Jewellery manufacturing

Edward Fleming jewellery is a jewellery manufacturer based in Stratford, East London, where we offer a full range of jewellery manufacturing services, starting from CAD design, right through to diamond setting, and polishing.  We work with individual clients, many small brands, and designers to help bring their designs to life and products to market.  

We offer competitive rates and fast turnaround times for the high standard of work that we do for individual custom orders, prototypes, and batch production jewellery.

You are welcome to visit the workshop and spend time, side by side with our designer, to get your products just right before they are manufactured.  You can e-mail, WhatsApp us, or arrange an appointment here.  Consultations and demonstrations are free, while design time is charged at an hourly rate.

How Do I get my jewellery designs manufactured?

If you already have a design in CAD format or hand-drawn technical drawings, then you can send these to us and we can give you a quote to have these manufactured.  When requesting a quote, you need to specify the metal required, for instance, silver or 18ct gold.  If there are stones in the design, please indicate where these will go and whether you will be supplying them or if you would like us to supply them.
If you have neither a CAD design or technical drawing, then don’t worry, we can work with you from sketches to create a formal design that can be used to instruct a manufacturer.

Once you have a design from us, there is no obligation to have your items manufactured with us and we may be able to advise you on a suitable manufacturing partner.

Cad for jewellery design

Today, a lot of jewellery starts life as a CAD design.  Once you have a design in CAD format, you can send it to manufacturers all over the world and expect consistent results.  A 3D model can be 3D printed as many times as is necessary, and this model can be cast or used to make a mould.  Once you have a 3D model, it is a good idea to back it up because, if you lose the file, you may need to have it remade, for which you will almost certainly be charged.

Depending on the exact software that is used to make the model, it may be hard to make changes to the model, for instance altering a finger size, so if you are working with a CAD designer it is a good idea to make them aware at the start that you will need a certain design in a range of sizes.

CAD Design for jewellery

Jewellery manufacturing

Making jewellery is a highly specialised craft and encompasses a wide range of techniques and professions.  To make 1 ring, for instance, 6 different skilled tradespeople may be involved.  Over the years, people have become highly specialised in certain aspects of jewellery manufacturing, like polishing or diamond setting.  This being said, some people like to take control of all the elements of a production, as many of the skills overlap.  Diamond setters and engravers, for instance, use some of the same tools and techniques.  

Jewellery is made all over the world, and each region has developed its own style and techniques over the years.  New York was once a centre for diamond cutting, though today Botswana cuts more diamonds than the USA.  India and Dubai are known for gold jewellery and France has long had a reputation for high-end jewellery manufacturing.

Below is a list of the specific trades within jewellery manufacturing

Diamond Cutter - Fashions rough diamonds into faceted stones that maximise sparkle and size ready for setting in jewellery.

CAD Designer - Makes the model that will be 3D printed, ready for casting.

Bullion Dealer - Supplier of precious metal in various forms, for instance, wire, sheet, casting grain.

Caster - Uses molten precious metal to form the shape of an item of jewellery

Diamond Mounter- A diamond mounter can make an item of jewellery from scratch, from metal supplied from a bullion dealer or clean up a casting.

Diamond Setter - The person who puts the diamonds into the jewellery.  There are many different types of stone setting and some setters will specialise in a particular technique,  for instance, micro setting.

Jewellery Polisher - Polishing and plating the finished item of jewellery.

Engraving - Uses hand tools or machines to engrave letters, numbers, symbols, and motifs.

Traditionally each one of these separate trades has involved a 5-year apprenticeship, starting at 16,  under the supervision of experienced tradespeople and overseen by the Goldsmiths company.

Ethical jewellery manufacturing

Using ethically sourced materials and providing a safe working environment for people making jewellery is paramount to creating an ethical jewellery brand.  We use both Fairmined and Fairtrade gold and silver, as well as responsible manufacturing processes.

Uk jewellery manufacturing

Jewellery manufacturing in the UK has a long tradition and London and Birmingham are recognised as the centres of the trade.  Though there are talented and experienced craftspeople all over the country, the critical mass of allied craftspeople and businesses in London and Birmingham means that these cities are where the majority of commercial jewellery manufacturing is done.

Today, the UK is a major centre for high-end jewellery and bespoke jewellery manufacturing.  In the past high volume manufacturing was also done in the UK, however, competition from abroad has seen this type of work largely disappear from the UK.

Some of the most prestigious jewellery houses in the world have workshops in London.

A jewellers bench

Jewellery manufacturer London

Hatton Garden and Soho have traditionally been the heart of jewellery making in London.  Whilst there are still some workshops in and around Soho, the majority of jewellery making in London is centred around Hatton Garden now.  The London Assay Office opened a new sub-office there in December 2006 , in order to support the trade, and the Goldsmith Centre is home to many small jewellery workshops encompassing many aspects of manufacturing.  

Jewellery manufacturer