Blog | Eileen Moylan

Gold Stacking Ring

01.01.2018 by Eileen Moylan //

Designing and creating completely unique jewellery pieces is one of my favourite projects to work on. So when I was asked to design and create a contemporary ring using the customers own gold and gemstones, we would create something for special. She knew the style she liked and so we worked together to come up with a design that would offset these four gorgeous gemstones and repurpose her gold. Here are just a few photos I took in the workshop as I remodelled the original gold, before and after shots of the rings with the gemstones and finally, the finished piece you’ll see below.

If you have an idea for a piece of jewellery you would like to create, feel free to contact me eileen@eileenmoylan.com

Growing Talent Exhibition

04.10.2013 by Eileen Moylan //

I was in London recently so got the chance to visit Goldsmiths hall to see the ‘Growing Talent’ exhibition. The idea behind this show was to bring together silvermsiths and jewellers who have been supported by the Goldsmiths’ Company showing the development in their work. So they would display their new and old work along side each other.

Each of the participants will show an early piece from their very first Goldsmiths’ Fair alongside one of their most recent pieces, demonstrating how their designs and skills have developed over the interim time.

It was a great display of craftsmanship and was packed with the most intricate, perfectly formed pieces but the really amazing thing in the show was how it showed the development of each maker. It was so interesting to take in the earlier pieces and then examine how the themes had evolved and changed. At first glance some work looked liked it had been made by a completely different person but on closer inspection you can see the same theme running through the work with each makers individual approach shining through in their work.

I think seeing two pieces from each maker is a really clever idea for a show as their design signature and style are even more evident especially when you see the time period between some of the pieces.

The other thing I really liked about the show was the catalogue. I normally flick through the catalogue and don’t give it a second look. Whereas this one had a short interview with each maker asking really interesting questions like ‘Who has influenced you most as a maker and ‘What piece of jewellery or silverware would you most like to own’

Since reading this I’m still trying to answer these questions for myself!

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New Years Resolutions for this Jewellery Designer

02.04.2013 by Eileen Moylan //

I know February is a bit late to make new years resolution but I’ve had such a busy January. I decided that February was a good a time as ever to turn over a new leaf. Besides the usual eat less exercise more resolutions, I’ve made some silversmith workshop related resolutions that I’m hoping will make for a more harmonious work environment!

I treated myself to new polishing tools before Christmas and so my first resolution of the year must be to mastering one of these. Namely, my fabulous new barrel polisher!

It’s taken a few years to acquire this as I bounced from wanting one to thinking I can do without! As the workshop has been so busy with new jewellery designs and engagement rings in the first month of year, I knew I needed to reduce the amount of time spend at polishes. Having done some research and spoken to other jewellers, I found the best way to achieve my desired polish in the shortest amount of time was to use a barrel polisher. Thanks to recommendations other jewelley designer friends, I chose this one from UKGE

I had planned to spend a full day in January trying different techniques and finishes, and figuring out what works best for my pieces. But for the first month of the year, my polisher was well and truly forgot about. So my first new years resolution is to become a polishing ninja.

My second resolution is the leave my bench tidy every evening before leaving the workshop. Now let just clarify, I’m not a messy person and by other workshop standards my workshop is pretty tidy. But there are always just that few minutes in the morning spent getting set up for the day. As I’m at my most productive in the morning, it doesn’t make sense to spend precious time tidying. New, organised me, will from here on out organize my workspace in the evening as I wind down for the day. My last few minutes each day will now be spent doing a quick potter around the workshop, putting tools away and lining up pieces for the following day while listening to a good podcast.

So there you have it, Eileen’s belated new years resolutions. Of course I will keep you posted on my progress with the barrell polisher. As for the perfectly tidy bench… you’ll have to just trust me on that one 🙂