Watermark Stationery & Security Printing
Downey has offered a bespoke watermarking service for many years which has proven to be of great benefit when requiring another level of security for your stationery or certificates of authenticity. Combine this with specialist techniques such as embossing, foil blocking, die stamping along side hand detailing and you will achieve a superior level of security for your luxury stationery. Contact our specialist projects team now to discuss your options.
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Security is never something to be taken lightly. So when it comes to securing your stationery, you may question the need at first, but it is as equally important to have a system in place that can stop fraudulent activity with your paperwork as it is to have a sound cybersecurity network protecting you online.
Counterfeit currency. Illegitimate contracts. Fraudulent letters of authority. There is a long history of crime in this area which is why such tight measures are put in place to stop this from happening.
Take banknotes for example, where security printing measures are fundamental to their design. It’s fascinating to take a £10 note from your pocket and attempt to identify all the security printed aspects. We instantly feel the defining polymer material and our eyes are drawn to the holographic foil blocking showing the coronation crown and the denomination written below by ‘reversing out’ the text (meaning this is not printed but a clear section of the material – a very tricky detail considering the size of the note). We can feel the ‘tactile feature’ of the blind embossed braille section in the top left corner (when looking at the front of the note, which is the side with the raised print). Winchester Cathedral is showing with gold foil to one side and silver foil to the reverse, tip the note and they both have a rainbow effect to the colours. Showing on the transparent section is also a watermark of the Queen printed alongside a quill, which changes colour from orange to purple as the note is tilted. Among other security printing aspects, you also have an ultra-violet section that will only be visible when under UV lighting, detailed raised print and extreme micro lettering that is only visible under a glass.
Of course, a banknote is taking security printing to the extreme degree, but often by using one or some of these features on your stationery they can be beneficial to making sure a document is an original or cannot be accurately copied.
Production techniques such as embossing, engraving or die-stamping and foil blocking are all available to utilise on your luxury stationery and corporate invitations. Over the years we have also developed our own technique for adding a chemical-based watermark that allows for the design to be seen through the paper, achieving a very similar result to that of a ‘true’ watermark.
This watermarking process has seen a sharp increase in use over the past decade and we can see a steady rate of usage extending to financial documents, auction and jewellery valuations along with certificates of authenticity – we believe this growth goes hand in hand with the rise of online selling, therefore the need for a physical item to guarantee the item’s history in preparation for the sale. When requesting a traditional watermark, a paper mill will often have a 2-tonne minimum production run which is very limiting to requirements, our minimum is a more realistic 1000 A4 sheets making this an excellent option for adding a security feature to your stationery.
There are also finishing techniques available which can add to the security measures you can put in place for your stationery. Numbering of course is one, but also adding a hand treated coloured or deckle edge in a specific pantone shade, use of a wax seal of authority or even perhaps a very small laser-cut logo or emblem in detail can provide the additional touch that cannot be scanned or developed digitally.
In today’s climate of extremely high-quality reproduction and activity, these security printing and watermark paper printing processes are becoming a much-valued and appreciated benefit for our clients.
To discuss more about specialist watermark paper and security services, please contact the Downey team. We also offer other luxury printing services, like professional coat of arms design, bespoke luxury packaging and much more.
In our lives, we are completely exposed to technology, websites, messaging groups, along with our favourite social media accounts showing us perfectly edited digital imagery. While we understand the power and wonderful benefits of the digital age, we at Downey have also noticed a surging demand and ever-increasing appreciation for the real, the tangible; for craftsmanship and for the experience that is provided by luxury stationery, be it personal or corporate.
There is a warm satisfaction to be had when choosing your design and exploring or developing your stationery style. Will you have a logo or motif, will you use a specific animal or flower that you are linked to – what makes it personal, think about why? Perhaps you want a monogram that cleverly intertwines your initials? Do you have a family Coat of Arms available to use, or perhaps you will have a minimal style with your name? What style will you select to match your luxury leather desk accessories? What paper or card will you choose and which texture? We are spoilt for choice with some beautiful stocks and colours these days all of which can particularly affect the creation of personalised or corporate luxury stationery. Furthermore, what ink colour will you have and of course, which printing process will you go with?
For luxury handmade stationery, you have a multitude of options to choose from – you can have an engraved finish, perhaps letterpress, foil blocking or lithography are among the options available. Will you have some specialist & personalised additions? A bespoke watermark? Colour edging? A handmade envelope? Will that envelope have a tissue or paper lining? When it comes to luxury stationery and writing paper, the world really is your oyster and Downey can guide your way through the journey in selecting your collection of luxury stationery.
Not only will you have an amazing experience of selecting your choices, but once we have produced the luxury handmade stationery you will have the pleasure of selecting the recipient and the message that you want this to deliver. Nothing quite beats a handwritten thank you note to express your appreciation or just to say a simple ‘hello, how are you?’.
Communication is such a powerful tool. So much can be portrayed and said before a single word written or read. Think about what your personal brand or style says about you – to add specific finishing techniques and details can show the recipient that you care, the details matter and therefore, so do they.
To receive a physical, handmade stationery item through your letterbox that has been given so much thought, effort, skill and love, is a truly special experience and you can invoke powerful emotions and memories. You will be transported back to a time when the physical was everything, where digital screens and displays did not dominate your thoughts and detract from your real-life experiences. To receive something of such thought and care can never be topped.
How can simply sending a text message compare? Some say it’s the message and not the medium that is important, but we say it’s both. Discover more about Downey’s other luxury printing services, like corporate invitations, coat of arms design, presentation boxes and more.
Design
When great design and superb print quality come together, the result can be perfection. As luxury printers based in Mayfair London, we at Downey work very closely with our clients from the early stages of a project to really define their vision and goals. We can utilise either our in-house designers and illustrators or commission freelance design, as well as calling upon trusted artists, calligraphers or packaging engineers, all working together towards one common goal, a very happy client and project success. From our Mayfair sales office and Hackney studio, we've built our reputation as the highest quality luxury providers in London with our design, while offering our clients first class service and support through the design and planning phase.
Printing
With the majority of our bespoke printing processes in-house, this gives us the ability to use these individually or as a combination to produce the best possible luxury printing results to suit the design and brief. Not only this, but we also provide a wide range of machine finishing and hand assembly processes too, this enables us to have total control over all areas of production and quality. For more complex projects, this aspect of our work is especially crucial to make sure all elements are working together seamlessly, to the right quality and delivery schedule. Employing both machine finishing and hand assembly processes within our services gives our clients the ability to unlock designs that normally aren't possible. This kind of precision is essential in carving out our reputation as Mayfair and London's finest bespoke luxury printers.
Quality
Our extensive experience as luxury printers has raised our own exacting standards and attention to detail. We are determined to surpass the expectations of our clients in delivering exceptional and inspiring work, and in doing so to honour and be worthy of their brand standards. We believe that when something has been made with care and attention to detail, then it will give the user a wonderful experience with an emotional connection to the piece, which is the ultimate aim for all areas as luxury printers - invitations, stationery, personalised packaging, coat of arms production and more. As London's foremost luxury printers, quality is never compromised and commitment to great design is our promise.
Service
We pride ourselves on our customer service and believe that we should demand and surpass our client’s expectations for service as the norm. Our wide and extensive experience enables us to quickly understand a client's needs, making our client’s challenges our challenges and see every project through so a successful result is achieved for all involved. Service means care and a desire to help, so as bespoke luxury printers based in Mayfair, London this work comes above all else, ensuring that our clients are delivered the service they desire. As luxury printers, Downey delivers service from our three locations - our Mayfair sales office and historical home since 1903, our Hackney studio where concepts and beautiful ideas are formed, and then from our exceptionally skilled production facilities in Norfolk. To learn more about Downey, our work as luxury printers, and our history, visit our about page here.
Here at Downey, not only are we experts in creating and printing bespoke invitations and luxury stationery, but we apply our well-honed skills to producing luxury packaging and bespoke presentation boxes for a variety of corporate and personal events.
The common stories you hear in the market are that when it comes to luxury and bespoke presentation packaging, there are a lack of trusted suppliers in the UK forcing you to order from overseas. The minimum order quantities can be very large and because of the distance between the client and supplier, there can be very long delivery times for receipt of the completed items. All these challenges are not an issue for Downey’s bespoke presentation boxes and luxury packaging services. Producing these wonderfully elegant presentation packaging is done in the UK, so there is no restriction on minimum order levels. Typically, most luxury packaging and bespoke luxury presentation boxes are completed in weeks, not months, making us a fabulous choice for our clients.
We are very experienced in this area and have made many types of bespoke luxury packaging pieces which include; bespoke jewellery presentations, luxury property development proposals, watches and apparel, bespoke candles, VIP membership packs and of course, to house bespoke corporate and wedding invitations. Our capabilities as a company being able to produce different types of bespoke presentation boxes and packaging make us favoured by clients throughout the UK and abroad. View our case studies and projects to discover Downey's versatility in making these wonderful pieces. There is always a project that delights and is able to stir inspiration into people who come across them!
When it comes to a bespoke request, we work with our client to first explore the packaging, gift bag or presentation box’s sizing, shape and weight requirement. Then we look at how best to hold them to keep secure and safe during transportation and of course, to be amazingly presented for the all-important first impression and reveal the recipient experiences when they opened it. Do not underestimate the power of luxury packaging, boxes and bespoke presentation pieces when done properly. The feelings that people experience cannot be equalled by an online or digital invitation - we are firm believers that the physical is far more powerful for stirring emotions and delighting people when they receive a piece of luxury packaging.
All touchpoints with customers are incredibly important and by having a bespoke presentation box, brands can offer a tactile experience and interaction with all the facets of the client-to-customer transaction.
Alongside corporate packaging, we are also able to produce luxury gift bags to a bespoke specification and again, no minimum order requirements. The same principles we apply to the custom boxes are applied to these bespoke gift bags, we review the potential contents and then advise the sizing alongside the materials and print processes most suited for the desired finish. Often a client will come to us with an existing design and we offer our expertise in the production options to create the desired result.
Let our service, quality and attention to detail, bring your luxury bespoke presentation packaging project to life and create a finished piece that is worthy of your special event on brand. Contact us now and speak to one of our consultants to see how we can help you.
Downey is a recognised creative leader in the production of luxurious and bespoke creative print, we are in a unique and excellent position to provide design and artwork creation as part of our full service provided to the brands, businesses and private individuals we collaborate with.
To design for print is a specialist skill which often has many ramifications when using specific print production processes, hand finishing techniques or a combination of these involving traditional craftsmanship techniques alongside modern application.
Many of our clients rely on our unique ability and seasoned expertise to offer multiple design options in a short space of time along with providing printed samples, knowledge on process and material or by making bespoke prototypes to help visualise the concept proposed. This is a key service we provide our clients which is invaluable to them when working with the tight deadlines that are often involved and complex. We support them and apply our well-versed knowledge of the luxury market and familiarity with branding guidelines. We can relive pressure to our clients in this way and Downey is seen as a trusted supplier and designated ‘safe pair of hands’ to manage this side of the work for our clients.
Our in-house team of designers, illustrators and print specialists have a wide-ranging arsenal of capabilities which can all be applied to stationery design, event and invitation design, corporate stationery concept and identity creation.
Much of our day to day design work is to provide event stationery and invitation design. We work with both PR/Marketing departments within brands and event planners in creating concepts for stationery briefs that both respect the branding guidelines but also offer a fun and practical way of giving the intended guests the first impression of the event being planned.
We often work with a client’s in-house design team and act in an advisory role to help bring their concepts to life and provide guidance on how we can reproduce the designs and actualise the ideas within their mind, applying them with dexterity onto paper, card or other substrates.
Weddings are another big aspect of our work and our team regularly provides inspiration and design concepts for the whole stationery suite required, from save the dates, invitations, itineraries to service booklets and table stationery. All can be created with personalisation and details that are meaningful to the couple and the wedding destination. Our illustrators are highly adept in multiple styles for creating bespoke designs for wedding stationery and to create custom monograms or detail.
The field of heraldic design for Coat of Arms is extremely specialised and something we are well suited to due to our extensive experience in printing the final pieces for stationery and invitations. We often provide a full service of design and print production for social stationery suites for our private clients. On occasion, we have also produced a bespoke Coat of Arms design for private events such as Weddings, Anniversaries and special Birthdays.
In the world of bespoke, you really can have anything you wish for. Do get in touch with our team to talk about your ideas and how they can be bought to life through the beauty of design and print.
With our long history of creating meticulously crafted stationery, invitations and bespoke packaging, it makes absolute sense for Downey to apply our extensive skills and knowledge into producing luxurious and beautiful corporate brochures and books. This highly specialist area is a great opportunity to realise and promote the true power of print along with clever and intricate design and finely tuned hand-applied crafts.
With our in-house design department, not only are we able to create the artwork but often we can partner with a client’s own lead brochure designers, outside book designers or creative agency to produce the finished book or brochure. Often, our clients find it is of great benefit that the sooner we are involved in the project, the sooner we are able to offer our guidance into print production and hand finishes for the completed piece.
With our access to many of the fine and luxurious materials used for coverings and brochure pages along with our excellent product knowledge when ordering the materials, we can provide a wide resource selection. Not only this, but with our experience with print production and a varied process base, we can give accurate guidance on how some materials react with certain specialist processes.
We have plenty of experience utilising the various methods of book binding. From case binding to section sewing, thermal binding or saddle-stitching, our team can provide clear and precise advice on the best methods to implement for your brochure or book. No challenge is to great and we would love to hear your ideas and vision for the project, if you tell us what your dream is, we can tell you how to produce it.
Another great area we can assist you with is by producing a luxury slip case for that final, special finishing touch and detail for your book project. We are very experienced in creating bespoke packaging so we can very easily use our skills in this area and apply them to producing slip cases. These slip cases are not only a method of protecting the book inside, but they can give an added value aspect along with enhancing the users experience of opening a gift or uncovering something coveted or envied.
A bespoke book has a special place in our hearts and is certainly something to be treasured and looked after. When a simple object can give a significant and emotive connection to the user, it is even more important to go the extra mile when at the production stage by selecting the perfect processes, coupled with an exact material choice and detailed finishing touches. We absolutely love being part of that process and being able to apply all our experience and passion into the production. So, allow us to help you in making something beautiful, treasured and long lasting.
Please do get in touch now with the Downey team to discuss your options and how we can assist. You are welcome to make an appointment to visit us at either of our London locations, Hackney or Mayfair.
A wonderful addition to Downey’s creative arsenal is our laser cutting service. This exciting technique allows for a superior level of design, intricate detail and beautiful personal touches to be an available option when producing your special event or wedding invitations and bespoke stationery.
This specialist technique offers many avenues to explore when utilised for a bespoke design and creative service. Most commonly seen on wedding invitations, you can use this process to cut, by laser, a delicate pattern or silhouette scene for the happy couple. Often, we see floral designs or Summer garden detail being bought to life by laser cutting when applied alongside a printed illustration and elegant paper choice.
Laser cutting is not exclusive to the bespoke wedding stationery and invitations arena, we use it for many corporate and luxury event invitations, and in addition, on the magnificent and exciting 3D pop-up invitations we produce
The vast range of use the laser cutting process offers for invitations and stationery is varied and flexible, allowing for many levels of tangible options to enhance the design. It has a simplicity about it that is appealing for the minimal user but also allows for highly complex designs that can become part of a much larger finished result.
Along with the patterns and details that we mentioned earlier, laser cutting can be used for delicate personalisation. For example, on laser cut wedding invitations you can have the guest names cut into each invitation as an alternative to calligraphy. Laser cut stationery can be personalised by having a monogram cut into the paper or card, or perhaps even the sender’s signature. This personal and unique process can assist laser cutting to enhance security features if you were producing corporate stationery (an authenticity certificate for example) featuring an individual reference number or product code.
Laser cutting can also provide a practical option which can save on other cost applications in production. Perforation, for example, can be applied by the laser cutting process quite easily, so you can add this at the time of cutting any other details instead of having it as a separate finishing process that follows.
Laser cutting allows you to broaden your horizons when it comes to invitations and the final reveals. With 3D Pop-up invitations, laser cutting is often applied when creating the various layers needed for these invitations. With a complex layout and multi-layer design requires intricate details to marry up to form an overall concept, the laser cutting process allows this to be done with ease.
There is also a technique called ‘paper engraving’. This is also using the laser cutting process but by adjusting the strength of the laser, you can give the finished appearing of ‘etching’ into the paper and are able to stop the laser from burning completely through the card stock.
So, as you can see, the options available with choosing to feature laser cutting to your wedding invitations, stationery or corporate event invitations are wide and captivating. The designs can explore multiple details and clever uses and the finished result will provide your guests with the all-important wow factor.
Contact Downey’s team now to learn more about laser cut invitations for your special event.
When it comes to Coat of Arms stationery design, tool making and print production, experience counts. To work on the extremely fine detail, to understand all the elements on show and to make sure that everything is perfect upon completion takes years of training, knowledge and an eye for detail that few can offer. At Downey we have over 100 years of experience in the Coat of Arms design and print service. We are unrivalled experts in Great Britain. With our long history in the hand engraving master craft, we are already fully accustomed with an eye for detail and perfectionism that is critical when reproducing a Coat of Arms design.
We have a long list of Coat of Arms customers who are located from all over the globe and we often see a wide range of Coat of Arms design that reflect the characteristics of each country the Arms originated in. There are clear differences between a Coat of Arms that has originated from Switzerland for example, to one that has been originated in The United States. When compared, you will notice key differences in their coat of arms design that distinguishes both countries. This could be a different shield shape along with certain visual clues such as a golden eagle, a key, a crown and many other intriguing factors that all contribute to a truly individual and distinctive coat of arms design.
The study of Coat of Arms design is a study of symbology and language. Everything displayed has meaning and purpose, nothing is included by accident. The specific Coat of Arms tell a historic story of the individual, the family origins, their passions and personal interests, whatever these may be. You will be able to learn that someone is a keen horse rider as you would expect to see it featured on their Arms or perhaps for a business leader you would expect to see a handshake depicted in their Coat of Arms design. A jeweller, for example, you might expect to see a diamond, or another precious stone contained within their Coat of Arms design.
It is not just individuals that are able to incorporate traits into their coat of arms design, we work with many international bodies, governments, embassies and businesses from all fields that have had them granted.
The most likely stationery items we produce showing the Coat of Arms are invitations, letterheads, note card sets and visiting cards. Often there is no need to show the name of the individual as the Arms act as an identifier to the recipient.
The best way to print the Coat of Arms stationery is with the die stamping (also known as the engraved) process. We deconstruct the Coat of Arms design and separate into each colour shown. The individual colours are then engraved into a unique copper plate, also known as a die. These are then systematically stamped on press and layered colour by colour to create the finished Coat of Arms stationery. As a finishing touch, we then give a final multi-level emboss to create shape and if you have a gold or silver showing, this also gives a final polish, known as a burnish, to the metallic for an extra shine. The tools that have created this artwork can be reused again and can be passed down the generations as time goes by.
To print Coat of Arms is a true artisan process and can bring out the very best of print production. It is often seen as the pinnacle of printing and we are extremely proud to be one of the best in the business at this. If you wish to have a Coat of Arms stationery suite created, then do get in touch with Downey’s team of seasoned experts.
Personalised Wedding Invitations
Your wedding invite is a wonderful opportunity to get creative and let your imagination run free—and that’s where we come in to bring your vision to life.
Over the years, Downey has been responsible for creating many thousands of luxury wedding invitations. This has given us vast experience, a wide range of expertise and a passion for making your day as special as can be.
In our initial consultation, tell us what would make your custom wedding invitations personal and meaningful to you. If you have a Pinterest board, feel free to share it, or we can create a personalised mood board just for you. Whether you’d like a floral-inspired style from our in-house illustrator, calligraphy for the wording, or a bespoke monogram to use across all your invitations and table stationery, there are endless possibilities to make your vision come to life.
Perhaps you’d like your handmade invitations to be held and presented in a bespoke packing box. Whether your style is subtle and minimal or bold and expressive, or whether you lean toward intricate patterns or vibrant colours, there are countless options for creating luxury wedding invitations. We’re here to help you make those decisions and craft something truly special and beautiful.
The first impression of your wedding often begins with the stationery, making it the perfect opportunity to captivate your guests, spark excitement for the big day, and set the tone for one of the most memorable moments of your life. We are honoured to be entrusted by so many couples to create luxury wedding stationery uniquely personal for such an important occasion.
Our team of skilled experts will guide you through every detail of your personalised wedding invitations. With our extensive experience, we’ve encountered nearly every idea imaginable, and we’re confident in our ability to bring your vision to life. Planning a wedding can feel overwhelming, so let us handle your wedding stationery. You can focus on other aspects, knowing that the design and printing are in the safest of hands.
Discover more with Downey’s expert craftsmanship
Perhaps you’re looking for an event invitation for another celebration, or maybe your company needs a stationery set for re-brand, our experts here at Downey can make it happen. Let us put a midas touch into any design- whether you have a concept in mind or not. Let our team of experts guide you into the right direction.
Our Invitation Design:
Custom Invitations Perfected with Downey
'You only get one chance to make the right first impression'. A classic saying that holds true, especially in the world of luxury event invitations.
You’ve booked the venue, the entertainment, styled the event, and secured the guest list, and now it’s time for the invitation. This is the golden opportunity to provide your potential guests with excitement and anticipation about your special event.
Bespoke invitations, whether for personal, corporate or wedding events, are now more revered than ever in our digital world. The printed invitation should be eye-catching and something to treasure - a tangible object, and a memory you can physically hold in your hands and experience.
As a business, a luxurious invitation can offer an advantage against your competition. At every touchpoint you provide your client or guest, you represent the company and brand.
Creating event invitations can be daunting. How to keep on brand, within budget and on schedule are all areas we can assist you with. Allow us to show you the possibilities on how you can enhance your existing design.
A whole host of materials, processes, textures, techniques, and visual opportunities come together to make our creations. Our experts are highly specialised technicians whose craftsmanship has been meticulously honed. With a century of experience, Downey’s own studios carry forward historical knowledge and skill passed down through generations. Discover our other specialist bespoke services including brochures and books, bespoke packaging and presentation boxes, and watermark and security printing.
Discover more with Downey’s expert craftsmanship
Whether you need a dinner invitation, party invitation, christening invitation or an invitation for an award ceremony, our experts here at Downey can make it happen. Let us put a midas touch into any design- whether you have a concept in mind or not. Let our team of experts guide you in the right direction.