At Wild Hearts, we are so fortunate to work alongside the nation’s top creatives in the wedding industry. They work so hard to help to create their client’s dream day and they are an endless source of inspiration for us. With so much talent behind these brands, we are spotlighting some of our favourites and sharing their insights.
Debra Fallowfield – jewellery designer and maker, and a wild and free spirit if we ever did see one. Debra brings upwards of 20 years experience to the industry, and creates a wide range of bespoke and custom jewellery from ethically sourced gold (largely from New Zealand) and fair trade diamonds and gems.
Her unique, handmade jewellery flaunts a beautiful juxtaposition of textures and colours, and her style continually flirts with the boundaries between contemporary and fine jewellery. We’re enamoured with her endless designs that challenge modern jewellery construction, and her client base (largely from overseas) continues to look to Debra to create bespoke concepts that emulate the wearer’s personality and style.
Debra shares her inspiration, career learnings, and tips for having a custom ring made with us below.
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Tell us about the experience you offer to your clients?
The experience I offer is 20 years as a jeweller, I offer a completely personal EXPERIENCE to my clients and a direct experience as you are not just dealing with a shop assistant with limited industry knowledge, you are dealing with the designer and the maker. It should be fun, exciting and downright easy! I will make sure we are on the exact same page before we start on your dream ring. I am ALL about communication and work remotely with clients nationally and all over the world. You just have to read some of the reviews on google or my facebook page to see I am an expert in my field.
What sets you apart from jewellers?
What sets me apart is a lot of what I mentioned previously – where once again you are not dealing with an assistant, you are dealing directly with the designer and maker of your ring. I also make everything by hand – completely and utterly, so it’s 100 percent bespoke!… This means that even if I recreate a design from say my website, it will never be EXACTLY the same – a bit like your finger print really! I’m also very, very down to earth, unpretentious and transparent too. I may make precious things – but I am not precious about them…
Tell us about a favourite piece you have created and why?
My favourite piece.. ohhh, that’s hard!!! But I recently created two stunning Tanzanite rings from Tanzanite bought home by a client who works for the United Nations and was gifted them whilst working in Tanzania.
Tell us about your design process…
All my work is handcrafted from start to finish by me (with a little help from my husband) Nothing is designed or made by CAD so it will always be one of a kind. I pride myself on my bespoke work and client commissions, having created many pieces for discerning clients worldwide. I strive to provide an exciting, fun and easy process. I am also completely ethical, not only with materials, but our whole process and even the way we live (hubby and I). We are all about reuse, re cycle, re-vamp. I do A LOT of remodelling of old jewellery, as well as creating from new. I also work with moissanite – a 100 percent, produced in a lab, incredible diamond replacement. I’m also fanatical about finish and quality- very old school about that. You will find my rings feel like silk on the interiors
Debra’s tips on getting a custom ring made:
• Have an idea of what you like and what you don’t. Try to reference styles of mine you like, colours you like, widths you love. What type of surfaces- shiny, brushed, organic. Also, the kind of material you like the look of, rose gold, yellow gold, white gold.
• Be flexible with the end result expectation. Remember, I will be creating a one-off for you. Hence it will not be EXACTLY the same as the one you saw.
• Custom work is all about communication- be clear and direct!
• Be realistic about the design: please understand that I am not going to make anything that is not within my design aesthetic.
• Define your budget: it always helps to know how much you will be spending. Once again be realistic, while I can often “tweak” things to work within your budget, I won’t be able to perform miracles.
• Tell me about you (or the person it is being created for). Let me get to know you and create jewellery that reflects your personality. Are you sporty, funky, romantic, ethical, boho? Do you like green, blue, violet?
• Size: if it’s a ring, please let me know finger size.
Once we establish some basic ideas, I will draw a few quick sketches. Making sure we are on the same page …Then the magic begins!
We are excited to have Debra Fallowfield apart of our Wild Hearts Vendor Collection, check out more of her beautiful ring designs here. Shop her contemporary handmade jewellery range online at www.debrafallowfield.com
You can also follow Debra on Instagram at @debrafallowfieldjeweller and Facebook.
