Jul 15, 2010

Posted under: Ethical Diamonds

Mar 22, 2010

David Rhode of Ingle & Rhode was interviewed by BBC Radio 4 for the "You and Yours" programme broadcast on 18th March 2010.

Posted under: Ethical Jewellery

Mar 18, 2010

After four months of squabbling, a candidate has finally been appointed to monitor the Chiadzwa diamond fields in Zimbabwe. Abbey Chikane is a former Chairman of the Kimberley Process, and heads the South African Diamond Board.

Posted under: Conflict Free Diamonds

Mar 17, 2010

Ingle & Rhode congratulates Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO) and the Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM) on their announcement of a historic partnership for gold from artisanal and small scale miners by launching Fairtrade and Fairmined gold standards.

Posted under: Ethical Jewellery

Mar 11, 2010

According to figures from the Fairtrade Foundation, sales of fair trade goods and services in the UK continued to grow in 2009 despite the economic downturn, exceeding £799m at retail, which was 12% up on 2008.

Posted under: Ethical Jewellery

Jan 27, 2010

In contrast to fake diamonds, which are simply lookalikes made from other materials, synthetic diamonds are stones that have been created in the lab instead of by geological processes.

Man-made diamonds tend to be slightly less expensive than mined stones, and are a growing choice for bespoke jewellery. They share similar properties to natural stones, and their origins mean that they are by default conflict-free.

Posted under: Ethical Diamonds

Jan 25, 2010

Diamonds entered popular culture in a big way in the years following World War II. There were a number of reasons for this development, which saw a surge in the number of custom engagement rings and other pieces of jewellery featuring the stone. In 1947 De Beers ran an enormously successful advertising campaign based on the phrase ‘A Diamond is Forever’ – voted the best advertising slogan of the century in 2000. Two years later, the Broadway production of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes featured the song ‘Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend.’

Posted under: Ethical Diamonds

Jan 22, 2010

The Kremlin in Moscow houses an unparalleled collection of Russian jewellery, known as the Diamond Fund. The collection is now kept in the Armoury building but originates in the Royal Treasury created in 1719 by Emperor Peter I of Russia, which he stored in the Winter Palace in St Petersburg. It comprises a large number of gemstones, pieces of jewellery and natural gold nuggets.

Posted under: Bespoke Jewellery

Jan 20, 2010

Acrostics are now a relatively unusual theme for clients requesting bespoke jewellery but the appeal is still clear for those wishing to make a very personal declaration of love.

Acrostics – spelling a message using the first letter of a series of words – have a long history, though the practice of incorporating this in jewellery probably dates to the 18th century at the earliest.

Posted under: Bespoke Jewellery

Jan 18, 2010

A style that clients often request when ordering bespoke jewellery is Edwardian. The Edwardian era began in 1901 when Queen Victoria’s first son, Prince Albert Edward, acceded the throne on her death. The turn of the century was a time of optimistic fashion and sophistication – the ‘Belle Epoque’ that saw the development of new technologies such as the car, plane and cinema, and economic prosperity. Edward died in 1910, but the Edwardian period is generally assumed to end with the beginning of the First World War in 1914.

Posted under: Bespoke Jewellery