Bespoke Heirloom Jewellery from Thornhill to San Francisco.
When it comes to bespoke heirloom jewellery finding the right jeweller is essential but finding a special link with one is magical.
Family jewellery has such a special place in all of our hearts, I know I see my grandmothers hands when I look at the ring of hers I wear. These pieces of jewellery hold so many memories. When it comes to redesigning them, you want to make sure you are doing it for the right reasons and making something you can continue to love and cherish for years to come. Sara met Alison in London when she was visiting Alison's Family. With a family connection to Scotland and a desire to find the right jeweller to help her make something special from some heirloom pieces, the meeting was a match from day one.
Sara wearing her sapphire necklace designed with and made by Alison Macleod.
Sara was born in London but has lived in both the U.S. and U.K. throughout her life.
“I have lived in San Francisco, California since 1982. My father grew up in a village outside Edinburgh, and we visited often, so I feel deeply connected to Scotland. When I first met Alison, she was so warm and engaging - it was effortless to talk with her. When I discovered she was a jeweller I was intrigued, I'd wanted to find a jeweller to create a custom necklace, and it all fell into place. I looked at examples of her jewellery and was impressed by the quality and originality of her designs.”
Sara had a wonderful collection of gems which she had been given by her family.
“My father did many adventurous things, one of which was to travel (at the age of 52) from the U.K. to mine for sapphires in Montana in 1982. He visited me afterwards, and I remember how excited he was, how brown his face was from being in the sun, and the small sacks of uncut sapphires he had with him. They didn't look like much in that state, I have to admit! Later he had the largest ones faceted, and their colour and sparkle came out beautifully. His wife invited me to choose one after he died, and this is the one I imagined becoming a necklace.
“The other gems I used for the rings came from a diamond lapel pin and a pair of clip-on earrings from my maternal grandmother. I never wore any of them, but valued the family connection.
“The first piece I asked Alison to design for me involved my dad's sapphire. He had died two years before, and I wanted something tangible to remember him by.
“We met at her cousin's house in London in mid-July, 2018. Alison listened closely to what I wanted and showed me some potential designs on her computer. It was constructive to have those visuals, and we adapted it together. It was an exciting process, in which I felt Alison really understood what I was after and didn't impose her own style. She was easy to work with via email, I sent her the sapphire, and she made the bespoke necklace in two months. I remember it was thrilling to put it on when it arrived!
“My ring from Alison was born from a loss. My paternal (Scottish) grandmother left me a diamond and ruby ring in her will. I loved it, and since 1972 wore it on special occasions. During a train journey to Edinburgh for my uncle's funeral in 2017, it was stolen out of my backpack at Kings Cross station. I was terribly sad to lose the lovely ring, but even more what it represented—family connection, my grandmother, handing it down from her mother, and the sentimental value.
“When the necklace Alison made for me turned out so well, I began to consider creating a ring that would in some emotional way take the place of the one I lost. I asked Alison if she could design a ring using gems from jewellery I had but didn't use. I sent her photos of possible pieces, and we exchanged several emails selecting a group of stones. By this time, I was curious to see where Alison worked her magic and asked if I could bring the gems to her in Thornhill the next time I came over to the U.K. She generously agreed, and in April 2019, I spent a day with her and her family. We went to her workshop, where she showed me some of her techniques, and we examined the stones together, discussing possible designs. It was great fun getting a peek into Alison's life, and discovering our families had crossed paths in 1965 on the isle of Barra!
“I told my daughter about Alison's initial ring designs, and Tessa was intrigued. Impressed by Alison's quality work and striking designs she asked if she could make a ring for her too, using the sapphire that Tessa got from her grandfather. After some discussion, Alison made her two rings, using her grandfather's sapphire and two small diamonds from my diamond lapel pin.
“I wear the sapphire necklace every day and love how simple it is. I like reaching up and touching it, the way it slides so smoothly on the thin white-gold chain, how the blue catches the light at unexpected times. And that wearing it is an everyday way I can remember my father.
“The photos of mine and Tessa's rings were taken at the Temperate House at Kew Gardens last December. My ring is on top, with the teardrop diamond, two cornflower blue sapphires and two small diamonds. I love looking down at it, seeing the sparkle and the constellation of the five gems, knowing my grandmother and great-grandmothers looked at those same stones in different settings. One of my favourite aspects of Alison's designs is her use of asymmetry; that really makes them stand out from other rings, as well as the quality of her settings.
“These bespoke heirloom pieces make both of us happy - for their beauty and for what they represent to us emotionally.”
If you have some beautiful family pieces you simply love but never wear contact us to see if we can help you make something bespoke you can wear as well as treasure.
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