Harriet Kelsall Jewellery Design
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Garry and Sabrina first spoke to Rebecca about using both their birthstones, topaz and aquamarine in Sabrina's engagement ring. But after they discussed their ideas with Rebecca and with Garry being a true romantic telling Sabrina that she is his Sun, Moon and Stars and if he could get them for her he would they wanted to represent that in their design.

After their appointment with Rebecca to have a chat about the design, Rebecca sketched out a few different ideas capturing their inspiration perfectly. They both fell in love with design three but wanted to add the pave setting to the moon just like design 2 and star setting the aquamarines in the shoulders of the band adding to the Sun, Moon and Stars theme.

The warm tones of the 9ct yellow gold compliment the central 0.31ct yellow topaz beautifully. The five 1.5mm aquamarines are pave set in a palladium moon to compliment the blue of the Aquamarine. The bands split at the front and narrow towards the back of the ring making it more comfortable to wear and creating a lighter effect to the design.

Both Sabrena and Garry loved the ring and felt that it captured what they were after perfectly!

Jenna x

We have a very very light dusting of snow here this mogning but don't worry the roads and lanes have been really well de-iced and are very safe indeed (well done North Herts County Council!)

I do hope you are all planning on coming to our charity day today here between 10-5pm in aid of the NSPCC (there is more information about the day on the website).

Look forward to seeing you later!

Harriet

I think that purple is such a beautiful colour, and one of my favourites, so of course I was very pleased to learn that we had some new deep purple engagement rings joining our hand made ready to wear collection.

This platinum and colour change purple sapphire engagement ring is so striking and really stands out in our Halls Green 'dramatic' cabinet! This design is certainly a one of a kind, and would suit a lady who enjoys bold colours and designs, along with a little extra sparkle! The gorgeous deep colour of the purple sapphire complements the white metal and the white diamonds perfectly, and the lady who owns it will no doubt be the envy of many others!

The slim polished band measures 2.5mm at the back and has shoulders that split as they reach the sapphire, to accentuate the central stone, and it's lovely pear shape. The stone itself is a bluey-violet Tanzanian sapphire that changes colour in different lights. It is 8x6mm in size and weighs 1.09cts, with eight pave set side H SI diamonds (two 1mm, two 1.2mm and two 1.5mm) totaling 0.09ct and these diamond create an antique look and add extra sparkle.

Platinum is one of the most expensive and hard wearing of the precious metals and a lovely contemporary steely-white colour. Platinum does not tarnish and its purity means that it will not cause an allergic reaction when in contact with the skin, even for people with the most sensitive of skins.

Sapphires are the birthstone for September and it is said that they protect the wearer from all sorts of evil, illness, stress and general harm and as such, makes a wonderful choice for an engagement ring!

We also have some more beautiful purple engagement rings in our collection. We have a stunning cushion cut purple sapphire and diamond palladium ring, a sterling silver and 0.74ct oval facetted amethyst engagement ring and a 9ct white gold and brilliant cut rich velvety purple amethyst in a classic four claw setting.

Why don't you come in and have a look at these beautiful rings and try them on! We can have them ready to view at our Hertfordshire showroom or our Cambridge studio - whatever is easiest for you!

Mel x

I went to a friend's party a couple of months ago and met two lovely little boys (aged about 3 and 5) who were both wearing beautiful fully knotted amber necklaces. I have occasionally seen small beaded amber necklaces on young children before too - but I had never known whether there was any significance in these.

They actually looked great on the boys who were wearing white linen shirts and jeans and this gave them a very cool 'surfing' look! I chatted with their mum and she explained that both of her boys have worn them since they were 6 months old because wearing Baltic amber is supposed to reduce the problems that young children have with teething. I asked if it had worked and she said that she couldn't be sure but that they have been cutting their teeth each time without her even knowing they were teething so she said either they would have teethed so easily anyway, or the amber helped!

So I decided to find out more about these and looked into it further. Apparently, in Europe's mainland, amber often worn by young children as a traditional remedy for teething pain and this is only now gaining popularity in the UK.

The amber beads are not for the child to actually chew on - it is claimed that they work by being worn touching the skin and the heat of this releases a tiny tiny amount of oil which is then absorbed into the skin. The necklace is made from Baltic amber which is different form other amber because it contains succinic acid. Succinic acid is a naturally occurring acid in every cell of the human body and has many functions including pain relief, mucous reduction, anti fever and anti inflammatory properties.

I'm not sure if this can really work, but I do know they look very sweet on and you know me, I am always ready for an excuse for good quality jewellery! I think they look brilliant on boys as well as girls. The necklaces are made with very small organically smoothed pieces of amber which feel warm and natural to touch.

I have got some made now with good quality amber, and have one on my little daughter (Eleanor, who is now 14 months old and cutting lots of teeth!). We are also now selling these in our Halls Green showroom too.

Obviously safety is vital:

These teething necklaces should be worn only under supervision.

They are not to be chewed.

These should be worn under the clothing next to the skin.

They are short in length (32cm) to reduce the risk of getting caught on anything and the child will become desensitised to its presence around their neck.

These must not be worn around the neck during naps or night time.

Each bead is softened into a gentle nugget shape with no sharp edges.

Each bead is individually knotted on to cotton so that if a breakage were to occur only one bead would come off the necklace, and their small size makes them much less likely to cause choking should they then be swallowed.

The clasp is made of plastic and if a great strain is put on the necklace, this clasp will give way and allow the necklace to break open before harming the child.

So far so good - Eleanor has been wearing hers for a couple of weeks now and I have noticed a definite reduction in her teething problems. Could be coincidence - but maybe it is helping. I'll let you know how it goes.

Harriet

One of the world's most magnificent diamonds is to go on sale in Geneva. Its a fancy intense pink emerald cut diamond weighing a staggering 24.78cts! Set very simply into a ring with two white diamonds either side, its well worth having a loot at Sotherby's website to see it in all its magnificence!

Its expected to reach about the $24,000,000!

I've been looking into all things ethical for Harriet (and for my own interest) and thought other people might also like to find out a little more about who's who in the ethical jewellery community and what some of the acronyms which people might use mean. Anything in italics will be covered elsewhere in my list, as it's published. I'll split my research so far across several blogs (as it's rather long!) so here we go with F.

Fairtrade (Ecological) gold

There are two standards for Fairtrade - Fairtrade gold and Fairtrade Ecological gold. The difference is that the Ecological gold has been mined without chemicals and therefore commands a slightly higher premium. The gold we use in our Fairly traded gold is Ecological.

Fairtrade Foundation

The Fairtrade Foundation is an independent, non-profit certification body which licenses the use of the Fairtrade Mark on products which meet international Fairtrade standards. This independent consumer label is now recognised by 72% of UK consumers and appears on products as a guarantee that disadvantaged producers are getting a better deal. Today, more than 7.5 million people - farmers, workers and their families - across 58 developing countries benefit from the international Fairtrade system.

Gold is pre-certified at the moment - see Fair trade gold for details.

FLO

FLO (Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International) is divided into two organisations:

FLO International - a non-profit association. It sets Fairtrade standards, develops Fairtrade business and provides producer support. It unites national Fairtrade rganizations across Europe, North America, Japan, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, as well as producer networks representing Fairtrade certified producer organizations in Latin America, Africa and Asia. Today, more than five million people (farmers, workers and their families) across 59 developing countries benefit from the international Fairtrade system.

FLO-CERT - an international certification company that is owned by FLO but which operates independently. It is responsible for the inspection and certification of producer organisations and traders against the internationally agreed Fairtrade standards.

Fairtrade Premium

This is the amount of money that is added on to the cost of the gold that goes directly back to the ASMs. It is not marked up at any stage between mining and us selling it and this allows us to keep the difference in price to the customer between Fairtrade and non-Fairtrade gold as small as possible. There is a difference in the cost of fabrication since normal bullion dealers make so much of anything that they can keep their costs lower, and at the moment we're more limited to the metal shape we can use in Fairtrade metal so the construction time is likely to be slightly higher than if we bought non-Fairtrade. All this means that the difference in cost between using Fairtrade and non-Fairtrade metal is more down to time in construction than to do with the premium.

There are two standards of Fairtrade gold - the 'Fairtrade' where chemicals like mercury and cyanide can be used but must be disposed of and treated carefully, and 'Fairtrade Ecological' where no chemicals are used at all which commands a slightly higher premium. The gold we use is 'Ecological' and comes from Oro Verde.

Fair trade / Fairtrade gold standards

At the moment the gold we use is Fair Trade rather than Fairtrade - the distinction being that it has not yet got the official certificate with the Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) and as yet is not entitled to carry the Fairtrade mark. Miners will be receiving their Fairtrade / Fairmined certification later this year.

Our Fairly traded gold comes from Artisanal Small scale Miners (ASMs) in the Choco region of Columbia. The people involved not only have to comply with or be working towards complying with FLO / ARM's standard for Fairtrade-certified artisanal gold and associated metals, but they also have to have a clear environmental management policy.

The standards for the Fairtrade Mark for gold have now been set and we are among the first companies in the UK to be allowed to use this metal. The official launch will not be until February (to coincide with London Fashion Week and Fairtrade Fortnight, making much bigger impact) so we're getting our ready to wear rings ready for then. The Fairtrade mark can be used on any gold jewellery that we make using Fairtrade gold, in both 9ct and 18ct, since it’s the gold that is being certified, not the other metals. All Fairtrade gold will come from ASMs not large-scale mining operations. It will be traceable to an area of the country it comes from but not necessarily the specific mine (eg. We will know we’re buying Oro Verde gold). Like any Fairtrade product the whole process will be under constant, independent review by auditors, ensuring that standards are adhered to and giving the customer peace of mind.

The Fairtrade mark is used in conjunction with the Fairmined mark on gold in recognition that the Fairtrade Foundation have worked so closely with ARM to produce the standards - they couldn't have got to where they are now without each other.

At the moment there are no suppliers for 9ct fair trade gold in the form we would use it, but we're working on it so watch this space!

Fair trade gemstones

These are difficult to source at the moment because we are so specific about what we want for a customer's piece - it needs to be high quality, well cut and just the right colour, which is hard when you’re sourcing from a small scale dealer. We can buy packets of stones from a dealer in America but not on an individual basis. We have also started working with the very lovely guy who is involved with a ruby mine in Tanzania who will bend over backwards to find the right stone for us and can even get stones cut specifically for us if needed!

There is no such thing as a Fairtrade gemstone, but once FLO have sorted gold and associated metals then they are likely to start trying to do the same thing with gemstones too.

Fairmined gold

The Fairmined Mark ensures that the gold has been extracted and processed in a fair way and responsible manner. This means that the miners receive a fair price, eliminate child labour, ensure good health and safety practices, care for the environment and participate in the social development of their communities.

The Fairmined mark is used in conjunction with the Fairtrade mark on gold in recognition that the Fairtrade Foundation have worked so closely with ARM to produce the standards - they couldn't have got to where they are now without each other.

I wanted to take this opportunity to remind you of our Christmas open day on November 27th at our Halls Green studio. For those of you have never been, it is the perfect opportunity to purchase some wonderful unique Christmas gifts, while enjoying a lovely glass of mulled wine in our beautiful converted barn. You will have the chance to watch our talented goldsmiths demonstrating the art of making jewellery and to ask any questions you may have regarding the process. We also have a charity raffle and a children's jewellery making corner, which always proves to be very popular. Designers are also on hand if you have any ideas that you may wish to discuss.

It really does seem to herald the start of Christmas for us here and the decorations and Christmas music get you in the mood for the festivities ahead. While we cannot promise a snow covered landscape outside, we can certainly offer you a Christmas theme indoors. We hope to see as many of you as possible, both regular and new customers.

Best wishes

Katy

We have recently had some new ready to wear rings come through to the showroom and I have to say, I am jealous of the lucky ladies who will get to wear these fabulous rings. We have had a few diamond solitaire engagement rings made recently and the ring below is my favourite by far.

This ring was designed by one of our senior designers Rebecca Howarth. The ring holds a 1.03 carat D SI diamond, which is held in a classic four claw setting on a palladium band. This ring is simple and elegant, along with a few tweaks here and there to the design which makes it intricately unique and very flattering upon the hand. Some people think that a carat diamond might be too big for their hand but, once they try this little beauty on, their thoughts will ultimately be changed forever. It is not too big or too small, it sits perfectly in proportion with the hand and it looks so delicate despite its size and you can put that all down to the careful and beautiful design ideas from Rebecca. I really like palladium as the choice of metal for this ring too as palladium is not as heavy as platinum and so it feels more comfortable on the hand as the weight of the ring does not affect the wearer as much. Palladium is also a hypoallergenic metal too which means that it will not upset the skin with any irritation when worn, which too can be a problem for some of us out there.

The diamond in this ring is simply beautiful. It is graded with the colour D which is the best colour that you can find in a diamond as it is colourless. The diamond sparkles from across the room and it is a real eye catcher. The diamond is held in a claw setting which allows more light to pass through the stone from all sides which is a great design feature as it helps the diamonds 'fire' become more pronounced. You can see from the image below what the stone looks like from a side view.

The collet tapers towards the girdle of the diamond which flatters the stone perfectly, I really like this style of setting as it looks so feminine and very classic but with an added modern twist. The shape of the ring from the side view shows how the design has that flower fell to it as the way that the ring is shaped looks similar to that of a flowering bud. You can also see this come through the design when you see the top view of the ring. Have a closer look at the image below.

The band is chamfered on either side next to the collet which creates and undulating and organic movement in the metal which reminds me of flowers. The overall design of this ring is natural in its form, beautifully classic and I think that whoever gets to be the lucky lady to wear it, should know that they are going to have a lot of onlookers with this one. It is an absolute stunner!

If you like the look of this ring but would like to have a more modern feel to the design, why not have a look at some of our other new ready to wear engagement rings.

Here are some more of my new favourite rings which are on sale now in the Hertfordshire showroom.

If you like anything that you see in our ready to wear ring galleries, why not come to one of our showrooms and have a look? You too can share in the beauty of their design.

Sarah

Topaz is the anniversary gemstone for the 4th and 19th year of marriage and Imperial topaz is the anniversary gemstone for the 23rd year of marriage.

It is also the symbol of friendship, and the state gemstone for the US state of Utah - You learn something new everyday!

According to the Bible, Topaz is one of the twelve breastplate stones of the High Priest referred to in the Book of Exodus. The breastplate stones are considered sacred to twelve mighty angels who guard the gates to Paradise.

Russia, Siberia, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Africa and China, Japan, Pakistan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Australia, Mexico, and in the United States (in Maine, New Hampshire, California, Colorado, and Utah) are some of the few places topaz can be found.

Below shows some of our Bespoke Jewellery Designs using yellow topaz.

Looking after your Topaz

Topaz has a hardness of 8, so keep your gems in separate boxes to protect other jewellery from scratches. Like diamonds, it can be split by a single blow, so it should be protected from hard knocks. Also avoid large temperature changes. Topaz often becomes paler if kept out in the sun or heat. Do not clean topaz in a home ultrasonic cleaner. The best way to clean topaz is warm soapy water.

This stone certainly has a warm autumnally feel to it, what better stone to wear as Autumn takes a hold before the sparkle of Christmas lights transcends upon us!

Angela

After speaking about Art Deco in my last blog, I started to have a look at how it has inspired some of our other rings in our ready to wear collection.

Art Deco is an enduring inspiration in many design disciplines' from architecture to furniture and not least to us designers here at HKJD.

It is a style admired for its combination of simple clean lines and elegant decorative detail. We like it for its timeless quality and the way it really allows the beauty and shape of the stones to stand out, this is why we are constantly referring back to it in our ready to wear designs.

The rings below are inspired by Art Deco and are currently available to buy in our ready to wear collection.

A lot of our commission customers also like the Art Deco style, some for the added detail such as grain setting or combination metals, contrast of stone colours or others for just the simplicity.

Aaron and Laura one of my recent commission couples came for an appointment to discuss designing their engagement ring with an Art Deco influence.

Laura loved the unfussy simplicity of the style, and wanted something that would incorporate three stones.

A favourite shape of the Art Deco era was the triangle, so Aaron and Laura were very keen to add this form as one of a main features of the design, but the most important detail of the ring was to really show off the beautiful 5.6mm brilliant cut diamond left to Laura by her Grandmother.

The diamond was to be taken out of Laura's Grandmother's engagement ring, so incorporating this stone really had a very personal sentimental connection for Laura, so we needed a setting which would show the stone off to its full potential and be the focal statement it deserved.

The setting chosen was an end only setting, its metal edges holding two sides of the stone give a very smooth effect and true shape to the diamond, whilst still allowing the other two sides of the stone to be exposed so it's cut is revealed which is a detail in itself.

The triangular element was achieved by the diamond being flanked by trilliant cut blue sapphires, the shape forms a tapered path up to the diamond which really helps draw the eye to it, and the deep richness of the blue creating a strong colour contrast to both the white of the palladium and the clear sparkle of the diamond - echoing the classic Art Deco combinations of chrome with Ebony or onyx etc.

Maybe an Art Deco inspired engagement ring might be the right choice for you?

Bye for now

Antoinette

Harriet has just written a great article on running a business and maternity leave. Its well worth a read.

Go to www.bmmagazine.co.uk to read it.

Tim

I'm pleased to announce that our Cambridge Jewellery Studio will be open on Sundays running up to Christmas. Bespoke jewellery appointments can now be booked in the studio on these Sundays between 11am and 5pm by calling 01223 461333 or emailing cambridge@hkjewellery.co.uk.

Hurry as they are sure to book up fast!

Tim

If you are beginning to think about Christmas presents then perhaps you might like to visit us here in Cambridge where we are having a refit sale with 25% off selected pieces in our Purple Label jewellery collection. Here are just some of my favourites!

This necklace is particularly interesting as it much longer than our standard necklaces with three different size pieces of rock crystal on a pretty gold plated chain. It coordinates beautifully with a pair of rock crystal and 9ct yellow gold chain earrings.

Hope to see you in the showroom soon!

I am always learning and being challenged in the workshop. I have recently made my first twist style engagement ring. Here are a few examples of this style of ring.

I love the look of these rings as the design really highlights the stone being held in the twist.

I have really enjoyed the making process, particularly working the metal to perfectly fit the size and shape of the stone. Although the stone sits securely in its setting, the ring is made to look like the two pieces of metal are just delicately holding onto the stone. I think this really shows off its beauty.

Now that I have got the main part of the ring just perfect, I am now working on slimming down the rest of the band slightly to the exact width and depth needed. There are a few more stages to go before it looks anything like these rings pictured above!!

Deborah Souza-Smith