I see my job as a responsibility. To give advise on design take into account the person or their personality and advise on the prices involved. It is not just about making jewellery but the right piece of jewellery. When it is right and I have done my job I get comments such as " I will wear it for the rest of my life" or on seeing the competed item of jewellery a little squeal of delight.
When I am making an item of jewellery I am focused on the person who has commissioned the piece. All the comments made, the personality of the person and any advise I have given on price. If it is an expensive diamond piece I will have negotiated a discount for immediate payment which I pass on to the customer for immediate payment for the diamond. This may only be a few percent but with expensive diamonds it mounts up. Some customers need more help than others. Sketches, cad images and photographs all are used sometimes as a courtesy sometimes they are asked for. My viewpoint is very fundamental to please my customers, the squeal the happy E mail prove I have done my job.
In the beginning there were 2 cousins who decided to combine their efforts and become jewellers. This was late 1800's and one of the cousins has been an inventor and held patents for things electrical. During the Victorian period such things were viewed as parlour tricks a fad. So these patents were sold and no doubt was used to finance the jewellery business. This was W.J. Saunders and Greeves and I have seen examples of their sponsors mark on some very old jewellery sent to me for repair. these two designed and made jewellery, whether they did the making themselves or subcontracted it out is unknown. Once made, the selling was by taking large cases to railway hotels on real trains, where the shop owners would arrive by invitation and place their orders.
The first order was for several thousand iron health rings, from I believe Boots, and although not a proper jewellery the lack of gold needed was a pleasing incentive. They did well the design patent of the Mizpah jewellery, ensured steady sales through the many wars. So great was this that the telegraphic address was Mizpah. In 1876 W.J. Saunders Limited was formed and the telephone was invented. Soon the Jewellery Quarter had its own exchange, this shows how large the jewellery trade had become. They must have been forward thinking as their phone number was JEW 23 Imagine the excitement of having one of the earliest telephones. I do not know where the original place of business was but 6 Key Hill Drive was built in 1877 I wonder if they saw it being built.
It is interesting to consider the span of years from telegrams to E mails. Station hotels to Web Sites also consider the family knowledge passed from one generation to the next. I am not saying it has all been seen before but there are similarities and the excitement of jewellery making continues.