All in a day's work; Jewellery manufactory
I USUALLY START work about 8am. Many of my clients are overseas, so the first thing I do is check my e-mails, which might be from people asking for feedback on an ongoing project or seeking some ideas about a new line of jewellery for the coming season.
Most of my work involves creating ideas and designs for different types of jewellery. The shape of the stone usually conforms to a standard, and my job is to design the form and colour of the backing and mounting materials.
A job begins with a design brief from a client, which will lay out certain criteria for the project, such as the price range and the possible range of materials to be used. Then I start doing research on the project, including looking through magazines and at upcoming fashion trends.
As I do this, I make lots of sketches and take notes, putting them together on a 'mood board', and begin to visualise the finished article. I then send drawings and written proposals to the client with my basic designs and themes for the collection - and what colours and materials will be used.
Hopefully they will approve all or some of my design ideas, and then we can narrow things down and I get to work on the final drawings. There is a lot of changing ideas and making alterations to the design, but that is part of the job.
I don't need to spend much time finding clients because they usually come to me. I have a lot of contacts from my past experience in the industry. About a third of my clients are in Hong Kong and the rest are overseas, mostly in Japan and Canada. I have been a jewellery freelancer for about four years. It helps me strike a balance between work and family life.
