Q. What is the best finger to wear a signet ring?
A. By tradition, signet rings are worn on the small pinkie finger of the non-dominant hand, so for example, if you are right handed, your ring would go on the little finger of your left hand. Traditionally in France men would wear their ring on the right finger of the left hand, and in Switzerland, men would wear their signet ring on the right finger of the left hand. Meanwhile in the Middle East, the ring would be worn on the middle finger or the thumb. Some people even decide to wear it stacked with a wedding ring. Now days, anything goes, there are no hard and fast rules, you can just choose the most comfortable finger to wear your signet ring.
Q. How do I find out my finger size before I order a ring from you ?
A. The simplest way would be to use our tape ring sizer, which is available FREE to all our UK customers, just send us your address and we are happy to send it out to you or alternatively you can use our online order form. It is very simple to use, if you are not in the UK it would be cheaper to order one of these direct from a website such as Amazon as we would have to charge International shipping.
Q. How do I determine my UK Ring Size ?
A. For all of our International Customers, please use our International Ring Size Conversion Tool to determine the standard British size that corresponds to your International Size. RING CONVERSION TOOL
Q. How long does it take to make my signet ring or wedding/Occasional ring ?
A. All of our Silver, Gold and Platinum Rings and handmade and can take between 3-5 weeks (occasionally longer at busy periods of the year). If you are in a hurry for your ring, don't worry, let us know and we will work with you to find a solution and ensure your ring reaches you on time for your special occasion.
Q. I am in a hurry - do you offer a fast turnaround ?
A. We will do our utmost best ! Rings are all made to order - we can usually request a faster delivery if the are ready hallmarked and only need sizing, silver cufflinks and pendants are in stock ready to engrave so we can offer a faster turnaround on these items.
Q. What is the process once I have placed my order ?
A. All Silver, Gold and Platinum Signet Rings and Bands are made to order, once your order is received we will begin the process of creating your ring, as soon as this is ready for engraving you will be notified before we start to ensure you do not require any last minute changes. While your ring is being hand made (which can take from 2-5 weeks depending on the speed of the hallmarking process), we will work with you to create your perfect design and personalised options. We do not engrave your ring until you are 100% happy with our design. We keep in touch every step of the way, so you know exactly what stage your ring is currently at. Once your ring is dispatched, we will again notify you of the tracking number so you know when to expect delivery (or in the case of International orders - so you can monitor you order and know when to expect delivery). UK orders are sent via Royal Mail Special Delivery, International orders are sent via Royal Mail (which can take longer), FEDEX Courier Services, or our new Hassel Free Delivery - Delivered Taxes and Duty prepaid.
Q. What happens if my ring is too big | too small ?
A. This is why it is important to find this out before you order, whilst a ring can be amended slightly, the process of increasing / or decreasing the ring size involves cutting the ring band, and does involve a cost. Of course if we have made an error on size, this is done free of charge. All ring sizes are checked prior to engraving to ensure they are correct. Wedding bands cannot be re-sized as they are custom engraved.
Q. Do you engrave rings, cufflinks and pendants in 9ct or 18ct Gold and Platinum ?
A. All of our jewellery pieces are available in Sterling Silver, 9ct and 18ct Gold, gold cufflinks take approximately two weeks to arrive in stock, due to the high value of gold we do not keep gold pieces in stock. We do not offer our products in 22ct gold as we deem it to be too soft for laser engraving. Platinum is also available on request and has a soft white hue, it is 30 times more rare than gold (and of course more expensive), also 40% heavier than gold, however unlike Sterling Silver, Platinum does not tarnish or oxidize. Due to the hardness of Platinum, the details and intracity of the engraving on our rings will look sharper and more precise.
Q. Are your rings, cufflinks and pendants Solid 925 Sterling Silver or Gold ?
A. Yes all of our signet rings (cufflinks and pendants) are solid (not hollowed out underneath the head of the ring) 9 or 18ct gold or silver, this is required due to the depth of the engraving. All Signet Rings, Ring Bands, Pendants and Boat Cufflinks are stamped with the British Hallmark London Assay Office to guarantee the purity of the gold, silver & platinum. Sterling Silver Boat Back Cufflinks, Signet Rings and Pendants are 92.5% Fine Silver and 7.5% Copper, conforming to EU Regulations for Sterling Silver - Sterling Silver does not contain Nickel.
Q. What is the best format to send my artwork to you?
A. We can accept black and white artwork in jpg format 300dpi, or vector artwork eps, ai, pdf, cdr, wmf, svg format, please email your artwork prior to placing an order form confirmation. Jpg artwork should be of a high quality and black and white if possible.
Q. Will I receive a proof before my Ring, Cufflinks or Pendant are engraved ?
A. Yes ~ if your cufflinks, ring or pendant are personalised we will send out a proof showing the full details for engraving, please let us know if you require any alterations so as not to delay your order.
Q. How deep will the laser engraving be ?
A. The average depth of engraving is approximately 0.3mm - 0.6mm, this can vary depending on the design and the complexity of the drawing. Very fine designs with a positive engraving will not be as deep as a background engraved piece. All of our signet rings are engraved 'for show', most designs are too complex for a deep wax seal engraving, however if you do want a wax seal ring we will work with you to create a suitable design (only available for very large rings).
Q. Can I send you a photograph or idea for engraving onto cufflinks ?
A. Yes, we can re-create your idea into a format suitable for engraving onto silver or gold cufflinks, this is done by hand or computer depending on the complexity of the design. Please send your ideas, photograph or drawings prior to placing an order, as there would be additional artwork fees depending on the amount of work involved.
Q. Can my jewellery be personalised ?
A. Yes, all of our jewellery items can be personalised, either with engraving on the reverse, or sometimes with additional front text or initials, if you are unsure, please do ask, we are always happy to help.
Q. How do I care for my Silver, Gold or Platinum Jewellery ?
A. Remove your silver, gold or platinum jewellery before using any harsh chemicals or abrasives, including hand washes and hand creams which may cause scratching. Avoid gardening or heavy labour while wearing your jewellery, store your jewellery in a separate compartment to avoid scratching. The simplest or the cheapest and easiest way to clean your silver or platinum rings is by soaking them in a sudsy solution of warm water and a mild washing up liquid for around 30 minutes. This will lift any built-up grime and debris from your rings, effortlessly restoring their lustre.
1. Sterling Silver does tarnish, so we recommend you store your silver jewellery in a cool dark place. Please do not use tissue paper or paper towels to dry your jewellery, as they can easily scratch the silver. We recommend Town Talk Silver Anti-tarnish polishing cloths to keep the silver sparkle.
2. Yellow, Rose and White Gold should be kept in separate boxes or a soft pouch to keep it from scratching when not worn, avoid contact with soap and it can give gold jewellery a dull appearance. This can be easily rectified by polishing with a specialist jewellery spray and a soft cloth, we recommend Town Talk Gold Polish Cloths which will restore the original shine to all your gold jewellery and keep it looking like new. It’s impregnated with clever polishing and cleaning agents specially designed for all types of gold.
3. Although Platinum is especially durable, it will wear and scratch with use, Clean regularly with jewellery cleaner specially formulated for platinum jewellery, a sonic cleaning solution from Town Talk will restore the original sparkle and brilliance to your Platinum jewellery. Also suitable for gold and silver.
If you have any questions please email us at Jackie@thedesignstation.co.uk and we will be happy to help.