insideKENT Magazine Issue 40 - July 2015 | Page 76

FASHION+BEAUTY
kent's jewellers cont.
Jesper Velling

White’s Jewellers

// Canterbury //
www.jespervelling.com

// Tenterden // www.whitesjewellers.co.uk

Jesper Velling, award-winning
jewellery maker and goldsmith,
worked in Hatton Garden before
setting up his own jewellery shop
in Canterbury. Making bespoke,
special pieces for his customers
is what makes him smile, and he
feels that being a goldsmith is a
privilege rather than a simple
profession. Commissions are
welcome, and Jesper offers a
consultation service to ascertain
exactly what it is you want from
the jewellery he will make for you.
With his passion for what he does
evident, cufflinks, ring, earrings,
and much, much more are
available from this Kent-based
jeweller.

There has been a jewellers on this site on Tenterden High Street since
1860, and White’s Jewellers (owned by Peter and Deirdre Knott) has been
trading there since 1981. From rings to watches and everything in between,
this independent jewellers stocks ready-to-wear pieces as well as stunning
originals. They offer a friendly, personal service and promise to find you the
perfect piece of jewellery, even if they don’t stock it! With jewellery to suit
every budget, a bespoke wedding and engagement ring design service,
and a free gift-wrapping service, this is a great place to find that perfect
gift.

Lucy Alice Designs
// Folkestone // www.lucyalicedesigns.co.uk

The Bill Skinner Studio
// Otford and Tenterden // www.billskinnerstudio.co.uk
Bill Skinner has much
experience when it comes to
jewellery; he studied at Sir John
Cass College of Art, and
worked for different companies
in Hatton Garden before setting
up on his own to become a
freelance designer and
craftsman. It was his pattern
making that first got him
noticed, and that, along with
his eye for detail, has meant
that his work has always
attracted critical acclaim.
Working with the likes of Vivien Westwood and Butler and Wilson, Bill
Skinner’s expertise grew, and in January 2012 he launched the Bill Skinner
Range of jewellery, which is stocked in House of Fraser and Fenwick's, as
well as hundreds of independent shops.

Polly Gasston
// Ramsgate // www.pollygasstongoldsmith.co.uk
Working only in 22ct gold and semiprecious stones because these are
what the ancient goldsmiths used,
Polly Gasston creates exquisite
works of art, each one unique, and
each one special. Influenced by the
Ancient Near East and the Roman
Empire, and plenty of other things
besides, Polly Gasston has become
an expert in the realm of bespoke,
unique jewellery making. In March
2015, Polly exhibited at the Desire Fair at Chelsea’s Old Town Hall, enabling
her to show her designs to the wider public. Whether you want earrings,
pendants, bracelets, rings, brooches, or what Polly charmingly terms ‘small
treasures’, they are all beautiful and one of a kind.

When you are looking for something completely different, Lucy Alice Designs
of Folkestone could well be the place to start (and finish). Instead of metal
and stones, Lucy Alice Designs uses sustainably sourced and reclaimed
materials, especially wood, to create the wonderful pieces of jewellery
available here. Everything is inspired by nature, and living on the Kent coast
has given Lucy plenty of ideas. Using age-old techniques (such as embroidery
and inlay) to create modern designs, Lucy can offer some truly striking and
eye-catching pieces.

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