Commissioned by You. Crafted at My Cambridgeshire Bench.
Fine jewellery does not wait for a proposal or permission.
Whether marking a career milestone, a decade birthday, or acquiring a daily signature piece, collaborate directly with me to forge architectural fine jewellery built for a lifetime of wear.
Structural Substance over High-Street Delicacy
Most commercial fine jewellery is engineered for the display case—delicate, thin, and easily damaged during daily wear. My bench practice is built on the opposite philosophy: structural authority, tactile substance, and heavy-gauge durability.
Whether forging a solid sandcast signet ring carrying the weight of Single Mine Origin (SMO) 18ct gold or an architectural pendant set with an unheated Australian sapphire, these pieces are engineered to become your daily signature. Designed to transition effortlessly from the boardroom to the weekend, they require no gentle handling, only an appreciation for pure metal and clean form.
Heavy-Gauge Alloy Profiles: Solid SMO gold profiles crafted to feel substantial in the hand and stand up to a lifetime of daily wear.
Tactile Surface Finish: Hand-worked sandcast grain, Art Deco facets, and satin finishes that resist surface scuffs and age gracefully.
1-on-1 Bench Collaboration: Dealing directly with the craftsman who designs, casts, and hand-sets your piece, with no sales associates or retail markups.
Proof of Uncompromising Bench Standards
When commissioning a piece for yourself, you deserve absolute confidence that the final form will match your exact expectations. True bespoke craftsmanship means standing behind structural integrity at every step.
During Helen’s commission for a signature piece, an initial setting, once made in metal didn't achieve the precise architectural proportions and bench standards I demand. Rather than compromising or delivering a setting that was "good enough," we paused and completely rebuilt the piece mid-build directly at the bench peg.
By prioritising long-term durability and aesthetic balance over shortcuts, the final piece achieved the exact structural authority, presence, and weight Helen envisioned.
“At one point we both independently decided the setting wasn't quite right and Iain just re did it - it gave me confidence that he was just as keen as I was to get it perfect” — Helen
Proven Architectural Forms for Your Self-Commission
For clients who prefer to build upon a proven form rather than starting from a blank canvas, I offer a curated series of signature bench frameworks:
The Heavy Sandcast Signet: A commanding, tactile ring featuring organic coastline sand textures fused with a clean, flat face for personal monogramming or flush-set gemstones.
The Deco Step Pendant: Geometric, Machine Age pendant engineered around hand-selected colored sapphires or wild Ocean Diamonds.
The Architectural Solitaire: A heavy-profile daily ring that elevates a single exceptional stone through clean, modern setting architecture rather than fragile claws.
The Tactile Band: Heavy-gauge SMO gold bands finished with raw sandcast grain, set stones or hand-carved facets - designed for stacking or wearing solo.
From Concept to Bench: How We Work Together
Every self-commissioned piece is treated as a unique architectural project. To ensure exceptional quality and focus, I accept a limited number of custom commissions each year:
Consultation & Concept (1–2 Weeks): We discuss your style, preferred metals, stone requirements, or personal sand samples in person at my Cambridge studio or via video call.
Design & Silver Prototyping (2–3 Weeks): I develop hand sketches and source a curated selection of ethical gems, supplying a silver test prototype shipped to your door so you can verify scale, comfort, and finger fit in real life before final casting.
Bench Casting & Hand Polish (3–4 Weeks): The piece is cast, hand-forged, stone-set, and finished at the bench before being hallmarked at the Edinburgh Assay Office.
Self-commissioned milestone pieces typically range between £2500 and £8,000+, depending on metal alloy, stone selection, and design complexity.
Bring Your Vision to the Bench
Whether marking a career breakthrough, celebrating a personal milestone, or acquiring a daily signature piece, I invite you to start the conversation.
I host private consultations, by appointment, at my studio in Cambridge, as well as remote appointments for clients throughout the UK and internationally