Selecting a piece of jewellery is very personal, often done to mark a celebration or indicate an emotional bond. To have a piece of jewellery made uniquely for the person and the occasion is a rare and special treat.
David White has been making jewellery since he was 14 years old. Always interested in art and design, his skills were honed at University but long before that he thought he might want to follow in his brother’s footsteps and be a welder – a trade that at first glance could be thought to be a million miles away from the intricate world of the jewellery manufacturer. But it was a Saturday job that gave David his first insight into what jewellery design and manufacture was all about. He started where all Saturday jobs begin...making the tea!...although it wasn’t long before he progressed to serving customers and actively learning as an apprentice.
After leaving school David enrolled at Colchester Institute where he took a course in art and design, which was followed by gaining a place on a Jewellery Design and Manufacture degree course at the University of Rochester in Kent. In his second year David entered two design competitions, gaining enviable 2nd and 3rd places. He also won a bursary to make a knife and compass entirely from his own design and these were entered into a competition organised by the Goldsmiths Craft Council, part of The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths; the stylish contemporary lines of the finished pieces are displayed in a photograph that hangs on the wall of David’s studio in the Colchester Business Centre. David was also marked out as an upcoming talent when one of his jewellery designs made its way into a glitzy Milan magazine, IO Donna, where it was featured in a fashion shoot.
Leaving his University years behind, David returned to Colchester with a BA (Hons) in Jewellery Design and Manufacture and experience in gold-smithing and silver-smithing, and started working from a small workshop at his home.
The early years in business were not easy for David. He was beset by a series of personal tragedies that left him almost unable to carry on with his chosen career. But with support from the Colchester based charity, Destiny, which helps people facing personal difficulties set up and run their own business, David found the strength and motivation to get back into his work and, with Destiny’s encouragement, successfully applied for a Prince’s Trust Award.
David moved into the Colchester Business Centre in September 2008 and was pleasantly surprised to find that premises away from home made an enormous difference to the way in which he worked, providing a professional environment in which to meet clients. He values the on-site advice from Colbea’s qualified business advisors, such as Keith Powell, who has helped him build up his business and tackle some of the issues he’s faced along the way. Keith remains involved with White Designs, providing advice on client retention, price setting and marketing.
Commissions have been gained largely through word of mouth, a testament to David’s design flair and ability to deliver to the customer’s expectation. He works with gold, silver, platinum, diamonds and other precious and semi-precious stones, often creating pieces that are of individual significance to the client and likely to become future family heirlooms. David likes his clients to be involved in the design process, preparing detailed sketches that show how the piece will look on completion. He also encourages people to take an environmentally aware attitude to jewellery, recycling and re-using materials from old rings, necklaces and other items, or repairing, restoring and re-polishing rather than just buying new.
This year David plans to exhibit at The Naze Tower and will be in attendance at various wedding fairs in the area. In its short life, David’s business has faced many set-backs but he has been strong enough to learn from these and turn advertisty into a solid proposition for the future.
David White is pleased to accept commissions and discuss design ideas with clients.
