THE world may be gripped by recession but people are still prepared to fork out for something that will last a lifetime and beyond. Karen Dent meets some of the craftsmen and women creating bespoke fine jewellery in the North East.

MARILYN Monroe sang Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend in the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and the same could still be said today.

The precious stones are still the most popular gems chosen by North East women picking engagement rings, according to Ian Vicars.

Mr Vicars, the resident jeweller at Newcastle’s Northern Goldsmiths, makes wedding rings, engagement rings, repairs and remodels jewellery.

"I come from a background where I can repair anything from a silver cup to a chain to make something from scratch," said Mr Vicars, who has worked as a jeweller for 25 years.

"In the early 80s when I first left school, I left to do an engineering course at college. There was an advert for an apprentice jeweller – and I thought it’s basically micro-engineering.

"There were 190 applicants but I got the job – I don’t know whether it was through good luck or determination."

The world has changed since he started his career, although he is still asked to make wedding and engagement rings more often than anything else.

He said: "Over the period of years, I’ve got more interested in the design of jewellery. We’ve pushed forward with the CAD (computer aided design) so we can custom make them on screen.

"A lot of people only realise we do it when they come in. We go through a few ideas. I try not to put my name to something that I don’t like – I want someone to wear and treasure their jewellery for a long time."