An Elegant Eternity

An eternity ring is classed as a band set with a continuous line of gemstones, typically diamonds.  They are designed to be a symbol of everlasting love and to mark memorable events such as anniversaries and the birth of a baby, but they are also gaining popularity as a wedding ring.  I love the idea of adding in a splash of colour - red rubies, blue sapphires, pink sapphires or maybe a particular birthstone.

 18ct yellow gold eternity bands, each channel set with 17 brilliant diamonds

These two beautiful and classic eternity rings were created to mark the 50th anniversary of a delightful lady, Janet. They were designed to be worn either side a striking diamond and ruby ring which was very much a treasured 40th anniversary gift from her late husband. 

For more information on my bespoke design service please visit the website. 

CLOVER: inspiration behind the collection

The Clover collection is inspired by the iconic quatrefoil motif - a legacy of Gothic architecture so often found in cathedrals and churches and which typically dominates Moorish architecture. It is a fascinating shape that seems to transcend time....so ancient and classic but also so modern. 

Each leaf represents something different - hope, faith, luck and love.

The collection has an elegant simplicity and is divided into two distinct ranges - Rose Clover and Gypsy Clover. The Rose Clover range features 18 carat rose gold clover leaves holding a beautiful white diamond in the centre, and is highlighted with inlaid white diamonds to bring each piece to life. The Gypsy Clover range is available in sterling silver and also in 18 carat rose gold vermeil - a heavy layer of 18 carat gold plated on sterling silver - giving a soft and feminine look with a vintage feel.

The decision to make the Gypsy Clover range using 18 carat gold vermeil has been as a reaction to its continuing popularity within the retail jewellery market, and has added a new dimension to the collections. Whilst each piece is comparable to pure gold in appearance and craftsmanship, because the primary composition is sterling silver, the gold vermeil pieces offer a more affordable alternative to the pure gold pieces without compromising the quality of the jewellery.

This stunning collection - including pendants, necklaces, earrings, and  bracelets - is made in the UK one at a time, and because of this variations in the colour of metal are available on request.

For more details of the Clover Collection, visit the website or call 07701 080 615.

Diamonds and Pearls

My lovely and most beautiful friend Annelise, celebrated her marriage to Romesh in June. Unbeknown to Annelise,  Rom had secretly contacted me before the wedding and commissioned me to design and create a pair of earrings  as a gift to be opened on their special day.  The brief was simple - diamonds and pearls - but it was our long standing friendship that was the most useful reference to allow me to narrow down the design intricacies.

These earrings so versatile, and are made so that the pearl can be removed and the diamond hoop worn separately. Beautiful earrings for all occasions, but a perfect accessory for the most important day so far of her life.

"Great work from Catherine Budd Jewellery for designing and producing some lovely pearl earrings for my Bride, and now wife, Annelise. They were much adored on the day and will be forever more."

Annelise looked beyond stunning and Rom was as handsome as ever. The wedding was just beautiful and I wish them both so much love for the future.

Photograph by: www.capture4life.com  

Cat x 

www.catherinebuddjewellery.co.uk/

Perfect Palladium

This wedding ring commissioned by Kirsty is made in palladium. The brief was to design a new wedding ring to replace her husband's yellow gold band...to create something traditional but with a modern twist.   

The wedding ring is a wide band measuring 8mm in width and was designed with a bevelled edge.  I love the subtlety of the brushed finish in the centre of the ring against the high polished edges which accentuates the bevelled design. 

Kirsty chose to have the ring hand engraved  with her name and the date she married her husband, something special as a reminder of their special occasion and to tell part of their life story.

Palladium is becoming increasingly more popular.....

Due to the rising price of gold and platinum in recent years, palladium has become increasingly more popular and has now gained recognition as a precious metal in its own right.  It is a silvery white rare metal, and is part of the platinum family of metals. It is an easy metal to look after, and as it is naturally white like palladium it won't require plating and it does not tarnish. Whilst it has similar properties to platinum it is less dense and is much lighter in weight.  This metal is suitable for a large selection of wedding rings and a particularly good choice for those people wanting a fairly sizable ring but without the heavy weight and the even heavier price tag that platinum commands.

Comments from Kirsty below:

"Catherine, thank you for designing and creating my husband’s wedding ring. I can’t believe how you were able to create something based on our conversations and e-mail without even meeting me face to face! You kept me informed of the progress from start to finish; I can’t thank you enough." 

Kirsty, South Lanarkshire.

For details visit http://www.catherinebuddjewellery.co.uk/

Much love 

Cat x 

Going for Gold: Gold Vermeil Jewellery

No matter what trends come and go, people will never tire of gold. Beautiful, timeless, but expensive.

Whilst gold plate can be cheap, it is not always of good quality and the thin layer of plate can wear off quickly. Gold vermeil is different and provides the durability that is not available from standard gold-plated pieces.

So how does it work?

Ordinary gold plate is simply a thin layer of gold over any base metal. To qualify as 'gold vermeil' on the other hand a piece of jewellery must meet certain criteria. The base metal must be pure sterling silver, the gold layer with which the silver is plated must be at least 10 carat gold, and the layer of gold must be heavy - at least two and a half microns in thickness (gold plate can be as little as half a micron or less).

All my gold vermeil jewellery bears the hallmark for Sterling Silver and is heavy plated to a minimum of 2.5 microns with 18 carat gold. Nothing less.

Using gold vermeil for some of my jewellery means each piece is comparable to pure gold in appearance and craftsmanship, but offers a more affordable alternative to the pure gold pieces without compromising the quality.

Care of gold vermeil jewellery...

Whilst gold vermeil is heavily plated with gold, if you’ve owned your gold vermeil jewellery for some time and worn & loved it lots, you may find that over time it will need to be re-plated in gold. To minimise the wear of gold vermeil be careful to not shower or swim while wearing it, and be careful with hairspray, perfume, cosmetics, and lotions on your jewellery, or anything that may cause abrasion.  If you must clean your gold vermeil jewellery, use a very soft cloth or gentle hand soap and water. Don't use tarnish remover or jewellery polish as the abrasives & chemicals will strip the gold layer more quickly.

Catherine Budd Jewellery offers one complimentary re-plating to customers who have bought a gold vermeil piece. If you would like to have your piece re-plated, please contact me.  

One of a kind engagement ring - aquamarine treasure

Lisa and Rich are avid Scuba Divers  and spend most of their spare time running 'Dive South' a scuba diving club in Dorset. Lisa particularly loves nothing more than being under the water so there was no surprise that the brief was to create an engagement ring that was inspired by the sea, whilst at the same time ensuring the design  was elegant and delicate, but not too fussy or overly embellished with diamonds.

After some initial discussions, designs and a couple of adjustments we had it narrowed down to this. A striking asymmetric platinum ring set with a faceted sea-blue aquamarine and delicate accents of white diamonds.

This ring is special to me, not only because it is a beautiful and interesting design,   but because I met some wonderful people who have since become my friends.  And true to form, the proposal was not only wonderful, it was underwater, and I was lucky enough to be there to share it!

For further details, to arrange a design consultation or to purchase a piece of jewellery please visit my website or contact me on 07701 080 615.

Cat x 

A jewellery box essential...

Diamond stud earrings are a jewellery box essential. They are a timeless classic.  An elegant yet simple style of earring that hold a special place in the heart of most women. 

The brief from my client was to design the earrings to hold a half carat diamond in a bezel setting. To allow lots of light to enter the diamond and maximise its sparkle, the design featured 'light spaces' at the sides of the collet and underneath the earring base.

As with any diamond purchase, we discussed the 4 C’s of a diamond - the cut, colour, clarity, and carat weight, and selected a pair of the most suitable, and best quality diamonds at an affordable price.

One thing to keep in mind when choosing and making diamond earrings is the match. Both diamonds should be as close as possible in terms of size, cut, clarity, and colour so they appear to be identical. No two diamonds are ever completely alike so it is important to source matching pairs which were most similar.

These earrings are made in 18ct yellow gold, and the total diamond weight is just over 1 carat.

Diamond stud earrings can be made to any specification. Prices start from £400.

For further details see www.catherinebuddjewellery.co.uk

Much love

Cat  ©