Danh mục: Uncategorized

When it comes to diamond rings, those most often hitting the headlines tend to be the ones with enormous, gobstopper rocks on top. However, the most interesting diamond ring to pass our desks this week is so miniscule you can hardly believe it’s real.

 

The white and rose gold and diamond ring was created by Vadim Kachan, a jeweller from Brest in Belarus, and weighs just 0.01g. The diamond on top of this gold ring – which has been crafted to the exact proportions of a full-size solitaire ring – weighs just 0.002cts and measures 0.9mm.

 

Kachan, who runs his own jewellery company, Style, claims that the ring has been made to the same standards he would apply to any of his other, more life-sized, rings. While the making of the ring took just three days, preparation for its construction took months as Kachan drew up plans and gathered the correct tools.

 

“I have always loved to create small things,” says Kachan. “As a child, I was making knives from thin aluminium wire, and was gluing books 1cm in size from paper. Maybe that is the reason why I have become a jeweller.”

 

Fifteen years ago, Kachan made a gold ring that could pass through the eye of a needle, but, he claims, “I sneezed and lost it”. The diamond element of this new tiny ring – which he believes is the smallest diamond ring in the world – made the challenge all the more difficult.

 

“Making a ring without a gemstone is not difficult,” he says. “It is much more challenging to make a gem setting. The hardest part was soldering the frame to the ring.”

 

In 2008, scientists at the University of Melbourne created what they believed was the smallest diamond ring at just 5 micrometers wide and 300 nanometers thick, but this was created by carving a single sliver of diamond rather than using traditional goldsmithing techniques.

 

Kachan also believes he has broken Indian jeweller Ashish Verma’s record. According to the India Book of Records, Verma made a similar ring that weighed a slightly heavier 10mg, with a diameter of 2mm.

 

Watch the video below to see Kachan in action, crafting what he believes is now the smallest traditionally made diamond ring ever created.

Chase a rainbow all the way to its end and you’re guaranteed a pot of gold, they say, but it would seem that this season the gold and the rainbow are closer than ever as designers use an increasingly innovative arsenal of techniques to bring a blast of colour to precious jewellery.

Rainbow colour mixes dominated the Aw18 runways; most notably at Burberry where exiting chief creative officer Christopher Bailey’s parting gift to the LGBTQ+ community included a rainbow Burberry check as well as rainbow furry capes, flowing skirts and knitwear. The quickest route to such flamboyant flashes of colour in jewellery, which has also been gripped with rainbow fever, is a well chosen swirl of rainbow-hued sapphires.

Step inside Robinson Pelham’s jewellery store in Chelsea, or indeed just click onto its highly chromatic Instagram page, and you will quickly see that it lives up to its tagline of “be bold, be brave”. Though perhaps more famous for the classic jewellery it created for the Middleton family for the marriage of the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, what it really excels in is colour. As well as a cornucopia of exotic gemstones – two out of the three founders are highly trained gemmologists – the brand has mastered the art of the sapphire rainbow. Sapphires can be found in virtually any colour, and a diligently sourced selection can be lined up and blended to create colour wheels that brighten earrings, bracelets and rings.

 

 

Another authority of this style is Noor Fares, whose latest collection is called, simply, Rainbow. As well as cocktail rings with swirling vortexes of colourful sapphires driving the eye into otherworldy white opals, Fares takes colour experimentation further with a selection of gold earrings that look anything but. The yellow gold spiral hoops from the new collection have been covered in a special coating that smothers them with shades of bright orange, fuschia, and electric blues and greens.

Colourful ceramic

Applying bright coatings to gold is an increasingly popular method of creating colourful jewels without losing the precious element that makes them luxurious. Susi Smither of award-winning fine jewellery brand The Rock Hound has been using nano-ceramic plating to create her bold jewels – the same type of ceramic your Chanel J12 watch is made from but applied in infinitesimal layers. In her Shoreditch studio, Smither clashes colours to create the pop art-esque designs of her Chromanteq line that couples hot pink ceramic and lilac Myanmar spinels, purple or electric blue ceramic with golden Brazilian heliodors (all her gems are sourced to strict ethical standards).

Smither has continued her experiments with nano-ceramic plating – a technique also used by London-based Brazilian jeweller Fernando Jorge – in her new collection HotRocks, which applies the vibrant coatings to silver casts of quartz crystals. All the natural striations of the crystals can still be seen but the hues give the pendants a vibrant modern look. Edgy Spanish jewellery designer Cristina Ortiz (the former creative director of fashion house Salvatore Ferragamo) also uses nano-ceramic coating to turn her jewels bright blue or red.

This high-tech application of colour is a recent addition to jewellers’ tool boxes, but a traditional method of brightening jewels currently winning new fans is enamel. If enamel makes you think of grandmothers, twee arts and crafts jewellery and dusty regional gift shops, you’re not wrong. However, jewellers such as Alice Cicolini, Solange Azagury Partridge, Hoonik Chang for Aisha Baker, and Ejing Zhang (who is also instigating a resin revival) are giving it a new lease of life. Rather than trying to replicate grimy stained-glass windows, these enamel jewels are painterly in their execution with bold slicks of opaque colour. Enamel can also be used as a coating over metal, as young Italian jeweller Bea Bongascia’s new collection You’re So Vine! demonstrates brilliantly with twisting red, orange and blue enamel vines wrapping round gold and diamond designs like climbers in the garden.

 

Titanium, not gold 

While all these methods of colour injection have centred on livening up precious metals, there is one mode that aims to replace them. The past few seasons in high jewellery have seen the arrival of a new metal, titanium, and everyone from Chinese art-jeweller Wallace Chan to Bond Street stalwart Chopard is using it.

Though devoid of any hallmark that would guarantee its status as precious – and indeed it is not a precious metal but an industrial one – it has slowly been accepted into the upper echelons of jewellery design. Titanium brings with it some major benefits: it is ultra light and so allows jewellers to create large designs – such as Anna Hu’s enormous titanium and diamond Myth of the Orchid earrings – that won’t wear the wearer down; it is much stronger than gold, making it perfect for gemstone setting; and, most excitingly, it is a colour chameleon. The metal, which is naturally a grey metallic shade, can be heat treated to achieve a variety of hues such as blue, purple, green, pink, or an artful blend of them all.

While some jewellers use it to stand out – Glenn Spiro’s blued titanium and diamond engagement rings being a perfect example, as are Swiss jeweller Suzanne Syz’s artful collections, which use coloured aluminium to create catchy slogans or quirky designs across statement earrings – others use it to blend the metal with gemstones. Chopard has manipulated titanium multiple times within its Red Carpet collection to create colour-coded beds for blankets of stones such as blue sapphires, topaz and amethysts. The only drag with titanium is that it is notoriously hard to work with, making collections rare and often expensive (although jewellers report back that high price tags don’t put shoppers off, as long as the gemstone carat count is sufficiently high).

3D-printed nylon

For a more affordable way to introduce colour – and tech – to your jewellery box, why not turn to one of the handful of jewellers working with 3D printed nylon jewellery? Designers such as Evgeniia Balashova, one of the biggest hits at last year’s edition of London’s jewellery shopping haven The Goldsmiths Fair, are working with this new technology to create playful statement jewels that are light and can be transformed into any shade. Just as Balashova’s jewels have precious elements, Oddical, which has already racked up a shelf full of awards, plates its nylon jewels with 22ct gold before adding flashes of hand-painted colour.

As the nights draw in and winter takes hold, the appeal of these colourful jewels – be they made with titanium, enamel, sapphires or nylon – will only increase as we look for ways to brighten our days. During a long wet winter, we all deserve a rainbow. Particularly one that is already glittering with treasures.

The biggest argument that anti-onliners will give you about selling jewels through the web is that it can’t be done because jewellery is a tactile product. You need to touch it, try it on, fall in love with it through a loupe before you can possibly consider a purchase. And besides, nobody spends that much money through the internet, right? Wrong.  

 

The debate has been raging in jewellery circles for years, but those in favour of selling fine jewels online have just had two very powerful allies join their team: Net-a-Porter and Farfetch. Both e-tailers, better known for their selection of high-end fashion available through clicks not bricks, have announced in recent weeks that they are launching dedicated fine jewellery portals.  

 

Net-a-Porter was the first to make public its intentions, and for years it has been building up a steadily more appealing selection of fashionable fine jewellery from quirky designers like Suzanne Kalan, Delfina Delettrez, Foundrae and Noor Fares. With the launch of the new Net-a-Porter The Fine Jewellery and Watch Suite, the calibre of brands has been upped, with heavy-hitters Chopard and Boucheron coming on board. It has also built up a bank of editorial content designed to educate shoppers on jewellery topics such as coloured gemstones, diamonds, settings and even insurance options.   

 

Farfetch, too, has pledged its allegiance to fine jewellery sales. While it has made a name for itself as a digital marketplace of independent luxury boutiques across the globe, it has elevated its jewellery offer by scoring direct distribution deals with brands including David Yurman, De Beers, Pomellato and Tiffany & Co. Chopard has even offered up a selection of jewels from its Ice Cube range that will be exclusive to Farfetch.  

 

“With our launch into hard luxury and the fresh and playful approach we’re taking to the category, we’re looking forward to delighting existing lovers of watches and jewellery with new and hard-to-find items that are beautifully crafted, and letting people who want to experiment with hard luxury for the first time find the perfect piece just for them,” said Farfetch chief commercial and sustainability officer Giorgio Belloli. 

 

While both platforms seem confident that luxury jewellery shoppers are ready to add to basket, both are also addressing the tactile argument. Farfetch and Chanel announced they will be working together to create an augmented reality experience that will take web shoppers inside the boutique, while Net-a-Porter will be running same-day Try Before You Buy services in London, New York and Hong Kong that allow its fine jewellery shoppers to order the jewels (and a GIA-trained personal shopper) to their desks or homes for a road test before making that final decision.    

 

The writing on the wall seems pretty clear – luxury jewellery can and is being sold online. So it looks like it’s time for the industry to play catch up. Let’s just not mention the recent YouGov report that says Gen Z shoppers are more likely to buy in stores than online… 

Large, perfectly silky smooth and richly golden, the melo pearl is believed to be the rarest pearl in the world. You might see them at auction houses, adorning the necks of celebrities at red-carpet events, or in Tiffany & Co’s famed Blue Book of high jewels, but you won’t often come across them in jewellery stores.

 

This is because finding a melo pearl is no easy task, and they cannot be cultured, as nearly all contemporary pearls are today. This exotic and rare pearl proves that the romance of jewel discovery in the wild is not yet a thing of the past. Melo pearls come from the huge Southeast Asian melo melo snail, also known as the Indian volute, bailer shell or coconut shell.

 

The melo melo snail can be found across the South China Sea, as well as in Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. The snail is found in colours ranging from pale orange to brown, often splashed with striking and beautiful patterns.

 

Beware of imposters

The melo melo shell itself can also be used for jewellery. Sometimes the lips of the shell are cut and rounded to look like pearls, which are sometimes fraudulently sold as melo pearls. As this type of pearl is so incredibly rare, you should exercise extreme caution if you see something in the retail market labelled as such.

 

The rarity of the melo pearl is due to the fact that the gigantic melo melo molluscs are not easy to come by. Even if you find one, the chance of discovering a pearl inside is one in several thousand.

 

Like other pearls, this orange gem forms when an irritant gets into the snail’s mantle, and it begins to form secretions around it to avoid discomfort. In the case of the melo melo snail, the pearls may take decades to form.

 

How much does a melo pearl cost?

The value of the melo pearl is not only attributed to its rarity, but also to its beauty. These pearls are generally large in size and boast a smooth, porcelain-like lustre. Like conch pearls, they are not true pearls, as they are non-nacreous; hence, they do not have the shiny iridescence associated with pearls from oysters or mussels. Instead, melo pearls range from pale yellow to a rich golden orange, which pictures do not do justice. The vivid orange pearls are the most valuable and sought-after variety. Also like conch pearls, the colour can fade if exposed to intense sunlight, so they should be treated with extreme care.

 

Melo pearls comprise a mixture of calcite and aragonite, which contributes to their porcelain-like texture and feel. The iridescence of a nacreous pearl is due to the layering of platelets, while in the melo pearl the aragonite crystals intertwine instead.

 

This intertwining can lead to a gorgeous effect that resembles flames flickering just below the surface. However, these flame-like patterns only occur on about 1% of melo pearls, making those that do display it the most valuable and rarest of all.

 

Tough beauties

Melo pearls tend to be large in size, with discoveries as big as golf balls. Unlike most other imperfectly perfect pearls, they are usually round and don’t come in irregular shapes, though they can sometimes be oblong or slightly off round. These snail pearls are harder than traditional pearls, ranking 5 on the Mohs sale of hardness in contrast to 2.5 to 4 for oyster and mussel pearls.

 

Unlike traditional pearls, which are priced by the millimetre, melo pearls are valued on an individual basis, taking into account size, appearance and carat weight. As they are so variable, the value is dependent on their colour, weight and overall beauty.

 

Auction house Sotheby’s has dealt in a number of melo pearls. Just last month, it sold a necklace set with a 30.89ct melo pearl for HKD189,000 (£17,000).  In 2013, a melo pearl measuring more than 28mm, accompanied by a Cartier diamond hair clip, sold for HKD1.6 million (£145,000), while a suite of jewels by Yewn, with an astonishing 19 melo pearls set in a necklace, ring and earrings fetched nearly HKD5.4 million (£492,000) in 2016.

 

Droplets from a dragon

Before melo pearls became known to the wider world, they were once a sign of royalty in Eastern cultures. Some believed they were droplets that fell from a dragon in the sky and, as such, they were worshipped as holy objects and never worn as jewellery. In Buddhist teachings, they are seen as a symbol of perfection and considered one of the eight precious emblems of the Buddha. Though banned from setting them into jewels, emperors would frequently wear motifs of a dragon chasing a flaming orange pearl to hint that this coveted treasure could be found in their vaults.

 

Due to its rarity and value, the melo pearl continues to be the stuff of legend today. Modern-day tales include that of an impoverished Thai fisherman whose life was transformed after finding one of these elusive gems during the pandemic. The example he stumbled across while collecting oyster shells could be worth as much as THB 10 million (£225,000).

 

Most of us can only dream of owning such a rare and valuable pearl, or even seeing one in person. It is precisely this legendary character that makes the melo pearl so exciting and mysterious. This is the magic of jewels – the way they inhabit our stories, real and imagined, and conjure up images of exotic lands, unrivalled wealth, dazzling beauty and life-changing discoveries.

 

Rae Oliver is a freelance writer and content manager with a passion for travel, social media and online marketing. Her published online work covers a vast range of topics, from lifestyle and fitness to hospitality consumer trends. She is currently the content manager for Truly Experiences.

August is peridot month. For those lucky enough to be born under this birthstone, the green gemstone is said to bring strength, opportunity, peace and prosperity. ⁠
⁠
Throughout August, to celebrate our new partnership with peridot miner Fuli Gemstones, we will be bringing you a different jewel each day that uses this verdant gem.

Peridot, a green gem loved by the Egyptians, the Victorians and royalty throughout history, has long been revered as a symbol of wealth, as it is said to bring prosperity to its wearer. The gem is found deep within the earth’s mantle, or locked in lava or meteorites (meaning that some peridot comes from outer space).

“Peridot doesn’t need any treatments and is highly refractive, so when cut exceptionally, the peridot gemstones give off immense brilliance,” says Fuli Gemstones chief marketing officer Pia Tonna

The unusual grass-green shade, some rich historical lore, celestial and geological hallmarks, and healing powers make this gem one that designers love to work with. So here, for all the August babies out there, are some striking peridot jewels. Keep checking back throughout the month as we’ll be adding a new design every day, or you can follow our peridot party on social media using the hashtag #peridotparty.

1

What better way to kick this campaign off than with this Spear Tip ring by one of our favourite new designers, Liv Luttrell. Crafted in responsibly sourced 18ct yellow gold, this specially commissioned ring is set with a Fuli Gemstones peridot weighing 3.94 carats. “I love working with unusual gemstones and it was an amazing opportunity to work with a peridot of this size and quality,” says Luttrell. “The stone really lends itself to my signature Spear Tip ring and the collaboration with Fuli was an incredibly dynamic process which encouraged me to engage with the design in a new way.” Luttrell’s peridot ring will make its debut at The Jewellery Cut Live in association with Fuli Gemstones in 2021. To be the first to know about dates for The Jewellery Cut Live in association with Fuli Gemstones in 2021, as well as other events and news, sign up to our weekly newsletter.

Liv Luttrell 18ct yellow gold Spear Tip ring set with 3.94ct Fuli Gemstones peridot, £6,700, livluttrell.com

 

---

2

“These were custom for a client whose birthday is in August,” says New York-based jeweller Deborah Pagani about these bespoke 18ct yellow gold and green enamel Uva earrings set with peridot.⁠ “She loved my Uva silhouette and the monochromatic colour scheme of the enamel against the stones. Peridot is not a stone I work with regularly, but I love the vibrancy and the stone’s significance seems more relevant than ever. It is said that peridot is known to bring good health, restful sleep and peace. I’ll take it!”⁠

Deborah Pagani 18ct yellow gold, peridot and green enamel Uva earrings, price on application, deborahpagani.com

 

---

3

Karma El Khalil, a jewellery designer based in New York, was inspired by the history of peridot when she created this Railway Choker, which is crafted in yellow gold and set with peridot and diamonds⁠. “For this piece, I chose peridot because of its historical splendour; from its talismanic use in Ancient Egypt, adorning Cleopatra’s jewels and the shrine of the Three Holy Kings in Cologne, to the fact that along with diamonds, it is the only gemstone formed below the earth’s crust – all others are formed in the crust,” she says. “The idea was to incorporate a gem with a rich heritage into an elemental frame.”

Karma El Khalil 18ct yellow gold, diamond and peridot Railway choker, price on application, karmaelkhalil.com

 

---

4

Jewellery designer Zeemou Zeng has always found himself intrigued by the myths and meanings assigned to coloured gemstones, so when Fuli Gemstones approached him to collaborate on a design using peridot, he did a deep dive into the history of August’s birthstone. “Peridot is known as the gem of the sun and of hope,” he shares. “When I was approached by Fuli Gemstones to work with their peridot, it ignited my creativity, and I was instantly inspired by the incredible zing of its fiery green hue, and being the gemstone of hope. In our current climes, hope is what we all need to embrace the new normal.” Zeng has used Fuli Gemstones peridot beads to bring a new colourway to his Melody cocktail ring, which allows gems to roll within a secure white gold and diamond setting. “When held to the ear, the movement creates a unique chime distinctive to its material, peridot,” says Zeng. The ring will make its debut at the next edition of The Jewellery Cut Live in association with Fuli Gemstones. To be the first to know about dates for The Jewellery Cut Live in association with Fuli Gemstones in 2021, as well as other events and news, sign up to our weekly newsletter.

Zeemou Zeng 18ct white gold and diamond pavé Melody cocktail ring set with Fuli Gemstones peridot beads, £3,900, zeemouzeng.com  

 

---

 

5

“Our Amulets of Harmony are thoughtfully designed with the pressures of life in mind, crafted to protect their wearers and help maintain balance in an otherwise crazy world,” says ethical jeweller Arabel Lebrusan, founder of Lebrusan Studio. “Peridot is historically associated with light, known by the Ancient Egyptians as ‘the gem of the sun’. It’s thought to relieve stress and anxiety, and subsequently entice positive energy via the law of attraction. Affordable, sustainably mined and often eye-catching in hue, peridot is a really fun little gem to work with.”

Lebrusan Studio silver filigree and fair trade peridot Hand of Fatimah pendant, £162, lebrusanstudio.com 

 

---

6

Sometimes it is best practice to let the gemstone speak for itself, as with this charm from Los Angeles fine jewellery brand Retrouvaí. The Heirloom charm is a one-of-a-kind design, with a round peridot nestled within a smooth bezel setting. The 14ct yellow gold charm itself has been textured to create an almost floral effect. “Peridot is underrated,” says Retrouvaí founder Kirsty Stone. “I find it to be such a happy gemstone with a lot of personality. I particularly love the way it pairs with yellow gold.”

Retrouvaí 14ct yellow gold and peridot Heirloom charm, $940, retrouvai.com

 

---

 

7

What could be more summery than a long, cool drink topped with lemons and limes? Perhaps this ring from New York jewellery designer Brent Neale. From the designer’s Gypsy collection, the 18ct yellow gold ring stars a cushion-cut orange sapphire and trillion-cut peridot in a perfectly streamlined bezel setting. “As a huge fan of yellow gold, I love working with peridot because the palette plays so well together — just like lemons and limes,” says designer Brent Neale. “The combination gives me a sweet summer feeling and reminds me of all the Leos I know and love.”

Brent Neale 18ct yellow gold Gypsy ring with orange sapphire and peridot, price on application , brentneale.com

 

---

 

8

Le Vian likes to mix jewellery and food. Home of chocolate diamonds, the American jewellery brand has gone on to create many other tasty trademarked pairings, such as raspberry rhodolite and blueberry tanzanite. It is also well-known for its jewellery trend forecasts, and this year, one of the themes the jeweller has selected as big in 2020 is ‘nature greens’. “Peridot presents an unmistakably unique hue of green in coloured gems,” says Le Vian chief executive Eddie Le Vian, whose family were once entrusted to guard the Crown Jewels. Of course at Le Vian, it’s not just peridot, it’s apple peridot.

Le Vian 18ct yellow gold ring set with chocolate diamonds, white diamonds and apple peridot, price on application, levian.com  

 

---

9

“Peridot to me is a synonym of Tuscany and the colour of olive oil,” says award-winning Italian jewellery designer Rossella Ugolini. “The peridot green matches with amethyst and yellow topaz; it brings to life every chromatic composition.” Showing off some of that chromatic charisma, these gold earrings use gems to create an asymmetric charm by setting an amethyst on one side and a peridot on the other. Bellissima.

Rossella Ugolini gold earrings set with peridot and amethyst, €900, rossellaugolini.com

 

---

10

“Peridot is your vitamin D gemstone for releasing unnecessary emotional baggage,” promises Carolin Rosa, the designer behind jewellery brand Carolin Stone and architect of this silver and peridot ring. If anyone would know about this stuff, it’s Rosa. The former interior designer’s brand centres on promoting the healing power of gemstones. “Peridot helps you to have more power to focus on positive thoughts and experiences,” she continues. “It increases your vibrations while it reduces your stress level and anger. You are able to feel free from emotions that pushed you down and to feel less stressed.” And you thought this was just a ring.

Carolin Stone silver and peridot Charming Imaginative ring, £100, carolinstone.com

 

---

11

“I love the bright lime-green colour of peridot,” says Harwell Godfrey, a jewellery designer based in San Francisco who creates jewels designed to promote healing energy. “When paired with super-saturated turquoise it creates a really happy palette.” This gold Evil Eye pendant is the perfect example of this uplifting combo, with a round peridot set at the centre of a pattern of inlaid triangular cuts of turquoise and a smattering of diamonds for good measure.

Harwell Godfrey 18ct gold, turquoise inlay, diamond and peridot Evil Eye necklace, $3,100, harwellgodfrey.com

 

---

12

“I don’t usually like yellow-greens, I am more of a blue-green girl,” admits Jen Rush, a New Yorker and founder of Rush Jewelry Design. “But recently I got some insanely gorgeous peridot from Afghanistan and it absolutely won me over. High-quality peridot, which is clean and intensely saturated, is a big bang for your buck.” Being a blue-green girl at heart, Rush couldn’t resist the temptation to plant the peridot right smack in the middle of a large, deep-blue lapis lazuli and create her favourite colour combo in this chunky gold Draper cuff.

Rush Jewelry Design 18ct gold Draper cuff with an Afghan peridot set within lapis lazuli, $9,400, rushjewelrydesign.com     

 

---

13

“Peridot was one of the first gemstones that I worked with, and as I moved from silver to golds, I fell in love with the synergy of peridot and rose gold,” says Andrew Geoghegan, a British jewellery designer known for his sensual silhouettes in engagement and cocktail rings. This particular rose gold design sets a peridot at the heart of his Satellite open ring, orbited by diamonds. “Sometimes [peridot] is lost amongst the stronger greens of emerald and tsavorite,” says Geoghegan, “But when the colour is just the right strength and the cutting is exquisite, then it is a beautiful gem in its own right – especially when set against the warmth of rose gold.”

Andrew Geoghegan 18ct rose gold Satellite open ring set with peridot and diamonds, £4,795, andrewgeoghegan.com

 

---

14

“Peridot, the birthstone for August and – as legend has it – Cleopatra’s favourite gemstone can be associated with protection, positive power, healing and good heath,” says Philip Ainsworth, a fifth-generation jeweller and current custodian of Ainsworth Jewellers in Blackburn. “It has, over the last few years, gained in popularity amongst our customers and we find we are now getting asked more frequently for it, to the extent that has now become a regular gemstone in our window displays.” One of the designs tempting shoppers through the door with peridot’s positive power are these gold, peridot and diamond cluster earrings. We think Cleopatra would approve.

Ainsworth Jewellers 18ct gold, peridot and diamond cluster earrings, £595, ainsworthjewellers.com  

 

---

15

“I have worked with peridot since it was an unknown stone, because it offered a very distinct citric tone to the green spectrum,” says British designer Theo Fennell, whose jewels have long been a draw for the rich and the famous. “It has an electric quality that gives it a lightness of touch that emeralds and tourmalines don’t have.” These Chrysanthemum earrings capture the lightness Fennell mentions, with specially faceted briolette peridot drops set in a white gold floral design with plenty of diamonds. “I have used peridots from all over the world including, strangely, Norway and they each have their own character,” continues Fennell. “I wanted these earrings to be fairly dressy and certainly have some pizzaz, but also light enough, in every sense of the word, to be really wearable. Peridot is the perfect stone for this. It has a wonderfully individual colour but doesn’t take itself too seriously.”

Theo Fennell 18ct white gold and diamond Chrysanthemum earrings with 15.72cts of peridot, £27,700, theofennell.com

 

---

16

“I love working with peridots as I am not only able to easily get them cut in different shapes and styles, but also because of the rich green colour they come in,” says Alina Abegg, a jewellery designer based in Berlin who is known for her playful jewels that celebrate gemstones. “For my Apple Pfefferminz ring, I asked my stone cutter to carve peridot in the exact same shape as actual PEZ candy. The result is a real sweet treat.” Another creation from the designer’s Sugar High collection that uses peridot is this 14ct rose gold Licorice choker with a pendant of peridot that has been hand carved to look like a roll of liquorice, complete with an extra sprinkling of diamonds.

Alina Abegg 14ct rose gold Licorice choker with hand-carved peridot and diamond pendant, $19,820, alinaabegg.com

 

---

17

“Peridot is gorgeous ancient stone that has been used as a protector for over 4,000 years,” says Sheherazade Goldsmith, whose jewellery brand Loquet offers a modern take on the locket with gold and sapphire crystal designs that can be filled with charms and loose gemstones. “A favourite of Cleopatra, its olive green colour is a perfect reflection of summer months. As a birthstone for those born in August, it helps clear old life patterns to encourage new experiences as well as bringing an abundance of health and joy.”

Loquet loose peridot charm, £50 (locket and additional charms sold separately), loquetlondon.com

 

---

18
“Peridot is a unique green gemstone,” says Tarang Arora, chief executive of Indian jewellery brand Amrapali, which has a store in London’s Chelsea. “It is the luscious green colour of the stone which attracts us the most to use it, [as] it reminds you of the beauty and totality of the nature.” The unusual placing of peridot in this 18ct yellow gold ring certainly remind us of botanical formations. “In India, peridot is known as ghritmani and is believed to boost your decision making by alleviating negative feelings from the mind,” he continues. “It is believed to be a psychological healer, opening the heart to joy and love.”

Amrapali 18ct gold and peridot ring, £3,740, amrapalijewels.com

 

---

19

“Peridot is a very pure variety of the mineral olivine,” says Catherine Sackmann, the woman in charge of gemstone jewellery at Swiss jeweller Bucherer  Fine Jewellery. “The name comes from the Greek word peridona, which means abundance. The Romans elegantly named this gemstone [the] emerald of the evening.” Vibrant greens are on trend, according to Sackmann. This was one of the reasons she selected peridot to create a flash of colour in this cocktail ring from its Ladybird high jewellery collection, which launched this summer. As well as its “joie de vivre” and “positiveness and light”.

Bucherer Fine Jewellery 18ct white gold, black diamond, pink sapphire and peridot Ladybird ring, price on application, bucherer.com

---

20

“Peridot, which is also called Stone of the Sun by the Egyptians, is known for its yellow and golden reflection,” says jewellery designer Nadine Aysoy, adding that it is one of her favourite gemstones. She has used the gem in one of her most standout designs – the Tsarina spring Flake earrings, which can transform to be worn as studs or drops. “I played with the golden reflections in the peridot, enhanced by the diamonds and the yellow gold to create a very bright and warm look,” continues Aysoy. “I was once stopped a few years ago at an event in London by a gentleman who commented on the amazing colour of the earrings. They are magical. It is not surprising that it was Cleopatra’s favourite stone.”

Nadine Aysoy 18ct gold, diamond and peridot Tsarina Spring Flake earrings, $15,320, nadineaysoy.com

 

---

21

“Peridots mean a lot of things to a lot of people, not just me,” says Patile Gemayel, design director at Suzanne Kalan, the Californian fine jewellery brand she runs with her mother Suzanne Kalandjian. “The stone draws upon many different positive meanings, such as compassion, peace and good health, and these are things we all seem to strive for in life regardless of culture, background and taste. I continuously receive requests for peridot and I believe it’s because of the positivity that is connected with them. It’s most certainly the reason I like to work with them – that, and green’s my favourite colour.”

Suzanne Kalan 14ct gold, diamond and peridot Santorini ring, $880, suzannekalan.com

 

---

22

“This bold peridot ring is a part of our Ravello collection, which seeks to reinvent the cocktail ring with striking gemstones of superior colour,” says Niveet Nagpal, president and head designer at coloured gem specialist Omi Privé. “The brushed yellow gold finish of this ring complements the brilliant yellowish green tones of this nearly 12ct peridot.” If you can drag your eyes away from the monumental peridot, in its diamond halo, you’ll find another gemmological treat hidden on the underside of the ring’s crown – a pair of round pink sapphires to give that summery watermelon clash.

Omi Privé 18ct brushed gold, diamond, pink sapphire and peridot Ravello ring, price on application, omiprive.com

 

---

23

“Peridot is one of my favourite stones, and such a pretty shade of green,” says Kiki McDonough, whose store just off London’s Sloane Square is a favourite of the Duchess of Cambridge. “It is surprisingly easy to wear, and it goes with everything. It has replaced jade in some people’s minds, and has become the most popular stone for anyone who likes to wear green.” McDonough points out that this rise in popularity is making peridot harder to find these days, but luckily she has a stash for fans of the apple-green gem, including these Heart earrings, which she describes as “a love letter to peridot”.

Kiki McDonough 18ct yellow gold, diamond and peridot Heart earrings, £5,500, kiki.co.uk  

 

---

24

“I use peridot in my collections because I think it’s the prettiest green-colour semi-precious stone,” says Italian jewellery designer Bea Bongiasca, who studied at Central Saint Martins in London. “It reminds me of nature and the colours of the vines that my You’re So Vine jewellery collection is inspired from.” This rose gold ring from the collection creates a bold look with 2.24cts of marquise-cut peridot tipping the vines, one of which has been covered in bright-yellow enamel. Rock crystal, diamonds and tavorites bring yet more sparkle to this contemporary conversation starter.

Bea Bongiasca 9ct rose gold, yellow enamel, peridot, rock crystal, tsavorite and diamond You’re So Vine ring, €2,500, beabongiasca.com

 

---

25

“Peridot reminds me of the vast pale green olive trees found in the Mediterranean, where I spent my summer holidays,” says Eda Elbirlik, the designer behind London-based jewellery brand Maviada. “The green peridot is a beautiful green colour ranging from pale green to a golden green. It is luxurious and not overwhelming and always adds a bit of warmth to a piece, whether used on its own or with other colours. It is perfect for everyday lifestyle jewellery.” Perfect case in point is this pair of Maviada Cavallo Cascade Midi earrings that combine freshwater baroque pink pearls with yellow gold and peridot cabochons.

Maviada 18ct gold, pearl and peridot Cavallo Cascade Midi earrings, £1,295, maviada.co.uk   

 

---

26

“Peridot definitely plays well with others,” says Tiina Smith, a Boston-based dealer who specialises in rare vintage signed jewels, such as these Fred of Paris peridot, citrine and amethyst cluster earrings from the 1950s. “Its happy green colour complements an array of other stones, as seen in these vintage Fred of Paris earrings. Known for their bold and brightly coloured jewellery, Fred of Paris playfully positions citrines, amethysts, diamonds and peridots to maximum effect. The stones are loosely connected, which gives lovely movement to the earrings when worn.”

Fred of Paris 18ct gold, amethyst, peridot, citrine and diamond earrings at Tiina Smith, price on application, tiinasmithjewelry.com

---

27

 

“Peridot is a joy to work with as it has such a unique, green hue that is so beautiful on its own, in addition to pairing stunningly well when layered with the other gemstone necklaces in the collection,” says George Root, founder of Milamore, a jewellery brand designed in New York but crafted in Japan. Root is referring to his Birthstones collection of necklaces that place a single emerald-cut gemstone within a chunky rectangular gold setting on a long chain dotted with bezel-set diamonds. For those born in August, Milamore offers a 0.26ct peridot that is promises will “ease all your worries and wrap you in security”.

Milamore 18ct yellow gold, peridot and diamond Birthstones necklace, $1,850, milamorejewelry.com

 

---

28

“The appeal of gemstones lies mainly in their beauty, with most people seeking brilliance, clearness, and richness of colour, but to me, all gemstones are precious, in the sense that they provide meaning and value to the wearer,” says Annoushka Ducas, founder of British luxury jewellery brand Annoushka. “Natural gemstones have a totally individual character that gives them their personality and this is absolutely the case with this pair of custom-cut peridots.” The gems have been looped by reverse-set diamonds in blackened gold settings to create charms that can be added to Annoushka’s Dusty Diamonds rose gold and diamond hoops. “As a designer, I exclusively use solid gold, celebrating the wholeness of the material and crafting jewellery which has the capacity to endure and be passed on to future generations,” continues Ducas. “Typically, I favour 18ct yellow gold, but in this design the subtleness of the peridot felt enhanced when combined with the peachy 18ct rose gold. As with all my designs, versatility is integral, so the wearer can slip the peridot drop on and off the diamond hoop and wear just one or mix and match with another drop design.”

Annoushka 18ct rose gold diamond and peridot Dusty Diamonds drops and 18ct rose gold and diamond Dusty Diamonds hoops, £1,200 and £395 (sold separately), annoushka.com

 

---

29

“Sublime lime peridot adds a zing to any jewellery box,” says Tayma Page, a British jeweller whose brand Tayma Fine Jewellery is based in Hong Kong. “Wear peridot as a foil to your little black dress and red nails, or pair it with a dreamy summer maxi, as a sure-fire conversation starter.” And how better to start that conversation that with a mention of how some peridot came to this planet via meteorites. “When you tell people that your peridot may have arrived from outer space, they will be amazed,” continues the gem expert, who gave a talk on Paraiba tourmaline at The Jewellery Cut Live in February 2020. “I love designing with peridot, especially peridot nuggets, and it’s always fun to look for those distinctive lily pad inclusions. Over the years, we have had some fabulous Gem of the Sun peridots from Myanmar, which we design in the Dim Sum collection.” This gold, diamond and peridot ring is a tasty example from that very collection.

Tayma Fine Jewellery 18ct yellow gold, diamond and peridot Dim Sum ring, HK$48,000, taymafinejewellery.com

 

---

30

“I love working with peridot because of the vibrant colours,” says Roseanna Croft, a jewellery designer based in The Goldsmiths’ Centre in London. “For me, peridot’s stunning green hue is suited to the month of August, when we’re fully making the most out of summer. Beyond it being easy on the eye, I love the balancing and health properties it has, such as calming the wearer.” This gold, diamond and pear-shaped peridot ring is the result of an upcycling project. Croft took a necklace that a client never wore and transformed it into this pinky ring, which, she reports, now rarely leaves her finger.

Roseanna Croft gold, diamond and peridot ring, bespoke commissions vary in pricing with a free initial consultation, roseannacroftjewellery.com

 

---

31

“La Gioia di Pomellato truly expresses who we are – our deepest identity – and Pomellato is not an elitist jeweller,” says Sabina Belli, chief executive of Pomellato. “This collection reflects the Italian art of living, where one does not make a distinction between everyday jewellery and ceremonial jewellery, between the jewels that one wears and those that one leaves in the vault. In Italy, beauty is not to be feared, it is to be revered.” Like other semi-precious gemstones, peridot has been enjoying some haute joaillerie attention, as luxury brands re-evaluate what is considered precious, spurred on by the vogue for colourful jewels. In La Gioia di Pomellato – the Italian jeweller’s fist high jewellery collection,  released this summer – peridot plays a starring role in a number of designs, including this gold, peridot and tsavorite Nudo Collier Cascade. Inspired by the brand’s Nudo collection, the necklace features ‘naked’ gems that vibrate with the slightest movement. A double-sided cut reinforces the density of the peridot stones and gives them a fluidity – almost “as if they were rolled onto the skin like pebbles eroded by the sea”.

Pomellato 18ct gold, peridot and tsavorite Nudo Collier Cascade necklace, price on application, pomellato.com

The Jewellery Cut Live in association with Fuli Gemstones is back for another season this October, with a brand new line up of designers. 

 

As one of only three jewellery shows left on the planet this year, and the only event in Britain, there have never been more reasons to step out and discover a world of contemporary fine jewellery with The Jewellery Cut.

 

This season, we’ll be back at the palatial Royal Institution in London’s Mayfair and we have the run of the building, allowing us to create a safe space in which we can socially distance our magpies. Our wonderful talks schedule will be back within the venue’s huge dedicated theatre, with some exciting speakers including BBC Antiques Roadshow expert Joanna Hardy, The Economist’s Melanie Grant, Vogue jewellery editor Carol Woolton and jewellery designer to the stars Anabela Chan.

 

Read on for all the information you need to visit and get the lowdown on the designers you can expect to see at The Jewellery Cut Live in association with Fuli Gemstones this season.

 

When is show on?

This season, the show will take place on October 11th & 12th, 2020. The show is open all day Sunday (11th), from 10am to 6pm, for those who prefer to visit on a weekend. We’ll be open again at 10am on the Monday (12th), right through until 9pm, allowing for some late-night shopping for those bound by office hours.

 

Where is the show?

We are delighted to be back at the historic Royal Institution at 21 Albermarle Street (W1S 4BS) in London’s Mayfair for a second season. For those travelling by tube, the venue is a five-minute walk from Green Park station. Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus are also close by.

 

Can I buy jewellery there?

Yes. Our designers have a wonderful selection of jewels to buy at the event, making it the perfect moment to treat yourself or perhaps plan some early Christmas gift buying. You can also use the show to start discussions about bespoke commissions.

 

How will the show protect visitors against Coronavirus?

We are taking this very seriously. There will be an enhanced cleaning regiment throughout the Royal Institution, and hand sanitising stations will be made available at regular intervals. Our jewellers will also – as always – be cleansing jewels between guests. This season, we will spread our jewellers throughout the building to allow for safe social distancing and there will be markers on the floor to remind you to keep a respectful distance from any magpies not in your bubble. Our talks will be held in a theatre that can hold 400 people, but tickets will be limited to 80 per talk to allow for distancing here too. At the moment, government guidelines suggest that visitors to venues like ours should wear a face mask while inside and we will stick to them, so please do take a face covering with you. Should you forget, we will have a stash of nifty branded The Jewellery Cut masks to hand out.

 

Will there still be a bar and café?

Absolutely. You can still pick up refreshments at the show, and enjoy a coffee or a champagne in our dedicated bar area, which this season will be on the ground floor.

 

How much are tickets?

To ensure our show can be visited by all, general entry to The Jewellery Cut Live in association with Fuli Gemstones is free if tickets are booked in advance. Tickets can still be bought on the door, but will cost £20. Should you wish to upgrade your jewellery experience, there is the option of a VIP ticket (from £15), which includes an exclusive goody bag and a glass of wine. For the real jewellery enthusiasts, we also offer a AAA Pass (from £80) that gives you all the benefits of the VIP ticket plus free tea and coffee and access to all the ticketed talks during the event and the otherwise invite-only VIP party on the Sunday night (11th).

 

What talks are on?

We have now started to release tickets for our diverse range of talks. You can find details of all these talks on our calendar page. More talks will be announced over the coming weeks. Keep an eye on the website or sign up to our newsletter to be the first to know about new releases. To attend a talk, you must buy a separate ticket (from £10 per talk) or have a AAA Pass. Tickets can be bought in advance or at the door.

 

Where can I get tickets?

To book your tickets in advance, head to Eventbrite.

 

Which designers are taking part in The Jewellery Cut Live in association with Fuli Gemstones?

We’re glad you asked. Read on for a full listing of the jewellery brands taking part in this season’s show. We’ll continue to update this list as more jewellers sign up, so do check back just before your visit if you want to make a plan of which jewellers to see or book a one-to-one appointments (this should be done directly with any jewellery brand).

The Jewellery Cut Live in association with Fuli Gemstones October 2020: Meet the designers

Akansha Sethi

After graduating from Goldsmiths, University of London, Akansha Sethi started her jewellery brand AS by Akansha Sethi. Seeking inspiration from the places she has travelled to and by studying art movements, it has shaped her understanding of design. This has meticulously been translated into her timeless pieces of jewellery. Her design philosophy is to gain rich experiences from places around the world and transform her memories into wearable art forms. The intricacy of each piece is also reflected in the multifaceted nature of the design. This allows each one to be fragmented or unified and to be worn in several ways, creating a convertible line of jewellery. It showcases a level of interactivity, allowing the user to modify the jewellery to suit their style. Sethi’s fascination with vibrant colours has been reflected in her jewellery, through the use of semi-precious and exotic stones, with pure gold and silver. Her jewellery is not just an adornment but a piece of art, which gives immense joy to the wearer. It complements and connects with the individuality of the person wearing it, enabling them to fall in love with the ethos of the design.

Alexia Gryllaki

Alexia Gryllaki is an award-winning jewellery designer and a professional gemmologist. Her route into jewellery was a circuitous one. A true polymath, she has a BSc in Philosophy and History of Science, an MA in Corporate Finance and in 2012 completed a degree in Gemmology and Jewellery Design at the Gemological Institute of America in London. Gryllaki spent the first three years of her jewellery career designing behind the scenes for Greek and Italian fine jewellery brands and at a high-end gemstone dealer in London’s Hatton Garden, testing and authenticating gemstones. Winning the coveted President’s International Design Award from the Cultured Pearl Association of America in November 2015 gave her the confidence and impetus to launch her eponymous collection in early 2016. A Greek citizen, geographically her life is currently split into two capitals, London and Athens, where she lives and creates, with frequent intervals of travels to other inspirational places around the world. Gryllaki believes that the real wonder of jewellery originates from the blend of a variety of ingredients at the right dosage; a golden ratio between beauty, quality, functionality and sentimentality.  As a designer with a very multidisciplinary background, she could not help but be inspired by diverse components and “things everyone sees but few take the time to notice” – flora, fauna, architecture, paintings, sculptures. She combines art and gemmology to design heart-driven creations poured with her passion for gemstones.

Amira Karaouli

Born and raised in the culturally rich and colourful Tunisia, Amira Karaouli has always had a passion for jewellery design. Although she started off in a degree in dentistry in Romania, she soon moved to to the fashion capital of the world and rooted herself in Paris, where she continues to live today. Her love story with jewellery began when she was a young girl, fascinated by her mother’s jewels and her three uncles who were jewellers. They were always huge inspirations to her and she would watch them for hours on end bringing their creations to life. Karaouli draws inspiration from the Middle East, which she believes is one of the richest and most captivating cultures. She loves the oriental shapes and colours that she grew up with in Tunis and from her trips around Lebanon and Dubai, which ultimately inspired her very first collection. She also loves the chateaux that decorate the countryside of France, and has merged both cultures to create a collection that is a breathtaking French-Oriental fusion of jewellery.

Baroque Rocks

Established in 2017, London-based Baroque Rocks specialises in vintage and contemporary pieces of jewellery. All of its jewels are hand-picked by founder Emma de Sybel, who has a discerning eye for arresting singularity. The name Baroque Rocks pays homage not just to the historical period of unabashed exuberance and grandeur that carried the same name, but also to the baroque pearl, whose irregular form defies common conception. The ‘Rocks’ refers to the gemstones, of course, yet the word carries so much more. Allusions to drama, music and exaggerated artistic style, all circling back to the non-conformity and individuality of every magnificent jewel in the Baroque Rocks collections. The company prides itself on the excitement of every notable event you could think of – birthdays, anniversaries, christenings, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day. The team at Baroque Rocks will help you choose the perfect jewel for the occasion and always relish the challenge of helping you find that ideal, unusual piece to treasure.

Countdown to Christmas with The Jewellery Cut, as we unveil a different jewel each day in December, right up until the big day. 

Far more tempting than those slivers of chocolate, The Jewellery Cut Advent Calendar 2018 will offer up daily inspiration for Christmas jewellery gifts – either to be given, or to be added to your own Christmas list.

Join us over on Instagram to swipe open the calendar doors each day to reveal a different gem hidden within.

 

December 24^th

For the final window of The Jewellery Cut Advent Calendar 2018, we’ve selected something suitably festive to mark the occasion in these Hatched Star earrings by London-based jeweller Claire Macfarlane. With a textured finish to the metal, these yellow gold-plated statement silver earrings emit all the Christmas spirit of a candlelit nativity, but have a style longevity that will take you right through the year. Celestial jewellery is a trend that has purloined our imagination in 2018 and its allure shows no sign of abating. “The star design sits perpendicular to the ear and tucks under the lobe making the earrings look exciting from every angle,” says Macfarlane of the earrings, which are almost glittery due to the texturing process she applies to her jewels. “Making is important to me. Every single piece is made in the studio and meticulously finished, and we use quality materials from responsible sources.” And with that, we bid adieu to this year’s calendar. From The Jewellery Cut, and all the brilliant independent jewellery designers that we have featured throughout the month in this alternative advent calendar, a very merry Christmas to you all.

Claire Macfarlane yellow gold-plated silver Hatched Star earrings, £167. Buy them here

 

December 23^rd

Joanna Boyen, founder of jewellery brand Biiju, grew up in Zimbabwe, and the dreamy feeling of those long, hot African summers of her childhood has never left her. So, the London-based jewellery designer decided to make a ring to capture the magic. “Tambukameans blossom in the Shona language of the Zimbabwean province where I grew up,” says Boyen, adding that the form of the Tambuka ring is inspired by an African violet. “The combination of warm colours and the slightly savage feel evoked by the thorny band reminds me of the way African summers feel.” The Biiju Tambuka cocktail ring has been crafted in 18ct gold, with the petals of the bloom brushed from the centre outwards to make them appear almost velvety. The thorn-studded band winds around the finger to create a real talking point, while the cluster of three sapphires at the centre of the flower radiate a hit of colour. Each ring is made to order, and Biiju shares the journey of its craftsmanship with customers, sending photographs at each stage of production to allow for any tweaks or bespoke twists to be made along the way.

Biiju 18ct gold, pink sapphire, orange sapphire and yellow sapphire Tambuka cocktail ring, £3,450. Order it here

December 22^nd

Once you put these Molly Perrin silver Oval Wave hoop earrings on, you’ll never want to take them off again, promises the designer. “These fluid hoops work like the smaller sleeper hoops, but bigger,” says Perrin, who has designed jewels for museums as well as big names in jewellery, all whilst crafting her own award-winning collections. “They are the pair you will go back to again and again.” All Molly Perrin jewellery is made by hand using precious metals at the brand’s London studio. The Oval Wave hoops are inspired by the undulations of waves, and their soft curves catch and refract the light. These subtly stylish hoops are an effortlessly wearable jewellery-box classic with a contemporary twist – or, in this case, a wave.

Molly Perrin silver Oval Wave hoop earrings, £65. Buy them here

 

December 21^st

Delicate fine sparkle is where it’s at right now, and new jewellery brand Aureliean has succeeded in creating what is undoubtedly a forever piece with its 18ct yellow gold and diamond Ora earrings. Aureliean launched at The Jewellery Cut Showroom in September (which will return as The Jewellery Cut Live this February), and its debut collection of timeless yet contemporary jewels drew much interest. The brand has been created by Elizabeth Harrison, a high-flying lawyer with a passion for jewellery design. After years spent designing pieces for her close friends, Harrison decided to take a leap of faith – encouraged by her young son, whom she has named the brand after – and launch her own atelier. “I am inspired by confident women, and have been blessed to have met so many over the years during my travels and throughout my career,” says Harrison, whose jewels are all made in Britain. “A woman who lifts others up is like an everlasting light to those around her, and my jewels are designed to shine just as brightly as she does.” And, indeed, the name of these Ora earrings, with tiny twinkling diamonds on delicate gold chains, references the Hebrew word אור (pronounced or or ohr), which means light. The Aureliean Ora earrings will be available from mid January, so get your orders in now.

Aureliean 18ct yellow gold and diamond Ora earrings, £1,490. Order them here

 

December 20^th

In the depths of winter, at the end of a confusing year, we could all do with a little protection, and this modern talisman from WWAN(1) has you covered. Protective charms have been a big trend in jewellery throughout 2018, with magpies clutching onto zodiac pendants, lucky numbers and protective gemstones in the hope of fate turning a kinder eye on them. The handmade WWAN(1) silver Cosmo necklace, which borrows its form from Aztec sacred geometry and abstract modernist lines, promises wearers a little bit of magic to carry with them. “The Cosmo pendant is a sculptural talisman made for the modern enchantress in you,” says WWAN(1) founder and designer Margaux Clavel, who claims to have been designing jewels since she was a child, before honing her skills at London’s Royal College of Art. The faceted texture of the necklace make it a satisfying plaything, while its long-length chain opens up the neck for layering. And if you’re wondering about the brand name? WWAN(1) is an acronym of We Will Always Need, in reference to our enduring human desire to cherish and adorn ourselves with jewels, while the bracketed one is a handy reminder of how to pronounce it.

WWAN(1) silver Cosmo necklace, £158. Buy it here

 

December 19^th

Buying a real piece of coral jewellery carries with it a lot of ethical issues, but luckily this pair of Tofo stud earrings by sustainable jewellery brand Lylie’s London is guilt free. While the design is inspired by coral reefs, the tentacles are instead made of 9ct yellow gold. Lylie’s, which was founded last year by ethically minded goldsmith Eliza ‘Lylie’ Walter, has a focus on sustainability and all of the gold and silver used in its collections has been salvaged from electronic devices such as mobile phones and computers. “In this age of technology, with rapid advances and built-in obsolescence, enormous amounts of electronic waste are produced,” explains Walter. “A typical mobile holds 0.2g of gold, and, with an average life expectancy of just 22 months, extracting it and refining it results in a lower carbon footprint than primary-mined gold.” Lylie’s also uses recycled gems, like the aquamarine and diamonds in this pair of earrings, which have been taken from older pieces of jewellery. The brand also encourages its customers to recycle, offering store credit for any precious metals sent in by way of jewels that have lost their sparkle – one to remember during your new-year wardrobe clear out.

Lylie’s salvaged 9ct yellow gold, recycled aquamarine and antique diamond Tofo stud earrings, £600. Buy them here

 

December 18^th

Sometimes what you really want from a jewel is a classic, forever design with a contemporary twist, and that’s exactly what the G earrings by Jake McCombe offer up. With shining rounds of silver plated with 18ct yellow gold, these hoop earrings are an instant wardrobe staple. Available in three sizes – with plain silver and rose gold plating options also available – you can pick the proportion that is right for you, from subtle to statement. For the design aficionados out there, what gives these hoops that something extra is the post. Rather than shooting straight through the ear to be secured with a butterfly clasp, the posts of the Jake McCombe G earrings angle downwards, allowing them to sit snugly without need of extra fasteners. When off the ear, the unorthodox design reveals the G shape that won the earrings their name. “The G earrings are a new take on the classic hoop,” says jewellery designer Jake McCombe, who draws his inspiration from mathematical shapes and scientific symbols. “The design’s minimal and clean lines bring a modern edge to the style.”

Jake McCombe gold-plated silver G earrings, from £150. Buy them here

 

December 17^th

British jeweller Rosie Kent is a master of texture. Run your finger over the bumpy surface of the gold vermeil jewels in her Origin collection, and you’ll find yourself wanting to do it again and again. This is most definitely a collection for those who can’t resist playing with their jewellery. What makes it even more alluring is that each jewel balances the rough with the smooth. “My fascination with pattern techniques from the ancient world is evident throughout this collection,” says Kent, who was shortlisted for Young Designer of the Year at the Retail Jeweller UK Jewellery Awards 2018. “However, it’s the juxtaposition of the sleek polished metal set against the heavily patterned forms, which is the basis of our Origin world.” This Rosie Kent Maxilla Pod ring from the Origin collection is handmade in Kent’s studio in London’s Limehouse. The ring, which can be sized to fit any finger from pinky to pointer, is first made in silver and then plated with a thick coating of 18ct yellow gold. You can see the work of Rosie Kent at The Jewellery Cut and The Goldsmiths’ Company’s Festive Jewellery Pop Up Shop at Mare Street Market until December 17^th, or buy directly from the designer online.

Rosie Kent gold-plated silver Maxilla Pod ring, £155. Buy it here

 

December 16^th

This jaunty King necklace by Frances Wadsworth Jones looks a little like how we all feel this far into the festive season; merrily swilling the approach of Christmas with a paper crown just about clinging on. Yet this crown is not made of paper, but solid 18ct yellow gold. Wadsworth Jones, a Royal College of Art alumnus, has spent the past decade designing jewels that she describes as “playfully conceptual and quietly provocative”. Her previous collections have included Thieves, which stars tiny, precious ants preserved in the act of carrying away diamonds and coloured gemstones from rings and necklaces. Now, Wadsworth Jones has turned her attention to pearls with a collection titled Who?. “It playfully reimagines the classic pearl drop necklace as a contemporary portrait,” says Wadsworth Jones, who has used these iconic subaqueous gems and gold accessories to create characters such as Geek, Dude, Muso, Mademoiselle and Racer. King, naturally, shows his blue blood with a crown, but should the pomp get a bit much, this tiny crowning glory can be removed so that the pearl pendant can be just that. You see the work of Frances Wadsworth Jones at The Jewellery Cut and The Goldsmiths’ Company’s Festive Jewellery Pop Up Shop at Mare Street Market until December 17^th, or buy directly from the designer online.

Frances Wadsworth Jones 18ct yellow gold and pearl King necklace, £990. Buy it here

 

December 15^th

British jewellery designer Flora Bhattachary has carved a name for herself as a skilled jeweller whose designs effortlessly blend Eastern folklore, history and culture with Western styles. Her infatuation with Asia is a result of her early childhood, which was spent in India, as well as a fascination with her heritage – her ancestors travelled with the East India Company during the opulent days of the British Empire. Bhattachary’s latest collection, Mor, takes inspiration from Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge and learning, who was said to have travelled with a peacock as a reminder of the beauty of internal wisdom. Paying homage to this symbolic bird, the Flora Bhattachary Mor Five Feather ring is a feminine design that beautifully envelopes the finger in highly polished recycled 14ct yellow gold, with 38 ethically sourced Canadamark diamonds placed just so to catch the light at every angle. “Drawing together Eastern tradition and Western design, I create jewellery with meaning,” says Bhattachary, who studied history before becoming a jeweller and now works out of a studio in the Goldsmiths’ Centre. “Containing a hidden tale, each jewel has a talismanic quality with a deeper meaning to inspire and empower.”

Flora Bhattachary 14ct recycled yellow gold and Canadamark diamond Mor Five Feather ring, £2,880. Buy it here

 

December 14^th

Textured gold is very much on trend right now, but this Knit ring by Ebba Goring is so much more complex than that. Each piece of Ebba Goring jewellery starts out as a hand-stitched cotton design made by the jeweller. These knitted designs are then used to create casts for jewellery making, effectively turning cotton into gold. “Textiles are closely intertwined with our daily lives – the warm wrap of a blanket, the brush against soft cotton,” says the designer, whose light and airy studio on the Fife coast was once an old railway platform building. “I like to preserve these passing moments, giving my work an almost nostalgic feeling. I believe these textile references are stored in our collective memories and strike a chord.” Thought and care has also been given to the precious materials used for the design, with ethically sourced diamonds scattered across the surface of the ring, which is available in Fairtrade gold. You can try on the Ebba Goring Knit ring at The Jewellery Cut and The Goldsmiths’ Company’s Festive Jewellery Pop Up Shop at Mare Street Market until December 17^th, or buy one directly from the designer online.

Ebba Goring 18ct Fairtrade yellow gold and ethically sourced diamond Knit ring, £880. Buy it here

 

December 13^th

Giving your heart to the one you love is some seriously romantic symbolism, and realising it with a beautifully crafted Given Heart pendant by Fraser Hamilton will win you extra points this Christmas. The Scottish jewellery designer, who studied his craft in Glasgow, Tokyo and London, originally set out to be a sculptor, but soon realised that his passion for art could be sated with smaller plinths. He describes his work as “the monolithic on a miniature scale”, and indeed each handmade piece of jewellery that passes through his Southwark studio is a tiny, precious sculpture. Hamilton is fascinated with the form of the human body, and devotes hours to carving tiny hands, faces and even reclining nudes for his jewels. This Fraser Hamilton Given Heart pendant in 9ct yellow gold is a miniscule but realistic hand holding onto a heart-shaped ruby that has been cast in place. “The exact orientation of the gemstone may vary slightly,” explains Hamilton. “However, it will always be set in the most secure way.” You can see this pendant at The Jewellery Cut and The Goldsmiths’ Company’s Festive Jewellery Pop Up Shop at Mare Street Market until December 17^th, or buy one directly from Fraser Hamilton online.

Fraser Hamilton 9ct yellow gold and heart-shaped ruby Given Heart pendant, £600. Buy it here

 

December 12^th

Persian gardens, a style of adding pockets of greenery to your home that dates back to 4,000BC, were originally constructed to symbolise heaven on earth, and the way these Persian Garden rings by Sara Peymanpour float above the hand is certainly heavenly. Designed to scoop beneath the finger, the 18ct yellow gold rings bloom upwards with the protruding statement floral motif and solo gemstone seeming to simply nestle on the skin. The structure of these Sara Peymanpour Persian Garden rings pays homage to the designer’s past in two ways. As well as nodding to the British-Iranian jeweller’s cultural heritage, the structural design of the bejewelled flowers references the architectural principles that were important in the construction of Perisan gardens. Peymanpour hails from a family of architects, and before becoming a jewellery designer she studied industrial design – though it was her Iranian silversmith grandfather who inspired her move into more precious designs. The Persian Garden rings, which can be ordered directly from Sara Peymanpour or bought at Wolf & Badger, can be set with tsavorites, rubies or blue topaz.

Sara Peymanpour 18ct yellow gold and blue topaz Persian Garden ring, £2,800. Buy it here

 

December 11^th

Montreal-based jewellery brand Didon makes adornments for bold women who are unafraid of a challenge. The sleek, minimalist jewels, crafted in gold and set with diamonds, take their inspiration from Queen Elissa, who was also known as Dido. This warrior woman, who ruled more than 300 cities clustering the edge of the Mediterranean Sea at the peak of her power, was responsible for founding the ancient city of Carthage, known as the ‘shining city’, in 814BC. “The jewellery is created in her image – adventurous and independent,” says Didon designer Azza Skhiri. These hoop earrings, titled Mina, strike through the ear to create a bold silhouette. The highly polished rounds of 18ct rose gold are gently tapered, with the thicker end decorated with diamonds. The diamond settings have been blackened with rhodium plating to create a darkly dramatic, and sparkling, end to the design – much like Dido’s own end, which came when she climbed atop a burning pyre, impaling herself with the sword of Aeneas, the lover who had just left her.

Didon 18ct rose gold Mina hoop earrings with diamonds in rhodium-blackened settings. Buy them here

 

December 10^th

The rich, starburst texture of this Brooke Gregson 18ct yellow gold pendant has been achieved through incredibly intricate engraving techniques. Gregson, who splits her time between her two jewellery studios in California’s Venice and London’s Shoreditch, uses British goldsmiths to achieve this luxurious look. Each groove of Brooke Gregson’s engraved jewels is lovingly etched by hand in London, and this celebration of texture has become a signature of the brand. “Influenced by my textile background and watercolour paintings, my collections are an homage to the different symbols jewellery can hold and the strong women who wear them,” says Gregson, who was born in Los Angeles and worked as textile designer before she discovered a passion for jewellery design. This Brooke Gregson Talisman Shield Georgian bezel pendant has been further embellished with 0.52ct of tapered white diamonds and 1.1ct of moonstones.

Brooke Gregson 18ct yellow gold, diamond and moonstone Talisman Shield necklace, £6,900. Buy it here

 

December 9^th

At The Jewellery Cut, we have a passion for discovering new jewellery designers and Hutch London definitely qualifies as a fresh find. Founded this year by recent British Academy of Jewellery graduate Sophie Hutchinson, Hutch London’s jewels take inspiration from nature, texture and travel with a focus on delicate, timeless, precious designs. All of its jewellery, including this trio of yellow gold-plated silver Celestial studs, is cast in London’s Hatton Garden and then finished by hand by Hutchinson in her studio. “The Celestial collection is for those who admire the whimsical magic behind the sun, the moon and the stars,” says Hutchinson, who also found time this year to write for The Jewellery Cut. “Somewhat romantic, the collection is built up of beautiful pieces that we hope will inspire you to shoot for the stars. I think these studs would make great stocking stuffers, or just a fun alternative to your standard pair.” Sold as a trio, the Hutch London Celestial studs are designed to be mixed and matched with other earrings, tapping into the vogue for multiple piercings. As well as yellow gold vermeil, this on-trend triple threat is also available in plain silver or solid 18ct gold.

Hutch London yellow gold-plated silver Celestial ear studs, £100 for all three. Buy them here

 

December 8^th

From her studio in the heart of seaside creative hub Brighton, ethical jewellery designer Marie Walshe is trying to change the way we buy jewellery, with collections that she describes as “conscious luxury”. Her brand Sorrel Bay Fine Jewellery, named after her daughter, is dedicated to ethical sourcing and sustainable production. It works with Fairtrade or recycled gold, and only uses gemstones that are responsibly sourced. Each piece is one-of-a-kind jewel and is handmade in Britain. While Walshe knows when to dish out a twinkling diamond or two, her real passion lies in the underdogs of the gemmological world, like the oval-shaped slice of lace agate in this Sorrel Bay pendant. “Dendritic agate with floral natural growth patterns, lace agates with landscape-like linear formations, and natural grey diamonds with their utterly beautiful natural flaws,” enthuses Walshe, listing off a few of her favourite gems. “Each piece is like a mini work of art, asking you to look closer and see the magic of the gemstone that was formed thousands of years ago, deep within the earth.” To keep the focus on the beauty of the lace agate in this pendant, which she sourced from a small artisanal mine in Mexico, Walshe has kept the setting simple. Six claws hold the gemstone in place on the 18ct recycled yellow gold pendant, which has been accented with a strip of ethically mined Canadamark diamonds.

Sorrel Bay 18ct recycled yellow gold, Canadamark diamonds and lace agate necklace, £2,160. Buy it here

 

December 7^th

If you like to know the story behind your jewellery, Arabel Lebrusan has a brilliant tale to tell about this From Colombia with Love ring. Ethical jewellery designer Lebrusan has dedicated her working life to making jewellery that benefits artisanal mining communities. “I don’t want to support any kind of exploitation, whether that’s of individuals who don’t have the economic means to defend themselves, or environments that can’t cope with the chemicals and processes traditionally used to extract gold from the earth,” says the jeweller, who holds regular one-to-one meetings with clients in both London and Brighton. “That’s why I insist that all the precious metals and gemstones that we use are sustainably and ethically sourced.” The From Colombia with Love ring is made with Fairmined silver from the Iquira mine in Colombia. The silver filigree work within the frame of the ring – a hallmark of Lebrusan’s – is crafted by a filigree artisan named Elena, who lives in La Llanada in the Colombian mountains. Lebrusan visited Elena in Colombia to share her designs and work with her to create this truly traceable line of jewellery.

Arabel Lebrusan Fairmined silver filigree From Colombia with Love ring, £135. Buy it here

 

December 6^th

British jeweller The Rock Hound is garnering an international reputation for contemporary, ethically produced jewels that deliver a punch of colour through expertly chosen gemstones. As such, it has been selected to be part of an exclusive collective of 24 cutting-edge designer brands challenged to highlight the beauty of emeralds. This assemblage of jewellery power players has been orchestrated by ethically minded miner Muzo Emerald Colombia. It has tasked each designer to create a five-piece jewellery collection using its Colombian emeralds in various forms, such as raw organic slices, tripaches, tumbles and cabochons. The Rock Hound’s offering is Molten Muzo, a line of jewels that hold tumbled Muzo Colombian emeralds – stones that are smooth with a lively polish, but not faceted – within oozes of seemingly dripping, molten 18ct Fairtrade yellow gold. “These Muzo emerald crystals have been tumbled and polished, allowing their encapsulated beauty to be bathed in light, which the inner jardin [the inclusions within an emerald] reflects back to the eye with a cool luminosity,” says The Rock Hound founder and gemmologist Susi Smither. “Being the gemmologist jeweller, we always do our upmost to preserve, reinforce and complement each gemstone’s unique attributes, letting the rocks be the star of the show.” The Rock Hound Molten Muzo jewellery collection was debuted in New York this week, and is available to buy through the brand’s website.

The Rock Hound 18ct Fairtrade yellow gold and 20.6ct Colombian Muzo emerald Candelabra necklace, £11,500. Buy it here

December 5^th

London jeweller Taylor & Hart is better known for its bespoke engagement rings – its clever technology lets you build your own engagement ring on its website, ensuring that the design you purchase is truly tailored to you and your betrothed. However, its mission statement is to “be your jeweller for life” and as such, it has now launched collection of finished jewellery for those other precious moments in life, such as birthdays or Christmas gifts. “Modern classics characterise the collection,” says Taylor & Hart creative director Jason D’Heureux, a gemmologist who studied his craft at the GIA in New York. “Each item can be layered to express your individuality. Worn singly or together, one metal or many, this collection is sure to delight.” One of the key designs in the collection is this Taylor & Hart Evil Eye Teardrop bracelet, which can be ordered in yellow, rose or white 9ct gold. Clusters of pavé-set black diamonds, white diamonds and one blue sapphire for the pupil join together to create the evil eye symbol, a protective spiritual talisman that has importance in many of the world’s religions, including Buddhism, Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Hanging down from the Evil Eye is a teardrop, studded with two more white diamonds for extra sparkle. And good news for fans of the ‘gram, Taylor & Hart has just launched Instagram shopping, making it easier than ever to buy what you love from its feed.

Taylor & Hart 9ct gold, white diamond, black diamond and blue sapphire Evil Eye Teardrop bracelets, £390 each. Buy here in rose, yellow or white gold

 

December 4^th

If there is a must-have jewel of the moment, it’s the statement earring, and these Zen in Rubellite earrings by Satta Matturi certainly make a powerful impact. This bold, outsized design is from the 12-piece Artful Indulgence earring collection by the British Botswana-based jeweller. “I loved the idea of putting together an earring collection,” says Matturi, whose skill as a diamond grader has her in constant jet-set mode, travelling the globe to where the big stones are. “There is so much opportunity for a woman to express who she is with a pair of earrings. Whether at a power meeting, night at the theatre or a girly lunch with family and friends, earrings provide the perfect jewellery choice to convey the appropriate mood.” This particular pair have been crafted in 18ct white gold and set with 558 rose-cut diamonds and 10 smooth rubellite cabochons. Staying true to her heritage, the design of the Satta Matturi Zen in Rubelite earrings takes its cues from African Java-print batik fabrics. As well as commissioning direct from Satta Matturi, jewellery lovers in London can now see this exciting new designer’s work in contemporary jewel hub Kabiri in Marylebone.

Satta Matturi 18ct white gold, diamond and rubellite Zen in Rubellite earrings, price on application. Buy through Kabiri

 

December 3rd

For those of us who love to play with our jewellery, nothing is quite so satisfying as a jewel that can move. This World Famous ring by Parisian jewellery designer Ilona Orel does just that, with its black diamond and 18ct white gold globe able to spin on its axis, just like the real thing. Perpetual motion is one of the key inspirations that drives Orel when making her jewels – she also has a clever cross necklace made up of two separate parts that sway like a mobile.  The designer, who has a background in contemporary art, is also influenced by spirituality. “I like to give meaning to every piece that I design,” says Orel, who is committed to working exclusively with ethically sourced precious metals and gemstones. “The globe is one of the most commonly used symbols in Feng Shui. It is an excellent energiser for success, especially if you are in the fields of media, entertainment, publishing and communications. It can enhance fame and recognition.” And to keep you grounded in your quest for success, the Ilona Orel World Famous ring can be personalised with a ruby to mark the spot on the map that you call home.

Ilona Orel 18ct white gold and black diamond World Famous ring, price on application, €10,700. Buy it here 

 

December 2nd

This solid silver Heritage double twisted wire charm bangle has been crafted by award-winning British jewellery manufacturer Curteis. The family-owned jewellery business was founded in 1975 when Roger Curteis began playing with chain-making machines as a hobby in his attic on the family stately home, Plas Yolyn in Shropshire. He was looking for a distraction from the tough life of farming, and as his passion project grew, the Curteis family swapped rearing livestock for crafting jewels using traditional silversmithing and goldsmithing techniques. The business has bloomed in the four decades since, and Curteis now sends its British-made jewels to stores all over the world. Today, Roger’s sons Henry and Hugh Curteis oversee the family workshops, which still reside in rural Shropshire. Curteis is best known for its exquisite quality chains, in gold and silver, but it also has a growing collection of jewellery designs, including this bangle from the Heritage collection. The design has two silver bangles, one smooth and highly polished, and the other created from twisted silver wire to create a beautiful textured feel to it when you run your fingers across it. The bangles are held together with a silver padlock-style charm that has just enough space for an engraved initial, for a truly personalised Christmas gift.

Curteis silver Heritage double twisted wire charm bangle, £69.60. Buy it here

 

December 1st

We’re kicking off The Jewellery Cut Advent Calendar 2018 with a vibrant blue apatite ring from Roseheart Jewels. The two rugged gemstones have been left uncut in their natural form, creating rough, organic pools of electric blue that celebrate the beauty of nature and gemmology. Roseheart Jewels founder Donna Mills, who recently moved her jewellery store from her native New Zealand to Bedford Street in London’s bustling shopping hub Covent Garden, is not just a jewellery designer but a qualified homeopath. As such, she takes a great interest in the healing properties of the gemstones that she works with and describes blue apatite as “a motivator stone” that stimulates independent thinking and ambition. “It helps you get up and get going to achieve your dreams,” says Mills. “At the same time, it is balancing and stabilising, so you don’t fall flat from wild enthusiasm.” That sounds like something we could all use a little of during the festive frenzy. Mills is an advocate of the Arts & Crafts movement and all of her jewels are made by hand, with many crafted using the ancient artisan technique of lost-wax carving. The two blue apatite gems have been set in silver, with yellow gold-plated accents looping around the textured settings. The oceanic inspiration behind this Roseheart Jewels ring is deepened with the addition of four green chrome diopside stones. This ring is available to buy online at Roseheart Jewels’ website and also at its Covent Garden jewellery store, which is open from 10am to 8pm on Monday through Saturday, and 11am to 7pm on Sundays.

Roseheart Jewels blue apatite and chrome diopside silver Ocean ring, £152. Buy it here  

African and African-American cultures have influenced the world we live in. Permeating every corner of culture, art, jewellery and style, the effects are diverse and potent.

 

Some are subtle, such as the geometric lines that Picasso borrowed from traditional wooden African masks for his Cubist art works. Others are more obvious – hip hop’s love affair with heavy diamond-set jewellery, which created a whole new genre, not to mention the coining of new, now dictionary-approved, words to describe the adornments.

 

Here are three such examples of African and African-American culture changing the way we dress, create and think.

 

1

Josephine Baker

The Art Deco movement of the 1920s is one of my favourite jewellery and design eras and whenever I see art, jewellery, architecture or furniture from that age, I immediately think of Josephine Baker.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Baker was an African-American singer, performer and civil rights activist who rose to fame during The Jazz Age, after swapping the States for Paris in 1925. She was notably the first African-American woman to star in a full-length motion picture (1934’s Zouzou) and in later years she received the prestigious Croix de Guerre military award for her role in the French Resistance during World War II. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
In my view, it goes without saying that she was known for her stylish, sensational ensembles and had spectacular taste in jewellery, all of which popularised the Art Deco style directions at the time. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Baker once said: “We must change the system of education and instruction. Unfortunately, history has shown us that brotherhood must be learned, when it should be natural.”⁠⠀
⁠⠀
To read more about Josephine Baker and some of her fabulous jewels, The Adventurine has a wonderful article for you. And thanks to Yega Illustrations for creating this illustration of Josephine Baker for me.

 

2

African masks

African art and cultures have influenced many modern and contemporary works throughout the years. One in particular is the introduction of African mask sculpture forms into European art during the early 1900s. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
These sculptures and carvings, mainly made of wood, brass and copper, were embodiments of ancestral spirits, and so were deeply rooted in the cultures and civilisations of Western and Central Africa from where they originated. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Picasso’s Cubism movement was predominately influenced by African mask forms, incorporating similar geometric lines and emphasised aesthetics; this aesthetic would further filter into the Art Deco design era. Picasso was known to have amassed a large collection of African mask sculptures with other modernist artists such as Matisse, Modigliani and Brancusi. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
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, such as these white gold Totem earrings with rose-cut diamonds and rubellite cabochons, as shot by Isabelle Bonjean for The Economist.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
To learn more about or purchase African art or masks, here are some great Instagram accounts to follow:⁠⠀
@tribal_gatheringlondon⁠⠀
@signatureafricanart⁠⠀
@lucas_ratton⁠⠀
@so.shiro⁠⠀
@editionslittleafrica⁠⠀
@britishmuseum⁠⠀
@themuseumofmodernart⁠⠀
⁠⠀

3

Hip hop’s bling bling

Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick, LL Cool J, Lil’ Kim, The Notorious B.I.G., Lil’ Wayne, Run-DMC, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, Jay-Z. All these names are all synonymous with the culture of hip hop and rap, but they are also intrinsically linked to jewellery.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Rap and hip hop has contributed a huge amount over the years to jewellery, and the industry at large, in the form of promoting its beauty, value and prestige, particularly through the widely used term ‘bling bling’, which derived from the culture and was added to the Oxford dictionary in 2003.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
This music genre reaches millions of people across the globe, many of whom are Gen Z aspirants and one can be certain that with each generation the words ‘ice’ and ‘bling’ are known to be directly related to diamonds and jewellery. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
While many would question the style, design and subtlety of what is worn by many of these international artists, it goes without saying that they have created and developed their own genre and style that continues to evolve and be aspirational. They sing about it and wear it, too.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
It would be fascinating to understand what the size of this particular sub-set of the jewellery market is worth, but in the meantime let’s recognise their contribution. Should you want to read more about hip-hop jewellery Highsnobiety has a great article on this subject.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
For now, let me leave you with the words of the famous rapper trio Migos, from their 2018 song Too Much Jewellery:⁠⠀
⁠⠀
I just spent a cool half a ticket on my jewellery,⁠⠀
Clear white diamonds make your eyesight blurry,⁠⠀
Excuse me, I have on too much jewellery, ⁠⠀
Never too much, never too much, so much
⁠⠀

Satta Matturi is an award-winning fine jewellery designer, creating luxury modern jewels with an African twist. This article originally appeared in post format on our Instagram account for the #TJCxSATTAMATTURI takeover. 

Ever since Mikimoto Kōkichi perfected culturing pearls at the beginning of the 20^thcentury, the lustrous gems have been born of a man-inserted nucleus rather than an opportunistic irritant. To date, these nuceli have been non-precious items such as beads or crushed mussel shells, but now pearl farmers have mastered a technique that uses turquoise.

 

Oysters surround the bead of turquoise with nacre, and so make a pearl with an unusual centre. The beauty of this combination is revealed by carving the pearls in a decorative fashion, and so allowing the turquoise beneath to be visible.

 

Pearl specialist Remay London has been transforming these unusual turquoise-centred carved pearls into jewellery, focusing on Tahitian South Sea pearls. These black pearls are formed by the rare black-lipped oyster, Pinctada Margaritifera, and farmed in French Polynesia.

 

“To this day, the process of creating most cultured pearls consisted at introducing a nucleus – a polished, round sphere generally made from crushed freshwater mussel shell – along with a small piece of mantle tissue from another mollusc,” says Remay London founder Remi Andre. “Today’s techniques allow pearl farmers to substitute the long-time used freshwater mussel shell with other materials, such as turquoise.”

 

Tahitian pearls are rare, but Tahitian pearls with turquoise centres are even rarer – and the newness of their invention means finding the right quality can be tough. “The level of nacre on the pearl remains the same [compared to traditional nuclei], but it is very hard to obtain a good-quality pearl as the success rate isn’t that great yet,” says Andre.

 

 

Remay London will be showing some rare carved, turquoise-centred Tahitian South Sea pearls at The Jewellery Cut Live on September 15^th& 16^th, 2019, at Café Royal on London’s Regent Street. To see these gems up close, register for a free ticket here. The show is open to all jewellery lovers, from the simply curious to the serious collector.