The Laings Journal

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Bespoke Jewellery Design, Felicity Lynden - Meet the Team

Laings Bespoke Design Team create unique pieces of jewellery that have their own personal story to tell. Here we meet Felicity Lynden, a jewellery designer, who makes these pieces a reality.

Based in our Edinburgh store, Felicity is part of our Bespoke Design Team and works on an array of designs, meeting with customers and helping them to create beautiful pieces of jewellery that are truly individual to them.

Bespoke Jewellery Design

Let’s find out a little more about how Felicity and how she brings these jewellery dreams to life...

Describe your role in a nutshell

In essence my role is to turn people’s ideas into a unique, exciting and new piece of bespoke jewellery. Every design and the process they go through is completely different, but it’s always amazing to see the finished result.

Why did you want to work in jewellery design and tell us about your journey to Laings?

My first foray into the world of jewellery was when I was still in school and undertook a work placement in a jewellery workshop. I was taught some basic skills which enabled me to make several items of jewellery from a silver ingot. I loved the whole process and found it really fascinating. I then decided that this was what I wanted to study at University and was accepted on the BA (Hons) Jewellery and Silversmithing course at The University of Edinburgh.

After graduating I started working as a Sales Consultant in the Laings showroom. Here I was lucky enough to go to IGI in Antwerp to broaden my knowledge of diamonds. By now I’d build up a good knowledge of the jewellery industry and started to assist our Bespoke Jewellery Designer, Sarah Alexander, with any enquiries that came in on her days off. As the demand has grown for bespoke jewellery and customers are more interested in creating special, more diverse, designs my role has shifted and I spend a lot more time within the Bespoke Department.

Bespoke Jewellery Design

How do you work together on designs?

Sarah has a wealth of knowledge that she’s built up over the years and it’s amazing to be able to learn from her experiences. When our days overlap we have the opportunity to discuss any ongoing enquiries and we regularly find ourselves bouncing various ideas back and forth.

Describe Your Typical Working Day

We receive enquiries from customers via email, as referrals from our Service Team when an item is beyond repair and from the Sales Team when they don’t have a piece that’s just quite right. I’ll generally spend the morning speaking to clients and scheduling in any appointments. We also spend a lot of time liaising with craftsmen and workshops talking through the designs, estimates and tracking the progress of the piece. One of my favourite things though is when we meet with the customers to discuss their exciting designs!

How Do You Take a Design Project from Start to Finish?

Designing a new piece or re-working a sentimental item of jewellery involves a huge amount of trust and so I really like meeting with customers to get to know them and fully understand what it is that they’re looking for. I can also get a feel for their style, as well as seeing any of their existing jewellery and what they currently wear.

Whilst they’re in store I can show them any pieces that we already have to easily describe different types of settings, metals and stones. This gives them an idea about what they could use in their bespoke design and we can talk about exactly what they're looking for.

Depending on the design we will then source and curate a selection of stones, settings and designs for them to see. Once they’ve seen some of our ideas we can work to refine and finalise the design together. It’s then handed-over to the workshop where it's brought to life.

Bespoke Jewellery Design

What’s Your Most Memorable Work Moment?

I still remember selling my first engagement ring, I was so delighted to be part of such a significant moment for my customer. I love playing my part in an experience that will stay with them, guiding them through the process and allowing them to take all the time they need to find the perfect ring. It is especially rewarding when a newly engaged couple come back to see you to share their excitement and offer their gratitude for my help throughout.

What’s the Best Part of the Job?

It has to be handing out the new piece of jewellery. It can sometimes be quite a long process, from the initial consultation to the complete piece and I find myself getting just as excited as the customers. I’m always amazed at how the jewellers build our designs and turn them into a glittering reality!

 

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT LAINGS BESPOKE DESIGN

 

Thank you for taking the time to meet Felicity Lynden from our Bespoke Designs Team. Follow our latest news on TwitterFacebookInstagram, and Youtube or if you have any questions please pop us an email at [email protected]

Laings xXx