Website: www.ian-norrington.com

Telephone: 01747 840200

Email: sales@ian-norrington.com

Address: Holly Cottage, Coombe Street, Pen Selwood, Wincanton, Somerset, BA9 8NF

Ian Norrington specialises in beautifully handcrafted seal engraved signet rings and engraved cuff links. He is a liveryman of the prestigious Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths. A detailed coloured brochure with prices is available on request.

In addition to gold signet rings, Ian is also able to supply signet rings set with a semi-precious stones, such as bloodstone (dark green with red flecks), carnelian (dark red), onyx (black) or lapis lazuli (blue). A first-class engraving service is on offer as well.

Signet rings are generally seal engraved whereby a family crest or coat of arms is engraved on the surface of the ring in the negative — the wax impression comes out in the positive. They can also be surface engraved in the positive with initials and dates engraved under the head. Surface engraving is ideal for cufflinks.

Ian can supply gold oval (18 x 13 millimetre) chain-linked cufflinks in either 18 carat or 9 carat in yellow gold, white gold and silver. He is happy to quote for engraved, or un-engraved, eighteen or nine carat gold cufflinks and can advise on re-engraving old or worn signet rings.

Please telephone or email for a detailed full colour brochure and price list

A 15% reader discount is available for readers of Country Life.

www.ian-norrington.com

Website: www.plaxjewellery.com

Telephone: (+44) 203 475 7993

Email: pearls@plaxjewellery.com

Address: Woodberry House2 Woodberry GroveLondon N12 0DR

X: https://twitter.com/plaxjewellery

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PLAXJewellery

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plaxjewellery

We fell in Love.

PLAX Jewellery is a brand that specialises in luxury pearl jewellery.

We fell in love with the pearl; the most extraordinary of all gemstones, and embarked on a mission to unravel its beauty, splendour and significance through our jewellery collection.

We marry outstanding design, exquisite craftsmanship and fine pearls to create luxury pearl jewellery to fall in love with.

We adore individuality and allow for the customisation of our collection and, as a brand, we are passionate about philanthropy.

We invite you all to fall in love.

www.plaxjewellery.com

Website: www.hancockslondon.com

Telephone: +44 (0)20 7493 8904

Address: 62 St James's Street,London,SW1A 1LY

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=hancocks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hancocks_london/?hl=en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hancockslondon/posts/?feedView=all

In addition, Hancocks London also follows time-honoured traditions and meticulously hand crafts a selection of signet rings, one of the oldest and most traditional types of jewellery known. These rings are all ‘seal engraved’ which is a very specific style of engraving whereby the image and lettering is carved very deeply and in reverse.

In 2024 it expanded, moving from Mayfair’s Burlington Arcade to a renovated Georgian townhouse on St James Street in St James’s. The decision to expand into its new premises was driven by a desire to return to the business’s roots. Managing director of Hancocks London, Guy Burton explained: “Throughout our history, Hancocks has served as a distinguished jeweller and manufacturer. In 1849, we were originally the House of Hancocks, known for manufacturing jewellery, important silverware and the like for clients including royalty, heads of state, and the great and the good. In 1916, we went on to become more of a shop and, post war, continued selling vintage jewellery, and signed jewellery, while also still making our own designs. As we now move forward, it feels both authentic and deeply meaningful that we go back to being what we were originally known as: one of the world’s foremost independent jewellery houses.”

With its rich legacy, including four Royal Warrants awarded, Hancocks has long been a destination for discerning clientele, seeking the finest in bespoke jewellery and exceptional service. Now, the jeweller can share its unique and historic story in its new Georgian townhouse premises and showcase its full collection for the first time in decades.

Burton said: “Our new premises represents the modern Hancocks of today while acknowledging our historic roots. It is four times bigger than our previous space and we have been able to reimagine the customer journey and are now able to offer a bespoke and intimate experience befitting of our jewels.”

With a focus on comfort, ample space, and the freedom to explore jewellery at leisure – clients will be able to explore their jewellery interest, and discover more about a particular piece in the process. By eschewing traditional retail counters, clients can immerse themselves fully in the world of fine jewellery, roam freely, and enjoy a friendly gallery-like experience.

Hancocks’ new premises boasts five floors and features a prominent window frontage looking out onto the iconic St James’s Street.

Interest rates are likely to fall by three quarters of one percent in 2008 with property price inflation remaining positive, according to forecasts from the Council of Mortgage Lenders. Gross lending will decline but is still set to exceed 2005 levels and transaction levels will remain above one million. The credit crunch has exacerbated trends that were already emerging in terms of a slow down in the house purchase market. However, the trend is anticipated to be worse than previously expected because of funding constraints and tightening of lending criteria resulting in reduced opportunities for remortgaging across the lending spectrum but particularly in lower income households. The Council of Mortgage Lenders is forecasting that base interest rates will end at 5.5% in 2007 and 5.0% in 2008. CML director general Michael Coogan commented: ?The housing and mortgage markets are facing their most challenging period since Labour came to power a decade ago. Luckily, the credit crunch occurred at a time when the UK economy was robust, but even so the effects on the financial sector are significant, and the mortgage market is not immune from them. ?We now expect a slower mortgage market next year, although by no means a stagnant one. Most borrowers will cope, but not everyone will escape unharmed from the effects of a slower market, so the government should make it a policy priority to overhaul the system of state support for home-owners, which has lagged pitifully behind the times.? * Search the finest homes on the market