Make Your Own Jewellery (Plus a Rolex Revival and Fiery Options for October's Birthstone)
- Lee Molseed
- Oct 23, 2025
- 7 min read
Edition date: 19 October 2025
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Make Your Own Jewellery — Bespoke Workshops in Plymouth (Rings, Wedding Rings & Bangles)
Bespoke Jewellery Workshops in Plymouth Step into our recently fitted-out Plymouth workshop for a guided, hands-on day at the bench. Learn genuine goldsmithing skills and leave with a professionally finished piece you made yourself.
What to Expect
Real jeweller’s tools: saw frame & blades, mandrels, hammers, files, torches, polishing mops.
Patient, expert tuition with plenty of one-to-one guidance.
A finished piece crafted by you — the best kind of keepsake.
Current Workshop Options
Ring Workshop — Learn ring sizing, forming, soldering, texturing and polishing. Finish in a classic high polish or choose a textured or satin finish.
Wedding Ring Workshop — Craft both rings together (or make your partner’s). We’ll guide you on profile choice, metal, comfort fit, personal engraving and finishing.
Bangle Workshop — Create a solid bangle from start to finish: measuring, forming, soldering, texturing and the final professional polish.
Top tip: Speak to the team ahead of time about your design ideas and metal choices so you can maximise practical bench time on the day. Thanks for this feedback from our customer's Google Review - great advice!
Who It’s For
Complete beginners and keen hobbyists.
Couples making wedding rings.
Gift experiences for birthdays, anniversaries and “just because”.
Sustainability & Materials
We can work with newly supplied precious metals or discuss recycling your own where suitable.
Ethical sourcing and careful material use are part of our everyday workshop practice.
Where & Group Size
Small groups of up to four in our Plymouth workshop (easy access from the A38 and free on-site parking), curated for focused, safe learning.
Behind the Scenes: From Preloved Gold to a New Creation
Our most recent bespoke workshop turned treasured, sentimental gold into something entirely new - a gent's open-cuff bangle.
The customer joined us for a full-day Make Your Own Jewellery Workshop, bringing in a collection of preloved jewellery pieces that no longer fit their style but still held memories worth keeping.
Click any of the images to send us a message and register your interest in one of our future jewellery workshops.
Step 1 — Melting & Recycling Gold The session began by melting down the old gold — a symbolic and sustainable way to carry sentimental value into a new design. Under Lee’s guidance, the gold was carefully heated and re-cast into a clean, solid ingot ready for shaping.
Step 2 – Rolling on the Mill: https://www.westcountrygoldsmiths.com/make-your-own-jewellery-workshop-plymouth
Step 2 — Rolling Out Using the rolling mill, the customer learned to transform the ingot into a long rectangular strip. Lee demonstrated how to position the gold at 45°, roll forwards and back, rotate, tighten the rollers and repeat.
Each pass was guided by the sound of the mill — a subtle cue for when to re-anneal the gold and prevent work-hardening.
After several cycles, the strip reached the perfect bangle thickness, with even edges and a smooth, workable surface.
Step 3 – Forming the Shape: https://www.westcountrygoldsmiths.com/make-your-own-jewellery-workshop-plymouth
Step 3 — Shaping the Bangle The gold was formed into an open oval cuff using a specialist mandrel (that 'weird wooden block in the vice') and a jeweller’s hammer, gradually bringing the bangle to the correct shape.
Step 4 – Cutting & Adjusting: https://www.westcountrygoldsmiths.com/make-your-own-jewellery-workshop-plymouth
Step 4 — Trimming for Fit With the bangle shaped, the ends were cut and refined to create the perfect opening width for the intended wrist. In this case, the customer wanted rounded ends, so first they cut it to length, and then used a file to shape the rounded corners as shown in the next step.
Step 5 – Filing to a Fine Finish: https://www.westcountrygoldsmiths.com/make-your-own-jewellery-workshop-plymouth
Step 5 — Filing & Refinement
“I expected it to be a little uncomfortable because it’s not a skill I’m used to,” the customer told us, “but the hardest part was holding the bangle on the peg at an angle that meant I could use long and meaningful strokes without it moving.”
Using precision files, the surface was taken from oxidised blackened gold back to a fresh, smooth metal finish — ready for its final transformation.
Step 6 – Buffing & Correcting Imperfections: https://www.westcountrygoldsmiths.com/make-your-own-jewellery-workshop-plymouth
Step 6 — Buffing & Surface Preparation The next stage involved fine abrasive papers and buff sticks to remove file marks and bring uniformity to the surface. Where the recycled gold had natural imperfections, Lee stepped in with professional corrections to ensure the metal was structurally sound and beautifully even.
Step 7 — Polishing & Finish The inside of the bangle was brought to a bright polish, while the outer face was left with a sophisticated satin-matt texture — a tactile contrast that looked stunning in person.
Step 8 – Finished Piece: https://www.westcountrygoldsmiths.com/make-your-own-jewellery-workshop-plymouth
Final Result: The finished bangle weighed 22.6 g, with a graceful oval profile and a smooth matt exterior. The customer left thrilled, leaving us a glowing five-star review and some superb workshop photos (shown above).
A note on recycled gold: When recycling metal this way, it’s normal to lose around 10% of the total starting weight through impurities, trimming, file and polishing — a worthwhile trade for breathing new life into meaningful materials.
Ready to Book?
Small, carefully coached sessions fill quickly. Register your interest and we’ll match you to the next available date.
Watch Repairs in Plymouth — Restoring a Two-Tone Rolex Oyster Datejust Bracelet
On-site watch repair & bracelet restoration This week, our master goldsmith meticulously restored the 18ct yellow gold links on a two-tone Rolex Oyster Datejust bracelet — a precision job that blends jewellery craftsmanship with watchmaking care.
What was involved
Diagnosis & Prep: Assessing link wear and stretch, disassembly of affected sections. Our goldsmith, Lee, had the mammoth task of repairing a total of 29 individual gold links.
Precision Puck Welding: Individually building up worn gold contact points on each link to restore geometry and integrity.
Refine & Refinish: Filing, truing each link, progressive buffing, then reassembly and functional checks.
Why this matters
Restoring material, rather than replacing links, preserves originality.
Correcting wear reduces future movement-induced stretch.
The result is a tighter, cleaner bracelet that wears and looks closer to factory.
Before → After
Before – Worn Gold Link Edges: https://www.westcountrygoldsmiths.com/watch-repairs-plymouth
Building up the gold using our Lampert welder and then shaping restores structure where daily wear has softened edges.
During – Organising the gold links by what needs repair: https://www.westcountrygoldsmiths.com/watch-repairs-plymouth
Each link is addressed individually: micro-precision, then careful filing to restore symmetry.
During – Filing the individual links: https://www.westcountrygoldsmiths.com/watch-repairs-plymouth
Clean geometry, crisp facets and a refined surface finish — ready for reassembly.
During – Buffing the individual links: https://www.westcountrygoldsmiths.com/watch-repairs-plymouth
Our Watch Services (Plymouth & Devon)
Bracelet repairs & restorations (gold/steel, two-tone).
Case refinishing, clasp repairs, pin & tube replacements.
Battery replacements, pressure testing, reseals (where applicable).
Partnered servicing routes for movements requiring full overhaul.
Have a similar two-tone bracelet or a tired clasp? Bring it in for an honest assessment — we’ll outline options, timescales and costs before we begin.
Get your luxury watch repair quote
October Birthstone Spotlight — Why Fire Opal Deserves Centre Stage
Fire Opal Jewellery in Plymouth When most people think of October, they picture milky white opals with play-of-colour. But there’s another, blazing member of the family: Fire Opal — vivid orange to red (and warm golden yellows) that looks spectacular in modern bespoke pieces.
What is Fire Opal?
Fire Opal is a naturally coloured opal (typically from Mexico, with deposits also found in Brazil and elsewhere) prized for its transparent to translucent body and saturated orange-to-red hue. Unlike classic white opal, its appeal is the pure body colour; some stones may also show subtle play-of-colour.
Colour & Value
Colour: Ranges from honeyed yellow-orange through tangerine to deep cherry red.
Clarity: Cleaner material (fewer visible inclusions) is more desirable.
Cut: Well-proportioned cabochons or faceted shapes enhance brightness and depth.
Size: Larger, richly coloured stones command stronger prices.
Design Pairings that Sing
Metals: Fire Opal loves yellow gold for warmth, rose gold for a romantic glow, and platinum or white gold for sharp contrast.
Accent Stones: Fine white diamonds amplify brightness; champagne diamonds or sapphires (padparadscha, yellow) create a rich, autumnal palette.
Wear & Care (Essential Guidance)
Opals are comparatively softer; choose protective settings (bezels, smooth profiles) for rings.
Avoid extremes: no ultrasonic/steam, keep away from sudden temperature swings and harsh chemicals.
Store separately with a soft pouch to prevent scratching.
Bespoke by Design — How We Work
We source high-quality Fire Opals to order and design around your style: solitaire rings, pendant drops, halo settings or contemporary east-west bezels. You’ll review stone options, setting sketches, metal choices and finishes before we craft the final piece in our workshop.
A quick truth from our bench: We don’t keep Fire Opal in regular stock — we select them bespoke for each commission so you get the right colour, clarity and cut for your design.
Considering an October piece (or just love the colour)? Tell us your style and budget — we’ll curate Fire Opal options and design a setting to match.
October Birthstone Spotlight — Why Fire Opal Deserves Centre Stage: https://www.westcountrygoldsmiths.com/booking-calendar/jewellery-consultation
Watch the Workshop in Action + A Five-Star Review We Had to Share
See a real bangle being made from start to finish
Earlier this week, we shared a time-lapse of our latest Make Your Own Jewellery Workshop — showing every stage of melting, rolling, shaping and polishing a recycled gold bangle. It’s a brilliant glimpse into what actually happens at the bench — and proof that with the right guidance, you too can create something truly personal.
🎥 Watch the clips on our Facebook page to see the transformation in motion.
A Review Worth Reposting
We love hearing from our customers — and this recent Google review captures exactly what we aim for in every bespoke commission:
“A fantastic artisan goldsmith company. I used them to make a bespoke dual-colour gold wedding band to fit around my wife’s other rings. The process was so simple and collaborative — it was a joy. The ring was made in plenty of time for the date I needed it and looked perfect, all at a reasonable price. I really could not have asked for more.”
Sharing reviews like these helps others discover us, and also reminds us how special it is to create meaningful pieces for life’s biggest moments.
— West Country Goldsmiths • https://www.westcountrygoldsmiths.com
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