MEET THE MEMBER – Erin Cox Jewellery
At the heart of Erin Cox Jewellery is a commitment to traditional craftsmanship, ethical making and meaningful design. With a career spanning more than two decades, Erin Cox has developed a distinctive practice, transforming precious metals and gemstones into refined, nature-inspired pieces made to be treasured for a lifetime. Today, her boutique shop in Topsham showcases Erin’s own work alongside that of other respected designer-makers. We caught up with Erin to learn more about her creative journey and practice.
After studying at the Sir John Cass Department of Art at London Guildhall University, Erin honed the core skills of jewellery making and silversmithing. She went on to develop her first designs from a small cubby hole beneath her stairs, where, supported by a King’s Trust loan (formerly Prince’s Trust), she was able to buy materials and produce her debut collection. “I initially began making chunkier, sculptural silver pieces,” she explains, “often incorporating a rainbow of semi-precious and precious gemstones and beads.”
With more than 25 years at the jewellery workbench, Erin’s practice has evolved into creating finer, more refined pieces, with a focus on distinctive gold and platinum designs. She is particularly drawn to exceptional and often rare gemstones, from sapphires in unexpected hues to vivid green tsavorite garnets and diamonds in unusual colours.
Looking back over her career so far, Erin describes the time she was able to employ her first member of staff as one of her proudest moments – “realising that my work could support someone else’s livelihood felt incredibly meaningful.” The birth of her two children also marked a defining chapter, shaping both her personal life and the direction of her business. “Since becoming a mother, I’ve worked hard to balance parenthood with running a creative practice. As a single parent, this hasn’t always been easy, but I’m enormously proud of what I’ve built”.
Sustainability has long been central to Erin’s values. “Treading lightly on this beautiful planet has always been central to my personal ethos”, she shared, noting that gaining her Fairtrade Gold Licence was another major milestone –“this accreditation allowed me to extend those values directly into my business.”
When visiting Erin Cox Jewellery in person or exploring the website, Erin hopes people feel a sense of excitement – the pleasure of discovering something special and wanting to wear it. She believes there is “an innate human desire to collect treasures and surround ourselves with beautiful things”, and hopes her jewellery becomes part of those meaningful moments. Beyond that initial spark, she wants customers to understand the integrity behind each piece: that it is thoughtfully made using the finest materials, “with care, intention and respect for craftsmanship.”
That craftsmanship sits at the very heart of Erin’s practice. A key element of her process involves melting down precious metals and working with them while they remain molten. She describes this as “a wonderful, intuitive process” that results in “beautiful, serendipitous organic forms reminiscent of shapes found in nature.” Nature itself is Erin’s greatest source of inspiration, particularly the Devon landscape. Drawing on Dartmoor’s winding rivers, babbling brooks, rolling hills and rugged tors, she created her much-loved molten wedding ring collection. Each ring is named after a river in Devon, paying tribute to the landscapes that continually inspire her work.
Through bespoke commissions, Erin spends meaningful one-to-one time with her clients, discussing their ideas, their stories and the design journey, enabling her to create something entirely unique. “I think this shared journey really helps people appreciate the craftsmanship and attention that goes into every single piece”.
In 2013, Erin Cox Jewellery joined the Own Art network, a decision driven by her desire to make jewellery more accessible. Own Art scheme allows her customers to invest in pieces they love without feeling financial pressure and is, as Erin describes it, “refreshingly straightforward”. It has enabled many clients to return to Erin Cox Jewellery time and again, and she notes that for younger couples getting engaged or married – often balancing many financial responsibilities – Own Art makes payments far more manageable. “Once they experience how easy it is, it becomes a natural way for them to collect and enjoy high-quality jewellery with confidence”.
At Own Art, there is a shared belief that traditional craft practices – from jewellery making to ceramics, textiles, glass blowing and woodwork – are every bit as important, meaningful and valuable as what is often labelled ‘fine art’. Erin strongly echoes this view, describing jewellery as “art, with the body as the canvas”, a relationship where “neither truly exist without the other”. She also sees jewellery-making as a form of engineering at a minute scale, “where design, structure and technical skill must work in perfect harmony”.
Throughout her career, Erin has layered her artistic voice alongside traditional techniques, and it is this “synergy” that defines her work. In this sense, she sees her pieces – and the wider collection at Erin Cox Jewellery – as “wearable art”. There is something deeply special about owning an object that has been made by hand, with care, love and integrity. “Craft connects us to people, stories and processes”, Erin shared, adding that “Own Art helps make that connection more accessible, allowing people to bring meaningful, beautifully made pieces into their lives more easily”.
By removing the intimidation that can sometimes surround buying art or craft, and by offering a simple way to spread the cost, Own Art encourages people to “trust their instincts”, as Erin puts it, “and invest in pieces that truly resonate with them”. Everyone deserves a little magic and joy in their everyday life, and the partnership between Erin Cox Jewellery and Own Art allows more people to own something truly special and unique.
Discover Erin Cox Jewellery for yourself:
Visit their website: www.erincox.co.uk
Follow them on Instagram: erincoxjewellery
Erin Cox Jewellery, 56 Fore Street, Topsham. EX3 0HW
(Open Wednesday – Saturday, 10am – 5pm and Tuesdays by appointment)
All images courtesy of Erin Cox Jewellery