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In one of the most spectacular collection launches of the year, Colombian emerald miner Muzo has collaborated with 24 contemporary jewellery designers to showcase the beauty of unfaceted emeralds.

Each designer taking part in the project, which has produced nearly 100 new pieces of jewellery, was asked to design jewels around ethically mined Muzo emeralds. Rather than using faceted gems, designers were challenged to use more unusual variations, such as raw organic slices, tripaches, tumbles and cabochons.

The collection, which made its debut this month at New York ‘s Five One Five, a new luxury condominium building in the heart of West Chelsea that has been designed by Singaporean architect Soo K. Chan. The Muzo emerald jewels, which start from $2,000 (£1,500), are being sold through the individual designers (full listing below). Some pieces will also be carried by stores including Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue and Moda Operandi.

“While the Muzo journey starts at the mine, it isn’t until the gemstone becomes a piece of jewellery that it truly comes to life,” says Muzo head of business development and designer outreach Gabbi Harvey. “This collaboration has demonstrated the incredible imagination and artistry that today’s contemporary jewellery designers possess. We are excited to showcase their work to help reinforce the Muzo Emerald story.”

The jewellery designers taking part in the Muzo emerald project are: Alexandra Mor, Alice Cicolini, Ara Vartanian, Coomi, Dana Bronfman, Daniela Villegas, Daria De Koning, Eden Presley, Erica Courtney, House of Meraki, Lisa Kim, Katherine Jetter, Kimberly McDonald, Makal, Mercedes Salazar, M. Spalten, Noor Fares, Sandra Dixon, Selim Mouzannar, Spencer Fine Jewelry, The Rock Hound, Venyx, Victor Velyan and Wilfredo Rosado.

Scroll down for The Jewellery Cut’s edit of our favourite pieces from the collection.

Alexandra Mor 

One-of-a-kind platinum and 18ct white gold earrings set with 19.15 carats of tumbled Muzo emerald beads and a mixture of round brilliant, emerald-, oval-, marquise-, heart- and radiant-cut diamonds.

$27,900

Alice Cicolini 
Jaipur Bouganvillea earrings in 18ct yellow gold, decorated with lacquer enamel and set with 55.56 carats of Muzo trapiche emeralds.

£62,500

Ara Vartanian 

18ct white and yellow gold earrings set with 35.18 carats of Muzo emerald slices, 0.62 carats of black diamonds and 0.70 carats of white diamonds.

$44,000

Coomi 

Sunburst necklace in 20ct yellow gold, set with 41.29 carats of Muzo emeralds and 7.71 carats of diamonds.

$190,000

Dana Bronfman

Agra pendant in 18ct Fairmined yellow gold, set with 4.98 carats of Muzo emeralds, 0.78 carats of rose-cut natural black diamonds and 0.09 carats of VVS diamond melee.

$5,185

Daniela Villegas

Trapiche Crab ring in 18ct yellow gold, set with 6.39 carats of Muzo emeralds.

$14,000

Daria De Konig

Flirt earrings in 18ct yellow gold, set with 16.47 carats of Muzo emeralds and Muzo emerald trillion cabochons and 7.37 carats of black opal.

$16,500

Eden Presley

Live/Laugh earrings in 18ct yellow gold, set with 9.6 carats of Muzo emeralds and 0.46 carats of diamonds.

$4,000

Erica Courtney

18ct yellow gold pendant with a tumbled 105.99 carat Muzo emerald encased in gold swirls set with 2.78 carats of diamonds.

$60,000 (pendant only)

House of Meraki

Isabel ring in 18ct yellow gold, set with a 2.25 carat tumbled Muzo emerald and 0.44 carats of diamonds.

$3,167

Katherine Jetter

Cage pendant in 18ct yellow gold, set with 0.25 carats of diamonds, with a tumbled Muzo emerald trapped within.

From $4,660

Kimberly McDonald

18ct green gold ring, set with a 25.32 carat Muzo emerald and 0.28 carats of diamond

$21,500

Lisa Kim

Web ring in 18ct yellow gold, set with a 3.15 carat Muzo emerald and 0.10 carats of pink sapphires

$3,212

Makal

Fairtrade 18ct yellow gold bracelet, set with 15 Muzo emeralds, seven natural gold nuggets and 14 ethically sourced diamonds that have been certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council.

Price on application

M. Spalten

Starburst earrings in 18ct yellow gold, set with 8.01 carats of Muzo emeralds and 0.27 carats of diamonds.

$7,450

Mercedes Salazar
Saturno’s Calling necklace in 18ct yellow gold, set with 5.9 carats of Muzo emeralds and 0.32 carats of yellow sapphires.

$1,679

Noor Fares

Anahata Trapiche earrings in 18ct grey gold, set with 24.93 carats of Muzo emeralds, 0.43 carats of white diamonds, 0.7 carats of coloured pavé sapphires, 0.17 carats of amethysts, and an inlay of red agate, carnelian, tiger’s eye, turquoise, lapis lazuli and surgelite.

Price on application

Sandra Dixon

Serpent Goddess earrings in 18ct yellow gold, set with 5.19 carats of shield-cut Muzo emeralds and 0.32 carats of diamonds.

$9,850

Selim Mouzannar

18ct rose gold ring decorated with black enamel, and set with a 7.75 carat Muzo emerald and 0.48 carats of diamonds.

$11,530

Spencer Fine Jewelry

Convertible portrait earrings (can be worn three ways) in 18ct yellow gold, set with 31.32 carats of Muzo cabochon emeralds, 2.02 carats of Muzo trapiche emeralds, 0.85 carats of white diamonds and 0.73 carats of black diamonds.

$52,500

The Rock Hound

Molten Muzo Candelabra necklace in 18ct recycled yellow gold, set with 20.63 carats of Muzo emeralds.

£11,500

Venyx

Muzo Narwhal necklace in 18ct yellow gold, set with 18 carats of Muzo emeralds, 0.09 carats of fancy diamonds, 0.15 carats of tsavorites, 0.32 carats of amethysts, 0.22 carats of blue sapphires, 0.21 carats of pink sapphires, 0.10 carats of orange sapphires, 26.41 carats of emeralds, and 4.68 carats of opals.

£19,500

Victor Velyan

24ct and 18ct yellow gold earrings set with 24.10 carats of Muzo emeralds and 2.65 carats of diamonds.

$53,900

Wilfredo Rosado

18ct yellow gold ring decorated with black enamel, and set with a 25 carat sugarloaf Muzo emerald and diamonds.

$180,000

If you enjoyed the extended daylight hours of yesterday’s Summer Solstice and want to capture the positive energy of the pagan festival for the rest of the season, then you need to check out Noor Fares’ latest collaborative collection with Auverture.

Timed to launch exclusively on the jewellery site yesterday to mark the longest day of the year, Noor Fares’ The Energetic Collection is a limited line of talismanic jewels. The earrings and pendant feature shards of rock crystal, which is prized for its healing properties. Crystal fans – including Noor, who is a reiki healer as well as a jewellery designer – believe it promotes positive energy and cleanses the spirit of harmful blockages.

Holding the rock crystal in place are faceted 14ct gold snakes topped with green tsavorite gems. Noor took inspiration from the classic jewellery motif ouroboros – the image of a snake eating its own tail, much favoured by the Egyptians – for the stylised settings and earring posts.

Noor says she hopes the jewels, which are available exclusively through Auverture and limited to 50 pendants and 25 pairs of earrings, will help wearers to “connect with their intentions”.

The Noor Fares The Energetic Collection also has a philanthropic focus. All proceeds raised from the sale of the jewels headed to the Auverture United platform, which “advocates for collaboration, craftsmanship, and sustainability in the independent fine jewellery industry”.

The Goldsmiths’ Company and The Jewellery Cut have teamed up to curate a three-week festive pop-up jewellery shop at hip east London location Mare Street Market that will offer a truly sparkling Christmas shopping experience. 

The Christmas Jewellery Pop Up Shop, which will run from November 29^th to December 17^th, will feature a tightly edited selection of jewels from 12 designers. To make the cut, jewellers had to be based in Britain, making design-led, quality made, contemporary fine jewellery.

“Nothing spreads Christmas joy like the gift of gold or silver jewellery,” says The Goldsmiths’ Company director of events and promotion David Mills. “On trend, stylish and fun to wear, these jewels make the perfect gift for a loved one or yourself.  Check out this treasure trove of sassy jewellery to really make your Christmas sparkle.”

Jewels chosen to be showcased in the Christmas Jewellery Pop Up Shop range from £43 to £1,000, and there is an exciting mix of designs on offer, from statement signet rings to stylish hoop earrings and precious hand-carved pendants. Each jewel in the Christmas Jewellery Pop Up Shop has been hand selected by the teams at The Goldsmiths’ Company and The Jewellery Cut.

“Mare Street Market is a really exciting location for a jewellery store, with its buzzy atmosphere and a crowd of shoppers who love design, great quality and something that little bit different,” says The Jewellery Cut editorial director Rachael Taylor. “All the jewellery designers we have chosen to showcase in the Christmas Jewellery Pop Up Shop are independent brands that you won’t find on the high street, and each has something really unique to offer shoppers looking for Christmas gifts or just a stylish accessory for themselves that will last.”

The Goldsmiths’ Company is famed for hosting the Goldsmiths’ Fair at its lavish Hall near St Paul’s Cathedral, so creating a jewellery space on the other side of town is a new move for the historic livery company. The choice of Mare Street Market, the shopping and eatery hub opened by chef Gizzi Erskine and publican Marc Francis-Baum, was a strategic one, to bring contemporary fine jewellery to a new audience.

“The Goldsmiths’ Company and The Jewellery Cut have a very similar vision when it comes to connecting a new generation to jewellery,” says Taylor. “There are so many brilliant jewellery designers here in the UK, and we’re really excited to help a younger crowd get to know them. We understand that many people find the idea of buying a piece of fine jewellery at a traditional store intimidating or feel as though it should only be a milestone purchase, but we’re hoping to bust a few of these myths and inspire a some new magpies to start collecting.”

Meet the designers at The Christmas Jewellery Pop Up Shop

Soizig Carey is a designer-maker based in Glasgow, specialising in contemporary handmade jewellery and objects. Soizig’s collections are influenced by architecture, graphics and narratives, integrating traditional and modern craft techniques. Using casting, engraving, embossing and riveting processes, Soizig creates precious metal forms, which can be worn or serve as meaningful and playful objects.

WWAN(1) explores traditional styles to create new twisted and edgyclassics. The metals, semi-precious and precious stones are chosen with integrity for their aesthetics, their inner qualities and high value. All materials are ethically sourced when possible.

Multi award-winning jeweller Monique Daniels combines traditional fine jewellery techniques with precision cutting technology to create futuristic and fashionable statement pieces. Monique draws her inspiration from industrial architecture, mathematical polyhedron drawings and astrological constellation mapping.

Ebba Goring’s jewellery, her influences, her world, make for some kind of modern-day folk tale. With a golden touch, she turns hand-stitched cotton into the finest gold jewels and so a soft thread is transformed into a textured treasure to be worn and enjoyed for all time.

Having initially studied sculpture, Claire Macfarlane is curious about materials and how they may be manipulated and constructed beyond traditional methods. She employs a spectrum of techniques from hand forging to computer design and reproduction to achieve unique results.

Contemporary jewellery designer Jake McCombe takes inspiration from mathematical shapes and scientific symbols. Starting with raw materials, he initially works with industrial machinery to formulate ideas and transform images into objects. Once the form has taken shape, he then combines this with modern technologies to develop the design before finishes each piece by hand using traditional craft techniques.

Molly Perrin is based in London. She has a Masters in Goldsmithing, Silversmithing, Metalwork and Jewellery from the Royal College of Art and a hoard of experience in the jewellery industry. She creates collections for museums, designs for established jewellery brands, and works on personal commissions for the big moments in people’s lives.

Frances Wadsworth Jones set up her eponymous jewellery label in 2008 after graduating from the Royal College of Art in London, and has since made a name for herself with her playfully conceptual and quietly provocative style. Her distinct approach blurs the boundaries between design, fashion, craft and luxury to create pieces that defy both trend and expectations.

Lylie’s was started in 2017 by Eliza ‘Lylie’ Walter. Classically trained as a goldsmith in London’s Hatton Garden, this young entrepreneur’s work is characterised by storytelling and fine craftsmanship. Lylie’s designs are underpinned by her belief that products should be made with due respect for the planet and the people who populate it.

Phine is a London-based Swedish jewellery brand setting a new benchmark for Scandi statement jewellery that is fierce and daring. Phine jewellery is armour to make its wearers feel strong; jewels that set you free to go anywhere and achieve anything.

The Rosie Kent brand is inspired by old-world elegance. It transforms handcrafted patterns and textures from the world around us into timeless luxury jewellery. These lavish textures in precious metals complement the female form, and attention to detail is crucial in their design and execution.

Using the body as a landscape, Fraser Hamilton creates tableaux of collapsed monuments, remnants of antiquity, and roughly hewn statues. By playing with connotations of material and scale, fragments of history are transformed into personal totems and jewellery is given a sculptural life.

The Goldsmiths’ Company and The Jewellery Cut’s Christmas Pop Up Jewellery Shop will take place at Mare Street Market from November 29th to December 17^th.   

The Jewellery Cut Live returned for its fourth season during London Fashion Week in February, and the jewellery event, which is open to all, was another resounding success.

There were 25 jewellery designers who took part in this edition of the boutique jewellery show, which took place on February 16^th & 17^th, 2020, at The Royal Institution in London’s Mayfair. Jewellery lovers could browse and buy jewellery direct from the makers, as well as strike up conversations about future bespoke commissions.

“For years, I have wanted a signet ring and I finally found one that I love,” said Sherrille Riley, founder of beauty business Nails & Brows Mayfair, of her experience shopping at The Jewellery Cut Live. Riley attended the invite-only VIP evening on the opening night of the show, during which she discovered Noor Shamma and purchased one of the designer’s yellow gold and diamond Luz rings.

Other high-profile shoppers included Carol Woolton of Vogue who bought two pairs of earrings at the event – gold vermeil Aphrodite statement earrings by Deborah Blyth and a pair of vintage gold earrings from Baroque Rocks.

JET-SET JEWELLERS

Though the show was made up of predominantly British jewellery brands, there was an increasing number of international jewellers, such as Noor Shamma, Neelu and Maison Coco from the US, and Belgian jewellers Laurence Vandenborre and Royal Asscher, and Italian jeweller Vic+Jo.

“Charming venue, impeccably organised, fabulous crowd — absolute perfection,” said New York-based jewellery designer Noor Shamma, who took part in the show for the first time and plans to return in September. “The Jewellery Cut Live has been, by far, one of the best, if not the best jewellery event I’ve been to. [The Jewellery Cut founders] Rachael and Andrew have outdone themselves by creating the ideal space for the jewellery community to interact with the press, buyers, VIPs, and people who simply love jewellery. I definitely look forward to coming back next season.”

As well as the exhibition of jewellery, The Jewellery Cut Live also offered visitors an ambitious talks programme over two days, with many guests using it as a conference, buying AAA Passes that allowed them to attend multiple talks. The move to new venue, The Royal Institution on Mayfair’s Albermarle Street, allowed for the use of a full-size theatre, and some talks attracted upwards of 100 people.

Speakers included Vogue jewellery editor Carol Woolton, renown British jewellery designer Alex Monroe, Topshop head of jewellery design Jo Grogan, and gem collector Tayma Page Allies, who travelled from Hong Kong to deliver a talk. Mike Asscher of the famous diamond-cutting family, who was exhibiting in the main room with his brand Royal Asscher, also gave a talk on diamonds, during which one member of the audience – Sean Jadoon, founder of global luxury-goods price comparison site Jet or Get – was surprised by winning a diamond and sapphire ring worth £3,000.

AN ECCLECTIC CROWD

The Jewellery Cut Live attracted a mixed crowd of store buyers, press, private clients and jewellery fans, and visitor numbers to the show this season were up 74%. Some guests travelled to London from as far as the US, Romania and Copenhagen just to attend The Jewellery Cut Live.

Jewellery lovers at The Jewellery Cut Live mixed with journalists from luxury titles including Vogue, Tatler, The Financial Times’ How To Spend It and Vanity Fair, as well as buyers from stores including Harrods, Liberty, Paul Smith, Beaverbrooks and Mayfair Jewellers. The Jewellery Cut also partnered with online magazine and major social influencer The Jewellery Editor on an exclusive readers’ event at the show.

“We are so delighted with how the latest season of The Jewellery Cut Live went,” said Rachael Taylor, who co-founded The Jewellery Cut with Andrew Martyniuk in 2018. “Andrew and I run this event independently and this seems to chime with the independent spirit of the jewellers who take part, and also the very real desire among both consumers and retail buyers to be taken on a journey of jewellery discovery.

“Many of the jewellers you will meet at our events don’t do other shows and aren’t found on the high street, and each is hand selected by us so we can guarantee quality and originality. Our visitor numbers keep rising, as do the calibre of our talks and we now have a waiting list of designers who want to take part in September’s show. It seems we’ve really hit on a winning formula. As such, we will continue to create tailored, exciting, hybrid jewellery events during London Fashion Week that truly are open to all jewellery fans.”

FIRM FAVOURITES

The event was a mix of first-time exhibitors and brands who have returned to The Jewellery Cut Live multiple times. Akansha Sethi has consistently exhibited at every season of the event since its launch in September 2018, while Julien Riad Sahyoun and MyriamSOS have now completed three consecutive seasons, and Alexandra Jacoumis, Mocielli, Manpriya B, Charlotte Cornelius and Baroque Rocks, among others, returned for a second time.

Each season, The Jewellery Cut founders select a jeweller to receive a bursary. This season, the winner was Aishleen Lester of Le Ster, who was given a free stand at the show as well as a package of benefits worth £7,000 from jewellery industry benefactors including De Beers, the NAJ and The Goldsmiths’ Company.

“It was an absolutely tremendous success – incredible location, magnificent talks and fabulous, fabulous, unique 24-carat talent,” said Emma de Sybel, founder of Baroque Rocks, which specialises in vintage gold jewellery.

The Jewellery Cut Live will return during London Fashion Week in September. The dates of the next show have now been released as September 20^th & 21^st, 2020 – register for tickets here

As a former current affairs journalist for the BBC, it’s no wonder that Serena Kutchinsky has turned her investigative talents to her own family mysteries. As a child, Serena watched on as her father, the famed jeweller Paul Kutchinsky, embarked on an almost impossible journey to have the world’s largest jewelled egg made in Britain. One that he made sure to rival Fabergé’s.

Completely fixated upon his newfound purpose, Paul became obsessed with the masterpiece that would go on to become known as the Argyle Library Egg. The 60cm-tall precious creation would end up requiring more than 15kg of 18ct gold, 24,000 pink diamonds from the Argyle mine in Australia, and 7,000 hours of painstaking labour by talented goldsmiths. On completion in 1990, the egg was valued at £7 million. However, it came at a ruinous price, costing him – according to his daughter Serena – “his business, his family and his life”.

Paul came from a long line of jewellers. Having served as jewellers to the court of Ludwig in Bavaria, the Kutchinsky family emigrated from Poland in 1893 to start a new life in Britain and reestablished their jewellery house in East London. Paul’s father Joseph Kutchinsky later moved the business to Knightsbridge, where it flourished in the boom of postwar Britain. Facing financial issues after the creation of the Argyle Library egg, the family sold the house to Moussaieff Jewellers in the 1990s and the Kutchinsky name later fell into ambiguity.

Considered now to be one of the most valuable artworks created in postwar Britain, The Argyle Library egg has long been locked away in a private collection, hidden from view, but Serena Kutchinsky is on its trail. In an attempt to connect with her family history, the journalist has been trawling through her family archives, talking to people from Australia to Japan and furthering her understanding of her family’s legacy as well as jewellery itself.

Armed with research, Serena is penning a book exploring the impact the Argyle Library Egg had on her father and her family. To document her journey, she has recently appeared on the podcast History Gems with Dr Nicola Tallis and has created an Instagram account dedicated to the House of Kutchinsky to share images of classic Kutchinsky jewels.

To discover more about this fascinating tale of ambition, triumph and disaster, join Serena Kutchinsky at The Jewellery Cut Live in association with Fuli Gemstones on October 16th, 2021, for an exclusive lecture titled The True Cost of the World’s Largest Jewelled Egg. Serena will share the very personal story of her late father’s lifelong obsession and the origins of the Kutchinsky family jewellery house. By delving into the secretive world of jewellery, Serena will strive to understand what drove her father to risk everything for this priceless treasure.

The True Cost of the World’s Largest Jewelled Egg with Serena Kutchinksy will take place at 1pm on October 16th, 2021, at The Jewellery Cut Live, in association with Fuli Gemstones held at The Royal Institution, 21 Albermarle Street, Mayfair, London, W1S 4BS. Early bird tickets start at £10 (£20 thereafter). Book your ticket here

If you want to attend more than one talk, why not upgrade to our AAA Pass? This luxurious jewellery experience includes access to all our talks at The Jewellery Cut Live in association with Fuli Gemstones, a VIP goody bag, a glass of wine, free tea and coffee on both days of the show, and secures you an invite to our exclusive VIP opening night party at which we will be serving drinks and canapés. Upgrade here by selecting the AAA Pass ticket option

I’m saddened to share that we’ve made the difficult decision to close Women’s Jewellery Network (WJN). We will be closing our members networks and taking down our website within the next month.

The world has changed a lot over the past several months and, like everyone else, we’re adapting with it. Not least, changes in my work life mean I no longer have capacity to lead WJN.

At board level, after much soul searching and debate, myself, Nyasha Pitt, Kathryn Bishop and Rachael Taylor have come to recognise that our efforts could be invested in strengthening our individual abilities to create impact. For WJN to do the work it needs to be doing, it would need to commercialise outputs to afford to pay us a living wage. For us, it has never been about the money.

Assessing the applications to the Kassandra Lauren Gordon Fund is consciously my last commitment in the jewellery industry. It’s my way of making a point… anyone with profile in the jewellery industry has opportunity to influence against injustice. You’ve simply got to put your hand up. Kassandra stepped up with her call to action, to the shame of the industry as a whole.

Whilst, as an ally, I’ve raised my voice and taken action for excluded groups as WJN, we have been campaigning about equality, leading with gender parity, for years. And we have seen little movement.

In reality, the situation is that collectively jewellery industry leaders have not addressed issues around diversity and inclusion. Be that gender, race, sexuality or any other marginalised group. The industry remains led by white men, with a notable presence of Asian and minority ethnic leaders elsewhere in the trade. Yet it’s less welcoming to black people who strive for inclusion than it is to women.

My own action on achieving recognised office in this industry was to create an inclusive organisation as a side gig. It was met with resistance from global and national leaders who did not understand why I wanted to use my influence to advocate for women’s inclusion, career progression and leadership. Men would look me straight in the eye and say, “Well, I employ women” or “I have a mother, wife and a daughter”, as if that made the huge disparities in pay, conditions and progression okay. Women demonstrated incredible levels of internalised sexism, advising me that I was wrong to rock the boat. Others made up their own version of what WJN was about. And this negatively nuanced reception continued throughout our journey; the greatest shame being that the whole industry would benefit from equity and parity for all.

Kathryn Bishop and Rachael Taylor will continue to invest in creative and career-focused initiatives that support talent across the jewellery industry. They are also undertaking personal activity to support and promote greater diversity in industry.

Kathryn will continue her voluntary work supporting the progression and future of the trade through her role as vice-chair of the Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council, and as a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths. She will also support black jewellers in the UK as a pro-bono mentor for members of the Black Jewellers Network, established by Kassandra Lauren Gordon.

Rachael will continue her work as a journalist, reporting on all the facets of the jewellery industry, shining a light on the good and the bad. She is also part is part of the duo that lead The Jewellery Cut, a platform established to support and champion – and therefore level the playing field for – independent jewellery designers. Through its live events, The Jewellery Cut will continue to make career-changing opportunities for emerging or marginalised designers through bursaries, while the website will continue to be a place for diverse discussions, like working mothers or its recent #Blackjewellersmatter campaign.

Since we launched WJN, we have had an incredible amount of goodwill in supporters, followers and, of course, building our renowned global ambassador network, from Scotland to Israel, Belgium, France, Brazil and Denmark. Stepping back to view our ambassador network in its entirely, it is made up of women, men, people of colour, minority ethnic people, alongside representation of LGBTQ+ and disability.

Perhaps most crucially, WJN has given space and voice to those who might not have naturally found an opportunity to speak up or represent in the industry. WJN was built from the ground up to be a diverse and inclusive community. It is therefore with great sadness that we confirm that our Ambassadors and Advocates will also stand down as part of our coordinated closure.

We’ve been blown away from day one by the response from the industry to our different tone of voice and message. We have a global membership, thousands of followers and fans and we have been able to connect with a worldwide tribe, all looking to connect with a deeper vision and to champion for positive change.

There will never be enough thanks for our members’ and ambassadors’ belief in what a tiny collective could achieve. I’d encourage other organisations to dive into our ambassadors’ network for new talent to regenerate stale boards and committees. Unless fresh faces are brought to the forefront, there won’t be any real change – something our industry desperately needs. As Nyasha often says: “You can’t use the same ingredients and expect to bake a different cake.”

My departing message to organisations in the jewellery industry is this: a lot can be achieved with very little, when there’s determination to drive change. We started as one woman with an idea who found another that recognised her vision. They went on to recruit a board and together created a vision, a mission and a global network. We borrowed space and goodwill. We were invited to take over a trade magazine for a dedicated WJN issue — thank you again Professional Jeweller for this memorable opportunity.

We have achieved a lot with not very much in a matter of years. We’ve never had a dedicated member of staff, nor budget, nor have we charged anyone to be a member. And, crucially, we’ve all held full-time roles or run businesses beyond WJN throughout its entire existence.

Custodians of industry: this is where your challenge lies. Fill the gap that the WJN is leaving – the race should be on to now create a meaningful, radical and future-facing organisation. The jewellery industry absolutely has institutions and organisations with considerable resources that could drive real positive change. We all really hope that someone else will step up and be counted; rise to this challenge with a holistic, inclusive and progressive vision.

Before I sign off, I want to say that inherently, the jewellery industry is a wonderful space with huge potential. I’m incredibly thankful of the belief that was put in me and the brilliant women I handpicked to stand beside me. I speak for the board when I say we are proud of what we have done.

Moreover, WJN has worked with, championed and supported some of the brightest women and men in the industry. They are the disrupters, change-makers and thought leaders. They should be the ones to steer the future now.

No glass ceiling, for anyone.

Read WJN board member Nyasha Pitt’s column on championing equality in the jewellery industry and beyond here

Dear fellow human beings,

A lot of you feel strongly about the recent events in the US, as the protests following George Floyd’s death have raised much deeper issues of inherent racism, and people of all races have started to speak out in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. As a Black woman, it has been a particularly tough time for me.

I am an ethical fine jeweller, using Fairtraide gold, and have my own brand Kassandra Lauren Gordon, through which I offer collections and bespoke commissions. My work is sold at stores across Europe and I’ve participated in many events, including IJL and the Islington Wedding Fair, and have had four solo gallery shows at Craft Central.

After studying in Hatton Garden and having spent the past nine years in the jewellery industry, I have to admit that – if I’m honest – I am not shocked by the lack of response to the recent events that have affected me so deeply, which I would call a humanitarian crisis. It smarts all the more after watching the industry mobilise so quickly and effectively in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In my opinion, the jewellery industry is not as diverse as it could be, and it is not inclusive for Black people. I will go even further and even say that the industry is not welcoming to Black people.

I could give you a large list of examples from my own personal experience of how people have treated me negatively in Hatton Garden and elsewhere in the jewellery industry because of the colour of my skin. Some of these slights are blatant: unsavoury words said directly to me; being ignored (some people have literally looked me in the face and walked away when I’ve spoken to them). Others are more insidious in their racist motivations, but equally as upsetting: falsely being accused of stealing supplies (obviously, it didn’t happen); staff following me around stores while I buy my jewellery supplies, yet white counterparts are left to search for their own supplies unbothered and unsupervised. I could go on, and on.

These are emotive pictures, I know, but I don’t want you just to feel. Feelings won’t help Black people and Black jewellers. Neither will a few social media posts of guilt and sudden solidarity. What I am interested in is what the jewellery industry is going to do in the long term.

Feeling anti-racist is not the same as being proactively anti-racist in your day-to-day life. I cannot prescribe how you should be proactively anti-racist in the jewellery industry, but I urge everyone to act in some way. What is going on now is not a black/white issue, it’s a humanitarian issue. We are all human beings and need to be given equal opportunities.

Not all jewellers who enter the industry start out from the same place. Due to a legacy of systemic racism, many Black jewellers are hindered by socio-economic disadvantages. We also don’t have established networks and professional communities that jewellers from other minority backgrounds do, such as Jewish or Asian jewellers. I am not asking for handouts for Black jewellers, but we need support in order level the playing field of this monolithic industry. What I am asking for is the jewellery industry is to be more inclusive and create more opportunities for Black jewellers.

Change will not be achieved overnight, and there is no easy one-size-fits-all solution, but we need to act now. Therefore, I have compiled a list of some practical suggestions for the jewellery industry. Each one would help increase the visibility of Black jewellers in this industry and amplify our voices:

• Create a pledge. What are you going to do to support Black jewellers? What resources can you offer? Create a task force/quality assurance group to hold the pledge accountable.
• More financial aid. We need a hardship fund for Black jewellers, as well as dedicated bursaries and grants for things like materials, education, studio space, PR and participation in exhibitions.
• Increase visibility. The jewellery industry bodies, associations and trade publications should proactively highlight Black jewellers in communications, social media and publications. Trade shows should celebrate Black talent through dedicated installations or catwalk shows. Let’s create a directory for Black UK-based jewellers.
• Amplify Black voices. Send out a survey to Black jewellers asking them about their experiences of the jewellery trade. Invite Black jewellers to speak at industry events. Hire Black jewellers to be a sounding board and sense check issues in the jewellery industry.
• Open doors. Develop structured mentoring schemes for Black people. Create space for Black jewellers in jewellery and department stores that don’t rely on the type of sale-or-return agreements that can financially cripple designers.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this letter, feeling anti-racist is not enough. Black people are not visible in the jewellery industry, and staying silent on this issue is not an option anymore. Your silence and lack of action say a lot about the problems prevalent in our industry.

In hope,
Kassandra Lauren Gordon

(A human being, who happens to be a Black woman and a jeweller)

The Jewellery Cut is delighted to announce that it has selected a winner for this season’s The Jewellery Cut Live Bursary – Le Ster. The London-based fine jewellery brand’s founder Aishleen Lester has secured a free place at the next The Jewellery Cut Live event as well as a package of other benefits totalling £7,000.

Le Ster, which specialises in elegant contemporary jewellery made in 18ct gold and set with coloured gemstones and diamonds, was founded two years ago. Its luxurious motifs and energising use of colour have already caught the attention of jewellery insiders, with Lester being named Designer to Watch at jewellery trade show IJL in 2018 and winning a place on the respected business incubator Setting Out at The Goldsmiths’ Centre in 2019

The Jewellery Cut Live Bursary, which this year received record entries, was judged by The Jewellery Cut founders Rachael Taylor and Andrew Martyniuk, who will provide Lester with mentoring support as part of the prize. Other companies to have generously offered additional benefits as part of the £7,000 prize package include De Beers, The Goldsmiths’ Company, Retail Jeweller, WB The Creative Jewellery Group, GVUK, the National Association of Jewellers and Push PR (full list of bursary benefits below).

Le Ster is the third recipient of The Jewellery Cut Live Bursary. The previous winners were Kelly Seymour of Cult of Youth in February 2019, followed by Ama Dhami in September 2019.

“I’ve seen Aishleen’s jewellery on a number of occasions since she launched her brand, and each time I’ve been struck by its sheer covetability,” said Taylor. “With her debut collection, she has managed to take a powerful motif – fireworks – and somehow make it feel soft and romantic, yet energising. Le Ster perfectly embodies the zeitgeist in contemporary jewellery right now, with precious, wearable jewels that can be scaled up or down. It is going to be a perfect fit for The Jewellery Cut Live, and we look forward to welcoming her to our growing community of jewellery enthusiasts.”

The debut Le Ster collection is Light the Grey, which combines the graphics of pop art with the ephemerality of fireworks. The resulting jewels convey a language of opposites: strong and soft, colour and monotone, an inner and outer confidence.

“I’ve been working hard to develop Le Ster over the last year, and it’s thrilling to have now won The Jewellery Cut Live Bursary,” said Lester. “Rachael and Andrew have championed some of the most exciting new designers in the UK through The Jewellery Cut and I’m honoured to be associated with such a prestigious group. To be mentored by Rachael and Andrew and introduced to key figures within the jewellery industry is priceless.”

The Jewellery Cut Live is a two-day showcase of independent jewellery designers and jewellery talks held during London Fashion Week – the only dedicated jewellery event of the Week. This season’s show, which will feature 30 contemporary jewellers, will take place on the 16^th & 17^th of February, 2020, at The Royal Institution on Albermarle Street in London’s Mayfair. Get your tickets here

Breakdown of the benefits included in The Jewellery Cut Live Bursary

• A stand at The Jewellery Cut Live February 2020
• Mentoring support from The Jewellery Cut founders Rachael Taylor and Andrew Martyniuk
• Access to online Diamond Foundation Course created by The De Beers Diamond Institute
• De Beers Group Institute of Diamonds Grading Report for a diamond of 0.5ct to 1ct, submitted to the Maidenhead lab
• A year’s subscription to Retail Jeweller magazine
• A day at WB The Creative Jewellery Group that will include sessions spent with the design and marketing teams as well as a mentoring session with Domino Jewellery and Weston Beamor creative director Naomi Newton-Sherlock
• A 90-day subscription to Gemvision’s MatrixGold CAD software courtesy of GVUK
• A year’s membership of the National Association of Jewellers
• A VIP ticket to Goldsmiths’ Fair 2020
• A laser and punch hallmarking package courtesy of The Goldsmiths’ Company Assay Office
• Two-hour communications consultation at Push PR
• A stand at a #PushCONNECT shopping event courtesy of Push PR

In solidarity with Black Lives Matter, and because posting a blank square is not enough, The Jewellery Cut will be showcasing the work of a new Black jeweller every day for the next month.

Each day, we will showcase the work of a Black jewellery designer across our social media channels, and you can follow the project using the hashtag #Blackjewellersmatter.

You will also be able to find a growing list of Black jewellers to support, listen to and champion right here in this article, which will be added to daily. So if you want to learn more about this vibrant, diverse and talented community of jewellers, and put your money where your mouth is by supporting Black-owned businesses, keep checking in.

What can you do to help raise the profile of Black jewellery designers? Share this article or #Blackjewellersmatter posts on social media (do feel free to join in with your own posts), tag people you know who might like the jewels, follow the designers and invest in their work, because Black jewellers matter⁠.

1

Sewit Sium

Sewit Sium is a New York designer who produces statement jewellery imbued with African history, culture, tradition and indigenous technologies. This silver medallion is an homage to Malcolm X.⁠ “Jewellery is universal language,” says designer, artisan and educator Sium. “Jewellery is documentary evidence, witness, corroborator of story. Jewellery is part of a living history that we’re at the centre of now. Jewellery is an activating agent for our collective liberation.”

2

Yam

3

Vanleles

Vânia Leles was born in West Africa’s Guinea-Bissau and started her career as a model before discovering a love for jewellery. She studied at the GIA and fulfilled her dream of working for Graff before she launched her own fine jewellery brand Vanleles in London. ⁠Her jewels are ethically made, using extraordinary gemstones, and the design DNA of VanLeles is steeped in Leles’ African heritage. These gold, diamond and emerald jewels from the Legends of Africa collection use emeralds sourced from Zambia. ⁠”To become the first African fine jewellery house among the top 10 global fine jewellery brands, and to inspire more Africans to enter this industry,” says Leles of her professional ambitions. “With over 75% of what is used in fine jewellery coming from Africa, we need more representation. Representation matters because only then we will see changes on the ground and do the right thing by the communities where the mines are located.”

4

Ohemaa

Ohemaa takes its name from the Ghanaian word ohemaa (pronounced ‘O’ – him – maa), which means queen. ⁠This regal costume jewellery brand, founded in 2017 by Dorothy Arhin, aims to create “bold, beautiful, affordable and high-quality jewellery” for both women and children. Her statement jewels, often inspired by geometry, are made using techniques such as hand sawing or laser cutting. ⁠These brass Picasso earrings take their inspiration from the famous artist, with Ohemaa creating a line drawing of a woman’s face.

5

Mamater

After struggling to find the right kind of jewels for her own professional wardrobe – those that are “combinable, seductive and travelled well” – Marilyne Kekeli left behind a career in strategic to become a jewellery designer. ⁠⁠Starting off in 2018 with a collection of just three earrings, designed to adapt perfectly to the boardroom, brunch and bar hopping, she started her journey. A play on the French words for Mother Nature, @mamaterjewels creates “ethical sophisticated adornments for spirited women who want to look good and live well”. “A lot of recent news has felt close to home,” says Kekeli, who is based in London. “It has been painful to see people who look like me being taken from us for the crime of having more melanin in our skin. None of it is new, are things that we as a collective people did not know, or did not mourn. From the investor hesitant to support a business because its owner is Black, to the person that specifically doesn’t date people who look like us, to the customer hesitant to purchase a product shown on a Black model, the grandmother who clutches her handbag when we walk past her, and so on. Today, I stand in solidarity with those in pain and who seek the right to be respected.”⁠ ⁠ Head to the Mamater Instagram page for Kekeli’s full thoughts on this topic.

6

Jam + Rico

Growing up, Jam + Rico founder Lisette Ffolkes was influenced by her Jamaican and Puerto Rican roots, having grandparents from both islands. She was curious about what it was like for them to grow up there – the traditions, the food, the music. As she grew older and was able to travel to Jamaica and Puerto Rico, her fascination only grew. Jam + Rico – named for both islands – is a reflection of this infatuation with Lisette’s Caribbean heritage, with bold and colourful jewels that capture island vibes with sun motifs, like these gold-plated Sol earrings, or cowrie shells. “A little salsa and reggae with a mix of arroz con pollo, pastelles, jerk and curry were favourites and loves within my home,” says Ffolkes, who is based in New York. “The colours, carnivals, art, beaches and language all inspired me to create and design. That’s when I knew I needed to design to bring me closer to a the cultural connection of my ancestors.”

7

Florence Gossec

Florence Gossec is not just a jeweller, she is a creator of objet d’art. As well as her bold jewels, she uses her signature golden wirework to create an array of floral-inspired headbands and delicate, contemporary ornaments that are alternatives to cut flowers. When she does turn to jewels, the French jeweller does not hold back. Her often whimsical, and outsized, creations are for those who wish to make a statement. These bold earrings were the result of a collaboration with Parisian fashion designer Pascal Millet. Gossec created all the jewellery for the brand’s spring/summer 2018 runway show at Paris Fashion Week.

5

Catherine Marché

8

Tenthousandthings

Tenthousandthings was founded by Ronald Anderson and David Rees, who taught themselves how to make jewellery after leaving behind careers in fashion. All their jewellery, which takes inspiration from abstract shapes found in nature, is handmade in New York City. Unusual gemstones, such as this kyanite set in a gold pendant, are a staple of the brand. “Making jewellery is about adding beauty to the world,” said the founders in an Instagram post. “That’s our mission statement. As a proudly Black-owned business of 30 years, we have been fortunate to meet and know many talented African American creators. This is a great time to learn about them.” For some of Ronald and David’s suggestions on creatives to discover, head over to the brand’s Instagram page.

9

Satta Matturi 

Satta Matturi spent more than a decade working at diamond miner De Beers before launching her own fine jewellery brand in 2015. Her debut collection, Artful Indulgence, was a collection of dramatic, yet wearable, earrings that blend traditional luxury jewellery styles with a modern African twist. Being British and West African, Matturi draws on the traditions and heritage from Africa in her work, mixing it with a global view to create a luxurious brand that resonates with fashion-conscious women on the African continent, and far beyond. “African art and cultures have influenced many modern and contemporary works throughout the years,” says Matturi. “One in particular is the introduction of African mask sculpture forms into European art during the early 1900s. My work, today, as a jewellery designer has also taken inspiration from these striking and highly evocative relics. I recreate them as bejewelled interpretations that have become synonymous with my brand.” For musings on the influence of African and African-American culture on jewellery, art and style, check out her #TJCXSATTAMATTURI takeover of our Instagram account.

10

White/Space

White/Space founder Khadijah Fulton studied at the prestigious Parsons School of Design and had a decade-long career in fashion, working for some of the business’s biggest names. ⁠It was motherhood that inspired Fulton’s switch to fine jewellery, as she found herself wanting to create versatile pieces with longevity; designs that “honoured a confident, subdued interpretation of style – approachable yet distinct”.⁠ All White/Space jewellery is made in downtown Los Angeles, and Khadijah has a studio just outside the city where she designs. She also works as a creative consultant, and recently created an engagement ring collection for Vrai. All White/Space jewellery is made in 14ct gold, like this one-of-a kind pendant with a diamond set within a lavender turquoise from Kazakhstan. ⁠⁠”Supporting Black business and Black creatives has a lasting effect on communities of colour and our shared humanity, and in order to grow, we will need you beyond this moment,” writes Fulton in a recent Instagram post. “Continue having the difficult conversations, examining your thoughts and decisions, and educating yourself and your children. Continue doing your best to diversify the voices and visions that you support.⁠”⁠ To read the full post head to @whitespacejewelry.

11

Beads Byaree

Beads Byaree founder Areeayl Goodwin created her costume jewellery brand out of a desire to make her “dreams a reality”. Quite literally. The design of every piece of jewellery in the Beads Byaree collection has come to Goodwin in a dream. This whimsical approach to design has led to the creation of some standout pieces, such as these Sea Baby hoops in brass with a patina finish on the shells. Other spectacular earrings include outsized cowrie shell mobiles, strings of family photos in gilt frames that stretch far beyond the collar bone, and hoops with tiny lanterns that actually turn on and emit glowing lights. “Dream, and it will spread like a wildfire,” says Areeayl, who was born and raised in Philadelphia but now lives in Brooklyn, New York.

12

Kassandra Lauren Gordon

At the age of nine, Kassandra Lauren Gordon received a gold locket from her mother. It was an important gift – not only did she know her mother had scrimped and saved to give it to her, it would also go on to influence the rest of her life. It was the start of a career-forming love affair with jewellery. “I knew it was gold and delicate, so I had to take care of it,” says Kassandra. “My mum was a single parent, and did not have much money. I knew that she saved, sacrificed and grafted for me for a nearly a year to buy this precious gift. 20 years later I still have it in pristine condition. Every time I see this or wear this locket I feel love, a strong bond between a mother and daughter.” Of the firm mindset that “jewellery equals love” – a feeling that only grew when she would gift friends and family jewels as a teenager – Kassandra decided to become a jeweller herself. The London-based designer studied her craft in the city’s famous Hatton Garden jewellery district at Holts Academy (now the British Academy of Jewellery) before setting up her own studio in East London. Her jewels, which are made with ethical materials like recycled silver and Fairtrade gold, take inspiration from the cosmos. Inspired by planets and moons, her designs have a celestial vibe, like this silver Jupiter pendant, plated with rich 22ct gold and set with a pink sapphire.

13

Roxanne Rajcoomar-Hadden

Roxanne Rajcoomar-Hadden is reinventing what it means to be a family jeweller by pairing traditional jewellery-making values with contemporary style and service. Rajcoomar-Hadden’s passion for jewels started with the launch of her own brand Goldie Rox, which created bold jewels that often had a foodie theme. Anyone remember her brilliant gold burger collection? You can still buy these tasty jewels at Roxanne Rajcoomar-Hadden, along with deconstructed streaky bacon, chip, tomato and lettuce jewels, for those with an aversion to buns. However, Rajcoomar-Hadden – who joined us at The Jewellery Cut Live in February 2019 to talk about juggling motherhood and entrepreneurship – now offers so much more and is providing many of the services that you might associate with a traditional family jeweller. Before striking out on her own, Rajcoomar-Hadden studied with De Beers and the GIA, and worked for other jewellers, including Bulgari and Theo Fennell. She taps into this wealth of experience to offer varied services including repairs, alterations, valuations and acquisitions. As well as selling ready-to-wear fine jewellery, Rajcoomar-Hadden also specialises in bespoke commissions and upcyling. These contemporary ruby and peridot earrings started life as oval-cut rubies in ornate gold settings. Rajcoomar-Hadden worked closely with her client Anastasia, who had been left the earrings by her Russian grandmother, on the design to update a treasured family heirloom while paying homage to the past with a nod to secret cocktail bars in 1930s Russia. Do you have questions about what it’s like to be a Black jeweller? If so, Rajcoomar-Hadden has kindly offered to answer your questions in an article on JewelleryCut.com. Simply post your question below or email them in to [email protected]

14

Edas

Edas is a jewellery brand based in Philadelphia, created by designer Sade Mims to offer “feminine and staple accessories, accommodating the everyday, eclectic woman”. Each piece of jewellery is made by hand and there is a focus on sustainability, with each item made to order. This pre-order model means delivery takes a little longer, but the benefits are huge – no hoards of unsold stock, thus reducing waste. Each Edas piece is made to be worn alone or paired, such as this combination of the Hattie and Webster gold-plated brass necklaces from the Black Glamour collection. “To our community of supporters who are sharing, shopping and in solidarity with us, we appreciate you,” writes Mims in an Instagram post. “We hope that you continue to stay connected with us and engage with other organisations from here on out that are doing the work to dismantle systemic racism in this country. We are always fighting and we are thrilled to have you along for the revolution.”

15

Bespoke by M.B. 

Barnabus is the London-based creative bespoke jeweller behind the Bespoke by MB brand. Barnabaus has a keen eye for what makes a beautiful piece of fine jewellery (“combining cutting-edge design with exceptional craftsmanship”) and works in a holistic manner with his clients to create one-off commissions. As such, Bespoke by M.B. has a thriving engagement ring business. Barnabus also creates red carpet-ready jewels, which have been worn by a number of stars, including Nadiya Bychkova, Nadine Mulkerrin, Leonie Elliott and Catarina Mira, who is shown here wearing a set of pear-shaped diamond drop earrings. “The strength of Bespoke by MB lies in the ability to convert a client’s thoughts and ideas into a concept, the concept into a detailed design and the design into a remarkable piece of jewellery,” says Barnabus. In light of recent events, Barnabus has turned to the bible in a search for positivity, quoting a number of choice excerpts on his Instagram page, including: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”

16

Melanie Eddy

London-based Melanie Eddy was born in Bermuda and studied her craft in Bermuda, Canada, New York and London. With a focus on bespoke made-to-order jewellery, her love of geometry and obsession with the relationship between the body and the jewel has led to the creation of jewels that are akin to miniature sculptures. As well as crafting jewels in her workshop in the The Goldsmiths’ Centre, Eddy is also a teacher, helping the next generation of jewellers to hone their talents at Central Saint Martins. However, her impressive resume of extra-curricular activities stretches far beyond that. Eddy is also a director of The Association for Contemporary Jewellery, a licentiate (with distinction) of The Society of Designer Craftsman, and is involved in The Society of Jewellery Historians, having previously served as reviews editor for Jewellery History Today, the society’s magazine. And it doesn’t stop there – for a full roll call of her achievements, head to her website. “We need to hear and see more about Black businesses and Black creatives to change the narrative,” wrote Eddy in a recent Instagram post. “Thankfully, with increased and hopefully sustained efforts to highlight our work and our stories, this will change. One of the blessings to come out of this time of terrible sadness and anger has been increased connections within the industry across diverse backgrounds and within underrepresented groups.”

17

Omi Woods

Omi Woods creates “contemporary heirlooms that celebrate all of our connections to Africa and her diaspora”. Omi means ‘water’ in the Yoruba language. Paired with Woods, it pays tribute to founder Ashley Alexis McFarlane’s Jamaican-Ashanti-Maroon heritage. “The word Jamaica,” she says, “derives from the indigenous Taino word ‘Xaymaca’, meaning ‘land of wood and water’.” The Canadian brand’s jewellery is crafted with ethics in mind, and has just launched a collection of jewellery that uses fair trade gold from Africa, as worn by Rihanna on the cover of British Vogue in May. “Omi Woods is the first black-owned company founded by a descendent of runaway Ashanti slaves to create jewellery with fair trade African gold,” says Ashley. “Why is this important? 90% of the world’s gold comes from Africa and, like diamonds, the gold mining industry is rife with human and environmental rights abuses. But it doesn’t have to be that way. The shift is up to you and the choices you make. Now that we all have more time to reflect on our lives, society and choices I really hope we choose ethical in everything we do as much as humanly possible.”

18

Aureliean

Founder and designer Elizabeth Harrison is the creative force behind Aureliean, and is a barrister by training. What started as a passion on the side of a glittering legal career soon bloomed into a fully fledged brand. The jewellery house takes its name from Elizabeth’s first-born son, who was in turn named after the Latin word for golden. True to his name, he was her champion, pushing her to chase her dream of becoming a jewellery designer. Aureliean’s contemporary jewellery, in 18ct gold with responsibly sourced gemstones, is designed to adorn and empower women as they chase their own dreams, as Elizabeth did hers. The jewels, she says, should help them to elevate their shine as they navigate the matrix of work, family life, friends, personal passions and beliefs. Its wearable luxuries, crafted in London’s Hatton Garden, take inspiration from love, light and the art we can see every day in nature, such as the rich colours of natural gemstones. Alongside a list of recommended reading material, Elizabeth has also chosen to highlight a Desmond Tutu quote on her Instagram page in light of #BlackLivesMatter: “Unapologetically in the words of Desmond Tutu; if you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”

19

Doreth Jones

Doreth Jones grew up in Oxford and was inspired by her stylish mother, as well as artists such as British micro sculptor Willard Wigan, to pursue a career in the creative arts. After learning her craft through a mixture of formal classes and self-taught experience, Jones joined the jewellery industry in 2004. Since then, she has won awards for her work, has seen her jewels worn by the likes of Erykah Badu and has made special pieces for Grace Jones. British jeweller Jones uses recycled materials has “a strong commitment to ethical and environment issues” and seeks to “infuse her work with a passion and commitment to quality, design and integrity”. This talismanic Darker Than Blue silver ring pays homage to African culture with a brass mask motif. Another of Jones’ creations, the Marcus Garvey collection, celebrates the life of the black rights activist who founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association at the beginning of the 20th century. Quoting Garvey on her Instagram page, Jones wrote: “There shall be no solution to this race problem until you, yourselves, strike the blow for liberty.”

20

Jwllry by Jade

Jwllry by Jade has a catchy tagline that perfectly sums up the British brand: Modern fine jewellery for everyday style. Founder and designer Jade Hibbert describes herself as “advocate for simplicity”, and her keen eye for classic styling and clean lines have led her to focus her work on celebrating and elevating fine jewellery staples such as diamond bands, gold bangles, stud earrings and signet rings. “I’m always on the go, so I like to have a variety of jewellery that is easy to put on, layer up and coordinate with different outfits,” says Hibbert, who also runs jewellery-making workshops in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. This illustration of her self-titled Jade collection, drawn by Katherine Hannah, captures the easy-breezy stylish essence of the brand. “It was important for me to have a Black woman in the illustration as jewellery transcends colour, race, gender, culture and modernity,” says Hibbert, who has recently been fundraising for the George Floyd Memorial Fund by running a sample sale.

21

Adele Dejak

As a young girl growing up in Nigeria, Adèle Dejak found a love of fashion watching her mother and grandmother dress up in “magnificent fabrics and tribal jewellery”. Dejak originally studied law, but after graduating she found her creative side calling and went back to her studies, this time in typographic design in London. When she moved to Kenya in 2005, she started experimenting jewellery, making jewels for herself in brass and horn, and what started as a hobby blossomed into a business. “I finally gave in and started producing various collections of jewellery and fashion accessories, drawing inspiration from the rich African culture,” says Dejak. “Looking at different pieces, you can easily tell that my stay in Europe also influences my style of jewellery.” Adele Dejak not only takes inspiration from Africa, it was set up to give back to the continent. The brand invests in communities in Uganda and Kenya, teaching artisans the skills they need to produce its jewels and accessories, ensuring these makers have contracts and regular monthly payments. It has also collaborated with Australia for UNHCR to create work for some of the 200,000 Sudanese and Somalian refugees at the Kakuma camp in Kenya.

22

Sheryl Jones

Sheryl Jones started her working life in the entertainment business, working as a publicist, including a role as vice-president of communications at MTV. Then in 1999, she embarked upon a huge life change as she swapped TV for jewellery. Jones cut her teeth in this new landscape as an apprentice to a Belgian diamond manufacturer on 47th Street, in the heart of New York’s Manhattan Diamond District. Her career progressed on this famous jewellery street, as did her knowledge and expertise of gemmology and design. With a substantial roster of private clients, Jones made the leap in 2002 to launch her own fine jewellery brand. She describes her jewels as having a “fresh, current sensibility and a timeless appeal; heirloom objects that reflect their owners’ individual style while also illuminating every woman’s inner beauty”. Here’s a little example of what she means, in the form of a 2.28ct cushion-cut fancy yellow diamond ring, set with an additional 0.26ct of fancy yellow diamond pavé and 0.90ct of white diamonds. “I have always been passionate about fine gemstones’ transformative power and beauty and dreamed of one day bringing music’s similar vitality to a fine jewellery collection of my own,” says Jones.

23

Veiled Rebel

Alison Morris is the founder of Veiled Rebel, a London-based brand of “unapologetic unisex jewellery”. Veiled Rebel offers up rebellious, edgy silver jewels that do not seek to confine themselves by assigning to a particular gender. Its capsule collection Venom, “inspired by the sweet spot where sleek silver beauty meets bold metal hardware” takes inspiration from claws and talons, with sharp-ended blade-like stacking rings and earrings. Morris started her career as a solicitor, but a few years ago she traded in the corporate life for something a little more creative. First she tested the waters as a fashion stylist, before falling for jewels and studying at City Lit and Centra Saint Martins. “I dressed the band, I drove the minibus,” she remembers of her early days in fashion. “But I moved on. Fast forward to me sitting in a souk in Marrakech, drinking mint tea, bartering over semi-precious stones. Now, I didn’t know how to barter and I didn’t know what I was going to do with these stones, but I’m impulsive. And here’s the thing, I had my new stones and when I couldn’t find someone to make the bracelet I wanted to wear, I made it myself.” And so a holiday whimsy turned into a career, and now Morris has all the skills to create highly technical pieces, like her Naked ring. While it might look like a simple band to the untrained eye, go and ask her just how difficult it is to achieve that perfectly flat edge on the top and bottom.

24

Eden Diodati

Eden Diodati is an ethical jewellery brand that truly has philanthropy at its very core. Or as founder Jennifer Ewah, one of the designers to take part in our very first The Jewellery Cut Live event back in 2018, says, it is a “social impact label of love”. London-based Eden Diodati works with a social cooperative of women who survived the Rwandan genocide. It has trained more than 5,000 such women so that they can create the hand beading for its luxury costume jewels, thus giving them employment. Ewah believes that the high-quality output of these “triumphant female artisans of excellence” is not only helping change lives, it is also helping to challenge preconceptions of Made in Africa. As well as being a talented jewellery designer, who studied at Central Saint Martins and London College of Fashion, British-Nigerian Ewah is also a lawyer and a graduate of Oxford University. “Eden Diodati was born out of a fascination and desire to capture the compassion, empathy and strength that lies at the heart of the beauty of the women that I know,” Ewah told La Maison Couture. Ewah has spoken out eloquently and intelligently about racism on her Instagram page, and we would advise anyone to read back through her educational posts. In one such post, she said: “I am black. Each day, with comprehensive realism (despite being a total optimist in mind and heart) Oxford-University-educated me faces subtle or overt racism. It doesn’t acknowledge my worth nor achievements. Racism is a betrayal of humanity; a betrayal that requires every spiritually motivated impulse of forgiveness and confidence in self worth.”

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Monique Péan

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Trevor Davis 

Londoner Trevor Davis grew up surrounded by jewellery. His father, Keith Davis, a child of the Windrush generation, was a goldsmith and worked for David Morris. His father was, as Davis describes him, “the first and only Black high-end fine jeweller in the company and country”. It was quite a legacy to follow, but after a childhood spent playing with jewellery-making tools, Davis has caught the bug and decided to make his own way in the jewellery industry. He travelled to Trinidad, where his mother, also a child of the Windrush, was born, and studied traditional jewellery making. In 1990, Davis decided to return to London to join the jewellery scene, but the reception he received was not quite as welcoming as he had hoped. “I could not get any work being a Black minority,” he says. Davis, however, was not to be deterred. He secured funding through a loan, and industry support in the form of a lifetime mentorship from Marcia Lanyon. Since then, Davis has followed in his father’s footsteps to Bond Street, working for Graff, as well as other jewellers including John Donald, Van Peterson Designs and Ming Jewellery. He also runs his own jewellery brand, Trevor Davis Jewellery, and over a career that has spanned four decades, he has won an international reputation as one of the most skilled jewellers working in London today.

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Johnny Nelson

New Yorker Johnny Nelson was born in London but grew up in Brooklyn. In his youth, he idolised edgy fashion houses such as Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen, and soaked up inspiration from “the iconic neighbourhood jewellers that elevated hip-hop culture in the 80s and 90s”. Before discovering jewellery, Nelson was a rapper. It was a lack of funds that pushed him to ask his mother to create a multi-finger ring for him so he could keep up with the styles worn by his friends on tour. She did, and he was soon getting lots of attention for his bold accessory. This led Nelson to create his own jewellery brand in 2017. He finds inspiration in Black history, punk, hip hop and spirituality. A speciality of the brand is hand-carved portrait jewellery, such these rings depicting abolitionist and women’s rights activist Sojourner Truth, politician and educator Shirley Chisholm, civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jnr and abolitionist and political activist Harriet Tubman. A major moment for the Johnny Nelson brand was when Kerby Jean-Raymond and actress Lena Waithe wore his button covers to the Met Gala, which were specially commissioned for the event. “I’ve been a victim of police brutality on multiple occasions growing up in Brooklyn,” Nelson told JCK magazine recently. “I thank God that I’m alive every day to tell my story. I like that the world is coming together in hopes to create change. I pray that people can learn to be more loving and that the generational curse of racism can be broken.”

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Valerie Madison

Valerie Madison’s alternative engagement rings are a perfect representation of her two loves – nature and jewellery. The Seattle-based designer originally studied environmental science before becoming a jeweller. As such, her designs “celebrate not only the beauty of life and love but also the natural world and the stunning gemstones that come from it”. Madison veers towards the unusual in her gem selection and is a fan of salt-and-pepper diamonds, rose-cut diamonds, uniquely shaped stones and vibrant hues, such as the blue of this Montana sapphire. All Valerie Madison designs are handcrafted in Seattle and made using recycled precious metal and hand-selected gemstones. “Keep channeling those deep feelings, having those hard conversations about privilege, and taking those actions we’ve all been discussing and promising and I know we will get somewhere positive,” said Madison in a recent Instagram post. “The outpouring of support you all have shown me has been incredible. From your reshares and your follows, and even your recent purchases, you are showing me that my business and its success personally matters to you and that’s been very touching. As one of the few Black-owned businesses in my city of Seattle, I’m proud that you can hear me and that I can connect with this community. Supporting #blackbusiness ensures that there is diversity in business and has a lasting effect on communities of colour. ⁠We can’t grow and be successful without you. Please continue supporting #blackowned everywhere not just today but throughout your lifetime.”

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Harwell Godfrey 

Spirituality is at the core of Harwell Godfrey designs, with each piece “designed with healing energy in mind, each gemstone is thoughtfully selected to enhance the wearer’s experience”. If you’re not feeling energised by pink topaz at the centre of these gold, white onyx and rainbow sapphire Hexagon Shield earrings, it’s definitely time to check in on your chakras. The designer behind the brand is Lauren Harwell Godfrey, who creates her bold jewels, inspired by ancient textiles and ethnic patterns, from her studio in San Francisco. Lauren has been working hard over the past few weeks and has used her jewels for good, raising $70,000 (and counting) for NAACP by donating 100% of the profits from a black onyx, diamond and yellow gold heart pendant to the grassroots–based civil rights organisation. “Organisations fighting for justice for Black lives continue to need our help,” said Harwell Godfrey in a recent Instagram post. “This may no longer be trending but the fight is far from over. Please do what you can to educate yourself, give what you can, be it in donations, volunteering, etc, and vote. I plan to keep this heart [pendant] around forever with 100% of proceeds continuing to be donated, so if you’ve been thinking about it, yes it’s still available.”

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Castro NYC

You cannot pin Castro NYC down. When designers describe their work as eclectic, it tends to be varied but within a certain framework. With Castro, it truly is wild. As the American designer, who is now based in Istanbul, told The Stone Set: “I refuse to be held by just one style. I do what I want. If you don’t like it, don’t buy it: it’s simple. Not hard.” Within that wide open expanse of design freedom, Castro has his favourites, such as his fur talisman paws. In this design, an antique bisque bear head, heavily adorned with gems and jewels, sits atop repurposed mink fur used to simulate a paw. Other signature designs, all made by hand by Castro himself, include his gold Infinity Locks (which actually work), and antique porcelain Dollies transformed into angelic creatures with quirks like diamond chest plates, gold sandals and wings. “Jewellery is for the ages,” said Casto, who makes about 35 jewels a year, in an interview with The Lux Cut. “People have died out, but jewellery has not and will not. People love to adorn their bodies. People love to shine. Black people for sure. Africans were the first ones to do it, and we do it well.”

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Mateo New York

Matthew Harris, founder of Mateo New York, was born and raised in Jamaica’s Montego Bay. The son of a seamstress made his way to the US aged just 16 to study hospitality at university, but upon graduating he discovered his “true passion” – jewellery. After teaching himself how to create jewellery, Harris launched Mateo New York in 2009 with a selection of men’s jewels inspired by items you might find within “a working man’s toolbox”. The collection was a hit, and Mateo soon expanded and began making fine jewellery for women, like these aquamarine, pearl, diamond and 14ct white gold drop earrings. Mateo’s luxurious jewels with a fashionable edge have won the brand fans the world over, kickstarted by Rihanna wearing its pieces, according to Harris. It is now stocked at stores including Net-a-Porter, Browns, Matches Fashion and Moda Operandi. Mateo was also selected by the Smithsonian to be featured and sold at the African American Museum of Art and Culture in Washington D.C in 2016, and the Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum of Contemporary Art in 2017. “As a Black man, there’s not many of us who have a fine jewellery business,” said Harris in a recent video interview with Forbes Africa. “[My jewellery is] sold worldwide in the best stores. I think I’m setting an example for people of my colour and for Black gay men who want to aspire to be [something more]. I’m a part of all these communities – [and I want] to truly just influence people in the right way – [and I’m a] part of this entire whole world. We are all one.” At this point in the interview, Harris laughs at himself, referring to this last comment as a “cliché, like a 1992 Michael Jackson song”. It might be cliché, but the sentiment is bang on… and if you’re quick you can use the related code WeAreFamily at the checkout at Mateo’s website to get 30% off.

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Disa Allsopp

London-based jeweller Disa Allsopp was born in the capital but grew up in Barbados, where the island’s charm provided inspiration galore. You can still see this lasting legacy in her jewels, which celebrate vibrant gemstones set in heavy, textured gold. This particular ring, which is handmade to order in Allsopp’s London studio, features a 4ct Colombian emerald in a rubover setting. Allsopp personally selects each stone she works with, and favourite gems include golden citrines, warmly hued garnets, rubies, sapphires and morganites. She also enjoys working with white and coloured diamonds, with a particular penchant for rough diamonds. You can find her work at stores around the globe including Dover Street Market, Gill Wing, Diana Porter, Twist Online and Whitebird. You can also catch it online later this year at the digital edition of Goldsmiths’ Fair.

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Thelma West 

If you’re after a big rock or a rare gem, London jeweller Thelma West is a great place to start. West, who was born in Lagos to a “young and vibrant family”, moved to the UK as a teenager to finish her education. Originally, she had plans to become an engineer, but a fascination with jewellery and diamonds led her to move to Antwerp aged just 17 to study gemmology at the prestigious Hoge Raad Voor Diamant. After a stint in Spain working for a major diamond supplier, West returned to London to set up her own brand and has spent the past 15 years sourcing “some of the rarest gems for my esteemed clients all around the world”, and transforming them into luxurious jewels, like this one-of-a-kind Black Rebel engagement ring set with a 5ct pear-shaped diamond. Philanthropy is an important part of the Thelma West brand. The designer runs a sponsor program for education in Nigeria, while also contributing to a medical fund for the paediatric hospital in Lagos. “In most of my 20 years working as a diamond dealer, I was the only Black person in the room,” said Thelma in a recent interview with Harper’s Bazaar. “My coping mechanism is, ‘I don’t notice’, but really, it’s lonely, especially as I have been and continue to be subjected to many subtle and unsubtle forms of racism. Thriving and enjoying running my businesses the best I can through the mental exhaustion that comes with the racism I face daily takes too much energy and incredible effort. Black designers face a grand structural problem in the fashion industry. It’s built on a culture of exclusivity and elitism – a structure where we simply do not find that we have access to the same basic tools and resources our white counterparts have. This portrays the very obvious message, ‘You don’t belong’.”

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Emefa Cole

London-based jeweller Emefa Cole describes her designs as “for those fearless individuals who wish to stand out from the crowd”. This ring, in particular, captures this bold spirit. Available in solid gold or gold vermeil, its design is inspired by the cooling down of molten lava. The designer’s inner magpie first started to ruffle its wings in a night market when she was a child. Cole was allowed to choose her own jewels for the first time, and selected a pair of golden stud earrings set with rich red gems. Cole credits much of her love for jewels and artistic drive to a childhood spent in vibrant Ghana: “Gazing at stones that sparkled in the sun, dazzled by the brilliant flashes of light; stringing necklaces made from Job’s tears; enchanted by tales of people finding nuggets of gold after heavy tropical rainfall had washed away layers of soil.” After honing her skills at The Cass London Metropolitan University, Cole now creates striking, sculptural jewels using traditional techniques, such as lost wax casting, and ethically sourced materials.