HALO'S PROCESSES

Businesses like Halo, that create their products using quality materials and ethical processes are proud to share how their products are made.

Every piece of jewellery from Halo is crafted with passion and care. Each item is designed and carefully handmade using sterling silver, gemstones and enamels from the most reputable suppliers. This page tells you about the materials we use, the processes we follow, and what makes Halo Jewellery UK so special.

INSPIRATION

Many jewellery designers say that their inspiration comes from nature. Mine tends to come more from colours, shapes and symbols that we see in everyday life.

My pieces have a modern feel because of their size, which is always dainty and their look, which is minimalistic and uncluttered.

I look for meaning in each piece I design, whether it's a shape, a symbol a colour or anything else. Jewellery is not a commodity we need, but a form of self-expression we want. And in these days of plenty, what we own needs to add meaning to our lives, otherwise it becomes just another thing that we possess.

DESIGN

Halo's designs are never random, isolated items. Each design will be part of a collection. Once an idea for a piece has been conceived, other pieces with a similar theme will be designed by sketching them on paper. If at this stage, a small collection doesn't emerge, the idea is set aside.

If the collection has 'legs' then it goes to the next stage. I'm not a good artist, so I can't do a full rendering of my designs. I also don't create computer aided designs, so each item from the collection will be made in prototype, either in wax or in silver, to see how it looks, hangs and feels in 3D. Quite often a prototype looks good but doesn't hang well, in which case the design is discarded.

SOURCING

Having a sustainable business can no longer be a selling point - it should be a given, and today, every business, whatever its size, needs to play a part in being sustainable. At Halo, I use certified recycled silver wherever possible, and even recycle my own scrap silver by melting it down and converting it to sheet. While this can't be used for customer orders because it can't be guaranteed as sterling silver, it is more than good enough for prototyping new designs.

Halo is looking into using lab-created gemstones for its designs. But this also needs to be done responsibly, ensuring that the processes used to create lab-created gemstones are themselves sustainable and responsible. Otherwise, Halo will be inadverently contributing to the ever-increasing problem of greenwashing.

MAKING

The techniques I use in making my designs are diverse and vary from simple to complicated. But the common thread through all of them is that they are done by hand. Whether it's carving a lock into a piece of wax, or adding texture to a popular piece like the Halo circle necklace, I steer clear of computers and 3D printers throughout the making process.

I’m a real stickler for detail and I try to use as few bought components as possible. So, while I can't go and mine my own silver, I craft each of my dainty, modern designs from sterling silver sheets, wires, and chain. Even the clasps are made by me because I wasn't satisfied with what was available to buy. Once a piece is completed, I then hand polish and finish it before it's ready for you to wear.

TESTING

Above all, my desire is that my customers can buy a piece of Halo jewellery with peace of mind. I want my pieces to last, so each new design is put rigourously through various testing processes before the design is deemed to be fit for purpose.

This includes testing the design by tumbling, tugging, pulling and wearing it 24/7 for about two weeks, putting it through all the stresses and strains of a typical routine. Occasionally it even involves giving the prototype a gentle hammering to see if it will bear the strain.

But that's not all. My dream is to make Halo Jewellery UK the John Lewis of handmade jewellery, offering exceptional products with impeccable customer service, so Halo offers a two-year guarantee, 60 day returns and a lifetime repair service with each purchase