Young British Jewellers

I recently joined the Young British Jewellers website which is an 'online community' of some of the best jewellery talent in the UK today. When you join Young British Jewellers you get a profile page that you can personalise and an image gallery, as well as a messaging service to communicate with the other member jewellers.

The website has a detailed events calendar and a blog which is full of news and promises to showcase 'jewellers’ studios, interviews, exhibition reviews and of course plenty of photos'.

Vega, Christopher and Lucie run the website and are active on social media such as Twitter and Facebook, which is great to see as well as being extremely helpful if you have any questions.

The 'young' does not refer the age of the jeweller, it instead draws reference to the innovation in the techniques and materials used by the jewellers, creating a wide range of different jewellery styles to browse on the website.

The standard of the jewellery is very high and and there are some great jewellers on the website that I might not have discovered if I hadn't joined.

A few of my favourites are - 

Hannah-May Chapman who has the fabulous Cell Collection, inspired by cells under the microscope. It combines resin, plastics, synthetic fur, base metal and silver to create fun, playful pieces. Hannah states she is a process driven designer, inspired by the natural and surreal world around her. Her work looks so tactile and combines beautiful colours with a range of fun materials.

Acrospheara Brooch by Hannah-May Chapman

 

Catinulus Cufflinks by Hannah-May Chapman

 

Catinulus Studs by Hannah-May Chapman

 
Wing Hang Chan (Kody) makes jewellery inspired by the Birmingham skyline and the colours of the sky. Combining brass and felt with techniques such as powder coating, plating, felting, laser welding and riveting, Kody makes wonderfully tactile and striking pieces of jewellery. Born in Hong Kong, Kody will be graduating from the School of Jewellery, Birmingham this year - one to watch out for!

Silver linings collection by Wing Hang Chan

Lana Crabb works in the most vibrant colours, which I think is great! Working in unusual non-precious materials such as rubber bands, paint, thread, balloons and broken gems, Lana creates small but wearable art pieces that create a statement. I really liked this statement by Lana, 'I aim to create preciousness aesthetically rather than traditionally with gold or gems'.

Small Squiggle Brooch by Lana Crabb

Yellow Tank Studs by Lana Crabb

Pink Peek-a-boo Gem Studs by Lana Crabb

Amanda Trimmer is inspired by comic books and superheroes. Laser cut paper and powder coated metal create brightly coloured and funky pieces that are intricate and beautiful. Amanda says that she used her own imagination when growing up to adapt to the new cultures she faced due to travelling a lot and this shows in her work.

Secret Superhero by Amanda Trimmer

Obscura by Amanda Trimmer

Amy Logan creates jewellery inspired by the fluid lines found in drawings and landscapes. Forming and hammering then powder coating and plating the metal gives Amy a wonderful fluidity to her pieces, which are strikingly elegant.

Gold Wire Earrings by Amy Logan

Grey Powder Coated Chain by Amy Logan

Pink Pendant with Black Chain by Amy Logan

There are many more talented jewellers who have work on the Young British Jewellers website, I think at last count there were 154, but I couldn't write about all of them! 

I have realised that I have been drawn towards and therefore written about four jewellers who all work in mixed media and bright colours. This was not intentional but I think it says quite a lot about me and my jewellery tastes.

Thanks to all the jewellers who allowed me to use their work in this blog post. It's been great fun looking at all the lovely pieces that these talented ladies make. Also thanks to the Young British Jewellers team for creating this wonderful tool and for promoting jewellery design on their website.

Wedding Jewellery

Wedding jewellery means different things to different people. The meaning or purpose behind each piece of jewellery might be different to the Bride, to the Groom, to the Bridesmaids, to the shop assistant, to the designer and so on.

I started to write this blog post when I was getting ready to get married last year. The writing of it fell by the wayside as the wedding drew nearer and I have only just picked up writing it again. I am quite glad of this however because I can now tell you all about my wedding jewellery experience and what I have learnt from it - the differences between what the designer thinks and what the bride thinks.

Brides. For some wedding jewellery is the chance to add a bit of/bit more bling to their outfit, for others it's an opportunity to add a splash of colour, some brides prefer to have some meaning to their baubles and maybe for some it's a chance to do all three! But that isn't where their options/meaning/opportunities etc. end. Wedding jewellery means something different to each and every bride.

Jewellery designers. This is a designer's chance to design something really special, something that the bride/groom/bridesmaids/best man/ushers etc. will cherish, admire and keep forever.

In my research I have found that most brides want plain wedding bands and simple, elegant bridal jewellery. Most brides don't want the jewellery to be the star of the show because, of course, it is the bride who is the star of the show. Wedding jewellery for men tends to be anything they would normally wear such as a chain, a watch and perhaps cufflinks (shirt allowing) and of course the wedding band.

I have been to about 10 weddings and I can honestly say (no offence intended to those in the bridal parties) that I cannot remember anything about the jewellery the bride/groom/bridesmaids/best man/ushers wore. That's not to say that the jewellery they were wearing wasn't beautiful or even that I didn't comment on it because I probably did! Maybe it's because I am a jeweller that I focus on other things at weddings like the cake, I love a beautiful cake! Maybe it's because these brides and grooms have all chosen their jewellery so well that it became part of their overall outfit/look instead of being a separate item.

Dundee based jeweller Genna Delaney makes beautifully elegant wedding jewellery with pearls. Genna's main range of jewellery is very different from her wedding jewellery, a lot of it includes chunky stones, coloured acrylic and textured metal. Genna has captured the wedding jewellery market perfectly with these floaty, classic pieces.

Genna Delaney. 3 Strand Pearl Necklace.

Genna Delaney. Single Chain Pearl Drop Earrings.

For my own wedding I travelled up to Scotland with nothing made and horrified everyone by making a necklace at aisle minus 2 hours. I was fortunate enough to have an antique charm bracelet that my grandad bought me that I knew I was going to wear so I only had a necklace and earrings to make. The earrings problem was solved by my bridesmaid Zoe and her fiance, Chris, giving me a belated birthday present of some beautiful red glass earrings. I then designed and made a simple pearl and crystal necklace incorporating parts taken out of a bracelet (that was too big) that my gran had given me for my 21st Birthday.

My wedding jewellery.

My antique charm bracelet.

I made my maid of honour and my two bridesmaids little personalised charm bracelets with different coloured semi precious stones and silver charms with their names letter stamped on.

I had wanted to wear a signature Ruth Gordon Jewellery bright red coral necklace to match my petticoat, sash and shoes. I decided against this thinking that less was probably more in this case. 

Bright red coral - perfect for weddings?

I realised after my wedding that every piece of jewellery I wore had meaning and sentimental value to it. The necklace and bracelet had reminders of my grandparents, my earrings were given to me by my dear friends and my ring was made by my husband.

My new husband had on the ring I made him and my mum was even sporting some Ruth Gordon Jewellery earrings. We were all wearing jewellery that we enjoyed wearing, that meant something to us and that looked good.

I won't get into the theory suggesting that many jewellers prefer only to wear jewellery for sentimental value at the moment as that is another blog post in the pipeline!


I should probably mention the most important and special part of the wedding jewellery - the rings. Doug and I decided to make our own rings. I would make his and I would guide him through making mine. It was great fun and I would recommend doing this to other engaged couples. It made the ring giving and receiving that little bit more special. I also found out that Doug has a natural talent with metal. We made the rings in palladium to match my engagement ring, a material which I hadn't used before and therefore I had a bit of a struggle to get to terms with how the solder reacts to heat. I really enjoyed working with the palladium once I got the hang of it, it is quite a forgiving metal and it has the benefit of being cheaper the plantinum and gold. I hope to work with it again and would encourage other couples to investigate it as a great alternative to the traditional metals.

Doug putting flux onto my palladium wedding band

Ruth Gordon Jewellery soldering Doug's palladium wedding band

Several jewellers are now offering a 'Make your own wedding ring' service and I would really encourage this as a lovely way to do something together that makes the wedding day even more special. In Edinburgh Donna Barry and Hannah Louise Lamb have set up a company called Make Your Own Wedding Rings where they invite couples to come into their workshop and are taken through the making process, step-by-step. During the day the jewellers will also take photos and the couple get a CD of images. Not only do you get your handmade wedding bands you get a lovely keepsake of the documented making process.

In Leicestershire, Kate Bajic is offering a Make Your Own Wedding Rings workshop. Along with the personal tuition of a professional jeweller, couples receive photographs as a memento of the day.

Both workshops are priced at under £300 for the tuition and use of all tools plus the expertise and advice of the jewellers. The cost of raw materials and hallmarking is additional. I think these are brilliantly priced for such a wonderful experience. After all you are exchanging rings as a symbol of your love and you will wear them forever! 


Men's jewellery is always hard especially as I don't currently make male jewellery and my husband doesn't wear any jewellery apart from his wedding band. I had previously made some cufflinks as a wedding commission (see the blog post here and photo below) and would like to make more. They are a lovely thank you present for the best man and ushers and, of course, for the groom. 

Barker/Kirby cufflink commission

As a jewellery designer I can appreciate beautiful jewellery not only for its aesthetic appeal but also because I know what has gone into making it. I feel with the rise of craft and design in Britain today more and more people are understanding this, which is great. More people want something really special when they buy a piece of jewellery, whether it be for their wedding or an everyday occasion.

I am currently very drawn towards the work of Hannah Louise Lamb. I love her Coast- and Skyline ranges and I think they fit into this post about wedding jewellery perfectly. Last year I saw in one of Hannah's Facebook posts that she had made a pair of wedding bands for a couple who were from two very different cities and wanted this incorporated into their rings. The groom had the skyline of his wife's home city of Prague on his band and the bride had the skyline of her husband's home city of Edinburgh on hers. I think this is a beautiful idea.

Hannah Louise Lamb. Skyline Wedding Bands

Hannah also makes Coastline jewellery which is utterly gorgeous and a perfect way to incorporate that special place into a piece of jewellery. Again going back to my personal experience, coastlines are quite special to me. I got engaged on a beach in Wales, married on the banks on a Scottish loch and spent every summer of my childhood on the beach on the Mainland of the Orkney Isles. I could think of many stretches of coast that I'd love to have on a ring or a brooch or have put on some cufflinks for Doug.

Hannah Louise Lamb. Coastline Rings.

I think Hannah's work lends itself beautifully to wedding jewellery and her Coast- and Skyline rings make unique wedding bands that are meaningful and stylish.

The happy couple. Not a red necklace in sight.

Christmas stockists

Is it really only three weeks until Christmas?

Ruth Gordon Jewellery has taken the Christmas fair season off this year but you can find my work scattered throughout the country and online.

Focus Gallery in Nottingham are currently having an ACJ East Midlands exhibition where my work is featured.

 

The excellent Peter Potter Gallery in Haddington also has a great selection of work from all my ranges for sale.

Hung Gallery in Inverness are also stocking my work with everything from cluster rings to acrylic bracelets for sale!

In Leicestershire the wonderful Wistow Gallery is currently stocking my work. They have a great range of my cold enamel pieces from rings to brooches as well as some nylon pieces too!

If these stunning galleries are too far afield for you then don't despair as I have two online shops too.

The fabulous Gift Wrapped & Gorgeous where you can buy classic pieces such as my Fluorite and Silver Range as well as firm favourites such as my Cluster Bangle and Acrylic Cupcake Brooch.

And last but not least, I have a Folksy shop where I sell work starting at only £10, perfect for stocking fillers!

Have a look at these galleries and, indeed, the online shops if you are stuck for someone's Christmas or just to treat yourself.

All my work is completely unique and many of my pieces are completely one off. I use Sterling Silver in my work and my pieces are hallmarked at the Edinburgh Assay Office.

To get regular updates on my work please see my Facebook page.

Have a wonderful time Christmas shopping!

Focus Gallery Exhibition

Over the last few months I have helped to organise an ACJ East Midlands exhibition at Focus Gallery in Nottingham which starts on 1st November 2012 and runs until 15th January 2013.

The exhibition should be excellent with work in various media such as silver, gold, semi precious stones, nylon and cold enamel. Jewellers involved include Ruth Gordon, Helen Shere, Kate Bajic, Ruth Wood, Gail Ferriman, Mary Graham and Karen Mckinley. This is an exciting event as it marks a great start to the ACJ East Midlands group. We are a small group who have only met once but we have big plans!

Silver and Nylon Necklace by Ruth Gordon

Silver and Nylon Bangle by Ruth Gordon

Silver and Nylon Ring by Ruth Gordon

Helen Shere

Helen Shere

Helen Shere

Cave 22.5ct gold plated silver smokey quartz treasure ring by Ruth Wood

Cave 22.5ct gold plated silver topaz treasure ring by Ruth Wood

Cave silver studs by Ruth Wood

In and Out by Gail Ferriman
©2011 Adrian Heapy Photographers

In and Out by Gail Ferriman
©2011 Adrian Heapy Photographers

Kate Bajic

Kate Bajic

Kate Bajic

On the ACJ East Midlands Facebook Page we have an album to further showcase the work that will be displayed at the Focus Gallery Exhibition.

Please pop along to the Focus Gallery if you are in the area and let us know what you think of our first ever show! 

Watch this space for a review of the exhibition!