While yellow gold wedding rings are making a big comeback this year, together with coloured diamonds and other precious stones, rose gold is the one to watch. Found on everything from ballet pumps to watch straps, rose gold is the colour of the moment. But it is in pendants where the biggest trends are making their mark.

Eternal Love rose gold pendant from Clogau (ELDCP)

Who’s wearing it?

This pink-toned metal is currently flooding the high street as a flattering alternative to classic metallics. Blended with copper, rose gold is not only an appealing colour choice but the addition of another metal makes the metal more durable and less liable to damage over time. Spotted on the likes of Julianne Moore and Victoria Beckham, rose gold rings, necklaces and bracelets are currently adorning the necklines and wrists of the rich and famous.

Rose gold pendants in particular are a favourite of everyone from Leighton Meister to Kristen Stewart and with so much celebrity endorsement, there are more styles, lengths and drops from which to choose. Plate monograms make a beautifully vintage statement in rose gold, while the classic token of love, the locket, has been seen in tri-coloured gold filigree hearts and classic oval designs. Elsewhere, symbolic pendants are a must-have accessory again, with the peace sign, religious symbols and initials all making a statement in rose gold this year.

How to wear it

Rose gold pendants make such a perfect accessory because of the metal’s subtle tones, which complement every skin type. Whether small and demure or bejewelled and formal, rose gold pendants look great alone but combining them with other copper pieces will bring out the pink tinge even further. What’s more, set a rose gold necklace against other jewellery in the zingy colours of the season – such as a pair of turquoise earrings or coral bracelet – and the warm hue will really shine.

Although it was over 200 years ago that rose gold was first created, this soft-toned metal is only just coming under the spotlight. Praised for their discreet elegance and aura of romance, rose gold pendants make an ideal present and are sure to be around for a long while, with top designers and fashion icons all vying to get in on the trend. To view the full range of Clogau rose, white and yellow gold pendants, why not explore the pendants and necklace section of the Clogau website.

Ben meets Gethin in St Asaph for the Jubilee Jamboree on Daybreak

Did you see our very own Ben Roberts on Daybreak this morning?

As the Jubilee torch passed through the city of St Asaph, Ben had a chance to speak to Daybreak presenter Gethin Jones about our Royal connection.

Showcasing a lump of Welsh gold rock from the Clogau St. David’s Gold Mine in Snowdonia, Ben mentioned how we use the same gold in our jewellery that the Royals have been using in their wedding rings since 1923.

A fitting way to pay tribute to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee!

To see Ben in action and jump straight to his 20 second clip, go here.

To see the full 10 minute feature in St Asaph, go to this section of the Daybreak website.

The jewellery world is changing with each passing year. Because jewellery is bought by people who have specific tastes, there is always the possibility that jewellery trends will morph over the decades. So what are some of the up and coming trends at this time? What things are coming back into style and what things remain popular? Here are some of the emerging trends, though they certainly are not the only things that are popular among jewellery buyers at the current time.

The return of yellow gold
Over the last decade or so, many people had turned to white gold. They liked the look of white gold, since it was softer and was more similar to platinum. This was a nice choice, of course, but one had to expect that the classic would eventually make a return to popularity. It appears that yellow gold is poised to replace white gold as the most popular type of gold once again. More people are buying yellow gold for the wedding rings and for their other types of jewelry. For jewellery buyers who want to get on the trend train, yellow gold is truly where it’s at.

Dark pearls rule the day
While traditional yellow gold might be coming back into vogue, a more trendy type of pearl is becoming much more popular. Tahitian pearls have a dark, shiny appearance and they are larger than white pearls. Many women are turning to these since they can be worn with different outfits. While white pearls go great with most formal outfits, it is difficult to wear them with casual outfits. That is where Tahitian pearls come into play and it’s why so many people are purchasing them now. Necklaces, bracelets, and even rings are popular right now and figure to remain popular for an extended period of time.

Costume jewellery makes its mark
In today’s jewellery world, many people are turning to less expensive “costume” jewellery. Though this stuff is not “real” in any jewellery sense and it is not comprised of precious stones, it remains a popular choice. The reasoning behind this is really quite simple. These pieces are cheap, so people can afford to buy many different items. Likewise, the creativity of people making these items has been enhanced over the years. Today’s costume jewelry looks better than it has in the past, and that is why so many people are making their choice.

A conflict diamond, often referred to as a blood diamond, is a diamond mined from a war zone country. Most people in these areas are suppressed and enslaved into mining diamonds, the money from this is used to fund corruption and terrorism in the country. It is a horrible and vicious cycle that has cost many lives in areas of Africa such as The Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Angola. By being aware of where your diamonds come from, and refusing to buy conflict diamonds, you can help end such terrorism and corruption.

The Kimberly Process Certification Scheme was launched by the United Nations in an effort to eradicate conflict diamonds. This process marks the source of all diamonds being sold in order to ensure that they are not financing terrorism in politically unstable countries. Because of blood diamond awareness more than 99% of diamonds are now from conflict free sources and traded under the UN-mandated Kimberley Process.  As a consumer, by actively asking jewellers where the diamonds come from, you can make sure that the conflict diamond trade is prevented.

Some of the questions you should ask your jeweller before buying a diamond:

•    Does your company have a conflict diamond policy?
•    Where do the diamonds you sell come from?
•    How can I be sure that none of your jewellery contains conflict diamonds?

Clogau Gold, and other reputable jewellers, have a Conflict Diamond Policy in place to assure customers that their diamonds are purchased from legitimate sources and follow the regulations of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. Most jewellers have the policy on their website which will allow customers to read their jeweller standards for purchasing diamonds. Jewellers should have the paperwork to prove they do not sell blood diamonds. The paperwork should include the mining information and details outlining where exactly the diamonds are from. The following statement is an example of what a company’s diamond policy should follow.

“The diamonds herein invoiced have been purchased from legitimate sources not involved in funding conflict and in compliance with United Nations Resolutions. The undersigned hereby guarantees that these diamonds are conflict free, based on personal knowledge and/or written guarantees provided by the supplier of these diamonds.”

As a responsible consumer you are also encouraged to create awareness by encouraging people around you to purchase only conflict free diamonds.

Here is the official Clogau Gold guide to choosing an engagement ring and planning your proposal. By taking the time and effort to plan out this special moment you can be assured it will be one of the happiest memories for the both of you to remember forever.

Step 1 – Seek a Blessing

Depending on how traditional both you and your partner are, you may wish to ask her father for her hand in marriage. Although not widely practised, this is a tradition that allows the father to offer his blessing on the proposed marriage.

Step 2 – Choosing the Ring

It is recommended that a man spends between 1-3 months of their salary on an engagement ring. How much to spend is a personal decision, however, it should be remembered that this is the most important piece of jewellery in a womans life that she will be able to treasure forever. 

You will have to decide whether you/your partner would prefer you to choose the ring yourself, or to choose a temporary object, and then you can both choose a ring together later on. If you choose the former, be prepared that she might want to pick out something different from what you have chosen – don’t be offended!

In order to find out what size ring she is, you have a few options depending on how secrative you wish to be. You could borrow one of her rings from her jewellery box without her noticing, and use an online ring sizer or take it to a jewellers to find out it’s size. You could also ask a close friend or relative to drop the subject into casual conversation, and find out the answer. Alternatively, you could purchase a ring sizer and ask her to measure her finger if you want to be less subtle.

You will already be familiar with your partners personal taste, however, you may wish to take a look in their jewellery box or take them window shopping to confirm this. Does she prefer yellow or white precious metal? Does she like classic or contemporary? A statement or demure piece? What cut of diamond is her favourite? All of these questions will help you choose the perfect engagement ring.

When buying your ring, don’t forget to ask what the returns policy is to check whether/how you can return the ring for an alternative style or size.

Step 3: The Proposal

To make it a private or public proposal is a personal decision, and would depend on the personality of both you and your fiancee-to-be. Some couples would prefer an intimate proposal just involving the two of you, and others would prefer an audience or to involve friends and family. A public venue like a restaurant, a candle light picnic on the beach or on holiday are just a few ideas. 

Depending on your personality, and confidence, you may or may not wish to prepare and practise how you will propose. Whether it is relaxed or formal, this moment will be a memory for you both to treasure for the rest of your lives so it must be suited to your personalities and not make either of you feel uncomfortable or under pressure.

Most importantly – enjoy the moment!