Countdown to Freedom

gallygirl

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS wrote: »

Hi GG, funnily enough I know the jewellery quarter in Birmingham and London well. However, in this instance I have found a local lady in a little village not too far away, who specialises in bespoke jewellery but at realistic prices.

She is vey creative, and she will need to be, as there are are a variety of stones, but I will enjoy my engagement ring and wedding ring from ex H being used.

I may pick your brains afterwards then Tilly as I work on the Bucks border so don't mind where I go really.

abouttimetoo wrote: »

Hi Gally

You must surely have the Birmingham Jellewery Quarter on your doorstep which I believe supplies much of the UK's items? I would have a look at their website and see if they have any special references to commissioning pieces

In terms of advice - and I speak mostly from ignorance here - I think the common sense approach should apply, visit the shops, people, ask to see things that they have already made, understand their charges, time-scales and processes, ask if they have any previous customer references you can look at, how long have they been in business, can they give you a book of designs to choose from, aide your thought process etc etc

Do you have any friends that have done this that could give you a recommendation you can trust?

Regards
ATT

Ha ha, I don't have friends who can afford jewellery commissions (well, I can't afford it either but that's a different story :rotfl:). I've looked on Bham and Hatton G websites but can't really see any sites which inspire me, except one in Birmingham which sounded really friendly but had no pictures on it . I have 3 small diamonds and 2 a little larger so quite difficult to design round. I want something modern, but with claw settings (don't see the point in having them and not showing them off :rotfl:. I'd like something angular but also like THIS type of thing. The design I had done is the 3 small ones on an angled row, with one larger above and one below. Am v confused, it's worse than buying a sofa

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS wrote: »

Hi ATT, I absolutely understand what you mean about pride in each other. I post on quite a few diaries as I can't help myself, I feel delighted that so many people are having a go:T.

Me too, especially as in real life most folk I know see the mortgage as a kind of necessary evil, to be endured for 25 years :eek: (which I used to be also to be fair )

macgirl

I don't have anything to add to the jewellery conversation as apart from my wedding ring - I'm junk jewellery only!

As for FD, I have long heard of their fantastic service and intend to switch my current account to them this year (the £100 incentive will be a nice op too )

hope all's well with you Tilly

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Hi GG, am happy to share her details. I will ask my friend for her website address (that didnt make sense, its a friend of a friend who makes the jewellery) then I just have to learn how to post short cuts....

I have said before on the >£100k mortgage thread that it would be interesting to understand how much profit we are costing the banks - in all seriousness this site must be impacting the financial sector. There are so many people on the boards and DfW and MFW is all abOut taking control and owning your future.

I can see us all in years to come attending annual MF summer 'picnics' all brandishing :money: badges and huge smiles, with relaxed shoulders (as we are not weighed down with the worry/angst etc). Or perhaps we will all have followed Billy and some of you others and we will own half of the UK:rotfl:

Enjoy the rest of the week, which is racing by.

Night, Tilly x

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Just to close for the night, I sneaked the extra £500 into the secret money stash pot ready for the OP, so we have beaten the January target of £2500, and it stands at £3k - WOOHOO, and yes I was shouting that too.

Night Tilly x

SJ1

Loving the jewellery thread. I have had jewellery altered before in an attempt to wear it more and it does help. I have some pieces that I really don't wear any more so I love the idea of making it into something else that you will wear and love or give to your children!

I would say GG to wait until you have a design you absolutely love. Jewellery is, I think, a bit like that, unless you LOVE it you won't wear it. My hubby buys me lovely jewellery and my mum went through a phase of purchasing jewellery for Christmas and birthdays at one point but there are a few pieces that I love above all the rest that come out almost every day. If you haven't fallen in love with the design them maybe you need to go back to the drawing board to get something you really love - loving the link you posted, could you do that with one of the stones and just keep the rest??

Also were you set on a ring a I have seen some lovely designs with graduating diamonds but for a pendant on a necklace?

Let us know what you end up doing!

SJ

gallygirl

SJ1 wrote: »

Loving the jewellery thread. I have had jewellery altered before in an attempt to wear it more and it does help. I have some pieces that I really don't wear any more so I love the idea of making it into something else that you will wear and love or give to your children!

I would say GG to wait until you have a design you absolutely love.

I loved the design, it was the price I wasn't so keen on :rotfl:. I would like a ring as I never wear rings, but do have a lot of costume necklaces and earrings (of the hundreds of pennies, not pounds type ). However, I loved my engagement ring and never took it off - I envisage the same with this.

Want my ring NOW (stamps feet and goes to bed in a sulk :rotfl:)

Oh, by the way, well done on fabulous OP's Tilly

SJ1

Aha - I thought it was the design you weren't sure of... Jewellery is sooo expensive. When we got our wedding rings made one shop was double the price of the next shop along for much the same thing - although that said we did go for v plain bands! Still, it was a bit of an eye opener!

Tilly, well done from me too on the fantastic overpayments - loving the 'secret stash' - not so secret now!!! Seriously, great work, I am in awe and live in hope that one day I will be emulating you!

SJ

wynnvegas

Hi Tilly,

Am I then to understand that any well intentioned suitor offering up this lovely little sparkler wouldn't carry much weight with tonight's participants!? And here I thought we were all in the MSE boat together whilst all you wummin' are hoarding millions of pounds of gems!

http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/engagement-rings-only-3-50-littlewoods-1113787

Looking forward to a big few months for you!

Cheers,

Billy

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Morning Billy, I love this super low spending MSE way, it's really opened my eyes to the options for DHs car.

I will check whether Dinky are still in business - thanks for the tip, he will be delighted :beer:

Yep, can't wait until March and it will be a good couple of months. Time seems to be racing already.

Have a good day, Tilly x

coldcazzie

macgirl wrote: »

As for FD, I have long heard of their fantastic service and intend to switch my current account to them this year (the £100 incentive will be a nice op too )

Hey macgirl, thought I'd just sneak a comment in that fd's current incentive is £125, not £100 so perhaps now might be the time!