A View from the Bench

At By Leahy, storytelling sits at the core of everything. The brand started with a special story shared by my grandparents and each item of handmade and personalised jewellery, made and designed in Ireland, has created its own story before it exits the By Leahy bench.

This latest blog shares the story of how each of the Signature Envelope Necklaces is created using a process that dates from the 3rd millennium BC. You’ll see how a block of wax can turn into a beautiful piece of fine jewellery to last through the generations.

One reason I love fine jewellery is because it can be worn every day yet last lifetimes. Jewellery with longevity collects memories and stories to be shared through generations to come...

The Slip Collection was born out of a desire to create a broader choice of jewellery options, such as rings and earrings, that still had a close relationship to the...

To “assay” means to test a metal or ore to determine its purity and quality. That is the core function of the Dublin Assay Office, nestled away on the grounds of our iconic Dublin Castle.

There are many methods to use when making jewellery, but one of my favourite, and most intriguing processes, is Lost Wax Casting.

The more I worked on the piece, the more I realised that the little quirks that “made-by-hand” brings are actually quite charming. 

In the end, I had produced 3 different wax carvings with each one taking about 35 hours to perfect, but it was all worth it.

As we get closer to finally introducing the By Leahy Signature piece, I find myself taking a look back over the past 18 months with fond memory of all of the highlights and challenges, experienced along the way.

The biggest milestone was learning how to make Jewellery, from start to finish, in the first place.