Featured Maker // Buff Jewellery
Buff Jewellery
Founders Mei-Li & ELlie
Mei-Li and Ellie, the wonderfully talented duo behind Buff first crossed paths studying Art Foundations and then Jewellery & Silversmithing at Birmingham’s School of Jewellery.
Mei-Li’s first job in the trade was working as a bespoke jewellery designer & consultant which consisted of providing a bespoke design service to the Signet Group in their jewellery stores across the UK. The experience Mei-Li gained was invaluable, a lot of what she applies to her designs, she learnt from her time there. After months of travelling to different stores and locations every day, with no office base, she realised it wasn’t for her. Mei-Li missed having colleagues and wanted to create pieces and designs on her own terms, so in the evenings and weekends she started to make her own designs. After a couple of years she handed in her notice and started to concentrate her energy into her personal brand, Mei-Li Rose, which started off as understated elegant, contemporary designs, but now Mei-Li works solely on bespoke commissions.
Ellie has worked in the jewellery trade in one form or another ever since graduating and she is thankful to be pursuing a career derived from her degree. Initially Ellie gained several years experience of bench work in a local family run jewellers and set about kitting out her Mum’s garage as a workshop and grew her own self-employed jewellery business, Bug. Ellie worked tirelessly on her jewellery business, but after several years of full steam ahead it became a little too much. She missed working with others and feeling part of a team along with the financial pressures of living off her art was tough.
Fast forward several years, Mei-Li visited Birmingham for a Christmas catch up and they listened to each other’s tales of solo jewellery making. It was then it clicked and they realised they could create something special together.
Mei-Li and Ellie tell us all about their creative process, favourite tools and some excellent tips on following a creative career path.
What do you make and which materials do you use?
We specialise in personalised birthstone luxury basics, made in sterling silver and gold vermeil, with a small offering in 9ct gold. We design all of our master patterns ourselves, in house, moulds are then made so that the designs can be reproduced, (unless bespoke). Our birthstone designs are hand-set by talented crafts people in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter.
Why is creativity important to you?
(Ellie) It is a release – I enter my own little world away from life’s distractions, to do lists and expectations. I love nothing more than a free afternoon in the workshop to bring to life the creations that so far only exist in my mind. It is so satisfying to see a design come to fruition. Even better, when you share it with someone who loves it enough to buy and cherish it. It creates a special connection.
How has your business evolved since the beginning?
Our focus has shifted to more of a personalised offering, the majority of our collection consists of customised birthstone set pieces which make for really lovely sentimental keepsakes. This has also made our production process a lot more challenging as every piece is different, so it’s kept us on our toes. We are currently implementing a new order management and stock system which will hopefully simplify the whole process, fingers crossed!
“I love the whole process of creating new designs... it’s so satisfying when it all comes together and there’s no better feeling than the piece turning out how you envisioned it.”
What is your most enjoyable part of creating? Is it the process or the final product itself?
(Mei-Li) I love the whole process of creating new designs, getting lost in mood-boards to sketching up initial ideas and making prototypes. Although, I have a love hate relationship with CAD working drawings, having to work out the nitty gritty millimetre dimensions can be tricky, especially when working on detailed stone set pieces but it’s so satisfying when it all comes together and there’s no better feeling than the piece turning out how you envisioned it. It can be sad when it’s time to part ways, after spending weeks/months working on a piece, but it’s really rewarding when you see the joy it brings to its new owner.
Every maker has their favourite tools and techniques. Which are your favourites?
(Ellie) I am a model maker at heart. I love a pile of silver and crafting something in 3D directly from sheet, wire or tube. I use traditional silversmithing techniques such as soldering, doming, riveting and piercing to work the metal into a new form. Currently those forms take the shape of watering cans and garden forks as I am experimenting with a personal project inspired by lockdown gardening.
How do you juggle your home-life with work? Do you have any tips for those in a similar position?
(Ellie) This is always a delicate balancing act. As I also work 4 days a week at a day job as well as Buff. Buff is still really in its infancy and until it is healthy enough to support us both full time, I will need to supplement my income. Plus, it frees us up to experiment with Buff and really give it a good push. It’s taken several years of practice and a near miss with burn out to realise that rest is part of the work. You have to give yourself a break. We use a shared calendar and clearly mark out our days off and work schedules for our other jobs. So we both know when we’re on and off. The weekly view is great for time blocking and you can be realistic with how much time you actually have free for certain tasks.
We are good at delegating roles – we don’t both try to do the same things. For example - I do personalised orders and Mei-Li does emails. I take photos and Mei-Li does Instagram. We’ve both fallen into roles naturally, it seems we cover most of the bases. Except accounts. Neither of us have a huge love for that area!
My main three tips are – make time for daydreaming, that’s when the best solutions come. Make to do lists that you can actually tick off, there should be at least one thing a day on there that is for your enjoyment. Third - don’t feel guilty when you’re not working. Just enjoy it.
Follow Buff on Instagram: @buffjewellery
Visit their Website: www.buffjewellery.com
