Allow me to blow my own trumpet initially and say that pretty much all of my bespoke journeys with clients have gone really well – enjoyable for both sides, and after 27 years of them, I feel I’ve got the hang of it.
But this recent commission wasn’t one of them. It was messy, it was uncomfortable, and I made some poor decisions. But it also taught me some great lessons – and thankfully, the end result is a sight to behold.
The Story
Joy and Simon – brilliant clients of mine who’ve been buying my pieces for over 20 years. In a recent chat, Joy mentioned she had a pile of old rings and jewellery gathering dust, and I suggested I take a look and maybe create a bespoke piece using the metal and stones.
We agreed to meet next time I was in the UK and ended up at a great café in York, the three of us catching up over full and trendy English breakfasts while I inspected the small treasure trove.
Now, worth mentioning – at the time, my business was going through a rough patch. And while I’ve been doing this for over a qjuarter of a century, I’ve not yet mastered the art of not letting that get to me. When I’m in that headspace, the work I do can start to feel less like a flow and more like… essential for survival. Not ideal but important to mention.
So to be really honest - I didn’t want to risk losing the potential order. I wanted to do something special for Joy and Simon without charging my full bespoke fee – partly because I value them and partly because, frankly, I was afraid the project would slip away if I pushed too hard.
Back to breakfast – it was all about a ring and I started sketching some concepts using a selection of sapphires, diamonds and other stones from Joy’s old pieces. Any designer will tell you – incorporating stones from old jewellery can be tricky. They’re different sizes, different cuts, different colours… but I tossed that worry aside and thought, “it’ll be reet!”
The sketches were getting nods of approval – so I figured I had my direction. With tea flowing and talk turning to buried treasure (a shared passion), I bundled up the jewellery and the sketches, and we parted ways.
The Mistakes
So the stones were plucked from their settings and a few recut to bring out their original beauty. With all the raw materials in front of me, I returned to the design… and that’s where it all started to unravel.
The original sketch – the one I felt so confident about – simply didn’t work. The stones didn’t really work in this idea - I was too optimistic, too assumptive.
So, with a bit of panic creeping in, I emailed Joy and Simon a bunch of alternative ideas and tried to explain the situation. And I’ll admit – reading those emails back now makes me cringe. It wasn’t the work of a seasoned professional jewellery designer. It was the work of someone scrambling.
And then came this line in one of Joy’s replies:
“Hi Andy – well, it’s giving me sleepless nights for sure. I’m almost feeling like I shouldn’t have started this process, but we are too far in now – we need to come up with something.”
That was obviously not what anyone wants to hear from their customer!
Understandably, Joy and Simon started sending over their own inspiration, and all credit to them - they ended up creating a great concept - sketch below.
The Turnaround
To my relief, I could say YES. Their concept was strong, clear, and exciting.
So, with that new direction agreed, a touch of bespoke sapphire cutting, and a casual 125 stones to set (yes – one hundred and twenty-five), I got to work.
The final piece was finished and couriered up North just in time for Simon’s 65th birthday and also in celebration of their 25th wedding anniversary.
It was a real journey – for all of us.
What I Took From This
This one really reminded me:
- Don’t let fear dictate how I communicate with clients
- And never underestimate the detail required in my craft
Joy and Simon were incredibly understanding throughout. I know I drove them up the wall at times, but they stuck with me. Even when it looked a bit grim, I believe they had a quiet confidence that we’d land somewhere brilliant in the end.
And we did.
It feels great to add that my relationship is even stronger with them now and I’ll let their final message speak for itself…
