wear it and admire it but I’ve never actually sat down and wondered how it is made…until now.

Beyond bling, jewellery holds special significance. A watch, brooch or bracelet handed down the generations isn’t simply a piece of the past or symbolic of the jewellery styles of a specific era; more importantly to me, these items are a lasting reminder of the person who wore them.

A piece of jewellery can evoke a memory of a special time, it can commemorate a special occasion, it unites and it can also be a statement of individuality.

In the current economic climate jewellery is apparently growing in popularity as an alternative and more stable way of investing your cash, but that isn’t why I decided to spend time learning how it is made.

In the past few years I’ve become aware of the increasing number of people creating jewellery either at home or within the abundance of bead and craft shops that have sprung up to meet the demand from those turning to traditional and more cost-effective ways to look good.

Emma Jay’s decision to launch her jewellery workshop was partly to meet this demand, but also to provide an opportunity for people interested in traditional jewellery-making to get some hands-on experience.

Chrysalis is the rather apt name for the workshop that is part of Emma’s Pink Butterfly business, which she runs with Sarah Lawrence.

The designers met while studying for their jewellery degree, and both spent years teaching jewellery-making. Emma previously taught at Bradford College, then four years ago the girls, who both have their own workshops at home, decided to set up Pink Butterfly.

The striking pink door and facade marks out their trading space in Farsley’s Town Street. It also symbolises their ongoing support for breast cancer – Sarah’s mother and Emma’s mother-in-law both battled the disease.

The girls recently moved from smaller premises, and were wondering what to do with the extensive upstairs floor space when Emma came up with the idea to create a workshop.

“We are called Pink Butterfly, and Chrysalis is the development stage of a butterfly,” explains Emma, about the new venture’s name.

The first class began in mid-November and is currently halfway through. The next six-week course starts on January 12, and Emma is already taking bookings.

Interestingly, some students on the current course are creating hand-made gifts for Christmas. “Some of them want individuality, some of them want a hobby, some want a social side, to meet new people, and some are just people who want to learn new things.”

Emma agrees some may be taking advantage of making their own gifts due to the financial climate, but there is also something special, more personalised, in a hand-made present.

Under Emma’s guidance, students can become a competent jewellery-maker without the qualification.

My only experience of anything fiddly is the Aqua Beads set my little one recently received for her birthday. The flower was a doddle, the tortoise with a shell on its back was a challenge, but I persevered.

For the purposes of our fast-track session giving me a glimpse into jewellery-making, Emma talked me through what the beginners’ course entails.

Within the first week, students learn the process of producing a ring or bangle during the six-week practical course.

Emma introduces me to the apparatus. Hammers, files, saws, pliers and a blowtorch are among the tools students require to practice the techniques they learn such as sawing, soldering and polishing.

Emma hands me a coil of the precious metal I will be working with. She predominantly works with silver, a soft and pliable metal, but Emma is planning future workshops with beads and other materials.

Before I can start shaping and moulding this precious metal into a piece of jewellery, Emma puts the measuring bracelet around my wrist. We measure and work out how much metal is needed.

The metal is then sawn to length. The next stage is shaping it round and soldering the joint – a technique which demands a keen eye and plenty of patience. The final stage is polishing and cleaning – an enjoyable process as you can finally see your bracelet taking shape.

Sitting at my work station with the bracelet slotted into the peg – a piece of wood held in a clamp which holds your jewellery in place while you work on it – I felt a sense of satisfaction seeing it taking shape. But the greatest sense of achievement has to be wearing it!

Sessions last two-and-a-half hours, and Emma tells me beginners can complete a bracelet within that time. “The only thing you have to have is half-decent eyesight. You would struggle because it is quite detailed, but beyond that you don’t need anything else,” she says.

Emma’s love of jewellery stems from rummaging in her nan’s collection! “My earliest memories are rummaging through my nan’s jewellery box and making macaroni necklaces with mum, and painting them with nail varnish,” she said.

It’s with some irony that she tells me she’s discovered since her beloved nan died that she soldered engine pipes for fighter planes during the War for Rolls-Royce, where she met her grandfather.

Evidently, Emma has inherited her nan’s intricate skills. Glass cabinets showcasing some of the bespoke pieces she and partner Sarah create are arranged around the shop. Their most popular commissions are bridal pieces – wedding rings and tiaras.

Glancing at the pieces they’ve created and those of the many other jewellery designers they sell, I ponder about the patience and skill which has gone into creating such beautiful and intricate objects. Jewellery is more than an adornment. It evokes interest, excitement and creating it is a pleasure in itself.