Meet Bronagh Wall, our UK-based CAD Designer.

Sending her unique designs across the ocean to our Western Australian workshop, Bronagh originally started with Nina's as a bench jeweller in WA.

We now happily share her with her three adorable children. Bronagh is proof that when we find the best, we do our very best to keep them!

Name: 

Bronagh Wall

Role:

CAD Jewellery Designer

Location:

I live and work from my home in the West Midlands in the UK.

There's plenty of history steeped in many of the towns and building surrounding us, we live fairly close to Stratford-upon-Avon; the famous home of Shakespeare! It's a town in which you can immerse yourself and experience all that is "ye olde England".

There's plenty of lush green countryside and woodland to enjoy without any worries of little deadlies hiding in the shadows!

How would you describe yourself?

I am a happy-go-lucky, glass-half-full kinda person, who splits her time between the great loves in her life - my work, my 3 crazy young children and of course my husband John. 

What inspires you?

I am easily distracted by anything Art Nouveau or Deco. The precision and delicacy of those master craftspeople astounds and mesmerises me. I'd also love to get out travelling again - there are so many places I'm yet to discover!

When not creating Nina's bespoke designs, where can we find you?

Outside of work the majority of my time is spent being a mammy to my 3 young kids - they definitely keep me busy! The littlest has just turned one and is in that explorative stage!

I like to balance out the close confines of the house by walking in the countryside and nurturing my little vegetable plot. I also like drinking wine and eating cheese!

Bronagh in her home studio and out exploring the countryside with her family. 

How long have you been with Nina's, and what attracted you to working with us? 

I trained as a bench jeweller and had dabbled a little in CAD at uni, so when a position opened up at Nina's for a junior bench jeweller, I jumped in with both feet!

I began in their busy, fully-equipped workshop in Dunsborough WA where I found they were eager for everyone to develop their skills. It's rare to find people willing to help and share their knowledge in this way so I knew this was somewhere I wanted to be. I've been with Nina's nearly nine years now, and that time has flown!

Tell us a bit about what your role entails.

I am the CAD designer for the company, and I liaise with the store staff to create bespoke designs for our customers.

I'm responsible for producing the final renders for the client to approve and the technical files and specifications our jewellers work from in order to craft each magnificent piece of jewellery. 

Having been a jeweller gives me extensive background knowledge, and therefore the confidence, to design structurally-sound pieces that I know will last a lifetime!

The UK is pretty far away from Western Australia, how did your unique workplace arrangement come about?

Well, it actually came about very quickly! We decided to move home to the UK for family reasons, and instead of accepting my resignation, Steve (Nina's CEO) pointed out that, since the business is set up to operate digitally, there was no reason I couldn't continue working for the company, just doing it remotely!

Nina's are a great employer - they'll give you a chance to prove yourself, and give you opportunity if you have good reason and a belief in yourself. I knew from the beginning it was somewhere I wanted to stay. 

My work arrangement really works well. I chat to the team in the Dunsborough workshop a lot, and the design staff too, so I don't miss much! It's all very easy. 

(Editor's note: There are many Nina's team members who operate remotely or from home, according to their location or individual circumstances.)

What is your favourite part of your job?

I get totally engrossed with my designs when I'm working. My mind feels centred and concentrated. I also love to hear the stories behind customer requests - it makes the job much more connected and pleasurable. 

What are the most challenging aspects of your job?

Remodelling worn-out sentimental jewellery is always an enjoyable challenge for me. These original pieces are so personal, I strive for a balance between creating the new piece and while keeping close to the look and feel of the original design.

What is your favourite Nina's piece and why?

A favourite comes to mind…this really unique ring we created a few years ago featuring a variety of shapes of coloured gemstones and round white diamonds:

Computer-aided drawings* of a multi gemstone and diamond ring created by Bronagh next to a photograph of the final product.

This design required a little ingenuity as the customer originally came in with the idea of having a range of stacking rings. However the individual rings did not sit well together on the hand and so I suggested this all-in-one design to give the appearance of four rings but with perpetually perfect spacing! It turned out magnificently!

Editor's note: *Realistic drawings such as these allow the customer to see what their piece will look like and make changes to the design before it is crafted to these specifications by Nina's master jewellers.

What are your long-term career goals?

I would like to further my training in the design programs we use - CAD and Matrix. The technicians are continuously introducing new tools and updates to the programs which are all very exciting.

In a year or so when my children are a little less dependent on me, I will take on a larger work load. 

What advice would you have for someone wanting to pursue a career in jewellery and design?

• You should absorb all the information your work colleagues are willing to impart to you, mop it up like a sponge!

• Also practise, practise, practise! It perfects your skillset which will give you confidence to tackle the more complex jobs.

• Try new skills and be confident in your own work.

Bronagh with her kids.