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We’ve teamed up with Klarna to provide flexible payment options, allowing you to shop the way you want. With Klarna, you can split your payment into 3 instalments or choose to pay later, making your shopping experience smoother and more convenient. Your order total must be between £100 and £499 to qualify.
We’ve teamed up with Klarna to provide flexible payment options, allowing you to shop the way you want. With Klarna, you can split your payment into 3 instalments or choose to pay later, making your shopping experience smoother and more convenient. Your order total must be between £100 and £499 to qualify.
January 17, 2021 | by Admin
It is law within the UK that every item of precious metal sold such as Platinum, Gold, Silver is stamped labelling the item with the type of metal it is. Platinum pieces which weigh less than 0.5 grams, 18ct Gold and Palladium pieces weighing less than 1.0 gram and Silver pieces weighing less than 7.78 grams are except from hallmark.
At Diamonds Factory all our products are hallmarked as per UK hallmarking law from London Assay Office (The GoldSmith Company)
The Goldsmiths' Company Assay Office is the oldest assay office in the United Kingdom. It has provided hallmarking services since The Goldsmiths' Company was founded in the 1300s. The company received its royal charter in 1327 and ranks 5th in order of precedence of the 12 Great Livery Companies of the City of London.
Hallmarking dates back to the 1300s when Edward I of England passed a law requiring any item made of silver, which was offered for sale, to be at least of equal quality as that of the coin of the realm (silver currency). The wardens of The Goldsmiths' Company were tasked with visiting workshops in the City of London to assay (test) silver articles. If these articles were found to be below standard they were originally destroyed and the metal forfeited to the King. If they passed, each article received the King's mark of authentication - the mark of a leopard's head. By 1478, there were several hundred workshops and merchants manufacturing silver articles in the City of London. It was not possible for the wardens to visit them all so the merchants were ordered to bring their items to Goldsmiths' Hall for testing and marking and a permanent Assay Office was established in the building. This is the origin of the term hallmark - struck with the King's mark at Goldsmiths' Hall.
In 1544 the Goldsmith's Company adopted the King's mark as their town mark and the mark of the leopard's head is now internationally recognised as the mark of this assay office.
The Goldsmiths's Company Assay Office is still based at Goldsmiths's Hall and remains the oldest company in Britain to be continually trading from the same site. However, it also has two satellite offices; at Greville Street in Hatton Garden in the heart of the London jewellery quarter and within a high security complex near London's Heathrow airport. It now has a new off-site facility within the Dalston-based jewellery manufacturer, Allied Gold. This is the first time in the Assay Office's 700 year history that it has opened permanent hallmarking services on a customer's premises.
In addition to hallmarking, the office has now expanded its range of services to support the jewellery trade and enforcement authorities. It offers a variety of specialist analytical services including nickel, lead & cadmium testing, antique silver dating, non-destructive compositional analysis, plating thickness measurement and a melt and assay service for scrap precious metal carried out in their fully independent on-site laboratory. Other services offered are a jewellery valuation service, laser marking, trading standards assistance, high quality photography and a comprehensive range of training and educational seminars, lectures and specialist events.
Elegant, timeless and full of sparkle, halo rings are one of the most coveted ring designs. Whether it be a halo engagement ring or a beautiful gemstone halo ring, halo setting styles are guaranteed to be a winner. But what is a halo ring? In this article, we reveal what a halo ring is, the history behind it and the types of ring you can buy.
White Gold Halo Diamond Engagement Ring
From £974
White Gold Oval Halo Diamond Engagement Ring
From £971
Prong Setting Halo Diamond Engagement Ring
From £1,315
Oval Halo Emerald Engagement Ring
From £1,278
Halo Diamond Emerald Blue Sapphire Engagement Ring
From £906
Bezel Setting Halo Diamond Engagement Ring
From £845
Bezel Setting Halo Diamond Engagement Ring
From £1,282
Prong Setting Diamond Hidden Halo Rings
From £910
4 Prong Setting Halo Diamond Engagement Ring
From £1,145
Prong Setting Side Stone Halo Engagement Ring
From £462
Prong Setting Side Stone Halo Engagement Ring
From £912
Prong Setting Side Stone Halo Engagement Ring
From £574
Prong Setting Side Stone Halo Engagement Ring
From £942
Prong Setting Side Stone Halo Engagement Ring
From £1,644
Prong Setting Side Stone Halo Engagement Ring
From £910
Prong Setting Diamond Halo Engagement Ring
From £982
Prong Setting Diamond Halo Engagement Ring
From £1,013
Prong Setting Diamond Halo Engagement Ring
From £679
What is a halo engagement ring?
A halo ring is a setting style where a ‘halo’ of diamonds encircle the entire middle stone. The centre stone tends to be a diamond or a coloured gemstone, and what you choose should be entirely based on your taste and preferences. Both diamond halo engagement rings and gemstone halo rings are popular for marriage proposals.
History and origin of halo rings
Halo rings originated many years ago and have a rich history. Halo style rings originated from the early Georgian period (1714-1837), where rings were embellished with smaller diamonds or pearls surrounding the centre stone. In the Victorian era, halo rings were also very popular with the most coveted style being one that resembles a flower.
Why buy a halo ring?
The benefits of buying a halo ring are that the setting style makes any centre stone appear larger. For example, if you choose a diamond halo ring, the addition of the surrounding diamonds make it appear as though there is just one large diamond. Halo rings are great if you are on a budget but looking for the most impressive ring you can buy. Whether you choose a gemstone halo ring or a diamond halo ring, both styles have a glamorous appearance, and the addition of surrounding diamonds creates a dazzling finish that is loved by many.
Types of halo engagement rings
There are a few types and options to choose from if you are looking for a halo engagement ring for your loved one. Choose whether you want a diamond halo engagement ring or a gemstone halo engagement ring. You can then select the best precious metal such as rose gold, white gold, yellow gold or platinum to complement your chosen centre stone.
Diamond halo engagement rings
A diamond halo engagement ring is a great choice if you are looking to propose. If you are on a budget but still want to impress, diamond halo rings give the illusion of one larger stone due to the intricate diamonds that encircle the centre stone. A halo ring with diamonds ultimately provides plenty of sparkle which is guaranteed to make your significant other happy.
Gemstone halo engagement rings
Gemstone halo engagement rings have a beautiful vintage appearance. They have been in and out of popularity for many years, but luckily they are back in fashion thanks to Kate Middleton’s beautiful sapphire halo engagement ring. With a gemstone halo ring, intricate diamonds surround the coloured gemstone to create an impressive contrast. Sapphire may be the most popular choice for this style, but we think emerald and ruby engagement rings are also perfect for a marriage proposal.
Best diamond shape for halo engagement rings
If you are considering buying a halo engagement ring, you will need to choose a diamond shape. Typically fancy diamond shapes are favoured for halo rings as they have a unique, vintage appearance. Think beautiful cushion cut diamonds, emerald, pear cut diamonds and oval halo engagement rings. Of course, the one you choose should be based on preference.
Can you resize a halo ring?
It is possible to resize a halo ring, although resizing any ring can have risks. If you have a halo ring with side stones on the band, it can be trickier to resize, but we always recommend going to a reputable jeweller to get your diamond ring resized so that no damage is caused.
A halo ring is a great choice for an engagement ring or as a gift to yourself or someone special. This beautiful ring style is unlikely to go out of style so it will remain a jewellery box staple for years to come.