Category: Jewellery

After the drab work-from-home outfits of the last couple of years, people are ready to get dressed up once again and enjoy the process of adorning themselves with their finest jewellery. Jewellery has the ability to spark joy and add an element of playfulness to an outfit, and while there’s no denying that jewellery trends move more slowly than fashion, 2022 has seen a shift towards the more colourful and interesting pieces. These are the jewellery trends to take note of this summer.

Coloured Gemstones From just £620

Bold colours

Vibrant colours with splashes of rich jewel tones add a splash of energy to your outfit and create interest and fun to whatever you’re wearing. Coined ‘dopamine dressing’, it’s the act of going bold and bright with your jewellery (and the rest of your outfit, if you so desire) without limitations.

Whether you’re adding bright enamels, gorgeous gemstones or powerful pendants that really make a statement, with dopamine dressing, you have full permission to get creative without holding back on the colour. It’s a trend that’s guaranteed to make you smile and one which brands such as Pascale Monvoisin and Sydney Evan have adopted for the upcoming season.

Vintage Jewellery From just £445

Sustainable purchases

There’s no doubt that conscious consumerism is high on the priority list for so many shoppers now, whether it’s food, fashion or now jewellery. Consumers are feeling the pressure to make wiser decisions about their purchases, and their accessories are no exception. From ethical gemstones to sustainable engagement rings, customers want to know where their jewellery is coming from and have transparency for their purchases.

There’s also the option to go vintage with jewellery pieces, for items that not only have a more sustainable stance but also tell a story. It’s expected that by 2025, an estimated 20-30% of global fine jewellery sales will be influenced by sustainability, whether it’s ethical sourcing or the environmental impact of the item.

Pendants From just £120

Statement pieces

If the ‘70s and ‘80s taught us anything about jewellery, it’s the bigger, the better. Saint Laurent’s spring/summer 2022 trends highlighted a desire for bold jewellery, rejecting the more delicate minimalist pieces in favour of unapologetic statement items. Big-ticket statement jewellery is something we’ll see a lot more of over the next season, from colourful earrings and sculptural rings to large pendant necklaces and chunky chains.

If you’re intimidated by the prospect of overdoing it, pick one item and go bold with it, such as a maximalist pair of earrings or a bright jewel-toned necklace, while keeping everything else in your outfit more subtle.

Vintage Rings From just £785

Mixing metals

In 2022, there are no rules when it comes to mixing gold with silver, or rose gold with platinum – this season, you can go in whichever direction you like with your jewellery and still be on trend. The mixed metal trend is a popular one this year, whether that’s layering items on top of one another or wearing a single two-tone piece.

This more is more approach is great for people who can’t decide which metal they prefer to wear, as you can mix and match as many styles as you like without feeling like it’s over the top. Why not pair a simple gold chain with a pair of silver earrings, or layer up multiple bangles and bracelets in different tones?

Brooches From just £250

Sentimental jewellery

Personalised jewellery is a wonderful gift and it’s something that you can treasure for a lifetime. From birthstones and zodiac signs to initials or names of loved ones, sentimental jewellery makes for a great conversation starter and, as a subtle item, it will go with any outfit. It’s about finding items that really resonate with you or have a story to tell, such as an item that was gifted to you for a special occasion or for a big birthday celebration, or maybe it’s an item that you picked up with someone you love and that reminds you of that day and the person.

Signet Rings From just £485

Chic signet rings

The signet ring is a classic for a reason, and this season we’re likely to see many more of them adorning hands of men and women, whether it’s classic gold rings or personalised items that have been customised with zodiac signs, initials or birthstones. Signet rings are the ideal way to play around with a trend – they’re subtle enough to be discreet but still on trend if you want to add a touch of glamour and style to your outfit. Why not merge trends and choose a signet ring with a sentimental motif on it for an emotional item that captures two trends at once?

Final thoughts

Jewellery is such a wonderful way to enhance any outfit and make it unique, putting your own spin on the trends and creating something that’s truly special to you. This season, get creative with mixed metals, personalised pendants and rich jewel tones for a look that’s not only on trend but playful and packed with character.

The common thread between this summer’s trends is personalisation and fun – designers are reacting to the past couple of years and letting loose with colour, shape and layering. For customers, there’s the opportunity to really let the imagination run wild and enjoy experimenting with different items of jewellery, either with statement pieces that push you out of your comfort zone or with mixing different pieces for an original take on a trend.

If you’re looking for inspiration, why not browse our selection of vintage pieces, gemstone jewellery and one-off items? Or if you’re in need of some advice, contact our team and we’d be delighted to assist you.

Whether a beautiful set of pearls, a diamond necklace or a charming family heirloom, necklaces come in a wide range of shapes, sizes and styles.

While having plenty of choice is a wonderful thing, knowing which length to choose when purchasing a new necklace requires some careful consideration.

Popular necklace lengths

Collar

Collar necklaces measure between 13 and 15 inches in length and fit securely around the neck. They are a great choice when worn with scoop neck, V-neck or off-the-shoulder style tops, and they work well for people with longer, slimmer necks. Whether worn for a special occasion or with a casual look, collar necklaces are a versatile length.

Choker

This style of necklace measures between 15 and 17 inches long and is worn against the base of the throat. It is a length that complements long, thin necks and people with heart-shaped faces, and it’s a popular choice for chic, modern designs.

Princess

Princess necklaces are typically between 17 and 19 inches in length, sitting elegantly on the collarbone. It goes with virtually any type of outfit, from plunging necklines to high-neck tops, making it a versatile item to have in your jewellery collection.

Matinee

Measuring 20 to 24 inches in length, matinee necklaces sit between the collarbone and the bust, and work wonderfully for both formal and casual wear. They are elegant and are effective in elongating the neck, particularly when paired with a flattering pendant to draw the eye.

Opera

An opera necklace sits between 28 and 37 inches in length and is a graceful style that looks stunning when paired with a higher neckline or coupled with a shorter necklace. This style is flexible as it can be worn as a single strand necklace or doubled up for a choker style.

Rope

Sitting anywhere from 37 to 60 inches, rope necklaces are easy to wear single, double or even tripled for a unique look. Perfect for casual wear as well as business attire, long rope necklaces are an ideal choice if you want to achieve a vintage look, particularly if you’re purchasing a long string of pearls.

Measuring for a necklace

To measure for a necklace, the easiest way is to use a tape measure and an existing necklace which you like the length of, and which suits the outfit you’re planning to pair it with.

If you don’t already own a necklace in the length you’re considering, you can use a soft measuring tape or a length of string to work out the right length for you. Standing in front of a mirror, use the string or tape measure to see where different lengths will sit on your body so you can see which options are most flattering for your height and body type.

Bear in mind that if you’re choosing a necklace with a pendant, it will hang in a V shape while a simple chain will have a softer curve to it.

18ct Yellow Gold Necklace	White Gold Spectacle Set Diamond Necklace	9ct Gold Albert Chain With T bar	Graduated Diamond Riviere Necklace
£3,450	£5,950	£1,750	£26,575

Choosing the right necklace length for your body type

The right necklace is an effective way of pulling an outfit together and adding sparkle and colour to your attire. But it’s important to choose the right style and length of necklace to compliment your body type, from your features and height to your face shape.

Neck size

It’s worth measuring your neck before buying a new necklace to ensure that it will sit in the right place on your chest. This is particularly true of choker necklaces which can be uncomfortable if too tight. Using a soft measuring tape, wrap it closely against your neck without it being too tight to get the measurement then add two inches to this measurement for a comfortable length for chokers. Choker necklaces tend to work best on people with slim, long necks and can be less flattering on people with shorter necks.

Height

Height may not be something you think to consider when buying a necklace, but it can make all the difference to how flattering different styles appear. People below 5’4″ tend to look best in styles measuring between 16 and 20 inches, while those who fall between 5’4″ and 5’7″ have more flexibility and can carry off most lengths. Longer styles tend to look best on taller people as they accentuate their height beautifully.

Body type

Remember that people’s eyes will stop at the point where the necklace ends, so if you don’t want to draw attention to a particular area of your body, avoid necklaces which will stop there. You should also consider how a necklace will hang based on your body type and whether you have a slimmer or more full-figured frame, as this can alter not only where a necklace stops but also how it sits against your body.

Face shape

Another factor to consider is the shape of your face, as necklaces can help to frame your face and can accentuate your strongest facial features. If you have a rounder face, for example, shorter necklaces such as chokers can accentuate the roundness of your face, while people with long face shapes may want to choose a shorter necklace to soften and broaden the shape of their face. Heart-shaped faces can also look great with chokers or shorter necklaces as they can balance out a narrower chin and give the illusion of fullness.

Final thoughts

Knowing which necklace lengths suit you best, and which work well with different outfits, can really help to elevate your ability to play with different styles of jewellery. From sophisticated princess necklaces to long rope chains that are a great way to try your hand at vintage looks, there are many styles to experiment with for different scenarios and outfits.

At Cry for the Moon, we offer a broad range of beautiful necklaces, pendants and other jewellery items. Browse our collection online, come into the shop to see for yourself or feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Ring Sizing

For something as precious, personal and valuable as a ring – it’s absolutely imperative the sizing is correct.

Whether a brand new purchase in-store, a gift or heirloom or even just that piece in your jewellery box that has never quite fit, we can help.

Almost every ring we sell in-store is sized bespoke to the client, and if the ring to be sized is gold or platinum. is a relatively straightforward process for our in-house master jewellers. For new sales, we aim to complete resizing within a two-hour window, allowing you to proudly show off your beautiful new ring on the way home.

Naturally, all of the jewellery in-store has its own size – and to make it the perfect fit for you, we use a standard ring gauge that ranges from A-Z. Although less frequently used, we can measure larger if required – and the largest we ever sized was in fact Z+8!

Ring Sizing Gauge Print-Out

If you’re interested to know your size before coming into the shop, please see our handy printable chart here.

The majority of rings can be sized 5 or 6 sizes up or down with ease, but the design and shoulders can restrict this if stone set. Due to the design, full eternity rings and mixed metal rings generally can’t be resized and should be ordered in the correct size. If we don’t have your size in-store, we would advise allowing 5-6 weeks for delivery, so keep this in mind if it ordering for a special occasion.

International Sizing Chart

Below is an international sizing chart as not every country uses the same scale.

Whilst your ring is being adjusted or repaired, our master jewellers will check stones and their setting for security, and will clean & polish the ring too – restoring it to its glorious best.

Please note: Although newly purchased items can be sized within a two-hour window, we advise allowing between 7-10 days for items not purchased on the day. This is also the case for adjustments outside of resizing.

Contact Us Today

Come into our shop to discuss your repairs or resizing requirements or indeed to see our full range of rings. We would be glad to show you the stunning items we have in store and help with making sure your cherished items are a perfect fit. Please feel free to come in to the shop, or make an enquiry beforehand.

Whether it’s Paris & Helen, Mark Anthony & Cleopatra, Dante & Beatrice or Edward & Mrs Simpson, love bonds them all and their stories have lasted throughout history.

Was it Eros, Cupid or Valentine?

…we’ll never know-but their love affairs we can all agree endured.

That one true person who brings you heart felt joy, happiness, warmth, comfort, humour, strength that little spark first felt like never before.

Romeo & Juliette most definitely had it written about them, but since the 3rd Century St Valentine & his place in the Christian church dated the 14th February a special day for lovers everywhere to celebrate their love with one another.

In a simple single moment to share and appreciate their love, gifts will often be exchanged:

• Flowers
• Chocolate
• Sharing a drink or a romantic home cooked meal
• …and of course, jewellery!

If you’re planning a small trinket to your partner, jewellery is the perfect token to say I LOVE YOU.

We have many unique & beautiful jewellery ideas including:

Pendants From just £105

Earrings From just £115

Pearls From just £115

Anything heart shaped is always a winner and popular, especially our ever popular diamond set initial pendants:

Or, perhaps a diamond cut heart:

Maybe this time of year is the perfect occasion to pop the big question to your forever partner, and we’re here to help. Your proposal ring, your forever gift, a true token of friendship & love to one another, could be one of the hardest gifts to ever choose, but here at Cry for the Moon we have been helping our clients choose that exquisite perfect of rings for over half a century.

From style and design to quality we have an amazing collection of fabulous new and antique rings for the perfect valentine proposal.

See our online stock of Engagement Rings

If you’re after something that is as individual and unique as your true love, why not have a specially bespoke item made in our in house workshop, we will guide you through the design process and you can pick the perfect gemstones and diamonds to a set budget a rare one of a kind original item as rare as you love.

Get in touch today to enquire.

It’s difficult to predict which jewellery designs and styles will be the biggest Christmas bestsellers, and this year is set to be even tougher than normal after the year we’ve all had. However, having seen a continuing pattern emerge in our own customers’ wishes over the last few years – we can certainly have a jolly good guess.

Here. we share our most common Christmas bestsellers from the past few years, and those we predict to be popular again this year…

1. Round Brilliant Cut Diamond Studs

Handmade at our in-store workshop, our diamond studs are priced from £495.00 (for a diamond & platinum stud). See all studs, here. One thing many of our customers enjoy about our studs is the upgrade scheme offered with purchase. We will allow the full value of a pair of previously purchased studs against a larger pair, in exchanging and upgrading, so you can quite literally grow your own carats.

Brilliant Cut Diamond Solitaire Earrings

from £495

2. Diamond Tennis Bracelets

These elegant and simply designed bracelets are ideal to add to any outfit. A long line of beautifully match diamonds, each articulated to sit comfortably on the wrist. Also referred to as Line Bracelets, these stunning pieces of jewellery were made famous by Tennis star Chrissy Evert wearing one whilst playing on the lush lawns of Wimbledon in 1987. Ranging between diamond and other coloured gemstones, we have a stock certain to suit everyone this year!

Diamond Tennis Bracelet	Diamond Tennis Bracelet
£5,750	£4,250

3. Pendants

Pendants are always very popular, and this year we have two new additions that we feel fit with the current trends. First, our new up-cycled gold pendants found here demonstrate classic geometric shapes and designs that have been in high demand since launch and reflect strongly the re-emergence of yellow gold coming back!

Additionally, a new personalised pendant (arriving in stock very soon) is our diamond set Initials. We have commissioned the most popular name initials including A, E, C,J,M or L, though can order any initial in with a lead time of 4 weeks.

These simple 18ct white gold diamond pendants start from £790.00. To order your initial please click here and enquire on the price and delivery.

Diamond Initials Pendant

from £790

Please enquire for more information.

4. Pearl and Coloured Gemstone Necklaces

Pearls have been everywhere this year with varying lengths worn both alone & layered up! The Mary Berry inspired pearl necklace has continued to be a strong seller but many variations of this design are now available with long chain lengths of 66cm plus. These mixture of 18ct yellow or white gold pearl, amethyst, coral or multi varied gemstones will be a guaranteed stocking filler this year.

18ct Yellow Gold and Coral Necklace	Freshwater Pearl Necklace	18ct Yellow Gold Chain & Amethyst Necklace	White Gold Spectacle Set Diamond Necklace
£995	£1,285	£820	£5,950

5. Something for him

Cufflinks are always in demand at Christmas and this year will be no different with gold price hitting a record high! The switch to silver may be stronger than normal with hand enamel, and novelty design may be desired once again. We currently have 90 different designs in stock, in both new and antique styles. You’re sure to find something for him to enjoy and wear.

Silver Chain Link Cufflinks	Silver Wolf Cufflinks	Silver Emerald and Enamel Cufflinks	18ct Yellow Gold Enamelled Cufflinks
£135	£172	£310	£1,985

6. Rings

Rings have always been our strongest sellers and with Guildford’s largest selection of diamond and coloured stone set rings we have something to wow that special loved one this Christmas. Diamond solitaires, Trilogy, clusters or perhaps more of a dress ring design?

We have them all. Third finger rings worn on the right hand have become a must have and we can offer our customer a true range of bespoke and antique design rings. Stacking rings continue to be a very expressive way for rings to be worn, mixing different colours and designs together to create a unique look. Our leaf diamonds set rings are the perfect stackable ring, starting from £835.00.

Leaf Design 18ct White Gold Diamond Ring	Leaf Design 18ct Yellow Gold Diamond Ring	Leaf Design 18ct Rose Gold Diamond Ring
£1,350	£1,350	£1,350

These trends are but a small selection of what we have in store here at CftM. We haven’t even brushed on our vintage and antique jewellery from Victorian or Edwardian era, nor classic eternity rings to celebrate your love for one another.

So please visit us to get your Christmas shopping started and beat the rush, with restricted numbers now allowed in store again, we really hope that you visit soon and start early this festive season.

Whilst we continue to wash our hands frequently and use hand sanitiser at every shop entrance, we mustn’t forget to keep our jewellery clean too.

An ideal time to start writing this blog, with ‘Wash your hands’ ringing in our ears, there is a lot more soap, hand cream and bread dough going into your jewellery – well in our house at least! We are often asked the best way to keep your jewellery clean at home and we have for many years, answered with the same answer:

Firstly

You don’t need to buy any special cleaners or dips, you have all you need under the kitchen sink.

Secondly

Please don’t use gin; it’s much better in a glass this evening once you’ve finished cleaning your jewellery.

Equipment required:

• Kettle
• Bowl / mug
• Old toothbrush
• Sieve, (For security)
• Kitchen towel
• Cloth, (not a duster)
• Washing up Liquid

The Soak

OK, so boil the kettle, you only need a small amount of water, enough to fill a third of the bowl or mug.

Once boiled, tip into the bowl or mug to a third full then drop a few drops of washing up liquid in and drop your jewellery in.

*Tip allow the water to cool a little, don’t burn yourself.

**NEVER put emeralds, opals or pearls into boiling water!
(for pearls see final section)

Do not put too many items in at once; diamonds & sapphires are very hard and will scratch other gemstones if they rub against one another.

Leave them to soak for between 8-15 minutes, depending on when you last had them cleaned.

The Clean

Once they have soaked, use the toothbrush to gently clean the underside of the rings gallery – this will remove the build-up of soap and cream etc.

Repeat the soak if the jewellery is still looking dirty.

Once clean, place in a sieve, put the plug in the sink and run under warm water. Cleaning gemstone rings can often identify other underlying problems – so we use the sieve and keep the plug in to stop anything being washed away. We can reset gemstones fairly easily, but it’s much harder to find matching gemstones – so better to be safe.

The Polish

Once rinsed, dry off with the paper towel and then use the soft cloth to buff up.

Although not essential, you can use one of the many types of polishing cloths (used for different metals) that are available.

If you are interested in purchasing a polishing cloth, we highly recommend (and have used many times) these two companies:

Connoisseurs UK
Town Talk Polish

This will brighten up gold or silver – however, platinum is so hard you may not notice much difference.

Now, your jewellery will look much brighter and more importantly, will be cleaner (and not harbouring any dreaded viruses).

If you don’t want to do it yourself

Cry for the Moon has always offered complimentary jewellery cleaning, and we would love to see you to help with yours. We do not charge, but ask that you make a small donation to one of the Charities we support: Salvation Army, Red Cross, Scope or Shooting Star Children’s Hospice.

We do also offer a more thorough clean and polishing service which that requires a few days in the workshop, subject to workload. This service is charged from £25.00 per item. Please ask for more details with regards to white gold and rhodium plating.

Pearl Cleaning

Pearls are perhaps the one gemstone that dislikes water. When I say ‘dislike’, this is because they are formed/grown in water and thus can still be affected by any type of liquid they are placed in.

So, we also suggest that the best way to keep them clean is to not get them dirty (yes, far easier said than done), but the one thing to remember with pearls of any type is ‘last thing on, first thing off’.

Perfume, makeup, creams and moisturisers will all affect the nacre of pearls, changing the colour or attacking the surface.

If you have pearls that are dirty, a damp cloth is the best way to protect them whilst removing any dirt. The majority of pearls are strung on silk, which is naturally strong and not as tough on the drilled holes – but, silk again is not great in any liquid and will discolour very quickly.

We do recommend that pearls are restrung at least once a year, even if not worn as the silk will stretch and weaken over time.

As Guilford’s oldest running independent jewellers we have, over the years, purchased many thousands of pounds of old gold, platinum and silver. This serves both us, our customers and the environment, in equal measure.

At our Cry for the Moon workshop, we recycle gold and platinum, passing on the savings to our customers. This keeps the price lower than the open market prices, and though many items have been worn and damaged – our recycle and repair service reproduces wonderful commercial assets.

Sell your gold or jewellery to us

We can offer very competitive prices with an instant decision and payment in either cash, cheque or direct back transfer for all types of jewellery. We are just as happy buying broken chains and odd earrings, or that sentimental article that has been sat in the jewellery box for the last 10 years, never to be worn. Many of our customers will happily part exchange these for something that will be worn- producing new, and unique heirlooms.

In doing our part to help the environment, we know that it’s much easier to recycle gold than to mine it – and clearly far better for our planet.

Interestingly, if all the world’s gold was put together it would fill just over three Olympic sized swimming pools or just under 22m cubed as a solid block of gold. On average 2400-3000 tons of gold are mined every year, and since gold is virtually indestructible, this means that almost all of this metal is still around in one form or another.

2020 is our Anniversary- celebrating 50 years as a company, having started out in Haslemere in 1970. In celebration, we are very excited to have designed a small range of upcycled 18ct gold pendants each handmade in our workshop, and each unique. These designs are the first in a range we plan to grow and market with both cost and the environmental issues a key factor.

Starting at £535.00 they represent great value

The designs currently consist; a crescent moon, key, open circle, open heart, double entwined circle, and double star, all in 18ct yellow gold.

18ct Yellow Gold Double Star Pendant	18ct Yellow Gold Entwined Circle Pendant	18ct Yellow Gold Key Design Pendant	18ct Yellow Gold Open Circle Pendant
£585	£550	£535	£595

 

Bespoke jewellery designs

If you have your own design idea suitable and would like it made, we would love to know! Please contact us for more details.

One of the most interesting and exciting jewellery items we sell are those that have unfortunately, for many reasons, become too worn out to repair and resell. With these, we have a number of remodelling options our skilled jewellers can make:

The first: is to remove the old gemstones and make a replica of the same design period article, this will then have a whole new lease of life which can be lovingly worn and passed on as a future heirloom.

The second: is to use the gemstones to make a more modern design that will appeal to today’s fashion lead consumers. Many old diamonds and coloured gemstones will have small chips and abrasions to the facets- but our own trusted diamond polisher and lapidaries (gemstone polisher) can return these beautiful gems to their former bright and vivid colours.