Bespoke Narrative Jewellery & Commissions in London
I create one-of-a-kind bespoke jewellery in collaboration with the person who will wear it, or with the person commissioning it for someone else. Each piece begins with a story, an idea, a memory or something meaningful that we can translate into jewellery.
You can bring together objects and materials connected to the story you want me to represent. These might include photographs, cards, poems, fabrics, small keepsakes, old jewellery, buttons, natural objects or stones – anything that links you to a person, memory, place or experience.
We may not use every starting point in the finished piece. Instead, these things act as a springboard for the design and help us explore possibilities and decide how the different elements might work together.
What is bespoke narrative jewellery?
Narrative jewellery is conceptual jewellery, or wearable sculpture, with a personal story woven into the design and materials. It can include found objects, objects that belonged to someone special, symbols or small items connected to a particular person, place, period of life or poem.
My aim is to create a wearable piece that can remind, comfort, inspire, protect or encourage the person who wears it. The meaning may be obvious to others, or it may remain a private and precious story known mainly to the wearer.
A picture can sometimes say more than words, and this is at the heart of my approach to narrative jewellery. I begin with a source of personal inspiration and explore how its story might be expressed through materials, colour, texture, shape and form.
The materials themselves contribute to the narrative. Colour, surface texture, shape, weight, pattern, feel and sometimes even sound can all become part of the experience of wearing the piece.
What kinds of stories can inspire a bespoke piece?
There is no single type of story that makes a suitable commission. Inspiration might come from a special time in your life, a place, a memory, a gift, a relationship, a person you love, a loss, a wish to honour someone, a poem or haiku, or something in nature that has caught your attention.
A commission can also be created as a personal talking point – something intriguing or unexpected that invites conversation when it is worn.
An example from my own narrative jewellery
I made these two pieces in honour and memory of my parents. The first was created for my Mum, who died many years ago, as a medal celebrating and acknowledging aspects of her life and what she gave to me. The story is told through a collection of personal and symbolic elements, including:
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An original nappy pin found in her sewing box from when we were babies.
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Fabric from my first school summer dress, featuring lily-of-the-valley flowers. My Nana used to send my Mum a bunch from her garden every May, and my Mum was a gifted seamstress who made most of our clothes when we were children.
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A “Watson” name tag, reflecting how proud she was to be married to my Dad, “her Bri-in”.
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Two real cabbage white butterfly wings set behind glass in a copper and silver frame. Mum arranged flowers at church and would often find dead butterflies trapped in the windows. She collected their wings and used them in pressed-flower pictures – a popular craft in the 1970s.
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Pierced copper behind the butterfly wings representing a pair of lungs, reflecting my Mum’s fragile lungs and long illness. The delicate, powdery quality of the butterfly wings also forms part of the story.
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A baroque pearl hanging at the bottom, representing my Mum’s name, Margaret, which means “pearl” – and, to me, she was one.
Had Mum been here, I would have awarded her this medal for all services rendered!
How does the bespoke jewellery process work?
The process begins when you contact me with a brief description of the piece you would like me to consider. Creating a bespoke narrative piece is relational and collaborative, so it is important that we feel we can work well together.
1. We talk about your idea
You do not need to have a fully formed design at the beginning. We will work together to develop an idea that reflects your story and feels right for you.
We arrange an initial telephone conversation or meeting to discuss the story, the objects or materials you already have, and anything that may need to be sourced specially.
You can bring together photographs, cards, poems, fabrics, small keepsakes, old jewellery, buttons, natural objects, stones or anything else that connects you to the story. These do not all need to appear in the finished jewellery; they help us explore the possibilities and guide the design.
2. Finding the story or inspiration
After our conversation, I make notes of the key elements, words, concepts, images and ideas that will form the narrative of the piece. I then summarise our discussion and send it to you by email as the initial client design brief, so we both have a clear understanding of the direction we are taking.
3. Developing the design
Before I begin the design stage, I require a non-refundable £200 design deposit. This is deducted from the final cost of the commission if you decide to go ahead with the making of the piece.
I will develop up to three initial designs based on our discussions. If you have personal items you would like to include, we can meet to assess them and consider the best way to incorporate or represent them.
Once we have agreed the design, I will provide an invoice covering the agreed materials, my making time and a presentation box where appropriate. If you decide to proceed, I require 50% of the total commission price in advance. I will also ask you to approve the final design before making begins.
4. Choosing materials
I have worked with a wide range of materials, and the final choice will depend on the story, the design and the properties of the materials involved.
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Metals: sterling silver (.925), fine silver (.999), 9ct gold, anodised aluminium, copper, brass, zinc and steel.
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Other materials: vitreous enamel, acrylic, semi-precious stones, wood, fabric, felt, embroidery, glass and a wide range of found and personal objects.
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Found or personal materials can include shells, stones, driftwood, antique ephemera, vintage beads, buttons, lace, old tins, coins, stamps, photographs, letters, mud-larked or metal-detected objects and pen nibs.
5. Making the jewellery
I use both traditional and contemporary jewellery-making techniques, including cold connections, soldering and stone-setting for semi-precious stones. As an award-winning enameller, I also use enamelling to introduce colour, pattern and surface into my designs.
The techniques are chosen to suit the materials you want me to work with and the design we agree together. The materials themselves often dictate the best way to construct the final piece.
6. The finished piece
When the piece is complete, I will send you photographs. Once the remaining balance has been paid, the jewellery can either be collected in person from Rainbow Glass Studios in London or posted to a UK address for an additional charge.
Posted commissions are sent by Royal Mail tracked and recorded next-day delivery, first class and insured to the value of the piece. The postage charge is invoiced separately before dispatch. Unfortunately, I am currently unable to post bespoke commissions to addresses in the EU or overseas.
Finished pieces will not be released or posted until payment has been received in full.
Unless the design brief specifies otherwise, the finished jewellery will be placed in a standard black jewellery presentation box. Bespoke presentation boxes may sometimes be possible and would incur an additional charge.
What can be included in a bespoke commission?
Almost anything with a meaningful connection to your story can be considered, provided it is physically suitable for incorporation into a wearable piece. Examples include coins, stamps, jewellery, fabrics, photographs, handwriting, badges, buttons, beads, seeds, glass, pottery shards, rusted metal, wood and small plastic objects.
The condition, fragility, size and properties of the object all need to be considered. Some items may be better represented rather than physically incorporated. For example, an antique piece of lace or a photograph might inspire a pattern or detail within a brooch without the original object becoming a permanent part of the jewellery.
You can initially send photographs of your inspirational objects, materials or memories. I will identify significant points for inclusion and summarise them back to you in writing as part of the design process.
If you provide personal or sentimental materials for possible inclusion, they remain at your own risk. Items of particularly high sentimental or financial value may not be suitable for incorporation if there is a risk of damage. Alternative ways of representing the item may be possible.
What types of jewellery can I commission?
Bespoke narrative commissions can include pendants, brooches, necklaces and earrings. Bespoke presentation boxes can also be considered where a box forms part of the narrative or presentation of the piece.
Examples of bespoke narrative jewellery
How much does a bespoke jewellery commission cost?
Bespoke, one-of-a-kind narrative jewellery commissions start at £650. The final price depends on the design, materials, availability of materials and the time required to make the piece.
The initial design stage carries a non-refundable £200 deposit, which is deducted from the final invoice if you decide to proceed with the commission.
A detailed quotation is provided once we have discussed your ideas and an initial design direction has been agreed.
How long does a bespoke jewellery commission take?
Please allow a minimum of three months from the date the commission is formally accepted for making and delivery of the finished piece. This does not include the preliminary design stage.
I will keep you updated during the making process and send photographs when fabrication is complete. Collection can then be arranged for a mutually convenient time once the balance has been paid.
Because each piece is individually designed and made to order, bespoke commissions are non-returnable and non-refundable.
Who is bespoke jewellery suitable for?
A bespoke narrative jewellery commission can be created for yourself or for someone else. It may mark a birthday, wedding, anniversary or another significant life event, or it may be a deeply personal gift of thanks, remembrance, reflection or gratitude.
It can also be a way of honouring someone who has died, preserving a memory, celebrating a relationship or carrying a meaningful part of your story with you.
Commission a bespoke narrative jewellery piece
If you would like to commission a piece of narrative jewellery with me, please contact me and we can arrange an initial telephone conversation. This first conversation is without obligation.
Before you contact me, it can help to think about the story you would like the piece to tell and gather any clues, objects, photographs, words, colours or symbols that may help us explore the idea together.
Let me know any key points, words, memories or significant elements that you would like the design to express. I will help you shape these into a narrative that can be translated into jewellery.
Contact Eleanor about a bespoke jewellery commission
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