Do You Know Your Birthstone?

Birthstone Guide - March.

Within the Gregorian calendar, different precious stones have been attributed to each month of the year - known as Birthstones. These beautiful stones have, throughout history, been attributed various qualities such as warmth, hope, health and prosperity but to name a few.

Now for those of you born in the month of March, the Aquamarine is the traditional birthstone for you.

Aquamarine, a part of the beryl family, is beautiful in colour, ranging from rich blues to green hues. Aquamarine is said to be a symbol of happiness and everlasting youth, as well as faithfulness, understanding and love.

Aquamarine is also very hardwearing, scoring highly on the Mohs hardness scale with a score of 7.5 – 8. Diamonds score 10 on this scale, so Aquamarine is not far behind the hardest stone in existence.

This also means that the stone usually has very few flaws and is hardwearing, whilst also being a reasonably priced precious stone. The stone can be used in all types of jewellery ranging from small stones for eternity rings, pendants or earrings, or within large stones in an eye-catching engagement ring.

Aquamarine has also traditionally been credited with the following properties:

• As a good luck charm for sailors
• Any person who wears Aquamarine will be able to conquer all wickedness
• Any person who sleeps with an Aquamarine stone underneath their pillow, will have pleasant dreams

For more information, please contact our experts on 01403 733638 or email us at goldfingerrings@gmail.com.

If you want a handmade quality birthstone item of jewellery for yourself, or for someone special, please don't hesitate to contact our experienced designers and manufacturers to talk through your requirements. We can create bespoke, unique jewellery to suit you!

Is An Invisible Set Diamond Ring The Right Choice For You?

If you love diamonds as much as we do then you’ll know that on some occasions, one diamond just isn’t enough! Diamonds are a girl’s best friend after all. If your idea of the perfect ring is one with as many diamonds on it as possible, that doesn’t cost the earth, then an invisible set diamond ring is ideal for you. 

Invisible set diamond rings are achieved through “invisible setting”, first introduced in France more than two centuries ago. A highly precise procedure, the result creates a beautiful display of small diamonds around a singular ring. The technique places each diamond into a metal framework, which holds the diamond firmly in place, securely attaching it to enable it to withstand the pressure of everyday use. The metal framework securing the diamonds is invisible so the end result is a solid surface of beautiful sparkling diamonds that sit side by side.

Here at Goldfinger Rings, we hand pick each diamond to ensure that the each one is the same size. We are able to set each diamond into a solid ring whilst still showing off their sparkle and brightness. By setting the diamonds into a solid ring, it maintains the rings strength and enables it to be sized without the risk of losing the diamonds.

There are a many advantages to choosing an invisible set diamond ring aside from simply displaying more than one diamond. If you can’t afford to spend money on one big expensive diamond, the technique of invisible setting can create the illusion of a large central 1 carat diamond by using several smaller 0.5 carat ones to create it. Alternatively, you may want a large central gemstone, which surrounding smaller diamonds will enhance beautifully.  Furthermore, invisible setting can be flexible, providing you with the opportunity to create a completely unique ring by choosing the exact quantity of diamonds and their size. 

As well as invisible setting, we also offer a personalisation service with the option to have a message engraved on the inside of the ring making it a truly special gift. 

For more information and to view our invisible set diamond rings, please visit our diamond rings page. Alternatively, call one of our expert designers on 0207 405 7590 to discuss your personal needs.

Taking Care Of Your Jewellery

Enjoying the sparkle and shine of your perfect piece of jewellery is a lot of fun. But unfortunately almost all jewellery is susceptible to the elements, and can become damaged and dirty over time - so how do you keep your jewellery looking it's best?

Maintaining the sparkle in a piece of jewellery that was first there when you purchased it, is something we all have to make an effort to do. Unfortunately jewellery is not self-cleaning!

Jewellery, especially wedding rings or engagement rings, can be easily damaged or dirtied through every day wear and tear. However, there are many ways to put the sparkle back into your jewellery you once fell in love with, in a few quick and easy steps.

Here's a couple of general tips firstly to prevent wear and tear:

• Take care wearing prong or claw set jewells with loose clothing or delicate items - these can easily get caught, damaging your clothing and gathering fibres in the jewellery itself.
• Try to protect your jewellery as much as possible from every day scratches, heavy knocks and chemicals during everyday wear.
• Remove your jewellery during household work such as DIY, gardening, cleaning or similar activities where it could become damaged.
• This includes wearing jewellery when washing up, or in the shower, bath, hot tub or whilst swimming. Chemicals such as chlorine can especially damage stones and even precious metals.
• Be careful not to spray anything on your jewellery such as hairspray or perfume - this can stick to your jewellery and cause it to lose both it's smoothness and shine.
• You should also store your jewellery pieces separately where possible, as this helps to prevent scratches.

No matter how much care you take to keep your rings clean, unfortunately they will inevitably attract dirt from your skin and general environment. There are however, numerous quick and easy ways to keep your jewellery clean.

Firstly when cleaning jewellery, care should always be taken to ensure you are cleaning your jewellery in a safe place. So stay away from sinks or anywhere you can lose it!

How you do clean your jewellery is of course dependent on metal, stone and design.

Cleaning your jewellery...

Grime and dirt can accumulate quickly on jewellery through daily wear, resulting in your diamond or precious stone losing a bit of it's signature sparkle. To give it a quick clean you should use a thick, soft cloth to give it a gentle scrub which should restore some of its shine. You should never ever use any harsh material such as scouring pads! This will badly scratch most soft metals which includes silver and gold.

If you want a deeper clean, it is also worth giving your jewellery a longer clean at home. There are many ways to do this which are simple and do not take much time at all. You may decide to buy a specialist cleaning item, but you should always make sure that you read the label very carefully to ensure that you are using the right product for your metal and/or stone.

If you do not want to buy a commercial product, you can easily clean your jewellery with everyday products. Using Fairy Liquid is an easy way! To clean silver, gold or diamond jewellery, fill a bowl (remember to avoid any open plugholes!) with warm water (not boiling), add a pinch of Fairy Liquid and leave your item to soak for 30-40 minutes. Then take a clean, soft bristle toothbrush or soft cloth to clean around the piece of jewellery. Dry the piece with a soft, dry cloth and you should be left with a nice sparkle.

Stay clear of using anything else to clean your jewellery i.e. vodka or vinegar, as some of these can (despite popular belief) damage gemstones or erode metals.

It is also a good idea to have a professional jeweller take a look at your jewellery once in a while. They will be able to clean your jewellery professionally, whilst also inspecting it to make sure nothing needs adjusting or replacing.

How To Choose The Perfect Wedding Ring

Choosing your wedding ring can be a daunting task. You may have no idea what you want, or exactly what you want, but that does not mean that there aren’t important considerations to take into account before you purchase this piece of jewellery that will be with you for a lifetime.

All in all, you will want a ring that is comfortable, timeless and suitable for your lifestyle. Size, metal, pattern, stone, cut and shape are all equally important considerations when it comes to choosing your wedding ring.

Find the perfect style & shape for your wedding ring

Ensuring that you are buying the correct sized and shaped wedding ring is especially important if you are buying with the intention to wear with your engagement ring.

If your engagement ring has a diamond, as is traditional, it will typically not sit well against a straight-edged wedding ring. You may therefore require a shaped (or fitted) ring. These can be bought off the shelf on our website if you have a clear idea of what you need. We also provide free home appointments for this exact reason. We provide a unique measuring service that allows us to take exact dimensions from your current engagement ring and be able to create a shaped wedding ring that compliments it perfectly. Unlike most jewellers, we are even able to do this without taking your ring away!

N.B. We do also offer this service for customers who buy from our online store, and in this case we will need your engagement ring for 4 days.

Symmetry between your engagement ring and wedding ring is the desired effect here. And as we women spend a considerable time admiring our rings, this is very important! Therefore choosing a shaped wedding ring from Goldfinger Rings may be the perfect solution.

Also...

Did you know that you can get numerous styles of plain and patterned wedding bands? If you look along the circumference of your ring you may notice a subtle shape around the edges.

• Court

• D Shaped

• Flat 

•  Flat Top Court

These shapes have subtle, but important differences. We offer all of these shapes on almost all rings on our site. If you would like more information on what might be best for you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Choosing the perfect wedding ring material

 

It is a general rule that you should choose the same metal as your engagement ring, when buying your wedding band. But why?

It is important for colours to match not only in colour, but also in hardness. This is especially important as teaming a harder metal ring with a softer one, will cause increased wear and damage. 

Suitable materials for your wedding ring:

Gold – gold is a traditional choice, as it’s style seems to be timeless. However, gold is a soft metal and therefore susceptible to damage such as scratches.  Gold metals are therefore made in combination with other materials, to harden the ring. The amount of gold within the ring is measured using ‘Carats’. Therefore, the more carats a gold ring has, the softer it will be.

Silver – Silver is a less common choice, but can be practical as it can be significantly cheaper than other metals. However, silver is softer than gold in general, so the ring will sustain damage over a long period of time.

Palladium – Palladium is one of the rarest metals available. However, it is a fantastic, desirable choice for a wedding ring due to its light weight, and durability. It does not require any other alloy due to its natural strength, and will remain in near perfect condition for many years.

Platinum – Platinum gives a beautiful finish, with a colour similar to silver or white gold. Platinum is a popular choice for a wedding ring as it is less vulnerable to everyday wear and tear.

We also offer 'Two Colour' rings on our site, which can be a beautiful alternative to a plain band.

You may also want to choose matching bands for both you and your partner, so thinking about a metal that is suitable for both of your lifestyles is very important.

These are just a few considerations you need to think about when researching and buying your wedding rings. If you would like to speak to one of our experts about choosing a metal, style, shape, size, design, stone or anything else, please contact us on 0207 405 75900207 405 7590, or email goldfingerrings@gmail.com. Or select a ready made ring from our online selection.

We have over 40 years experience in hand crafting all kinds of jewellery, and our experts will be able to help you with any enquiry.

If you are looking to create your own bespoke ring, or have any specific requirements, we also offer this service.

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Welcome to the brand new Goldfinger Rings blog!

In case you aren't familiar with what we do, we are Goldfinger Rings. A family run business specialising in beautiful jewellery, handmade with care. 

We have been making Wedding and Engagement Rings for over 40 years for happy couples across the UK. We design and craft off-the-shelf or bespoke rings, designed alongside you, and we endeavour to make your dream ring a reality. We have become one of the UK's leading specialists in gold, platinum and palladium wedding rings, and provide an extremely high level of service including free home design consultations and wedding ring fittings.

If you would like to know more about us or buy one of our beautiful rings, pendants or bracelets please visit our brand new online store www.goldfinger-rings.com.

If you would like some more advice, or to book one of our free home visits, please call us on 0207 405 7590 or email us on goldfingerrings@gmail.com where one of our experts will get back to you.

Keep checking our blog for tips, tricks and guides to buying your perfect wedding jewellery, including what stones to choose, what metal is right for you and how to design your own stunning piece of jewellery.