Local Jewellery Gems: Sweetpea in Primrose Hill

Tiny, pretty things. This is what's in store in the lovely Sweetpea in Primrose Hill, a gorgeous find located on a backstreet in North West London. Run by Siobhan and her friendly team, this homely boutique sells the kind of jewellery that I want to wear. It's all teeny tiny, delicate, gold pieces, peppered with little diamonds. 

The aesthetic is one that is increasingly popular in London - layering of delicate, fine, precious pieces rather than opting for big, bold, and fake, and it works extremely well for daily wear, as well as for something more formal such as an engagement ring.

We've therefore featured a selection of engagement rings that we love - very thin, fine bands of gold and subtle but beautifully cut stones.

We particularly love a rose cut diamond, and these are featured quite heavily in the store's collection. Perfect for those who don't want a diamond sitting too 'proud' above the finger, the flat base of the cut allows quite a minimalist look which is also really easy to wear, as it won't catch or snag on clothes.

Also stocking brands such as Ruth Tomlinson, Laura Lee, Alex Monroe, Kamofie and Redline, all following a similar delicate, easy-to-wear, feminine style, Sweetpea is the place to go if you're looking for something precious and delicate for someone who isn't too showy with the jewellery they wear.

Visit the store:

77 Gloucester Avenue,
Primrose Hill,
London NW1 8LD

tel: +44 (0)207 449 9292
email: mail@sweetpeajewellery.com

Or the website (under construction at time of press):

http://sweetpeajewellery.com

P.s. Sweetpea also has an interesting pearl collection, great for brides wanting something a little different, and we'll feature this soon in our upcoming feature on alternative bridal jewellery.

Vintage find: Diamond & Pearl Star Earrings

Swooning over these this week....love the rose gold posts.

Fortune favours the brave: the jewellery of Lauren Adriana

We first noticed jewellery designer Lauren Adriana in 2009 amongst the chaos and hopeful averageness of the hell that is the International Jewellery Fair in London. Shining out like a beacon of style against a backdrop of uninspiring mediocrity, we instantly liked the quiet confidence she had in her work; she'd clearly gone against the standard 'rules' of building a collection, and instead produced a handful of incredible one-off, gemstone-led pieces, with incredible craftsmanship and exquisite finishing.

Ziggurat Ring - gold, citrine, rhodolite, spessartite, sapphires, amethyst, diamonds

It's tricky to build a brand around a motley crew of beautiful things, however beautiful there are. But this is where Lauren has succeeded. From a seemingly incohesive  (style-wise) collection of unconventional, bold, gemstone jewellery, Lauren has infused each piece with its own sense of style and wonder. And that's where the cohesion becomes apparent.

Osiris Ring - gold, silver, copper, rutile quartz, tourmaline, diamonds

Using a rich palette of muted tones like burnt orange, rich berry pinks and lilacs against pops of turquoise, the pieces form a kaleidoscope of colour structured by strong, geometric lines and framing. 

Rose Earrings - gold, silver, amethyst, rhodolite, sapphires

And the fearlessness doesn't stop there. Unusual gemstones such as spessartite (a bright mandarin orange garnet) and indicolite (a very rare and very pure blue tourmaline) lie alongside stunning amethysts, sapphires and aquamarines, all beautiful quality and exquisite cuts.

Barb Earrings - gold, bronze, moonstone, prasiolite, diamonds

In addition to this, and going against all that traditional fine jewellery deems right and proper, Lauren has then included metals such as anodised aluminium, patinated copper and bronze, no mean feat considering how nervous a clientele can be about parting with their money for something they have never heard of before. 

Barb Earrings - gold, bronze, moonstone, prasiolite, diamonds

But if you're going to use those kinds of 'unprecious' metals in a fine jewellery collection, this is the way to do it. Brave, bold, experimental but sleek, polished and always beautiful, these pieces are hugely covetable for their richness and pure luxuriousness.

Ingot Ring - platinum, indicolite, sapphires

Pioneering new frontiers in jewellery design, Lauren Adriana is leading the way and saving us from the predictable 'rock 'n' roll' aesthetic that is sweeping London (still). 

To view the pieces in person, visit the Notting Hill boutique at 12 Colville Mews, London, W11 2DA, or visit www.laurenadriana.com to see more online.

Custom Engagement Ring Design: 3D Printing!

How does a man propose to his jewellery designer girlfriend? This was the conundrum of the other half of one of The Cut's favourite designers, Hattie Rickards. So rather than trying to match Hattie's own immense design skills, he went totally left-field, and tweaked a design of Elizabeth Taylor's ridiculously huge 30ct diamond engagement ring, and 'printed' it out in solid plastic! The little genius.

3D Printing is an additive process, where layers of material are built up on top of one another from a digital design file, and essentially 'printed' out using a 3D printer. The jewellery designer and her boyfriend are 'obsessed' with 3D printing, so this seems a fitting and hugely original way to pop the question.

We love it! Hattie's boyfriend, we salute you. 

Hot new find: Noor Fares

We saw these gorgeous earrings last week and had to feature them:

Made by the lovely London-based ewellery designer Noor, who we met last week at the Gemfields event, these earrings are made from mammoth ivory, 18k gold and diamonds. We love how they have a 'side profile' design, meaning that when worn they are displayed in their full glory from side on, rather than from the front.

For more of Noor, find her on facebook, or wait for her new website, coming soon.