Lasting Impressions Bespoke Goldsmiths

Our forte at Lasting Impressions is creating Bespoke Fine Jewellery

Some may describe this onsite service as " Custom made jewellery /  Hand Made Jewellery "


Making a " one off " unique piece of jewellery, or one may even describe it as creating family heirlooms of the future !


The plethora of skills gained over the last 41 years by our on site goldsmith / Platinumsmith can be accessed here  


Lasting Impressions Bespoke Goldsmiths
40A  Fore Street
Bovey Tracey
TQ13 9AD 

01626 833177

OPENING HOURS

Monday to Saturday 

10 am  until   5 pm 

( By prior appointment only )
 
We are next to the Post office / Spar shop in the centre of town 

 
Other commission enquiries may include making plain wedding rings , eternity rings , pendants , earrings , brooches , cufflinks , tie pins , lapel pins etc etc

Utilising our re-design / restore facility where our clients existing family jewellery can be re-modelled into a new design or expertly renovated  or totally  re-created back to its former design ( that's if the item has not passed the point that it cannot be renovated after possible numerous running repairs over the previous decades ) 
 
We can also facilitate more  simple processes of

Supply of new silver , gold & platinum British made chains
New ring remounts ( If the customers ring is beyond any type of repair )
Re-sizing of customers rings ,
Chain repairs,
Repairs to customers  stone set fine jewellery ,
Engraving , ( Laser or hand engraving )
Stone re-polishing if they are chipped or have scuffed / worn surfaces )
Rhodium plating of white gold items ,
Pearl re-stringing,
Valuations
Diamond and natural coloured stone identification / certification
Hallmarking /precious metal testing
etc ,   etc

After 41 years in the fine jewellery manufacturing trade one builds up many trusted specialist contacts too .
 
 
 
An article written by the Platinum Guild international  ( PGI ) on the Web link below  might  be of interest to you ,

Platinum in 2024 is currently  ( June 2024 ) costing around the same price as it was cost in January 2010

Plus as Platinum is less costly compared to the same  item if it were to be made in any of the 18ct gold alloys / colours , also the platinum item made in the exact same design , thickness etc will weigh 39% heaver compared to the more costly version if made in 18ct gold alloy too ! 
Reason ............. as platinum is a dencer metal ( 39% more weighty for the same volume ) compared to the exact same item if made in 18ct gold alloy


Lasting Impressions Bespoke Platinumsmiths  are  a previous  PGI recommended retailer.( PGI from 1975 supported the Platinum PT global brand , but now has now stopped supporting the UK market , PGI currently are supporting other emerging markets in the East.

2 x links below might be of interest to you if you are looking for a naturally white precious metal


https://platinumjewelry.com/why-platinum/all-about-platinum/


https://platinumjewelry.com/metal-matters/


  

 
 
We stock more British made jewellery / made by others too.
 
One example of this is a solid 925  / sterling silver " Hayseed   link " style bracelet  £ 24.60
( June 2024 ) 

This possibly  less than the price you would consider paying for of a bouquet of flowers ! 
 
So we hopefully have something for everyone /  for a small gift for a loved one maybe ?
 
 

 

 
 
Our Moto  
 
Even though one would think Bespoke Fine Jewellery creations are more expensive, in a lot of cases they can be made for a similar price to a quality high street shop fine jewellery " off the shelf " purchase , but with clients knowing we have personally created something especially unique for them with British Craftsmanship Guaranteed ! 
 
 
Our in-house goldsmith who has a passion for hand crafting fine jewellery since 1983, who embraces modern fabrication methods working along with traditional goldsmithing hands skills, meticulously taking a special pride in the final finish of the precious metal mounts the stones are set in.

We hear a lot of the time about the qualities of precious stones when looking for fine jewellery on websites, Tv shopping channels, High street shops and in the media, but not very often do you hear about how well the precious metal mount holding the stones is crafted and finished.

At Lasting Impressions Multi  UK Award Winning Hand finishing / polishing comes as standard whatever we are working on for you !  

Commissioning a bespoke fine jewellery piece from us is made a special, memorable experience by us involving the client throughout the manufacturing process, allowing our customers to actually speak face to face with the goldsmith / Platinumsmith who will be making their special order, we allow our customers to view their commission at different stages of manufacture, selecting their diamonds and gem stones, trying their piece on for size etc, etc , so their completed piece fits their finger correctly first time when collected and it is exactly what the client imagined is was going to look like too.

This very personal service we offer to our clients ( in our mind )  could not be reproduced with an online order with a company far away or even dealing with a high street jeweller who sends their work away to a workshop , as there would be too many people between the maker and the client !

These days other Uk based high street Jewellers' may well even use a workshop overseas too.
 
 


VALUATIONS


The majority of our Valuations are at a fixed Valuation price per item

Which  includes a Wash / Check of the piece of jewellery
( Jewellery MOT one might call it ) 
 
If the customer would like the item/s  polished / rhodium plated / adjusted in finger size , chain length altered, or renovation work done to the item, etc, etc,  before the valuation then this additional work can be quoted  separately  to the valuation price. 
 
Also as from  1st September 2021  our valuations  also have the added process of diamond testing included.

Diamond screening to test whether the diamonds in your piece of fine jewellery  are..................................

" Natural Diamonds " made by mother nature 

or if they are  "  Laboratory grown / man made diamonds "
 
These test results will place a major factor upon the final value placed upon your diamond set fine jewellery. 
 
The equipment used for our diamond set fine jewellery valuations  will detect 98% of natural diamonds  , 100%  of laboratory / man made diamonds , The specialist equipment used is  a  " DeBeers  II DGR  SynthDetect  "
 
 
If one requires a more indepth diamond report that will also detect additional information. 
( At an additional charge / cost to the initial valuation price quoted to you before you engage a valuation ) 

To identify if a natural diamond has been treated by man to improve it's qualities  then the diamond needs to be removed from it's setting and tested loose in another very specialist machine after the diamond has been cooled down in liquid nitrogen  .
 
These additional tests that this loose diamond machine can process  detecting if a natural  diamond has been subjected to any treatments ......
( By Man ) to improve it's qualities
Via High pressure  / High temperature , laser drilling / fracture filling internally and externally, and surface coatings too. 
 
Also Laboratory grown diamonds are identical   " chemically, physically & optically "  when compared to natural diamonds  these very specialist  tests  on very expensive equipment are invaluable to identify what the diamond make up is.

The final test results will drastically affect the  diamonds / jewellery value too. 

E.G.
A natural 1.50 ct round brilliant cut D ( graded colourless ) diamond / triple excellent , no fluorescence , VS / very minimal inclusions clarity ( under 10 x magnification ) may cost around £20,000 / £25,000


The same specification stone as noted above but this time a Laboratory grown diamond / made by man may cost around £1,500 / £2,000


 
BUT WHY DO I NEED A VALUATION FOR MY JEWELLERY ?
 
Please feel free to have a look at this short video ref  "  you tube link "   below  by 
" TH March " 


You might find this very interesting
 
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyMqh4_gVNc
 
You may be wearing an item of jewellery that you presume is insured for loss or accidental damage by your current insurer,  but if the item of jewellery has not been valued recently  (  within the last  3 to 5 years  )  and you are unfortunate  to  have to make a claim, your insurance companies £ settlement figure may not be enough to purchase a like for like replacement because the insurance claim / settlement figure will be based on the last dated / recorded / or valued proof  for the item you can supply.
If it was many years ago since you had a valuation this would mean the insurance claim settlement figure could be possibly thousands of pounds short off the current  new UK replacement price for the item. 
 
E.G.
A platinum single stone diamond engagement  ring I personally  made for a client  12 years ago for £5,300.00 
was recently re-valued  " independently " with our  UK based valuation partner.
The ring's new UK insurance replacement value was stated on the valuation document  £12,400.00 


Another example is a nice heavy weight plain polished gents 18ct yellow gold wedding ring , only approx one hour to manufacture the ring ..............so not a labour intensive job at all

July 2005 this gents wedding ring described above would have cost around .................................................. £ 550.00 inc vat @ 17.5%

June 2024 the exact same specification ring would be costing around...................................................................... £ 2,016.00 inc Vat @ 20%



Naturally you insure your home and possibly review the replacement cost of your buildings and contents periodically to keep it all insured correctly in line with inflation / current replacement price's , just in case you have the misfortune to  have to make a claim
So why not give your insurance company an up to date valuation / proof of value for your fine jewellery /  Thus if you have a loss they can offer you a settlement figure that will actually replace the item for you / put you back in the same position before you had the loss / before you made the insurance claim. 

From January 2024 Gold has experienced dramatic increases in price throughout the year 2024 , this statement / Info inputted today
17th October 2024
 
N.B.
Lots of jewellers base their valuation fee on a percentage of the  new /  current valuation price of the item they have just valued for you, 
Thus you do not know what the valuation is going to cost before you engage their valuation services and their work is done !
The other question one has to ask before engaging a valuation with a jewellers  is
" Has the valuer invested  / purchased   specialist " Diamond screening / testing  equipment  ? "
All to detect man made ( Laboratory  made diamonds )  or natural diamonds
As described above we perceive our fixed price valuation service to be the fairest way, with the majority of valuations falling into our fixed price valuation structure.
 
I.E.  The  majority of our valuations will cost the same fixed price per item valued.

( N.B.  Bulky  silverware items, fine jewellery holding many numerous stones may command a slight increase in the valuation fixed pricing structure as well as the express valuation services we offer have an increase in the standard pricing structure , watches will also incur an additional valuation charge too )

All the above can be quoted for before you engage a valuation with our business, thus you know 100%  what a valuation is going to cost before you engage a valuation with us . 
 
Do you need a valuation in a hurry  ?


I.E.  Quicker than our standard 10 to 15 working days service   ?


Your item/s washed , photographed, valued, document printed out on a 5 working days service is sometimes available if valuation capacity / workload allows . 

 
There are a few different types of Valuations one could chose from  

E.G. 

For Probate   (when some one has passed away)
Sale between parties ,
Family division, etc 

But the most common valuation request we have  is ....................

So you can present your insurer with a copy of the document and insure your  item / s  at the current UK high street £ UK sterling / pound replacement costs or current  UK antique shop replacement value . 
 
 
 

 
DIAMOND AND COLOURED STONE CERTIFICATION / IDENTIFICATION
 
 
Diamond certification, coloured stone certification, Pearl testing , Precious metal testing / Hallmarking, laser engraving , damaged stones
re-polishing are all services we can offer as standard to our customers
 
 
Because our business has evolved from the Fine Jewellery manufacturing side of our  trade,
We have a unique understanding of the work we do
Thus we are not just another Uk high street  Retail Jeweller buying in stock and selling it on.
 

 

 
We DO NOT stock or make any Silver / Gold or Platinum  plated / coated jewellery

Nor do we sell hollow chains or Rolled Gold  / Gold filled /  Vermeil , etc...............  ( Vermeil is Gold plated silver jewellery )   

Many high street and internet based jewellery businesses offer this type of plated / coated  product  for sale these days , hollowed out / plated / coated  jewellery made by others is manufactured to make the piece sell for a certain / lesser price point.
Sometimes types of products made from precious metals ( not plated ) are that thin / light weight and contain not a lot of precious metal are sometimes  injected with liquid plastic to stop the item bending / denting during normal wearing . 
The look of base metal precious metal plated items when they are purchased brand new will not last forever as the surface plating / coating will wear off and reveal the base metal colour beneath the plating / top surface  colour. 
( I.E.  less precious metal contained in the piece = a lesser retail price ) 
but in many cases this compromises the durability of the item overtime too. 
 
 


We like to think here at Lasting Impressions  we are  supplying /  making family heirlooms of the future
So why compromise on a fine jewellery commission ref  a little less precious metal contained within it's design,  if a none hollow version will then last more than a lifetime !

After all it costs / takes us  no more in labour time to make a solid quality piece compared to a hollow one !
 

 

 
We specialise in working with / supplying  Gemological  Institute of America   ( GIA ) 
certified natural diamonds / certified coloured diamonds , and  lots of other 
natural    gemstones .............. and now Laboratory grown diamonds too  
 
Lots of interesting precious stones info on the web address below
 
www.gia.edu
 

We will also " upon request "   manufacture precious metal jewellery to order  holding  " Laboratory grown / man made diamond's "




 
 
Cliq Jewelry / Superfit  ...........................  HINGED RING SYSTEMS
 
 
2018  " Superfit "  have re-branded to  " Cliq Jewelry " 
All since developing their unique hinged ring system in 1993 
 
We can supply  totally  New Hinged  wedding rings /  hinged  engagement  rings in all of the 
14ct 585 gold alloys , 18ct 750 gold alloys   &  Platinum 950 alloy.
 
Also we can retro fit this unique hinged shank / band system to some original customers engagement ring setting designs, that's providing their original stone settings are in good order.
All worked upon in our on-site  Devon based workshop  too 
A fantastic solution for ring wearers  if you suffer from  Arthritis, or have a problem / larger finger joint  after an injury maybe.
 
 
A  couple of short video's on the Youtube links / web addresses below  about  this  fantastic technology  that can be applied to rings.
 
 
 
https://cliqjewelry.com/what-is-cliq/
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5Iqfi2I5-8
 
 
 
 

 

 

We are also licensed to have our finished Argentium silver work hallmarked in the UK

 

With this licence we can request that the item submitted for hallmarking has the Argentium " Flying Unicorn " logo applied after the legal Uk hallmark .

This gives the customer a guarantee that the item once tested, the results confirming that the metalloid " Germanium " is within the silver alloy , thus confirming 100% the silver alloy is Argentium silver alloy
 
Argentium  935 / 940 / 960 purity  alloy's are special  tarnish  resistant silver  alloys

Argentium silver alloys are more durable / stronger / harder  compared to Sterling  925 silver too.
 
Independent laboratory testing has revealed that  Argentium silver chains are  at least 3 times stronger than sterling 925 silver chains of the same design / thickness / weight 

 
Argentium  Silver alloys are  a little  purer than the standard / normal Sterling 925 silver ( 925 parts silver per 1000parts of the silver alloy )

Argentium Silver alloys are available in 935  / 940 / 960 parts per 1000  purity

Argentium silver items can also be heat treated to make the finished item harder too .

 
Keep your eyes open for the  Argentium  " Flying Unicorn " logo punch stamped or laser applied / burnt alongside  any  
Sterling Silver 925 / Britannia Silver 958 UK  hallmark.

Reason for Argentium silver item holding a Sterling silver 925 / Britannia 958 Uk hallmark along with the Argentium flying unicorn logo is that a Uk law has not currently been passed any additional Hallmarking law's for the purer numbered Argentium Silver alloys .

If one selects the 960 purity Argentium alloy then the Britannia traditional fineness symbol and it's purity fineness mark of 958
can be applied within the Uk Hallmark on the 960 purity Argentium silver item submitted for UK hallmarking .
 
Remember the  additional  "Flying Unicorn mark " is your  guarantee that the  item is made from one of the special Argentium Silver Alloys


 
More info on  Argentium silver alloy  via this very informative YouTube video / link below
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLf318FYlhY&list=RDCMUCURCSz85uTynijLDR4_0b0w

 

More information for your interest on the UK hallmarking Act of 1973

Approved by Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II ................. on the 25th July 1973



 
Our onsite Silversmith / Goldsmith / Platinumsmith past achievements include.............
 
Making a Platinum diamond set Tiara for a UK Trade fair   International Jewellery London  (  IJL )
 
Individual  limited production runs of pieces for DeBeers Diamond Occasions promotions.
 
Also numerous awards from" The Goldsmiths Craft and Design Councils " annual competition at Goldsmiths Hall in London
 (The Oscars of the UK Jewellery making world)
 
Accreditation to the " Platinum Guild International " ( PGI ) Recommended Retailer Program in 2008 to promote high standards of product knowledge and customer service.
 

 
In 2012 our Goldsmith was honoured to be selected by the " British Jewellers Association " ( BJA )  in their 125th  Anniversary year to play a key role in the manufacturing process for a gift made from BJA members donated precious materials Rare UK golds , Fair trade / Fair mined gold and the predominant precious metal used was 950 purity platinum , the brooch was set with white and coloured diamonds too .

The Diamond Jubilee brooch gift was named " The Eternal Dove Brooch " by the designer and was presented by the BJA to


Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II  on the 5th  December  2012
( HM's Diamond Jubilee year )

We were all delighted to see HM wearing the BJA brooch gift upon her light blue / sky blue coat later on that month on Christmas day 2012
at Church on the Sandringham Estate.   



 
The majority of precious metal  jewellery we use in the UK  are made up of alloys, these  precious metal alloys are graded by how much  pure precious metal " Parts per Thousand " ( PPT ) mixed with other metals to form the precious metal  alloy. 
 
375   PPT   ( 9 ct Gold )   
585  PPT    ( 14ct Gold ) 
750   PPT   ( 18ct Gold )
916   PPT   ( 22ct Gold ) 

950   PPT   ( Platinum )
950   PPT   ( Palladium )

925   PPT   ( Sterling Silver ) 
958 PPT ( Britannia silver )

935 / 940 / 960  PPT  ( Argentium silver ) 
 
 

 
Palladium..............
The  standard purity used in the UK is 950 PPT , but there is a  500 PPT  option  , but this palladium alloy less durable / softer than the 950 alloy mix due to 50% of the 500 palladium alloy content will be  silver .

Palladium is the newest  "Platinum Group precious metal " to be discovered just over 200 years ago.
Palladium is 88%  lighter than platinum for the same volume and less hard wearing compared to Platinum. 
 

   
Palladium is also used as the bleaching metal in  18ct white gold alloys.

So this is why 18ct White gold 750 alloy is more expensive compared to Platinum 950 purity alloy in 2024 too.
 
 
With the  price hikes in energy ,  petrol , food etc recently  you may find it hard to believe that Platinum prices are level sitting around the same price as it was costing 14 years ago .

So  this is good  news if you are looking in 2024  for  a naturally white precious metal called Platinum for your fine jewellery  purchase to be made  from . 

All other precious metals  we work with have increased  in price over the last decade , Gold has had a big price spike /dramatically increasing in price within the whole of the 2024 year

 

 
If you have always thought about commissioning a piece of platinum fine jewellery 2024 may be  the right  time to make that enquiry.
 
A like for like ring design will weigh 39% heaver if made from Platinum 950 purity alloy .... when compared to an 18ct gold version and as noted above  a Platinum ring  will be  slightly less in final cost compared to the exact same design if  it was made in 18ct gold alloy colours of yellow , white or red ,
The other added benefits  of  platinum are Platinum is Harder wearing / more durable / also Platinum is 200 parts per thousand purer alloy mix thus  Platinum has at 950 parts per 1000 pure , compared to 18ct gold  750  alloy ,
another benefit of Platinum that doe's not need the ongoing process of rhodium plating to keep the item looking a true
" grade one white colour " 18ct white gold will naturally need re-rhodium plating from time to time to keep the item looking a white  colour . 

N.B.
18ct white gold alloy is not just 18ct yellow  750 gold alloy  then rhodium plated like some  members of the public think it is ,

18ct white gold  is  750 parts per 1000  gold  ( Gold is always yellow in colour )  then palladium is added to the  alloy mix to create a grade  2  white gold alloy called 18ct white gold alloy , this 18ct white gold alloy  to confirm will contain 750 parts per 1000 gold  / yellow in colour , but even with the naturally white palladium precious metal added  it will still not be as white as the platinum 950  alloy colour .
So that's why ...... as a manufacturing jewellery trade standard procedure we  always rhodium plate  all white gold alloys after the item has had it's final polish at the end of the  manufacturing process. 
 

 

 
 
We offer a Free ring removal / cut off service for clients who have had an accident or a medical condition that has caused their hands to swell.
 
N.B.   All jewellery cut off a persons body is totally at their own risk . 
 
We can only cut off  precious metal jewellery off a persons body
 
Other   none precious metals like  titanium , tungsten carbide   etc the  jewellery  will have to be removed at a hospital. 
 
 
 

 

 
Free visual    "  Jewellery  MOT  "

All to check  your precious  gem stones are still securely held in your jewellery mount.

Most of our clients call in to see us when they have lost a gem stone,  so why not take advantage of this free service !

If the item needs de-greasing / washing to assess the  condition / security of the stones in their settings this is to be totally at the customers risk.

Reason ......sometimes the grease / dirt / soap  compacted in the jewellery items settings can actually be the only thing holding the stones in their settings after the precious metal stone setting edges have previously worn away over past years / decades . 


As with most things in life a  service / maintenance is needed every now and again when owning  fine precious metal / stone set jewellery
just  like having your car serviced or a washing machine repaired to keep things in fully  serviceable / working order ! 
 
 If you are looking for a written / photographed / documented assessment of your fine jewellery that maybe your insurance company have requested to confirm the stone / stones in your fine jewellery items setting are secure before they renew their insurance policy for you , then our workshop can do this for you for a small charge too.
 

 
Also
As our business / workshop is not located in a city,  our business running costs / overheads are  less, thus we can pass on that saving to our customers within the competitive prices we offer,  
but remembering our business will still  have the same physical security, police response alarm systems & a specialist jewellers insurance policy in place that a city centre  jewellers should naturally have  too.
 

 
Our Opening Hours may look a little strange to some....
 
We would love you to call in and see us face to face in our workshop/ shop to discuss your fine jewellery requirements 
 
But following Covid-19 arriving in 2020 
 
 
To give our customers the confidence, security & peace of mind to visit us again 
 
 
Our entire business premises will be
 
" 100% our clients own space "  within their pre-booked appointment time .
 
 

 
 
OUR OPENING HOURS

"  By Prior Appointment Only " 

Monday to Saturday 

10 am   until   5 pm  

( Closed Sundays & Bank Holidays )
 

 
 

 
Lasting Impressions are located are next door to the Post Office / Spar shop in the centre of Bovey Tracey ...........................................

40A  TQ13 9AD 
 
Tel       01626  833177 
 
Email  devonlastimpress@aol.com  

 
We send out  regular  info updates /  posts on  our  Google Business  and  Google maps pages too !
 
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Lasting+Impressions+Bespoke+Goldsmiths/@50.5940893,-3.6812558,18.25z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x486d0733affe4b51:0xd8d9678eaf618597!8m2!3d50.5936434!4d-3.6749504
  
 
We hope you found this information / and links within our business listing interesting / informative



WEB LINKS within our Bovey Tracey Town council business listing ( BTTC ) above .....

please note they are not " live links "


Reason is BTTC do not permit " Live web links " on all business listings on their .gov website

but if you cut and paste the links into your normal search engine / browser you use they these links will still work perfectly




 We  look forward to meeting you in the future to discuss your fine jewellery project

it maybe a restoration enquiry , wedding rings or a brand new bespoke commission