Our Craftsmanship

Technicians gently add a small bead or a tiny piece of mantle tissue into a live pearl mussel. This is a skilled and delicate procedure and if successful the mollusc will start to slowly deposit iridescent layers of nacre, beginning the process of the creation of a cultured pearl.

The implanted mussels are then returned to freshwater where they are regularly inspected; environmental factors such as water temperature and pollution need to be frequently monitored. Freshwater pearls typically take between 6-24 months to grow depending on type and size. The mussels can be up to A4 in size and grow many pearls to a single shell.

After being harvested the pearls undergo further treatment to prepare them for jewellery. They are soaked for several days in a mild cleaning solution under intense fluorescent light; this removes any deposits and odours that may have been picked up during their time in the water. It also enhances their surface quality.

The pearls are then assessed for quality and grouped by size, shape and lustre. To assemble a single strand workers must comb through thousands of pearls to match for consistent size, shape, colour, lustre and surface quality. This is time intensive and detailed work and can take months to complete.

Every piece of Claudia Bradby jewellery has a special journey from idea to finished piece. After the initial hand selection of pearls and following on from the design process in Claudia’s Hampshire studio, drawings and measurements are then discussed in Hong Kong where the pearls are strung by a family business who Claudia has worked with for over 15 years.

For the more intricate silver pieces, Claudia works closely with a manufacturer based in Chiang Mai. This is a second generation family business, and involves very precise and highly skilled processes. Each item is either stamped or cast and involves a minimum of 6 steps to the finished piece; each step looked after by a skilled crafts person.