craft

VIDEO: Watch Us Making an Iconic Ring

Watch a VIDEO of one of our rings being handcrafted. Traditional casting method, jeweller setting a ring with diamonds, hallmarking, polishing.

Watch our mini documentary, and see how our Master Jeweller handcrafts our iconic Duchess sapphire engagement ring.

Would you rather read the process? Here’s what happens:

1. The mould

First, a mold for the ring’s band and the mount (the part where the diamonds and gems will later be set) is created in the Hatton Garden jewellery workshop.

A skilled craftsman 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 mould is broken and the jeweller must cut, file and polish the ring’s band to a perfect shape and shine.

2. Gem selection

Next, the ring’s mount arrives at The Diamond Store jewellery workshop. Our Gemmologist selects the blue sapphire gemstone and the diamonds.

It takes the mastery of an experienced gem professional to choose these correctly.

Sapphires and diamonds are naturally occurring precious stones and their size, cut, clarity and colour will vary – yet each ring must look perfect.

3. Setting

After the gem selection, our Master Setter sets the blue sapphire and the twelve perfectly matched diamonds into the ring’s mount. He makes sure the setting is absolutely secure.

This is a process that requires, first, years of apprenticeship, and then, decades of experience and skill to get it right.

4. Specialist polishing

The ring’s precious metal must be polished to a brilliant, high shine.

This must be done by a professional polisher who uses a mix of specialist chemical processes and traditional methods to achieve a perfect sheen.

5. Hallmarking

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 British Government’s London Assay Office.

This is where the precious metal in the ring’s band is tested for purity and stamped with a hallmark, the official British Government guarantee of quality.

Read our Hallmarking blog post, with a video of hallmarking being done in the London Assay Office, to learn more.

6. Delivery

Finally, the ring is sent back to us from the Assay Office. We give it one final polish, before packaging it with love and care in one of our beautiful luxury gift sets, ready to be sent to you!