Alexandra

I CAUGHT UP WITH ALEXANDRA FOLLOWING THE MAKING OF HER WEDDING RING, ENGAGEMENT RING AND MATCHING PUSH PRESENT RING TO REFLECT ON THE PROCESS AND HER EXPERIENCE COMMISSIONING SO MANY BESPOKE PIECES OF JEWELLERY.

Congratulations on so many delightful fronts! After the proposal, you came back to design your wedding ring with me. What were you looking for in the second design?

I had a collection of heirloom sapphires from my family that I really wanted to use. My engagement ring has a twisted gold band, so for the second ring I was keen to create something that could sit alongside it while incorporating those family stones.

I was also sure that I wanted to design the ring with Genevieve - I’d worn her pieces before, so it felt like a no-brainer. It felt important to have the ring made by someone whose work I already admired and trusted.

What was your favourite part of the bespoke process? How did it feel to use heirloom gemstones from a previous family piece? What did your family think about the idea?

I loved the journey from an initial idea to a finished piece - it was so rewarding to see how the design evolved. Exploring different layouts, stone arrangements, and proportions helped me understand what felt right, and I learned a great deal along the way. Visiting the Goldsmiths’ Centre, seeing the stones Genevieve had sourced, and understanding the craftsmanship behind it all made the experience feel deeply collaborative. Using heirloom gemstones added another layer of meaning - it felt like honouring the past whilst creating something new.

How does it feel to wear a ring that you helped to design?

I work in a creative industry, so being involved in the design process was always important to me. Wearing something I had an active role in creating makes it feel incredibly personal. It’s meaningful, a one of a kind, and feels like a reflection of who I am.

Do you have any tips for couples struggling to decide on their engagement ring?

There are so many brilliant independent jewellers working today, including other designers at the Goldsmiths’ Centre, where Genevieve works. With the price of gold as it is, if you’re investing in jewellery, I think it’s really valuable to work closely with someone who can offer a more personal service. If you already love a jeweller’s aesthetic, you’re likely to love what they create for you. I’d also recommend gathering visual references - whether that’s jewellery, interiors, or even clothing - so the designer can really understand your style.

You decided to commission a new ring to commemorate the birth of your first baby. How was this process?

I added a new ring to my stack to mark my baby’s arrival. I love building a jewellery collection slowly, where each piece is tied to a moment in time. Worn together, they become a very personal record of my life displayed through jewellery, a medium I’ve always felt very passionately about.

Having the joy of working with someone I've known for a really long time made designing my wedding ring and the following ring for the birth of my daughter even more special. Bringing together some of my family history with some heirloom stones into a contemporary design felt like a beautiful blending of generations to make a new piece I'll wear forever. Genevieve is so generous in her creative process, opening the doors wide with iterations and evolutions of designs to get to the perfect outcome. I hope my future has many more opportunities to make pieces that hold so much meaning, it's such a gorgeous experience!

Interested in commissioning a bespoke piece? Book your free consultation with me here. Or read more about the bespoke process here.