by Becca Powell |
September 22, 2016
Since moving to our new premises in St Martins a year ago, we have reached a point where an ever increasing workload means that we are now looking to recruit a jeweler to join our team in Guernsey.
If you have ever visited our store, you will know that we are incredibly passionate about producing top quality jewellery, so we are looking for a person who shares those beliefs with us. If you’re interested in joining us, or know of anyone who you think would be suitable for the position, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
We’re a small and very friendly team, and we’re looking forward to the next exciting period of growth at Becky Rowe.
If you’re interested in joining us please email us at design@beckyrowejewellery.com
by Sam Rowe |
September 06, 2016
Our latest ad promoting our engagement and wedding ring range has just been launched in Flybe’s Flight Time magazine and I love it! Men typically find choosing an engagement ring one of the trickiest parts of proposing so here’s a handy guide to help everyone, but especially men, choose the right ring.
Tips for choosing an engagement ring
So you’ve decided to pop the question – Congratulations! Choosing an engagement ring is probably pretty high on your to do list now. A lot of men find this a surprisingly intimidating and scary process. Many feel out of their depths delving into the world of women’s jewellery. However, you’ll be pleased to hear that it doesn’t need to be a daunting process. We’ve put together a few tips to guide you through the process of choosing an engagement ring.
Budget
This is the only aspect that you need to have set in your mind before you start the ring selection process. Only you know what is the right amount to be spending. Don’t listen to anyone who tells you that you should b e spending a set amount. The days of rules around having to spend 1, 2, 3 ….. months salary are long gone! Just sit down and work out what you can afford and what you actually want to spend. We can help you find a ring to suit your budget.
Do bear in mind that if all goes well she will be wearing this ring for many, many years to come. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to spend a fortune, but do put some time and thought into choosing a ring that you think she will love, as well as choosing one that will stand the test of time.
Style
Is she a sleek and modern kind of girl, or is vintage more her style? Does she like a bit of statement bling or is she more understated? Many guys find the style selection the hardest part, but there are lots of clues you can use to help you determine her style.
What type of clothes does she wear? What genres of books, TV shows and movies does she like? What style is her existing jewellery? If she has a Pinterest page take a look at that for inspiration. If all else fails you could ask one of her friends that you trust to keep quiet about your plans.
Bespoke or pre-made
Many men like to have a direct input into the creation of the engagement ring. If that sounds like you then go for a custom ring. We will happily talk through your ideas, no matter how vague they might be to start with, and help you create the perfect ring. We even have a private consultation room so there’s no chance of anyone overhearing your top secret proposal plans.
Antique rings can bring a sense of romantic history that some people love. You may have a ring that has been passed down through the family that you would like to use. This could be reworked to change certain elements, or completely redesigned using the original metals and gemstones to something more in the style you want.
Alternatively you may have seen an existing ring on our website or in the store that you think ticks all the boxes. Or even better she may have pointed it out to you as a subtle hint!
Gemstone selection
By far the most popular choice of gemstone for engagement rings is diamond. They make up nearly 90%, however, some people prefer something different so unless your girlfriend is particularly unconventional choosing diamond for your gemstone is usually a good decision.
For more information on diamonds click here - https://www.beckyrowejewellery.com/pages/advice
Wear and tear
Do bear in mind that the engagement ring and its component parts need to be hardwearing as it will be worn everyday for many years to come.
Diamonds are popular choices for gemstones due to their beauty but also because they are the hardest gemstones.
Gemstone shape
There are ten standard shapes (cuts) for diamonds, with round being by far the most popular.
Click here for more information on gemstone shape options https://www.beckyrowejewellery.com/pages/shape-of-stone, and here for more information on the 4 C’s (cut, clarity, colour and carat weight) of diamonds https://www.beckyrowejewellery.com/pages/cut-clarity-colour-carat-weight
Metal choice
Platinum, palladium, white gold, yellow gold and rose gold are the main choices for engagement rings. Again this is partly due to their durability. Palladium is one metal which you may not of heard of, which is part of the platinum group of metals. It is strong and durable with a silver-grey-white appearance, but is about half the density of platinum. It is hard wearing, much like platinum, and looks great highly polished, but is also popular in a matt finish. It is a more affordable option than platinum.
Click here for more information on choosing your metal https://www.beckyrowejewellery.com/pages/metal
Work out her ring size
This section isn’t a necessity as we can usually resize a ring, but it’s a good idea to get roughly the right size so she can wear it (and show it off!) as soon as you pop the question and give her the ring.
It might seem impossible but you can work out her ring size without asking her. You could borrow a ring from her existing collection on the sly and bring it to us (or another jeweller if you don’t live nearby) to have it sized (just don’t lose it!), trace the inner circle of one of her rings on paper.
Timing
If you want a bespoke ring then bear in mind that it takes roughly a month to produce, so build that into your proposal timeframe.
If you have any questions about choosing an engagement ring just give us a call on 01481 233266, email us at info@beckyrowejewellery.com or pop into the store.
by Sam Rowe |
July 30, 2016
So you’re either a Valentines Day lover or hater, and if you’re a hater the words ‘made up by the card companies’, ‘tacky and false’ probably trip off your tongue quite easily. Now I love Valentines Day but I do hear what the haters are saying! In support of them we’re running a special ‘Just because gift’ promotion.
If you don’t want to be forced into showing your affection for the one you love on a pre-determined day each year why not get them a ‘just because gift’ now instead of on Valentines Day (or as well as if you’re feeling generous!).
Pop into the shop or browse the collection here online and quote justbecausegift and we’ll give you 10% off. If you know someone that you think might need a bit of encouragement when it comes to buying a just because gift, why not tag them on our ‘justbecausegift’ Facebook post (** link **) and you could be in with the chance of bagging yourself a £100 Becky Rowe voucher.
You can’t beat the feeling of receiving a gift out of the blue and just because…
by Sam Rowe |
May 01, 2016
For a few years now we have worked closely with the Priaulx Premature Baby Foundation (PPBF) (www.ppbf.org.gg), an incredible charity that raises money to assist the Guernsey Neo Natal Unit as well as providing much needed support to the families of premature babies.
As part of this service they provide a ‘Baby Box’ for each premature baby which contains items which will offer parents and their baby some comfort during the stressful experience of premature birth. We donate a small pewter bear (https://www.beckyrowejewellery.com/collections/womens-jewellery/products/dannii-bear-memo-holder) for each box as well as donating a percentage of the sale of each bear we sell in the shop and online.
The PPBF recently held a fundraising event, ‘A Right Royal Affair’, to celebrate their Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. We were privileged enough to play a part in their hugely successful night. We donated a £1,000 Becky Rowe voucher for their auction and provided a Becky Rowe candle to be sold on each table with all the profits going to the charity. We’re proud to say that we raised £1,800 for the charity!
The PPBF are hugely thankful for the all the hard work and support that Becky Rowe offers us. The gorgeous pewter bear that Becky has designed herself is a valuable part of our Baby boxes and an extreme delight to all the new parents who experience a premature or ill baby. The support from Becky during our ‘Right Royal Affair’ fundraiser was fantastic. The candles were a hit with everyone and they all sold, raising very valuable funds for us, as did the very generous voucher. Thank you Becky! ...... Andy & Jo Priaulx, Trustees and founders of the PPBF
by Becca Powell |
February 14, 2016
We did our bit in keeping romance alive in Guernsey in the run up to Valentine’s Day.
The Guernsey Press ran a poetry competition, ‘Say it with words’, and the top prize was our gorgeous palladium and 0.50ct diamond ring - https://www.beckyrowejewellery.com/collections/engagement-wedding/products/0-50ct-engagement-ring
The ring is from our very popular engagement and wedding ring collection - https://www.beckyrowejewellery.com/collections/engagement-wedding. Wedding and engagement rings have been a core part of our business for a long time, and an aspect that I really enjoy working on. We’ve seen an increase in the numbers of people requesting these rings over the past few months so it’s just as well that we have our new private consultation room so those all important proposal details can be kept top secret!
We have a collection of beautiful handmade rings in store, but I love it when I get approached to design a set of bespoke rings. Talking through someone’s ideas for a ring and making it become a reality is one of my favourite parts of being a jeweler, and there’s none more important or emotional than engagement and wedding rings.
From ‘will you?’ … to ‘I do’ …. say it with a ring from Becky Rowe.
