Bailey of Sheffield blends craftsmanship with a celebration of stainless steel
By David Brough
SHEFFIELD, England, October 1, 2017 – Bailey of Sheffield creates stainless steel bracelets that blend innovative craftsmanship and design flair with a celebration of the industrial metal’s heritage.
Based in the listed Portland Works, where Harry Brearley’s invention of stainless steel was first manufactured into Rusnorstain cutlery, Bailey of Sheffield combines the innovative spirit of an ambitious, outwardly looking new business with a deep respect for Sheffield’s industrial heritage.
The CABLE™ Bracelet is the launch product — a customisable stainless steel 316L bracelet available in a range of PVD colours and finishes.
The pieces are popular with both men and women buying for themselves or as gifts.
Not yet a year old, Bailey of Sheffield, owned by Scott and Adele Bailey, were inundated with enquiries and orders at the Company of Master Jewellers’ (CMJ) trade event in Birmingham in August when they rolled out their stainless steel bracelets to the UK’s biggest buying group of independent retailers.
Jewellers Green+Benz in northern England, and Allum & Sidaway in the south, have since begun to stock Bailey of Sheffield in their shops in addition to two department stores in Jersey and one in Bournemouth which have all opened within the last month.
The meticulously crafted bracelets, in a range of attractive colours, showcase stainless steel beads representing a variety of themes and emotions, from industrial processes to the heart.
”It is very much up to the customer to decide how they want to configure and design their own bracelet,” Scott Bailey said, speaking at his workshop inside the Portland Works in the Highfield district of Sheffield, a few hundred metres from Sheffield United’s football ground.
“It’s about understated pieces that adapt with you and your changing style. Each piece is all about you — to curate your own personal style. We just give you a firm, well forged foundation.”
Constantly on the lookout for new design ideas, Scott and Adele are now rolling out a new range of aerospace grade aluminium beads in contrasting colours to add further choice to the look of the bracelets.
Customers can configure their own stainless steel bracelet designs on the cutting-edge Bailey of Sheffield transactional website.
“We are constantly open to new ideas for designs and welcome communications from designers – or indeed anyone – who has an idea for a new bead design,” Scott said.
“If we approve a bead design or concept, we would be delighted to credit the designer with a royalty.”
Scott and Adele are discussing with established jewellery designers plans to create new bead designs, and will soon introduce Fairtrade gold beads, as well as stainless steel beads set with lab grown diamonds.
Ethical jeweller Cred, which stocks Fairtrade gold jewellery in its shop in Chichester in southern England, is currently preparing to stock Bailey of Sheffield.
Scott and Adele strongly believe in sustainable and ethical jewellery and anticipate that Millennial customers will set increasingly stringent requirements for the jewellery that they buy, to ensure that there is no possible risk of association with conflict or harm to the environment.
Millennials are showing a growing interest in personalisation of products and are increasingly seeking custom-made jewellery at middle price points, studies show.
While the immediate priority is to consolidate in the UK market, Bailey of Sheffield have plans to grow their business internationally after receiving strong enquiries from various territories around the world. Bailey have already secured an agent to distribute their brand in the United States and are currently developing that network.
Sponsored
