Events
Preview: The Jewellery Cut Live in association with Fuli Gemstones, October 2020
All the details on this season’s show on October 11th & 12th, plus a guide to the designers you can expect to meet at The Royal Institution
September 8, 2020 By The Jewellery Cut
COVID-19 UPDATE: THIS OCTOBER 2020 EDITION OF THE JEWELLERY CUT LIVE IN ASSOCIATION WITH FULI GEMSTONES HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO GOVERNMENT RESTRICTIONS. THE SHOW WILL RETURN IN 2021. TO BE AMONG THE FIRST TO KNOW THE NEW DATES, SIGN UP TO OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE
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.
Deborah Blyth
British designer Deborah Blyth’s signature design aesthetic celebrates the beauty of nature’s imperfections, exploring organic, tactile forms inspired by the natural world. Her passion for swimming and the restorative power of water began as a child living by the sea. Swimming has long been her stress reliever; worries dissolve, spirits lift and her best ideas are born when she’s pushing through the chilly, silken water. Blyth began designing jewellery in 2004, whilst living in Italy, where she was inspired by her beautiful surroundings. Each piece of Deborah Blyth jewellery has a personality of its own, handcrafted in the brand’s London studio through the process of lost-wax casting. Many pieces are embellished with semi-precious stones and striking pearls for everyday luxury that can be worn from day to night. All Deborah Blyth jewels are available in sterling silver or 24ct gold vermeil, and often incorporate beautifully lustrous baroque pearls into many the designs, creating a wonderful mix of textures and styles.
Drutis Jewellery
Drutis Jewellery is a mother and daughter duo, and the fine jewellery brand seeks its inspiration from family values, treasures, heirlooms and pieces with hidden meaning. It came into the world of design from a love for fine jewellery, rather than a profession. Drutis Jewellery dares to be different and breathe meaning into every creation. Its pieces are always more than what meets the eye, be that through a design quirk or an engineering feature. A key design is Drutis’s jewellery kaleidoscopes, precious pendants filled with gemstones that work just like the child’s toy. The Dream collection incorporates design and engineering features that create kinetic jewellery pieces with a lot of hidden meaning, magnetism and opportunity for personalisation. The Smart collection encompasses modern, versatile and practical jewellery that is at the same time luxurious. A clever opening mechanism allows you to switch and change up your jewellery in an instant, real modern luxury.
Fuli Gemstones
This year, we are delighted to introduce you to our headline sponsor Fuli Gemstones, a progressive mining company, run by a dynamic, multi-cultural team. The company owns the largest-known peridot deposit in the world, called Yiqi Nanshan. Fuli’s vision is to build the most captivating gemstone company in the world, that is considerate of the planet, and inspires creativity. Fuli’s Chinese heritage and forward-thinking approach provides an ideal platform for partnerships with international designers and luxury brands. The Yiqisong Nanshan mine is located in the foothills of the tranquil Changbai Mountains. The peridot gemstone from this region is characteristically vibrant grass green, with exceptional hue and saturation that requires no treatment. Fuli Gemstones offers a consistent supply of superior gemstones, supported by active global marketing initiatives and will offer traceability on its products. The Fuli Gemstones philosophy is simple: natural innovation combined with positive change. As well as bringing some loose peridot gems to the show, Fuli Gemstones has also collaborated with emerging jewellery designers Liv Luttrell and Zeemou Zeng and will be showcasing exclusive designs made by them at the show.
fuligemstones.com
Ilona Orel
With an experience in contemporary art as an owner of a Parisian gallery, Ilona Orel recently launched her own jewellery brand. Jewellery creation is a new step in her life that she’s been exploring for more than a year, creating talismanic jewellery collections with the power to bring luck, protect and nurture spirituality – universal symbols reimagined with a contemporary edge. Orel’s collection is a result of her personal research into ancient and sacred sources, studying both texts and objects, mysticism and alchemy. It is emotionally charged jewellery that empowers and enlightens. Most of her jewellery is kinetic, with some elements in constant motion:,the Third Eye pieces with mobile iris; her World Famous ring mounted with a rotating globe, a powerful Feng Shui symbol; her Perpetual Mobile cross with two moving axes, whose meaning goes beyond the religious dimension. In crafting her jewels, she works with one of the most established Place Vendôme Parisian ateliers, using certified gold to create ethical and sustainable jewellery. Orel also customises her jewellery to give that unique and personal touch to each of her creations.
Jessica Steele
Jessica Steele has spent the last decade of her life dedicating herself to her passion in the jewellery industry. Her jewellery obsession began from a young age when she collected small mineral kits which formed part of her imaginative play adventures outdoors with her siblings. She then went on to study art and 3D design at college where she was first exposed to metalwork and jewellery and thus she discovered her creative flair in making. Her love for the finer pieces was built over a number of years, collecting books on the history of jewellery, expanding her knowledge of the origins of her craft. Steele built an enviable collection of personal pieces consisting of antique and bespoke jewellery, which she wears every day. She worked full time in a number of luxury sectors and spent her evenings and weekends at the bench creating bespoke jewellery for her friends and family. Jessica Steele Jewellery was formed at the start of 2020 after the designer decided to move permanently and call Leeds home. She wanted to create a luxury setting for people to immerse themselves in her world of jewellery. The studio is by appointment only, offering individuals and couples alike an opportunity to have their special memories visualised into precious pieces that could one day become the family heirlooms that she is so passionate about. The studio also offers a workshop space – separate to the showroom where you can step into the shoes of a jeweller for a day, learning about the manufacturing techniques that have been passed down through hundreds of years and coming away with a piece of jewellery you have created with your very own hands.
Libby Rak
Libby Rak is a jeweller from Oxfordshire whose passion for jewellery began at a young age. At the age of 14, she started a Saturday job working for an independent jeweller, Julia Beusch, who owned a shop in Woodstock near where Rak lives. It was this job that provided her with hands-on experience as well as allowing her to develop skills such as restringing pearls and repairing silver jewellery. During the six years working alongside Beusch, Rak constructed her own workbench at home where she began working on her own designs and putting together collections under her name. This allowed Rak to develop her own style and put the experience she had gained working with Beusch into practice. Rak graduated from prestigious jewellery school, The British Academy of Jewellery, before opening her own gallery in Woodstock in 2017. All Libby Rak jewellery is handmade using sterling silver, gold and semi-precious and precious gemstones. She also offers a commission and repair service.
@libbyrakjeweller @libbyrakdiamonds
Marie Mas
Marie Cabirou is the Founder and the creative director of Marie Mas. After studying at the prestigious École Duperré (College of Art, Design and Fashion) and IFM (French Fashion Institute) in Paris, Cabirou learned jewellery design by assisting Florence Croisier and Shourouk. In 2012, she joined Maison Christian Dior Couture with Raf Simons, where she honed her jewellery design skills. Three years later, Cabirou decided to launch her own line of fine jewellery and haute couture jewellery that she named Marie Mas, as a tribute to her maternal grandmother, Henriette Mas, who influenced her taste for femininity, beauty and creation. “Movement has been an obsession of mine since I started to design,” says Cabirou. “For me, good design is surprising, it looks alive and gives a soul to the object. Also, the ‘wow’ effect when you discover a piece of jewellery is very important. A piece is a success if you see the sparkle in the eyes of the person who discovers it. I want every woman to feel rapt with wonder for a moment.” With that in mind, Cabirou has developed and always works around the idea of jewels which come to life when they are worn. With every collection, she creates pieces which can transform and adapt themselves to the movements of the woman who wears them, magnifying her sensuality and adding excitement to every movement.
Nichola Souelias
Nichola Souelias started creating his sketchbooks in London, where he moved to study architecture. This path has been not only his desire and aspiration; architecture runs in his blood, with his family and his better half working as architects. Souelias’ career in architecture and engineering has focused mostly on the Middle East, where he has been project managing major public and private buildings of all kinds. A newer love has been jewellery, which he now turns his design skills to. His debut collection Alif uses 18ct gold in custom alloys of rose, white and yellow, set with diamonds and precious gemstones. Every piece in the collection is a reminder of fluid simplicity with intricate details of unparalleled beauty. The eccentric design and exceptional craftsmanship allows Nichola Souelias to produce a limited amount of pieces per collection, making them exclusive finds.
Noor Shamma
Noor Shamma’s interest in understanding the complexities inherent in the everyday simplicity allows her to look beyond the obvious and see within and around. The New York designer developed a passion for jewellery and all things beautiful at a very young age. Her brand articulates a harmonious rapport between classic and contemporary, with influences from unique patterns and minimalist motifs. Each of her jewellery collections capture personal stories interwoven with art, identity and emotion, and are expertly made by skilled artisans is New York City. Members of the Ethical Metalsmiths, Noor Shamma believes in the importance of its contribution to a world that grants a better future to the environment and an improved quality of life for everyone. Committed to embracing sustainable practices, the company uses recycled, conflict-free and fair-mined metals in an effort to produce sustainable jewellery. Its suppliers are certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council, and to ensure the protection of human rights and the environment, all its diamonds are sourced from countries that are in compliance with the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.
Naz Hariri
Nazli Hariri is a London-based jewellery designer and gemmologist, who was born in Iran. She started her jewellery business in Iran when she was just 22 years old. Her passion for jewellery started in her teenage years, when she was inspired by Loulou de la Falais and Betty Catroux. After obtaining her degree in psychology, she followed her passion for art and design. She acquired a GIA certificate from the Gemological Institute of America and then completed her history of art course at Christie’s, which had a massive influence on her jewellery designs. Hariri established a very successful business and then took a brief hiatus when her son was born. Since launching her jewellery line years ago, her use of precious and colourful materials make her unique pieces, which have gained her many clients in Iran. Her designs are highly distinctive, taking inspiration from nature and world cultures. Her jewellery embodies a sensual elegance that appeals to sophisticated and elegant women and gives them individuality while adding a unique twist to any outfit. One of Hariri’s key inspirations can be traced to her grandfather, who was an antiques and jewellery collector. However, his collection was seized in the Islamic revolution of 1975 along with many more of her family assets.Her grandfather’s passion for antique jewellery and art had a major influence on her from a young age. This has undoubtedly added to her artistic flair.
Olivia & Pearl
What do you do when you love pearls but all the jewellery around feels a bit dated? Well, if anything like Olivia & Pearl founder Olivia Smith, you decide to make your own. “I have so many ambitious, intelligent and stylish friends who think pearls rock but can’t find affordable jewellery designed with the modern woman in mind,” she says. “Olivia & Pearl was born because I’ve loved pearls since I was little and looking around it was clear there was nothing out there that would appeal to the women in my life.” Over time the #pearlgirl idea took shape in her mind and she looked to her friends as the ultimate inspiration for her designs: real, cool and savvy women. By cutting out the middle man and sourcing directly from suppliers, she is able to offer the highest quality pearls and gemstones set in sterling silver, gold vermeil and solid gold at an affordable price and bring beautiful pearl jewellery to a new generation of pearl lovers. Smith focuses on entwining the contemporary with the classic and designing beautiful pieces created to celebrate the individualism, beauty and power of women and celebrate their milestones with them.
Pearly Hawker
Pearly Hawker is a jewellery brand created and designed by Mercedes Palmer-Higgins in her hometown of Colchester. Founded on the idea that every piece should be a wearable story, her jewellery is made by hand and inspired by the realms of history, mythology, music and tales. Pearly Hawker works to create jewellery that has a life of its own, filled with symbolism and meaning. Wearable, interesting and beautiful, it is her aim to make pieces that will hold a sense of wonder and awe as they are passed down. The name Pearly Hawker originates from her wish to use her own history as inspiration for her brand. With stories of Spanish Hawker ancestors and her great grandparents being Pearly Kings & Queens, it made sense that as the next in a long line of mad creatives, she herself would be a Pearly Hawker. Every piece is originally hand carved, so all the designs are sculptures in miniature, telling stories to the world and the wearer. Taking form from inspirations such as historical events, mythological creatures and music for example, every piece takes time and gains a sense of power and presence.
Ruby Taglight
In 2016, Ruby Taglight graduated from the Glasgow School of Art with a BA(Hons) in Painting and Printmaking. She created heavily embellished, figurative sculptures, which explored the relationship between function and the ornament. Her narrative pieces aimed to explore how we choose to place value and importance within an increasingly desensitised and technological world, using materials such as dried flowers and cheap embellishments in order to ask the viewer what are the factors they consider beautiful, and what the function of this beauty is. It was here she discovered a deep connection with adornment, and subsequently moved to New York to earn a Graduate Gemologist Diploma from the Gemological Institute of America. On returning to London, Taglight began to create jewellery; continuing to explore themes surrounding the role of the ornament. She draws on myths, history and religion to create pieces that tell a narrative. Each piece is unique, designed and handcrafted from start to finish by Taglight, with the intention of providing the wearer with a sense of wonder. As the piece is worn, it is her intention that the story referenced will continue to be relived in our daily lives.
SB London
SB London was founded in 2015 by Punam Gudka. She is inspired by her rich Indian heritage, spiritual upbringing and a love of creating beautiful pieces of jewellery and accessories for a modern woman in search of something unique. Born into an African knitwear family, with a childhood spent in her parents’ ladies and childrenswear boutique, Gudka had been exposed to luxury fabrics and textiles from an early age. Over the years, Gudka has worked with luxury products, from bespoke eyewear to runway collections. She knows how a luxury product should look and feel to the wearer, as well as, the importance of a high-quality finish adding longevity to products, creating heirlooms. In 2013, Gudka started creating capsule collections using traditional Indian printed fabrics and upcycled textiles, transforming them into one-of-a-kind modern everyday pieces of clothing and accessories. This is where her signature east meets west style, was first evident. Following a majestic trip to Jaipur, the ‘Pink City’ of India, Gudka found herself madly, deeply in love with gemstones. From this journey came a capsule collection of one-of-a-kind handmade semi-precious beaded earrings, necklaces, bracelets and rings. A love of making jewellery evolved into working on more technical fashion-forward designs using precious metals, precious and semi-precious gemstones and enamel. The Bella Ball Pendant was the very first piece created, inspired by love, light and positive energy and it just went from there.
Shatha London
Shatha London was founded in London in 2011, creating artistic bespoke adornments, one-off bridal jewellery, and commercial limited-edition collections. The brand underwent complete rejuvenation in November 2018 and launched its first permanent commercial jewellery collection at Dubai Design Week 2018. Shatha London creates avant-garde body adornment that retain the qualities of fine jewellery while using cutting-edge digital technology and the latest generation of rapid prototyping in the design and making process. Through a range of luxury and accessible lines, Shatha London is unique in its offering of both personalisation and conceptual designs. The brand is committed to ethical production. All the fine jewellery materials are ethically sourced, with only Fairtrade gold and diamonds sourced from mines that follow the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) used in the creation of the pieces. All its jewels are made in London. London-based creative Dr Shaza A. Sabbagh is the founder of Shatha London. Sabbagh’s signature style comprises collections that draw upon her understanding of European and Middle Eastern cultures, to create unique fusions of design and technology. She has worked on private commissions for more than a decade and is dedicated to both hand and digital craftsmanship in the design and production of jewellery, creating visually striking and innovative pieces of adornment. Awarded a doctoral degree in Design and Technology from the University of the Arts London, London College of Fashion, Sabbagh has been endorsed by the British Government as an exceptional talent, supported by Tech City UK. This award builds on her established qualifications in fine jewellery, and gemmology, from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).
Silverton Diamonds
Silverton Diamonds is a long-established wholesaler of loose diamonds, gemstones, and fine jewellery, and a member of the London Diamond Bourse. It offers a wide range of beautifully made diamond jewellery and engagement rings, at huge discounts compared to high street prices.
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