6:30am - Rise and shine (or at least try to) much like the ocean tide, a jewellery designers day waits for no one. First things first - coffee. And none of that instant malarkey, thank you very much. While the coffee machine is doing its thing, I'm already mentally designing new pieces inspired by this morning's sunrise. Note to self: capture that perfect golden-pink hue in our next collection. Second note to self: actually, wake up early enough to see said sunrise one day.
7:30am - The morning inbox shuffle armed with coffee number two (don't judge), it's time to tackle the emails. "Can you make this in rose gold?" (Yes!) "Was this inspired by mermaids?" (Actually, yes!) "Do you ship to Mars?" (Still working on that one, love). Our customer service motto is every email gets a proper conversation, not like those automated responses that sound about as personal as a parking ticket.
9:00am - Workshop wonderland, this is where the magic happens! Our little workshop in Essex and London might be miles from the oceans shores, but you'd better believe we've brought the coastal vibes with us. Today's agenda: transforming recycled silver into pieces that would make any mermaid jealous. First up, our bestselling Giselle collection.
11:00am - The great design debate- I had a proper lightbulb moment while working on our new collection. Was trying to capture the texture of barnacles (stay with me here) when inspiration struck - what if we combined the organic texture with geometric elements? It's either brilliant or bonkers. Sometimes the best designs come from those "what if" moments.
1:00pm - Lunch break. Popped out for a quick lunch and found myself photographing the way light reflects off puddles. Yes, this is completely normal behaviour for a jewellery designer. Everything's inspiration if you look at it the right way. Even that pigeon strutting about like it's on a catwalk - there might be a collection in that. (Note: "The Pigeon Collection" might need a catchier name.)
2:30pm - Quality Control Queen - Each piece gets checked more thoroughly than a Brit checking if their passport is still in the bag. Every curve, every connection, every tiny detail needs to be perfect. We're not just making jewellery; we are creating little pieces that people can wear every day. No pressure, then!
4:00pm - Social media shenanigans- time to share some behind-the-scenes content with our lovely followers. Today's highlight: a timelapse of making our Zennor Mermaid Collection pieces, set to the sound of actual Cornish waves. Because why not? Also trying to explain on Instagram that yes, every piece is handmade, and no, we don't have a magic jewellery-making robot (though wouldn't that be something?).
5:30pm - The evening wind-down. As my day wraps up, I'm surrounded by all the orders ready to be shipped off to their new homes in the morning. There's something really special about knowing my designs, inspired by morning walks along the beaches and tales of mermaids, will soon be worn all over the world.
7:00pm - Tomorrow's dreams before heading home, I jot down ideas for tomorrow. The list includes "design more sea-inspired pieces" and "stop getting distracted by cute dogs walking past the workshop window." Only one of these is likely to happen.
People often ask what it's really like being a jewellery designer. Imagine combining the precision of a surgeon, the creativity of an artist, and the patience of someone trying to parallel park in Central London. It's challenging, rewarding, and occasionally involves fishing tiny pieces of silver out of your hair (and bra) at the end of the day.
But here's the real secret: every piece we create at Dainty London carries a little bit of serene ocean magic, a sprinkle of London's energy, and quite possibly a touch of workshop coffee. For our team, it's not just about making jewellery- it's about creating little pieces of joy that tell stories and create memories.
And yes, sometimes we do talk to our tools. They are part of the team, after all.
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