The art of commissioning bespoke jewellery

Ahead of his talk at this year’s Summer Showcase, Mark Appleby LVO, Director of Jewellery Services at Mappin & Webb and the current Crown Jeweller shares how he and his team create exquisite bespoke pieces for private clients

Words by Emma Love

The Watches of Switzerland Group Director of Jewellery Services (Mappin & Webb). Main image, Mappin & Webb CAD drawing and diamond ring

Having been in the industry for over 40 years, Mark Appleby is a distinguished and experienced jeweller, leading the team at Mappin & Webb. It’s a good fit. Mappin & Webb has been embracing tradition, craftsmanship and contemporary design to create one-of-a-kind pieces for 250 years.

Adding a seal of approval to that heritage, in 2017, Appleby was appointed Crown Jeweller by Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, a singular position as the custodian responsible for caring for the treasures within the Jewel House in the Tower of London. Conscious of the future, he also supports the training and development of young jewellers and apprentices through his work with the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST).

But caring for some of the nation’s greatest treasures and investing in the future of his profession are not the only parts of Appleby’s work that are remarkable. In 2001 he set up the Jewellery Workshop at Mappin & Webb.

It’s the beating heart of his work, the place where detailed pieces and bespoke commissions are imagined and created. He shared with us what happens behind those doors when someone wants to commission the making of a one-of-a-kind piece.

The Watches of Switzerland Group Jewellery workshop bench – Mappin & Webb Ring

The starting conversation

It all begins with understanding. “Commissioning a bespoke piece is a truly personal process,” Appleby explains. “It could be a piece to celebrate a key milestone, like a birthday or an anniversary, or to mark a particular family occasion. Whatever the reason, our work is about making someone’s jewellery aspirations a reality.”

That has to begin from a place of understanding and the first step is to organise a consultation in advance.

“These conversations are a great opportunity to get to know our clients and it’s an important step in hearing their ideas. They can share their vision, which we discuss in detail, and our clients can also learn a little bit more about my role as Crown Jeweller.”

It’s an experience that’s captured for posterity, he explains: “Once the bespoke piece is completed, I write a personal letter about our meeting and send a summary that sets out all the details about their piece, crafted in our London Jewellery Workshop.”

The Watches of Switzerland Group Jewellery workshop bench – Mappin & Webb ring settings

Choosing a style

If there’s any dilemma about how to create a piece that’s timeless or that really hits the spot in terms of today’s fashions, Mark and his team have the experience to help people make a good decision. “The exceptional jewellers in our workshop not only have a wealth of jewellery-making expertise, but also an intuitive understanding of the latest styles,” says Appleby. “We work closely with our design teams, which means we’re able to support and guide our clients throughout the whole process – from concept to the finished item. Some clients are looking for a timeless classic, or a reimagining of styles from the past, others are looking for a completely unique piece that means something personal to them. Whatever it may be, the key to our service is to always place our clients at the heart of it, to ensure they receive the fullest experience.”

Clarifying the concept

Part of this is to make sure all the details are exactly right. “Settings, stones and metals, for example, are highly personal,” says Appleby. “A bespoke eternity ring, for instance, involves making several decisions: choosing the shape of the gemstones, the ring setting and style, as well as the weight, colour and clarity of the diamonds.” The way this combination of specific details comes together to make something new is a delight every time. “For me, catering to each individual is part of the joy of creating a tailored piece, helping people to create something they couldn’t find anywhere else, something they can wear for years to come.” Customers working with the team also have a unique mark added to their piece. “All special commissions are also struck with my stamp of approval,” he adds, ‘A mark on the inside of the piece.”

Mappin & Webb Ring

Remaking for a new wearer

Sometimes it’s not about creating something completely new, but reworking something well-loved or inherited into a piece that makes sense for a new owner.

“Another service the master craftspeople within our London Jewellery Workshop – setters, polishers, gemologists, diamond mounters and restorers – can provide, is to repurpose stones within a piece or reimagine sentimental heirlooms. It’s another way of giving a piece of jewellery a new life.”

We are delighted that Mark Appleby LVO, Director of Jewellery Services at Mappin & Webb and the current Crown Jeweller, will be attending this year’s Summer Showcase where he will be giving an exclusive presentation – register to attend here.

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The art of commissioning bespoke jewellery

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The art of commissioning bespoke jewellery

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