Introducing Our Limited Edition 9k Solid Gold Teal Tourmaline Collection – Made in the UK!

Introducing Our Limited Edition 9k Solid Gold Teal Tourmaline Collection – Made in the UK!

MADE IN THE UK 

We are super excited to launch a new and very exciting, limited edition collection, made right here in the UK! Crafted in 9k Solid Gold, these beautiful teal tourmaline stones were handpicked by myself in London’s Hatton Garden and then beautifully handmade by an amazingly talented, local maker.

This collection is extremely limited with only 12 rings available- simply because these stones are rare and hard to get hold of! Each ring has had hours of love poured into it, right here in London, making them especially special and unique. You’ll notice slight variations in the stone shapes, sizes and colours. Some are lighter, some are darker, some are more blue & some are more green. Each and every one is absolutely stunning- the hard part will be choosing one! Our collection includes pieces made in both 9k Yellow & 9k White Solid Gold. 

Those of you who have been following me for a while will know that I have a total obsession with gemstone hunting. Every little thing about gemstones makes my heart sing….their colour, their lustre, their cut & the way they shine in the light. One of my favourite things to do is going to London’s Hatton Garden searching for something special. A lot of the time I don’t even know what I’m looking for, until I see it. One day earlier this year, I found this range of beautiful tourmaline stones in deep emeralds and teals & had to have them. The colours are so intense and rich- I wish I could keep them all.

gemstone obsession

I am so attracted to beautiful tourmaline stones, not only because of their stunning colour but also their super powers. Known as a Stone of Healing & Cleansing, they are thought to help relieve stress, increase mental alertness, improve circulation and strengthen the immune system. They are a receptive stone meaning they are soothing, calming and magnetic.

Usually we have all of our beautiful jewellery handcrafted by amazing artisans in Jaipur, India however during the COVID-19 lockdown period I had lots of time to reflect and to stop and think about how we as a business could help support the UK economy and give back to other small businesses. I felt this would be an amazing opportunity to create a bespoke, limited collection entirely sourced, designed and crafted here in the UK and I am overwhelmingly pleased with the results.

We are so pleased to be able to take you on the entire journey of each ring so that you can see how each stunning piece is made, starting from my discovery of the stones right through to their launch today.

Before crafting in solid gold, a model of each size ring has to be made in silver metal and this is then cast into the solid gold. The model of each ring starts out as a piece of square wire and each part of the ring is hand made from this wire.

behind the scenes  

Firstly, the bezel (the head that holds the stone) is made to the stone size. To hand make the bezel, the metal is warmed up (with oxygen and gas) and rolled out using a Rolling Mill, to the particular thickness required. The flattened gold is turned up with pliers and soldered together to the right shape and size. Thin grooves are made from a very thin circular file for the claws to sit in and soldered.

Claws are then created to hold the stone. This process is called 'drawing wire', the metal square wire is pulled through a series of holes on the Draw Plate (see below) to pull it down to the required circular diameter. A sharp point is filed on the strip of metal and then pulled through, so that it becomes smaller and smaller. The metal is kept warm and pliable throughout so it goes through the hole. Once the metal is reduced down to the required thickness, the claws are cut to size and soldered onto the bezel. 

Drawing wire process

The bands are then made from a piece of metal that is milled out (by a Rolling Mill). Again, the metal is heated to become softer and rolled out to the right dimensions. Then the metal is heated again in order to turn the piece with pliers and banged into shape with a leather hide mallet. The bezel is soldered to the band, where a small area of metal has been filled out for the bezel to sit. Once ready, the model is then cast in gorgeous 9k solid gold and the beautiful tourmaline stone is set.  

the finished pieces

Once made, each of these beautiful pieces was Hallmarked at London’s Assay Office which officially certifies the gold.

I love being involved in every step of the process in creating something so beautiful. I really hope you love this special ring collection just as much as I do!

Shop the collection here! 

 

C x

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