How To Choose The Right Wedding Ring

Your wedding rings will (hopefully) be with you for the rest of your lives, so it’s important to choose them very carefully!

Buying wedding rings is a big purchase that couples often choose to make together.  Wedding rings are usually worn every day as a symbol of a couple’s love and commitment to each other.  For this reason wedding rings are often quite simple in design as they need to complement any outfit and still appeal to you in many years time when your taste and style may have changed!

We’ve put together short guide to help couples shopping for their weddings rings to make the right choices.

Set a budget

The very first thing you should do is sit down together and agree a budget for the rings.  There’s nothing worse than setting your heart on a particular ring only to find it’s way out of your price range, so set a budget and then stick to it.

Decide what you want

The style and design that you choose is completely down to personal preference but it’s useful to sit down together and discuss what sort of thing you’d like before you start shopping for the rings.  Choosing a metal is a good place to start, there’s plenty to choose from including gold, white gold, silver, platinum and titanium.

Start looking early

Don’t leave it until the last minute to buy your weddings rings, it may not seem like that big a deal but when it comes down to it couples often find it more difficult than they imagined.  Even if you find a style that you like and that fits your budget quite quickly you may need to send the rings way to be resized so it’s better to get things moving sooner rather than later to avoid stress later down the line.

Get it sized correctly

Remember that you’re going to be wearing this ring come rain or shine so it needs to be a comfortable fit.  During your lifetime your fingers may swell and contract for a variety of reasons so it’s important that choose a size that will allow for this.  Most jewelers will have ring sizers in store.  Don’t be afraid to ask for a trained member of their staff to measure your finger and ascertain the correct size for you rather than doing it yourself.

Gifts for her – Charm Bracelets

Charm bracelets are one of the most customisable pieces of jewellery available on the market. With their almost endless potential to be personalised until their owner’s heart’s content, there is something definitely very special about a charm bracelet.

As a piece of jewellery, charm bracelets have seen usage for thousands of years with the first charm bracelets appearing around 600-400 BC. Another famous example is the fact that Queen Victoria wore charm bracelets which started a fashion amongst the noble classes of Europe. When Prince Albert passed away, she also made mourning charms popular which featured locks of hair taken from the deceased and also miniature portraits of them as well.

Charm bracelets as we know them today have been trending in Europe and North America since the early 2000s. Early examples of these sorts of bracelets were chains to which different beads or charms could be attached. The reason for the popularity of such bands is due to the fact that they can be customised to a great extent. Budget-wise they are a fantastically versatile product. This is because beads from different brands can feature on another brand’s bracelets which allows cheaper beads to be mixed with an expensive bracelet and vice versa.

The idea for this was introduced to the European market by Danish company Trollbeads, though many different brands have since adopted this style of bracelet. Peter Jackson stocks a selection of the leading companies for charm bracelets in the UK. These companies include: Clogau Gold, Thomas Sabo, D for Diamond, Links of London, Gucci, and Michael Kors which offers you a wide variety of charm bracelets and charms to choose from.

Thomas Sabo is one of the most famous suppliers of charm bracelets that Peter Jackson stocks. Their ‘Charm Club’ is world famous and we stock a wide selection of them right here! Our collection includes the Thomas Sabo Charm Bracelet with Cloverleaf Charm, the Thomas Sabo Silver Bat Charm and the Thomas Sabo VW Beetle Charm. All of these will make great gifts for someone special this Christmas at prices that will suit you, regardless of your budget.

At the more luxury end of the Charm Bracelet market, we have Clogau. Clogau have a beautiful selection of charms to put on your bracelets including the stunning Tree of Life Bead Charm. The Clogau charms are reminders of milestones that you have reached in your life and the Tree of Life Charm is no different, delicately crafted onto the charm is an intricate filigree design which represents the everlasting and natural beauty of life. The charm is also made out of Welsh Gold which has been the gold of UK royalty since 1911.

Overall, due to fact that you can customize them, Charm Bracelets can really be crafted to be a reflection of your own personality. They can tell your life story with each charm representing a place from where you have been and the people that you have met there. With Christmas around the corner, they will make a fantastic gift for someone you know and will be a great companion for them through life.

Have a look at our selections of charm bracelets.

Gift ideas For Her – Emozioni

Emozioni coins are one of the big things in the world of jewellery. Famed for their versatility, these necklaces are quickly becoming a fashion must­have on the way up to Christmas so we decided we would give you a closer look at Hot Diamond’s stunning collection.
The collection is inspired by the different emotions that we all feel and believes that it is important that the jewellery that we wear is an extension of how we are feeling. With this in mind, the necklace is almost completely interchangeable. In order to do this, the necklace comes in three parts: the chain, the coin keeper and the coin itself so that you can have complete freedom in the jewellery that you are wearing.
The Emozioni was launched at JCK Show in the USA in Las Vegas on May 31st last year and has already seen significant interest from jewellery lovers across the world. The idea behind the interchangeable coins is to reflect your emotions but you can also use them to reflect your outfits too!
Peter Jackson has a wide range of Emozioni coins, necklaces and coin keepers which gives you complete freedom in constructing your own personal Emozioni out of the truly stunning pieces that are in the Hot Diamond collection.
One of the main praises that the collection has gathered is its versatility which is one of the big plus points for this fantastic collection. The mix and match elements that come with the jewellery are one of the main selling points for the collection and it’s the different parts that really deserve the attention.
Each piece, whether it’s the chain, coin keeper, or coins, are really high quality pieces of jewellery and the coins themselves feature really intricate design and attention to detail. Regardless of what combination that you choose, Emozioni are truly stunning pieces of jewellery to be seen wearing. Because of their versatility, they can also be worn in many different situations varying from casualwear to formal wear which makes them a really valuable piece to have.
Overall, Emozioni are one of the most versatile pieces that we have in stock at Peter Jackson. The wide range of interchangeable pieces means that they can be interchanged to suit any mood, outfit or occasion and they will make a great gift for Christmas as there are so many different combinations that can be bought together, you can add your personal touch to make this present even more special.

Christmas Gift Ideas – Silver or Gold Sixpence Coin Necklace

Is there anything a woman loves more than to receive an item of jewellery for Christmas? The two coin sixpence necklace is perhaps the most fashionable piece a person could own at present, being featured hanging around the neck of some of the world’s biggest stars.  Recently the likes of Michelle Keegan, Holly Willoughby and Gabby Logan have all been pictured wearing it and the trend is showing no signs of slowing down.

The sixpence necklace comes in 2 different colours, gold or silver and has a 16 inch chain. It is small and stylish as well as being rumoured to bring luck to the wearer. It is gaining a reputation online amongst many users of being a lucky coin.

If you’d like to treat someone special to one of the sixpence coin necklaces then you can buy them on our site for the great price of £60. Please click on the respective link below to purchase.

Click here for the Gold Sixpence Coin Necklace or the Silver Sixpence Coin Necklace.

How Ferrari’s Watches Match Their Formula 1 Pedigree

Scuderia Ferrari, which would later develop into the Ferrari S.p.A we know today, was set up in 1929 by Enzo Ferrari as a race car sponsorship company which literally translated into Stable Ferrari (but more commonly known as Team Ferrari). It is the oldest team in the Grand Prix having been a participant since 1932. The company went into the production of street-legal vehicles in the late 40s and were bought into by Fiat in 1969. This year, Fiat have announced that they wish to sell their share of the company which, at the time of the announcement, was around 90%.

Secunda Ferrari trained and raced amateur racers in Alfa Romeo cars until 1938 when he was hired by the car manufacturer as head of their motor racing department. This arrangement would be shaken to it’s core however when 1941 saw the confiscation of Alfa Romeo by the Axis Powers in order to contribute to the war effort. Ferrari’s team was too small to be taken and was instead assigned to producing parts for vehicles. As part of his contract Enzo Ferrari was banned from racing for 4 years and so his company (which had become part of Alfa Romeo) changed it’s name to Auto Avio Costruzioni Ferrari.

The first actual ferrari was made in this period and debuted during the 1940s. However, due to World War II it saw very little competition. The company moved its factory to Maranello in 1943 where it was bombed by the Allies in 1944. Rebuilding his factory in 1946, Enzo Ferrari made Maranello Ferrari’s permanent home and it has been based there ever since.

After the war, Ferrari began work on it’s first road-legal car which would be released a year after the factory was rebuilt: The 1947 125 S. Enzo was reluctant to build road cars, however, he needed the funds they produced to back Scuderia Ferrari.

Enzo Ferrari passed away in 1988 but not before he personally oversaw the launch of arguably one of the world’s most famous supercars ever made. The Ferrari F40 was a rear wheel drive, two door coupé which was sold at roughly £1,324,500 in today’s equivalent prices. There have been reports however that people have paid up to 4 times this much for one.

Since they first started their Formula one World Championship career, the team has completed 888 races with 221 victories and 207 pole positions. They have also had 230 Fastest Laps. They came 3rd in the latest Gran Prix in 2013 and hope to just as well if not better this year in the US.

The logo is perhaps one of the most recognisable logos in the world of motor racing and features a black prancing horse on a yellow background. The horse was the logo of the Italian World War I ace Francesco Baracca’s fighter plane and was adopted by Ferrari after Baracca was shot down 1918 at the request of Baracca’s parents. They asked Ferrari to carry on the fallen pilots tradition of sportsmanship, gallantry and boldness.

Since its founding, Ferrari has been known for it’s dedication to perfection in engineering which have been reflected in all things bearing their name be it formula 1, sports cars or even the watches that bear their name.

Pick up your watch today and share in the legacy that is Ferrari racing.

Why Do People Wear Crucifixes?

Crucifixes, or cross necklaces, are a well-known piece of jewellery historically associated with the Christian religion. Recently they have become a fashion item and are worn by both followers of the religion and non-followers.

The symbol itself is not exclusive to any particular sect or denomination of the Christian church and is often given as a gift for a baptism or confirmation. Ultimately, the cross necklace can mean different things for different sects of Christianity, some believe it as a show of faith whereas other believe that it can ward away evil spirits.

In popular culture, the belief that the crucifix wards off evil spirits is used in Bram Stoker’s 19th century gothic novel Dracula, in which it is used to repel the antagonist vampire away from a protagonist. This is something that is seen in many gothic-esque fiction across the years and found it’s way onto television with vampires being repulsed in shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer amongst other things.

Crucifixes are generally made out of sterling silver or gold, however it is not uncommon for some to be made out of or decorated with other materials, such as diamonds.

Generally, the pendant itself is generally hung from a chain and features the one crucifix at the end, however, this is not always the case as some necklaces to feature multiple crosses on the same chain.

Whether you choose to wear it for religious purposes or not, the crucifix is a fine piece of jewellery that also makes a fantastic gift for a loved one’s religious ceremony. In recent years it has become a fashion object and is set to stay that way for many years to come! For more information, or to look at our great range of crucifix pendants, see our pendants page.

One of our best selling crucifixes is the 9ct Gold Crucifix Pendant

How To Pick A Diamond Ring – The Four Cs (Clarity, Colour, Carat, Cut)

Diamond picking can be a tough decision, whether it’s for yourself or somebody special, getting the right one can be a hard choice.
If you cannot pick one by personal preference, or just wish to know more about the diamond that you’re looking at, it’s worth bearing in mind the four Cs of diamond grading: Diamond Cut, Clarity, Colour, Carat weight.

CUT

The first, and probably the most important, factor is the cut of the diamond. When someone describes the cut of a diamond to you, it can mean one of two things: the shape of the rock or its reflective qualities. Both of these factors are important when deciding between a good diamond and a great diamond so it’s worth knowing about both.
Shape is very important to the form of a diamond, it can affect how the diamond manipulates light which can affect its brilliance. Ideally you want a well proportioned jewel, not too deep, not too shallow, this allows the light to enter the diamond through the top (or the table), it is then reflected on the pavillion (the base), to the other side of the pavillion and finally leaving through the table again. This gives the diamond it’s bright and fiery appearance.

CLARITY

The second ‘C’ is the clarity of a diamond. Due to the fact that diamonds are a natural occurrence, caused by pressure generally in the Earth’s mantle, and not created in a lab, this can lead to imperfections. These imperfections are split into two categories: Inclusions and Blemishes, while blemishes are found on the outside of the diamond, inclusions are imperfections on the inside. As to be expected, the less imperfections a diamond has, the higher the price.

COLOUR

Third on the list is colour, when the term colour is used to describe a diamond, it is usually referring to how much colour a white diamond has in it. A true white diamond has an absence of colour and are more valuable because of it due to the fact that a clear diamond, like a window, allows more light through, which, in turn, allows the jewel to sparkle. Diamonds are graded from D to Z with jewels in the D to F category being the more sought after and hence more expensive.

CARAT

Last out of the four Cs is Carat weight. This is not to be confused with the term ‘Karat’ which is used to describe the purity of gold. One carat is equal to about 200 milligrams, with the price per carat increasing depending on how big the diamond is. The bigger the diamond, the more money, per carat, it is worth.
Overall, it’s worth remembering that a diamond has ultimately two values, however much it is worth in monetary value, and how much it is worth as a sentimental piece. If you’re choosing a diamond for a loved one it may also be worth picking a diamond on personal preference as well as referring to the 4 Cs. An example of this is that most untrained individuals may not be able to tell if a diamond has a slight blemish on it or if it isn’t the highest grade of clarity that money can buy, the most important point may be that it was the one you chose.

Thomas Sabo Karma Caravan!

Summer is a time for enjoyment and celebration, embracing life and having fun!

The Thomas Sabo Karma Caravan is travelling around the UK this year and will be at our Blackburn store onSaturday 16th August!

Look out for our silver Airstream caravan that will be situated near the clock tower on King William Street.  If you spot our caravan – take a selfie in front of it and post it on Instagram with #suchagoodkarma, #thomassabo @pjthejeweller and hashtag your town as well. The competition runs until Sep 6th 2014 & 1 participant will win a fantastic Karma Beads bracelet (our judges panel will select the winner). Post a selfie on Instagram at any point in the tour and be in with a chance to win an exclusive prize.

Join us to discover the new Karma Bead collection and create your own individual Karma from our selection of over 100 innovative and unique beads.  If you choose to buy a Karma bead bracelet or necklace you will receive the Blue Chalcedony bead free!

 

 

Peter Jackson the Jeweller shortlisted in this years BIBA Awards!

The Be Inspired Business Awards (the BIBAs) today unveiled the shortlists for the 17 prizes it will hand out at its annual prize-giving ceremony at the famous Blackpool Tower in September.

The BIBAs ceremony has become so iconic that it is now thought of as the ultimate celebration of business achievement in the country.

According to a spokesperson for the awards, “The BIBAs are special because no firm progresses to the latter stages without being very special and this year is no exception.

“The quality and quantity of entries to the 17 prizes up for grabs this year has surpassed all previous years and there is no doubt the judges have a tough job on their hands picking a winner.”

Managing Director Peter Jackson said, “We are absolutely thrilled to have been shortlisted again. We work incredibly hard and are always searching for ways to improve. Winning a BIBA would be the perfect recognition of the hard work and dedication of every member of the team. We shall be keeping our finger crossed until the finalists are announced”

Find out more…..

http://www.thebibas.co.uk/about-2

http://www.lep.co.uk/news/business/shortlists-revealed-for-the-2014-bibas-1-6598963

Chris Charlton presented with Silver Acorn award

Chris Charlton, who looks after all the financial side of our business is to be presented with a SILVER ACORN award by the Scout Association in recognition of more than 20 years outstanding service to the Scouts.
Chris gives many hours of her time to the Scouts and to helping young people and we are absolutely delighted for her and wish her many congratulations.