Case Study – RTFJ LTD
In 2010, RTFJ was founded under the guidance of Richard Talman, a seasoned Goldsmith & Diamond Mounter whose craftsmanship was born in the renowned workshops of London’s Hatton Garden. Having overseen a trade workshop supplying exquisite jewellery to prestigious West-End stores, Richard embarked on a journey to establish his own workshop amidst the serene East Sussex Countryside.
Driven by a simple yet profound objective, Richard aims to offer his clientele nothing short of the finest quality jewellery, paired with unparalleled customer service, attention, and satisfaction. His commitment to excellence resonated throughout the workshop, setting a standard that would define RTFJ’s ethos for years to come.
In August 2022, Richard made the decision to purchase the XL2 100 precious metals analyser to enhance the services he offers to his customers.
“The Niton has changed our world! Literally! We no longer have to use the fiddly and quite dangerous acid vials to denote what a metal was. This would frequently cause skin issues and nasty fumes. If this was the only reason to purchase a Niton (which it isn’t) it would be valid! The analyser is quick, accurate and easy to use. We work a lot with client’s own metals to make new commissions, and now we can diagnose exactly what is being used! Previously to this, I was fortunate enough to be able to use the desktop Niton analyser to help me when I was repairing an item whilst filming ‘The repair shop’. A ring thought to be silver was promptly confirmed as steel thanks to it!!”
Richard goes on to say “We recently were sorting through some client owner metals in order to make a new piece. There was one item that just didn’t feel right to me, but it was Hallmarked (or at least, bore something resembling the hallmark) The Niton sniffed it out instantly, and it turned out to be heavily plated brass. Had we had used acids, they wouldn’t have predicted this, and the melt of client’s metals would have been ruined.”
Richard took delivery of the Niton XL2 in August 2022. “I dealt with Paul Sparks on initial purchase who went above and beyond to get me the best price for the unit. Chris Bode delivered it personally and ran through the whole operation with me and my staff carefully. He only left when he was satisfied that we were 100% clear on its operations. I later had the pleasure of meeting Michael Sibbald when he took the time to visit our workshop site when he was passing to check we were happy.”
Today, Richard, along with his dedicated colleague Hugo, welcomes visitors from across the nation and beyond, drawn by the allure of bespoke craftsmanship and personalised service. The workshop has become a destination sought by discerning customers in pursuit of something truly exceptional.
The pinnacle of recognition arrived in 2014 when RTFJ was honoured as the National Winner of The Wedding Industry Awards, a testament to its unwavering commitment to excellence. At RTFJ, every customer is assured a personalised, enjoyable, and informative experience, setting a benchmark that few jewellers can hope to match. “We will continue to use the Niton to assist our clients in making the perfect piece of jewellery. We even have other local jewellers who occasionally call in a favour to pop by to check items. As cheeky as that may seem, we’re always happy to help. There’s enough work for everyone out there and equipment like the Niton shouldn’t be kept a secret!”
Richard can be seen on the BBC show the repair shop, where his unique skill set has earnt him a role as an expert helping numerous guests with their jewellery restorations, as well as providing fellow presenters Jay Blades and Will Kirk with engagement and wedding ring solutions.
Richard can be contacted directly at his shop.
2 Morehouse Business Centre,
Wivelsfield, nr. Haywards Heath,
East Sussex. RH17 7RE
Telephone directly on 01444 471 380 or email richard@rtfj.co.uk
The Niton XL2 100 Precious Metal Analyser delivers accurate analysis in just seconds in an easy-to-use, robust and reliable package. It can measure the content of all gold and precious metals with no need to manually change his calibration based on the metal being analysed—e.g., gold (Au), silver (Ag), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd).
The XL2 100 benefits are as follows;
Easier, faster and more accurate than nitric acid test methods.
Faster, more comprehensive analysis than fire assay with comparable accuracy. Efficiently identify most gold-plated items with Thermo Scientific AuDIT™ gold-plating detection technology.