CARE OF YOUR TOPAZ STONE

Topaz is not a hard stone even though it does score 8 on the Mohs Hardness scale.

High heat or temperature changes can cause breaks in your Topaz stone, i.e. so don’t come in from the cold and wash your hands with hot water whilst wearing your ring.

Prolonged exposure to strong sunlight can cause fading.

Topaz is affected only slightly by chemicals.

 THE BEST WAY TO CLEAN YOUR RING IS WITH WARM SOAPY WATER AND THEN DRY IT WITH A SOFT CLOTH.

Topaz stones should not be cleaned in ultra sonic tanks or with a polishing motor.

CAN I HAVE MY RING SIZED OR 

REPAIRED??

Wedding rings, engagement rings and eternity rings are worn every day for many years and most of us at some point will need our rings sized up or down.  But do not worry because a good jeweller will be able to size your ring for you up or down between 1 and 3 sizes depending on the depth and weight of the band.   If your band is very thin a piece of metal can be added and if you have the re-size done by a qualified goldsmith then you should not see a join.  

Precious metals are malleable so they can be stretched or reduced without any problems by an experienced jeweller.  It is always easier to size or repair a piece of jewellery if you have first hand knowledge of the item so before leaving your precious rings ask if they will be repairing the rings or sending them away for repair by a third party.  A good jeweller will be able to add a new band to your ring, new head or repair the claws and re-set the diamonds or replace a lost diamond. 9ct and 18ct white gold will need to be rhodium plated again once it has been sized.   Goldfinger specialise in making and repairing rings and other jewellery with over 40 years experience so if you need help give us a call on 0207 405 7590

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Top 10 Christmas and New Year proposals

•  Under the Christmas tree – wrap lots of little presents and put them under the Christmas tree but put the engagement ring right at the back.

•      Do it in the Snow – why not wait until that perfect time when it snows and take her to a special place and propose in the snow.

• Spell it out – being Christmas and New Year there will be lot of lights and decorations so write “will you marry me” in lights or hang the ring on the tree.

•      Santa little helpers – why not dress up your pet or children and have them give her the message and ring.

• Be creative – if you are an artistic person you could make her an advent calendar and put the ring in the last box.

•  New Year countdown – That special night to forget the past and start anew is a great time to do your marriage proposal wait till the stroke of midnight or when the fireworks start and get down on one knee.

• On the door step – wait till you have done all the presents and you are off to the family dinner ring the door bell and turn to her get down on one knee, sharing your special moment with your family.

• New Year’s resolution – Book a nice meal out in a place she has always wanted to go and give her your New Year’s resolution list, list 10 resolutions and the last one being TO GET MARRIED as she looks up ask her “will you marry me?”

• Christmas morning – Romantic cold Christmas morning set the atmosphere light the fire, candles and presents the perfect time to pop the question.

• Christmas treasure hunt – If she likes fun and games then why not plan a treasure hunt but keep the clues simple and finish in a place that she will love and then propose. 

WHY SILVER CAN TURN BLACK/GREEN

• Many things can turn silver black or green, it usually happens with rings:-

1. Hand creams and some perfumes can react with silver.

• Acidic skin – people who seem to have a high meat diet can turn silver black.

• Working in an atmosphere which has more sulphur in it (general pollution in the atmosphere)

• A very hot day can cause sweat underneath your ring and the silver can react , especially with a tight fitting ring or a wide ring.

• Silver will react if it comes into contact with chemicals such as bleach and copper.

• Silver is one of the softest precious metals so will scratch quite easily.

If your ring does turn black it can very easily be polished again, Goldfinger Hand makes silver jewellery and will also rhodium plate (Platinum Plate) your silver jewellery for extra protection and strength but this may need to be done once or twice a year and this does incur a small charge to cover the costs of the rhodium plating.

Top 10 Romantic Destinations to Propose

1. Paris
2. London
3. Rome
4. Budapest
5. Venice
6. Florence
   
7. Barcelona
8. Prague
9. Vienna
10. Amsterdam

Top 10 Romantic Destinations if budget is no problem

1. New York
2. Monte Carlo
3. Hong Kong
4. Mumbai
5. Singapore
6. African Safari
7. St Petersburg
8. Aspen
9. Sydney
10. Hawai
    

Men’s Guide to Top 10 Proposal Tips

• Plan ahead it will show in your proposal that you have taken your time and thought about the little details – Don’t leave it until the week before.

• When looking for an Engagement ring set the amount you can afford, don’t go above your means! It is traditional to spend one month’s salary.

• Take her window shopping for a watch or piece of jewellery you would like, she will stray and won’t be able to resist looking at the rings, try to make small talk about the rings she is looking at. But you can never go wrong with a single stone Diamond Solitaire engagement ring

• The hardest part is not the proposal or the fear that she will say NO, it is getting the right ring! So make sure you go to a Jeweller who will Design and Make the ring with the option to change the ring after she has said YES

• Book somewhere special to propose like a Romantic Meal or a holiday away or that special place you share. Always propose early in the evening so that she can enjoy the ring and all the things you have planned for her.

• Invite her family and friends to share the moment just hidden out of sight so that you can all celebrate straight away, best of both worlds.

• If you are planning an elaborate public proposal then make sure she is up for it as it could all blow up in your face!

• It is important to get advice from her family and friends who you trust, so they will not ruin your surprise.

• What to say!! Of course the “ will you marry me?” but before all that tell her how she makes you feel and what you love about her but keep your Proposal speech short  so not to put too much pressure on yourself.  If you are confident enough go down on one knee.  Look into her eyes so she knows you are sincere.

• Try to act normally! Most women can work out what is happening as most men act out of character, so try to be as normal as possible.
  
   

Aquamarine Gem Stones

The birth stone for March is Aquamarine.  Aquamarine is part of the beryl family and is a very pretty colour, it ranges from  a bluey green to a rich blue and it scores well on the Mohs hardness scale with a score of 7.5 to 8, diamonds score 10.  It usually has very few flaws in the stone and is a reasonably priced item to buy, whether in smaller stones for eternity rings, pendants or earrings or larger stones in an engagement ring.

The preferred colour is considered to be the rich blue and will cost more than the bluey green coloured stones.  The best way to check the quality of the stone is to hold it up to the light and turn it, you should find that the light strikes the stone as you turn it and it should also be highly reflective.

It is an ideal colour if you have had a boy for your eternity ring, it also looks very pretty in a pair of stud earrings or a pendant or ring to match a summer blue dress.

It has also been credited with the following properties in the past:-

A good luck charm for sailors.

A symbol of happiness and ever lasting  youth.

If you wear an Aquamarine you will be able to conquer all wickedness. If you place it under your pillow you will have pleasant dreams.

Let me know if any of the above work for you!!

Shaped Diamond Wedding Rings by Goldfinger Rings

Do you need a shaped wedding to fit around your engagement ring?

Well we are here to help there are so many different and unusual engagements ring these days and trying to fit that perfect wedding ring off the shelf that fits and compliments your engagement ring is very hard, This is why so many people are opting to have a handmade ring.

The standard shaped wedding rings are cut-out, wishbone, gentle bend and hook shaped. These of course, sometimes will still not fit! In that case you will need to use a company like us to help you. We can take a shaping from your engagement ring without taking your engagement ring away and make you a deeper wishbone ring or a hook shaped wedding ring to fit only your engagement ring.

Any unusual shaped engagement ring can have a “shaped to fit” wedding band from single and multi stone rings to cluster rings, it helps to try on sample wedding rings with your engagement ring to see which shapes look best. You can have various patterns and diamonds added to your shaped wedding ring, or copy the engagement ring so that they look like a matching set.

Remember to try on shaped rings so that you are happy with the style, as a wishbone or bend can sometime leave small gaps, some people are happy with this but others want the ring to fit perfectly. When ordering your shaped ring we recommend to order the same metal as your engagement ring to make sure the colour is the same if white metals and to ensure the rings do not damage each other.

In most cases, if you do have a wedding ring made to fit your engagement ring from a designer and manufacturer like Goldfinger, you are cutting out the “middle men” which usually means it will be cheaper than the high streets and better quality. If you concerned about having your wedding ring made for you and then you not like it, ask to see a design by CAD (computer aided design) which most bespoke jewellers will be able to offer you, for your piece of mind.