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.