A woman sitting at a desk looking through a microscope, with a plant in the background and a window above. There are various personal items and equipment on the desk.

A look inside my creative process

All of my jewellery is made from my studio in Sheffield, UK. Where design allows, I carry out every part of the process myself - from the first sketches and stone sourcing, through to making the piece, setting the stones, and finally engraving each piece by hand.

I value keeping everything in-house because it makes the jewellery feel personal and deeply connected to the original idea. It also reduces the environmental impact of each piece, and ensures quality.

I’m drawn to processes that leave evidence of the human hand behind, this is one of the reasons I love hand-engraving so much. I think it’s the irregularities and tiny hand-forged details that make something feel special.

Most of my work is rooted in the idea that imperfection is beautiful, both in jewellery and in people. For this reason, you will rarely find flawless symmetry in my pieces, but there will be lots of character and charm.

Designing your piece

Most of my designs begin with a pattern. I notice small details in architecture or nature and become excited by the idea of translating them into metal, bringing them to life with engraving, gemstones and form. I love jewellery that reveals more the longer you look at it, and I design my pieces within this in mind.

For bespoke work, I sketch each design before any making begins, allowing the piece to develop collaboratively.

  • Sketch of five ring designs with floral and leaf patterns, numbered 1 to 5, with handwritten notes describing each design.

  • A necklace with pink gemstone pendant and matching smaller charms, laid on a gray surface with jewelry sketches and coloring tools nearby.

  • Sketch and notes illustrating the design of an engraved green amethyst ring, including pattern details, water cast pendant, and front and back views, with drawing pens on the paper.

  • Drawing of a gold engagement ring and a diamond ring with blue gemstones, viewed from different angles.

  • Close-up of a person's finger with dark red nail polish holding a small square stamping plate with floral and leaf designs, used for nail art. The background shows hand-drawn jewelry sketches with circular and star-shaped motifs.

Constructing your piece

I construct each piece using traditional techniques. Small differences naturally emerge through the making process meaning that no two pieces are ever exactly the same. I think that these subtle differences are what makes handmade objects feel so comforting.

I love the physicality of making jewellery, there is something about working with fire, force and raw materials that suits me - I find the whole process really grounding.

Occasionally, casting may be required to achieve the desired form. When this is the case, I usually sculpt the design in wax for it to be sent to a specialist caster, before carrying out the final stages such as engraving and stone setting in my studio.

Close-up of a pair of fingers holding a small metal cylindrical object with a wire loop on top, possibly jewelry or a jewelry part, on a wooden workbench with tools and supplies blurred in the background.
Jeweler's workbench with a glass crucible, small tools, a blowtorch, a bottle of cleaning solution, and scattered wipes and debris.

Gemstones

Close-up of a hand with a ring featuring three gemstones, two black and one clear, worn on the finger.
Close-up of a diamond and a gold chain set in a metallic jewelry piece with soil and dirty fabric nearby.

Sourcing and setting gemstones is one of the best parts of being a jeweller, I feel so lucky to work with such amazing materials.

I source most larger stones individually, particularly for bespoke work. I’m drawn to stones that feel atmospheric, I love anything with unusual colours or inclusions, the kind of stones that would be hard to identify.

I also use a lot of smaller stones in my work to bring movement and colour to engraving.

I’m always happy to swap stones out in my designs and I only source from suppliers who adhere to strong ethical practices.

Engraving

Hand-engraving sits at the centre of my work. I learnt to engrave because I’m obsessed with the way it looks, it’s the type of jewellery I wear myself. I specialise in bright cut engraving, where each line catches the light like a tiny mirror. I think it looks amazing every single time.

The best bit about hand-engraving is that it cannot be perfectly repeated, nor can the same effect be achieved by machine. Every line is shaped by natural human movement, leaving behind subtle differences that give each piece character.

Engraving is a slow process, requiring lots of focus and patience, it feels meditative to me and I find it fascinating that it’s one of the oldest craft forms.

Close-up of a silver jewelry pendant hanging from a ball chain necklace, with decorative engravings and embedded gemstones, against a plain background.
Close-up of a gold decorative brooch or jewelry piece with a purple gemstone at its center, set against a textured gray background.