Crafting a ruffs ring
If you have a minute, let's take you briefly through the process...
Casting
A Ruffs signet ring typically takes around six weeks to craft, unless particularly urgent. Every ring is cast individually and tailor-made for each customer. 'Casting' refers to the method of creating our rings, either from new gold or making use of a customer's old, perhaps sentimental, gold. This method involves pouring molten gold into a mould unique to each ring.
We cast each piece because it allows us to have complete control over the size, shape and weight of a given ring. This contrasts to the method of stamping out a ring from a sheet of metal and joined at the band. Many ring makers choose this method. It often produces a thinner ring and is beholden to the individual dies a manufacturer holds. We have evolved and perfected this method over a quarter of a century and feel this gives the best possible result - a ring of equal substance and elegance.
Hallmarking
Every ring we make has to be hallmarked - by law. This is a valuable add-on in my opinion because not only is it a guarantee that we have made exactly what we say we are going to make but it is also a record for posterity.
There are five marks inside our signet rings: CNAR is our maker’s mark for Cyril Norman Aubery Ruff. Next, a stylised Rose that represents the Sheffield Assay Office, where all of our work is sent. Then two symbols - an Imperial Crown and either 375, 585, 750 or 916 - indicating 9ct, 14ct, 18ct or 22ct gold respectively; and finally a date-letter which is letter representing the year. This year, 2021 is a "W". Making the model, casting and hallmarking will typically take two weeks.
Engraving
Customers can choose to have their rings seal-engraved (in the negative) or carved for show (in the positive) which is popular, but not limited to, a crest; or surface-engraved which is commonly used for initials. In the third week the ring is engraved by one of our highly skilled engravers. Like us, they are small, family run businesses focused solely on engraving and we have partnered with them for over two generations. All our rings are finished by hand using traditional methods which are centuries old. The apprenticeship required to engrave at this level takes five years and ten years for stone engraving.
Final stage