When I was a kid growing up in Dundee, Scotland in the early 70s Id cringe when heard my mother discussing 'the price of: butter / bread / petrol / kids' clothes ... ' etc. My whole early childhood was lived amidst the lashing rain clouds of rising prices, unemployment and general economic despair. The 70s, of course, were the times of the oil shock, endless industrial unrest and many other things that to an 8yr old seemed distinctly gloomy and best avoided. But then it was Dundee and it was kind of a depressed / depressing place so that kind of outlook sort of went with the terrority and it wasn't an unrealistic view of the things, as far as they could be seen anyway. It's a much better place now in every way.
We thought we'd left those depressing times behind for good but that's turned out to be an illusion. This time, for me, the reality check of gloom and doom isn't the price of sugar but the price of silver. When we started 10STERLING a year ago silver was, as it's always been, an expensive material: desirable and sought-after for many things including jewellery. At £10 per oz the price was manageable. What's happened in the last year though? The price of silver has risen 100%. In fact, it's recently come DOWN to the point where it's now 100% more than it was a year ago - at one point it looked like it was going to rise to +200% v June 2010! Phew, close call.
It's not easy keeping prices sensible during these times and I worry what our customers think when they see the price of our silver dog tags edging ever upwards: I worry that they think we're being greedy. Our prices have gone up but I'm glad to say they've gone up a lot less than metal prices. We've shopped around and buy our own silver direct from refiners. We also try do so as many things as possible ourselves in our Windsor workshop to avoid adding costs to our silver dog tags: drilling, polishing, hallmarking, embossing and final assembly is all done by us. So if you're thinking of buying a tag from us and are wondering if it's good value then please check the weight of our products and the price per gram. Then compare that to other silver jewellery products. We think you'll be reassured.
Unique and exclusive hallmarked silver dog tags and jewellery at good-value prices. That's what we aim to offer.
Read more...This is our second post on our blog and the first since last October which is far from ideal considering how much has happened recently. OK, so what's the news?
Firstly our range has grown from 33 products to nearly 300. No longer do we simply have our range of cool embossed sterling silver dog tags (which, by the way, are unique in the world) but we now include all men's favourites: cufflinks; rings; loads of leather bracelets and neckwear; pendants (silver and steel); silver and steel chains & neckwear etc. I could go on but I won't. Let's just say if you're looking for a jewellery present for a man, you're going to find something good here.
We've got some entirely new stuff too such as our embossed stainless steel dog tag pendants that are, like our silver ones, unique in the world. These are made of two regular 0.6mm thick steel tags, permanently joined back-to-back, and then fitted with a copper and steel connector ring hung on a steel ball chain. How cool is that? There's loads of room for messages (romantic, silly, or soberly practical) and, at £17 and £18 (for 1.5" and 2.0" versions) they're great value and a sensible alternative to our beautiful, but obviously pricier, sterling silver dog tags. We also offer the 2.0" version as a keyring - again, a great value alternative to our cool silver one.
Secondly, we've just started our first sale. 30% off on a range of 14 great products until June 16th. Get in there!
Read more...Posted on 12th October 2010
Let’s face facts, while blokes like lots of things, there are only two types of present that they’re going to drool over:
- Stuff that makes them look and feel good. We’re talking clothes, shoes, jewellery and aftershave. That sort of stuff.
- Things that speak to his inner "man": fast vehicles (cars & motorbikes - both good); weapons (regrettable yes, but true); tools (Screwfix has a peculiar, but undeniable, fascination for blokes); stuff featuring scantily clad women (no surprise there); substantial TVs.
Clearly a non-exhaustive list, but you get my drift.
A set of rubberwood nesting tables, a luxury duvet cover or an illuminated bathroom cabinet are definitely useful and, in most circumstances valued, but as presents they’re simply not going to get your bloke’s pulse racing.
You’re onto a real winner if you can combine something that looks good with something that makes them feel manly. That means something cool that acknowledges the possibility (however vague) that it might actually be genuinely necessary at some, who-knows-when, point in their lives.
We just never know what we’re going to come across while we’re out hunting and gathering for YOU and we won’t complain if you give us neat gear that covers every eventuality. Are chunky diving watches going out of fashion any time soon? Nope.
What man knows when he’ll be asked to wrestle an alligator? When he gets out the water he doesn’t want to find out he no longer knows how long it is ‘til Top Gear starts. Us blokes, we like to plan ahead!
Traditionally jewellery isn’t something that most men would rate as a “must have” - certainly not in the way women would but that’s only because men can be reluctant to go for gear that only appears to make them look good. Even if we are vain now and again it's not something we want broadcast, OK?
Though men can be as vain as women, most will try (unless they’re sure they can get away with it) to avoid looking vain. That means they prefer it if they’ve got a reason (OK, excuse) to own the gear they want and that’s where the practicality bit comes in and which brings us neatly to the subject of silver ID dog tag pendants.
A 10STERLING silver ID dog tag pendant both looks and feels great, and so will make your man feel great. Yet it also offers something practical, unique and personalised. He can have all his important details on it. It can remind of important people and events. It can tell him where his heart really lies. Choose yours in either solid hallmarked sterling silver or 24 carat gold-plated solid hallmarked sterling silver and you’ve got one present that ticks all his boxes.
Think he’ll be offended by you reminding him about his name and D.O.B.? No, it never crossed his mind. Think he’ll feel patronised by reminding him who the important people or things are in his life. No chance, us guys we like lists. He’ll love it … and he’ll love you for giving it to him.
After all if it’s good enough for hero army warriors, then it’s probably good enough for him too.
Read more...
