History of the Clogau name
In 1989, a local Welshman, William Roberts, discovered some exquisite gold in an abandoned mine in the beautiful mountains of Snowdonia in Wales, the Clogau St David’s mine in Bontddu.
Originally a copper and lead mine, the 1862 ‘Gold Rush’ saw the mine divert its attention to the mining of gold ore, which it continued until 1911, producing around 165,031 tons of gold ore. The mine was once the largest and richest source of gold ore in the area, but over the years it experienced varying levels of success, due in part to the difficulty in locating and mining from the rare gold veins. Since 1911 a number of smaller mining operations have taken place at Clogau St David’s mine, but it has never returned to the major production of gold ore seen at the height of its success.
William Roberts’ original plan was to turn the mine into a tourist attraction, where visitors could pan for gold, but his plans were rejected due to the mine’s location in the Snowdonia National Park, an area of outstanding natural beauty.
Undeterred, he took a gamble on there being more undiscovered gold deep in the mine, starting up a small-scale mining operation, and so the Clogau jewellery name was born. With Wales as his inspiration, William Roberts decided he would use the precious gold he mined to create stunning, timeless pieces of jewellery, that would permanently capture this exquisite Welsh gold in original and flawless designs.
It is this passion that has continued to drive the Clogau name for over 30 years, from the production of its first small range of jewellery in 1994, through continued growth and success, into the company it is today. Now a second-generation family company, Clogau continues to create stunning jewellery that encompasses the beauty and spirit of the Welsh mountains and culture, pieces to pass down through generations that will provide an enduring and permanent link to Wales.
Royal Gold
Welsh gold has been chosen for generations of Royal weddings for almost a century. Wedding rings, including those worn by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the late Diana Princess of Wales, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, HRH Princess Margaret, HRH Princess Anne, their Royal Highnesses Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, The Duchess of Cambridge and, most recently, The Duchess of Sussex, have all been made from rare Welsh gold. The tradition of using Welsh gold in the wedding rings of the British Royal family began in 1923 when the then Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon married the Duke of York. It was recently carried into its 95th year with the wedding of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex on 19th May 2018.
Blend 1854
To celebrate 165 years since gold was first found at Clogau, and to mark the 30th anniversary of the Clogau jewellery company, Clogau have created ‘Blend 1854’. This unique shade of gold has a pale rose-yellow tone, reflecting the colour of Clogau gold in its raw form, thought to be a result of the copper deposits that were also found in the mine.
Clogau have expertly crafted this unique blend of gold into an exquisite collection of limited-edition anniversary rings and Windsor wedding bands. Allum & Sidaway are delighted to showcase these Windsor wedding bands and anniversary rings.
Clogau Jewellery
Allum & Sidaway are excited to share their range of fine Clogau jewellery with you. Each piece has been crafted using traditional jewellery-making techniques, and is then delicately hand-finished, to ensure the exceptional beauty and quality associated with the Clogau name. Every piece is guaranteed to contain rare Welsh gold and carries the unique Welsh Dragon and “CG” stamp.
As well as the stunning blend 1854 collection, we offer a range of beautiful Clogau jewellery pieces with something perfect to suit every occasion and taste. From necklaces, bangles, earrings and charms to wedding and eternity bands that perfectly embody the beauty and culture of Wales.
Choose from gold, or a combination of precious metals, some set with precious pearls, jade and stones such as diamond, topaz, opal, turquoise, peridot, garnet, Citrine and amethyst in breathtakingly creative designs.
The ‘Tree of Life’, ‘Past Present Future’ and ‘Eternal Love’ collections feature Celtic designs and delicately crafted leaves, flowers, hearts, trees and vines. In other pieces forget-me-nots, daffodils, snowdrops, heartstrings, honeybees, honeycomb, elephants and love spoons adorn drop earrings, half earrings, lockets, studs, bangles and charms.
The stunning ‘Royal’ collection features ‘Kensington Love Story’ and ‘Tudor Court’ designs, incorporating dazzling gems, precious metals and regal symbols into a range of elegant pieces.
To see the full range of beautiful Clogau jewellery at Allum & Sidaway, visit one of our stores or browse our website. Our dedicated and talented team would love to share these collections with you and assist you in every aspect of your purchase.
We are experts in the jewellery business, and we care about your whole shopping experience. We endeavour to create welcoming and luxurious spaces for our customers to visit, so that you can enjoy browsing our jewellery collections and feel confident in making your purchases.
We offer interest free credit and a wide range of services designed to help you care for your jewellery.
