We don’t just sell jewellery, we make it.
Watch this 3-minute documentary to see how our jeweller handcrafts one of our beautiful Kate Middleton style sapphire engagement rings.
First, a mold for the ring’s band, including the mount where the gems will later be set, is created in a Hatton Garden jewellery workshop. A skilled jeweller uses the traditional wax casting method to make a mold in a kiln. Molten platinum is then poured into the mold and allowed to cool. Once the precious metal has set, the mold is broken and the jeweller cuts, files and polishes the band.
Next, the ring’s mount arrives at our jewellery workshop. Our gemmologist carefully selects each diamond and gemstone that will be set into it. Gems are a naturally occurring resource so their size, cut, clarity and colour can vary. It takes a lot of skill and experience to choose them correctly.
After the gem selection, our jeweller gets to work, setting the ring with 12 perfectly matched diamonds and a blue sapphire centre stone. He makes sure the setting is absolutely secure, before polishing the ring to a brilliant shine.
But even now, the ring is not quite ready to be sent to its lucky recipient.
As a final step, we must take it to the London Assay Office where the platinum in the ring’s band is tested for purity. Once the platinum quality has been verified, the Assay office stamps the ring with a hallmark, the official British Government guarantee of quality. Read our Help article on Hallmarking, with a video showing how it’s done, to learn more.
Finally, the ring is sent back to us from the Assay Office. Then we give it one final polish so it’s perfect… before packaging it in one of our beautiful gift sets, ready to be sent to you.