ABOUT US
Transparency Integrity Quality
Hello, I'm Emily Jones, Jewellery designer at Forged Rock, located in Scotland UK, with our workshop situated in the ancient Celtic heartlands of Wales. As a gemmologist designing and forging silver jewellery has been an absolute passion of mine. Since childhood I’ve always had an interest in crystal and semi-precious stones so when I was at a crossroads in my life, I decided to change direction and form Forged Rock. As the business owner, I decided to differentiate my business from other businesses with 2 core values and principles that lay deep in my heart:
Firstly, having been directly affected with a family member having Autism and the day-to-day difficulties this brought to my family, not only by their additional needs but the prejudices within our community, I decided to focus our business ethos on supporting vulnerable adults with additional needs. At forged Rock we promote an autism friendly working environment, with patience and a quiet working zone.
Secondly, I have become increasingly disheartened at the number of online businesses selling ‘counterfeit jewellery’, this is something that not only grieves me, but as a gemmologist leaves me angry and frustrated. These businesses seem to be flourishing freely online at the expense of their customers. It has become a vision of mine to protect our customers and end this online practice by educating our customers and offering an alternative.
Unlike many of our competitors we are not ‘drop-shippers’ or based in developing countries in Asia like; India, Nepal or China etc… Rules and laws in some countries are simply lax or not policed in the same way as they are here in the UK. Often businesses based in developing countries use questionable ethics such as child labour or stamp dangerous heavy-metals or nickel-brass alloys with ‘925’ to be sold as genuine silver. Sometimes this deception becomes bold and almost ‘joke-like’ with Rolex watches, Nike trainers or 18k gold chains being sold for pennies…. With the internet this fine line has become progressively harder to follow especially since hallmarks have increasingly and deliberately been confused with trademarks, manufacturing marks or 925 unattested purity marks. These unattested factory stamped marks are not hallmarks.
To be a true hallmark, it must be guaranteed by an independent body and in the UK, there are only 4 legally recognised bodies; the London, Edinburgh, Birmingham and Sheffield Assay Offices. Most people at home and abroad are aware that the UK has some of the most stringent and regulated precious metal hallmarking and testing laws in the world. In fact, modern hallmarking began centuries ago in London England, when King Edward I put into law, the testing of all silver items to ensure they met the ‘proper standard’. In 1363 a unique ‘makers mark’ was introduced in to law, to protect consumers and to allow all items to be traced to their manufacturer. Since its introduction, the UK has been hallmarking uninterrupted for over 700 years. And yes, these laws not only still apply, but apply to all online sales. (www.gov.uk/guidance/hallmarking-in-the-uk-consumer-protection).
As a business based in the UK, with deep Celtic roots we decided to partner with the Edinburgh Assay Office which was founded in 1457 to not only test, but to hallmark our silver. This unique position allows us to sell to our home and international customers a guaranteed quality, assured by an independent body that is the Edinburgh Assay office. Not only does British hallmarking keep to a centuries old tradition but also protects our customers across the world. In the UK it’s illegal to sell untested and non-assay office hallmarked jewellery as precious metal and this includes silver. This is why I tell our customers to 'look for our Edinburgh UK Assay Office Assured hallmark and our Makers mark'.
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