Looking to give unique and personalised jewellery for Christmas this year? Then you're in luck!
If you know Birmingham, then you'll know a thing or two about its industrial history. The second city was once well-known for being the centre of the jewellery-making trade. Take a walk through the historic Jewellery Quarter, and you'll be stepping through a national treasure, filled with Victorian buildings that once buzzed with over 1600 jewellers, all making stunning artisan jewellery.
Because of all this amazing history, Birmingham still has strong links to jewellery-making. It is home to some talented independent jewellers and silversmiths, just itching to share their passions with you!
Did you know you can make your own personalised pewter stationery? How about making your own silver ring in the Jewellery Quarter?
When you go on a jewellery-making experience, you will be learning new skills, celebrating Birmingham's rich history and leaving with a personalised, hand-crafted piece of jewellery to wear with pride or gift to a lucky loved one.
And with Christmas just around the corner, giving personalised gifts has never been more popular. Forget about generic Christmas hampers for mum, scented candles for her or tech gadgets for him! You can make this Christmas shopping truly special by giving the gift of personalised jewellery that you won't find in any shop.
So if you're looking for unique and personalised Christmas gift experiences for 2022, then consider below a great place to start:
- Make a silver ring in the Jewellery Quarter
- Make a beautiful silver Christmas reindeer
- Make a personalised notebook and pen from embossed pewter
- Design and make a ring, earrings, bangle or necklace out of silver
- Create a personalised keepsake or memory box
- Learn the ancient art of vitreous enamel
1. Make a silver ring in the Jewellery Quarter
Want to learn how to make a silver ring, right from the heart of the old Jewellery Quarter? Then come along to this unique silversmithing workshop!
In this experience, you will be learning how to craft your own beautiful hand-made ring out of silver. Set in the lovely surroundings of an independent jeweller's studio, you'll be shown how to design, shape, solder and texture your piece.
Leave with a stylish and truly one-of-a-kind silver ring, hand-crafted by you!
💍 Make a silver ring in the Jewellery Quarter: £100 per person
2. Make a lovely Christmas silver reindeer
Silver and reindeers! What could be more Christmassy?
In this experience, you will learn how to cast a beautiful reindeer Christmas decoration out of silver. You'll be learning from two professional jewellers in their studio in the historic Jewellery Quarter.
You'll be getting to grips with traditional jewellery-making skills, including how to use silversmith tools to craft unique designs. Watch as your little reindeer comes to life and starts to twinkle!
Personalised Christmas decorations are ones you can treasure for years to come. You'll be hanging it on the tree and smiling every year when it's time to get the box of decorations out.
🎄 Make a silver Christmas reindeer: £250 per person
3. Make a personalised embossed pewter notebook and pen
Do you love a good bit of stationary? Then this embossed metal notebook and pen workshop is one for you!
In this experience, you will be learning about the art of pewter embossing. This ancient skill has been around for centuries as a way of decorating items and crafting handmade personalised items.
This workshop will help you make your own personalised stationery using pewter embossing. You'll be getting creative and leaving with a beautiful artisan notebook and pen for all your scribbles!
🖋 Make a personalised embossed pewter notebook and pen: £46 per person
4. Design and make your own silver earrings, necklace, bangle or ring
Want to choose what kind of jewellery you make? Then this beginner's silversmithing jewellery-making workshop is a good place to start.
In this experience, you can choose what item you'd like to create! From earrings to rings or bangles, your host will help you make a piece of jewellery that you can design and make from scratch.
You'll be getting to grips with the fundamentals of jewellery-making, including how to use silversmithing tools and how to turn your ideas into creations.
Leave with a handmade piece of jewellery that you can wear with pride, or gift to someone extra special.
💎 Design and make your own silver jewellery: £95 per person
5. Make a personalised embellished keepsake or memory box
Do you ever save your knick-knacks, keeping old gig or train tickets as a nice memory of a day? Perhaps you'd like a special place to put your jewellery? Then this embellished keepsake box workshop will give you just that!
Keepsake boxes are the perfect sentimental gifts for the person who loves to keep hold of cherished items. In this experience, you will be making a personalised and hand-crafted box to keep special things in.
Stash away your memories or your treasures, either way, you will leave with a gorgeous box made from shiny pewter. Lovely!
🎁 Make a personalised keepsake or memory box: £70 per person
6. Learn the ancient art of vitreous enamel
Vitreous enamel is the ancient skill of fusing powdered glass onto metal. This creates artwork and jewellery that is both dazzling and beautiful!
In this one-of-a-kind workshop, you will learn how to make unique jewellery or decorative items using vitreous enamel.
Your host for this one is an expert in the craft, who will show you all the tricks of the trade. You will have fun getting creative with your designs, before testing your nerves with the hot metalwork kiln (with help on hand to guide you!).
Leave with a gorgeous vitreous enamel piece, which you can use as jewellery or even hang on the tree as a unique decoration.
👑 Beginner's vitreous enamel workshop: £50 per person
