Story Pieces
Unique, meaningful and oh so special
My story pieces are bespoke jewellery designs that take your story as inspiration.
These are creative, collaborative pieces, that are designed exclusively for you and where you are central to the design process.
Have a look at some examples below, find out how it all works and then get in touch and ask for my “Story Pieces” brochure.
Matthew and Gemma
Matthew got in touch as he wanted to create a bespoke engagement ring, with a moss agate centre stone, for Gemma.
The ring needed to be vegan and sustainable, minimising negative impact on the environment and reflecting Gemma’s personal ethos. We chatted about the things that were most important to Gemma, how they’d met, their interests and where they liked to spend their time, as well as discussing more practical questions such as preferences for metal (100% recycled white gold), gemstones (artisanal and traceable white sapphires over diamonds) and style.
I then drew a number of sketches for Matthew, which we refined, before I arranged for a moss agate from Balmerino in Scotland to be custom cut (echoing the shape of their kitten, Bru’s, nose). Once everything was ready for making to start, Matthew visited the workshop to see the metal being melted down and even tried his hand at rolling it down into sheet form.
During the making process I sent him regular updates and photographs. Once finished the ring was hallmarked at the Edinburgh Assay Office before being presented in a hand made wooden box, along with a booklet documenting the whole process and a certificate of authenticity.
Susan’s Bespoke Pendant
Susan and I chatted about her life, her childhood growing up by the sea, her family and their history. I listened as she told me about the places she and her family had lived, worked and visited and what mattered most.
The thing that came through loud and clear during our conversation was the theme of family and the wonderful strong women in her life. We decided that the theme would be family, the roots, ties that bind and lives woven together. Then it was for me to translate those stories into a concept for her pendant.
I spent time researching, allowing ideas to percolate and distill and eventually decided that I would map, using string lines, all of the places Susan had ties to. The central sapphire represents her childhood home on the beach in Scotland each strand coming off the pendant represents the relative distances to other places in the world that have meaning for her. The single sapphire on the long strand is Thailand, a place that her mum visited and bought the earrings from which that oval sapphire came. There’s a whole other side story to those earrings, personal to Susan and her mum. Each stone and strand on this beautiful, handmade, articulated pendant represents a place and a story and tie that binds.
Susan reused both the precious metal and stones from a number of rings and a watch belonging to her family, plus her mum’s earrings. She even came to the studio to watch her metal being melted down and helped to mill the gold sheet.
The finished jewel is a beautiful, contemporary pendant, imbued with much meaning, life and family history.
A Ruby Wedding Present
My client came to see me to discuss a very special Ruby wedding present for his partner. We talked at length about what he wanted to create and I asked him to tell me about her, what her interests were, their lives together, family and what was most important.
My client’s partner is a Reiki Master, interested in natural healing and yoga, walking and reading. Family is very important, they have both children and grandchildren and had spent time in the Far East/Orient, including Singapore and Japan. A favourite place was the beautiful West Coast of Scotland.
As is my process, I went away and researched the things and places my client had told me about. I learned about the harmonisation of mind, body and soul through Reiki practice. I found that the national flower of Singapore symbolised harmony. I also looked at the Scottish symbol for harmony and the four elements, which is a four loop knot, similar to Pictish symbols found on the Island of Raasay in the Western Isles of Scotland.
I also looked at Japanese family crests and found one with a trifolia plant. The triquetra is also known to symbolise land, sea and sky or mind body and soul, tying this symbol to her Reiki and Yoga practices. It is from these symbols that the design took shape.
The central stone was to be a Ruby, and my client came to the studio to choose from a selection, settling on a very beautiful cushion cut, ethically sourced from Sri Lanka. This ruby was to be surrounded by a bead set halo of traceable Canadian diamonds and was to be handmade in recycled platinum. I designed the basket of the ring in the shape of the 4 loop knot, to signify harmony and as a nod to the West Coast of Scotland and Singapore. I added triquetra shaped shoulders and each would be set with 3 diamonds, symbolising their children and grandchildren. Then, because each part of the piece deserves the same amount of thought and attention, I added an elegant knife edge shaped band which tapered towards the shoulders. It is a beautiful ethical bespoke ring, symbolising lives lived and the things that matter most.
Story
We always start with your story. I get to know you through an appointment where I find out what you want to create. This is where I understand the bigger picture behind the piece.
Inspiration
Next up comes the creative part. Here I transform your story into a concept, capturing the emotion of your piece and carefully considering each element of the design. I include everything you’ve shared with me, all pulled together into a mood board, so you can see how I’ve interpreted your tale.
Sourcing
When sourcing stones I consider different shapes and sizes, cut and clarity – looking for gemstones that embody the design. Once I’ve created a shortlist of stones I present them so you can choose the piece you love the most.
Specifics
I provide a quote and we discuss timescales and tiny details.
Then I get to work on your piece and you’ll be invited to visit and see your metal being melted. I’ll keep in touch throughout.
Finally comes the day to collect your new jewellery – your personal piece presented in a beautiful handmade wooden box. You’ll also receive a copy of my sketches and a photobook with images taken during the making process.
I’d love to hear your story
