The Mother of all Gifts: Mothers’ Day presents from your Local Independent Jeweller

As much as we love our Mums, they’re often taken for granted. It’s time, therefore, to show them how much we love them this Mothers’ Day: visit your local independent jeweller for a gift that’s unique, special, and above all, filled with love!

Kit Heath Jewellery
At the top of any mother’s gift wish list should be a piece of Kit Heath Jewellery. This British jewellery designer’s work has become one of the most recognised sterling silver jewellery brands in the UK, and with 25 years’ worth of experience, the range is versatile enough to offer gifts for young yummy mummies through to doting grandmothers. Ask your local independent jeweller for advice on Kit Heath Jewellery; we guarantee it will offer something for every female member of the family this Mothers’ Day.

Give the gift of time
A watch from your local jeweller is the perfect present for Mothers’ Day – practical enough to be a piece of jewellery worn every day by busy mums, yet feminine and pretty enough to satisfy every woman’s desire for gorgeous jewellery. Your local jewellery shop will be able to offer a range of watches, from gold and silver to stainless steel, metal plated, or even diamond set – and an array of straps to match too! If you’re bowled over by the amount of choice on offer, just pop down to your local jewellery shop; your local jeweller will be happy to advise on what would suit your Mum’s taste.

Bring an old piece of jewellery back to life
If you don’t want to buy your Mum something completely new, but rather fancy having one of her old pieces fixed instead, why not ask your local independent jeweller about their jewellery repair services? Maybe she’s stopped wearing a favourite bracelet because the clasp has broken, or perhaps she has an heirloom inherited from her own mother that just needs resetting or restoring; whatever the case, you can rest assured that if you surprise your Mum by bringing a treasured piece of jewellery back to life for her, by using the repair service in your local jewellery shop, the item will be repaired on site – and therefore there will be no risk to your Mum’s jewellery.

Giftware
And don’t forget that your local independent jeweller will also offer giftware too; from clocks to photo frames, and even collectable porcelain figures, your local jewellery shop really will offer something for every type of Mum this Mother’s Day!

We Three Kings ... The Gift of Gold

Gold has always been precious, and this is exactly the reason that it was given as one of the gifts in the Nativity story by the Three Kings to the baby Jesus. Of gold, frankincense and myrrh, gold is the only one of the three that’s still given as a gift today, and that’s because it’s still recognised as something special. You too can enjoy the gift of gold this year, and there’s no better place to go to buy a gold jewellery piece than your local independent jeweller.

Throughout the world on January 6th, or Epiphany as it’s also known, the Three Kings celebration takes place, and gold often takes a starring role in the celebrations, even today. For example, Cansaulim in South Goa, India, is famous for its Three Kings festival whereby three boys are selected from the neighbouring villages to present the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh in a procession.

In Poland, people take small boxes containing a gold ring, incense and a piece of amber to the Church to be blessed, and in Spain, children (and even many adults!) polish their shoes and leave them ready for the Kings to leave presents underneath, reminiscent of the gifts bought by the Three Kings to the baby Jesus. If you’re celebrating the Three Kings festival this year, why not ask your local jewellery shop about a gold jewellery piece for your loved one?

After all, gold is extremely versatile, and your local jeweller will be able to help you to pick a piece that’s right for you and for the occasion. The gold traditionally associated with the Three Kings’ gift is yellow gold, and this still remains very popular today. However, white gold and rose gold are also increasing in popularity and the different colours can be combined within one piece to create something truly unique.

If you’re not sure what’s best for you, your local jeweller will be able to offer their advice and help you to choose. The colour difference is determined by different metal alloys mixed with the gold, and it’s worth bearing in mind that if you choose white gold, you will need to have the rhodium plating replaced over time. However, there’s no need to worry about this as your local independent jeweller is likely to offer this service on their premises, making your beautiful white gold jewellery take on the brilliant-silver colour again that it’s associated with!

As can be seen from the Three Kings’ story, gold will always be in fashion. The different carats available ensure that there are different price-ranges to suit all budgets, and the variety of colours on offer means that there will be a piece to suit all tastes. If you’re not sure what would be best for you, ask your local independent jeweller for advice. After all, if it’s good enough for the Three Kings, it’s good enough for anyone!

New Year, New Jewellery? Or Maybe Remodel the Old!

The New Year is a time for looking forward: new hopes, new dreams, New Year’s resolutions ... but let’s not forget that it’s also a time for reminiscing and reflecting on times gone by. The same can be said when it comes to updating your look, too. The New Year is a great time to reinvent your style, and while new jewellery is an excellent way to do that, it doesn’t have to be out with the old and in with the new in 2012. Read on to find out how, by remodelling an old piece of jewellery this New Year, your local independent jeweller can help you to update your look in 2012!

Reinvent an Heirloom

You may have a piece of jewellery which you once loved but has now gone out of fashion. Maybe it has sentimental value, or maybe it’s a family heirloom, but it just doesn’t work with your style any more or isn’t quite right for you. There’s no point in letting something so beautiful and once so loved languish in a dark drawer somewhere when it could be worn; take it along to your local jewellery shop and your local jeweller will be able to advise on having the piece remodelled. Soon you’ll be the proud owner of something fresh and new (and different to the pieces you’ll find in the shops) but it will still have all of its original sentimental value – perfect!

Perhaps you’re not quite ready to have your old jewellery made into something completely different by your local independent jeweller, but if you have jewellery which is in need of repair, don’t forget that your local jewellery shop will be able to help with that too. Maybe a treasured chain or watch just needs repairing to make it wearable again, or perhaps you own a ring which you’d love to wear but haven’t been able to as it needs resetting? Maybe you have some white gold jewellery which needs to be re-rhodium plated to bring it back to its beautiful silver-white colour?

Whatever the condition of your jewellery, ask your local jeweller about their repair service as they’ll be able to bring your old and broken jewellery back to life. Furthermore, by using the repair service offered by your local independent jeweller rather than a high street chain, you can be sure that your jewellery will be fully insured and repaired on the premises, so you’re not running the potential risk of your jewellery being lost in transit.

New Year really is a great time for looking to the future and spring cleaning your wardrobe. Remodelling and repairing old jewellery is an excellent way of doing this, and your local independent jeweller will be happy to offer their advice and expertise in these matters. So this New Year, let’s see out the old and see in the old-made-new!

How Remodelling Can Give Your Old Jewellery New Life

Do you own some pieces of jewellery that you never wear? Perhaps you have a necklace that was fashionable when you bought it but now looks dated. Or you might have inherited a brooch or bracelet that has great sentimental value but simply isn’t your style. And what about all those bits and pieces: single earrings and cufflinks that have lost their partners, a ring with a missing stone, or a damaged pendant?

Instead of continuing to hide them away, or selling them for their scrap value, why not investigate the possibility of having unworn pieces of jewellery expertly remodelled into attractive new pieces?

A professional jeweller who offers a remodelling service will usually be able to suggest a number of ways in which the precious metals or gemstones in a piece of jewellery could be altered or rearranged. Most will also do their best to incorporate your own ideas into the new design.

Some ways in which old jewellery can be given a new lease of life include:

· taking precious stones from an old-fashioned setting and putting them into a more modern setting

· breaking up a large piece such as an ornate necklace or tiara to create several smaller pieces

· simplifying over fussy designs

· incorporating small ‘odd’ pieces into a new larger piece

· making a new piece from melted down damaged gold, silver or platinum

In today’s economic climate few people can afford to buy new jewellery just because they no longer like their old pieces. Recycling old jewellery by having it remodelled not only allows you to enjoy wearing something that would otherwise be discarded but the new piece will have the added advantage of being unique. For example, a fairly ordinary mass-produced pendant could be remodelled into a stunning one-off brooch or a pair of earrings that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. Or perhaps the new piece of jewellery could feature your initials or a symbol that has a special meaning for you to make it even more personal.

When someone admires your ‘new’ jewellery it will be up to you to decide whether or not to tell them you’ve had it for years!

For the best results look for a jeweller whose work you like and who is experienced in remodelling all types of jewellery. If your jewellery includes diamonds or other precious gems it’s important that you only entrust them to someone qualified to work with them.