Hand stamping

On my birthstone stacking rings, (and actually on all sorts of other goodies come to think of it), I now offer hand stamping on the inside of the band.

This could be a name, date of birth, or any other special text or number you care to think of.

But, there are a few things to bear in mind. First of all, the nature of hand stamping is very different to engraving.

Hand stamping involves, as it's name implies, using a steel stamp and hammer to imprint each letter individually into the shank. This is done before the ring is soldered and shaped, whilst the wire is still laid flat.

As each letter is stamped individually, it's unusual (for me anyway) for them to be completely straight, level and equally spaced.

I like this "higgledy" effect. It's the reason I love handmade jewellery - rather than the factory made, super perfect, never been touched by a human hand sort.

However, I do understand that there are occasions when it's lovely to have your text beautifully and neatly engraved (I am hoping to add this string to my bow at some stage in the future!) And if this is the case you could get any items I make for you engraved at a local jewellers after they're made.

A couple of other things you need to know...

Bear in mind the number of digits or letters that will fit inside the band. This will vary very slightly from size to size but is generally approximately 20 characters.

I have 3 different size sets of stamps now. The 1.5mm stamps to fit into my standard 2.3mm width band, 2mm and 3mm stamps. All the stamps I have at the moment are capital letters.

Gold, gold filled, rolled gold.... what!?!

This year I've been working a lot more with gold, and trying to expand the range I can offer in my shop.

I'm working with 9k gold as standard but, I'll be honest with you - it's pricey. And so I do like to offer a more economical option, with that same golden loveliness.

So here they are... gold filled stacking rings are now available in a Becky Pearce Designs shop near you.

Labradorite gold filled ring

BUT what the heck is gold fill? Is it the same as rolled gold and gold plate? Is it going to wear off?

Gold filled metal is made by heat and pressure bonding gold onto a base metal (usually brass) core. Basically sandwiching the base metal. The important thing is that the proportion of the gold on the metal has to be at least 20% of the total weight, so it's quite a substantial amount compared to gold plating where the gold is a microscopic film rather than an actual layer.

The gold filled material I'm using at the moment is 20% gold, but I believe you can also get 40% gold material.

Rolled gold is not quite as good quality - the proportion of gold is less than 20%. So whilst it is still in a layer form rather than a film, and is therefore better than gold plated goods - it will wear more readily than gold filled.

Textured gold filled rings
(available in yellow and rose gold)

I have been trying to get an idea of the kind of wear you can expect with gold filled material, especially in comparison with gold plating which we all know about - and found this info on Wiki.

"Gold-filled items, even with daily wear, can last five to 30 years but will eventually wear through. The gold layer on gold-plated jewelry varies greatly depending on manufacturer, so there is no single, simple comparison. Gold-filled items are 50 to 100,000 times thicker than regular gold plating, and 17 to 25,000 times thicker than heavy gold electroplate (sometimes stamped HGE or HGP—usually found oncubic zirconia "cocktail rings")."

The recommendation is to treat your gold filled jewellery just as you would gold. Gently clean with a soft cloth every now and again, and make sure you take it off before swimming and it should last for years and years.

I'm fairly new to this material, so will be experimenting and playing with the designs I can do. It can apparently be slightly tricky to solder, so designs which require more than one or two solder joints are probably out for now, but I'll keep you posted about how I'm find it to work with.

The difference between cabochon and faceted stones

I've been getting loads of requests for custom birthstone stacking rings recently, and a question that always comes up in conversations about stone choice, is about the difference between cabochon and faceted stones. And what on earth they are anyway.

Opal cabochon, amethyst rose cut, garnet faceted trillion

So here goes, my attempt to clear up any confusion.

What is a cabcohon stone?

A cabochon is cut with a flat back and a domed top....

Sapphire stacking ring

Like this sapphire stone in the ring above. It has a smooth dome on top, and a flat back. It is set in a bezel setting.

What are faceted stones?

The other kind of stone I often use is a faceted gem.

These stones usually have a pointed back, with facets or cuts taken from the stone which helps to bounce the light around. Faceting a stone is a key way to add value to a transparent stone, as it gives a higher luster and a better play of colour in the stone.

The Cubic Zirconia above is a manmade faceted stone - I've shown this picture as hopefully you can get an idea of what the stones are like, but for stacking rings I tend to use more enclosed settings like the one below...

Dark (fire) citrine ring

....so you only see the sparkly top of the stone.


Some stones are much more commonly found in one sort or the other. For example, turquoise (the birthstone for December) and opal (the birthstone for October) are pretty much always cabochon stones.

What the heck are rose cut stones then?

So, now for my fave stone of the moment - the rose cut stone. This is a kind of crossover. It's a cabochon stone (so it has a flat back and a dome) but it's also faceted...I know confusing! Here's a diagram..

Rose cut stones went out of fashion for a while, because they don't really add much brilliance or light to the stone. But I've gone completely crazy for them - I like that they're a little unusual and quirky, and I love how they bounce the light.

Rose cut rose quartz stacking ring

London Blue Topaz Earrings

So there you go - a very quick guided tour of some of the types of stones I use!

I'll also put together a post on the different shapes I can offer. Sadly my shop is a little out of date - so many of the things I make still haven't made it to a listing, so if there's something you'd like in particular, just email me hello@beckypearcedesigns.co.uk to discuss. I could have the perfect stone sitting in my stash right now.

The year so far (aka cripes, February already!!)

Where's the year going? 

January whipped by, and it looks like February is shaping up the same way; days going by in a blur.

As you know, life gets pretty busy around here in the run up to Christmas. I start planning for it in September, and people often begin their Christmas shopping in October, ( I know, I know) so the orders start picking up; it then gets properly crazy half way through November. So during these months I tend to put any new designs and experiments with new techniques on hold.

That was definitely the case this time around so there were a few things I added to my "new year  - new ideas " list. Its exciting to start the year with a big list of new things to try.

Number one on that list was gold!

Gold is probably the thing I get most requests to stock: and your wish is my command. I can now supply most of my stacking rings in both 9k and rolled gold. and will be adding new gold designs throughout the year.

Rolled gold is sometimes called gold-filled. And is basically a far better quality alternative to gold plated metal. Perfect when you want the look of gold  ( which will last) but not the expense!

The response to these goodies so far has been amazing (especially from the lovely folk on my facebook page). They aren't listed in my shop yet though so if there's something you particularly fancy please get in touch.

The other thing i'm currently working on is giving you a wider range of facetted stones to choose from; especially in my birthstone ranges. A lot of my existing range are set with cabochons, which I love working with, but for some gems facetted stones can offer a sparklier and more intense colour. 

Don't worry though, the cabochons aren't going anywhere; those beauties (especially the rose cuts) will always be a firm fave.

Most of my new designs make their first appearance on my facebook page as work in progress shots, so if you're interested in seeing how my jewellery is made do pop along
and don't forget to say hi!

Also, for those not already in the know I have a newsletter which I send out monthly. Every single person who subscribes gets entered into a free prize draw each and every month. The prize being an item from my shop or a voucher to spend ( it varies from
month to month).

If you'd like to be part of the fun, just sign up to the newsletter. I don't sell your contact info, or pester you with spam every other day...the deal is that i get to show you my new stuff and share any shop news with you once a month (and remind you that I am here if you need any new jewels!) and you get the chance to win some freebies, get 10% off your purchases and get the occasional extra special offer! Not bad eh? 

Gift guide for men

As promised, my latest handmade gift guide is for the men in your life. I find the men on my list so tricky to buy for. My husband doesn't like "stuff" and I think (but might be wrong), that it's a fairly typical male trait.

Sterling silver cufflinks - Becky Pearce Designs

I spent years when we moved in together persuading R that cushions are essentials for a comfy sofa and not just unnecessary soft things that clutter up the living room. Seriously.

So, with that kind of tricky male psyche in mind, I enlisted some help from the wonderful Folksy sellers, and came up with this list of goodies that would go down pretty well with all of the men-folk of my family.

All are practical as well as beautifully made and designed. With the exception of the lab print, which can't really be called practical, but IS Man's Best Friend? And it's gorgeous.








1 - Recycled football journal 2 -  Ipad sleeve 3 - Charcoal scarf
4 - Specs case 5 - Leather sketchbook 6 - Chocolate lab print
Of course, some gorgeous silver never goes amiss either. The silver bark cufflinks at the top of the page are always a big hit. Practical, subtle and gorgeous. 

Silver ring - Becky Pearce Designs

This chunky sterling silver ring is also a bit hit. Understated but meaningful. I've had people stamp a special date on the inside. This ring can be personalised with letters or numbers.

Last order dates for Chrismtas

As I sat here working on Christmas pressies, it occurred to me that I hadn't actually let you know my last order dates for Christmas this year (or...ahem.... actually decided them myself).

So, after a quick scan of the calendar I figured out that the last dates to order from my folksy, etsy, Becky Pearce Designs shops are:

• AUSTRALIA - 27th November (eek - today!!!!)
• USA and WESTERN EUROPE - 6th December
• UK - 16th December

I often close my shops at this point, so that people don't order "just in case" and then get disappointed. But this year I will leave the shops open throughout the Christmas period.

The five reasons I buy handmade.

Regular readers of this blog (or my facebook page) will know that I am a bit of a handmade junkie.

And I get particularly excited about the handmade world at this time of year. I love a bit of gift hunting. Obviously, I could make everyone I know some jewellery, but I think they might just get a little tired of that after a while. So instead I go browsing. Usually online,  from the comfort of my old sofa, with a nice glass of wine in hand.

Labradorite earrings - Becky Pearce Designs

There are so many reasons to buy handmade, especially at Christmas... and here are my top 5!

1 The items are generally much higher quality - each item has been given 100% individual attention, and has been finished and quality checked by a real person. Even the materials are sourced individually. The maker wants their items to last, and takes pride in their quality and longevity - there's not that " how quickly/ cheaply can we make it" mentality. No maker is going to let a substandard piece go out of the studio with their name on it.

2. Each item is individual. There won't be anyone else who has an item exactly like that. And usually there'll be lots of "wow, where did you find that it's perfect" comments flying around.

Messenger bag by Sail

3. Speaking of "perfect" another top reason is that you can often have your item customised or even commission a custom item  That means getting just the right size, colour, material, shape. Most makers are people you can contact directly to discuss getting your item made to your specification.

4. Buying handmade is more ethical and environmentally friendly. Your items won't be made in a wasteful factory and flown half way around the word, with the huge carbon footprint that brings. And you won't find child labour involved. Though my littlest is a very keen helper, given half the chance - hmm.

Handmade items are made with limited waste, and are much more eco friendly. Buying handmade means you support local artists, designers, craft people, makers. You support them, and that helps their local economy, and community. And we all know that supporting and buying local is a good thing. Who needs things shipped over from China, when we have such a fabulous supply of handmade wonderfulness on our doorstep?

Set of 4 stoneware bowls by Stoneware Studio UK

5. As well as that there is that connection you have with the maker, and the item being made. I often post work in progress pictures on my facebook page, which I really love to do, and I also love it when other makers do it. I don't know about you, but I think there is something really amazing about seeing your own items being made.

6. You get more value! You don’t have to pay the person at the till, the supervisor, manager, and the supplier and the designer and the manufacturer, because just one person is all those things! Your items may not be cheaper, but they have have that intrinsic value because of all the above reasons.

Okay, okay, there are six reasons not five. But there are just so many reasons to support handmade that I really couldn't stop at five!

I would encourage everyone to go out and buy handmade this Christmas. Go to a local craft fair, or gallery. Go online at wonderful market places like Folksy and Etsy and have a browse around. There are hundreds of fantastic makers and hundreds of thousands of perfect items - just waiting to be matched up to the lucky recipient.