Merk: His Personality Was Powerful

Every custom piece I make starts with a mix of excitement and nerves, it’s both satisfying and terrifying in equal measure!

When someone asks me to create jewellery that looks like their beloved pet, they’re really putting their trust in me. I always ask customers to pay upfront, and I don’t even provide a sketch for them to see first. (If you’ve read any of my blogs before, you’ll know why… let’s just say my drawing skills are not the reason people come to me!)

It’s a bit of a leap of faith for both of us, they trust that I’ll capture their pet perfectly, and I trust that they’ll love the result when they finally open that little box. No matter how many commissions I do, that moment of waiting to hear back from someone never gets less nerve-wracking.

This week, I sent off several custom orders, and the first reply to land in my inbox came from Jackie, who had asked me to make a necklace of her lovely boy, Merk.

From the photos she sent, I could see straight away that Merk had bags of character. There was something about his face, that mix of charm and mischief, that I knew I had to capture in silver.

Then, the next morning, Jackie’s email arrived and it absolutely made my day:

“My necklace has just been delivered. I wanted to write and thank you as you’ve captured him perfectly.

It’s undeniably Merk, not just in looks but his personality and attitude also shine through. I can’t wait to wear it!”

I can’t tell you how much I smiled reading that. There’s something so special about knowing that a customer feels their pet’s spirit captured in a piece of jewellery, it’s the best kind of feedback I could ever hope for.

So yes, it might be a little nerve-wracking sending something off without knowing what the reaction will be, but when those emails come in, all the worry melts away. Because in the end, it’s not just silver or gold, it’s a tiny piece of someone’s heart, and I feel truly privileged to make it.

If you’ve ever thought about having a custom piece made, I’d love to hear your ideas. You can read more about my process here: Custom Pet Jewellery.

Who knows? Your precious friend might just be the next one I’m smiling about at my workbench.