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 40 years by our on site goldsmith / Platinumsmith can be accessed here  


Lasting Impressions
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 ......

Utilising our re-design / restore facility where our clients existing 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 ) 
 
We can also facilitate more  simple processes of ......................

re-size rings ,
chain repairs,
repairs to customers  stone set fine jewellery ,
engraving ,
Rhodium plating of white gold items ,
pearl re-stringing,
valuations
diamond and natural stone identification / certification
Hallmarking /precious metal testing
etc ,   etc....................................................................
 
 
 
An article written by the Platinum Guild international  ( PGI ) .......... on the link below  might  be of interest to you ,
Platinum in 2023 is currently  ( July 2023 ) costing less than it did in January 2010   &   Platinum  is less costly compared to the same  item if it were to be made in all of the 18ct gold alloys / colours too ! 


Lasting Impressions Bespoke Platinumsmiths  are  a previous  PGI recommended retailer.

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
( July 2023 ) 

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  Award Winning Hand finishing 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 them to actually speak face to face with the goldsmith who will be making their special order, viewing 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 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 to get things right first time  !

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,  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 peice of fine jewellery  are ..................
" Natural Diamonds " made by mother nature 
or if they are  ............"  Laboratorary 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 dectect 98% of natural diamonds  , 100%  of laboratory / man made diamonds 
The specialst equipment used is  a  " DeBeers  II DGR  SynthDetect  "
 
 
If one requres 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 temprature , laser driling / fracturer filling internally and externally, and surface coatings too. 
 
As 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.

Also these test results will drastically affect the  diamonds / jewellery value too. 

E.G.
A natural 1.50 ct round brilliant cut D coloured diamond / triple excellent , nil flour very minimal inclusions under 10 x magnification may cost around 20k / 25 k


The same specification stone as noted above but a Laboratory grown diamond / made by man may cost around £ 2,200.00 /2.2k


 
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 .... 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 
 
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 / made the insurance claim. 
 
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 screeening / testing  equipment  ? "
All to detect man made ( Laboratory  made diamonds )  or natural diamonds
As described above we perceive our 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............. photographed, valued, document printed out /  3 working days service 
or  a slightly slower 5 working days service is also available . 
All express valuations at our  " Express  Valuation pricing structure "  which can be quoted to you before engaging the express  service .
 
There are lots of 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 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.................
as 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 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 these types of products are that thin / contain not alot of precious metal as they are sometimes  injected with liquid plastic to stop the item bending / denting during normal wearing . 
The look of 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 too 
 
Lots of interesting precious stones info on the web address below .................. 
 
www.gia.edu
 

We will ......upon request  also  manufacture precious metal jewellery to order  holding  laboratory grown diamond's   if  a customer is  looking for this type of product.
N.B.    Even though we  do not  stock laboratory grown diamonds 

 
 
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 , 18ct  &  Platinum alloys  
 
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 work with Argentium silver alloys 

 
Argentium can be hallmarked at all four  UK Assay Offices.
 
Argentium  935 / 940 purity  alloy is a special  tarnish  resistant silver  alloy  and is more durable / harder  compared to Sterling  925 silver too.
 
 Independent laboratory testing recently showed that  Argentium silver chains are  3  to 5  times stronger than sterling 925 silver chains of the same design /thickness / weight 
 
Argentium  Silver alloy is  a little  purer  at  935  / 940  parts per 1000  compared to  standard   925  purity Sterling silver . 

Argentium items can also be heat treated to make it harder too .
 
Keep your eyes open for the  Argentium  " Flying Unicorn " logo stamped alongside  any   UK   Sterling Silver / 925   hallmark.
 
The  additional  "Flying Unicorn"  mark is your  guarantee that the  item is made from this special Argentium silver Alloy
 
More info on   Argentium silver alloy  via this short YouTube link / web address below .......
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLf318FYlhY&list=RDCMUCURCSz85uTynijLDR4_0b0w

 

 
Our 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, this gift was named " The Eternal Dove Brooch " by the designer and was presented by the BJA to........


Her 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 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   ( 9ct )   
585  PPT    ( 14ct ) 
750   PPT   ( 18ct )
916   PPT   ( 22ct ) 
950   PPT   ( Platinum )
950   PPT   ( Palladium )
925   PPT   ( Sterling Silver ) 
935/940  PPT  ( Argentium silver ) 
 
 

 
Palladium............
The  standard purity used in the UK is 950 PPT ............ but there is a  500 PPT  option  , but this is 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. 
 
Pure Palladium price has increased dramatically over the last  10 / 15 years.   
A gents Pallladium 950 purity  wedding ring I  personally made  in 2010 for 
£ 480.00  would cost  ( August 2022 )   £2,704.00
   
Palladium is also used as the bleaching metal in  18ct white gold alloys.
So this is why 18ct White gold is more expensive compared to Platinum too.
 
 
With the  price hikes in energy ,  petrol , food etc recently  Platinum prices have been quite level for the last  10  / 12 years  now  , so  this is good  news if you are looking in 2023  for  a naturally white precious metal for your fine jewellery  purchase to be made  from . 
Other precious metals  we work with have increased  in price over the last decade 

 

 
If you have always thought about commissioning a piece of platinum fine jewellery 
2023 may be  the right  time to make that enquiry, considering platinum  currently ( July 2023v ) costs slightly less than it did in January 2010  
 
A like for like ring design will weigh 39% heaver if made in Platinum 950 purity  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 .........
Harder wearing / more durable / 200 parts per thousand purer alloy mix Platinum has at 950 parts per 1000 pure , compared to 18ct gold  750  alloy , also  Platinum doe's not need the ongoing process of rhodium plating to keep the item looking a true  grade one white colour that 18ct white gold will need rhodium plating from time to time to keep it 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 , this 18ct white gold alloy  to confirm will contain 750 parts per 1000 gold  / yellow in colour , even with the white palladium added  it will still not be as white as the platinum 950  alloy , 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  "
 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 degreasing / washing to assess the  condition / security of the stones in their settings this  is to be  totally at the customers risk.
Reason ......somtimes the grease / dirt / soap  compacted in the 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 the years. 


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 ! 
 
 
 

 
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 )
 

 
 

 
We 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 within our business listing interesting / informative .........

 We  look forward to meeting you in the future...................