Custom Wooden Jewelry Box Inlay Craftsman

I build handmade wooden jewelry boxes with fine inlay and marquetry work, made to order for clients who want a one-of-a-kind keepsake rather than a mass-produced case from a shop shelf. Every commission starts with a short consultation about the recipient, the collection the box needs to hold (rings, watches, bangles, brooches), and the setting it will live in, so the size, compartment layout and lid style all fit real use rather than a generic template.\n\nThe carcass is built from solid hardwood — walnut, cherry, maple or quarter-sawn oak — joined with hand-cut dovetails or mitred splines, never glued butt joints or staples. The inlay is where the piece earns its price: veneer marquetry pictures, geometric parquetry bandings, mother-of-pearl or brass line inlay, and shaded burl panels are all cut and fitted by hand on a scroll saw or with a knife, then leveled flush and finished so the seams stay invisible for decades rather than lifting after a season of humidity swings.\n\nInteriors are lined in cotton velvet or suede in a colour you choose, with ring rolls, watch pillows or divided trays built to the actual pieces you send measurements or photos for — I will not hand back a box with a tray that doesn't fit your rings. Hinges, hardware and locks are sourced as solid brass or nickel silver, never stamped pot-metal that seizes after a year, and every hinge is mortised flush so the lid sits level under its own weight.\n\nFinishing is hand-rubbed oil and wax or a sprayed catalyzed lacquer depending on the wood and how the piece will be handled, buffed to a soft sheen rather than a plastic-looking gloss. I can also add a hand-carved monogram, a burned inscription, or a small brass nameplate for gifts and anniversaries. Typical turnaround is one to two weeks depending on the inlay complexity, and I send progress photos at the carcass, inlay-fitting and finishing stages so you can approve the direction before the final coat goes on. Shipping is in a padded custom crate to protect the corners and inlay in transit.