we are one! happy birthday to us

If you have visited our online shop recently, or been to see us on Facebook then you will already know that we are now a whole ONE YEAR OLD! The time has flown by and we are so pleased with how things have developed and how far they have come. It feels like only yesterday we were rushing around to get things ready for our opening.

The support we have received from friends old and new has been amazing; bloggers, facebookers, tweeters, new businesses and more. We have to express our thanks to the lovely and welcoming people of Stokesley, where our shop is based and people from the wonderful surrounding towns and villages. Not a day passes when we don't meet someone new and interesting. 

Our first year has been a dream, full of hard work and stressful at times but we can only hope the next year is as fun, challenging and as inspirational.

We embark on the next year with a makeover on the outside of the shop, more designers available in store than when we first started, exciting plans for exhibitions showcasing the work of local students, jewellery making classes and more so keep in touch and come and visit us in store for more information.

As a thank you firstly we would like to say, please have a HUGE slice of birthday cake.

Secondly we are offering 10% off all online orders for the month of September, just use the code BIRTHDAY at the checkout.

Thirdly we are running a competition to win one item of jewellery from each designer we stock, that is 17 pieces of jewellery! All you need to do is like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jewelleryby and share our page. Compeition winners will be picked on the 30th September and will be notified by Facebook.

Yum!

september birthstone; sapphire

Sapphires are well known for their beautiful blue hues and this is what most people think of, when they think of a sapphire but they actually come in a whole host of colours including even shades of grey and black. Any colour of sapphire that is not blue, is reference as a 'fancy colour' sapphire.


Sapphires come from the corundum family along with rubies and have a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale. Because of this hard wearing rating sapphire is also used in non-ornamental applications such as scientific instruments or high durability windows.

One of the worlds largest faceted sapphires is the Logan Sapphire located in the National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC. It is a flawless specimen from Sri Lanka and is the second largest blue sapphire known weighing 423ct. It is named after a Mrs John Logan who donated it to a research institute in 1960.

The Logan Sapphire

Sapphires are mined all over the world and different locations can produce different colour and quality sapphires.

Kashmir Sapphire

Regarded by many a the finest examples of sapphires in the world, they were first discovered in 1879 in the Padar region of Kashmir in northern India after a landslip allegedly uncovered their existence. Unfortunately after a few years of mining the area become unworkable due to the deposit being in the middle of a politically unstable area. The situation worsened in subsequent years so whether a result of conflict or the fact the mine may have been depleted in a few short years, it is still not completely understood or what remains of the sapphire source.

In 2007 Christie's held an auction for a Kashmir sapphire pendant set in gold. The pendant sold for $3,064,000, this equates to around £85,000 per carat! 

Ceylon Sapphire

Made famous in the UK after Princess Diana was given a large Ceylon Sapphire in the centre of her engagement ring, which has has subsequently re-emerged when given to Catherine Middleton on her engagement to Prince William. The ring was made by then crown jewellers Garrad. Ceylon sapphire is today regarded as the finest quality sapphire still being mined today in any commercial quantity.

Sri Lankan Sapphire

Padparadscha

Sri Lanka produces sapphires in a variety of colours but one of the most sought after is the Padparadscha, a pink-orange coloured sapphire. Although the stone is originally from Sri Lanka deposits have also been found in Vietnam and parts of Africa. The name is derived from the Sanskrit/Sinhalese padma raga, meaning lotus colour.

Other notable sources of sapphire include Madagascar, Africa, Thailand specifically the Kanchanaburi region and China (although information on Chinese sapphire is limited) all producing varied colours of sapphire.

Colour Change

A rare variety of sapphire, known as colour change exhibits different colours in different light. They appear blue in outdoor light and shades of purples under incandescent indoor light; they may also be pink in daylight and change to greenish colours. Some stones shift colour well and others only partially. While colour change sapphires can come from a variety of locations, Tanzania is the main source.



As with all gemstones, there are many legends attached to sapphire including the belief that Moses was given the ten commandments on tablets of sapphire. It is also said that sapphires are the stone of loyalty and fidelity, symbolising truth and sincerity.

Sapphires although a heard wearing stone, should be cleaned and stored just as carefully as other softer gemstones and jewellery to ensure its longevity. 

going for gold

It is an Olympic year so make sure you choose a winner of a wedding band.

Choosing your wedding ring is a really exciting part of your wedding preparations. Wedding rings or bands come in a huge variety of styles, metals and settings not to mention prices. The main consideration is to choose a ring that reflects your individual style and taste. It is always best to try and buy the finest quality rings you can afford as they will stand the test of time better than anything else and hopefully increase in value.

The DO's and DON'T'S of buying a wedding ring;

DO decide on a budget and stick to it
DON'T leave it to the last minute to choose your rings - give yourselves plenty of time to find something that you really love
DO your research - speak to jeweller's to see the different styles and prices on offer
DON'T be persuaded into buying anything you don't absolutely love, it has to be a beautiful reminder of your day
DO consider your lifestyle. Bear in mind that you will probably wear this ring more than anything else you own so you need to choose a style that is suitable for your everyday life
DON'T pick something simply because it is on trend. Trends come and go but your own style will last.
DO think about designing your own ring. Here at Jewellery By we work with customers to create bespoke items that suit their needs and style that fit within their budget. You may have jewellery passed to you by family members that you may want to incorporate in your wedding ring, metals and even stones can be used in new items.
DON'T visit jeweller's without your engagement ring as you may need to try rings on alongside it, or discuss designs. Do you want your wedding band to sit flush against your engagement ring? You may need to choose a shaped band if so.
DO get you wedding and engagement rings insured. One in four people loses their ring within five years of marriage.

Platinum Engagement and Wedding Ring

Choosing a Design

Couples have never had such a rich choice in wedding ring design and you no longer have to settle for a traditional plain gold band. The world is your oyster when it comes to jewellery design. Matching his and her rings are also a popular choice these days many couples often shop together to buy rings at the same time. Some couples will opt to have the same metal but the bride might choose to add diamonds to make her ring a little different. Remember to choose what works for you as a couple.

Choosing a Metal

This is an important decision as it will affect the cost and style of the ring you choose. The options available are platinum, white gold, yellow gold and rose gold, palladium, titanium and even tungsten.
Platinum is the most expensive but heavier and more durable than gold. If you like the look of platinum but not the cost, palladium and white gold are the more affordable options.
When buying gold you must remember that is comes in different purities known as carats. The easiest way of explaining carats is the higher the carat the more gold it contains. Remember your wedding band also has to sit well with your engagement ring, as such most people tend to use the same metal for both their engagement and wedding rings.

Two Colour 18ct Gold Wedding Bands

How Much to Spend?

Do make sure you have left sufficient budget left for your rings. Some people believe it is always difficult to suggest how much you should spend on your wedding rings, but really it isn't. You spend what you want to spend, if it is £50 or £5000 you need to do what makes you and your partner happy. Bear in mind that most of the items you will be organising for your wedding will only be for the day, your ring will be around for the rest of your life so you need to be happy with it. You do get what you pay for so try not to scrimp on quality.

Timing

Allow plenty of time before your wedding to order your rings, just in case...... Bespoke items can take anywhere from 2-8 weeks depending on the jeweller you use and you will need to allow for any changes to be made. Make sure you try your rings on before the big day. Standing at the alter is not the time to find out they don't fit!

Platinum Wedding Bands

Most importantly you should both enjoy this experience and so should never feel under pressue or that you cannot ask questions. Take your time, make notes if you like and ask as many questions if you like. If the jeweller is not accomodate to this, then they do not deserve your custom.

 Visit us at www.jewelleryby.co.uk to see our range or handmade jewellery collections.