The acquisition of fine jewellery is one of the most emotionally charged of purchases. We buy for a myriad of reasons and when we do so it is rarely on the spur of the moment. What we choose to buy is a reflection of ourselves and, in the case of gifts, what we think about and how well we know the intended recipient.

For me, high street retailing can be both mundane and intimidating in equal measures. The chain stores offer busy display cabinets dowsed in specialist artificial lighting, carefully selected piped musak, and, often, sales staff rather than professional jewellers. These shops carry a finite selection of stock; no problem if you see exactly what you want in a window - but otherwise the pressure is on you to compromise.

Commissioning a special piece means personal choice and a reduction in the need to compromise (recognising that in the real world we all have budgets so there is usually some compromise around the point between means and aspirations).

Just because someone describes themselves as a designer jeweller does not necessarily mean that their work comes with a designer price tag! The whole design and production process involved in handcrafting a unique piece may take longer than acquiring a mass produced import but I work in a small studio free from the raft of overheads and vast amounts of expensive stock of my high street competition.

Throughout the commissioning process a major part of my role is exploring with clients the ‘art of the possible’; giving my clients the freedom and encouragement to design pieces which reflect their individuality and personal style. This is actually harder than it sounds as most of us have grown up being groomed to be presented with a choice of someone else’s creations.

Working with a designer jeweller is a fundamentally different experience for most people. A great deal of time is spent in knowledge sharing with discussions on a range of issues from production techniques through to metal and stone qualities. In commissioning a bespoke piece, a client becomes an integral part of the creative process and during the course of the project retains control of the range of variables from choice of metals, size of piece and selection of stones through to the complexity of design. The jeweller is ultimately the conduit through which the client’s aspirations for the piece take shape and are brought to life.

The concept of brand recognition has been imprinted deep into all our psyches. This faith in established brands poses the greatest challenge to an emerging designer jeweller as they build their own personal brand. In my case I would hope that potential clients that I meet can see that this is much more than my business, it is my passion and this reflects in every piece that carries my mark.