Top 5 tips for choosing that perfect centre stone for your bespoke engagement ring.

Thinking of popping the question? If so no doubt your first thought is about the ring. This is probably one of the biggest sentimental purchases you will probably ever make. Yes it can be daunting with endless styles to look at. So how do you pick the perfect piece for your perfect partner, especially when you are having a bespoke piece made.

Well fear not, as here at Oresome Nicola and I are both professional jewellers with over 30 years of experience. We will guide you through not only selecting your dream stone but also the exciting process of creating a bespoke piece of jewellery. Each commission we make is as individual as the person that will wear the piece.

There are a few things that you will need to consider when selecting that all important stone or stones for your engagement ring

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1. Budget  - firstly and most importantly you need to decide on how much you are going to spend on your ring as this will also determine other aspects of the piece such as the design and what type of stones and the metal.

1. Mohs Scale –  This is a scale where the hardness of a material is measured. It is rated from 1 to 10 and was designed to rate a materials resistance.  1 being the least resistant and 10 being the most resistant. Diamonds for example are graded as 10 on the Mohs scale.

As an engagement ring will usually be worn all the time hence we would recommend a harder stone such as diamond, sapphire or Aquamarine to name just a few.  Traditionally diamonds are the stone of choice however these days anything goes.

1. Size – Yes size does matter! When choosing a stone its tempting to go for the biggest, however you need to consider the practicality of wearing a large stone on a daily basis.  As well as considering how the stone will look on an individuals finger. Bigger isn’t always better.

1. Shape– The shape and cut of your stone can have a great impact on your ring making it the star of the show. Whether you want a round stone or want to go for something a bit more unusual we can help you choose the perfect centre piece for your ring.

1. Time scale – Each engagement ring we create is unique so it takes a different amount of time to create each one. On average it usually takes between 6-8 weeks to have a piece designed and made by Nicola or myself. We will guide you through each step of the process to create your dream ring to treasure forever.

For further information check out our commissions page or get in touch via email at info@oresomegallery.com or call us on  01482 213 881

We will look forward to hearing from you.

Victoria and Nicola x

Posted on 10th Nov 2020 16:32:22 by Oresome

5 top tips to looking after your pearls

Did you know that as well as repairing all sorts of different types of jewellery we can also resting beads and pearls? Here are some of our top tips for keeping all you beads and pearls in great condition.

1. Keep them stored in a safe place away from metal  edges that could damage and scratch the surface of your pearls. Instead, store them in a soft bag or wrap them carefully in tissue before putting them away.
2. Keep them away from perfume and hair spray, cosmetics or water as these will rot the material the pearls are strung onto.
3. Avoid playing or twisting the pearls or beads  as this will weaken and damage the thread.
4. To keep them in tip top condition wipe them with a soft cloth after wearing.
5. Make sure that you have your pearls or beads are restrung regularly. As you wear them the thread will naturally get damaged and stretch with wear and tear. On average we recommend having them restrung at least once a year deepening on how much you wear them.

Bring your items in for a free quote today!

Posted on 9th Sep 2019 09:46:41 by surrect.media

Tags: custom made jewellery hull, bespoke jewellery remodels.

Go green with your jewellery

Now more than ever before we are being encouraged to reuse, recycle and reduce waste, but can we also do this with our jewellery?

Nicola and I have been designing and creating remodelled jewellery for a long time now. Not only is it a perfect way to update a family heirloom into either something that is more contemporary or  a new design.

Having a remodel is not only a great way to help preserve the earth’s natural resources but it is also a great way to invest in a high quality piece whilst holding onto to the cherished  memories and sentimental value of the piece. We can re use the material in your piece including the stones if you have any to create a completely new piece or pieces.

How it works
- Come and see us with your piece or pieces of jewellery. It helps if you have an idea of what you would like so that we can design around these ideas. If you are really not sure we can help advise and give you some ideas.
- We will discuss with you what type of jewellery you would like to have made using your existing pieces
- We will ask you to leave your items with us while we put together a quote
- Once you have decided you would like to go ahead we will then ask for a 50% deposit so that we can start working on your remodelled piece
- We will then create some design ideas so that you can choose which design idea or ideas you would like to have made.
- We will then start to re process you metal and remove any stones that are in the piece if there are any and start to create your piece
- Once the jewellery is finished we will then phone you to let you know  that it is ready to collect the balance will be due at this point.

Interested in having a remodel done? Call us ore drop us a line.

Love Nicola and Victoria x

Posted on 9th Jul 2019 09:03:50 by surrect.media

Tags: bespoke jewellery remodels, custom made jewellery hull, reuse jewellery, recycled jewellery, green jewellery.

Oresome in print!

The story of us being published started about 18 months ago Nicola and I were invited to submit images of our work featuring colour and texture for a new book that was to be written.

At the beginning of this year we got the exciting news that we had been 2 of the 90 jewellers to be featured within the book.
We are both very excited be featured within this new book titled “Colour and Textures in Jewellery”. The book has been written and compiled by two tutors and jewellers from London Jewellery Workshop Nina Gilbey and Bekkie Ora Cheeseman. The book features examples of different techniques and processes used by professional jewellers to create colour and texture within jewellery.

The book demonstrates how colour and texture can be used in the creation of jewellery making and how these techniques and processes can be used creatively to create dynamic and exciting work.

As a jeweller both colour and texture play such a major part in designing and creating a piece of jewellery. Whether it is a one off commission or a part of a range. I love to incorporate colour within my designs and do this by using various different precious and semi precious stones as well as other materials such as resin and anodised aluminium.

“I am still fascinated by colour, texture, form and function as well as the ductile qualities of metals, pushing them to extremes in order to create innovative bespoke pieces that cannot be found anywhere else.”
Nicola Fidell Chapman

We are both due to attend the official launch of the book in London on the 4th July. Colour and textures in Jewellery is now available to buy and download through various outlets.

Posted on 24th Jun 2019 09:35:03 by surrect.media

Tags: Oresome Gallery and Jewellery Workshop.

Part 2 - Day in the life of Oresome Jeweller

At Oresome we believe that your jewellery should be as individual as you are. Introducing Oresome Jeweller and Business Partner Victoria Prince.

Tell us about a your typical day?

If I am heading to the gym for a morning yoga session it’s a 6am start, I usually spend around an hour there then head home grab some breakfast and head out to the field for an hour to walk my dog Roo before heading to Oresome. Most days I check emails straight away and then get into the workshop to either work on developing my own range of bespoke one off pieces or a commission I am working on. At the moment it’s a stunning diamond engagement ring.

What I love about what I do is that no two days are ever the same and we get so many interesting commissions in.  it’s a real privilege to be part of someone’s story and help create that special piece of jewellery that will last a lifetime and be passed on to future generations. We usually head home around 6pm unless we have any pressing jobs to finish.

How did you become a jeweller?

Even as a child I loved making things and my poor mum got all sorts of weird and wonderful creations. I always had a fascination for jewellery and my sister and I used to play dress up and ask to try things on in Mums jewellery box. This grew to to creating pieces, just simple to begin with I then went onto study 3D Design and college and had the chance to work with silver. After that I was hooked and went on to do a BA (Hons) in Silver Smithing and Jewellery at Birmingham School of Jewellery. I loved every minute of it and being in the heart of Birmingham’s famous jewellery quarter was like a dream!

What’s you passion outside of jewellery?

I love to travel and experience new cultures. I also enjoy a good night out hitting the dance floor especially if its salsa!

Where is your favourite place to visit on Holiday?

As I said before one of my passions is to travel and I recently went to Iceland. It was somewhere that I had wanted to go for a long time. It was an amazing place the landscape was stunning, so different to anywhere else I have been. We went in the wintertime and it was such an amazing feeling being out in the thick snow but nice and warm in the natural thermal springs.  I am already planning the next trip to see more of the country.

Posted on 20th May 2019 14:16:21 by surrect.media

Tags: Oresome Jewellery, Victoria Prince.