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I was nervous starting my first day as a designer at Dytham Jewellery, walking in I wasn't sure what my week would entail. At first I wouldn't have considered myself a creative person however over the course of the week I think I may have changed my mind. For my first day Jemma outlined the tasks she had planned to keep me busy throughout the week. I was given three exciting projects, the first project was to design an engagement ring that combined both modern and antique s

At Dytham Jewellery Designers we took the opportunity during work experience week at a local high school to learn the ways of being a designer to one student, Hannah. Throughout this week she learned what it takes to design jewellery at a professional standard. Mood boards, one expressing modern style rings and another of antique styles rings. Rough sketches of possible design ideas. From the rough sketches, ideas were more focused and developed further. Focused on one design

Hallmarking your jewellery To begin with I am going to define what a hallmark actually symbolises in the eyes of the British Law. It is a marked stamp on metals of gold, silver, platinum, and palladium given by the British assay offices which certify their standard of purity. The British assay offices are located in Edinburgh, Sheffield, Birmingham and London, all owning their own trademark. Up to 1998 there were four compulsory marks for a hallmark, however, after 1998 the d

Rose Gold Over recent years we have found rose gold making a comeback and have been creating with it more often. It originally turned fashionable around the 19th century, especially in Russia. It is a striking metal that oozes a more vintage and romantic appeal. To create the ‘rosy’ effect copper is added into the mix, the more copper added, the redder the metal will be. On the same note, a higher carat will contain more pure gold so there will be less copper added, makin

Discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston, palladium is becoming increasingly popular within the jewellery industry. This chemical element is a rare, natural, lustrous silver-white metal and does not need to be plated. As palladium is a part of the platinum group of metals, it shares many of the same chemical properties as platinum, one of them being they are both naturally hypoallergenic materials. It is a hard-wearing metal and does not tarnish. However unlike platinum

Pushing the boundaries of craft in the goldsmith industry Since the 1960’s the boundaries regarding jewellery craft and design have regularly been redefined. Makers up until the present have been designing a ‘contemporary’ style. Contemporary jewellery is without a doubt one of the most dynamic and innovative subjects in craft and design throughout the 21st century. Current craftspeople are forever experimenting and figuring out solutions to problems in order to be cutting ed