Wedding jewellery is a lot more personal than the icing on the cake and will last a good deal longer than the flowers so it is essential to get some impartial advice.

Richard Sinton in Eldon Garden, Newcastle, has been around for over 20 years so they certainly know a thing or two about wedding jewellery. Nikki Bruce, from Living North Weddings, pays them a visit to find the best your money will buy…

Q.) What are they key trends for this season?
White, white and more white. Trends are pure for the coming season so look out for white gold, platinum and more diamonds than you can shake a stick at! Band widths for women are usually around 3mm and 4-5mm for men. Oval shaped stones are increasingly popular; particularly those by Christopher Wharton who mixes traditional and contemporary styles, ideal for a ring that won't date. Also look out for Meister designs with several diamonds set in a plain band. Although gold jewellery is currently in fashion you can expect wedding trends to be at least two seasons behind.

Q.) What metal should I choose?
First consider your skin tone. As a rule warm skin-tones should opt for gold and cooler tones should choose white metal, but it all comes down to trial and error. Usually the first ring you see will be the one you go for. Secondly, think about your budget. Although platinum is around £300 more expensive, it is the purest metal therefore more hard-wearing. White gold is a mixture of gold and white alloys so the bright white finish will wear off and re-plating costs around £25 every 18 months.

Q.) Do I need a separate engagement and wedding ring?
Not at all. Mixed rings are becoming increasingly popular and are ideal for those who simply want one ring or can't afford two. Many ranges combine different metals so you can be flexible about the colour or additional rings you may add in future. Look out for the Piaget Possession rings with a spinning middle section and Georg Jensen's unisex Fusion range, which combines as many individual sections as you want, so you can choose from 18 carat white, yellow or rose gold and an optional diamond centre.

Q.) What should I look for when choosing diamonds?
Consider the four Cs; Clarity, Colour; Cut and Carat weight. The cut of the stone is most important as it is the quality and design of the diamond that determines its sparkle and allows maximum light reflection. A stone cut shallow or too deep means light will be lost through the bottom. As for colour, diamonds are graded according to their colourlessness. Grade D has the least colour and is therefore most expensive, moving through the alphabet to Z. The clarity of the stone is based on its natural imperfections both internally (inclusions) and externally (blemishes) but most diamonds do have them, so unless you own a microscope you’re unlikely to see them. The fewer inclusions the rarer and more expensive the stone. Carat is the weight of the diamond. One carat equals 0.2 grams. When choosing the stone you should compromise between all four factors.

Q.) What other jewellery can I buy to complement my ring?
Many ranges like the Georg Jensen Fusion collection have a pendant and earrings to match, otherwise you can opt for complementary jewellery that matches the design of the ring. For example, a single claw set stone could be matched with diamond studs in a similar setting. There is also a huge selection of inexpensive jewellery with freshwater pearl studs starting at £33, the Hot Diamonds range from £50 or even a multi-strand woven silver necklace by Barbette Wasserman for £140. Slightly cheaper, more modern accessories are a great way to complement a traditional ring.

Q.) How can I personalise my jewellery?
Engraving is the easiest way to personalise jewellery and can be an extra special surprise for the bridge or groom. Richard Sinton offer free engraving as well as a superb service with Meister jewellery which allows your own handwriting to be imposed onto the ring.

Q.) How can I bring an antique piece up-to-date?
A family heirloom, although great in theory, often requires updating. Old stones can be re-mounted in whatever style and setting you choose, but watch out if you want to combine it with modern stones. Older diamonds were cut differently to today’s stones and therefore won’t sit well with new additions.

Q.) What about aftercare?
The ring should ideally be professionally polished, cleaned and checked for loose settings every 18 months to two years. It's amazing how many people don't do this, despite wearing the ring 24 hours a day. It's also essential to have the ring valued for insurance purposes, so keep all receipts. Richard Sinton offers these services free of charge on items purchased from them.

Q.) What's available for the groom?
Unless you're married to David Beckham, rings for the groom tend to remain understated. Alongside yellow and white gold, metals such as silver, steel and titanium are popular as they're lighter and more hard-wearing, not to mention less expensive. If he refuses to wear one, opt for alternative gifts such as watches, cufflinks and money or tie clips.

Q.) What should I buy the bridesmaids and page boys?
Think about when you want to wear the jewellery. Is it for the big day or a lasting gift? For bridesmaids, Hot Diamonds do relatively inexpensive jewellery and Links of London have an excellent range of charm bracelets. Small 9 carat gold and pearl pendants are available for under £100 and FCUK watches from £70-£80. Although slightly more expensive, Theo Fennell offers an exquisite range of diamond crosses and heart pendants. Cufflinks are an ideal choice for pages, which can be engraved to mark the occasion.

Q.) Are there alternatives to jewellery?
Richard Sinton offer a wide range of wedding gifts as an alternative to jewellery. Look out for quirky gifts such as Marmite jars with silver lids or Heinz Tomato Ketchup sleeves from Theo Fennell. Georg Jenson has a sleek range of steel contemporary bowls, bottle trays and candlesticks, or opt for glassware and crystal from Lalique, Martyn Pugh or the Swedish Kosta Boda collection.

Richard Sinton, 47-48 Eldon Garden, Newcastle, NE1 7RA. Tel 0191 232 0788.
www.richardsintonjewellers.co.uk

SOURCE: Living North Weddings

The article Diamonds are forever originally appeared on 999 Today