Assisting in the upkeep of the British Royal Family’s Crown Jewels helped pave the way for Ray Hood’s move to Adelaide. The hand engraver’s six-year apprenticeship at Mayfair-based Garrard & Co – one of the world’s premier jewellery manufacturers – helped him acquire the skills that ultimately led him to apply for a South Australian skilled migration visa.
In 2012, Ray and his partner, Carly, made the move to Australia. Within weeks of arriving in Adelaide he had landed a job. After just eight months in that role Ray launched his own business – London Engraver – in the heart of Adelaide’s CBD.
The support from the community has been incredible. I have local and interstate clients that contact me to do all sorts of engraving, from jewellery, heraldry and antique restorations to portraits of pets, trophies and wax carving. I was also given the honour of engraving the Parliament of South Australia’s ceremonial mace as part of its recent restoration.
Ray is now a permanent resident of South Australia, having found a niche market for his engraving skills. Such is the demand Carly left her full-time job to become the London Engraver’s operations manager.
Carly said the move to South Australia has been nothing but positive and now Adelaide is where they call home.