The Royal association with Clogau Gold

Royal Welsh Clogau Gold

Clogau Gold is immensely proud of its association with the British Royal family. The Royal family has been wearing wedding rings crafted from a single nugget of Clogau gold extracted from the Clogau St. David’s Gold Mine.

The tradition was founded by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (Lady Elizabeth in 1923) on her marriage to King George VI (then Duke of York) on April 26th, 1923. Her Majesty’s wedding ring was fashioned from the Clogau gold nugget owned, at the time, by a Mr. Bartholomew. The same nugget was later used by the famous designer W. J. L. Bertollé to fashion the ring that The Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh gave to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at their wedding in Westminster Abbey on 20th November, 1947.

The tradition continues to this day. Other members of the Royal Family that have worn pure Clogau Welsh gold wedding rings include Princess Margaret The Countess of Snowdon (1960), Princess Anne The Princess Royal (1973), Diana The Princess of Wales (1981), Prince Charles (1981) and most recently Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (2005).

It is a touch of this very same rare Welsh gold that is contained in every item of Clogau Gold jewellery (except those in the Designer collections) and it has made Clogau Gold some of the most sought-after jewellery in the world.

Extended Warranty

Clogau Gold takes great pride in the quality of its jewellery and watches which is why Clogau now offers a free Extended Warranty which guarantees your jewellery against manufacturing faults for two years.

With confirmation of your purchase you will be provided with a link to enter the warranty number. Warranty registration requires that you enter the Warranty Number found on the Certificate of Authenticity that accompanies each piece of Clogau Gold jewellery (see right).

Certificate of Authenticity

Each item comes with its own Certificate(s) of Authenticity. The Certificates reinforce the lengths that we’ve gone to make your jewellery feel special whether it’s from our Welsh Gold Collections or from our Designer Collections. Your Certificate of Authenticity will give you all the information you need to know about your jewellery, watch or giftware.

Packaging

Engagement Ring Guide

The tradition of giving engagement rings dates back to mediaeval times, when lovers gave gold rings set with diamonds or gemstones not only for the beauty of the gems but for their magical properties. The tradition of the symbolizing betrothal with fiery diamond has endured through the centuries to this day.

Buying Engagement Rings Together or Alone?

The romantic in you says, I’ll choose the ring myself and surprise her. The pragmatist in you says, she won’t like what I pick. It’s really not that difficult. If you’re going to buy the ring before you pop the question, you simply cannot go wrong with a classic Royal Clogau Solitaire.

How much should I spend on a ring?

As a guide, it’s generally accepted that a diamond engagement ring should cost roughly two months salary. Our advice is, spend what you feel. We recommend you familiarize yourself with our selection of rings before you decide how much to spend. Whatever the cost it will always be her most precious ring.

What size does she wear?

The easiest way to find out is to go undercover. Borrow one her rings for a moment, while she’s not looking, and compare it with our Ring Size Guide. Simply print off the pdf and match the ring to a circle. Don’t forget to return the ring before she notices it’s missing!

Diamond Guide — the 4 Cs

The Four Cs is used throughout the world to classify the rarity of diamonds. The four characteristics are Carat, Clarity, Colour and Cut. A diamond’s beauty, rarity, and price depend on the interplay of all the four Cs. No one C is more important than another in terms of beauty and it is important to note that none of the four Cs will diminish in value over time.

Carat - The carat is a measure of a diamond’s mass.

Carat is often confused with size even though it is actually a measure of mass. One carat is exactly 200 milligrams. One carat can also be divided into 100 points. A .75 carat diamond is the same as a 75-points or 3/4 carat diamond.

Since larger diamonds are found less frequently in nature, a 1 carat diamond will cost more than twice a 1/2-carat diamond (assuming colour, clarity and cut remain constant).

Clarity - The presence of inclusions in a diamond.

Inclusions are natural identifying characteristics such as minerals or fractures. These are formed while diamonds are created in the earth. They appear as tiny crystals, clouds or feathers under a jeweller’s magnifying loupe.

Inclusions are ranked on a scale of perfection, known as clarity. The clarity scale, ranging from F (Flawless) to Included (I), is based on the visibility of inclusions at a magnification of 10x. The greater a diamond’s clarity, the more brilliant, valuable and rare it is.

Colour - The degree to which a diamond is colourless.

Diamonds range in colour from icy winter whites to warm summer whites. Diamonds are graded on a colour scale which ranges from D (colourless) to Z.

Warmer coloured diamonds (K-Z) ‘glow’ when set in yellow gold. Icy whites (D-J) look stunning set in white gold or platinum. Colour differences are very subtle and it is very difficult to see the difference between, say, an E and an F. Therefore, colours are graded under controlled lighting conditions and are compared to a master set for accuracy.

Cut - The angles and proportions of a diamond.

Based on scientific formulas, a well-cut diamond will internally reflect light from one mirror-like facet to another and disperse and reflect it through the top of the stone. This results in a display of brilliance and fire which is missing in deep or shallow-cut diamonds.

Cut also refers to shape - brilliant, princess, or heart for example. Since a round diamond is symmetrical and capable of reflecting nearly all the light that enters, it is the most brilliant of all diamond shapes and follows specific proportional guidelines.

Jewellery Care

When you have something you treasure, you want to make sure it always looks as good as new. Maintaining the finish and value of your gold and silver jewellery is quite easy.

Protect

1. Take off your jewellery especially rings when doing household chores, gardening or DIY. They could become damaged by knocking out stones or coming into contact with abrasive materials which discolour metal.
2. Remove your jewellery when taking a shower or bath, swimming or washing-up. Soap, detergents, salt water and chlorine can tarnish jewellery.
3. Always allow perfume, aftershave, hairspray or medication to dry before wearing your jewellery. Spraying onto your jewellery, however small, can tarnish gold and silver and make pearls turn yellow.
4. Remove your rings before applying nail polish remover.
5. Settings can get clogged up with soap and hand cream. Remove gem-set jewellery before washing hands and using cream.

Store

1. Keep your jewellery items separate in a compartmentalised jewellery box or keep them in their individual boxes to avoid scratches. Diamonds especially scratch other jewellery items so keep them wrapped up or separate.
2. Always store pearls in a lined box or silk/cloth pouch not in plastic bags.

Clean

Silver can go black when exposed to acidic perspiration and/or the atmosphere. Gold is not as reactive to air and skin but still needs to be checked.

1. A soft jewellery polishing cloth with tarnish preventative will help keep your gold and silver pieces lustrous and shining. Take care not to polish too enthusiastically.
2. Jewellery set with gems can be brought to life by careful cleaning with a soft brush and soapy water. Dry thoroughly with a lint-free cloth.
3. Wipe pearls with a soft damp cloth after wearing to remove perfume, hairspray and anything else likely to damage them.
4. If an item of jewellery is really dirty then professional cleaning will be necessary using an ultrasonic cleaner with cleaning solutions and/or special buffing wheels.

Hallmarks

Why does Gold have Hallmarks?

Hallmarking is probably the first example of consumer protection law. In 1300 King Edward I enacted a statute ordering that all silver articles must meet the Sterling silver standard (92.5% pure silver), and should be assayed by ‘guardians of the craft’.

A hallmark is an official quality control mark placed on gold, silver and platinum and provides a safeguard to the consumer. An item’s hallmark signifies that it has been tested (assayed) by an independent body (the Assay Office) and guarantees that the metal is of one the legal standards of fineness, or purity. A hallmark indicates exactly what an item is made up of.

Clogau Gold Hallmarks, Sponsors Marks & Stamps

Assay Office Hallmark – Since 2004, each piece of Clogau Gold jewellery is tested and marked by the Edinburgh Assay Office.

Clogau Gold Sponsor’s Mark – This identifies Clogau Gold as the manufacturer of the item and is struck by the assay office.

Clogau Gold Stamp – This identifies the item as Clogau Gold jewellery.

Welsh Dragon Stamp – This is our guarantee that Clogau Welsh Gold has been added to the gold used to make your jewellery.

18ct Gold Standard Mark – This indentifies an item’s gold purity as 750 parts per thousand.

9ct Gold Standard Mark – This indentifies an item’s gold purity as 375 parts per thousand.

Sterling Silver Standard Mark – This indicates the item contains Sterling Silver with a purity of 925 parts per thousand.

Returns

Repairs

Clogau Gold prides itself on producing high quality jewellery. However, if your jewellery has a manufacturing fault, please return it to us so that we can assess the item before handing it to our craftsmen. If your jewellery is damaged in any way that does not appear to be a manufacturing fault, i.e. resizing or accidental damage, we will discuss with you any repair costs before proceeding.

Please return your item(s) by Royal Mail Special Delivery, enclosing a covering letter, to:

Welsh Choice Cyf
Returns
Llys Goferydd
Bryn Cefni
Llangefni
LL77 7HP

Ring Size

What’s my ring size?

If you already have a ring that fits snugly but are unsure of your size, please download our Ring Size Guide.pdf. Simply print off the .pdf and match your ring to the circle.

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open this file.

Mac OSX users can also view the file with “Preview”.

Conflict Diamonds Policy

Conflict Diamond Policy

Every supplier of gem stones to Clogau Gold has given a written assurance that the diamonds have been sourced from conflict-free countries and conforms to the terms of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme which came into effect in January 2003.

Dispatch

Your order is processed once we receive confirmation of your payment. An automated ‘Order Confirmation’ e-mail confirming that we received your order is sent to your email address. Your credit card is charged when you place your order, as we aim to dispatch within 24 hours providing the item ordered is in stock.

An item’s dispatch time is the period it takes for us to process; source, hallmark, and check for quality control and package your item.

Depending on stock availability, most orders are dispatched within 4-7 working days following the date of your order. This excludes UK weekends and bank holidays.

Some of our diamond jewellery items are made to order. These items are set by our craftsmen, sent to the British Assay Office for hallmarking and finally checked by ourselves for quality control. Please allow 2-3 weeks for these items.

During busy periods, such as Christmas and Valentine’s, dispatch may take longer. To ensure your jewellery arrives in time, we advise that you order well in advance.

Free Postage

For a limited time, we'll be giving you FREE postage with every order you place through our website, no matter how small. That's a potential saving of £5.29 with every order!

Orders under £250.00 are posted by Royal Mail Signed For™. Orders over £250.00 are sent by Royal Mail Special Next Day Delivery™.

Jewellery items in the same order are grouped for postage. The order is posted once all the items become available after dispatch. You can order items separately if you require quicker delivery.

Remember, for security purposes, someone must be at home to sign for the delivery. If nobody can be at home, the postman will leave a card with a telephone number on for you to make alternative arrangements. Orders are fully insured by us while in transit with Royal Mail.

International Postage

International orders are posted by Royal Mail International Signed For®. Please allow 5 working days for delivery to Europe, 10 working days to North America and the rest of the world. Signature on delivery is required.