Crafting The Perfect Piece of Jewellery - The Process
Jewellery is more than just an accessory—it tells a story, marks a milestone, and reflects your personality. As a jeweller with 22 years of experience in design, manufacture, and repair, I love creating pieces that hold meaning for the people who wear them. Handmade jewellery offers something truly special—crafted with care, designed with you in mind, and made to be treasured for years to come - just like all of the pieces you see below.
Venetia Major shares her process of custom making jewellery for her clients.
Jewellery is more than just an accessory—it tells a story, marks a milestone, and reflects your personality. As a jeweller with 22 years of experience in design, manufacture, and repair, I love creating pieces that hold meaning for the people who wear them. Handmade jewellery offers something truly special—crafted with care, designed with you in mind, and made to be treasured for years to come - just like all of the pieces you see below.
A Piece as Unique as You Are
One of the greatest joys of handmade jewellery is its uniqueness. Whether it’s a custom engagement ring, a bespoke necklace, or a personalised bracelet, no two pieces are ever quite the same. Every curve, setting, and gemstone is chosen and shaped with intention, creating something that feels truly personal.
Crafted with Care and Expertise
When a piece is handmade, every detail matters. From selecting the finest metals and gemstones to ensuring the perfect fit and finish, I take pride in crafting jewellery that not only looks beautiful but is made to last. With years of experience in custom jewellery design, I work closely with clients to bring their ideas to life—whether that’s a timeless classic or something completely original.
Designed for You, Inspired by You
There’s something special about being involved in the design process. When you choose handmade, you get to be part of the journey. Whether you have a clear vision or need a little guidance, I’ll work with you to create a piece that feels just right.
If you’re looking for jewellery that’s meaningful, beautifully crafted, and designed just for you, let’s create something together.
Embarking on a custom jewellery journey is an exciting experience, and I’m here to guide you through each step to create a piece that truly reflects your vision.
Sounds great! What’s the process?
1. Schedule Your Design Appointment
Begin by booking a one-hour design consultation through our online system. This session has a $130 fee, which will be credited to your invoice if you decide to proceed with the design.
2. Bringing Your Ideas to Life
During our meeting, feel free to bring any gemstones, old jewellery, or inspiration images you have. Whether you have a specific design in mind or need guidance, we’ll collaborate to create a concept that resonates with you. I’ll provide sketches and discuss various design elements to ensure the piece aligns with your vision.
3. Providing a Detailed Quote
After finalising the design, I’ll present a written quote outlining the cost and timeframe for completion. This ensures transparency and allows you to make an informed decision.
4. Commencing the Creation Process
Upon your approval and a 50% deposit, the creation process begins. If we’re sourcing new gemstones, I’ll arrange a viewing for you to select the perfect stones. Throughout the crafting phase, I’ll keep you updated with progress photos and videos, so you’re involved every step of the way. Before the gems are set, we’ll arrange a fitting to ensure it meets your expectations.
5. The Final Reveal
You’ll be notified when your bespoke piece is complete Your satisfaction is paramount, and I’m committed to delivering a piece that you’ll cherish for a lifetime.
Creating custom jewellery is a collaborative and personalised experience. With over 22 years of expertise in jewellery design, manufacture, and repair, I’m dedicated to crafting pieces that are as unique as the individuals who wear them.
If you’re ready to start this journey you can book a Design Appointment using the button below
If you have any questions or would like more information, simply fill out your details below and we will be happy get in touch.
If you’d like to find out more about how much custom made jewellery might cost, click here.
By Venetia Major
That sounds lovely but...
We recently had the pleasure of creating this spectacular necklace using our customer's boulder opal and 4 foilback crystals taken from a very special brooch.
Initially, we played around with some designs to get the idea but knew the very first step we needed to take was to have the opal recut to remove some potch from the stone. The opal came back this lovely pointed shape which really complimented the marquise shaped foilbacks. Again, I played around with the layout of the gems and came up with this as the most beautiful.
After multiple edits, casting, cleanup and assembly, pre polishing, customer approval, setting and final polishing we have this beauty.
Here at Venetia Major - Bespoke Jewellery we love giving new life to old jewellery so if you have out of fashion or broken jewellery at home that you don't know what to do with, book a design appointment and we can come up with a stunning idea that will bring your pieces back to life.
Now I know what you're thinking "Venetia, that sounds lovely but it also sounds expensive and I don't want to waste everybody's time if it is out of my budget at the moment".
So, to ease your mind, I want to give you an idea of what you might expect to pay for a custom made piece of jewellery.
If you supply some gold and the gems you would typically be looking at around $3000 - $4000. If we supply some gold and small gems you are looking at around $4000 - $5000. If we supply the gold and feature gems you are typically looking at between $5000-$8000. And if we supply the gold and feature diamonds you are looking at between $10,000 - $20,000, with large or coloured diamonds potentially being upwards of $50,000.
These are ballpark figures to help set expectations for you and let you know that we can work within whatever budget you have.
Book a Design Appointment to find out what we can do for you.
Following Your Passion
I had the privilege of being interviewed by none other than my own Uncle, Andrew Phillips, affectionately known as Mr Business, on his esteemed CEO Led Sales podcast. Our engaging discussion revolved around my personal evolution from a passionate artist to a thriving entrepreneur in the world of bespoke jewellery.
An EngageX Women in Business Podcast with ‘Venetia Major - Bespoke Jewellery’
Andrew Phillips from EngageX interviews Venetia about her journey to becoming a qualified jeweller and successful business woman. They talked about securing her apprenticeship, the challenges she faced along the way and what the future of her manufacturing jewellery studio might look like - when she comes up for air again! Venetia is brutally honest about the challenges of running a small business and ended the interesting discussion describing AI technology's impact on the jewellery industry, sharing her views on how she plans to utilise the technology to her advantage.
More information about Andrew can be found at ceoledsales.com.au
Covert Operation - Hannah & Liz
A story of love and secrets
Photo credit @Photoxben
Hannah and I grew up on the same leafy street of the Canberra suburb of Narrabundah. I remember hanging out at her house in the mornings before we'd head off to the bus stop to catch the bus to school. I was a little bit older than her and was in charge of keeping us safe so it wasn't a great day when we caught the bus for the first time and instead of the 10 minute trip it should have taken to get up to Red Hill Primary we got on the wrong bus and made it all the way to Civic before I had the guts to ask the driver what we should do. We were only seven and eleven years old and this was before mobile phones were ubiquitous. It was a truly terrifying experience and I still get nervous catching buses today. We managed to get back to school safely though, only a few hours late.
We grew up, went to different high schools, my family moved to Tuggeranong and we lost touch - until, out of nowhere, 20 years later Hannah made contact and asked me to make a ring for her girlfriend, Liz. The ring was a beautiful, sentimental gesture of love, symbolising the support and stability they give each other. Two Lighthouses - guiding and protecting.
About 18 months later it got a bit full on! All within a few weeks of each other Hannah had commissioned an ear cuff for Christmas 2017 and an engagement ring due for Australia Day 2018, while Liz requested a special repair for Hannah's bracelet that required some fairly heavy duty restoration. These commissions were all to remain secrets from the other party...
Each job had a different time frame for completion and they were all on track to be delivered by their due dates. The ear cuff was ready and collected for Christmas 2017. The engagement ring took approximately 3 months to complete as I had to source and import diamonds from overseas especially for the job.
The bracelet repair consisted of removing a poorly executed fish engraving from a steel anchor and having an Angel Fish re-engraved by my Master Engraver in Adelaide, who is normally booked out 3 months in advance but somehow managed to fit it in within a few days. The bracelet restoration was completed and we let Liz know it was ready to collect. Liz couldn't collect it straight away but would let us know when she could make it around.
The botched engraving that had to be removed.
The new, hand engraved Angel fish.
A couple of weeks later the engagement ring was also ready for collection. We covertly texted Hannah - something along the lines of "The eagle has landed" and we're told they were going away that weekend so Hannah would collect the ring next week.
Early the next week I got two phone calls - Liz and Hannah were both ready to collect their commissions and could pop out on Wednesday during their lunch break! I scheduled them within half an hour of each other! Why??? Liz was due first and she was, of course, running late! Stress levels were through the roof by this stage and I made the decision that if Liz didn't arrive within the next 5 minutes I would have to phone Hannah, explain the situation and get her to hide around the corner until Liz had left. I figured if one surprise had to be ruined it was going to be the bracelet repair for Hannah, not the engagement ring for Liz. Thankfully Liz arrived, collected the bracelet and raced back to work. Fifteen minutes later Hannah arrived and collected the engagement ring. Phew! We had done it! Successfully delivered 3 months worth of work and covert operations to their owners within half an hour of each other. Now I just had to wait...
That evening I got a text from Hannah saying "Now I know who your 12 pm client was and why you definitely didn't want us to cross paths!" Okay, Hannah had received her bracelet. This was the 24th of January 2018 and Hannah had plans to propose on Australia Day. I couldn't wait!
When I say 'plans' I mean SERIOUS PLANS. Hannah had covertly arranged for a photographer friend of theirs to ask them to "model in a photo shoot" for him, scouted the location, hidden a bottle of sparkling wine and glasses, organised for the guests of their Australia Day BBQ to arrive while the couple were out and surprise them when they returned. And it was all executed perfectly! Liz said 'Yes', the photos are absolutely gorgeous and I am so happy for this beautiful couple!
Photo credit @Photoxben
Photo credit @Photoxben
Photo credit @Photoxben
Photo credit @Photoxben
Photo credit @Photoxben
Congratulations
Hannah & Liz!
The Makers Collective 'Meet the Maker' feature
Mikaela Danvers is a fierce supporter of women following their dreams. She runs the online community The Makers Collective where she provides resources and tools for women to grow and run their businesses. Mikaela featured me on her blog 'Meet the Maker' below.
"Today for Meet the Maker I’d love for you to get to know Venetia Major, a bespoke jewellery designer and all-round talented lady! I’ve known Venetia for several years through my sister-in-law, and I’ve always marveled at her intricately detailed designs – with all engraving done by hand! She really is an artist.
Who are you and what do you do?
Hi there, I’m Venetia from Venetia Major – Bespoke Jewellery, I’m a qualified jeweller and gemmologist working from my studio in Charnwood, Canberra. I’ve been in the jewellery industry for almost 14 years and I’ve been a qualified jeweller for ten. I make predominantly wedding and engagement rings out of 18ct yellow gold, white gold and platinum, featuring diamonds and sapphires.
Why is it important to you that you run your own business?
I’ve always been independently minded, wanting to do things my own way and proving that I can. I worked for other people after my apprenticeship to gain a broader experience but made the change to fully self-employed fairly quickly after I became qualified. I’ve loved every moment of it, even the leaner times in the beginning because they were mine. Now, every success in growing the business, however minor, is still such a thrill.
What is the most significant way in which your life has improved since starting your own business?
Satisfaction is the most significant improvement to my life. I could easily go and get a standard job and earn more money and get Super and sick leave but I would have no say in what i did everyday and that would not be acceptable to me.
What is the most rewarding part of owning your own business?
The freedom to make decisions about what direction the business is going to go in. Whenever I worked for somebody else I could immediately see business processes that were inefficient and I always had ideas to improve them but you pretty quickly become indoctrinated to how your workplace does things and forget that there are actually better ways. Today my business’ survival depends on me being as smart and efficient as possible.
Why do people love your product/service?
The jewellery I make is high quality and designed to be passed down for generations. The service I give to my customers from the design stage to years after the completion of the piece is attentive, professional and generous.
How did you work out exactly who your ideal customers were?
I figured out my ideal customer after a few years of experience. A person who understands the skills, training and workmanship that goes into a single piece of jewellery, somebody who appreciates fine quality and somebody with patience.
Where do you go for inspiration on how to continue to build and grow your business?
My most valuable resource for inspiration and advice is a private online forum for independent jewellers throughout Australia and the world. There is a wealth of knowledge there and they are always generous with their time and advice. I have a jewellery mentor who has taught me so much and I was a BNI member a few years ago.
What would you say your biggest strength or asset specifically as a woman has been, in running your biz?
The ability to listen and understand my customer’s wants. Like with any specialist industry, jewellery has its own language and most people don’t know it. I focus on not overwhelming the customer with technical terms. I listen to their ideas and translate them into a beautiful piece of jewellery. I personally hate going to a business and being bambozzled by industry jargon that I’m expected to understand so I try to keep it simple and use a lot of sketches and photographs to illustrate my ideas.
What challenges have you faced running your business whilst raising your kids?
Ooow, it’s hard! I have a 3 year old boy and he knows exactly when to get sick or when not to sleep just before a big deadline but luckily I have a great network to fall back on.
As a small business owner, what is one thing you would say that every business owner should be doing right now in their business?
Planning, strategising, thinking, scheming your next major business direction. With your own business it’s never ending, as soon as you reach one goal you’ve got to be focusing on the next. I can’t do everything so I’ve got a great group of advisers around me – accountant, book keeper, financial adviser, insurance broker, lawyer, setter, valuer, mentor etc. Find reliable professionals that you trust and keep them close – you’ll need them for your next business move.
What words of wisdom can you give to anyone just starting out on their small business adventure?
If you love it and have a passion for self direction you’ll succeed.
What excites you when looking ahead at the next three years for your business?
I just hired an apprentice, Kelsey, and a jewellery apprenticeship takes 4 years. I’m really looking forward to watching her grow and develop over that time. She’s been with me for only 5 weeks and is already moving forward in leaps and bounds, I’m excited to see what she’ll acheive. I’m also taking a new direction with the business in terms of marketing and I’m curious to see what effect that has on the business.
How can people find you?
Visit: Shop 3, 8 Victoria St, Hall, ACT, 2615
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/venetiamajor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/venetia-major-bespoke-jewellery/
Website: www.venetiamajor.com.au
To contact me directly you can email enquire@venetiamajor.com.au or phone 6230 9587."
Silversmithing Course Now 8 Weeks
Silversmithing course extended to 8 weeks and now includes mini practice projects.
We've now run through three silversithing courses with five students (one student having done two courses) and I've had some great feedback from the students and as such I have made some changes and improvements to the course structure.
The silversmithing course is now 8 weeks long, a total of 25 hours, that's only $36.80 per hour! Students have been very ambitious with their project choices and, as such, need more time to complete their pieces. To see the new course schedule, click here.
This extended course time frame allows for the introduction of mini practice projects! Students will have the opportunity to get a feel for the basic techniques involved before diving into their own projects. The mini projects will focus on saw piercing, soldering and filing.
We've had a great time so far and I've been really impressed with the student's imagination in their project choices and their willingness to try new things and push themselves to be more creative.
Below are some photos of what the students have been up to.
Now offering jewellery making classes
Venetia Major - Bespoke jewellery is pleased to announce the commencement of jewellery making classes in Charnwood, Canberra.
I am pleased and excited to announce the beginning of a new era for Venetia Major - Bespoke Jewellery. I am now offering jewellery making classes! How exciting!
The classes will run on Tuesday evenings or Saturdays and the course will be a total of 15 hours. There will be a planning session prior and then full guidance throughout the course to ensure you go home with a new piece of jewellery you made yourself and practical skills in the design and manufacture of jewellery. The courses will run throughout 2017.
You can either do your own project if you have something in mind already or you can focus on basic skill development with a series of projects set out for you.
This is going to be a lot of fun and I know my future students will get a lot out of it!
Go to Classes for scheduled dates and booking.
Easy to Support Local
It's now even easier to support local industry. As the city grows so to does the number of qualified professional tradespeople situated in Canberra. The money you chose to spend with me not only supports one local Charnwood family but also three others in the local area.
Over the last two years the jewellery industry in Canberra has exploded!
I'm talking specifically about the support services that the manufacturing jeweller relies on to run a professional jewellery manufacturing business.
Fields like stone cutters, diamond setters and registered valuers are all vital parts of the industry and all of these trades require years of training and expense to become proficient tradespeople.
When I started in the industry, over ten years ago, we sent all of the peripheral jobs interstate, often never having met the tradie face to face, simply working on reputation, phone conversations and trade recommendations.
Today, it makes me really proud to say that I now have a team of tradespeople - a setter, a cutter and a valuer - all within 7 minutes drive of my studio!
When you have a piece of jewellery repaired or manufactured by me, you're not just supporting one young Charnwood family, your dollar flows through the whole local community and specifically, supporting three other young families as well.
We still don't have any tool or gemstones suppliers or engravers but these will come as we grow as a city.
A cabochon sapphire being valued by the local valuer.
A heliodore cut by the local cutter, setting manufactured by Venetia and set by local setter.
A handmade ring ready to be sent to the engraver and then the setter.
Claudia's Heirloom
Claudia's heirloom pieces were worn out and out of fashion, she came to me to have the rings remodeled. See the challenges and triumphs in remaking Claudia's rings.
Background & Brief
The rings Claudia had been given by her grandmothers.
Claudia had been given these rings from both of her grandmothers. She wanted to have the rings melted down and remodeled into a new design, something modern that she could wear every day but also something that maintained the sentimental value of the rings.
Claudia wanted to use all the gemstones and also use the gold from the original rings.
Challenges
Beginning the melting process by heating up the ingot mold.
The main challenge was the risk involved in using the original white gold. There was a potential for the metal to crack when I started re working it after it had been melted down. The really tricky thing is that you can't tell whether the metal will crack before you do it so there was going to be a financial risk involved if it didn't work and, of course, the sentimental risk of possibly losing the metal.
The badly damaged rubies.
The other issue was with the very scratched rubies. These were very old rings and had seen a lot of wear. I suggested having them re-polished to bring them back to life. Claudia was going to lose some carat weight but I couldn't see any point in making a beautiful new ring with shabby old stones that looked worn out.
Process
First step is to cut out the gemstones. This can take a surprising long time.
The melted down white gold forming an ingot bar.
Rolled out to form the beginnings of a ring. Black oxide build up from annealing process. (heated to soften).
Rough filed ring
Polished ring.
Outcome
The metal did indeed crack and I had to melt it twice but we were able to work around the issues. You can see a tiny crack mark in the 'Polished ring' photograph above but we were able to set one of the gemstones there so it was effectively removed. There was also a lateral crack but it was shallow and I was able to put it on the inside of the band and Claudia was happy with that.
The newly polished rubies.
The finished article.
The happy customer.
The rubies polished up beautifully and so did the ring. Claudia now had a ring that protected her gemstones (as much as is possible), that she could wear every day, made from the original metal her grandmothers had bequeathed her.
Latest & Greatest
About
Venetia major - Bespoke Jewellery
Venetia is a qualified jeweller and gemmologist who runs her private jewellery design and manufacturing studio in Canberra, Australia.
Most of Venetia's works are commission pieces and a small range of her own designs are available for sale.