Designer-Maker of Beautiful Jewellery
ABOUT ME
I live in the beautiful South West of England, in Devon, and have been making precious metal jewellery for about fifteen years, having done a one-year accredited course as well as several short courses. I particularly enjoy the forming of the metal to obtain the different textures and appearances that you see in my work, and am constantly experimenting in this regard.
About the Jewellery
I use precious metal (usually sterling silver) in all the jewellery I make, and have my own maker's hallmark registered with the Birmingham Assay Office, where pieces over 7 grams (approximately) in weight are assayed and stamped with both my mark and the Assay Office's mark. This protects the buyer, as it is illegal to describe any item for sale weighing more than about 7 grams as being made of a precious metal (even if it is) if the item has not been marked with an Assay Office's mark (for example, the Birmingham Assay Office's mark is an anchor, and the London Assay Office's mark is a leopard's head).
All pieces are designed and handmade by me, which means that each item I make starts from a piece of sterling silver sheet metal, and/or sterling silver wire, and the design is copyright protected. Almost nothing is 'bought in' ready made (I confess that I am not so much of a purist as to make the butterfly backs for stud earrings, though!), and I never make more than one item of a particular design, so each item is unique.
The stones and beads that I use are from reputable suppliers and ethically sourced (for example, any coral in my jewellery is mined on land, not taken from reefs), and, unless otherwise stated, are all classed as semi-precious. Many are in their natural, untreated state.
