inSilver and gold – From Harbour to The Old High Street

Aimi Clark is a jeweller with over 25 years’ experience.  Her business ‘inSilver‘ started in Folkestone at the Harbour Arm Marketplace where she worked from her hut in front of customers.  Now, Aimi has grown into a shop on The Old High Street where she can run workshops and sell her jewellery, as well as still make in the window, so you can follow her progress. You can see just how long it takes to make each item, and understand the skill and craft that goes into making silver jewellery.  Folkelife went to meet Aimi in her new location.

“I have been a silversmith for over 25 years, but with various breaks for having children as one does.  I think it’s really important for customers, and visitors, to see jewellery being made.  There’s a thought that you can  buy anything you need and have it delivered in 24 hours.  Even though I have signs up all around saying ‘handmade jewellery’, I still tell people and they’re amazed.  It’s also good to show that it takes a lot longer than 24 hours to make rings, earrings and so on. 

“I’m originally from Leicestershire and that’s a pretty landlocked place.  I came down to see some friends who live here and just fell in love with Folkestone, and with the sandy beach in particular!  My children were of an age where relocating was quite straightforward.  So, I applied to Folkestone Harbour Arm for a hut in the January and was accepted pretty quickly.  I wound up my business in Leicestershire and moved down here by April 2024.  My hut at the Harbour Arm was up and running as my workplace by the first May Bank Holiday.”

always learning

“I did my first silver-smithing course when I was 18 and one of the things about this job is that you are continually learning new skills.  When the children were young I retrained as a teaching assistant but the chaos of the day job meant I really needed to make jewellery in the evenings to recover.  I reduced my hours in that job and then took the plunge in 2014 to focus on this as my business.  We celebrated 10 years with prosecco and cake in the hut at the Harbour.  Now, a year on from that I am back in a shop, with solid walls and my own toilet!”

inspired by the sea

“I find that there’s inspiration in the shapes of the sand, shells and starfish.  I make cast bangles which means I create a shape in a mould and pour molten silver into that mould.  My seaweed bangles are really organic in their style – each one is different. 

“I have some Folkestone shells back from being cast which make really tasteful souvenirs.  My anchor line of jewellery is unisex and has gone down really well.  The anchor has different meanings so it suits a lot of people.”

opening the shop

“In my shop in Leicestershire I was able to run workshops as well as have a showroom and a workspace.  On The Old High Street I am able to do this again.  I have four spaces in the back for students on beginners’ jewellery making workshops. 

“It’s wonderful sharing skills and seeing people walk away with a piece of jewellery that they have made themselves.  They always appreciate the time and effort that goes into making the most simple of items once they’ve had a go themselves.”

growing in folkestone

“It’s been wonderful setting up here on The Old High Street. I needed the hut and small business set up to settle in to Folkestone.  Now I am at the stage where I can move into a shop and build on those foundations.  I have heard people walk by and recognise my logo.  I’ve changed to ‘inSilver and Gold’ now, but it incorporates my old logo.  They say ‘this is the lady who was at the Harbour, and she makes it all herself.’  It’s good to have built that reputation, and to see that it has travelled with me as my business grows.”

To book on a beginner’s jewellery making workshop click here.

All photos taken by @mooiefeephotography