Let VJG create a unique bespoke piece of jewellery especially for you.
Custom Made Jewellery from Professional Jewellery Designers
If you have an idea of a piece of jewellery that you would like us to create then we would be delighted to work your ideas through with you. Interpretation is the key and our speciality is to help your ideas come to life! Building on your initial ideas and sketches our team can interpret your design or idea which can involve creating a 3D wax model for you to view in advance. At this stage subtle amendments can be made to ensure complete confidence in the final piece. From our wealth of experience gained over the many years in the business we have found that the issue of visualizing the end product is often the most important part of creating one’s unique design.
Once the final design is agreed we will calculate the price based on the cost of the precious metal and labour required. We will then contact you and provide you with descriptions, estimated completion date and cost based on current bullion price. We will require a 50% non-refundable deposit to proceed with your commission. The balance will be payable on collection or prior to dispatch.
Please be aware that the price quoted may vary due to the fluctuating bullion market.
Custom Jewellery Design – Platinum, Gold, Palladium, Silver
We create jewellery in 9ct & 18ct gold (yellow, white, red colour) platinum, palladium and silver.
All precious metals have their own individual properties so consideration should be taken to choosing which metal is the best option for the selected design- not just for the colour of the metal but durability to worn everyday and suitability for style of stone setting etc.
We pride ourselves on taking a very practical approach and always discuss what purpose the piece is required for- whether it is everyday wear….. or for light dress wear and recommend a design accordingly.
As an alternative to our fully bespoke service, we can also supply and assemble quality mass produced components tailored to your requirements. We uphold the same quality control and never supply lightweight or hollow pieces.
Custom Jewellery Design – Do you require gemstones?
Most gemstone material takes millions of years to form. The cooling of the earth’s molten lava and a combination of chemical composition, temperature and pressure forms crystals that give birth to natural gemstones. Some other gem materials like coral, amber, pearls etc. are organic substances that come from plants and animal origin.
Desirable for their beauty, valuable in their rarity and durable enough to be enjoyed for generations. There are more than 40 popular gemstone varieties and many rarer collectable gemstones too. Sourced from every continent across the globe in a myriad of different colours we can transform a beautiful gem into a fine creation!
We can source gemstones of all shapes, sizes and qualities for a specific design. We are happy for you to view a selection and to choose your own individual gemstone!
One of the considerations to make when choosing a gemstone is how durable it is, in light of how it is to be worn, especially if it is for an everyday ring.
(Gemstone and organic substances are often treated by artificial means to improve their colour and appearance by methods other than cutting and polishing. To the best of our knowledge the descriptions of all goods sold by us conform to the rules laid down by the C.I.B.J.O)
Our primary materials
Rich, lustrous, symbolic, historic, desirable. The story of this beautiful metal is as rich and complex as the metal itself.
No other metal looks quite like gold. No other metal inspires like gold. No substance has obsessed civilizations throughout history. It has been the driving force for great explorers, conquerors, would-be miners and artisan’s alike. Fashions may come and go, but gold holds a place in the world that is impossible to displace. No matter the price of metals like Platinum, gold will always symbolize and define opulence – the ultimate precious metal.
Gold is a metallic element, malleable, resistant to oxidation, with a shiny yellow lustre.
Because of the softness of pure (24ct), it is usually alloyed with base metals for use in jewellery, altering its hardness and ductility, melting point, colour and other properties making gold the ultimate creative medium.
The two main carats of gold recognised within the UK are 9ct and 18ct gold. 9 carat gold is the common carat in the UK, containing 37.5% pure gold. 18 carat gold has become an international standard for jewellery, containing 75% pure gold.
The term caratage simply refers to the proportion of pure gold in a piece of gold jewellery and can be defined in two ways: As ‘fineness’ which expresses the amount of gold in parts out of 1000 or as a ‘percentage’ of pure gold:
24 Carats = 999 Fineness or 99.9% Gold content
22 Carats = 916 Fineness or 91.6% Gold content
18 Carats = 750 Fineness or 75.0% Gold content
14 Carats = 585 Fineness or 58.5% Gold content
9 Carats = 375 Fineness or 37.5% Gold content
Today the metal’s traditional golden hue can be subtly and magically changed. The modern “alloying” process, undertaken to increase durability and wearability, now combines pure gold with other metals to create a new and diverse colour palette. Mixing in white metals, such as palladium or silver in combination, creates white gold, now the overwhelming choice for engagement and wedding rings. The inclusion of copper results in the soft pink complexion of rose gold.
Visit our shop in Worthing or call for further information.
Rare, pure, white, durable, strong, desirable, prestigious. This metal can only be regarded as the ‘crème de la crème’ of metals- it is simply beautiful!
Platinum is 30 times more rare than gold. If platinum mining ceased today, the available supply would be exhausted in two years, compared to a quarter of a century for gold. Platinum is more pure (approximately 95% pure) than gold (18ct gold is 75% pure; 14ct gold is 58% pure). It is more durable than other precious metals, so it lasts longer with every day wear and is not subject to the metal loss and wearing down that occurs with other precious metals therefore making it the superior metal for all our precious jewellery.
Platinum is heavier than other precious metals – 40% heavier than 18 carat gold. Its weight feels more substantial to the wearer, serving as a constant, subtle reminder of its superior qualities. It is highly recommended for claw and tension settings securing valuable diamonds and gemstones. The strength of platinum is important for securely holding precious stones. Platinum’s white appearance complements the brilliance and depth of diamonds and coloured gemstones it surrounds. It is hypo-allergenic, so it won’t irritate sensitive skin. Because platinum does not oxidize, it won’t tarnish like other precious metals, and there is no need for rhodium plating in order to maintain its bright colour. All these properties summarise why this is the most desirable of all the white metals.
The Hallmarking Act was amended in January 2010 to include palladium into the metals that require compulsory hallmarking. Resourced from Russia, the metal initially entered the market in the early 1900’s and saw widespread use and by the 1930’s Palladium alloys were being used for jewellery and dentistry use. The biggest breakthrough for the increased use of Palladium occurred in 1970 when, in the face of growing environmental concern, it was discovered that catalytic converters consisting of Palladium, Platinum and Rhodium could eliminate a high percentage of all the harmful gases from automobile exhausts.
Palladium (atomic symbol Pd) is a Platinum group metal (PGM). It is the lightest (least dense) and has the lowest melting point of the group. Palladium is naturally white, not requiring Rhodium plating for use as jewellery. It is malleable and ductile in its pure form, but too soft for jewellery unless alloyed. As an alloy containing 950 parts of Palladium for jewellery purposes, it is more “pure” than a white Gold alloy, but the additional elements make it harder and more durable. Common alloy ingredients are Ruthenium and Iridium which are also Platinum group metals. Palladium wears similarly to Platinum. As with any piece subjected to daily use, Palladium jewellery will show surface wear over time. Palladium is comparable in weight to 9 and 14ct gold.
Silver is a precious metal and, much like gold, is too fine to be utilized in its pure form. To make silver durable enough for use in jewellery, pure silver, which has.999 fineness (99.9%), is often alloyed with small quantities of copper (7.5%). The copper is added to strengthen the silver and the resulting product is .925 sterling silver (92.5%).
The principal sources of silver are the ores of copper, copper-nickel, lead, and lead-zinc obtained from Peru, Bolivia, Mexico, China, Australia, Chile, Poland and Serbia. Silver has long been valued as a precious metal, and it is used as an investment, to make ornaments, jewellery, high-value tableware, utensils and currency coins. In appearance silver presents a pure white colour with a perfect metallic lustre. It is the most malleable and ductile of all metals with the exception of gold: one gramme can be drawn out into a wire 180 metres long, and the leaf can be beaten out to a thickness of 0.00025 mm!
Complying with the Hallmarking Act (1973) all our handmade pieces are hallmarked at the London Assay Office. The hallmark states our VJG makers mark, the metal type, the London Assay Office mark and the date tested.
The UK hallmark is an official mark stamped on jewellery showing that it conforms to legal standards of purity (fineness).
A complete hallmark consists of the following compulsory punch marks:
– Sponsors/ Makers Mark
Diamonds – a girl’s best friend!
Diamond is the world’s most popular and sought after gemstone. Naturally occurring diamonds are formed over billions of years under intense pressure and heat.
Certified and un-certified diamonds supplied of all shapes and sizes. Generally diamonds are certified from 0.30ct upwards.
All the diamonds supplied by VJG have been purchased from legitimate sources not involved in funding conflict in compliance with United Nations Resolutions. We hereby guarantee that the diamonds sold are conflict free based on personal knowledge and/or written guarantees provided by the supplier of these diamonds.
