The Man Lost at Sea Who Inspired Everything — The Story Behind The Illustrated Jeweller

Recently, I uncovered an old suitcase belonging to my grandfather’s side of the family. Inside were photographs, documents, and pieces of a story I’d never fully understood before. One name kept appearing. Albert Self. My great-great-grandfather. A Royal Navy caulker stationed in British Burma in 1885.

His job was to seal wooden ships by hand, hammering tarred hemp deep into the timber to keep the sea out. Every strike of the mallet helped hold back the ocean itself. And on Christmas Day, 1885, Albert Self was lost at sea. His body was never recovered.

For 141 years, his story remained buried within our family history. Until now.

The Discovery That Changed Everything

I’m a tattooist turned jewellery designer based in Brighton. I’ve spent nearly two decades working with my hands,  first with ink on skin, now with gold and silver and stone. But when I opened that suitcase and found Albert’s story, something shifted. I understood for the first time why I’d always been drawn to the sea. Why nautical symbolism felt like home. Why swallows kept appearing in my work before I even knew why.

That discovery became the foundation of the Lost at Sea collection.

What the Lost at Sea Collection Means

The Lost at Sea collection is handcrafted jewellery inspired by sailors, celestial navigation, the symbolism of the ocean, and the stories that refuse to disappear beneath the tide. Every piece carries meaning rooted in maritime history and personal memory.

Sailors once believed swallows were a symbol of safe return. A sailor would earn a swallow tattoo after travelling 5,000 nautical miles. And if they perished at sea, legend held that the swallows would carry their souls safely to heaven. This is why the swallow appears throughout the collection — not as decoration, but as a promise.

The rope details that wind through each ring and pendant echo the work Albert Self did with his hands every day. The celestial elements — stars, moons, navigation points — reflect the way sailors once read the sky to find their way home.

Jewellery That Carries a Story

Every piece I make is rooted in this story. When you wear something from the Lost at Sea collection, you’re carrying 141 years of history, a family memory recovered from a suitcase, and the belief that the things we love never truly disappear.

This collection is for Albert Self. And for every family story that refuses to sink.

If you’d like to commission a piece inspired by your own story, I offer fully bespoke consultations from my Brighton studio. Every piece is made by hand, in solid gold or silver, with ethically grown laboratory diamonds.

Book a consultation →