Registered tracked shipping € 3.50 within Ireland, Uk € 5.00, europe € 8.50

Jewel Fund Award for Lulu + Belle 2019

September 25, 2019 1 Comment

Jewel Fund Award for Lulu + Belle 2019 - Lulu + Belle Jewellery

We got some lovely news at Lulu + Belle this September when we found out that we had been awarded in the 'Too Good to Miss' category in this year's Jewel Fund.  Jewel Fund is an annual award, specifically for jewellers and jewellery businesses, granted by Jewellers Academy, which is all about supporting jewellery businesses through mentorship, online training and access to a community of other jewellers. 

I'm going to let you in to a secret that you may not already know.  Lulu + Belle is a very small business - there is myself - owner, jewellery maker and manager and we have one 'fantastic' goldsmith on our team.  Many people are really surprised to hear that and often think that Lulu + Belle is a much bigger company (thank you - we are always flattered to hear this).  Our business is small and personal, so if you ring us or email us, we will be putting down a hammer to answer your call or reply to your message. When you have a query about a custom necklace, you will be speaking directly to the jeweller that is making it. 

So as the owner/manager I work on every aspect of the business from hand-making the jewellery, ordering supplies, customer service, social media, photography, teaching jewellery making classes, building and maintaining our website, shipping the orders, doing tax returns, stressing out about the impact of Brexit and making sure there is milk for the coffee.  The list of tasks is endless and while I am sometimes daunted - the love of making our personalised jewellery and continuing to grow our brand gets me out of bed every morning.  There is often very little time left to stop and take a breath and develop my own skills as a jeweller. 

The Jewel Fund will give us access to a huge resource of online training in both practical goldsmithing skills and business training specific for jewellery businesses.  We have one year to delve deep into the resources available and to also benefit from one to one mentoring with Jessica Rose, the director behind Jewellers Academy and The London Jewellery School, who has set up multiple award winning jewellery businesses. 

lulu and belle jewellers bench at the london jewellery school

Training bench at The London Jewellery School 

stone set ring

Stone set ring made at a recent stone setting course in London 

This month I also took a trip to London to take part in a stone setting course at Jessica's London Jewellery School.  It was challenging and intense and gave me a huge sense of respect for jewellers who set stones all day and a desire to push the boundaries of what we make at Lulu + Belle. If you follow us on social media, you'll see that I love wax carving and I'm slowly building my skills in carving wax. I'll be using the Jewel Fund to develop my skills in wax carving this year and to continue to develop the Lulu + Belle collection.  We are most excited to have mentoring, support and all the online chats with other jewellery business owners who really get what running a small creative business is all about ! 

A huge congratulations to the other winners in this year's Jewel Fund, Lia Lubiana Jewellery, Photofinish Jewellery and Carin Lindberg Jewellery




1 Response

Chiara Hanrahan
Chiara Hanrahan

September 26, 2019

Onwards and upwards Sandra. Honestly, it’s inspirational to see you do so so well. I love seeing my lovely friend wear the gorgeous necklace you made her last Christmas. My turn this year. I’ll be in touchxx

Leave a comment

Comments will be approved before showing up.


Also in The Journal

November Gift Ideas
November Gift Ideas

November 03, 2023

November is a month of transformation, as autumn is in full sway with moody auburn and vibrant orange leaves flying across the crisp air, a sense of magic starts to envelop the nature around us. If you have a loved one with a November birthday  and would like to bestow them with a little token to show them how much they mean to you, we have picked out some of our favourite pieces.

Continue Reading

September Birthday Gift Ideas to Make them Starry Eyed
September Birthday Gift Ideas to Make them Starry Eyed

September 11, 2023

If you're looking for the ideal birthday gift that truly reflects the personality of your loved one born in September we have a few options for you to choose from.  Our September birthstone is the enchanting Lapis Lazuli, this blue gemstone carries a rich history and symbolism that can make your personalized gift truly meaningful.

Continue Reading

We Are Hiring Seasonal Jewellery Makers
We Are Hiring Seasonal Jewellery Makers

September 07, 2023

We are currently seeking jewellery makers both full-time and part-time to join our team for the months of October, November and December in our workshop in Rush, North Co. Dublin.  The ideal candidate will have the following skills: 

  • Experience working with a micro-motor for drilling, finishing and polishing jewellery
  • Wire wrapping skills for making earrings, bracelets and necklaces 

Continue Reading