The Jewellers Journal: Spring at The Jewellers Guild
It’s been a wonderfully busy couple of months in the workshop, and one thing has really stood out, the sheer number of redesign and remodelling projects coming through our doors. More and more customers are choosing to breathe new life into their existing jewellery, and with computer‑aided design and manufacturing now one of our biggest strengths, we’re able to show you exactly how your new piece will look before a single gram of metal is touched.
At the flick of a button we can switch gemstones, change metal types, adjust proportions, and walk you through every angle of the design. It’s taken all the guesswork out of the process. Even better, CAD allows us to analyse the model and calculate precisely how much metal is needed, crucial when we’re working with your own gold, especially when it carries sentimental value.
Some of my favourite jobs this month have been the inherited pieces. Instead of restyling them, a few clients asked us to create complete replicas of the originals, pieces that had been worn thin, damaged, or lost their detail over decades of love. Think of it like restoring a classic car but fitting it with a modern electric engine. The soul stays the same, but the performance is better than ever. You might have spotted a few of these transformations on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
And with wedding season in full swing, the workshop has seen a huge surge in wedding rings being made. Melting down customers’ gold and turning it into their wedding bands has definitely increased, and with gold prices where they are, it’s one of the most efficient and meaningful ways to reuse old jewellery. But it doesn’t stop at wedding rings. We’ve partnered with an incredible casting company in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, the very place where I trained, which means we can now send your gold and the CAM file to be cast directly into your new piece. It keeps the sentiment, reduces waste, and in many cases is far more cost‑effective.
Anniversary Season Arrives
Alongside wedding season comes another favourite time of year in the workshop, anniversary season. This is when we get to create pieces that celebrate life’s milestone moments, each one tied to a traditional gemstone or metal:
20th Anniversary — Emerald
25th Anniversary — Silver
30th Anniversary — Pearl
40th Anniversary — Ruby
45th Anniversary — Sapphire
50th Anniversary — Gold
55th Anniversary — Emerald
60th Anniversary — Diamond
Whether it’s a remodel, a brand‑new design, or a piece created using your own gold, these commissions always carry a special kind of meaning, a celebration of years lived, loved, and shared.
A New Way to See the Workshop
We’ve had such a great response to our workshop blogs that we wanted to take things a step further. So last month I treated myself to a pair of the new Ray‑Ban Meta glasses — complete with a built‑in camera. Soon you’ll be able to see first‑person footage of repairs, alterations, redesigns, and all the day‑to‑day bench work that brings your jewellery to life. Think Call of Duty, but goldsmith edition.
I just need to remember to stop recording when I go to the toilet.
Stay tuned...we’ve got plenty more to share next month.
