The Woods
We use three hardwoods. Each was chosen for a specific reason.
Every piece of wood is selected by hand. The grain matters. Two pieces from the same species can look entirely different, and the right grain for a sphere is not the right grain for an earring disc.
Our larger wooden elements are individually turned and finished here in the UK, polished with plant-derived carnauba wax. The smaller beads are made from offcuts of wood originally used in furniture-making. A conscious choice that avoids unnecessary waste and gives a second life to exceptional material. All Silverwood jewellery is suitable for vegans.
All woods we use comply with CITES regulations governing the responsible sourcing and trade of timber. We will not use rare or endangered species.
These two materials have a particular relationship to heat worth noting. Silver is shaped by it. Wood is destroyed by it. Bringing them together into a single wearable object is not the straightforward proposition it might appear.
Bubinga
From West and Central Africa. Deep red-brown, dramatically figured, dense enough to hold its form precisely on the lathe. In directional light the grain shifts in a way that feels almost geological. The most visually striking wood we use, and no two pieces cut from the same block look the same. Sustainably sourced.
Walnut
A noble, strong hardwood with a natural warmth and a lustre that deepens with wear. The colour varies. Brown, grey-brown, sometimes lighter. Part of what makes it interesting. The most understated of the three and often the most considered choice in a finished piece. Sustainably grown across Europe and North America.
Sycamore
Very light in colour. Pale, fine-grained, and extraordinarily beautiful when polished. The carnauba wax brings out a quality in sycamore unlike anything in metal jewellery: a soft shimmer that feels entirely natural. It has an almost silver quality to it, which makes its pairing with sterling silver particularly striking. Native to the UK.
The Silver
All Silverwood jewellery is made in sterling silver: 92.5% pure silver, alloyed with copper for durability. Not silver plate — where a thin layer of silver coats a base metal beneath. Not gold fill. Real silver, through and through.
Sterling silver is the same material jewellers have worked with for centuries. It has weight, permanence, and a surface that develops character over time. It does not tarnish with everyday wear — it acquires a patina that reflects the life of the person wearing it.
For those with metal sensitivities: sterling silver is one of the most widely tolerated metals in jewellery. If you have a known sensitivity, please write to us before purchasing and we will advise.
The Making
Making a piece of Silverwood jewellery takes longer than it looks. The process begins long before anything reaches the
bench.
1. Seasoning
The wood has to be seasoned before it can be worked. Green timber shrinks as it dries. A piece made from unseasoned wood would crack as it aged. The drying time alone can span months. This is the part of the process that cannot be rushed, and we do not try to rush it.
2. Selection
Each piece of timber is selected by hand. The grain matters. Two pieces from the same species can look entirely different, and the right grain for a sphere is not the right grain for an earring disc. Selection takes time and cannot be automated.
3. Turning
The wood is shaped on a lathe with precision. The dimensions of a Silverwood form are not approximate. They are calculated to sit correctly within their silver setting. A fraction of a millimetre is the difference between a piece that works and one that does not.
4. Finishing
The turned wood is sanded through progressively finer grades until the surface reveals the grain clearly without any roughness. It is then polished with carnauba wax, which protects the wood and brings out its colour without obscuring it.
5. The Junction
This is where the real difficulty lies. Wood moves with temperature and humidity. Silver does not. The setting that joins them has to accommodate that natural movement while holding the piece perfectly through years of wear. Getting this right took considerable
development. The junction is one of the things I’m most proud of.
6. Assembly and Finishing
From the beginning, the process moves between two workshops in England- the jewellery bench and the woodturning workshop, working in parallel to exact specifications before everything comes together. The silver components are fabricated and finished separately, then assembled with the wood.
The Design Philosophy
HOW FAR CAN I GO? It works in both directions. Sometimes a piece needs something taken away. Sometimes it needs to go further than I thought it could, a bolder form, a larger scale. The interesting work happens in both places.
I don't always know the answer until I'm looking at the piece. That instinct is hard to explain, but it's where every Silverwood piece comes from.
The simplicity you see in the finished piece is not the easy version. It's the version that survived.
— Claire de Bezenac
The Final Piece
HOW IT WEARS: A Silverwood piece changes over time. The wood deepens with exposure to light. Bubinga becomes richer, walnut mellows, sycamore warms. These changes are not something to resist. They're the evidence of a piece being worn by a real person.
We made these pieces to last. Not as a claim. As a commitment. If a piece ever needs attention, write to us.
Testimonials
"The wood grain is stunning and the whole bracelet feels very special to wear."
"The wooden bead feels lovely and I find I just enjoy holding it. I can't explain why."
"I wanted something timeless, slightly different, that I could wear for years to come."