Inspired by my dear friend Suzi the Feather from Heaven was added to our 2017 collection. 

In October 2015 Suzi's dad sadly died after a short illness just four days before his birthday.  Literally minutes after realising his birthday balloons white feather fell in front of Suzi.  I made Suzi a locket with the feather in for her Christmas present so that she has a constant reminder that her dad is always with her.  A feather is a symbol of transition from one life to another.  

Different coloured feathers have different meanings.  

White, or in our case silver.  This is the most common Angel feather, and is thought to be a sign of faith and protection. A white feather can also be your Angel telling you that any loved ones in heaven are safe and well.

Yellow, or gold.  Should you find a yellow feather, your Angels may be nudging you to smile, have fun and enjoy life!

A red feather, or pink.  Rose gold is often referred to as red or pink gold.  The red represents courage, strength, stability and good fortune. If you’ve been going through a difficult time of late, your Angels are sending comfort to let you know how strong you are.

One of the ultimate signs your Angels are with you is finding a feather. Coming across a feather in your path, or finding a feather in an unexpected place is thought to be a message from the Angels.  Your Angels will use feathers of all different shapes and colours to offer you comfort or validation when you need it most. Feathers could also be a clue to an answer you have been looking for, or even a message to tell you you’re on the correct path.

So next time you find a feather, pay attention! Although the most common feather sent from Angels is white, Angel feathers can come in all kinds of colours, and the colour of your feather can give additional meaning to the message your Angels are sending you.  Or pick one of our necklaces to offer comfort to someone that has just lost a loved one.  They last much longer than flowers, and we will even gift wrap it for you.  I recently sent one to an old school friend after her sister died.  The necklace was delivered to Lorna just after she received a call from the funeral director telling her that the ashes were available for collection.  My note read I hope this necklace brings you comfort, which it indeed did.  You can read more about that here.

Engagement rings go back many, many years.  The Egyptians were big fans of an engagement ring.  The ring was a 'contract' to bequeath a hand in marriage.  It was put on the left hand on the second finger to the left which was believed to lead straight to the heart.  The lady in question was not available to be taken by another man, often marriages were arranged and the gift of a ring would be a sign of commitment not just to the bride but to her father.

Over the years and with many different traditions engagement rings are still used as a sign of commitment and dedication. Engagement doesn't have to be traditional especially with the liberating act of parliament allowing gay and lesbian marriages in the UK.

With same sex marriages we have made some stunning engagement rings over the years.  Rylan Clark and now husband Dan Neale approached us in confidence.  I made Rylan a platinum wedding ring to his design with three rows of diamonds going all the way round the ring.  Two rows of bright white round diamonds frame stunning emerald cut diamonds.  Being the busy man he is Rylan gave me just two weeks to make the ring announcing his engagement at the final of Big Brother.  Timing was critical as Dan and Ry met on the show and the public announcement needed to be tie in with filming. You  can read more about Rylan Clark's engagement here. I went on to make the wedding rings.  More diamonds, of course!  You don't have to be a celebrity to wear a ring like Rylans we have made a replica in sterling silver which is considerably less than his at an affordable £75 you can see the ring here.

Our Bespoke engagement ring service is a something we do with pride and quite often for the love of the job.  Each ring is individually made here in Essex using a combination of traditional and the high technology methods.  Wether it be a timeless solitaire diamond or a more modern design we can make anything, out of any material.  We have conquered the unusual a ring made of wood, and another of concrete.  What ever your requirements are you can be confident of the highest quality of craftsman or woman ship to the highest grade of materials.

For an appointment or to enquire about making your perfect engagement ring please contact us on 01708 857575 or sales@sparklingjewellery.co.uk

I got a call at the end of April with the excellent news that our lovely friend Amy Childs had given birth to a beautiful baby girl.  I couldn't wait to see the pair of them and headed over to Amy's stunning Essex home.  Sworn to secrecy Amy and Brad had named their daughter Polly.  When I met Polly she was only a few days old.  Amy of course looked stunning (I don't remember looking that good after giving birth)  Polly was snuggled in Amy's arms with a full head of dark hair dressed all in pink.  

To celebrate Polly's birth I made Amy a Sterling Silver Charm Necklace with a combination of two charms.  A Birth Stone pendant with a clear diamond for Polly's birth month of April, and a Simulated Diamond Initial Pendant in P for her initial.  Amy was blown away with the necklace and has been seen wearing it out and about in Brentwood.

Photo credit:  OK Magazine / Fame Flynet