Tiny gems and silversmithing with Gemima Salt from Honeydew Club

Whether you're cleansing your crystals by moonlight or just curious, we've found meaning in shimmery stones for thousands of years. Gemima Salt is no stranger to the draw of gems, making ethical gemstone jewellery for her small business Honeydew Club.

I love how Gemima's jewellery feels both naturally textured with hammered silver and irregular gems, and geometrical. It's the kind of contrast you see in South Wales where we both live. Think limestone cliffs crumbling into jagged layers as they meet the sea, and that's about it! For my Q&A with Honeydew Club, I asked Gemima about life as an artisan jeweller, why she loves crystals and for the (ahem) hidden gems that inspire her.

1. For a complete beginner, what makes gemstones special?

They’re all completely unique, formed in the earth over hundreds, thousands, or millions of years and of course they look beautiful. I’ve always found them fascinating, they really are tiny treasures of nature. A few of my favourites to work with are moonstone, amethyst and rose quartz.

2. As an originally self-taught maker, how did you hone your craft and find your style?

A lot of practice! I’m a perfectionist and making jewellery actually allows me to use that as a strength. My style has always been jewellery that I want to wear myself. You can pour so many hours into one piece, from designing, sourcing materials, making, photography and marketing that it wouldn’t be worth doing unless it was something I absolutely love.

3. Tell me about your Honeydew Club studio which used to be your mum's too! What was it like going from your bedroom to renovating your own space?

I'm very lucky to have my own studio at The Old Wool Barn in Cowbridge, which is a collective of artists and makers. It's brilliant to have a dedicated workspace and it was a big step up from working in the corner of my bedroom!

I'd needed more space for years before this studio came up for rent, and by chance it was the same room my Mum used to rent more than 20 years ago. She was an artist and now I have two of her paintings on the walls in my studio which feels very fitting. It means a lot to me to follow in her footsteps.

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4. You've spoken before about fast fashion jewellery. What is it and what does it mean for jewellery to be ethically made?

Fast fashion jewellery is what you’ll find in most highstreet shops. It’s cheap, throwaway and made with questionable labour practices at best. It'll probably turn your skin green too!

For me, ethical jewellery is consciously created, considering who made it, where, the materials and the practices of the business as a whole. It’s made to be worn, treasured and last for years to come.

5. How do you go from A to B designing a new piece of jewellery?

It usually starts with an idea when I’m doing something else like watching tv or when I wake up in the night. I keep my sketchbook next to my bed so I can remember my 3am designs.

Then I make a prototype which can take a really long time for me to get to a point where I’m happy with it (perfectionism at work). I wear the prototype myself to test it for any weaknesses and then finally make more to sell. It’s a long process but one that’s really rewarding when I get to share my finished work.

6. As someone who saves metal scraps and even dust, how do you recycle leftovers back into your pieces?

The good thing about silversmithing is that there’s very little waste, as silver can be recycled. I absolutely love melting down my silver dust and scraps, it’s very satisfying to set silver on fire and then make it into something new.

My latest experiment was carving a mould from charcoal to melt scraps into and form tiny crescent moons. They have a different, organic looking texture each time.

7. What does flow mean to you and how do you find it when creating?

It’s a really different state of mind, when I’m making something and time passes without noticing, I’m completely focused on what I’m doing and nothing else. The rest of the world doesn’t exist. That’s my best way of describing it! I find it by setting aside time to make, usually an afternoon, without having to worry about what I need to do next.

8. How has living in South Wales inspired the jewellery you create for Honeydew Club?

I love living here, I grew up here and it was a place I’m sure I took for granted until I moved away. The quiet of the countryside is home to me, the birds singing, the wind through the trees, the sound of waves. I think that peacefulness is tied to how I feel when making jewellery.

9. What's your least favourite thing about being a jewellery maker?

The cost! Silver has doubled in price in the past five years, it’s a very expensive craft. This definitely adds to the pressure of not messing up and having to sell every piece. But it also means that I only make jewellery in small batches so they’re special.

10. What's been your proudest moment so far?

Getting the keys to my studio was one, I sometimes look around before I close the door to go home and feel proud of what I’ve achieved. And showing my work at a market for the first time - I’ll never forget the first person who said ‘Wow’ when they saw my jewellery.

11. As recommended by Gemima

I asked Gemima to share 3 people, books or resources that have inspired her.

1. Kathy Salt

My mum Kathy Salt has always been someone who inspires me, with her creativity, passion and determination.

2. The Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix

I love to read fiction, especially fantasy – escaping to an imaginary world often gives me ideas and makes me want to create things myself. My favourite might be The Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix.

3. Books by Jinks McGrath and Elizabeth Bone