Email Address

info@bench-space.com

The Studio

Unit 47, The Shipyard Estate, Brightlingsea, CO7 0AR

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. 

Taster Sessions

 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 ‘me’ time in our fully equipped workshop.  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.

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Available this month…

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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. 

All Classes

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.

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Why Choose Us

Here are a few reasons

  • Enjoy learning in our fully equipped jewellery workshop.
  • Each person has their own jewellers’ bench with full set of tools. 
  • Make your own amazing jewellery to fit perfectly in your own unique style!
Certified Tutor
Best Equipment

Because making matters…

Please follow us on our facebook page for the latest news.

We offer a range of taster sessions and courses to build up your skill set with step-by-step expert tuition, enabling you to spend some creative ‘you’ time in our fully equipped workshop. 

BOOK NOW

Testimonials

What people are saying

benchspacesilverschool

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Jewellery making taster sessions, courses and masterclasses.
🎓 Expert tutors
⚒️ Fully equipped workshop
💍 All abilities
🥳 Perfect for any occasion!

benchspacesilverschool

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Jul 30

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Silver feather pendant finished and oxidised yesterday in the workshop with @katesparsi & Alexi. Sometimes we have almost-finished and half-finished projects rolling around in our drawers for ages… and then the time is right and just like that we have another shiny treasure to wear and admire or gift xxx #benchspacesilverschool #handmadejewellery #jewellerybox #jewellerymaking #benchspacejewelleryclasses #handmadejewellery #jewelleryworkshop #jewellerymaker #jewellerymakers

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Jul 27

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#bezelsetting #stonesettingcourse #jewelleryworkshop #benchspacesilverschool #benchspacejewelleryclasses #handmadejewellery #jewellerymakersofinstagram #seaglasssettings #prongsettings

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Jul 23

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Engraving class with @batzelladario ; the most fun you can have whilst sitting still with a very sharp point in your hand for 8 hours ! It was absorbing and very enjoyable- many thanks to @beccygillattschoolofjewellery for organising this amazing workshop and to Dario for generously sharing his skills and patience x

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Jul 19

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A brilliant way to spend time with your best people is to make lovely things together. Birthdays, anniversaries, or a gift to yourself… Or like today if you need a special bespoke gift for an 18th birthday- don’t look in the shops, come and make it yourself - it means so much more and they’ll know that you made that extra special effort just for them because you care- and it’s the only one like it in the world! Gifts to treasure. #handmadejewellery #benchspacejewelleryclasses #benchspacesilverschool #jewellerymaker #jewelleryworkshop #jewellerymakers #jewellerybeginner #benchspacejewellery

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Jul 18

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A mirror finish is the hardest to achieve. A good finish on your jewellery will determine the quality of your work. Edges are important in jewellery and a good finish will always elevate your work! When you start polishing and finishing and working up through the Emery grades, all sorts of horrors come to light 🫣 Fire stain rears its ugly head and this plain silver ring made by Linda was covered in grey fire stain, just under the surface of the silver. She worked hard for hours polishing out the fire stain that covered most of this ring. (I didn’t get a photo of before just afterwards!) 🔥 Understanding Firestain on Silver 🔥 Ever noticed a purplish or cloudy discoloration on your silver pieces, especially after heating? That’s likely firestain, and it’s a common issue in silversmithing! So, what causes it? When sterling silver (which is an alloy of 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper) is heated during processes like soldering or annealing, the copper content in the alloy reacts with oxygen in the air. This reaction forms copper oxide, which, unlike silver oxide, is much harder to remove and appears as those tell-tale purple, red, or gray stains below the surface. Think of it as the copper “burning” beneath the silver’s surface when exposed to high temperatures and oxygen! Knowing the cause helps us understand why jewelers take precautions to prevent it and can take hours to remove it afterwards… I’ll do another post about how to remove fire stain later … #SilverCare #SilversmithingTips #JewelryFacts #Firestain #JewelryMaking #benchspacejewelleryclasses

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Jul 14

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What is BENCHspace about? I was at a business course today and found out that many corporate ideas that underpin most business experts are not what I want for us… and made me reflect on how I started out. I read this book when studying 10 years ago for my arts MA (many thanks to @_________kaavous.______ !) and although it’s a bit dry (because it’s a set of instructions) the idea is that you can make positive changes in your immediate environment that helps to foster connection and creativity and to improve it all, little by little, for all of us. Connection is known to be the antidote to depression, and creativity is a powerful tool that can talk down anxiety from the edge. Making stuff, especially with others, is therefore magical soul therapy and much needed in modern life! BENCHspace was born out of these ideas and that creative play is so important to who we are. I’ve been in the jewellery/ silversmithing trade from age 18 at all different levels and then retrained as a teacher working in both primary & secondary schools, and know first-hand how uncreative the curriculum now is. BENCHspace is about offering opportunities that bring people together to create, collaborate and grow, building skills and confidence in our own abilities that can make a real difference to how we see ourselves. That’s where BENCHspace came from 6 years ago and we continue to offer classes, courses and masterclasses to continuously upskill and create a metalsmith/ jewellery community for like-minded souls. We take you from being an absolute beginner through to a confident jeweller (with a side hustle- if you like) every step of the way. People often say that they’ve found their tribe in our workshop - and that’s such a wonderful compliment x So gift yourself on a taster session, you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve….because making matters. #creativity #mentalhealth #connection #makingskills #positiverevolution #benchspacesilverschool #benchspacejewelleryclasses

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Jul 12

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Thanks so much to everyone who visited us at the Tendring Show today. It was so lovely to show everyone what we do and what we love making. The work of our amazing students and tutors on display made me very proud !! A very big thanks to @amandakestell for bringing her I for spoon bending and making a gazillion spoon rings today for everyone. To demo Dawn for her tools and bench skills X and to Tash for being the best bench buddy A special thanks to @tasha.clarke.12 @jewells_statement_silver @amandakestell @johnpayne @k.t.eden Matt, Lizzie, @beeatshellards for helping us set up and the loan of equipment and to @magpie_metalsmith @thesilverwallop @marlieswhite for loaning us your beautiful work! #benchspacejewelleryclasses #jewelleryworkshop #jewellerymaker ##tendringshow #tendringshow2025

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