Continue reading »]]> I really enjoy taking on unusual commissions and am interested in doing what I can to help the environment.

More people nowadays want to know where materials and stones come from, in particular if they have been sourced in an ethical way. However, it is extremely difficult to trace the origins of what mine the metal came from as there are so many processes and different people involved in the chain of refining the metal to get it to the stage where the jeweller can use it. Sometimes suppliers can’t say where the stones have came from so I was very happy to find a new ethical supplier of Rubies, Spinel, Sapphires and Tanzanite gem stones who could tell me the exact source of the stones as they mined it themselves.

Ruby Fair  is a partnership between British Jewellers and Tanzanian Miners where both the miners welfare, the environment and ecology of the land and the final price of the gemstones to you the customer are all given careful consideration. You can buy your Ruby , Sapphire, Spinel and Tanzanite safe in the knowledge that both the miners and the land are given due care and reward.With our own Ruby mine in southern Tanzania we can supply untreated gemstones of the highest quality at a fair price to you.

So when a client got in touch, who was interested in commissioning an engagement ring made in 18ct white gold with an ethically sourced Ruby I knew to get the stone from Ruby Fair.

He had seen previous posts about my past commissions and had seen that had used clients old gold to make something new. Unfortunately he didn’t have his own gold and was doing this as a surprise so couldn’t ask his partner – but asked if I could get Eco gold. So I did some research and found out that my metal supplier Cookson, stocked Eco gold which is gold that has been recycled back via a traceable process into fine gold.

So now that I could get ethical rubies and recycled gold the client could choose a design. He spent quite a bit of time looking at rings online and at my own designs, then gave me some options that he liked. I did some designs combining the aspects and came up with these designs.

This is the completed ring made from 18ct white eco gold and ethical ruby.

So if you have your own gold or old jewellery you no longer wear and would like it transformed into something more contemporary…

Or if you would like something made in Eco gold get in touch.

Continue reading »]]> We all know that weddings are extremely expensive and in this unpredictable economic climate everyone is looking to save money. As soon as you say the word wedding some businesses put up their prices. However if you are looking for value for money and good quality it doesn’t need to cost a fortune.

If you would like an unusual engagement ring it doesn’t need to cost an arm and a leg. I have been designing and making bespoke engagement rings and wedding bands for a few years now and can cater to your budget.

Even if you don’t have a massive budget but would still like something a bit different from the mass produced rings found in the big brand chain store jewellers then get in touch with me. Who said that wedding and engagement rings have to be made in gold or platinum? Nowadays it is up to the taste of the wearer and not about about how expensive or how big the diamond is.

Here is a recent commission which I made for a client. The engagement ring is made in silver with aquamarine and was chosen from a selection of my own engagement ring designs.

So if you are looking for something a little different, but don’t know what you want, get in touch and discuss what options are available within your budget. You can choose from my own designs or if you have your own idea get in touch.

Check out my online shop to see what silver engagement rings are available

http://www.gennadelaney.com/shop/wedding-rings.html

Also have a look an other images of designs I have made here https://plus.google.com/photos/108255130137906773486/albums/5426672217102344305?banner=pwa

I am exhibiting at the Tayside Wedding Fair @ Caird Hall, Dundee on Sunday 26th February from 11am. So come and visit my stand or arrange an appointment at my studio.

Continue reading »]]> I really enjoy making bespoke commissions for clients and know that the process can take some time. Sometimes you meet people interested in your work when you do exhibitions, but for some reason they don’t purchase something then and there. They take your card and have a wee think about it. Some come back others do not, but it’s all part of the process of getting your work out there and meeting new potential clients.

Back in August, I met new customers at one of my shows in Edinburgh. They were really interested in my unusual stone set pieces and particularly liked my dendritic quartz ring on my old business card. Unfortunately for them the piece had sold but I showed them other stones that could be made into something similar.

I spent a lot of time with the clients discussing what could be made. She really liked one of my larger dendritic quartz stones and suggested getting it made into a ring. However she wanted to go away and think about it.

Now sometimes when dealing with people, they go away and don’t come back. But 4 months later, her partner got back in touch asking if that stone was still available. To his surprise it was and we know that it was meant for his partner. Originally his partner wanted a ring made from the stone but due to my expertise, I suggested that as the stone was so large. This was me, who loves making large statement rings saying a stone was too big! But I as the designer though it would work better as a necklace, the client agreed.

Here are the original designs

He decided the simpler of the two designs would be more suitable (second sketch). Here is the finished piece in silver with Dendritic Quartz stone and oxidised detail.

Back of the piece with steel pin and tubing for chain to go through. Can be worn as a brooch or pendant.

Front on chain, shows how it would look as a necklace.

So if you have seen my work at a show ages ago and would like something made into a nice piece of jewellery get in touch.

Continue reading »]]> Most of the pieces that I get asked to make for clients are rings and I really enjoy taking on these challenges.

Recently I got contacted by a client to make a bespoke ring in her own design. We all have the piece or pieces of jewellery that we love to wear all the time. Whether it is a non expensive costume piece or that favourite pair of diamond earrings, jewellery makes us feel good about ourselves and is a great addition to finish off that fabulous outfit.

Jewellery also has that sentimental value which is unique to each individual’s experiences, so it is awful when you loose that special piece or it becomes broken over time. In this case my client had purchased a chunky costume jewellery ring made from base metals which had been rhodium plated. As she had had it for a number of years it had begun to discolour.

She had seen my jewellery at a craft fair and liked my work. She loved her chunky wrap around ring so much and had worn it many times but the plating had started to come off showing the copper underneath. So she decided that she wanted it to be made in silver. I already has a smaller, less chunky version of the ring which prompted her to think about her original ring.

my helix ring

the client’s original ring

finished piece in silver

So if you have lost your favourite piece of jewellery and would like something similar made,

or if it has become worn or broken,

or if you have a costume piece which is no longer wearable and you would like the “real thing” made in precious metals get in touch.

Continue reading »]]> A client contacted me recently who was interested in getting a simple wedding and engagement ring set and didn’t want to spend too much money as we all know weddings can be very expensive.

She didn’t wear much jewellery and wanted it to be timeless, easy to wear and understated. She also preferred white metals to yellow gold so went for the option of 9ct white gold as that was also within her budget.

Here is the completed set

The natural colour of 9ct white gold has a slight yellow tinge. If you go to most high street/ big brand jewellers they will only give you the option of the 9ct white gold with rhodium plating. This comes off over time and will need re plated at least 1-2 times a year depending on wear. My client decided to go with the natural look as the colour is very subtle and it suited her complexion.

So if you don’t have a massive budget and would like a simple, timeless engagement or wedding ring please get in touch.

Continue reading »]]> The majority of my clients are women but I also make jewellery for men and occasionally a client contacts me to make something bespoke which isn’t like my own work.

For me this is great as I love a challenge and like to take a break from making my own ranges of jewellery. It’s also fun to experiment with different styles, techniques and materials.

Recently I client asked me to make a pendant in the style that Russell Brand wears in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. I hadn’t seen the film so watched some clips on Youtube to try and get a closer look. The piece was really rugged and unique, so I told the client that I couldn’t make an exact replica but could use my own style and make something similar.

If the client already has an idea of what they would like made I encourage them to email me a picture or sketches of the design. This is the picture which my client provided,

Images of the finished piece made in silver with oxidised detail.

If you would like something made in the style that you’ve seen a celebrity wearing but don’t want an exact replica, get in touch to discuss what can be made in your budget. Or if you’ve got your own idea/design made into something you can wear get in touch.

Continue reading »]]> Over the past few months I’ve been working on bespoke commissions for clients weddings.

A client wanted a wedding band to fit with her princes cut diamond and platinum engagement ring. She had been to a few high street jewellers but they didn’t have anything to fit as the setting wouldn’t allow a ring to fit under it. And none of their rings complemented her engagement ring. So the only option was to get a bespoke wedding band made which most chain, high street jewellers don’t do.

I had made a bespoke fitted band for a previous client who had passed my details onto this new customer, so my new client knew it was possible.

Originally the new client wanted a thin band but as her diamond was quite large the setting protruded over the shank right down to the bottom of the ring. This meant that the wedding ring had to be 3mm wide to allow for the cutting out of the shape to slide into the setting.

Platinum fitted wedding band

As well as engagement and wedding rings I make a selection of pearl and silver jewellery which is suitable for bridal wear. A client liked my designs and asked me to make a pair of Silver and Pearl chain earrings similar to a set which I already make but with different chain. Here is what I made.

Another client wanted something really simple and elegant for her daughter to wear who was getting married. As the dress is the main statement sometimes you don’t want to over do it with the jewellery so I made a pair of pearls studs and single pearl pendant with cluster twist hair piece.

So remember to search previous posts on my blog to see previous commissions I have had made. And if you have bought some bespoke jewellery, be sure to pass on the details to any friends who are looking to buy pieces!

Continue reading »]]> After exhibiting at the wedding show in Dundee earlier on in the year I met with a couple who wanted me to make their wedding and engagement rings.

The female client already had an engagement ring which was purchased a while ago but was not to her taste any more. As it still had the sentimental value she wanted me to use the diamonds in the ring and set them into an 18ct white gold band which was to be her wedding ring. For the new engagement ring I was to source a princess cut (square) diamond which was to be set in 18ct white gold and the two rings were to fit together. And for him – he chose a simple classic silver wedding band, the bottom sketch.

Here are the sketches of the design

Here is the finished 18ct white gold engagement and wedding ring set

When I asked the client if she was happy with the design and how it turned out she said they had turned out even better than expected.

I’d like to thank all my customers who have commissioned a bespoke piece, it gives me a chance to experiment with designs I might not normally produce and challenges me skills. I really enjoy taking on commissions like these.

If you would like a bespoke wedding or engagement ring made from scratch or made using some of your old pieces of jewellery please get in touch.

Continue reading »]]> Back in February I had the opportunity to visit Munich as a research trip and attended one of the worlds largest jewellery trade shows Inhorgenta, it’s basically the Crufts of jewellery shows!

The show itself was absolutely massive and totally overwhelming to begin with as there was so much to take in. Unfortunately cameras were forbidden in the hall so no photos I’m afraid.

With a hall devoted to tools, display, packaging and technology, one hall for large brand jewellers (like Thomas Sabo – who had a huge funky stand) and watches (Fossil – giant wooden cube). There was a hall for smaller designers which were separated into collectives/groups, universities. It was nice to see some British designers like Jane Adam and recognised some silversmiths who exhibit at goldsmiths. This hall also had the more established independent German designers. The range of work was mind blowing and the Germans really are the most talented jewellers! Their pieces were mostly made in 22ct yellow gold, most of which were very simple but chunky designs. The pieces were extremely well made and finished to a very high standard. It was really inspiring to see such innovative designs and it’s made me realise that I want to produce creative, one off statement pieces again.

Two huge halls were also devoted to precious, semi precious stones and beads, I was in heaven! It was an amazing experience and I could have quite easily spent an absolute fortune. But I went with a budget in mind and Alan helped me keep my sensible head on and stopped me spending too much! I could have spent my whole budget on the first stall I found as it was full of my favourite stones, including Kyanite, dendritic quartz, rutile quartz in the unusual cuts that I use.

Some stalls had open shell schemes with tables covered in loose stones to pick up. I learned quite quickly that some stalls were more expensive than others as stones were individually boxed and locked in cabinets. These stalls were set up as a retail outlet. They were also a lot quieter so you knew not to enter those ones unless you had mega bucks to spend!

Lots of stalls sold strands of different gems and beads, hanging from the top of the wall right down to the ground. Quite a lot of the bead stalls had the same or similar stock but charged different prices, so it was good to look and compare before you bought. Some gave discounts when you purchased a set amount, most had minimum spend in store. This was quite annoying as I saw some nice strands but only wanted a few things but their minimum spend was €500.

They all had different ways of pricing, some didn’t have prices. Most were in euros and had weird codes so you had to ask the staff for help. All the stalls had small baskets or trays for loose stones (these were priced per carat). Most stalls only took cash and you had to specifically ask for receipts. One of my friends visited last year so I was prepared with cash and ready to ask for receipts but some places wouldn’t write them so I had to make notes of what I spent and from whom.

As the show was so big we split it up into two days, one day for stones and one to look at the designers (though I did go back to one of the stone stalls to get some more). Here are two of my favourite type of quartz.

Dendritic Quartz

Tourmalinated Quartz

These are some of the stones I bought and can’t wait to make some new exciting pieces. Hopefully I’ll have some of these made into fantastic new pieces by the Westend Festival in August, so come visit my stand during 6th-14th to see what’s new.

If you would like something made with any of these stones please get in touch.

Over the years I have been collecting stones. I now have a large selection of stones which are ready to make into some gorgeous pieces of jewellery. Here are a set of green amethyst (purchased from my London supplier) and two topaz which I purchased in Mexico a few years ago. Now that I am a full time self employed jeweller I will have the time to make some exciting new pieces with these stones.

Continue reading »]]> One thing I love the most about doing a commission is working closely with the client and seeing their reaction when a piece is complete.

I was contacted by a male client to make an unusual ring made in 18ct white gold using his partners own diamonds from old rings she didn’t wear any more.

He spent some time looking at designs on the internet, but they were quite traditional and he knew his partner would like something really unique. Originally he wanted to get it made as a surprise but in the end we included his partner in the design process.

These are the original designs which were selected as inspiration.

Out of the designs he had originally selected and some other ones which his partner chose, we discussed the elements which she wanted to be in her new ring. There was a lot happening in the designs. I asked my client to choose which rings she liked the best. This helped me to refine my own design for the ring.

So I went away and designed a variety of rings on paper for her to choose from and this was the final design that was chosen. My client really wanted a large statement / knuckle duster style ring with the 10 diamonds from her old rings set into it.

I was pleased that she ended up choosing a really unusual, chunky statement ring as I really enjoy making one off pieces and this design was a great challenge. Here is the final ring made in 18ct white gold with 10 diamonds.

The actual ring lies along the finger to the knuckle and is apporximately 3cm in length. My client was absolutely thrilled as it was exactly what she asked for getting something totally unique that no one else has and fitted perfectly.

This piece truely is a one of a kind Genna Design!

If you would like something totally one off made bespoke for you, please get in touch.

Continue reading »]]> A client contacted me who had some old gold rings that she never wore and she also had a troy ounce gold ingot that was kept in her jewellery box. She wanted two rings made from the gold that fitted with her current engagement ring, one as a wedding band and one as an eternity ring.

Normally when I make commissions or other jewellery I buy in the materials and make the pieces from these. So this was a new challenge as I had not melted down gold before, never alone seen a real gold ingot so this was really exciting!

Clients gold rings and ingot

The rings themselves were a combination of 9ct and 18ct and the ingot was 999. As I had never worked with 999 before I wanted to use the ingot to make these rings and to get it hallmarked at the highest standard rather than mixing the golds together. The diamonds from the rings were also to be used and set into the new rings.

I decided to make silver sample rings before going ahead and making them in the gold, the ring in the centre is the clients own ring. I made one v shaped and the other curving round the engagement ring to create a different look. In the end we thought that the V shaped rings either side would be best. One of the rings would be thicker to fit the 3 larger diamonds and the other ring was to be thinner with the two tiny diamonds and the 2mm diamond taken out of my clients old rings and reused.

Silver sample rings with clients engagement ring

The process of melting the ingot proved to be difficult and time consuming, but was a great learning curve. I purchased a skillet to melt the gold into and cut the ingot into strips and laid them into the skillet. Unfortunately the skillet obtained most of the heat and my blowtorch couldn’t make the gold melt. So I tried laying the gold strips onto my honeycomb blocks and melted the strips together which worked!

Then by using my drawbench I drew the gold down into square wire and used my rolling mill to flatten the metal.

999 carat gold is such a soft metal to work with. It files, sands and forms very easily so it was very nice to work with but you have to be very gentle with it. The next stage was to create the V shape, form the ring and solder.

Ingot made into gold ring

I did this process twice but made one of the rings thinner than the other as the smaller diamonds were to be set into this ring. When wearing all rings together it would have been really chunky if both rings were the same thickness so I thought it would be best to make one thinner and the diamonds wouldn’t be lost with a thinner shank.

Next I smoothed the  edges by filing and sanding with soft grade files and paper. Then soldered the 18ct white gold tubing onto the rings, cleaned, polished and then finally set the stones.

Clients engagement ring in centre with the two new rings made from the ingot either side.

It was a great experience making these rings and I learned a lot from it. So if you have any gold jewellery that you no longer wear which is sentimental to you. Instead of leaving it in your jewellery box come to me to get it made into something that you can enjoy wearing again.

Continue reading »]]> A client recently contacted me to make an engagement ring for his soon to be fiance (now fiance). His partner is an architect so it seemed quite apt that he wanted to commission me as my work is inspired by architecture. He liked the simplicity of my designs and knew his partner would too.

He spent some time deciding which design would be perfect for her and knew he wanted a baguette or princess cut diamond. For the final design chose this 18ct white gold with 4mm princess cut diamond with satin finish.

Another client wanted a platinum wedding band to fit her engagement ring. Her ring had an unusual shaped setting but I managed to make the platinum band fit.

If you would like to commission some jewellery then don’t hesitate to contact me.

Continue reading »]]> I was recently commissioned to make an unusual chain for a male client. He didn’t wear much jewellery but wanted one of my pieces to wear on special occasions.

He liked my work and wanted something simple and not too blingy or flashy. The design was basically left up to me and I didn’t have much to go with but he wanted it made in silver. I asked him what type of things he liked but he just said I like your work so have some fun, I’ll leave it up to you.

So I decided to make a simpler, less chunky version of my labyrinth neck-piece. Here is what I produced, it’s silver with oxidised detail, approximately 20″ in length.

So sometimes you may not have any ideas of your own but want something unusual made. I knew the client liked my work but he never gave me any ideas of what he wanted so I was worried that he wasn’t going to like it. Thankfully he did!  It’s a bit risky working like this but as the client wasn’t giving anything away it was totally left up to me.

If you would like an unusual piece of jewellery made, for men or women, I can design something in my style especially for you.

Continue reading »]]> Love is in the air! As valentine’s Day is just around the corner jewellery is the prefect gift for the special someone in your life.

I have lots of gorgeous pieces to choose from my online shop. I’m still offering free postage on orders over £50. For jewellery with the love theme, I have some heart jewellery to choose from including my red and blue perspex heart charm silver bracelets.

Silver and perspex heart neckpiece with chunky handmade silver chain, approximately 19″ in length. I also have red perspex cuffs, red pearl pendant and red perspex and silver rectangle pendant and studs. So check out my website to see what fabulous jewellery is available for valentines day.

As we’re on a romantic theme I thought I’d let you know about my first show of 2011 which will be The Wedding Show at Caird Hall, Dundee, on Sunday 20th February. Last year I launched my wedding jewellery ranges including engagement rings and bridal jewellery for the bride and bridesmaids including tiaras, pearl and silver jewellery with cufflinks and tie pins for grooms party.

crystal and pearl earrings

double textured bangle with pearls

Remember I’m available to make bespoke jewellery and wedding rings. So get in touch if you would like something made.

Continue reading »]]> I was recently contacted by a new client to commission a special ring for his girlfriend. He came across my website after searching for engagement rings.

The customer had a really unusual subtle pale pink morganite heart shaped stone and wanted it made into a ring. He really liked the simplicity and elegance of my engagement ring designs and wanted me to set the stone into one of my own designs. He chose a few designs which his partner would like and we discussed the design via phone and email. He then arranged to meet me at my stall in The Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh where I could take the stone and receive deposit. When making commissions I always take at least 50% up front to allow me to begin with the piece and to secure the deal.

Here is the design sketches, we decided on the straight heart

The result was this chunky but elegant silver and morganite ring.

If you have a stone which you would like set in a piece of contemporary jewellery then please get in touch to discuss possible commissions. Most orders take about 4 weeks but sometimes if you have a tight schedule it’s possible to have pieces made sooner. So get in touch to find out more.

Continue reading »]]> I spent my last day before Christmas in my freezing cold studio today and I am really looking forward to a nice break over the festive period. I’ve had some fantastic commissions to do in time for Christmas including:

Silver and 9ct gold wire ring

A revamp of an old engagement ring into a fantastic contemporary design using the gold, diamonds and sapphire from the original ring

And a fabulous Dendritic Quartz statement ring for a friend

You still have time to order before 22nd December from my online shop and receive pieces in time for Christmas. (Free post over £50). Royal Mail Special delivery can take up to 2 days to dispatch so order now! There’s also the 23 outlets that stock my jewellery throughout the UK so have a look at my stockists to see if there’s a gallery near you.

Thank you everyone for being such great customers and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

from Genna Delaney

Continue reading »]]> A client recently contacted me to make an engagement ring and matching wedding band but didn’t have a massive budget. He really liked the simplicity of my rollered ring and wanted a thicker version with a 3mm (10pts) clear diamond and thinner wedding band. Originally a smaller CZ (Cubic Zirconia) was set in the engagement ring. Then later in the year he asked me to set a larger diamond and commissioned the matching wedding band. Here are images of the finished pieces.

stacked together

So if you don’t have a massive budget but want something different from the traditional engagement ring contact me to see what’s possible. Your treasured item doesn’t have to cost a fortune!

Continue reading »]]> I was recently commissioned to make a set of 18ct white gold engagement and wedding rings. My client doesn’t wear much jewellery and didn’t want anything to blingy or showy. But wanted something simple in an art deco style with a contemporary twist. She liked the simplicity of my engagement ring designs and wanted something different from the norm. We discussed various options with different shapes and sizes of diamonds. Here is the original design inspiration

The client decided to go with a single baguette diamond off centre so that when the wedding band was worn with the engagement ring, the design was complete.

I really enjoyed making this set and handmade the setting to fit the stone, then finally set the diamond. It was exciting but scary and am so pleased I had the opportunity to tackle this challenge.

Work in progress at the bench, 18ct white gold bands and handmade box setting

The rings were also to be rhodium plated. The natural colour of 18ct white gold is a duller gun metal so it requires rhodium plating to give it a slightly whiter, brighter, silver look. This coating will come off over time and will require replating each year, depending on how rough you are with your hands. The finished egagement ring is matt finish with the wedding band being highly polished to create a nice contrast.

The customer was extremely happy with the rings, saying Wow! Super Wow! Genna knew exactly what we were hoping to achieve and did wonders, turning our very rough pencil sketch into my most-treasured possession!

If you would like to get a bespoke wedding ring made or have had an idea of a special piece of jewellery made please get in touch.

Continue reading »]]> A customer contacted me about a potential commission. She had some old rings which included diamonds. These were just lying in a jewellery box not being used.

The client liked my work and was interested in my pieces with differing textures and which combined two different coloured metals – oxidised/shiny silver and yellow gold/silver etc.

The original rings

She supplied me with three white gold rings and a yellow gold ring, one of the white gold rings had diamonds set into it.

I examined the pieces and realised I could easily revamp these into a new piece. I cut the yellow gold ring and tapered it into two thin wires.

The design

I designed a piece in the style of my layered range. This could recycle all the materials from her rings in a new way. The only new additions were the chains and earring hooks.

The client was happy with the design and so I went ahead with the commission.

The final result

The final result was very striking. I had reused the old rings and stones and revamped them into a new design which is contemporary, striking and will now spend much more time being worn by the customer.

I have previously revamped jewellery for customers including the Revamped Chunky bead necklace. If you would like to commission a revamp of your old jewellery, please feel free to contact me or post in the comments section.

Continue reading »]]> A few months back a client approached me asking about commissions. Their son had a special birthday coming up and being a keen musician and huge Jimi Hendrix fan she thought a guitar pendant might make a great gift.

The original sketch

After doing some research into different types of guitars to get an idea of what different details make up a guitar. I was able to come up with a stylised guitar shape. I drew some sketches and the customer decided that she preferred the lower sketch.

Finished guitar pendant

After a few days of hard work in the studio this is the pendant I made. This was individually hand pierced out from silver sheet. Each individual detail was cut out by hand and then added to the main guitar piece. I am very pleased with how it turned out, looking very guitary. The final piece was about 4.5cm long and I am really pleased with the level of detail I got onto it.

I really enjoyed making this piece, it was a lot of fun.

The client was delighted with the result as was her son.

If you have any ideas for commissions then please remember I do both variations of my existing ranges and implementation of your own ideas too!

Continue reading »]]> I enjoy taking on commissions as it allows me to have a more personal relationship with the client. it also allows me the chance to find out more about them and learning what style of jewellery they enjoy wearing. This allows me to make that special bespoke piece for each individual client.

Revamping Old Jewellery

I have recently taken on a commission for a client who had her own set of chunky beads and she wanted me to revamp them in my own style by adding a bit of Genna Design glamour!

At that point I had just begun making some limited edition beaded necklaces with handmade silver pendants and catches. Designed around the style of beads this makes each necklace unique and incorporating silver makes them more precious and individual.

I was wearing my first necklace in this style and she totally loved it.

Remembering she had those old chunky beads lying in her jewellery box, she wanted me to work my magic on them.

I first began designing components which would fit in neatly with the shape of the beads then e-mailed my client designs. We both agreed straight away on our favourite. Then I got started on the silver component and catch. I added some button shape coral beads which I had in my box of goodies (I have built up quite a collection of stones and beads over the years which is an inevitable part of being a jeweller). I assembled the necklace and here’s the finished piece.

So if you like what you see and you have your own beads which you no longer wear, contact me and I can revamp them into something special.

Continue reading »]]> A client really liked my labyrinth style bracelet and wanted one made for her son. She wanted a long chunky main component in the centre and thicker wire links. Here’s what I came up with

This is silver with oxidised detail. I love the colour variations that sometimes occur when oxidising silver.

It is really effective on this piece.