Bespoke Silver - Inspired by Nature

London based Silversmith - interest in fine jewels, contemporary design and natural inspiration.

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A beautiful day at Leigh on Sea https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm69FyiLrJW/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Happy Chinese New Year The year of the 🐯 Tiger #chineesenewyear2022 #tiger #sterlingsilver #jillbelldesigns https://www.instagram.com/p/CZbo_tMMIXq/?utm_medium=tumblr

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A Hill for Magnitude. This pendant reminds me of Arthur’s Seat a hill just outside Edinburgh. I wanted to create the hill by taking some thin silver and scrunching it up by hand (as if it was a piece of tin foil). Very easy in foil but it took me hours of folding in silver. Soldered into a ring. Suspended by a chain which is adjustable with a heart hanging at the back. Silver and gold plated. #arthursseat #edinburgh #silverfolding #hillclimb #silverpendants #goldplating #spaplating #handmade #jillbell #jillbelldesigns https://www.instagram.com/p/CTKgPsZMWP4/?utm_medium=tumblr

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Beautiful spring morning with cherry blossom 🌸 looking wonderful #cherryblossom https://www.instagram.com/p/CM1it20B4EW/?igshid=i22blsychpfi

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The most beautiful sunrise this morning, but still so cold out. Even the ducks have left their pond. https://www.instagram.com/p/CLOmSO5hs5c/?igshid=4mnyc1jctwl2

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Valentines Day During the Middle Ages France and England believed that February 14th was the beginning of the birds mating season, and a day of romance. Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a romantic poem “Parliament of Foules” for Valentines day in 1375. Written Valentine greetings became popular in the 1400. The oldest note still in existence was written in 1415 by Charles Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was in the tower of London. By the mid 18th century friends and lovers exchanged small tokens and handwritten notes. By the 20th century printed ready-made cards began to replace the handwritten notes, and with the development of cheaper postage sending cards became very popular. The Roman God for love is Cupid. The Greek God of love is Eros. Cupid is depicted on many cards and gifts as a mischievous chubby naked cherub, often with a bow firing arrows of love at unsuspecting lovers. Statues of Cupid and Eros are situated all over the world. In London one of the most famous of these love statues is Eros in Piccadilly Circus. Valentines Day is celebrated all around the world, with cards and gifts being sent to loved ones. Happy St Valentines Day. #valentinesgift #sterlingsilverjewellery #pinkroses #hearts #silverjewelleryheart #sllphium #jillbelldesigns https://www.instagram.com/p/CLG2625B9sD/?igshid=vm0sp5i8k7r5

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Valentine Day Another version of how valentine day came about: The Romans had a fertility festival called Lupercalla mid February about 270 A.D. The pagan festival was dedicated to Faunus god of agriculture, it also celebrated Romulus and Remus the brothers who founded Rome ( although this was a myth). The ceremony was a bloody affair with sacrificial killing and skinning of goats and dogs, the blood and skins were slapped over women and crops to make them more fertile. This was also known as the official start of spring. The young women placed their names into a big urn, the bachelors would choose a name and pair up, this often ended in marriage. The Romans outlawed Christianity and the festival of Lupercalla kept going until the end of the 5th century. Pope Gelasius changed this and declared that 14th February would become St Valentines day. The Heart Symbol The symbol of the heart is another myth it is believed that it came from the 7th century B.C. from the North African city-state Cyrene. The Sllphium plant now extinct was used as seasoning but also as a form of birth control. Its seed pods were shaped like hearts and they were associated with sex and love. This plant was so important to Cyrene economy that its minted coins had the seedpods hearts on them. To be continued… #heartshape #silverpendants #valentinesgift #garnets #jillbelldesigns https://www.instagram.com/p/CLEN_vSh9al/?igshid=1j7v4hu05p39g

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Valentine Day Valentines day, a day for lovers in our calendar. Or is it just a great day for the florists, card and chocolate shops? How when and why did it all start, no one is really sure. It is possible that it was named after Saint Valentine. There are different stories passed down in history and at least three Saint Valentines, or Valentinus… In the 3rd century AD in Rome Emperor Claudius II had banned marriage because he thought married men were bad soldiers. Valentine a Priest felt this was unfair, so he broke the rules and arranged marriages in secret. When Claudius found out Valentine was thrown in jail and sentenced to death. There he fell in love with the jailer’s daughter. When he was taken to be executed on 14th February he sent her a love letter signed “from your Valentine.” To be continued.... #valentine #silverhearts #hearts #handmade #sterlingsilvernecklace #jillbelldesigns https://www.instagram.com/p/CLBsb3KhAwD/?igshid=130h3d7j1eyyi

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Luscious Lips Luscious Lips is a stylish adornment I made from carving the lips out of wax, They were then cast into silver. Finishing the lips off with a lot of filing and soldering. Designing and making the jewellery, and attaching the lips. Then finally polishing, to a high finish. The classy lips plump and juicy can be made into various pieces of jewellery from the band bracelets I pictured the other day to more modest styles. Red hessian tie or silver chain bracelets that would suit a more casual style. Pendants, earring or even lips for your ankle chain. Please get in touch if you would like this adornment to be part of your collection. #sterlingsilver #bangle #lusciouslips #valentine #lips #lush #funfunfun #jillbelldesigns https://www.instagram.com/p/CK59dHuBK8O/?igshid=13oqq7rnsk62

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Luscious Lips is a brand new range stylish but with a fun element, The perfect gift for anytime, especially delicious at this time of year. Made of solid sterling silver the bangle consists of two or three bands connected together by a silver ring. From this ring the luscious lip hangs, all elements freely swinging with the movement of your body, it looks lush. The luscious lip bangle can be made for any size hand. Pictured are 21cm for the three ring bangle and 23cm for the two. How to measure for the perfect size! Put your fingers together touch your thumb down towards the base of your little finger. With a tape measure place it around your hand on the largest part. The standard measurement is about 21-22cm, but we are not all standard, so any size can be made. Lush #bangles #luciouslips #valentines #lipsticks #lush #funfunfun #sterlingsilver #jillbelldesigns https://www.instagram.com/p/CKvo4rfhY3O/?igshid=1xt4suh1ckon5

[jillbelldesigns]

Some lovely seasonal pieces, to remind us what a lovely time of year this is. Stay at home/get outside! Keep looking for those fairies , and dream the dreams. #wishbone #stars #fairies #pinecones #doves of piece #silverjewellery https://www.instagram.com/p/CI5WkxqBV8M/?igshid=9x4175ux72ek

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I have collections based around my own specific designs and can also make one off bespoke pieces developed from a clients concepts. Prices are always a consideration and I pride myself on making outstanding jewellery at realistic prices. Pieces are designed and made with love and passion. Earlier in the year, I was commissioned to make a pandantiv, I wanted to share the pictures of this silver man’s pendant. It was to be made in black with a black leather cord. Beautiful design by my client. More recently I was asked to make a pair of earrings for another client. Occasionally I make something that I really love. This pair is one of those pieces of jewellery when I finished them I decided to make another similar, and add them to my earring range. Bars of silver alongside heavy silver rings, all hanging from silver discs. These on-trend stylish earrings, jingle with your movements. A new slant on the1980’s retro design of the classic hooped earring. What design would you like made in a piece of jewellery? #bespokesilverjewellery #bespoke earrings #silver-cross https://www.instagram.com/p/CIx1HdSB-yO/?igshid=5x0mleuaertz

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Squiggles We had a wonderful traveling holiday in Sri Lanka, but with that came little baggage and jewellery. I wanted to look stylish and elegant at night so I made a few different rings I called my squiggles. The rings did everything I designed them to do, looking fabulous large and interesting over my hand. The rings explodes from the ring shank, when you put it on it journeys either down the finger or up/across the hand. Made of square silver wire the movement within the squiggles is large and exaggerated loops that appear to move over your hand. The whole ring is very lightweight, easy and comfortable to wear. The pictures show the squiggles I make, and some of other rings for sale. https://www.jillbelldesigns.co.uk/ourshop/cat_759532-Rings.html Please feel free to contact me for any information or a design you may have. [email protected] #silverring #squiggles #jillbelldesigns https://www.instagram.com/p/CIp0qfJhP-1/?igshid=myesh1h9z9ac

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Orbit with Attitude A larger ring than the Orbit it goes across the fingers on either side. Sill working on the same principle it will fit most fingers and stays in place by the tension coil of silver. This ring has defiantly got attitude. The second ring in the pictures is the baby ring of the set and the smallest. It appears like a normal ring, on the top are just with a couple of swirls. This also works with the tension fitting. Subtle, stunning, they say great things come in small packages, this is no exception. #handmaderingsforsale #silverringshandmade #jillbelldesigns https://www.instagram.com/p/CInNAPAB4h6/?igshid=1t23kydx9zjlq

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Orbit This is defiantly a statement piece, a ring for the extravert inside you. I designed a range of rings that would just show off your finger and hand..one is all you need. The ring is made of thick wide silver that twirls under and ontop of your finger. The ring is a very special design. The bottom loop that goes onto your finger is oversized. This is for two reasons, it will fit any sized finger, and for people with extra large knuckles this ring will fit over them and stay in place on your finger. How? Place your finger through the extra large loop; making sure the coil of silver is sitting on the top of the finger. The coil acts as a tensioner to hold the ring in place on your finger. It feels very secure and doesn’t move. The ring orbits your finger, with most of the ring on the top, spiralling upward. It stands proud of your hand and looks surreal. His ring and it feels so secure on the finger it doesn't move. #ring #silverjewellery #orbit #jillbelldesigns https://www.instagram.com/p/CIfdgeIhBOb/?igshid=i03dzkmpbwzm

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Old Fashioned Crepe Paper Garlands I loved making the falling leaf earring and while I was playing with my zig-zag machine I was putting odd pieces of metal through. One piece was a length of copper which twisted as it went through as it was too long. Twisting the long piece in different ways I ended up with what looked like my Grandma’s old fashioned crepe paper garland. I remember these from my childhood, long rolls of crepe paper, the very posh ones were two tone in colour. Grandma used to get me to help by holding the end while she twisted away. These were then hung up in the lounge with a couple of paper chains, in the hall. I have made two different designs of earrings. The first just has a earring post to the back, it’s about 3cm of zig-zag silver twisted hanging down from the ear lobe. The other has the post on a separate silver piece, a chain is attached to this then the twirling silver. This spins around as the head moves the effect is mesmerising. All are available in silver or copper, or like the posh garlands two tone silver and gold plated. What Christmas decorations do you remember, or still have from your childhood? #crepepaperearrings #handmade #copperjewelery #jillbelldesigns https://www.instagram.com/p/CIYTT_GhwiL/?igshid=1tfmj5ub81tf7

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Falling Leaves I experimented making a few earrings that are very unusual. Leaf like in shape to look at, full of movement from the texture of the silver, to the waves in the actual shape of the earring. Taking a triangle of silver fold it, and passing it through a zig-zag machine to gave it the fantastic lined pattern. Partially open it up, and then manipulate each earring to create the movement. Each pair are similar but no two earrings are the same. Attach the posts, polish. Just to make them extra special I added yellow gold and rose gold plating down the middle of the earring. That’s thanks to my gold plating machine, a Christmas present from my husband from Spa Plating, I love my machine, being able to gold plate jewellery at home in such fine detail, adds something extra to my designs. #spaplating #gold-plating #silversmithing #foldedjewelry #foldedearring #jillbelldesigns https://www.instagram.com/p/CIVLAKjhZPg/?igshid=mojz0qlqnzs8