Hi Everyone,

I am a relative newbie to the jewellery making craft even though I have been interested in precious metals (gold & silver) for a very long time.

To cut a long story short: My journey began in December 2016 when, after another round of redundancies at work, my job didn’t feel as secure as it once did. I felt the need to have a skill that I could develop first via a hobby but would also provide an income if the need ever arose. Just before Christmas I purchased an Artisan disc cutter set and brass sheet and stamped my first jewellery charms and I have been utterly hooked ever since!

I have been reading books and online technical journals on Silversmithing. I joined an online training course and did a one day private tuition at the London jeweller school. I have also converted half of my garage into a dedicated jewellery making workshop.

I am not creative in any way and don’t pretend to be. My main qualification is in electronics (maintenance technician) and my approach to this craft is mostly technical and that is what I really enjoy about it. The tools available today allow someone like me to produce items that (hopefully) are good enough to sell. N.B: I have yet to sell my first item, so maybe this is all just a pipe dream.

I sometimes feel like I am a bit of a ‘hack’ especially when I read and hear people talk about how passionate they are about jewellery making and how they have been doing it since they were very young. But believe me, I am passionate and meticulous about the craft, I just don’t possess creative talent. Maybe it will develop over time…?