BENCHspace ...because making matters
creativity, community, craft
BENCHspace is a silversmithing and jewellery workshop that offers you the opportunity to come and make bespoke jewellery in your own unique style.Β
Taster Sessions
Β BENCHspace offers a range of taster sessions, courses and masterclasses to build up your skill set with step-by-step expert tuition, enabling you to spend some creative βmeβ time in our fully equipped workshop.Β Β For all abilities, from absolute beginner to competent jeweller.
Taster sessions are a perfect gift for those special celebrations – including birthdays, anniversaries, hen parties, bridal parties, (to make bridesmaid, best man, bride and groom gifts) corporate away days, team building and creative time with friends.
Great for friends and family
Bring your friends and family to share your special occasion, creating amazing jewellery to wear home with pride and great memories to share.Β
Your Expert Instructor
Karen Cooke
I have over 30 years of experience in the jewellery trade and am a fully qualified teacher, silversmith and jeweller and have taught all ages and abilities over the years. I look forward to supporting you in all your making adventures.
In the last 12 months
Why Choose Us
Here are a few reasons
- Enjoy learning in our fully equipped jewellery workshop.
- Each person has their own jewellersβ bench with full set of tools.Β
- Make your own amazing jewellery to fit perfectly in your own unique style!
Testimonials
What people are saying
Different every time!
Sunday 2nd March (from 10am-1pm) 3 spaces left.
β¦and make it personal, just for youβ¦
Visit bench-space.com to book
Marquise shaped stones in peridot and blue topaz, little cz earrings all finished this week.
Well done @beeatshellards @lottie.sharp and @jane687smith @marlieswhite, they look fabulous!
3 spaces available on Sunday 2nd March!
Book at bench-space.com
A great workshop today and our lovely guests made these fabulous silver bangles and cuffs.
It was so nice to see everyone and support them making their fabulous new jewellery.
Many thanks to Jane @thesilverwallop ππΌ and well done everyone!
Spaces available !
Saturday 1st March - come and make your very own personalised charms to adorn your necklaces and bracelets β¦
#jewellerywithmeaning #personalisedjewellery #narrativejewellery #makeyourmark #benchspacesilverschool #benchspacejewelleryclasses
Our wonderful level 2 folks making handmade chain.
Our Friday mornings are spent with tiny snippets of solder and lots of fire π₯!
Repetition = skill building πͺ
ππππππππ
#benchspacejewelleryclasses #handmadechainnecklace
#handmadejewellery
#Repost @rosieplum_jewellery with @use.repost
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π©· Happy Valentineβs! π©·
Whether you love it or loath it, at least itβs Friday! π₯³
I thought Iβd show another portfolio piece which I made during my 2nd course at @benchspacesilverschool.
It was my first attempt of making a cabochon setting (stone with a flat back) and how it was a lesson in all things that could go wrong! π
From solder not flowing, to the double ring band being challenging to set straight to gaps in my bezel setting, then having to piece little bits of silver wire in to plug the gap π
- it certainly was a lesson in thinking outside the box π€―
Itβs not perfect by any means, but it was the first time I had made anything like it and taught me so much.
Also, I just love a Rose Quartz stone! π
#handmadejewellery #silversmith #sterlingsilver #jewellerymaker #jewellerymaking #sterlingsilverjewellery
#smallbusinessuk #essexsmallbusiness #rosequartz #rosequartzring #cabachonring #statementring
Week 5 already and our beginners are making excellent progress!
We look forward to seeing your own designs after half term!
#benchspacesilverschool #jewelleryclasses #makeyourownjewellery
In a world of mass production, there is great joy to be found in making something unique.
Our weekend taster sessions (for all abilities) cover a range of silversmithing techniques that will unlock your creativity.
Earrings & pendants- two spaces left on Sunday 16th March from 10am-4pm
Visit bench-space.com for more infoβ¦
Spend a creative day with us, making your perfect jewellery in your own style.
If youβre a creative person who loves making things looking for something new and you just found my page, welcome!
Hereβs what you need to know...
Making jewellery never gets old. Thereβs so much to learn and so many directions to go in to express your style, with so many techniques and skills to learn- youβll never get bored.
Weβre here to help you every step of the way with taster sessions, courses and masterclasses to take you from an absolute beginner to a competent jeweller selling their work. We have all the tools and expertise to help you reach your goals!
#benchspacejewelleryclasses #benchspacesilverschool #jewelleryworkshop #jewellerymaker #jewellerymakersofinstagram #jewellerybeginner #silverringshandmade #handmadejewellery
Bespoke jewellery finished in yesterdayβs classβ¦
Smoky Quartz cufflinks made from vey sentimental family stones for a 21st birthday gift. Made by sand casting the stones in silver and then making mounts for these very irregular shaped stones to sit in. A v tricky job completed by Matt and ready to gift.
A beautiful bloodstone brooch made by @nannyev56 to wear with her amazing scarves.
A chunky silver bracelet made by @marionko3 to wear with all her other amazing jewellery.
Well done folks!
#jewellerymaking #benchspacesilverschool #jewellerymakers
Some snaps from yesterday morningβs class of our indie makers (aka BENCHspacers) at work.
Lots of projects in various stages of completion.
It keeps us out of trouble and relatively sane β¦
#benchspacesilverschool #spacecadets #benchbuddies #jewellerymaking
Nice little detail from this morningβs class, a 9ct necklace with NZ jade charm in progress.
#jewelleryclasses #benchspacejewelleryclasses #jewellerymaking
We teach all the traditional hand skills in our jewellery workshops. You make everything from scratch and do all your own soldering, forming and setting!
We guide you with expert step-by-step tuition and so is perfect for all abilities.
People are always surprised on our workshops that glue is not used to fix gems into their settings.
We use cold connections to securely fit gems into their bezels. We cannot heat the metal or solder it with a gem in place as it will damage the stone. This means the surrounding metal frame (bezel) needs to be a snug fit around the gem to begin with. We then use a pusher to push the metal against the side of the stone all around. When this is against the stone we then push the top of the bezel over the curve of the stone so thereβs no gap.
A firm burnishing afterwards ensures a shiny and well secured mount to the gemstone. No glue required as this will break down over time (especially in an ultrasonic cleaner) and your stone will fall out.
All the jewellery you make with us in our workshop is high quality, made using all the traditional techniques with professional tools and expert tuition.
Weekend spinner & stacking rings workshop at #benchspacesilverschool πͺβοΈπ
Well done folks!
Look at these amazing rings all made today by our fabulous guests π.
What will YOU make? Visit us and find out.
Visit bench-space.com for more information.
One of the key skills in jewellery making is using the right amount of solder (usually less than you think). Therefore cutting solder the correct size is a must-have skill and one that all new students struggle with.
Hereβs how I do it- cut the pallion size you need (as above) as you need it and keep it in the strip formβ¦ sometimes you may need to stick solder (another technique) and you canβt do that with solder glitter (pre-cut pallions).
Top tip: make sure you use sharp snips- not side cutters.
Happy soldering practice folks!
Remember your first 100 joins are all practice only π§―
#silversoldering #silversolderingworkshop #benchspacejewelleryclasses
Making earrings on week 4 of our beginners courseβ¦
New tools introduced, new techniques learnt and new jewellery being worn!
Well done everyone! Excellent progress being made.
#handmadejewellery #benchspacejewelleryclasses
* now fully booked*
2 spaces just now available on our Mothers Day special workshop.
Come and make a gem set ring with us , treat her and yourself to some amazing new jewellery made by your own clever hands ππΌ!
Visit bench-space.com to browse or book.
New stock!
No more gemstones
No, more gemstones
π€ so confusing β¦ π
