The time it takes...

I am frequently asked how long it takes me to make a piece of jewellery. Sometimes this question is asked out of curiosity about the technical differences between factory-made and handcrafted work. Sometimes by people who want to learn to make silver jewellery and are wondering about the level of commitment required. And sometimes I am asked it to justify my prices. The answer is: "it depends..." - on the complexity of the piece.

Time isn't always about size. A plain, chunky bangle takes less time to make than a detailed ring. An asymmetrical pair of earrings takes more design time than a matching pair. Stone setting can be quick, but a piece with different polished surfaces can seem to take forever to get just right. But a large piece of work, such as a necklace, that contains lots of detail and embellishment will take the longest time of all, as it is made stage by stage in individual sections and then put together. 

It may seem obvious that a pair of earrings takes double the time spent on making a pendant, and often longer. Many people assume that once the first earring is made it is just a matter of quickly copying it for the next one. It's easy to make this mistake when first starting to make jewellery too, until you end up with a set of earrings that just don't look right because they both point in the same direction! Designing and making an earring, and then making its partner, exercises both sides of the brain in terms of design and the technicalities of making, as the earrings have to mirror one another to make sure they look like a pair when they are worn. The difference between a factory-made pair and a handcrafted pair can usually be seen in the attention paid to this subtle mirroring. Keeping in mind as you make earring no 2 that it has to be the opposite of earring no 1 in every way requires steady work and lots of concentration, as it's all too easy to forget to position two stones so that their textures reflect one another or to turn a loop in the opposite direction. Any deviation can ruin the earring, and require an adjustment or remake. In a way, earrings are made for one another as much as their wearer. 

The 'boring' aspects of making can take a considerable amount of time, and that's if nothing goes wrong in the process! Some aspects can be quick, some take longer than you ever imagined, while others are worth taking plenty of time over - no matter how tedious. The soldering process can be slow, with different elements of the piece having to be set up correctly on the soldering block or wig and soldered together piece by piece using different strengths of solder. I regularly spend up to an hour just setting up a complex piece to be soldered. The soldering stage is when the components of the piece are permanently 'committed' together and, if not set up securely, movement, slippage and even explosions can all take place when the metal is heated, and spoil the piece. Likewise, finishing and polishing can take up to 60% of the amount of time spent on making the piece of jewellery, with different types of filing, cleaning and polishing having to be carried out at different points in the process.

With handcrafted work the final price of the jewellery doesn't usually reflect every day, hour and minute it took to make. If it did, then the items would have to be priced out of the reach of most people who enjoy buying and wearing unique jewellery. There is a theoretical argument that the price should reflect every minute spent on the piece, including all design, making, cleaning and packaging time, and the advised going rate is £10 per hour. (much less than the hourly rate of a plumber or mechanic!). However, in reality the whole time spent is usually compressed to just take account of the actual time spent carrying out the hands-on processes to come up with a fair price that reflects the work and skill involved and to suit most pockets. 

Maquettes

This month on my workbench is a very special necklace for a 40th wedding anniversary, incorporating a large ruby. It's a commission, and the client brief is quite complex. He wants a pendant for his wife that distils their love for each other and, in discussion, it developed into also encapsulating her interest in plants and a shared enjoyment of visiting Thailand. We've settled on a waterlily design that will both show off and protect the ruby.

With a design as complex as this I prefer to create some 3D paper models for the client to look at, known as maquettes. My choice is to use the low-tech option of heavy, artist quality paper, and cutting it by hand, rather than modeling clay, wax, laser cutting, or a CAD computer design package. My main reason is that during the process of creating the paper models I can work out what will work and what won't from my drawn designs, and also how easy or difficult it will be to add embellishments once the basic design is created in metal. Really, it is a trial run for creating the real piece in silver or gold without any wasted expense.

Having maquettes available, rather than only drawings or computer images, also makes it easier for the client to both see and feel what the finished piece will be like. The client can also choose which elements they do and don't like, and swap the pieces until they can clearly show me which look they prefer. This can be a very useful exercise, as many people, understandibly, find it difficult to describe the idea in their head in terms that make sense to the person who is making the item, or visualise what the designer is telling them in return! A scale model of the piece gives you both something to talk around. 

Not all designs need a model. Some are much more straightforward and easy to describe, and some clients have a very good idea of what they want and examples to show me. But with more complicated designs, having maquettes available means that the client goes away reassured that s/he has seen and felt, and perhaps even tried out on a 'flesh and blood' model, a reasonable facsimile of what their finished piece of jewellery will be like. I suppose, in this way, being a jewellery designer can be a bit like being an architect!

Finished waterlily necklace with ruby

Welcome

Hi there and welcome to my blog, where I plan to give you an insight into what's going on in and around Passion Flower Studio. Each month I'll update you on what's hot on my workbench at the moment, what I've learnt while making it, and any other related 'findings' of info and news that may be useful.

This week I've made two pairs of earrings based on one of my most popular designs - cornflowers. I've made eight pairs of these earrings in total, changing the length, centres and stamens to make each pair unique. These two are a long pair with long, symmetrical stamens, and a shorter pair with wavy stamens to look as if they are just unfolding. These earrings will also become a feature article in American jewellery journal Art Jewelry. As a keen gardener and plant watcher, I love to make jewellery in floral designs. Even my new workshop is called Passion Flower Studio after a flower that I love for its sculptural shapes. So expect a big bouquet of different native UK and exotic inspired species-pieces as we jump into Spring.

I am also currently working on a commission for a pair of 9ct gold asymmetrical earrings based on a pebble design, for a client who lives near the beach. I can't show a photo of them in progress, as it's only fair that the client is the first person to see their finished piece of jewellery, but I am certainly learning a lot in making these. One thing I've learnt is never to hold your breath when engaged in a tricky piece of soldering, as when you eventually exhale you blow out not only the flame on your torch but the candle under the pickle-bath too!

I'd like to thank artist printmaker Hugh Bryden who created the logo and lettering for my studio as my Christmas present from Andy. It feels great to have an identifiable 'brand' for my work at last, instead of my usual ad hoc mix of photos and fonts for my home made business cards. I'm celebrating the launch of my Passion Flower Studio by sponsoring a piece of public artwork for display at Grange over Sands Station. I'll keep you posted as to which piece of Art it will be.  

Listening to the radio or music while I work helps me to concentrate. This week my favourite has been Born To Die by Lana Del Rey. I'm enjoying the retro 50s vibe and the edgy stories in the tracks.

All jewellery featured on these pages is also available to buy or order, and I always have a number of other items for sale too. Please contact me if you are interested in any of the pieces, want to seemore, or if you would like to place a commission.