Handmade in Yorkshire: Jacqueline & Edward

Jacqueline & Edward is a family-owned artisan jewellery business run by husband-and-wife team, Mark and Jacqueline. "Our name, Jacqueline & Edward, is simple and heartfelt – named after Mark's two loves – his father and his wife," Jessica from the jewellers shares.

The business has been creating handmade engagement and wedding rings since 2014 and was born out of Mark's passion for gold panning. He's a world gold panning finalist and British and Scottish gold panning champion as well as a chartered environmentalist and Scientist. Having previously worked in the environmental sector as a contaminated land consultant (like a land doctor) some of the projects Mark managed involved the restoration of mining areas and the cleaning up of petroleum spills, so he's seen first-hand the damage done to our landscapes. It's this combination of passion and education that Jacqueline & Edward is built on and means there's an uncompromising view when it comes to sustainable and ethical practices.

"All our jewellery is 100 per cent handmade-to-order on site at our workshop in Wetherby using traditional methods and is handcrafted by a small team of artisan jewellery designers," Jessica explains. "We literally melt our own alloys, draw our own wire and genuinely create by hand: an art almost lost." In fact, the couple is one of only a handful of specialists in the craft of Mokume Gane. An ancient art it translates as 'wood grain metal,' a traditional Japanese metalworking technique that involves layering different metals to create unique and distinctive designs.

Jacqueline & Edward's rings are never cast, they're individually handmade and unique. Each piece contains a small piece of river gold hand-panned by them. You get to choose the location of your gold based on a place of special meaning or sentimental value. It also means that when they create a pair of wedding rings, they make them from the same molten bead of precious metal, making the rings chemically inseparable acting as a symbol of the unity of marriage. And because everything is handmade, it means you can customise any element from the online collection or create bespoke wedding rings based on your own unique style.

What's more, Jacqueline & Edward only use recycled, ethical precious metals, gemstones, diamonds or lab-grown diamonds. "We pride ourselves on creating sustainable jewellery that doesn't compromise the environment," Jessica continues. This includes the packaging of products too, which uses minimalist natural materials, wood and wool. The team also plants trees for each order they receive with Trees for Life with the goal of helping to rewild the Scottish Highlands using native species aiming to bring back the original ecological system that supports species such as pine martens.

Visit the workshop in Wetherby where you can see the makers in action, view a small selection of Jacqueline & Edward's rings and discuss your perfect wedding ring designs. www.jacquelineandedward.com | @JacquelineandEdward