you get on and find them easy to talk to. Ask them how they work. Does that fit with what you want? Everything ok? then you should be good to go.
If you like the style, aesthetic and quality of what your chosen jeweller is making, there’s no reason to feel you might be unhappy with a finished commission. If you’re still unsure, think about customising an existing design rather than going all out on a bespoke piece. Or if it feels less risky, why not work with them on something smaller first.
I work with my customers in 3 ways:
You can buy a piece from my collections – no worries here about not liking it, it’ll be as you see it in the photos. You can even make an appointment to see samples.
You can ask to customise a piece from my collections e.g. a different gemstone, or use my collections as a starting point for something similar. Made exactly as you’d like it and again, you can make an appointment to see samples.
A bespoke story piece – these contemporary design led pieces are a collaboration and are inspired by your stories. We’ll work together to come up with a concept for the design, you’ll get to see the mood board and some indicative sketches. You choose the metal, any stones, we’ll note any likes and dislikes and you’ll be involved throughout. Once you’re happy with the direction the design is going in, I’ll begin to make it and the concept will develop into the finished piece. These pieces are all about you and the design process and because we’ll be working so closely together, it’s really unlikely you’ll be disappointed with your jewellery.
What's the design fee for, how much does it cost?
When you come to your first appointment, we’ll chat through ideas for your jewellery. If it’s a very simple design I’ll most likely send you a little pencil sketch for you to agree.
With more complicated pieces, following our initial chat, you’ll be asked to pay a design fee which covers my time to work up your design and includes the production of CAD drawings. CAD drawings are computer generated images. These are completely to scale and are the easiest way for you to see exactly what the proposed design will look like, from a number of different angles. The cost per design is £250, with amendments charged at £60/hr. CAD designs can also be printed in wax at a further fee.
Can you give me a ball park price for a ring please?
There are so many different factors that affect the price of a bespoke ring. The design, the materials, complexity, the time it will take to make, the number of stones, their size, quality and colour.
However, on average my customers tend to spend £5-15,000 on a piece of bespoke jewellery. If you have a set budget, feel free to get in touch, tell me what you have in mind and ask me what I can do, I’m always happy to have a chat 🙂
Engagement Rings
I'm buying an engagement ring and I'm worried about getting the size wrong, can you help?
How soon will my jewellery be ready?
Wedding and engagement rings from my collections usually take 4-6 weeks from order to delivery, pieces from my collections that have been customised usually take 6-8 weeks.
If I need something really quickly, is that possible?
Sometimes, yes. It really depends on what you want and how soon you need it – get in touch for a chat – extra costs might apply.
Can I buy your jewellery if I live outside of the UK?
Yes of course. Please get in touch, let me know what you’re looking to purchase and I’ll provide a shipping quote. Be aware that depending on where you are in the world there may be other duties and taxes to pay – these will be your responsibility.
Can I return a piece of jewellery I bought online?
My wedding and engagement rings are made specifically for you, to your size as as such can’t be returned. See my terms and conditions for further info.
Antique engagement rings can be returned, unaltered, unworn and in their original packaging, within 14 days for a full refund.
I'd like a different type of gemstone, can you source other stones?
Yes, some of the stones I can source for you are:
Sapphires, Rubies, Emerald, Spinel, Garnets, Tourmalines, Zircon, Chrysoprase, Topaz, Aquamarine, Amethyst, Smokey Quartz, Citrine, Moonstone, Opal, Peridot, Tanzanite, Chalcedony and some Scottish stones.
Many of these stones are available in a multitude of colours, sapphire for instance comes in pink, blue, yellow, orange, green, peach, purple and white.
Because these stones are sourced responsibly, what is available at any one time will depend on what’s being mined and potentially the season. The rainy season in Sri Lanka for instance, will often stop the mining.
All of these stones will meet the principles of fair trade, be responsibly sourced and be traceable to one of a handful of mines/miners.
I’m happy to source any gemstone for you, all you need to do is ask. Please just email me and let me know what you’re looking for. Once I have the details, I can check what’s available and provide a quote.
Can I pick the exact stone I'd like in my engagement ring?
If you’re ordering a bespoke or customised ring, you are usually able to do this – subject to availability.
Do you use laboratory created diamonds in your engagement rings?
Yes, I do offer laboratory diamonds in my engagement rings.
My lab grown diamonds are manufactured in an EU factory, are traceable and come with a certificate of origin.
Most listings now have options in the drop down menu, but if not, just drop me an email.
Can you use my own gemstones?
I will reuse diamonds or gemstones from old family jewellery in your engagement ring. I am unable to use gemstones or diamonds you’ve purchased recently, unless they have come from sustainable sources.
Your stones are kept in my safe until they are set in your jewellery. Please note, that I accept no responsibility for any loss that occurs due to you using your own stones, stones can and do break during setting or afterwards.
How do I know I'm buying a quality antique ring?
This is a really good question… I look at and reject lots of antique rings, sometimes because they’re nothing special, but more often because they are simply worn out. When I look for antique rings, I’m looking for the nice pieces, the unique rings and the things that catch my eye. I specialise in buying old antique mine cut diamond rings – they’re unique and characterful. I’ve no interest in buying just any old thing.
Each ring I buy is professionally appraised and valued, so you know what it’s worth. If it needs retipping (the claws on any ring wear with time) then that will be done to ensure the stone(s) are secure.
I welcome visitors to the workshop to look at the rings – it’s been likened to being a kid in a candy store. Do make an appointment to come and see them, we photograph them as well as we can and give views from all angles, but there’s nothing like seeing them in person.
Antique diamonds don't look "perfect"
Well, perhaps not in the way a modern brilliant cut diamond is. I guess the definition of perfect is debateable.
A modern brilliant cut is cut to very specific angles and ratios, that enhance brilliance, or in other words “sparkle”. They are machine cut and were developed circa 1950.
The old mine cuts, are so named because the diamonds cut in this era came from the old diamond mines in Brazil, from the mid 18th and throughout the 19th century.
Back then, diamond production was much smaller, so there wasn’t quite the emphasis on perfect white diamonds as there is now.
Did you know that it’s possible to fake an old mine cut? It’s been known for modern lab diamonds to be cut in old styles and be passed off as antiques. Often the give away is that they are very white. The real antique old mine cuts were tinted so if an old cut is too white – beware. Currently lab diamond producers struggle to replicate the tinted colours of the old mine cuts, hence the giveaway.
Aside from that though, Old mine cuts are gorgeous. Characterful cushiony shapes, often slightly irregular, designed to sparkle under candlelight. Unique and much more rare, I’d have an old cut over a modern brilliant any day of the week, but each to their own 🙂
Why don't some antique rings have hallmarks?
Sometimes a ring has been resized in the past and the hallmarks been cut out, or it’s been worn away “rubbed” over time. Sometimes there might be a partial hallmark, sometimes we just don’t know why.
The listing will say if the ring is hallmarked or not, and if it’s not, it will say what it tests as and therefore what it’s been valued as.
Will an antique ring stand up to everyday wear?
There’s no reason why an antique ring in good condition, shouldn’t stand up to everyday wear. Generally durability is more about design and materials than age.
A coloured gemstone e.g. a turquoise, isn’t as durable as a diamond.
On a large diamond, a ring with 6 sturdy claws will offer more substantial protection, than say 4 thinner claws.
A lower set ring is less likely to get knocked than one set higher up.
Claws set in silver will be softer than those in platinum.
A bezel or rubover setting is less likely to catch than a claw setting.
Happy to advise – if you’d like to have a chat, get in touch.
Can I buy an antique ring from you and have it reset?
Yes, absolutely. If you fall in love with one of the stones in my antique rings, I can remodel it into a new design for you. We can re-use the metal too.
Can you find me an antique diamond?
Yes I can, and depending upon what you’re looking for, I may have something in stock – get in touch for a chat.
Gemstones and Diamonds
I'm looking for an alternative to a rose cut salt and pepper diamond, can you suggest anything?
Yes, I’d suggest rose cut sapphires from Sri Lanka. These beautiful, ethical, rose cut cabochon (flat bottomed) stones come in beautiful shapes and colours, often with colourful inclusions. Get in touch and I’ll send you some photographs.
Are there "alternative" diamonds?
Yes, some popular alternatives are “salt and pepper” diamonds – these are generally in shades of grey, black and brown and are filled to a lesser or greater extent with inclusions in the diamond which give the salt and pepper effect.
There are also uncut diamonds – often octahedron or cube shapes.