Quality that’s hallmarked

What a lot of people don’t realise, is that gold is not always used in a pure state. Historically one might have gauged the quality of gold jewellery by its carat - 14ct, 18ct and so on, which is a measure that denotes the percentage of gold in that piece and comes with some easily recognisable hallmarks. At Annoushka we use 18ct solid gold, hallmarked with the numbers 750, a mark provided by the Assay Office, the UK authority on precious metals. Gold vermeil, by contrast, is the name given to jewellery made from a base metal such as brass, copper, nickel and sterling silver which has been electronically plated with a layer of gold. The plating process itself requires a great deal of energy and often involves toxic chemicals like cyanide, but beyond the toxicity, by using gold in this way, jewellers are removing its intrinsic capacity to be repurposed. The solution is not to provide the consumer with a lifetime re-plating guarantee, but to encourage jewellery designers, where possible, to use real gold, that can be treasured and passed down to future generations.

Honour our materials

In 2019 I was made an honorary Liveryman by London’s Goldsmiths Centre, an institution which celebrates the ancient craft of goldsmithing and the craftspeople who dedicate their lives to the bench. As a jeweller, designing in 18ct gold is a huge privilege, no substitute can ever compare to the unique and visceral magnetism of this precious material, the sense of magic and awe when you hold it in your hand. When I visit our workshop and talk to the men and women, some of whom I have worked with for 30 years, there is an unspoken sense of honouring the material through their craft. Maintaining the integrity of gold is fundamental to my work and reflected in the quality and detail, comfort, and timelessness of my design. I feel it’s integral to bring this to the fore for my customers, and so by buying solid gold they are making an investment in something which will last forever, not throwing money at a passing trend. Each piece of Annoushka jewellery is hallmarked and bears our unique makers mark which guarantees the quality of each individual piece now, and forever.