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