It seems amazing, doesn’t it? A type of jewelry created thousands of years ago still remains in our modern day fashion lexicon. Nowhere is this better exemplified than in the torq (or torque or torc).

Worn around the neck, torques (from the Latin word “torquis” meaning “to twist”) are often made of bronze or gold (though torcs have been found made of copper, silver and other metals).

Most torcs are open at the front and are created to be worn permanently (yes, for life!), although some have been found that had clasps (for those who couldn’t deal with “forever” jewelry, I guess).

Celtic folk work torcs as a symbol of the wearer’s status in society, usually signifying rank and wealth. They were worn in battle; as a matter of fact, it was often the only item worn in battle, meaning soldiers were stark naked other than their torc (!).

Torcs were known to hold powerful, supernatural powers, hence why they were worn in battle (as a form of protection).

According to Claddagh Design:

According to Irish Mythology, on The Cattle Raid of Cooley, the lead warrior Morann the Arbiter allegedly had a magical torc that tightened around his neck any time he made a false judgement.

One King of Tara, Dermot MacCerrbheoil, dreamt that angels took his torc from his neck and gave it to a stranger, who turned out to be St. Brendan of Clonfert. When they bumped into each other some time later and the King recognised him as the man who was gifted the torc, he relinquished his kingdom to him.

So the next time a ring gets stuck on your finger, think of the Celtic torq. It might relax you to think others have worn heavier jewelry for much longer!

Don’t call the plumber. And don’t run the water.

DIY jewelry recovery at your service!

Most jewelry that’s fallen down a drain is recoverable so breathe deeply and don’t worry.

This video details a fast and easy way to recover a piece of jewelry that’s found its way down a drain.

Our version of the half moon!

You’ve seen them before (well, at least in photos) but…

How much do you know about gold bars?

Well just because we’re experts in custom design doesn’t mean we know either. So after a little research, we’ve discovered:

• A gold bar (also called gold bullion or a gold ingot) is a quantity of refined metallic gold of any shape that is made by a bar producer meeting standard conditions of manufacture, labeling and record keeping.
• Gold bars are categorized as either cast or minted (see image below), with both differing in their appearance and price. Cast bars are created in a similar method to that of ingots whereas molten gold is poured into a bar-shaped mold and left to solidify.
• When molten gold is poured into bar shapes, it often results in malformed bars with uneven surfaces which, even though imperfect, make each bar unique and easier to identify.
• To prevent bars from being stolen or counterfeited, manufacturers have developed methods to verify genuine bars, such as branding bars with registered serial numbers or providing a certificate of authenticity. 

If you want to learn more about gold bars, you could buy one. A 400 ounce gold bar costs more than $500,000…maybe looking at pictures is better ; )

A minted bar (left) and a cast bar (right)