The Workbench London: Carve Your Own Wedding Rings and Tell Your Own Story

“Go on Kirstie! You go first—you always go first,” Katie encourages her business partner and longtime friend. They are Kirstie (she always goes first, watch their Dragon’s Den episode!) and Katie (who will have the first and last word of our interview), a pair of jewelers who first met on their related course. I spend a fascinating hour with this pair, the duo behind The Workbench London, established in 2014, who recently saw “the craftiest Dragon,” Sarah, invest in their one of a kind, at home ring carving kit business.

Watching them work together to share their vision for their business, as well as listening to their individual passions, is a joy and a marvel. They share with me how they spent their lockdown literally witnessing trends emerge from within ring molds sent back to be professionally cast, designed at home by individuals looking to let a little light and creativity into their “new normal.” Smiley-face rings brightened Katie and Kirstie’s dark days. People used the kits at home to mark occasions that would have otherwise gone uncelebrated, to recall a time of struggle, or personal change, or in remembrance of people they lost to Covid. “We had the girl who made the ring to remember her dad with the ladybird engraving,” Kirstie prompts Katie, and I watch that memory alight behind their eyes as one.

“You can probably see how invested we are in the ringmakers. We learn the stories and people aren’t just clients.”

“We are the first in the world to allow non-jewelers…to make a piece of jewellery that they feel proud of,” Katie shares. That pride is shared by this team, it’s written on both of their faces. Though the finished product is cast by a professional jeweler, the carving of each piece is down to the individual—that’s what makes every single Workbench London piece unique—you’re the one designing it!

“We created the idea and then we didn’t have a name for it,” Kirstie shares. “We booked a weekend away and on the drive down we were trying to come up with names for this idea.”

Some of the options on the table included:

Opal & Fire, Silver Sisters, or Goldfinger!

We have a laugh over the last one as the meaning of their name, The Workbench London, becomes clear. “We came up with the workbench because we use a workbench for our own business; using the workbench allowed us to present something creative without restricting it,” Kirstie tells me.

“The kit brings the workbench into your own home,” Katie adds. Of the idea for a do-it-at-home ring kit, the pair were shocked no one had thought of it before! Continuously spurred on by their love of bespoke and the thrill of opening each box as the wax molds are sent back to be cast, it’s people’s stories of why they are creating, or who they are creating for, that make each bespoke piece as valuable in their carved wax form as they will become once cast in precious metals.

They save all the letters that arrive with each returned kit and I can hear the papers crinkle near the microphone as Kirstie reaches for a stack that are close at hand. “It’s not just a ring—it’s not just a piece of jewellery—this has so much more behind it,” Katie tells me, just as pleased as I am to see the many letters momentarily fill the screen.

“Oh, I love what we do! I love talking about this!”

This year will mark The Workbench London’s fourth time exhibiting at a Most Curious Wedding Fair! This year will be a bit different though: through interactive workshops held live at their booth, you can carve your Workbench London piece live at Most Curious! “It’s a great way to show people the process and how it can be—we are going to bring the colour, the sparkle, the energy.”

They’ve found tremendous success at previous Most Curious shows. Notably, art director, stylist, author and presenter, Zeena Shah, met Kirstie and Katie at Most Curious and now wears her own self-carved band in celebration of her recent marriage.

“In the wedding band market I feel like we really connect well with people who’ve never worn jewellery before—especially men who’ve never worn jewelry before. Sometimes the symbol of it—it people feel quite detached from the ring itself,” Katie says.

“It’s a stereotype, but men can become a bit alienated from the wedding industry—what’s for them to be involved in?” Kirstie asks, posing a question she feels men often ask themselves. “It’s something they can literally get their hands into.”

“And they love and appreciate it—having crafted it with their partner. They can add a bit of personality in their own home, it’s for them to see it take shape with their partner. The guys really love the process and can be the best carvers,” adds Katie.

“The women have a really strong idea of what they want—sometimes it’s not through visuals, it’s in finding their way and becoming tactile and connected to it. The bespoke process is so great for so many pieces of jewellery, but a lot of the time it’s simple and the simple designs are the best—you know the costs upfront, no waiting for scary quotes, you’re in control of every aspect of that ring. You’re in charge of every bit and you know it’s finished by a professional jewellery.”

Hen parties are another place for creativity, sentimentality and memory-making to have their post-pandemic moment. Workbench London have just the party pack for that!

“In terms of actual design of rings, people are not afraid of using colour and expressing themselves. The plainness or matching [with each other] is going away—there are no rules and I really love that. I think that will keep going—people will be more adventurous, more playful, more personal and creative. People are wanting to put their own stamp and sentiment on things,” Katie tells me.

The pair share with me some very exciting and promising work they’re intending to launch soon by way of eco-friendly, sustainably and ethically sourced gemstones. Think of the seaside and the wonders that are hidden in the depths of the water. Soon they could be a part of your story!

Ready to carve your own wedding ring? Your design will be cast in recycled metals, your diamonds will have undergone the KIMBERLY process and the gemstones will have been responsibly sourced by the family Katie and Kirstie have long worked closely with.

I ask them to explain a bit more about the process of carving a bespoke ring through Workbench London. Most importantly: the ring size will be exact, a perfect mate to your finger. You’re also kept aware of the cost and can whittle your way to savings through shavings! “We have created a to-scale chart to work out your own pricing with your own mold and then you’ll know [your cost] as you shape.” Add gemstones, choose the karats of your metals and mold the wax into the exact size, shape, thickness and design you have always dreamed of. Mail them the kit—include a few words about the inspiration for your piece—and wait for it to make its way back to you. It’s a process that can take as little as six weeks start to finish.

As we close out our hour, I ask if there’s anything we didn’t get to that they would like to speak on. They offer a list of accolades, each one mentioned makes pride glow like twin flames in their eyes. They’ve been featured in Vogue’s Top Ten Unique Gifts list, TimeOut hailed them as “Seriously Fun” and they even became the fastest selling workshop at Topshop Oxford Street! “We’ve had such an amazing journey—how long has it been, Kirst? It’ll be 8 years in August,” says Katie with a grin.