VOHS: Becky Rowe Jewellery

Name: Becky Rowe Jewellery Location: St Martin, Guernsey, Channel Islands Years established: September 2011 Number of staff: Five Website: www.beckyrowejewellery.com When was Becky Rowe Jewellery founded? In February 2011, my brother Sam and I went to The Munich Jewellery Show. It was then that we realised the combination of my creativity and experience in the industry together with Sam’s aptitude and organisational skills, made establishing our own bespoke jewellery store a real possibility. Later that year, in September, we opened our first shop and workshop, called My-D (My-Design). We quickly established a loyal following and, in 2013, following market research, we made the decision to further evolve the business, and re-branded to Becky Rowe Jewellery. Today, we have established ourselves as one of Guernsey’s leading independent jewellers. Young, passionate and committed to producing unique, handcrafted pieces, I am best known for working closely with my clients to create stunning bespoke items. You have recently moved premises, how is it going so far? It was a great move for us. We are now in a more prominent, visible location and we have a much larger showroom. Along with increased workshop space, we also have a private consultation area where customers can discuss design ideas in private if they prefer. Attention to detail is key for us, our driving force in everything we do is enhancing the customer’s experience. How would you describe the style of your jewellery and how long have you been involved in jewellery design and manufacture? I’ve always had a passion for creative arts and I’ve had a desire to become a jeweller from as young as the age of eight. I began my jewellery apprenticeship in 2001, when I was 16 and became a time-served, qualified jeweller before leaving Guernsey to study jewellery design in London. When I returned to the island, I wanted to establish my own style - while I’m traditionally trained, most of my designs have a contemporary leaning. I was determined to associate my name with high quality jewellery design and manufacture. Whether it’s creating a piece using raw materials or re-modelling from existing pieces; traditional techniques with a modern twist or precious and semi-precious metals and stones used to create bespoke pieces, I now offer a complete design and manufacturing service. Tell us about your trademark angel My trademark angel was my first commercial piece, and it still appears in my branding, appearing in the ‘O’ of my surname. As well as featuring in one of my exclusive jewellery ranges, in various styles, sizes and materials, the angel also now appears on other items including our new, popular fragranced candle range, which we launched for the opening of our new shop in October 2015. You offer a bespoke service, is that an important aspect of the business? Absolutely. I pride myself on understanding what my customers want and translate those ideas into breath-taking pieces of jewellery. I work closely with my clients on very special, often sentimental pieces, whether it is starting from scratch or breathing new life into an heirloom piece of family jewellery by transforming it into something more modern. Engagement and wedding rings have always been a core sector of our business and this is an area which we are continuing to grow. What excites me the most about my job is starting with an idea, working through the design process and producing a finished piece that someone will wear, treasure and hand down through the generations in their own families. What advice would you give to someone starting out in the industry. Be patient, persistent and willing to learn. What does the future hold for Becky Rowe? With the move to our incredible new premises and our recently launched website, showcasing my work with stunning imagery, we are now getting the word out to a worldwide audience. The new e-commerce website will continue to tap into a market that has previously been inaccessible for us, from the Channel Islands and the UK to further afield. We are also really excited about expansion plans across the UK, with the possibilities of showcasing in well-known jewellery stores in major cities. The future has never looked better for Becky Rowe Jewellery.