Paul Wright

What are cultured pearls?

2011-11-14T18:54:00.008Z

Cultured Pearl Earrings

A pearl is a gem that is produced inside an oyster from the sea or a river-borne mollusk. A small foreign object becomes lodged within the tissue of the mollusk and if it can't be repelled it irritates the oyster. In order to prevent further discomfort the mollusk secretes a white substance called nacre around the irritant. Over time this lustrous coating becomes thicker and thicker and its pearly appearance can produce a rainbow of reflected colour which is highly prized.

Natural pearls are very rare and extremely valuable. Today virtually all pearls are sold as 'cultured' which means that humans have helped nature by inserting the 'irritant' which is in the form of a mother-of-pearl bead. Kokichi Mikimoto was one of the pioneers who helped to develop the modern cultured pearl industry and by the early 1900's he patented the technique of culturing spherical pearls thereby creating the successful cultured pearl industry we have today.

However beware! Pearl imitations can be found in the market and some of these pearls can be quite convincing. One of the easiest tests to establish if a pearl is real or fake is the 'tooth test'. If you very gently run a genuine pearl along the edge of your teeth it will feel mildly abrasive. By contrast an imitation pearl feels very smooth and plastic.

In future blogs we will be looking at the most important factors that affect the quality and value of cultured pearls.

47th Bangkok Gems & Jewellery Fair

2011-03-12T11:49:00.010Z

Paul & Wendy dining out with Kik & May

Wendy & I were fortunate enough to be able to attend the 47th Bangkok Gems & Jewellery Fair in Thailand last week. This major exhibition attracts specialist gemstone dealers from around the globe and is an important means of sourcing excellent gemstones for our new designs this coming season. It is also an opportunity to see the latest unique collections by the world's leading jewellery designers and attend fashion shows, design awards and multimedia lectures and presentations. Much can be gained by attending this important event.

Over the years we have established very useful contacts with several important gemstone suppliers in Bangkok and we were looking forward to seeing Kik and May again who are featured in the photograph above. After meeting with them at the Gemstone Fair, they kindly invited us out to dinner at a local Bangkok restaurant where we enjoyed the most memorable meal in sumptuous, traditional Thai surroundings.

I am pleased to say that, during our trip to Thailand, we managed to source several extremely good gemstones including an impressive black opal from Lightning Ridge, several stunning blue opals for our new silver opal bracelet, earrings and pendant designs, a parcel of fine quality white sapphires for our unique collection of white sapphire rings, an aquamarine for a private commission and several unusual semi precious gemstones to add to our growing collection.

Importantly we also came away with a good idea of the latest trends in fashion jewellery which are becoming bolder and more extravagant this year. Watch out for our new designs which we hope to launch at the Badminton Horse Trials on 21 April this year!

Blue Opal Jewellery Designs

2011-01-22T12:38:00.034Z

While we were in Japan last year we discovered that pearls are not the only things that can be cultured!

Cultured blue opals with vivid flashes of colour.

The Japanese have also learnt how to 'culture' the most beautiful fiery, blue opals using a form of quartz called silica and zirconium oxide. You see natural opal is basically a type of quartz known as 'silica' and it's the unique geological structure of this silica that makes it become an opal. The finest, vivid blue opals have a silica structure that makes them diffract light in a way that produces flashes of vibrant colours. Natural blue opals of this quality and colour can demand very high prices indeed. However the Japanese cultured opals, whilst displaying the same magnificent colours of a natural opal, are far more affordable. We are pleased to include them in a range of unique silver jewellery we are planning to launch in the Spring.

The method of culturing these lovely blue opals was originally invented by a Frenchman called Pierre Gilson in 1974. It takes over a year to grow them using this procedure. The resulting opals have all the properties of natural opal apart from the presence of water. The advantage of Gilson's opal is that it tends not to crack in the way that natural opal does when it loses its water due to extreme temperature changes. The Japanese cultured opals which we discovered during our visit, are initially grown in the same way as those by Gilson but are then impregnated with polymer as a stabilizer ensuring that the silica structure is completely cemented together and the vivid play of colour in the opal is permanent. This created gem has fiery blue opal colours and flashes of turquoise which are truly breathtaking!

Technical Info
Gem Type: Polymer stabilised opal

Cut: Cabochon

Colour : Light blue with turquoise flashes.

Clarity : VVS Fine quality

Treatment : Lab Created AAA Gem Grade

Hardness : 4-5 (Mohs)

Specific Gravity : 1.89

Heat Resistance : 130 degree

Diving for Pearls in Japan

2010-04-22T09:38:00.013+01:00

Mikimoto & the story of cultured pearls ...

Diving for Pearls

During our recent trip to Japan in search of Japanese 'Akoya' pearls for some of our new cultured pearl jewellery designs, I snapped this shot of an 'Ama' diving for pearls off Toba's Mikimoto Pearl Island - formerly known as Ojima Island.

These women, who brave the cold waters to a depth of 10 meters or more in search of oysters and abolone, wear white in order to scare of the sharks! It is customary for women to carry out the diving as they are reputed to have the ability to hold their breath longer and cope better with the cold water than men. Having retrieved a prized abolone the Ama returns to the surface and tosses it into a wooden bucket attached to her by a long rope. One can hear an eery whistle-like sound as the Ama controls her breathing by slowly exhaling as she resurfaces - this is called "Isobue".

Kokichi Mikimoto was the eldest of five children and was expected to take over his father's noodle shop but instead his fascination with pearls grew as he watched the pearl divers of Ise in his home town. By the age of 30 he and his wife took out a loan to to research the possibility of finding a way to make oysters produce pearls on demand. His early attempts failed but his wife remained steadfast and, despite near bankruptcy, encouraged him to persevere with his dream.

Mikimoto found he was not the only one trying to discover the secret to culturing pearls. A biologist, Tokishi Nishikawa, and a carpenter, Tatsuhei Mise, had discovered a method with the help of a Bristish marine biologist. It was found that in order to culture pearls it was necessary to implant a piece of oyster membrane together with a nucleus of shell into the oyster's body causing the tissue to form a pearl sac. This sac then secretes a 'nacre' around the irritant shell thus resulting in a pearl.

Mikimoto held three patents relating to this technique for culturing pearls but once he bought the rights to the Mise-Nishikawa method in 1916 he became the leading authority in the field and his business grew. He opened stores in Tokyo's prestigious Ginza district and further shops followed in London, Paris and New York.

"I would like to adorn the necks of all the women of the world with pearls" - Kokichi Mikimoto

Kokichi Mikimoto became known as the 'Pearl King' and at one time declared the largest personal income in Japan. Yet he lived his last years in a very modest four room house on Mikimoto Pearl Island - a small wizened man wearing a brown kimono and black bowler hat!

Cultured Pearl Jewellery

Silver Charms for Bracelets

2010-03-17T17:28:00.015Z

... a history of the silver charm bracelet!

The wearing of charms has been popular for centuries. Indeed the ancient Egyptians wore charms to ward off evil spirits and even today some charms are seen as a means of avoiding bad luck. It was probably Queen Victoria who initially started the fashion amongst the European nobility during the 19th Century. The charm bracelet remained popular in the 20th Century too and I am sure many of us recall our mother or grandmother collecting silver or gold charms to remember countries they had visited on holiday or to commemorate important occasions or 'milestones' in their lives.

The 21st Century saw the introduction of a new type of charm bracelet known as the European charm bracelet. It has become increasingly popular not only in Europe but also North America. Unlike the traditional charm bracelet, these charms are attached in a different way to the bracelet. These new silver charms are bead-like and made from silver (or silver with murano glass, enamel etc), and each one has a hole through the centre so that they become interchangeable - making it possible to create a unique a distinctive look!

There are a number of successful brand names associated with the manufacture of these popular silver charms for bracelets, including Pandora charm bracelets, Chamilia and Trollbeads. A new dimension has been added to the concept by Paul Wright Jewellery who are currently designing and creating a new range of silver daisy charms to add to their unique collection of silver daisy jewellery. Their sterling silver, bead charm bracelets are compatible with those created by Pandora, Chamilia and other leading brands and so the charm beads are interchangeable between charm bracelets on all the different makes available on the market.

As the proposed new silver daisy charms are still on the 'drawing board' collectors will have to wait a few weeks before being able to purchase the stunning new silver charm beads. So those looking for more interesting silver charms for bracelets or necklaces should keep an eye on the website link below!

SILVER CHARMS FOR BRACELETS

Visiting Fieldfares to Stratford-upon-Avon

2010-01-05T17:53:00.013Z

... view from our kitchen window at the start of 2010!

The Visiting Fieldfare

I snapped this shot of a visiting Fieldfare, perched on our frozen birdbath outside the kitchen window, just as the snow began to gently settle! An ornamental crabapple tree - the "Malus" - still laden at this time of year with over-ripe bunches of bright red crabapples, had attracted flocks of Redwings and Fieldfares to our garden in Stratford-upon-Avon. Neither variety of bird are native to Britain and the Fieldfare has certainly never been known to breed here. They are both visitors from countries in northern Europe and migrate here in the winter.

Flocks of Fieldfares can sometimes be seen flying overhead in loose formation and can usually be identified by their chattering call, "chack-chack". The Fieldfare is easily identified by its blue-grey head and rump, no doubt giving rise to one of its country names .. 'blue-back'. Over the last few days we have delighted in watching these birds from our kitchen window as they feasted untiringly on the fruit that our crabapple tree provided. At one time we counted about 15 Fieldfares, 20 Redwings, two Blackbirds and a large Wood-Pigeon all sharing our 'more than adequate' wild fruit tree and eventually devouring all but the very last of the red crabapples ... just out of reach on the flimsiest of its outstretched branches!

The hustle and bustle of our summer jewellery shows has given way to a quiet time of reflection and contemplation during the current winter months. Thought must be given to new jewellery designs and new opportunities that a new year will bring - a time of inspiration! So I take a moment to wish our friends and customers a very happy New Year and every success for 2010. Of course in order to achieve 'success' one needs to define the word. And so I offer you Ralph Waldo Emmerson’s definition, which was recently given to me by a good friend, and which I feel deserves our consideration:

To laugh often and much.
To win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children.
To earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends.
To appreciate beauty.
To find good in people.
To leave the world a better place,
whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch,
or a redeemed social condition.
To know that one person breathed easier, because you lived.
This is to have succeeded!

Like the visiting Fieldfares in our garden, it is time to move on and seek new opportunities ... wherever we may find them. Happy New Year to all! We look forward to seeing you again soon and we wish you every success in 2010!

Christmas Gift Ideas

2009-12-05T16:36:00.013Z

... seen at the Winter Fair!

The Christmas Gift Hall at the Winter Fair 2009

The 20th Royal Welsh Winter Fair was officially opened by Elin Jones, Minister for Rural Affairs. The Fair, acclaimed the finest prime stock show in Europe, attracted record cattle entries this year with over 350 leading stockmen competing for the top prizes. There were also strong entries of sheep and pigs and horse and pony entries reached 730, the highest since 2004 and 71 more than in 2008.

A survey following last year's show indicated that shopping for new and exciting Christmas gift ideas was one of the main reasons for coming to this prestigious livestock and equestrian event. Every available space is put to good use with exhibition stands erected in the main buildings, marquees and even in much of the livestock shedding! Our own trade stand was located in the 'Gift Hall' - a euphemism for 'Goat Shed'! The only give-away was the word 'goats' still clearly visible under the temporary signage above the entrance - as shown in our feature photo above.

Despite the humble surroundings our handmade silver and gold jewellery attracted the attention of the farming community in Wales in no uncertain measure! Our unique silver daisy jewellery collection was a big hit, as was the launch of our new and original white sapphire ring designs. There is no doubt that both the silver and gold jewellery were considered to be amongst the most popular Christmas gift ideas at the show.

Have a look at some of the popular designs - you may just find the Christmas gift idea you hadn't yet thought of!

Jools Holland in Harrogate

2009-11-16T15:40:00.010Z

.. and the Yorkshire 'Crafts for Christmas' Show.

Jools Holland in Harrogate

Every year we look forward to visiting Harrogate in North Yorkshire where we attend one of the country's largest Christmas shopping events - the 'Yorkshire Crafts for Christmas' show held at the Showgrounds a few miles from the town centre. Our unique collection of silver and gold jewellery always seems to attract attention in the North and we look forward to exhibiting at this popular annual event.

This year proved to be even more interesting than usual. We discovered that Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra was performing for one night only at the Convention Centre in Harrogate. As luck would have it two seats were still available and Wendy and I jumped at the chance to 'boogie-woogie' the night away at this raucous, star studded blues concert.

Not only did we delight in the undoubted skills of Jools himself but we were entertained by some of the best instrumentalists in the business including saxophonist Derek Nash and the Badbone jazz-funk showman Dennis Rollins. Reggae enthusiasts would also have been thrilled with the trombonist Rico Rodriguez, a Jamaican legend responsible for the cult 80's album, 'That Man is Forward'. His solo contributions included a very different rendition of Frank Sinatra's 'I've got you under my skin' - it was a real treat to see him on a concert stage! Jools also received some impressive support from the talented vocalists Louise Marshall and the Rhythm & Blues specialist Ruby Turner who really turned up the heat with several of her powerful gospel flavoured songs.

Since learning to play fluently at the tender age of eight, Jools has gone on to become one of the UK's most proficient jazz and blues pianists. The performance in Harrogate was confirmation of his ability to entertain a large audience - by the end he had us all singing and dancing in the aisles as he led us in 'Enjoy Yourself' ... and we certainly did!

Detling Crafts for Christmas Show

2009-11-09T16:05:00.011Z

... and the most influential man in Kent!

The most influential man in Kent. Who is he?

Last week we attended the Crafts for Christmas show at Detling in Kent to exhibit our unique collection of handmade silver and gold jewellery including the popular silver daisy pendants, earrings and bracelets that have become associated with Paul Wright Jewellery throughout the UK and internationally.

Readers of our regular blog will know that we always endeavour to photograph some of the 'rich and famous' who are known to visit several of the important national events we attend during the course of the year. These have included celebrities, actors, singers and members of the Royal family. We have featured a broad spectrum of personalities from 'Jordan' and Dame Vera Lynn to Prince Charles and even Her Majesty the Queen!

These are very often people of great influence who make a difference. Who is the most influential person in the country? Gordon Brown is the most influential man in Britain while the Queen is the country's most influential woman, according to a poll of 1,000 business leaders. There are also those we may consider to be the most influential people in a given field or occupation. Last week, whilst in Kent, we met just such a person! A leader in the field of educational reform.

We ask: "Do you know the most influential man in Kent?" We offer the following clues and invite you to write in with your answers. Let's see if you can identify him:

A revolutionary 'thinker' and great educational reformist
A leading authority on the eleven plus examination
Inventor of the World's first online educational diagnostic and remedial programme
An accredited investor - not in stocks and shares but - 'in people'.
Married to a secret cordon bleu chef
Loves pork chops for breakfast

If you can identify this man write in with his name and you could win a pair of fab silver daisy earrings worth £25!

Who is the No.1 most influential man in Kent? Can you put a name to the face?

Dame Vera Lynn

2009-11-01T10:34:00.014Z

We'll Meet Again .....

Vera Lynn at the Crafts for Christmas Show, in October 2009

This year's Ardingly College 'Crafts for Christmas' show saw the visit of Dame Vera Lynn, the English singer whose career flourished during World War II. She was nicknamed "The Forces' Sweetheart" and some of the songs most fondly remembered and associated with her include "We'll Meet Again" and "The White Cliffs of Dover".

Dame Vera and her daughter spent some time admiring the jewellery that formed our display at this popular annual event. Having asked her permission she kindly allowed us to snap this photo of her before moving on to browse the other exhibits that were on show. At the age of 92 she remains just as attractive and charming as she was during the war years at which time the nostalgic lyrics .. "We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when, but I know we'll meet again some sunny day" .. became one of the emblematic songs of that period.

And now at the age of 92, she has done it again, hitting No 1 in the album charts with her offering 'We'll Meet Again: The Very Best of Vera Lynn' and usurping Bob Dylan, 68, as the oldest artist to grace the top spot!

Her visit at the Ardingly Crafts for Christmas Show was the highlight of this year's event ... and, of course, we all hope to meet her again some sunny day!

Burghley Horse Trials to showcase

2009-08-01T12:39:00.029+01:00

... new equestrian jewellery designs!

The Burghley Horse Trials 2009 is an annual three day event held at Burghley House near Stamford in Lincolnshire, England. The first event was held at Burghley House in 1961 when the 6th Marquess of Exeter tried to replace a three day event at Harewood House that could no longer be held. Since then no other international horse trials site has staged as many Championships and the event has grown into the premier equestrian event of the year.

Shopping is an important part of the whole 'Burghley experience'. Paul Wright Jewellery has been exhibiting at the Burghley Horse Trials for over twelve years now and are located in the Rural Crafts shopping marquee next to the popular 'foodwalk' just off the main avenue. This year Paul Wright Jewellery will introduce a new and exciting range of silver equestrian jewellery based on the horse's snaffle bit. This is the piece that goes in the mouth of the horse as illustrated below:

Equestrian jewellery based on a horse's 'snaffle bit' is not a new idea - equestrian jewellers have come up with equestrian rings, bracelets and pendants since the 19th Century. However Paul Wright Jewellery has taken a different angle to the whole equestrian design concept. The snaffle bit in these new designs, has been used as the 'inspiration' or 'starting point' for a unique collection of designer jewellery - and not the usual 'snaffle bit copies' simply made into a pieces of jewellery. Hence the 'snaffle bit' has taken on a totally new form and concept! The illustrations below show how the brief has been developed from a simple sketch to the final scale drawings.

Snaffle bit jewellery
Design drawings to scale

Snaffle bit bracelet

Snaffle bit bangle

Snaffle bit ring

These illustrations form just a part of the exciting new equestrian jewellery collection available in both silver and gold. We are hopeful that all the new designs will be shown for the first time at the 2009 Burghley Horse Trials in Stamford. Don't miss it!

See our equestrian jewellery here!

The Royal Welsh Show 2009

2009-07-24T20:56:00.012+01:00

Paul & Wendy Wright exhibiting at The Royal Welsh Show

Wendy and I have just returned from exhibiting our unique range of silver and gold jewellery at The Royal Welsh Show. This year we were invited to exhibit in the South Glamorgan Hall which meant that, despite the inclement weather, we remained dry and mud free!

This is the biggest agricultural show in Europe! It is organised by the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society, which was formed in 1904, and takes place in July of each year, at Llanelwedd, near Builth Wells, in Powys, Mid Wales.

The first show was held in Aberystwyth in 1904, and its success led to the development of the permanent showground at Llanelwedd, first used in 1963.

The show lasts for four days and attracts more than 200,000 visitors annually, making it a major boon for tourism in Wales. Events include competitions of cattle, sheep, horses, goats, pigs and various other domestic animals, Sheep dog trials, Sheep shearing competitions, Horse riding competitions, Four-in-hand and Carriage Driving displays, Falconry, Games and sports such as the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery of the Royal Horse Artillery, Arts and crafts and live music.

Given its "Royal" status it is not unusual for a senior member of the British Royal family to attend at the Show. A familiar sight is the Prince of Wales who is generally acknowledged to be a keen supporter of the farming community. Indeed following his outspoken support during the 2001 foot and mouth crisis, some farmers regard him as an influential figure. The royal interest in this year's show was provided by the Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward, and the Countess of Wessex. The couple spent several hours at Llanelwedd on Wednesday, having been greeted by the president, North Wales landowner and farmer Robin Price, of Rhiwlas, Bala, who then accompanied them on a tour of the showground. Unfortunately I was unable to find an opportunity to photograph the couple to add to my 'Royal photo' collection and so the 'blog photo feature' this time is one of Wendy and I on our trade stand!

Once again we stayed in our delightful rural B&B nestled in a beautiful valley a short distance from the showgrounds where the proprietor, Biddy Williams, provides not only the best Welsh breakfast 'fry up' in the world but an outstanding roast dinner with fresh vegatables grown in her own garden! Each evening all ten guests staying at this picturesque period cottage congregate in its' small dining room around an oak gateleg table and exchange diverse experiences of the days events at the show. This year's guests included a Vivien Westwood fashion designer (who was showing a pony in the competition of Welsh Cobs), two Irish cattle farmers from Donegal, the marketing director for Harper Adams Agricultural College, a country artist, a podiatrist and two market traders from London. It certainly made for varied and interesting conversation after the show each day!

NB. We acknowledge thanks to Wikipaedia for the factual information on the history of the Royal Welsh Show.

The Royal Highland Show 2009

2009-07-03T22:29:00.032+01:00

... judged by the company you keep!

HRH Queen Elizabeth II of The United Kingdom

Growing up, I heard my parents tell me to be careful how I chose my friends. “You are judged by the company you keep”, they told me.

In our business we are certainly privileged to 'keep very good company' by exhibiting our silver and gold jewellery at trade shows supported by various members of our British Royal Family. The 2009 Royal Highland Show, held in Edinburgh, was no exception. In fact this year we were delighted to meet with HRH Elizabeth II herself! She is the patron of the Show's organising body and this was her first visit to the Show in over twenty years. This presented the ultimate 'Royal photo' opportunity and I was pleased to snap the picture of her above - albeit from quite some distance away due to the tight security that surrounds her royal visits!

The Royal Highland Show saw a record attendance over the four days last week. In fact we discovered that the numbers had increased by over 15% with the highest ever visitor figure on the Saturday of 51,307. This was probably aided by the Royal visits which included not only HRH the Queen on the second day of the Show, but also Princess Ann who was in attendance on the Saturday.

Our customers at the Royal Highland show are largely from the farming community in Scotland. Many of them had no doubt as to which would be the champion cow this year. It was an impressive 'Holstein', bred near Annan, that was named as the interbreed champion at the 2009 Royal Highland Show. The judges were impressed with the size, power and sheer scale of her. She was well balanced and with a really good udder too. "A youthful cow with good legs and feet", one farmer told me!

Find out more about HRH Queen Elizabeth IIClick on any of the Amazon books featured above.

The Royal Cornwall Show 2009

2009-06-07T20:27:00.024+01:00

What do Princess Alexandra, Rick Stein and
Paul Wright Jewellery have in common?

... All three attracted the attention of visitors

to the Royal Cornwall Show last week!

HRH The Princess Alexandra at the Royal Cornwall Show 2009

The showground, located just 10 minutes drive from Padstow, bursts into life for three days every year during the annual Royal Cornwall Show. There are a number of dog, falconry and equine competitions at this popular agricultural event where visitors are free to explore the many trade stands and exhibitions at the showground.

This year saw the visit of HRH The Princess Alexandra. It was her fifth visit to the show and she was presented with her badge as a Vice-president of the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association. Her Royal Highness requested a visit to the Rural Crafts Association marquee where she took a keen interest in the exhibits on display including the hand crafted silver and gold jewellery by Paul Wright Jewellery.

Princess Alexandra, 'The Honourable Lady Ogilvy', is a member of the British Royal Family, the youngest granddaughter of King George V and Queen Mary. She was married to the late Sir Angus Ogilvy. Prior to her marriage she was known as Princess Alexandra of Kent.

Princess Alexandra carries out royal duties on behalf of her cousin, The Queen. She is 33rd in the line of succession to the British throne; at the time of her birth in 1936, she was sixth.

Many of the exhibitors and visitors to the Show took advantage of dining out in Padstow where the popular television cuisine presenter, Rick Stein, has several renowned restaurants including his famous Seafood Restaurant.

Stein opened his first business in Padstow in 1974, and now specialises in fish cookery. His business operates four restaurants, a bistro, a cafe, a seafood delicatessen, patisserie shop, a gift shop and a cookery school. His impact on the local economy of Padstow is such that it has been nicknamed "Padstein" despite the phrase being openly disputed by Rick himself.

Paul and Wendy Wright took time out each day to dine in the restaurants of Rick Stein along with other visitors to Cornwall and the agricultural show. Sadly Princess Alexandra was unable to attend Rick Stein's restaurant on this occassion but we would like to thank her for visiting our stand during the show - a very charming and gracious lady!

We can't help those who missed Princess Alexandra and Rick Stein last week but if you also missed the 'Paul Wright Jewellery' trade stand in Cornwall you have an opportunity right now to see some of the new jewellery designs in the Summer Collection for 2009 by clicking here.

Jewellery Making Books

2009-05-12T17:36:00.022+01:00

Jewellery Making: A Complete Course for Beginners

by Jinks McGrath (author)

Whilst exhibiting at a recent four day 'Craft and Design Fair' held at Hatfield House in Hertfordshire, I became aware of just how much interest there is in jewellery making - from simple glass beaded jewellery to the more comprehensive skills required in making precious jewellery. Many of the visitors asked me to advise them on which jewellery making books I would suggest as being useful for an 'apprentice jewellery maker' or craft worker.

It is not easy to make a general recommendation because jewellery making is a vast subject and the skills required will depend on the type of jewellery the craft worker wishes to make! However I will start by recommending a fairly comprehensive jewellery making book that I feel benefits any would-be jewellery maker. In later blogs I will look at specific areas of study in the field of jewellery making and suggest suitable reading material for each.

"Jewellery Making: A Complete Course for Beginners" is very definitely a complete course in designing and jewellery making. Carefully structured tutorials guide you through every stage of the jewellery making process, revealing how to translate inspired ideas into workable, wearable jewellery designs, and you'll find professional advice on presenting and selling your work too.

Learn about tools, equipment and safe working practices; how to build an inspirations file; select suitable materials and transfer your jewellery designs; work with precious and semi-precious stones, metals, glass, plastic, resin and wood. Clear, step-by-step photographs demonstrate all the techniques you will need, at-a-glance panels explain the effect that different techniques have on a variety of metals, and practical exercises provide guidance in tricky skills - with ideas for trying these out on inexpensive substitutes before using your chosen materials.

This is not just a jewellery making book with an attractive cover! This book takes the jewellery maker through the whole process from start to finish. There are comprehensive chapters outlining not only many useful techniques and 'tricks of the trade' but how to set up and equip your own jewellery studio. The jewellery making projects are laid out in easy to follow steps with illustrative photographs to help make everything easy to understand. The book could be used to create step by step lessons in a structured jewellery making course. This practical book will be very useful to all jewellery makers.

It's great value for money too!

Have a look through some of the highlighted books we recommend below. Simply click on a book of interest for more information:

Gift for a girl called DAISY!

2009-04-30T08:22:00.017+01:00

'Daisy' is so much more than just a popular girls' name.

Silver Daisy Jewellery

by Paul Wright (Designer)

I recently received an email from one of our customers complimenting us on our popular range of silver daisy jewellery. Here's what she said:

"I want you to know how much I enjoy wearing my Daisy jewellery. The first 'daisy' in my collection was received as a gift. I have since added to the collection and now I have several daisy pieces in the range. As my name is 'Daisy' I am particularly thrilled to have jewellery with a 'Daisy' theme. I am always asked where I found them and I receive compliments whenever I wear them."

Daisy Kidd

Dorset

We receive a disproportionate number of orders from customers with the name Daisy or we are asked to post gift wrapped orders directly to recipients, with our daisy gifts, who are named 'Daisy'. Daisy is clearly a popular girl's name and I am reliably informed that many babies are being named Daisy these days. I am sure that can only help make our unusual silver and gold daisy jewellery that much more appealing as it is obviously a great gift for any girl called Daisy!

What do we know about the name Daisy? According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Daisy is "more commonly known as Despina, in Greek. It is also known as Marguerite in French, or Margarida in Portuguese. Daisy may refer to a flower of the family Asteraceae, especially the common daisy Bellis perennis".

Daisy has also been used as the names of towns. There are three I can find in the world and they are all in the United States. There is a town called Daisy in Arkansas, a Daisy in Georgia and a Daisy in Oklahoma.

Wikipedia also identifies several films that have been made with the name 'Daisy'. There was a Korean urban melodrama made in 2006 called 'Daisy'. In 1998 there was a Malaysian musical romance filmed called 'Daisy' and before that in 1966 a Czech film production company shot a movie called 'Daisies'. Daisy Bell was sung by HAL 9000 in the Kubrick 2001 film: A Space Odyssey and finally Daisy Wertham was the lead character in the film 'Driving Miss Daisy'.

If we extend the list to include television and cartoons the following may also be included:

A Walt Disney cartoon character called Daisy Duck

There is Daisy in 'Keeping Up Appearances'

A character on the TV series Californication is called Daisy

Daisy Adair - a character on the TV series 'Dead Like Me'

Daisy Duke - a character on the TV series 'The Dukes of Hazzard' and the movie

Daisy Mayhem - a character in the TV cartoon series 'Laff-A-Lympics'

Daisy - a character on the TV series 'Pokemon'

A meerkat on the TV series Meerkat Manor is called Daisy

An orangutan on the TV series Orangutan Island is called Daisy

A train in the TV series 'Thomas and Friends' is called Daisy

I also found that there are many examples where music has connections with the name Daisy too. For example the musician 'Daisy' was a member of 'Foxy Shazam'. There is a song called "Daisy Bell" which I'm sure you all remember. It starts with "Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do ..." . Then there is "Daisy" - a single by 'Halfway to Hazard'.

Did you know that D.A.I.S.Y. is an acronym for "Da Inner Sound, Y'all", coined on the De LA Soul album 3 Feet High and Rising? There is also a song called "Daisy" written by Brotherhood of Man from the album Oh Boy!

Yes 'Daisy' is a popular girl's name but did you also know it is also the name of a cocktail drink? Then there is the fashion designer Rudolph Moshammer's pet dog called Daisy. There are the 'Daisy' Girl Scouts there is a digital talking book called 'Daisy' and the Apache computer software programme called 'Daisy'. There is a geyser in the Yellowstone National Park called the 'Daisy Geyser', a guitar manufacturer called 'Daisy Rock Guitars' and, apparently, even a sour cream called 'Daisy'!

We would like to acknowledge our thanks to Wikipedia for the information provided.

If you would like to purchase a daisy gift

for a baby called Daisy click here!

And finally if you are choosing a name for your baby remember the words of our famous Bard:

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose (or a daisy)

By any other name would smell as sweet."

William Shakespeare

Happy Birthday Shakespeare!

2009-04-25T17:48:00.012+01:00

Paul Wright Jewellery joined other people, from all over the world, in marking the Bard’s birthday this weekend as Stratford-upon-Avon embarked on one of the largest festivals it has ever undertaken.

Sir Donald Sinden opens the Bancroft Gardens

The Shakespearian actor, Sir Donald Sinden (featured above), was invited to open the newly refurbished Bancroft Gardens by unveiling a commemorative plaque and tourist information point on the Theatre Promenade. Sir Donald is an English actor of stage and screen, who has remained enormously popular with audiences since his days as a film star in the 1950s. He was spoofed mercilessly on the TV show 'Spitting Image' for his stage-actorly delivery and fruity voice. I recall his 'spitting image' puppet, sitting in a restaurant, summoning a waiter and asking "Do you serve a ham salad?" the waiter replied, "Yes, we serve salad to anyone!"

Cllr Les Topham, leader of Stratford-on-Avon District Council said: “I think the Bancroft has been reborn as a result of this work. It will be the perfect companion and complement for the theatre and other improvements that will be made to this area of the town over the next 12 months".

The weekend saw "all singing and all dancing” celebrations in Stratford-upon-Avon and the focus on Saturday was the customary carnival-style town procession from Shakespeare's birthplace to Holy Trinity Church where Shakespeare was buried. People from all over the world attended, many in national or period costume, to participate in the walk which symbolises Shakespeare's journey from cradle to grave.

"Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio: a fellow of
infinite jest, of most excellent fancy: he hath borne me on his back a thousand
times; and now, how abhorred in my imagination it is! my gorge rims atit. Here
hung those lips that I have kissed I know not how oft. Where be your gibes now?
your gambols? your songs? your flashes of merriment,that were wont to set the
table on a roar? Not one now, to mock your own grinning? quite chap-fallen? Now
get you to my lady's chamber, and tell her, lether paint an inch thick, to this
favour she must come; make her laugh at that."

Yin Yang

2009-04-22T14:50:00.029+01:00

... and the meaning of life!

Yin Yang Pendant

This year sees the introduction of a new collection of symbolic jewellery in the Paul Wright Jewellery collection. These new silver and gold pendants have been designed and created by Paul to convey special meanings and invoke the deeper mysteries of faith and belief. Symbolism has been a part of all cultures since the dawn of time. Wearing symbolic jewellery can balance both the physical and spiritual energy fields thereby enhancing our sense of well being. The first of our new and exciting range is the 'Yin Yang' pendant based on the Tai Chi symbol shown below.

Tai Chi symbol

The meaning of Yin Yang can be best found in the symbolic imagery of its very nature. It is a circle made up of two different tadpole shapes, one in black (known as the Yin side) and the other in white (known as the Yang side). You will see that in Yang, represented by the white tadpole, lies the seed of Yin represented by the black dot and vice-versa. The Yin Yang pendant and earrings design similarly conveys these interacting opposites but using the complimentary silver and gold colours instead of black and white. The white cubic zirconia has been set into the gold side and the yellow cubic zirconia has been set into the silver side illustrating the interdependance of each on the other.

Yin Yang Earrings

It can clearly be seen that Yin and Yang are complimentary opposites within a greater whole. Everything has both yin and yang aspects, which constantly interact, never existing in absolute stasis. In Chinese philosophy and religion, two principles, one negative, dark, and feminine (yin) and one positive, bright, and masculine (yang), from whose interaction all things are produced and all things are dissolved.

As a concept the two polar elements referred originally to the shady and sunny sides of a valley or a hill but it developed into the relationship of any contrasting pair: those specified above (female-male, etc.) as well as cold-hot, wet-dry, weak-strong, etc. It is not a distinct system of thought by itself but permeates Chinese life and thought. A balance of yin and yang is essential to health. A deficiency of either principle can manifest as disease. (Encyclopedia Americana).

If you would like to have the new Yin Yang jewellery designs simply use the link below to make your purchase:

New Designs by Paul Wright Jewellery

including the Yin Yang Pendant and Earrings

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

2008-12-14T11:13:00.004Z

Images from our year of shows...

Play our multi-media presentation above to see some of the memorable events that took place over the course of 2008 - from the Badminton Horse Trials in the South to Edinburgh's Royal Highland Show in the North!

The Winter Fair in Wales

2008-12-09T20:48:00.010Z

Jewellery for Christmas

Paul Wright Jewellery - 6 Metre Trade Stand!

Livestock prices reached new highs at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair last week with the sale of the champion pair of lambs for £3,400 each, the highest price ever paid for sheep at this event. The lambs were entered by breeders Michael and Heulwen Owens of Pontsian who claimed the supreme championship for the third time running. The winning lambs were purchased by Welsh Country Foods on behalf of Asda for one of their stores in the West Midlands.

The supreme champion beast, Tommy, a limousine steer was exhibited by Glyn Owens of Llanrhaeadr who officially opened the Winter Fair. It sold for £6,500 to the judge Tom Hughes, of Hughes Butchers, Anglesey.

Despite the desperately cold weather, which saw temperatures dropping to minus 7 degrees centigrade, mid afternoon attendance at the Winter Fair totalled 24,397, just 63 less than the full day figure last year.

Paul Wright Jewellery had prime position at the entrance to the new gift hall opposite the food festival. Sadly the doors to that entrance were left open for the duration of the show and the winter temperatures almost left both Paul and Wendy, who were in attendance both days, with hypothermia (a rapid, progressive mental and physical collapse that accompanies the lowering of body temperature!)

Never-the-less an enthusiastic crowd of hardy Welsh farmers certainly seemed to 'warm' to the extensive display of appealing silver and gold jewellery displayed on the new six metre jewellery stand that formed the most popular attraction featured in the new Gift Hall.

Jewellery for Christmas

2008-11-17T14:49:00.039Z

Harrogate's Premier Christmas Gift Show

The 'Casablanca Steps' Entertain Shoppers

Billed as the best musical comedy foursome in the world, the 'Casablanca Steps' entertained thousands of Christmas shoppers who attended this weekends 'Crafts For Christmas' show held in Harrogate. A brilliant blend of song and laughter, their cabaret show has been featured in over twenty five television shows in the UK and Europe. It was certainly a big hit amongst the crowds who came looking for unusual handmade Christmas gifts at this popular event held annually at the Yorkshire Agricultural Showground.

The Crafts for Christmas Show, organised by the Rural Crafts Association, is one of the largest gift fairs held in the country and, in addition to the live entertainment and fashion shows, it featured a vast array of handcrafted gifts, clothing, fashion accessories, fine jewellery and other popular arts and crafts.

Trevor Sears models this year's latest fashion wear for men.

A popular draw was undoubtedly the handmade silver and gold jewellery designs by Paul Wright. At times it was difficult to find room to look into the brightly lit jewellery cabinets that were featured on this impressive jewellery trade stand! Defying the so called 'credit crunch', eager shoppers crowded round hoping to take home at least one of the many original silver and gold jewellery designs that were on offer at prices that many felt outstripped the 'High Street' in terms of originality, quality and value. Truly great jewellery for Christmas this year.

Silver & Gold Designer Jewellery for Christmas

Jewellery for Christmas on the 'Paul Wright Jewellery' stand

There is no doubt that this is Harrogate's premier Christmas gift event. One of the many visitors accurately summed up the general sentiment:

"What a great day out! My husband and I not only thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment, but we went home with virtually all our Christmas shopping done!"

Visit our website to view our fabulous range of

jewellery for Christmas including:

White Sapphire Jewellery

Bargain Diamond Rings

Have you read:

Perpignan Garnets - Gemstone of southern France!

Prince Charles at The Royal Show 2008

The latest jewellery news from REUTERS here!

The Ghost of Abingdon Abbey!

2008-10-31T22:58:00.013Z

"Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Silver and Gold Jewellery

for Christmas at the Abingdon Craft and Design Show"

The Abingdon Craft and Design Show is held in the small town of Abingdon which is located on the rivers Thames, Ock and Stert, just to the south of Oxford. The venue is within the ancient remains of a famous Abbey.

There are many legends about how and when 'Abingdon Abbey' was first established. The most popular claims that a hermit called St. Abban initiated things shortly after the Romans left Britain. This story was probably made up so that the Abbey could claim it was the oldest monastery in the country.

Precisely how much of the Abbey's early history is true and how much is legend is unknown, but it is clear that by 675 there was a monastery in what is now the town of Abingdon. It was probably built by a local Saxon Prince called Hean. His sister set up a nunnery at St. Helen's Church at the same time. Sadly, nothing of this first Abbey remains, after it was destroyed by marauding Danes from nearby Reading.

The Abbey church was rebuilt in Medieval times and was completed in 1239. It is reputed to have looked like Wells Cathedral.

The Abbey was attacked in 1327 by a mob of very angry townspeople. They didn't like the Abbot having control of their market so they smashed up the church and chased the monks into the River Thames where some of them drowned!

During the War of the Roses, the support of the Abbot was sought by both sides. Queen Margaret and Edward IV both visited. As late as 1489, Abbot John Sant was still plotting to overthrow King Henry VII.

King Henry VIII 'dissolved' the Abbey in 1539. The church was pulled down, but the outer gateway, 'hospitium', long gallery and the exchequer building have survived. It was in these famous old and drafty buildings that Wendy and I spent two weeks exhibiting our special 'Christmas range' of silver and gold jewellery! The Abingdon Craft and Design Show has become a popular venue over the past 25 years and the event was well attended.

The town crier of Abingdon, featured above, visited our craft show each day - having walked the streets of Abingdon loudly announcing our presence in an effort to drum up business in these times of recession and 'credit crunch'. He warned us of the female ghost that inhabits the 'long room' of Abingdon Abbey - the very place in which we had erected our trade stand! Strange things happened during those two weeks in Abingdon, strange things we don't understand nor dare to question. Could the ghost have been the sister of Prince Hean?

Perhaps we will never know ....!

Have you seen our:

Silver Daisy Jewellery Collection

White Sapphires
Diamond Wedding Rings

Perpignan Garnets - Gemstone of southern France!

2008-10-15T21:29:00.058+01:00

Perpignan

Our quest for rare and unusual gemstones has taken us to many interesting places around the world. So when our friends Nigel & Karen kindly offered us the use of their villa in the south of France for a welcome break after our summer shows, we were naturally only too delighted to accept! You see some of the finest garnets in the world have been extracted from the eastern Pyrenees in southern France and used in Roussillon jewellery since the 18th century - they are known as "The garnets of Perpignan" ... and the city of Perpignan is located not twenty minutes drive from our friends' holiday villa in St. Cyprien-Plage - what an opportunity to find these rare gems while exploring southern France!

Banyuls-Sur-Mer

As luck would have it our day trip to the most southern seaside village in France, close to the border with Spain, coincided with the Fête des vendanges à Banyuls-sur-Mer. This is a popular wine festival celebrating the later-than-usual wine harvest from which a unique wine is made in this region of France. The entire town congregates on the beaches with barbecued food washed down with plenty of wine and musicians abound with various colourfully dressed Jazz bands playing triumphantly at full blast. The ’barques catalanes’ finally sail into full view symbolically carrying with them the grapes that originate from vineyards that cover the slopes of the Alberes and the Baillaury Valley at the foot of the Pyranees. These late grape harvests are vinified according to the traditional methods developed by the Knights Templar and the resulting wine is like no other found in France.

Arrival of the ’barques catalanes’ in the bay of Banyuls-Sur-Mer

Carcassonne

A visit to the south of France would not be complete without exploring the fortified and double walled city of Carcassonne. Once the capital of the county for over 400 years Carcassonne was the main communication route between the Mediterranean and Toulouise.

Entering this amazing fortified town, on the banks of the River Aude, is like being transported back to the middle ages. It is the largest fortress in Europe, with the outer ramparts containing fourteen impressive towers. It has been on UNESCO's world heritage list since 1997 and is really well worth visiting.

We marvelled at the medieval streets and building which have remained intact to this day. Finally, having worked up an appetite sufficient to 'eat a horse', we stumbled across L'écurie located on Boulevard Barbes. These magnificent old stables have been converted into a luxurious restaurant where each of the original horse stalls forms a private dining area. Many of the original brass fittings and stable features have been cleverly retained adding to the charm and character of the popular establishment. The food of course was out of this world and the local speciality is a Cassoulet containing pork, duck and lamb stewed in a rich sauce with white haricot beans. Delicious!

Collioure

This charming fishing village on the Cote Vermeille is picturesquely set against the backdrop of the Alberes foothills. The two most notable features, a fortified church and a spectacular Castle, seperate two lovely little fishing ports with brightly coloured Catalan boats. The narrow cobbled streets, with boutique shops and colourful floral balconies, all add to the beauty of Collioure. Painters through the ages have been attracted by its charm, character and colourful beauty - the most famous of which include artists such as Matisse, Picasso and Foujita.

A local sculptor has created outdoor bronze 'picture frames' mounted on stands around the town oriented in such a way to quite literally 'frame' the most beautiful views of this seaside resort!

Paul & Wendy in Collioure

... And as for our quest to find 'Perpignan Garnets' I can now confirm - first hand - that the colour of these special gemstones is truly unique. They have a rich hue that varies from a fine French claret to a soft pink Rosé wine. Finding a direct source for these beautiful gems will certainly prove to be a valuable addition to our unique silver and gold jewellery designs!

********

Finally dont forget to have a look at our fantastic Silver Daisy Jewellery collection and the great new Diamond Wedding Rings we have to offer!

Katie Price at Burghley Horse Trials

2008-09-08T12:05:00.022+01:00

Katie Price, better known as 'Jordan' in the glamorous world of fashion, attended this year's Burghley Horse Trials to promote her new range of riding equipment - available in any colour you want providing it's PINK!

Having set up our own trade stand, not 50 metres away from Katie's, I tried to obtain a good shot of her for this year's blog. However I was physically forced aside by one of her 7 foot bodyguards and so we can thank 'would-be-paparazzi' Nigel Crook for this feature photo of 'Jordan'. (Nigel had managed to conceal himself in Katie's trendy, pink horse blankets - thus escaping the attention of both Peter André and her security officials - and later emerged to snap this shot of the popular model icon).

"I've worked with a top team of high-street fashion designers and we've applied quality fashion design to some classic equestrian pieces, and given a horsey twist to a few general leisure items," Katie says. "It's fashionable and stylish but at the same time functional and wearable."

The disappointing weather conditions at Burghley this year failed to dent the enthusiasm of the huge crowds that attended this top international equestrian event. The prolonged rainfall eventually turned the grounds into thick mud making the going more than 'heavy' both for the public and the participating horses. Never-the-less William Fox-Pitt managed to score his fifth Burghley Horse Trials win when he clinched victory with his proven horse 'Tamarillo'. To cap a brilliant weekend, he also finished second with Ballincoola.

Many, of course, failed to see a single horse - the outside shopping avenues being the focus of attention for those determined to beat the credit crunch!

Burghley Horse Trials Results:

1. Tamarillo (William Fox-Pitt, GB) 47.8

2. Ballincoola (William Fox-Pitt, GB) 55

3. Imperial Cavalier (Mary King, GB) 58.7

4. Apache Sauce (Mary King, GB) 60.7

5. Opposition Buzz (Nicola Wilson, GB) 61

6. Lead The Way (Clea Phillipps, GB) 61.6

Burghley's Top Selling Jewellery Designs:

1. Silver Daisy Jewellery

2. Cultured Pearl Jewellery

3. Gold and Gemstone Rings

4. Gold and Diamond Earrings

KATIE PRICE - PINK SAPPHIRE RING

Rumours that our latest pink sapphire ring design featured at the Burghley Horse Trials will be named the "Katie Price Pink Sapphire Ring" are wholly untrue. Although many commented it was the ideal accessory for Jordan's range of pink equestrian fashion gear, Katie wasn't able to try it on during her busy schedule at Burghley and it is also untrue that Peter André offered to buy it for her!

Have a look at last year's blog about Burghley - Burghley Horse Trials 2007.

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Wedding Jewellery and Traditions

2008-08-25T15:39:00.016+01:00

I am often asked about some of the traditionally held wedding beliefs and traditions connected to a western marriage. Wedding rings and diamond engagement rings are obviously important but there are many other wedding traditions worth bearing in mind. Here are just a few of the wedding beliefs and traditions still practiced today with explanations of their origins. Click on the images for examples of the wedding jewellery we are able to offer you.

Diamond Engagement Rings

The Engagement Ring

Originally an engagement ring served as a 'partial payment' for the right to court a bride! It was originally placed on the fourth finger of the girl's right hand. On the wedding day it was transferred to the fourth finger of her left hand by the bridegroom. The same ring, therefore, served for betrothal and wedding. However the Marriage Act of 1754 ended the binding nature of betrothals and the engagements that replaced them were a less serious affair. As if to symbolise the difference, a plain gold band gave way to a more elaborate ring containing precious or semi-precious stones.

The Wedding Ring
A ring has always been part of a wedding, even if it was only loaned for the ceremony itself! The ring represented the original 'wed', or pledge placed on the fourth finger of the bride's left hand in the presence of a priest and congregation. The fourth finger of the left hand was thought to be the most suitable for a plain gold circle of 'unending love' because they believed a vein - the vena amoris - ran from it straight to the heart!

Diamond Wedding Rings

The Wedding Veil
The veil often represents the 'something borrowed' of the modern bride. An old veil is thought to be luckier than a new one especially if it was worn by a happily married close relative. Royal brides do not arrive veiled at church. Some say this tradition derives from a time when precautions had to be taken against any last minute substitution!

The Bride's Garter
Hundreds of years ago, it was common practice for the guests to follow the wedding couple to their bed. As the years past, the tradition started getting out of hand with some of the guests trying to disrobe the bride. To ward off the guests, the groom would throw the garter.

The Wedding Dress
The tradition of wearing a white wedding dress gained popularity in the Victorian Age. Queen Victoria wore a beautiful white dress to marry her beloved Alfred, and it started a world-wide trend. Prior to that most women wore their best dress--even if that dress was black. Whatever the colour, numerous superstitions attach to the wedding dress. It is unlucky to try it on in its entirety before it is donned for the wedding. For this reason a few stitches are often left to be added at the last minute. Above all the bride must not look at herself in the mirror in full dress until shortly before she leaves for the church.

"Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue"

Perhaps the best known of all wedding rhymes and faithfully observed by most brides today. It is relatively new having originated in early Victorian days. It symbolises the bride's old life and the new one on which she is now embarking. An antique piece of jewellery is an excellent idea for the something 'old'.

'Something borrowed' symbolises the community aspect of marriage. Blue is the colour of true religion and constancy. It may also account for the popularity of jewellery set with sapphires, blue topaz and aquamarines.

Wedding Theme - Silver Daisy Jewellery

The Bouquet Toss
Whoever catches the bouquet is the next one to wed! (Wedding etiquette and tradition still believed by many to this day!)

The Wedding Rice
A long held symbol of fertility.

The Honeymoon
It has been claimed that in medieval times, the bride and groom were given mead - a honeywine - in the evening after the wedding. It was said that the couple would drink of it and then make love. If, as a result, the bride gave birth nine months after the wedding it was a great honour to the brewer of the mead! It would increase his business and reputation, and often the baby would be named after him.

The Top-tier of the Wedding Cake
In the days of old, the top-tier of the wedding cake was to be placed under the couple's bed so that the bride would be fertile and bear strong children. After a year, the bride and groom would consume what was left of the cake for luck or health. Needless to say, the tradition has changed somewhat in recent years, but you still find the newlyweds putting cake in their freezer till the first anniversary.

Wedding Jewellery - Pearl Stud Earrings

Over the Threshold
The tradition of carrying the bride over the doorpost comes from as far back as the ancient Romans. It was tradition for the family to anoint the doorpost with fine oil and herbs. For this reason the groom would lift the bride over the threshold so she would not slip

"Marriage is popular because it combines the maximum of temptation with the maximum of opportunity"

- George Bernard Shaw

Lowther Horse Driving Trials - 2008

2008-08-10T18:16:00.012+01:00

Wendy and I attended the Lowther Horse Driving Trials last week and, once again, exhibited our silver and gold jewellery designs at this prestigious event in the picturesque surroundings of the Lowther estate in the Lake Districts of Cumbria.

The most exciting feature of this three day event is undoubtedly the cross country obstacle course held on the Saturday. This draws huge crowds who come to see the thrills and spills of the adrenalin pumping competition where carriages, pulled by up to four horses, are driven at speed around a course with challenging natural hazards.

Another amazing spectacle to be seen this year was the main ring performance by Jean Francois Pignon who charmed the crowds with his magical sequence involving unharnessed horses. The horsemanship and his unique bond with these animals really is something to behold.

This year's event was marred to some extent by the poor weather which had resulted in heavilly churned mud around the trade exhibition areas. Whilst the climatic conditions provided even more excitement than usual at the cross country event, by Sunday it had simply become too dangerous and the event was finally called off. Much to the regret of everyone we all had to go home. No easy task for those of us with trade stands as vehicle movement had become totally impossible. The only way on or off the showground was by tractor!

History of the Horse Driving Trials

Although horses have been driven and used as a form of transport for centuries, the ‘Horse Driving Trials‘ competition only came into existence as a sport in 1968 under the leadership of HRH Prince Philip. Similar to the horse riding triathlons known as 'eventing' and held at international events such as Burghley and Badminton each year, 'Horse Driving Trials' consist of three phases to test the overall versatility of the animal in a harness.

The dressage phase is the first to be completed and this essentially demonstrates the ‘schooling’ and obedience of the horses in which a sequence of movements is carried out.
Perhaps the most exciting phase is the cross country marathon carried out on the second day. The carriages are driven at speed and the horses must be directed through challenging obstacles with tight turns requiring skill and judgement on the part of the driver. The steep banks and water features can make this a potentially dangerous circuit particularly in poor weather.

The Cone Driving competition is carried out on the third day and this roughly equates to the show jumping phase of a horse riding event. The driver must negotiate his horse and carriage through narrowly spaced pairs of cones. It requires great driving skills and a well trained, obedient horse.

The driver is sometimes known as the ‘whip’ and his sole purpose is to control and direct the horses from the driving position in the carriage. The horse must be totally obedient to the instruction of the driver who uses his reigns, his voice and occasionally his whip. Each driver is also assisted by a ‘groom’ or navigator who is there for emergencies and to help with balancing the carriage in tight turns on the cross country obstacle course. By shifting his weight at the back of the carriage he helps the driver to negotiate tighter turns or uneven ground at greater speed. One groom is used for singles and pairs of horses and two grooms for carriages with 'four-in-hand'. The groom may not speak or signal to the driver.

Jean Francois Pignon

Visit our website to view our fabulous range of handmade
Silver Daisy Jewellery
Diamond Engagement Rings

Did you attend the Lowther Horses Driving Trials?
Give us your impressions of the show in the 'comment' box below.

Have you read:

Welsh Cobs and The Royal Welsh Show

Last Year at The Lowther Horse Driving Trials - 2007

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Diamond Stud Earrings A wide range of Diamond Stud Earrings set in yellow or white gold, platinum or silver. Our Diamond Stud Earrings have the very best diamonds. Take a look at our range of Diamond Stud Earrings set in gold, platinum or silver.

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Handmade Silver Jewellery Handmade silver earrings, handmade silver necklaces and handmade silver bracelets and silver bangles. Our handmade silver jewellery is the best available with great new silver jewellery designs.

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The Diamond Engagement Ring

2008-08-06T13:52:00.016+01:00

This was the moment that he had been waiting for!

Jasmine had just finished her crème brulée and, putting down her spoon, she gently brushed her long, silky, blonde hair away from her face. Mike was filled with awe. God, she was beautiful, he thought as he carefully observed her through the flickering candlelight.

Looking up at Mike she said, "Oh that was simply delicious, darling."

There was genuine pleasure on her face. Mike was pleased. It really had been a wonderful meal in the splendid surroundings of 'Le Ciel de Paris', the highest restaurant in Europe, situated on the 56th floor of the Montparnesse Tower in central Paris. Jasmine looked out at the incredible view which embraced a significant part of city including the Eiffel Tower in all its splendour. She marvelled at some of the monuments that she and Mike had visited by foot earlier that day. They were all so clearly visible from the restaurant and, as she looked out at them, she realised that she and Mike must have covered some considerable distance - it was no wonder her feet ached so much now!

Jasmine hadn't expected the last minute suggestion of a weekend in Paris. It seemed to come completely out of the blue. Of course she was delighted. After all it was so unlike Mike, who was usually entirely predictable, and this invitation was contrary to his methodical, premeditated approach to almost everything he did. At times it drove her crazy. Mike had a 'five year plan' for everything and having trained in the army after leaving school, he had become painfully neat and precise in his daily routine too. His clothes were always carefully pressed and stacked in his wardrobe and he clearly would not tolerate clothing being thrown on the floor. He had even told Jasmine off once for casually leaving a cardigan hanging over the back of a dining chair before a dinner party they held at his flat in Putney. "God ... what would he be like to live with!" Jasmine had thought.

Mike felt a bead of sweat forming on his forehead. All of a sudden the room seemed a little too warm and he yearned to open the window of this famous Bistro 200 metres above the streets of Paris. For once in his life he actually felt less than certain. Was this really the right moment? He certainly didn't want to break the spell of the magical evening he was having with Jasmine. But there was this gnawing fear in the back of his mind: "What if she said no?"

He hadn't mentioned the weekend break to Jasmine for weeks as he plucked up courage to actually go ahead with his plan. Indeed he had given careful thought to this for several months. Without a little 'forethought' it would have been impossible to get a restaurant booking at 'Le Ciel de Paris' at short notice. He had made the phonecall a fortnight ago. In his fluent French he had requested 'a discreet table for two' ensuring that the table he booked was by the window to the right of the entrance and not too far from the pianist. Having been once before, several years ago, he knew this spot had the best view and was well away from the kitchen door to the far side. Everything had to be perfect and he had planned this weekend break with military precision. Naturally he told none of this to Jasmine. He had kept the secret without any difficulty for over a month. He had only suggested it two days before they left! Of course he tried to sound spontaneous. But it felt awkward and he wondered if Jasmine was convinced by his clumsy attempt. She seemed surprised enough, he thought, and her eyes had lit up with an almost bewildered disbelief.

"Paris? For the weekend! ... Do you mean this weekend, Darling?" she asked.

"Yes of course," he said. "I just thought it would be nice to get away ... and so I booked the flights this morning .... A spur of the moment thing ... you know," he lied.

That conversation seemed a long time ago now as they sat here high above the lively streets of Paris enjoying this very special, memorable evening; this life changing moment! Mike fumbled nervously in his pocket, feeling out that small black box that held a symbolic gift that was so importantly attached to the question he was about to ask Jasmine. Christ! He had been amazed at how much he had actually needed to spend on the ring. He hadn't really given much thought to the value of a diamond. The man in the shop had given him some guidance and he had readily accepted the advice. He hadn't wanted to seem mean and, it was true, the rings with more affordable diamonds just didn't seem to sparkle as much as this one. No ... not nearly as much as the one that was now secretly hidden in his right hand pocket! The moment he was shown this ring he knew she would just love it. It was beautiful. How could she not? Shit! He would spend the next twelve months trying to pay it off but there was no doubt in his mind. She was worth it. He couldn't wait to give it to her....

...... He just didn't know exactly when!

Paul Wright has been designing and making diamond engagement rings and wedding rings since his jewellery business was incorporated in 1995. He has met hundreds of young couples who originally sought advice from him on the best engagement ring to buy. His romantic ‘vignettes’ and short stories are all actually based on real life experiences. The names and places have been changed, of course, to protect the identities of the innocent!

Visit our website to view our fabulous range of handmade

Diamond Wedding Rings

Diamond Engagement Rings

How does this story end?

Give us your brief version in the comment box below.

Or ... if you have a romantic 'diamond engagement ring' story of your own, then submit it here:

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Silver Daisy Jewellery A unique range of handmade silver daisy jewellery to include daisy necklaces, daisy pendants, daisy earrings, daisy bracelets and daisy bangles too!

Paul Wright's Blog has an RSS chicklet!

2008-08-02T23:59:00.012+01:00

So what .... and why should I care?

Good questions. First, here's why you should care. Unlike getting website updates or ezines by email, RSS feeds give you absolute, 100% complete control over the situation. You don't have to reveal your email address. If you want to stop receiving content, you don't have to request to be taken off the list. One click, and 'poof' the subscription is gone.

Plus, since there's no email address involved, there's no way a publisher can sell, rent or give away the means to contact you. That's right - no more spam, viruses, phishing, or identity theft! And best of all, no reason to put yourself at the mercy of the publisher's intentions. You won't need to suffer through the legalese in the privacy policy (if there is one) looking for loopholes that will send you deeper into inbox hell. No more setting up dummy Hotmail accounts "just in case.

Again, if you don't like the content, you can make it disappear as fast as you can change a TV channel. With just one click. Pretty cool, right??

That is cool! Umm .. But what the hell is RSS?

Alright! Now we're ready to get to that part. RSS is simply an Internet technology standard that allows busy people to receive updates to web-based content of interest. You might have worked that much out by now. But basically, that's the essence of an RSS feed you subscribe and then receive new content automatically in your feed reader.

If you actually want to know how RSS works, click here.

What the hell is a feed reader?

You may already be using a form of feed reader, and not even realize it. If you use personalized home page services like My Yahoo or My MSN, you've got RSS capabilities built in. That's how syndicated content like news, weather and stock quotes appears on your personal page. You can also add content from any blog or other site that uses RSS to provide updates.

Other web-based tools are primarily dedicated to feed reading only. One of the most popular web-based feed readers at this point is Bloglines, and it's also free and easy to get started with. If you use the Firefox browser, you can also receive RSS feeds from your tool bar by using the Live Bookmarks function. The next version of Internet Explorer will add this feature as well.

Finally, there are desktop-based feed readers. These function somewhat like an email program for feeds. Examples include Newsgator and Feed Demon.

If it sounds complicated, it's really not. And things will get even easier when the next version of Outlook integrates feed-reading capabilities. So, you'll have the same convenience that email subscriptions offered in the old days, without any of the terrible consequences of giving out your email address to potentially unscrupulous characters.

Sounds good. So how do I subscribe to a Feed?

First of all, look for the subscription or feed options (some bloggers make this difficult for some odd reason). You might see a variety of buttons (amusingly called chicklets). If the site you want to subscribe to uses FeedBurner to aid in the subscription process (like Copyblogger and many other popular sites), you'll likely see the standard RSS icon, which takes you to a page that will give you an array of the most popular feed readers so you can select yours, and you'll go from there. This is the new standard RSS icon:

Sometimes there will be a chicklet for your particular reader right on the blog that will take you to the appropriate subscription page. You may see these (among others):

Finally, you may also see little orange buttons that say XML or RSS. Often these chicklets will take you to a page that looks like code gibberish. In this case, you simply cut and paste the page URL from your browser window and manually paste it into your feed reader subscription function. Hopefully this last method will soon disappear, never to be seen again.

In summary: RSS solves BIG problems.

So there you have it. RSS is being adopted at a phenomenal rate, because it's a good thing for everyone. The benefit to readers is obvious. And it's good for publishers too, because we want to make sure that people feel comfortable subscribing, and that our message is not nuked by an overzealous spam filter.

PS. Thanks to Copyblogger for a helping hand with this tutorial! And if you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed right here!

Or by clicking on our chicklet below:

It really is that simple!

Did you see our last blog about The Royal Welsh Show?

Did you see our 'movie' blog featuring Prince Charles?

Next week we leave for the Lowther Driving Trials. This should be a great event to cover.

Have a look at last year's blog - Lowther Driving Trials 2007. It gives an idea of just what a great event this is!

And finally dont forget to have a look at our fantastic Silver Daisy Jewellery collection and the great new Diamond Wedding Rings we have to offer!

Welsh Cobs & The Royal Welsh Show 2008

2008-07-25T13:23:00.068+01:00

“Frankfurt approach this is Aer Lingus Three .. Two .. Nine at Flight level Three .. Five .. Zero..”

Carolin was already aware of the incoming Boeing 747 which had appeared moments before on her radar screen at Frankfurt airport. Responding politely, in perfect English, she said:

“Good morning Aer Lingus Three .. Two .. Nine.”

She monitored the Irish airliner as it continued along its approved flight path - along with five other approaching aircraft - and then spoke with authority into her VHF radio:

“Aer Lingus 329 descend to altitude 2500 feet, QNH .. One ..Zero .. One .. Five.”

What, you may ask, has this conversation between an air traffic controller in Frankfurt and a Boeing 747 pilot got to do with the Royal Welsh Show?

Allow me to explain.

Last week Wendy and I were attending Europe’s largest agricultural show with more than 230,000 visitors. The Royal Welsh Show is held in Builth Wells and we, alongside other trade exhibitors, were showing our new silver and gold jewellery designs for the 2008 season - including the popular silver and gold daisy jewellery collection!

Our Guest House accommodation in Wales is something quite extra-ordinary. Each morning, at the crack of dawn, we are treated to one of Biddy William's famous full 'Welsh' breakfasts. In the evening there is always a delicious roast dinner served once we return from the Show at 8.30pm sharp! We all sit around a large 18th Century oak dining table and share experiences with the other guests who have come to attend the Royal Welsh Show at Llanelwedd. This year two German air traffic controllers, Carolin and Stefan Klose, had flown to Wales from Frankfurt and booked into the same Guest House - a small Grade II listed cottage in a picturesque valley not far from the Showgrounds. We all immediately became firm friends and Carolin, also a semi-professional photographer, kindly agreed to provide the pictures for this our ‘Royal Welsh’ blog.

Princess Anne opens The Royal Welsh Show 2008

Carolin owns a Welsh Cob stallion called “Old Radnor” and she and Stefan had come to see the famous Welsh Cob Pony competitions held every year at this world renowned event. One of the most stunning spectacles at the show is undoubtedly the running of the Section D Welsh Cob Stallions on the Wednesday afternoon. This attracts huge numbers and the noise from the crowds is matched only by the most excited football fans at a top international game! This is partly down to their enthusiasm for these very special horses and partly as an attempt to actually influence the judge who must make the difficult decision of declaring a very highly prized winner!

This year’s event was judged by the Synod stud breeder Doreen Jones of Gellihen Farm who, along with her husband Cerdin, was also staying at our Guest House ... making our Tuesday evening roast dinner all the more interesting! This appointment is a once in a lifetime honour and one that Doreen was taking very seriously indeed. The winning Stallion can instantly become a

priceless asset as far as future stud fees are concerned! The judge must make a completely impartial and 'objective' decision based on the criteria laid down by the British Show Horse Association. We enjoyed discussing the enormity of the task that lay ahead of Doreen the following day!

Apparently all sections of the Welsh pony and Welsh cob competitions demand horses that are sure-footed with sound feet, dense bone, and that display very hardy characteristics. The ponies should also have a well-laid back shoulder, deep chest, short back, well-sprung rib cage and strong hindquarters. Their legs should be “clean" with good bone, short cannons and correct hocks. Indeed they must exhibit the substance, stamina and soundness of their ancestral bloodstock!

DROGEDA ‘Stormy Tempest‘, a beautiful chestnut displaying lively action and striking beauty in equal measure, was finally named the Stallion Champion Cob by our recent acquaintance, Doreen. It took more than an hour of careful studying of nearly fifty fabulous entries, and a whittling down to an impressive shortlist, before she could be sure. And the George Prince of Wales Perpetual Cup went to junior mare, Trevallion Racheal’s Miracle, a glossy-coated and spirited bay, with quite unusual markings.

DROGEDA ‘Stormy Tempest' - Champion Cob 2008

I am pleased to say that our display of silver and gold jewellery attracted almost as much attention as the famous Welsh Cobs! We were happy to see our regular customers, who have been enthusiastically faithful to us over the past twelve years, at this event. We were delighted to have assisted with two romantic engagements at our stand too and we will be making very special diamond engagement rings for these happy couples!

I must, of course, thank Carolyn Klose for her photographic contributions which have made this blog a really special one. She and Steffan are now on their way back to Frankfurt and I leave them with the rest of my fictitious recording taken from Frankfurt radar control to the approaching Irish 747 jet:

"Aer Lingus Three .. Two .. Nine, you have traffic, a Fokker at one o'clock, two miles, Eastbound," Carolin warned the incoming jet.

The Aer Lingus pilot quickly responded:

"Frankfurt approach .... I've always wanted to say this... I've got the little Fokker in sight!"

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to the feed here!

Photos by Carolin Klose for
Paul Wright Jewellery

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Kent County Show 2008

2008-07-14T10:40:00.019+01:00

The Kent County Show is the largest outdoor event held in the County and this year saw a fantastic extravaganza of competitions and performances that attracted literally thousands of visitors. One of the main attractions was undoubtedly The Band of the Corps of Royal Engineers who gave us splendid performances in the main arena over the three days ... many of us remember seeing them at last year’s first FA Cup final at the new Wembley Stadium.

Also new this year was the larger Countryside Area that featured Fly-fishing, Ferret Racing, Birds of Prey, Otters, Hounds and other countryside pursuits such as working Gun Dogs. This year saw a greater number of entries in livestock featuring Cattle, Sheep, Pigs, Goats, Llamas, Alpacas, Rabbits ... and the welcome return of the Donkey classes on the Sunday!

Titan the Robot returned and once again drew huge crowds wherever he went around the Showground. At an imposing 8 feet tall, he amazed everyone with his singing abilities and flattering comments ... However I think he may have also turned one or two little ones to tears.

The traditional mix of shopping trade-stands seemed to have increased this year. It always amazes me that one can buy almost anything at this show whether it be a porche, a tractor, a holiday, fashionable jewellery or clothing or even extra tuition in mathematics for a struggling ten year old!

Paul Wright Jewellery was once again a popular attraction within the Rural Crafts shopping marquee and the good folk of county Kent were certainly impressed with the new silver daisy jewellery collection not to mention the new range range of diamond wedding rings. Many of the visitors to our stand enthusiastically entered our free prize draw in the hope of winning £50 of designer jewellery on 15 September. If you missed the chance simply log onto the website and send us your name and email address through the contact page and you'll automatically be entered.

The Extra Tuition Centre

This year I met an inspirational educationalist at the Kent Show who was promoting the 'Extra Tuition Centre' based in Gravesend with centres located throughout the county and employing over 100 committed teachers. His name is Shaun Drury. He made me think about the basic skills and abilities we all need to lead successful lives in our chosen professions. A child's education is paramount and weaknesses in any area of their learning can be detrimental in later life.

Let me put this in context. As a jewellery designer I naturally have a talent for art and design which is undoubtedly required to conceptualise and create aesthetically pleasing silver and gold jewellery. However it is also necessary to have mathematical abilities in order to accurately measure and calculate each detailed design in order to ultimately created the original concept. Costing and pricing the jewellery involves a whole range of basic skills and abilities that need to be understood and mastered. Then there is the necessity to be able to use language effectively in order to sell the product and to handle customer enquiries both verbal and written. Yes there is no doubt in order to be a successful jeweller one needs to be more than simply 'good at art and design'.

No matter how good we are at something we will never achieve overall success if we lag behind in other important basic skills. These weaknesses need to be addressed and corrected early on so that, while a child may shine in one particular subject, he or she is still basically competent in all the other necessary skill sets.

I was amazed to learn from Shaun Drury that these weaknesses in a child's education can actually be clearly identified through a series of carefully designed tests and activities that will reveal not only the difficulty but very often the potential cause of that weakness. With this knowledge the Extra Tuition Centre can more fully understand the nature of a child's difficulties and then formulate a series of tailor-made lessons that will correct the fault, possibly over a period as short as just six weeks!

What really impressed me about The Extra Tuition Centre was their progressive approach to education. A very substantial and ongoing investment has been made in modern educational techniques and the use of computer technology that is quite simply years ahead of its time. There is no doubt that many hundreds of children in Kent have already made advances in their education through the help of the 'Extra Tuition Centre' and I look forward to seeing this highly effective approach being rolled out through the United Kingdom in the coming years.

My impression is that no one will stop Shaun Drury's courageous mission - he is a teacher to be reckoned with!

This is a Widget from:
Paul Wright Jewellery

Diamond Wedding Rings
Diamond Rings, Diamond Engagement Rings and Diamond Wedding Rings. You choose the diamond quality and size and we'll make a diamond wedding ring or diamond engagement ring to be proud of.
Diamond Stud Earrings
A wide range of Diamond Stud Earrings set in yellow or white gold, platinum or silver. Our Diamond Stud Earrings have the very best diamonds. Take a look at our range of Diamond Stud Earrings set in gold, platinum or silver.
Silver Daisy Jewellery
A unique range of handmade silver daisy jewellery to include daisy necklaces, daisy pendants, daisy earrings, daisy bracelets and daisy bangles too!
Handmade Silver Jewellery
Handmade silver earrings, handmade silver necklaces and handmade silver bracelets and silver bangles. Our handmade silver jewellery is the best available with great new silver jewellery designs.
Pearl Stud Earrings
Specialising in cultured pearl stud earrings, pearl necklaces and cultured pearl jewellery of every description. We have Akoya pearl stud earrings, Fresh Water pearl stud earrings and Tahitian pearl stud earrings too.
Handmade Gold Jewellery
Handmade gold earrings, handmade gold necklaces and handmade gold bracelets and gold bangles. Our handmade gold jewellery is the best available with great new gold jewellery designs.

Prince Charles at The Royal Show 2008

2008-07-06T19:26:00.043+01:00

"Oh! Hello ... how are you?", the Duchess of Cornwall greeted me as she rounded the very corner where I had strategically positioned myself ... now with my Zeiss camera lens so uncomfortably close to her startled face!

I quickly dropped the camera to my side and stammered nervously, "Oh, how do you do. I'm so pleased to meet you," ... then quickly adding, " ... your Royal Highness."

She smiled and shook my hand gently before turning to HRH Prince Charles who was already engaged in conversation with an Australian visitor to my left.

With all this 'small talk', my opportunity to photograph the heir apparent was fast diminishing and either I pushed forward in the hope of a cordial handshake with Prince Charles himself, or I retrieved my camera ... along with my composure, impolitely focussed my lens at close quarters, and quickly shot an eagerly anticipated 'Royal Portrait' before they moved on! I decided on the latter as being the best course of action.

'Prince Charles and Camilla being greeted by Lord and Lady Salisbury'

I had never before been in such close proximity to British Royalty, and this gloriously sunny day at the 'Royal Show' in Warwickshire, presented a wonderful opportunity to obtain some spectacularly close-up shots of both the heir to the British throne and his wife Camilla.

Prince Charles and Camilla

HRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall were making an official visit to the Royal Show on Friday 4 July 2008. The Royal Show has, for many years, offered a rich and diverse array of rural displays, attractions and demonstrations on all aspects of farming and country living. Their Royal Highnesses had been welcomed by an official party including The Marquis of Salisbury, President of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, and Hugh Oliver-Bellasis, Chairman of the RASE Trustees.

'The Coaching Marathon'

The Royal Show began in 1839 and this was the celebration of its 159th year. For 23 years the Royal Show moved from place to place each year but in 1962 was permanantly sited at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire - home of the Royal Agricultural Society of England. This international country event boasts over 1,000 trade stands, world-class lifestock and equine classes and attracts visitors from over 100 countries.

'The Parade of Hounds'

Once again Paul Wright Jewellery was exhibiting a fabulous new range of handmade silver and gold jewellery designs for the 2008 season. However, in addition to the unique shopping opportunities at 'The Royal', there were many other attractions and country events to entertain the expectant crowds. I was personally fascinated by two impressive events which I was fortunate enough to attend during the four day event. The first was the 'Coaching Marathon & Hornblowing Competition' and the second was the 'Parade of Hounds' by kind permission of The Masters. I managed to film both events and include a glimpse of the excitement in the short movie presentation below.

'The Cattle Lines'

Despite the problems experienced with livestock movement, due to the recent 'bluetongue' restrictions, the Cattle Lines were still a popular attraction with an impressive display of cattle breeds including Simmental, Longhorn, Aberdeen Angus, Sussex, Charlais and Linclon Red to name but a few! The Prince of Wales made a point of personally paying a visit to the Cattle Lines while the Duchess visited the the Flower Hall and equine areas.

However, at this point, I had long since departed, having captured the Royal images I came for ... along with some words of advice to help me on my way from one of the smartly suited security men who always accompanies His Royal Highness, "OK that's enough, clear off!"

Diamond Wedding Rings
Diamond Rings, Diamond Engagement Rings and Diamond Wedding Rings. You choose the diamond quality and size and we'll make a diamond wedding ring or diamond engagement ring to be proud of.
Diamond Stud Earrings
A wide range of Diamond Stud Earrings set in yellow or white gold, platinum or silver. Our Diamond Stud Earrings have the very best diamonds. Take a look at our range of Diamond Stud Earrings set in gold, platinum or silver.
Silver Daisy Jewellery
A unique range of handmade silver daisy jewellery to include daisy necklaces, daisy pendants, daisy earrings, daisy bracelets and daisy bangles too!
Handmade Silver Jewellery
Handmade silver earrings, handmade silver necklaces and handmade silver bracelets and silver bangles. Our handmade silver jewellery is the best available with great new silver jewellery designs.
Pearl Stud Earrings
Specialising in cultured pearl stud earrings, pearl necklaces and cultured pearl jewellery of every description. We have Akoya pearl stud earrings, Fresh Water pearl stud earrings and Tahitian pearl stud earrings too.
Handmade Gold Jewellery
Handmade gold earrings, handmade gold necklaces and handmade gold bracelets and gold bangles. Our handmade gold jewellery is the best available with great new gold jewellery designs.

Cally Wright & Neil Armstrong Graduate!

2008-06-28T10:14:00.008+01:00

The University of Edinburgh commenced its summer graduations on 13 June, when Neil Armstrong was awarded an honorary degree in Washington. The degree ceremony included a laureation by NASA astronaut and Edinburgh graduate Piers Sellers.

Graduation ceremonies continued in Edinburgh from Monday 23 June and among the many notable and distinguished names honoured were Captain Eric Brown, Dr Anneila Sargeant, Randy Thom and Carolyn Wright.

Captain Eric Brown
Former Chief Naval Test Pilot Captain Eric Brown holds the record for flying the greatest number of different aircraft. He is the Fleet Air Arm’s most decorated pilot and was also the first pilot to land a jet aircraft on an aircraft carrier. He received the Doctor honoris causa on Tuesday, 24 June.

Dr Anneila Sargent
Fife-born Dr Anneila Sargent is one of the world’s leading astronomers. An Edinburgh graduate, Dr Sargent is Director of Owens Valley Radio Observatory in California and a former President of the American Astronomical Society. She received a Doctor of Science on Monday, 23 June.

Randy Thom
Double Oscar winner Randy Thom is a sound designer at the Lucas film Skywalker Sound facility in California. His illustrious career has included work on Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Forrest Gump, Shrek 2 and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. He received a Doctor of Music on Wednesday, 25 June.

Carolyn Wright
The young and attractive Carolyn Wright - fondly known as 'Cally' to her family and friends - worked diligently, both at Edinburgh University and the University of Granada, towards her 'Masters' degree in Spanish and Linguistics. Notably she is also the daughter of proud parents Paul & Wendy Wright who attended the ceromony along with her brother Dani. She received a Master of Arts honours degree on Thursday, 26 June.

Edinburgh Graduation Ceremony 2008

The Royal Highland Show 2008

2008-06-24T18:39:00.012+01:00

The Royal Highland Show has a proud and successful history with its origins dating back to 1784 when the 'Highland Society of Edinburgh' was formed to positively influence the industry, culture and social life of rural Scotland. Granted a Royal Charter in 1787, King George VI bestowed the title "Royal" on the Society at the Highland Show in 1948.

This year's exciting programme of events included comprehensive practical demonstrations and rural pursuits and other activities including over 4,000 competing animals and almost 1,000 trade stands! This year marks the show’s 168th year and the 49th to be held at the Royal Highland Centre at Ingliston just outside Edinburgh.

One of the highlights this year was the introduction of a Highland Games competition held in the main ring. International competitors demonstrated the skills involved in caber tossing, stone putting and weight for height where a 56lb weight is heaved over a bar. Other features included farming machinery demonstrations, sheepdog displays, axe throwing competitions, and a variety of popular equestrian events. The bandstand was naturally a big attraction with a wide range of talent featuring the Queen Victoria Pipes & Drums, The Royal British Legion Band and the Argyll's Cadet Band ... to name but a few!

Silver & Gold Jewellery

For those with a keen interest in serious shopping, Paul Wright Jewellery was once again a popular draw with a fine display of silver and gold jewellery including the popular "silver daisy jewellery" collection. One delighted customer, Fiona MacIntosh, was pleased to add to the silver daisy necklace she bought last year.

"I have had so many compliments - I just had to buy the matching silver daisy earrings and the new silver daisy bangle design. I am thrilled to see the new silver and gold jewellery products that have been added to this popular range."

Another equally satisfied customer had just purchased a diamond wedding ring set in platinum to compliment the diamond engagement ring bought earlier in the year from the new Paul Wright Jewellery website.

"We just love these original jewellery designs and the fantastic attention to detail that Paul Wright Jewellery has to offer", he said.

The short video presentation gives an idea of the great time had by all. For further information on the silver daisy jewellery, platinum wedding rings and diamond engagement rings available through Paul Wright Jewellery please log on to:

www.paulwrightjewellery.com

South of England Show 2008

2008-06-08T09:14:00.011+01:00

This is the South Coast's biggest celebration of farming and country life!

2008 was certainly no disappointment as literally thousands of people flocked to the South of England Show held at Ardingly, near Haywards Heath and enjoyed three days of glorious sunshine.

Events this year included show jumping, carriage driving, daily displays by heavy horses and a polo demonstration. Although the cattle competitions were still a major feature of this important show, pigs were in the limelight as this was the 'Year of the Pig'. To celebrate, a pig village had been set up and a variety of different breeds could be seen, including rare long-haired woolly pigs called mangalitzas. In fact the South of England Agricultural Society's president, the Duke of Norfolk, brought one of his own pigs along to open the show!

As well as the animal classes, arena events included stunt rider Jason Smyth and his Adrenaline Tour Motorcycle Show. The crowds were enthralled ... especially when he progressed to the quadbike jumps!

The flower marquee proved to be another popular attraction with excellent exhibits and some notable prize winners this year.

Those keen on shopping were naturally attracted to the 'Rural Crafts Marquee' - possibly the most popular shopping area within the Showground. 'Paul Wright Jewellery' had a prominent corner position at the very front of the marquee and the mouth-watering silver and gold jewellery display remained a focus of attention for the appreciative crowds on all three days!

Jewellery designer and manufacturer, Paul Wright, said "Our new silver and gold jewellery designs for 2008 were extremely well received at the South of England Show, and our 'daisy jewellery' collection was most certainly a firm favourite this year!"

Silver Daisy Necklace - £69

Suffolk Show 2008

2008-05-30T21:42:00.010+01:00

The 2008 Suffolk Show was a great success! This two-day event seems to get bigger and better each year.

The Duchess of Gloucester arrived mid morning to be greeted by the Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk, Lord Tollemache, and Chief Constable Simon Ash. She was dressed in a beige linen jacket and patterned skirt. The Duchess was introduced to a host of dignitaries including leading members of the Suffolk Agricultural Association before presenting prizes to the young winners of the Suffolk Schools' Competition.

The Duchess of Gloucester is a member of the British Royal Family, the wife of Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, a grandchild of George V. She and her husband reside at Kensington Palace in London - birthplace and childhood home of Queen Victoria.

The second day of the show began in sunshine and attracted even higher numbers of visitors than the day before. The trade stands also offered plenty to keep the crowds busy with 100 additional exhibitors to this year's event, bringing the total to 700.

The film below gives a quirky flavour of this popular agricultural event in Suffolk and includes entertainment by Winston the 'singing farmer', views of the farming equipment displays, equestrian events and activities for the children too! Fellow exhibitors with the Rural Crafts Association are featured (along with Ron on the piano of course) and there is even a glimpse of our fine silver and gold jewellery too under the watchful eye of Wendy! Those wanting to have a closer look at our popular silver daisy jewellery, or our new silver and gold jewellery designs, should log onto:

www.daisyjewellery.co.uk

Once again my son, Dani and his group 'Razorblade Oscilloscope' have provided the background music.

Art, Design & Innovation at Hatfield House

2008-05-23T08:52:00.006+01:00

After a successful show last year we were pleased to return to 'Hatfield House' to present our new silver and gold jewellery designs at the 'Art, Design & Innovation Show' mounted by Living Crafts.

This is the largest show of its kind in Europe, attracting tens of thousands of visitors each year and is an event not to be missed. Literally hundreds of craftsmen and women from all corners of the British Isles come to show their work.

The Living Crafts show has traditionally been held on parkland in front of the grand stately home known as 'Hatfield House' – a beautiful setting. This year we moved to a new purpose built area just a couple of minutes walk away from the main house which enabled us to take all the elements of this superb event and rearrange them to give the best possible experience! The additional space allowed us to provide the widest ever variety of lectures, hands-on workshops, spectacular demonstrations and outdoor entertainment for all ages.

Some of the featured events and workshops are listed below and the weekend proved to be a great success:

- 'Painting with light' experience
- Collagraph print workshop
- Drawing masterclasses
- Pyrography workshop
- Wildlife artists' workshop
- Jewellery making studio
- Watercolour lectures
- Working ceramics studio
- Pottery workshops

Opportunities were made available for visitors to participate in the following activities gaining valuable hands on experience:

- Silk painting
- Raku firing
- Willow weaving
- Using a potters wheel

There were also interesting talks on Nelson & the craftwork on HMS Victory, how to glaze your own pottery, upholstery demonstrations, glassblowing demonstrations, costume design workshops for children and talks and workshops on puppetry.

Hatfield House and its beautiful West Garden were only a short walk away and admission to the famous West Garden was included with the entrance ticket to the show. In these beautiful surroundings close to the Old Palace, childhood home to Elizabeth I, visitors enjoyed the 17th Century scented garden, the herb garden and the knot garden. The adjoining wilderness areas were certainly at their best during this year's Living Crafts show with masses of naturalized daffodils in brilliant sunshine throughout the entire weekend!

Badminton Horse Trials 2008

2008-05-05T09:43:00.010+01:00

"Badminton" takes place in May each year in the park of Badminton House the seat of the Dukes of Beaufort in Gloucestershire. The event started in 1949 and the current course designer and director is Hugh Thomas.

The cross country day at Badminton attracts crowds of up to a quarter of a million, which are the largest for any paid-entry sport event in the United Kingdom.

This year's event took place from 1 - 4 May and once again we were there with a fabulous display of silver and gold jewellery. For the past 15 years we have been promoting our individual jewellery designs within the popular 'Rural Crafts Association' shopping marquee. We have established a strong following at Badminton and we thank our regular customers who made a point of seeing us again this year!

Nicolas Touzaint, who regained the European Championship from Zara Phillips last year, yesterday became the first Frenchman to win the Mitsubishi Badminton International Horse Trials.

Touzaint, riding 'Hildago de l'Ile', was ninth after the dressage but took the lead in Saturday's terrific cross-country, and managed to hold off Lucy Wiegersma on Shaabrak in yesterday's show jumping, both of them having one fence down. For British rider Lucy Wiegersma and Shaabrak it was so close. A clear show-jumping round would have brought her victory. It was not to be. Third place went to William Fox-Pitt's 'Ballincoola'.

The French National Anthem was played at Badminton for the first time. "I never for one moment imagined I could win" said Nicolas. "Many have doubted this horse but this shows she is a true Champion."

Back from Thailand!

2008-03-17T22:31:00.016Z

Having just returned from the Gem Fair in Bangkok, followed by a two week holiday in southern Thailand, we are pleased to report a successful trip! We managed to establish several excellent contacts for gemstones - particularly sapphires and rubies.

The holiday we organised after our visit to Bangkok proved to be fantastic too! We flew to Krabi in the south and took a longtail boat to the isolated and peaceful resort at Railay Beach and then went on to the Phi Phi Islands not far from Maya Bay (film location of 'The Beach'). The movie says it all!

Bangkok Gems and Jewellery Fair 2008

2008-02-10T22:21:00.000Z

The Bangkok Gems and Jewellery Fair has established itself as one of the world’s favourite gem and jewellery destinations for top gem and jewellery professionals. Thailand is also one of the world’s foremost cutting and trading centres for diamonds and coloured gemstones making the Bangkok Gems & Jewellery Fair an excellent world class venue to acquire the best gemstones at the best prices for our new designs in 2008!

Bangkok is undoubtedly one of the most exciting and exotic cities in the world to host a gem and jewellery fair with every modern convenience nestled right in alongside ancient Thai culture. Wendy and I shall be attending the show this year and we leave for Bangkok on 23 February. Our visit to the Gem Fair will be followed up with a much anticipated holiday to the south coast where we shall be staying at the Railey Beach Resort - not far from the famously scenic spot featured in Leonardo di Caprio's film "The Beach".

The grand opening of the Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair in its new location, the 80,000 square meter exhibition center at IMPACT Challenger, is to be presided over by Dr. Somkid Jatusipitak, Minister of Commerce. This important event is especially auspicious as it follows the 60th anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s accession to the throne, which was celebrated in grand style in June as Thai people paid homage to the King who is highly revered for his untiring efforts to improve the lives of his loyal subjects by means of his travel and study throughout the Kingdom. A special exhibit, ‘Incredible Thai Jewels’ has been organized in honour of His Majesty.

Full report and photos when we get back!

Mornington Crescent

2007-12-13T17:26:00.000Z

Burghley House Christmas

Party 2007

Despite the pretty poor weather conditions experienced at Burghley last week, we had a generally good show and our fellow craft workers were all in good form!

Trevor Sears organised an RCA Christmas party with cheese and wine and some great entertainment. 'Volunteers' were encouraged to participate in a musical recital of Christmas carols - Ron on the piano of course! The penny whistles added to the fun and nobody seemed to mind looking so utterly ridiculous.

Having imbibed a fair amount of alcohol our merry crew went on to organise a game of "Mornington Crescent" and, for those who have never played the game, click on the video below .... you'll be none the wiser however!

It only remains for me to wish all our friends, customers and readers a very happy Christmas and every success in the new year!

Burghley House Xmas Show

2007-12-02T10:47:00.001Z

Crafts for Christmas

6th-9th December 2007

Burghley House
Stamford
Lincolnshire

TICKET HOTLINE
01428 684494

We visit the charming village of Stamford twice a year to exhibit our silver and gold jewellery - both for the world renowned Burghley Horse Trials in September and then again for the forthcoming Crafts for Christmas shopping extravaganza in December. Once again we will be showing some of our new and exciting designs like the fabulous art deco style diamond ring illustrated below:

Click on image for full details

Burghley House is a grand 16th-century English country house near the town of Stamford in Lincolnshire. Its park was laid out by Capability Brown.

The Lincolnshire county boundary crosses between the town and the house which, in fact, is located in the ancient Soke of Peterborough, once considered part of Northamptonshire, but now in Cambridgeshire; and is administered as part of the City of Peterborough unitary authority.

Burghley was built for Sir William Cecil, later 1st Baron Burghley, who was Lord High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth I, between 1555 and 1587 and modelled on the privy lodgings of Richmond Palace. It was subsequently the residence of his descendants, the Earls and Marquesses of Exeter, and is now owned by a charitable trust established by the family. Lady Victoria Leatham, a daughter of the 6th Marquess and a well-known antiques expert and television personality lives in the House as a Director of the Trust.

Never been to Burghley House? That may be true for some but you are likely to have seen far more of this fabulous property than you realise! It has been featured in several box office hit films and BBC productions including The Da Vinci Code and Pride & Prejudice. To find out more about the house click the play button on the film provided below:

Naturally we look forward to meeting new and existing customers at this our last Christmas Show of the year!

An Eventful Week!

2007-11-25T12:26:00.000Z

The five day show at RHS Wisely was a success - eventually! Five days can feel a lifetime when confined to a 3 x 2 metre space. However this 'longer than usual' show was broken by our son's graduation at Teesdide University and on day three we flew up at Middlesborough to attend his graduation ceremony. Friends Barbara and Nigel held the fort whilst we were away - and they coped very well indeed!

This same week saw the passing away of Ian Smith, former prime minister of the British colony known as Rhodesia from where Wendy and I hale. I was interested to see this video interview of the 'rebel' leader and include it here for your interest.

We now prepare ourselves for the next show - Burghley House in Stamford, Lincolnshire from 6 - 9 December. It promises to be an excellent event for those last minute Christmas presents. See you all there!

Garden Wisley Xmas Show

2007-11-16T14:29:00.000Z

This week we will be participating in the annual 'Crafts for Christmas' show at Garden Wisley in Surrey - headquarters to the RHS.

The Royal Horticultural Society was established in 1804 and is now the country's leading gardening charity dedicated to advancing horticulture and promoting good gardening. The charity's goal is to help people share a passion for plants, to encourage excellence in horticulture and inspire all those with an interest in gardening.

The Royal Horticultural Society was given Wisley in 1903, although at that time only a small part of the 60 acre estate was actually cultivated as a garden, the remainder being wooded farmland. The original garden was the creation of George Ferguson Wilson - businessman, scientist, inventor and keen gardener and a former Treasurer of the Society. In 1878 he purchased the site and established the 'Oakwood experimental garden', with the idea of making 'difficult plants grow successfully'. The garden acquired a reputation for its collections of lilies, gentians, Japanese irises, primulas and water plants. The present Wild Garden at Wisley is the direct descendant of Oakwood and despite changes is still true to the original concept.

Our 'Crafts for Christmas' exhibition is organised by the Rural Crafts Association and provides an opportunity to purchase inspirational craftwork and specialist foods in the comfortable and interesting surroundings of Garden Wisley. Click here for full details.

Our featured digital painting entitled 'Sunflower' was created by Paul Wright and is available to purchase by clicking on the link provided.

Indeed flowers have been an inspiration for the creation of jewellery for centuries and it will come as no suprise to learn that the jewellery on display at Garden Wisley will feature some really appealing examples. Have a look at this striking pendant, just one from a range within the fabulous silver a gold 'daisy' collection on sale at Garden Wisley this coming week.

We look forward to seeing you all at Garden Wisley

from 20th - 24th November.

Daily opening times:
20th - 9.00am to 9.00pm
21st, 22nd & 23rd - 9.00 to 5.00pm
24th - 9.00am to 4.00pm

Yorkshire Crafts for Christmas

2007-11-06T18:40:00.000Z

Tanzanite & Diamond Ring

£2,950
This new exquisite design

by Paul Wright

YORKSHIRE CHRISTMAS SHOW
8 - 11 November 2007
Yorkshire Showground,
Wetherby Road, Harrogate.

Our Christmas Show in Kent last week was "Mission Successful" and it was great to stay with our friends, Shaun & Susan, in Gravesend and to see Mike & Ange who came over especially to visit us at our Christmas Show!

We now head off to the north of the country where we will be mounting the Yorkshire Christmas Show - possibly the largest Christmas Show of the year. We have completed work to a number of new designs including a fabulous multi-gem necklace and earrings suite and several Tanzanite designs one of which is featured above. We count ourselves lucky to personally know the son of one of the official site holders in Tanzania where these rare gems originate (there are in fact only six official mines or sites operating in the country) and so we are able to source some of the best gemstones available on the market!

Our son Dani joined us briefly in Kent. He has managed to further advance his career in computer gaming and was recently offered a position with 'Zoë Mode'. This is the new branded name for Kuju's Brighton studio. Dani needed to visit Brighton to find accommodation as he starts his new job in December. He returned to Newcastle via Gravesend and popped in to see us last Saturday!

Kuju apparently hired a consultant to identify what was unique about their Brighton studio and come up with a new brand. The consultant produced a list including things like the studio's specialization in social and casual games and games for families, and that it was based in Brighton. The resulting match wasn't the usual logo but rather a human character called 'Zoë Mode', and this was personified in the form of a picture of a young 'blonde' sitting on the beach playing her DS.

The decision was also made to have an image of Zoë from a real-life model - as opposed to a virtual babe like 'Lara Croft' or a manga-style character. This was done because the company wanted to emphasise it was real, and the games it made were for real people. This is what she looks like ...

'Crush' is just one of the computer games released by Zoë Mode and curiously enough it is about a character called 'Danny' who suffers from insomnia! Have a look at the video link below to learn more.

The background to "Crush" in this enlightening interview:

... So good luck Zoë Mode and good luck to Dani!

Crafts for Christmas

2007-10-31T08:48:00.000Z

Kent Showground 2 - 4 November 2007

"Good morning Mr. Wright. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to stage a spectacular exhibition of silver and gold jewellery at the Kent Showgrounds in Detling from 2nd till the 4th of November from 9am - 5pm daily"

You will be staying with this man. His name is Shaun Drury. He and his wife run a successful extra tuition centre in Kent ....with particular reference to the 11 plus examinations!

The picture below is of his wife, Susan. She is an accomplished jewellery craft worker herself with an impressive and well equipped workshop! More than this, and despite the dietry constraints of those around her, she can produce the most amazing cordon bleu meals that would cause even Gordon Ramsey to blush!

You will be joined by the following man. His name is Mike Drury, and like his brother he and his wife run a successful extra tuition centre in Marbella. He also maintains a useful website designed to help those visiting Marbella or the Costa del Sol. He responds well to the name "Sam".

The following woman is called Ange Drury. She will be an important source of information for you and your team. She is already anticipating your exhibition of jewellery at this Christmas Show and by now half the population of Kent will know about it.

As always if you or any member of your team are caught or captured we will disavow any knowledge of you or your jewellery.

Good Luck Mr. Wright!

This blog will self destruct in 5 seconds .... (da da da, dada da da da....)

Mission: Impossible III (2006) Trailers And Clips

Blenheim Horse Trials 2007

2007-09-13T18:12:00.000+01:00

Blenheim Palace certainly provides an awe-inspiring back drop to the dressage and show jumping phases of this international equestrian event which takes place each year on the 'South Lawn' - by kind invitation of His Grace the Duke of Marlborough.

Wendy and I were once again exhibiting our range of gold and silver jewellery in the shopping marquees set up alongside the main eventing ring. The weather was perfect and a good crowd attended the event particularly over the weekend when, like Burghley, the cross country proved to be a very popular attraction.

The Blenheim Horse Trials started in 1990 and has become one of the most prestigious sporting events on the international calendar. Most people regard the sport of 'horse trials' - or 'eventing' as it is correctly termed- as the ultimate challenge in horsemanship because both horse and rider are required to fulfill three distinct phases within the same competition: dressage, cross country and show jumping. The dressage is judged subjectively with the horse and rider performing a series of movements and changes of pace. It requires a huge amount of preparation and the rider must maximise the horse's strong paces and disguise its weaknesses. The showjumping and cross country events are judged objectively as there is a clear winner. It is of course the cross country 'phase' for which the sport is best known and most riders regard this as the ultimate achievement within the competition.

Eventing has been part of the Olympic movement since 1912 and it originated in Continental Europe by cavalry officers as an entertaining and useful way to train chargers. The sport took off in Britain largely due to the late Duke of Beaufort who, in 1949, created the Badminton Horse Trials (an important event we also attend earlier in the year).

This sport is unusual in that 'professionals' and 'amateurs' compete against each other at all levels. It is not unknown for a one horse rider with a full time job to compete and beat an Olympic rider with a string of international horses!

This year's worthy winner was Great Britain's Chris King on 'The Secret Weapon', with Kristina Cook taking second place on 'Miner's Frolic' and New Zealand rider, Andrew Nicholson, taking third place on 'Armada'.

Burghley Horse Trials 2007

2007-09-03T23:20:00.000+01:00

Zara Phillips on Magic Star

Burghley Horse Trials is the highlight of the shows we attend each year. This important event attracts riders from all over the world and it draws huge crowds. They come not only to see the horses but to enjoy the opportunity of a very different 'shopping' experience. Simply everything is available to buy here that cannot readily be found on the High Street and it is all excellent quality - clothing, footwear, handmade jewellery, fashion accessories, fine art, handmade furniture and so on.

The biggest draw is undoubtedly the cross country event which takes place on the Saturday. The challenging 32 fence course sprawls over 6.6km of the stunningly beautiful countryside located at Burghley Park in Stamford, Lincolnshire.

Having suffered from the recent inclement climatic conditions at our other 'summer' shows this year - some of which were cancelled due to the floods - we wondered how 'Burghley' would fair! Fortunately the week proved exceptionally good and we could not have hoped for a better or sunnier weekend. Had the rain continued, however, we were confident that the excellent drainage at Burghley (built on limestone) would have prevailed.

This year the course went back to an anti-clockwise direction to make things different. The course itself was designed by Captain Mark Phillips. Having had an opportunity to walk the course in the early hours of Saturday morning, I could see for myself that it must indeed be the most difficult and challenging seen in the world this year!

In planning for this year's event, Captain Phillips will have originally walked the course and decided which fences would not feature from the previous year. These will have been taken apart and removed - the parts being stored for future use. Some of the fences usually remain from year to year but are altered and repainted, others are completely different. The new course will normally incorporate the natural elements of the landscape too such as ditches, hedges or fallen logs and this makes it all the more challenging and interesting.

In walking this year's course I decided I would return at about 2.30 pm and head for fence 24, aptly called "The Splash" - a particularly interesting fence with a demanding downhill approach where riders are advised to lean well back as they jump into the water before turning sharply to the right to meet the 'Goose' under the tree! I calculated that world champion Zara Phillips would reach this point at about that time and I was keen to obtain the shots now featured in this blog. I was not disappointed!

Another fence I felt worth watching was number 23 - "White Rails" - it certainly had the riders attention being fairly near the maximum height permitted at this event. I was pleased to get this shot of USA rider Sara Mittleider as she successfully made the jump on 'El Primero'.

Saturday saw a record attendance with some 80,000 spectators attending the event. The winner was Great Britain's William Fox-Pitt riding 'Parkmore Ed'. He takes home the Landrover Trophy and Burghley's biggest ever prize - £38,000 - a true and worthy champion! Second place went to Polly Stockton on "Tom Quigley" and Australian Andrew Hoy came third on "Master Monarch". The winner of the under 25's was Great Britain's Harry Meade on 'Midnight Dazzler' taking 8th place in the overall event.

All the photos taken at the show are available through our royalty free website at the link below:

http://www.stratfordimages.co.uk/royaltyfreeimages.asp

Lowther Horse Driving Trials

2007-08-06T11:18:00.000+01:00

Lorenzo - the 'Flying Frenchman'

"What's it like to be on the country fair circuit during the summer?"

... a question we're often asked by those curious to know what its like exhibiting our range of silver and gold jewellery at large rural events around the country. There is no finer example - to illustrate these fascinating country fairs - than the 'Lowther Horse Driving Trials' held last weekend in the Lake District.

This non profit making 'charitable' event is held on the breathtakingly beautiful grounds of the Lowther Estate in Cumbria. Marquees and eventing rings are set up on the rolling green countryside that stretches out in front of Lowther Castle culminating in a gurgling brook nestled in the valley not far below.

In addition to the carriage driving events that form the main attraction, there are other equestrian competitions and country pursuits including demonstrations in fly fishing, the use of gun dogs, the hunting hounds and falconry to name but a few. One of the most spectacular attractions this year, however, was the awe inspiring talents demonstrated by Lorenzo in his magical performance with horses. He enthralled the crowds with his amazing stunts whilst standing on the backs of eight stallions! (I was pleased with the photographic opportunities his act presented and feature a great shot of him - taken with my new Nikon camera. If you want to see a great film demonstrating his talents click on the main photo of him above ... it's well worth watching).

We were particularly pleased that the weather turned out so well over the weekend, despite the forecasts! We enjoyed sunshine and blue skies for most of the time and just the occasional light shower and cloud cover in the early morning. The organisers of the Lowther event have taken the sensible precaution of 'restricting' the catering by excluding the usual suppliers of over priced hamburgers and hot dogs. Perhaps the biggest hit was this outside 'pizza diner' offering freshly made pizzas cooked in a wood fired oven. It was as much fun watching as it was eating the pizzas!

The skydiving event was somewhat distressing as the first man down hit an airless pocket shortly before landing and instead of slowing down he came in so hard he literally bounced! An ambulance was called in as he wasn't moving but, to the relief of the crowd, his injuries were limited to a broken or possibly severely sprained ankle.

Paul Wright Jewellery was here!

If you weren't able to attend the Lowther Driving Trials this year I hope you will have enjoyed a glimpse of the fun that was had at this three day event. I end with a photograph of Wendy on our trade stand. As always we were located in the prestigious 'Rural Crafts' pavilion. Our display of silver and gold jewellery was well received and I am pleased to say that if you missed us there all is not lost. Simply click on the image of our stand and you can have a glimpse of the contents!

The Royal Welsh Show

2007-07-28T17:58:00.000+01:00

We have just returned from the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show where we were exhibiting our unique range of jewellery - for the tenth year running!

There were a number of new faces at our usual B&B 'rendezvous' not far from Builth Wells. A member of the Welsh Assembly was attending this year and the evening meals provided a useful opportunity to learn more about Welsh devolution. We also had a pig farmer and his wife staying with us! This was not just any pig farmer but an expert in his field and he had been invited to the Show to judge the various classes of pigs in the main ring competitions.

My only personal experience of judging pigs has been limited to the quality of the crackling on a good Sunday roast! However 'our' pig judge soon enlightened us as to the qualities of a really good breed of pig - and how to go about judging this. For example, apparently the pig's face must not be too fat. It must have a straight back and four good legs. Most importantly all fourteen teats must be present! The pig judge stands in the centre of the main ring and the each farmer escorts his entry around the ring using a 'bat' and 'board'. The board is held in the left hand and is used to guide the pig while the 'bat', held in the right hand, is used to encourage him along his way.

There were of course many other interesting events and livestock competitions going on at the Show this year and I am told that some of the highlights included the Regimental Band of the Royal Welsh, the parade of the hounds and the floral art competition - not to mention, of course, the famous Welsh Cobs!

Sadly this popular event was marred only by the appalling, bad weather we have been experiencing lately. Our journey to Wales from Stratford-upon-Avon seemed almost impossible at one stage as we could find no way of crossing the Severn or the Teme rivers and all roads near Worcester were totally impassable. Further torrential downpours during the show eventually resulted in the 'flood waters' penetrating our marquee and the ground around our trade stand soon turned to thick mud! The hardy Welsh, however, were determined to enjoy the event and continued to turn up on all four days ...despite having to be towed by tractors in and out of the sodden, muddy parking areas. Attendance figures stood at over 215,000 - the highest of any agricultural show in Britain!

Our popular range of silver and gold daisy jewellery was a big hit with the Welsh! The illustrated solid silver pendant has a gold plated centre making it a delightfully different and attractive fashion accessory. The 'daisy' range is available via our online shop at http://www.paulwrightjewellery.com/ for just £69 inc chain.

If you weren't able to make it to the Royal Welsh Show this year click on the image - you have an opportunity of buying one right now!