Plymouth-based Securi-Guard Fire and Security has been involved in a hush hush operation to protect the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee brooch while it was being partly created in Devon.
The fire and security company is providing a monitored intruder alarm system at Lasting Impressions Bespoke Goldsmiths in Bovey Tracey.
It gave Lasting Impressions’ skilled award winning Artisan Goldsmith Ian Hall round-the-clock protection while he worked on the Platinum and Gold “Eternal Dove” brooch at the studio workshop in the town.
“I want to thank Securi-Guard for the excellent job they did in helping to protect the Queen’s brooch while we were privileged to be working on it for the British Jewellers’ Association,” said Hall.
“With such a high value piece of jewellery in our care it was nice to know we were in such safe hands at all times.”
The Platinum brooch also featured English, Welsh, Irish and Scottish gold, as well as natural white and coloured diamonds.
Ivonna Poplanska, the brooch’s designer who is based at The Goldsmiths Centre, London, won a competition open to all UK based designers, which was organised by the British Jewellers’ Association (BJA).
Her winning design was announced at the International Jewellery London trade fair at Earls Court last September, which was scheduled to celebrate the 125 year anniversary of the (BJA) harmonizing with Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
In creating the finished brooch, Hall worked closely with one other large manufacturing jewellery company in Birmingham, Weston Beamor, who used their precious metal casting facilities as part of the process.
These were married with Hall’s traditional goldsmithing skills of 30 years to hand fabricate the dove shaped brooch framework from Platinum bullion.
He hand finished the multiple leaves and flower details also attaching location wires to the rear of these cast components, which would later on facilitate the final assembly and the correct positioning of all the detail.
The finished piece had its first public outing on Christmas Day when the Queen chose to wear it during her traditional visit to Sandringham.
Securi-Guard Managing Director Kim Precious was delighted that the company was able to play a role in helping to protect the brooch while it was in Devon.
But the company is no stranger to providing confidential security services to high profile public figures, and also well-known celebrities.
“Over the years, we have established an excellent reputation for providing highly professional security protection for a number of very well-known people, but this is the first time we have been involved in a project for royalty,” said Precious.
“We are very pleased to have assisted Ian Hall from Lasting Impressions Bespoke Goldsmiths, as well as putting Devon on the map for the contribution we have all made towards such an iconic piece of jewellery.”
