Bespoke Celebrity Jewellery — Alan Carr’s Custom Brooch by The Illustrated Jeweller Brighton

Some commissions stay with you forever. This is one of them.

When I was asked to create a bespoke piece for Alan Carr, I knew it had to be extraordinary. Alan has a presence that demands a statement — bold, joyful, completely individual. So I went back to the heart of what I do best: my nautical swallow collection, reimagined as a one-of-a-kind statement brooch.

The piece was handcrafted in Brighton in solid silver with 18ct gold vermeil, combining movement, symbolism, and fine detail. The swallow — a symbol of safe passage and return — felt right for Alan. A bird that always finds its way home.

I delivered it in person. Watching him open the box was one of those moments I’ll never forget.

Then came the Finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World. There he was, judging on one of the biggest stages in British television — wearing my brooch.

Over 330,000 people saw that moment.

This is what bespoke jewellery means to me. Every piece leaves my Brighton studio and takes on a life of its own — worn at weddings, on television, on global stages. Handcrafted in solid silver and gold, set with precious gemstones, designed around the story of the person wearing it.

If you’d like to begin your own bespoke commission, I’d love to hear your story.