Join renowned jewellery designer Chris Boland for a special MasterMaker workshop exploring bold geometric forms and traditional making techniques. Chris is known for his sculptural jewellery, inspired by inorganic structures, architectural metalwork and the natural character of gemstones. His work celebrates construction marks, hand finishing and striking, unconventional settings.

During this hands-on session, you will create your own contemporary silver cube pendant, inset with a pearl. Guided by Chris, you will learn techniques including sawing, precision filing, soldering, pearl attachment and matt finishing, while gaining insight into his creative process and distinctive approach to jewellery design.

What is our MasterMaker Series?

These monthly events embody what FORGE stands for: exceptional design, the preservation of skills, and the sharing of knowledge. They are limited to 10 people for a unique & intimate, exclusive experience with a highly skilled & accomplished designer. 

During 5 captivating hours, you’ll engage in a talk, witness a live demonstration, and partake in a hands-on workshop, all guided by the MasterMakers themselves. The event concludes with a relaxed chat and mingle over wine and delicious sushi from our neighbours Mugen.

What will I make?

During this exciting workshop, Chris will guide you through making a silver cube pendant inset with a pearl. You will learn techniques such as:

– Sawing

- Filing with precision 

– Soldering inlayed sections

- Attaching Pearls

– matt finishing

What will happen on the day?

This is a unique opportunity to hear Chris Boland share his creative journey and how his work has evolved over the years. You’ll get a close-up look at samples of his jewellery and explore his geometric and construction processes.

The workshop will follow this short talk ands throughout the session, you'll learn and apply traditional jewellery-making techniques to create a contemporary pieces of jewellery.

The day will conclude with a relaxed mingling session over sushi and drinks at FORGE, where you can connect with fellow participants and celebrate your creations.

What skills do I need?

Intermediate - For those who already have some prior knowledge on the subject or have relevant skills.

What should I bring?

- All materials will be provided.

- Reading glasses (if you need them!) 

- Note book and pen.

What should I wear? 

Clothes: Casual and not too precious as they may get a bit dusty or damaged.  Avoid long, loose fitting sleeves and anything that might catch or get caught whilst you are working.

Shoes: Casual flat shoes and no open toed sandals in case you drop a hammer or something hot on them!

Hair: Tie long hair back.

Who is my instructor?

Chris Boland’s jewellery is inspired by inorganic structures, emphasizing bold forms that highlight the unique inclusions of each gemstone. Drawing from architectural metalwork and sculpture, his designs embrace the marks left during construction, celebrating raw craftsmanship. Working directly in metal, he uses traditional techniques like score-folding, soldering, and hand-finishing, ensuring an organic interaction between tools and material rather than replicating wax or additive manufacturing. His pieces start with a minimal concept but evolve through serendipitous mark-making and real-time responses to form, resulting in complex, dynamic designs. Gemstones are always presented in striking, unconventional ways, with a focus on natural, untreated stones—each piece telling its own unique story through metal and craftsmanship.

How do I get there? 

See contact page for details on public transport and parking.

Materials Disclaimer

Please note: Workshop material costs are based on metal prices at the time of organising each session. Due to continual fluctuations in precious metal markets, there may be a small increase in the price of materials. If this occurs, we will contact you prior to the workshop to confirm the difference, which can be settled on the day by card.

Dietary Requirements 

At the end of the workshop, we’ll be providing a selection of vegetarian and fish sushi, along with prosecco and soft drinks. If you have any dietary requirements, please let us know in advance so we can make suitable arrangements.

Accessibility

Most of this workshop takes place at street level in our showroom, which is step-free and accessible. Some specialist equipment is located in our lower-level workshop, which can only be accessed via stairs, as the building does not have lift access.

If you have any access requirements, please contact us before booking so we can advise and discuss suitability and any adjustments we can make to accommodate you.