The Cut: a selection of jewels

Bye bye studs, this season we're going Hippy Luxe...

2010-07-29T21:07:00.000+01:00

Kimberly McDonald, Geode and Diamond pendant

Yup, we're pushing those big, scary, slightly angry-looking graphic neckpieces we bought last year to the back of our jewellery box (if we had a jewellery box like proper grown-ups, rather than a big tangled mess of chains in a pile).

Kimberly McDonald, Freeform earrings with diamonds

This season we're feeling a bit hippy-ish. Not in a Camden market kind of way (we still want diamonds), but in an understated, subtle but precious gemstones, soft-edged metals dripping from our necks kinda way.

Whilst we still want a strong edge to our jewels, and definitely still want to make a statement, and for AW2010 we're getting that by layering and stacking smaller pieces to create a strong look, as well as turning to rough, natural looking stones with a luxury finish. And this is what we mean...Kimberly McDonald uses bold, large-scale geode stones in unusual shapes and sizes.

Geode and diamond ring

But to avoid looking like you've been shopping in the Natural History Museum giftshop, she surrounds these beautiful natural stones with spanking fine diamonds.

Bling, but a natural, just popped out of a volcano bling. If that's possible....

Available to buy at Brown's in London. Go. Now.

All images copyright Kimberley McDonald 2010

The new Brasilian: Fernando Jorge

2010-07-29T20:38:00.000+01:00

Yet another St Martin's find (yawn - sorry for predictability) - but this time from the Masters Degree course. Fernando Jorge is a young Brazilian designer who relocated from Brazil purely to study at CSM. That's a long way to come. But, impressively, it has seemed to have paid off - we only grabbed a few cards at this year's degree show and Fernando's was one of them.

His fluid, dripping metals flow seamlessly into the bespoke cut pastel-hued stones - the craftsmanship in this unbelievable stone cutting is perfectly matched and showcased by Fernando's gobsmacking goldsmithing skills...

The dripping, draping shapes look almost molten, as if they're still hot. Combined with delicate asymmetry, pretty tones in the stones and fine gold chains, these pieces are out new favourite summer picks.

A perfect antidote to this year's tough, hard lines that are starting to bore even us jewellery geeks here at The Cut.

For more info see www.fernandojorge.co.uk. Bravo!

All images copyright Fernando Jorge 2010.

Dior Haute Joaillerie...

2010-07-19T10:09:00.000+01:00

Swoon....(yeah we know it's not very 'independent designer' of us but it's just too amazing not to post.

New talent...Harry Hornby

2010-07-09T21:57:00.000+01:00

After scouring through all the degree shows that have just finished in London, we found a small handful of jewellery designers that caught our beady eyes.

Showing a professional finish and just enough commerciality (we don't want too much, university is meant to be about exploration and concept awareness) was Harry Hornby, a young jewellery designer producing a light, graphic take on gemstones and delicate bars of metal, using an interesting mix of computer-based design and hand finishing.

Harry aims to place the stunning gemstones she uses in almost invisible settings, giving a clean, architectural feel to her work - she cites Barbara Hepworth and Bridgit Riley as her influences...

With work for Cartier under her belt, as well as a 'Bright Young Thing' award from the upcoming International Jewellery London 2010, Harry is definitely one to watch.

St Martins seem to have spawned yet another shiny bright star, then...

All images copyright Harry Hornby 2010

Treasure at London Jewellery Week: Maria Francesca Pepe

2010-06-11T17:58:00.001+01:00

Mmm we love a bit of Maria. She cleverly fuses her oversized catwalk pieces into easily wearable commercial collections. Not that commercial, but commercial enough to recognise her style whilst being sellable...(huge impractical but gorgeous catwalk piece below).

www.mfpepe.com

Treasure at London Jewellery Week: first look

2010-06-11T17:51:00.000+01:00

Super cool lighting designer (yeah we know it's not strictly jewellery but it kind of is) Penelope Batley showcased her super-sized necklace lights last night at the opening of Treasure for LJW 2010.

Hanging from walls or draped over chairs, they look ace. Have a look at more on her website: www.penelopebatley.co.uk...

Treasure – new talent exhibition at London Jewellery Week…

2010-06-10T15:26:00.000+01:00

'Treasure' Exhibition in London this weekend!

Tourmilinated quartz ring (under UV light), Jayce Wong

Opening to the public from tomorrow 11^th June until Sunday 13^th June, Treasure promises to showcase some of the best contemporary jewellery designers London has to offer.

More UV rings by Jayce Wong

The Cut is attending the opening launch party tonight, and will report back on the best picks tomorrow – all jewellery is available for both the public and trade to buy, and prices start from an easy £20…

We’ll be checking out this year’s ethical jewellery pavilion, Essence, as well as cornering our favourite designers, including Jayce Wong (above), Maria Francesca Pepe (MFP) (below and top image) and The Cut favourite Sarah Herriot.

Maria Francesca Pepe ring

Come back tomorrow for a full report on the best of the best.

Or, even better, pop down yourself before it's all over. Sigh...

Treasure

Victoria House, Southampton Row,
London, WC1B 4DA

Friday 11th June - Sunday 13th June 2010.

More info go www.treasureuk.com

All images copyright of the artists 2010

London Jewellery Week: Annina Vogel at Liberty

2010-06-10T14:17:00.001+01:00

Ah, clever Annina. The London-based jewellery designer not only makes gorgeous, quirky, grown-up ‘vintage- style jewellery from antique Victorian trinkets, but she is also recycling at the same time – she is firm believer in saving as much antique gold as possible…

All her designs keep the vintage element in its original form, but she reworks and repositions them in different ways – for example a charm could become a ring, a brooch part of a pendant, etc. This means every piece is totally unique.

Super-passionate about this technique, she makes ethical jewellery look cool as well as making vintage jewellery feel relevant and contemporary. The somewhat naff arena of charms is reinvented as classic, quirky, and seriously collectible.

As part of London Jewellery Week 2010 Annina is resident in Liberty on Great Malborough St, W1, where she’ll be surrounded by her incredible collection of antique gold trinkets and available to help you build your own bespoke piece of jewellery.

It’s worth a visit even if only to gawk at her extensive collection and gorgeous pieces. The Victorian jewellery designers loved being as idiosyncratic as possible, so you’ll find random references and ridiculous motifs amongst the more sentimental hearts, clovers and lockets.

Definitely worth a rummage…

Have a look at a small selection of Annina’s work here...

All images copyright Annina Vogel 2010

Nice lines: Danielle Vroeman

2010-06-05T09:00:00.002+01:00

Youngster Danielle Vroeman's gorgeous 'Geom' collection...Shiny, happy, simple, lovely.

A little bit of geometric golden-ness to accompany the blazing sunny days in London...enjoy.

Amazingly all pieces retail at around £100 and you can buy directly from the designer herself. Just how we like it.

For more info visit www.daniellevroeman.com.

All images copyright Danielle Vroeman 2010

London Jewellery Week

2010-06-04T17:00:00.002+01:00

It's almost here!

Slowly building up prestige and attracting larger sponsors (Swarovski & Boodles), London Jewellery Week is an event well worth investigating and the annual Treasure exhibition will surely reveal some exciting new designers.

The best of whom we'll be showcasing right here....

www.londonjewelleryweek.co.uk

Pearly Queen: Melanie Georgacopolous

2010-06-03T20:45:00.003+01:00

Faceted black pearl pendant on 18ct gold chain

The use of pearls in fine jewellery is no big news. Hannah Martin has made the black/grey varieties cool, resulting in a legion of copycat designer following suit; and costume jewellery labels such as Erikson Beamon and Mawi are constantly playing with scale, volume and colour to give them a fresh look.

But it’s very rare that a designer really explores and works with the pearl to the extent of Melanie Georgacopoulos.

A french/greek jewellery designer, Melanie has chopped, pierced, faceted (see both above images, and below for more detail) and 're-composed' the pearls in her designs without losing any of the natural lustre or sense of quality in the material.

The images speak for themselves, but we are seriously enamoured with the faceted pearl pendants (above) and the 're-composed' black and white bracelet and pendant. Amazing. How? We've never seen anything like this.

'Arlequin' Bracelet: Re-composed black and white pearl bracelet

'Arlequin' Pendant: Re-composed black and white pearl pendant on 18ct gold chain

The extent of the collection is impressive – from tiny, single pearls on a chain to full-blown showpieces – that is a lot of scope to cover well. And Melanie has really managed to keep her contemporary, playful style throughout, from the finer to a ‘couture’ level.

Cascade of white pearls and oxidised silver chains

These large-scale neckpieces illustrate Melanie's skill in design as well as technical ability. The hugely intricate pieces are extremely wearable - occupying that tough area of show-piece that is comfortable and easy.

Cascade of white pearls and oxidised silver chains (worn back to front)

'99 Steps' Silver oxidised chains and white freshwater pearls

The level of craftsmanship is astounding – anyone who has seen a badly drilled pearl will know that it is an easy material to damage. The seams on the 'Arlequin' range are invisible, and the beautiful polish of the Faceted range result in a style unlike anything else we’ve seen on the market...swoon...

Being comfortable, creative and skilled enough to take a range right through from tiny scale, high-end, quite conceptual pieces; to highly fashion-forward, verging-on-couture show-stoppers is very impressive. The range is flawless - we've probably gone a little OTT with the number of photos used on the post, but we can't help it.

'Canonball' Ring. 13mm white freshwater pearl and 9ct gold

'Double Canonball' open ring

We'll add more images in the next few weeks...in the meantime have a look at her beautiful website - contact the designer directly through this to buy. Dover St Market in London W1 are also a stockist...

All images copyright Melanie Georgacopolous 2010

Alternative engagement rings...Solange AP.

2010-05-25T21:52:00.002+01:00

Mmmm Solange Azagury-Partridge. Ever since she designed her own engagement ring using a rough diamond - and thus launched her eponymous jewellery brand - we've been watching her ever-increasing collection with beady, lusty eyes.

Perfect for the 'diamond-shy' anti-bling brigade, this ring literally gets straight to the point - the 18k gold wire spells out 'marry me'. Ahh. Also perfect for the stuttering boyfriend who doesn't know what to say...we love it. Plus, if it all goes wrong, you can exchange it for this one:

Ho ho. For something more traditional from Solange, these gorgeous diamond rings (below) have somehow managed to lure me back towards the more traditional 'diamond engagment ring' option. Yet still not resorting to a lonely solitaire-on-a-band notion, they offer enough shiny sparkly stuff to catch us off-guard...(and our bank balances).

The Shooting Star 18k gold and diamond ring (above) makes us feel a little bit crazy in the head we want it so much. Breathe...

Visit the stunning new store at 162 New Bond St, London W1, or browse the equally stunning website - with its constantly changing hypnotic graphics (anyone know who does these?) you'll be seriously tempted. Maybe that's the point. Either way...one of our top 5 all time favourite London jewellery designers whose entire collection is highly coveted. And not only by us.

www.solangeazagurypartridge.com

Alternative engagement ring...Tamara Gomez.

2010-05-24T23:57:00.000+01:00

Ughgh, the cliché. Instead of spending thousands of pounds on diamonds - which we only do after the clever marketing people at De Beers persuaded us in the early 20th century that 2-3 months salary was the correct amount to spend on such a purchase - we should break the dull, predictable tradition and look towards other stones. Preferably ones that don't fuel wars.

The 18k gold and pink tourmaline 'Kiss Ring' by Tamara Gomez is a gorgeous example of simple, meaningful design using a delicate alternative to diamonds. The crossing of the 2 rings to form 1 piece is a super cute reminder of what a marriage actually is...hmmm...feeling like you're welded at the hip to something you just can't shake off.

(Just kidding - we mean it's the romantic creation of something more beautiful than it's two parts...)

Alternative engagement rings...Leblas.

2010-05-24T21:53:00.001+01:00

Ditch the solitaire..and go modern vintage style with a chunky diamond engagement ring from our beloved London-based ethical jewellery store Leblas...

Stacked baguette-cut diamonds assemble like a game of Tetris around a white gold band, these Manuela rings somehow look vintage yet without a whiff of chintz.

Or, if you're done with the vintage look, these 18k white (recycled, obviously) gold rings are a gorgeous balance of contemporary without feeling too cold...

Smooth orbits of diamonds and recycled white gold sit comfortably on the hand for a clean, yet untraditional take on the usual snooze-worth engagement ring fare.

Available from Leblas online, or from the store at 149 Sloane St, in Chelsea SW1, London. Go go go.

Pyür and mental...

2010-03-15T20:57:00.008Z

Ooh we like this little weird company called Pyür (from France), specialising in only one little product, and then creating several subtle variations around the random little theme. Crazy but amazing...

18k rose gold with emeralds

18k rose gold with black diamonds

We love the randomness though...straws as pendants that can unscrew and hang round your neck. Why? Why would someone create a whole line consisting entirely of these?

On the equally crazy website (nice music) you can specify rose or white gold, and the colour of your stone - white or black diamond, ruby, sapphire or emerald, to add either on the skull or snake eyes, or as the stunning tiny reversed stone at the tip of the straw.

18k rose gold with black pearl

Whimsical, pointless, beautiful, ridiculously niche...everything we love about fine jewellery...

Elyse Jacob...L.A.'s Hannah Martin?

2010-02-21T19:07:00.011Z

Oh look we're back...

So it's not often that we like/want/need everything from one collection, but we came pretty close when checking out LA-based jewellery designer Elyse Jacob's site.

All that is good about fine jewellery in our world: smooth, pure 18k gold, innovative settings, a graphic/geometric aesthetic and clean lines...Elyse has all this covered.

Above is the ridiculous but amazing 'Spike' collar neckpiece with inverted diamonds set as studs around the 18k gold band...if you have a spare £20k it's yours from Kabiri. Yikes. Impressive and brave - she's not holding back.

We're also coveting the linked 'Dual' rings, with or without diamonds (we don't really mind either way) whose gorgeous simplicity and luxe edge leave us just that little bit more persuaded to splash out a couple of grand on one piece - a bargain in our eyes...

Sharing a very similar aesthetic to The Cut superstar favourite Hannah Martin, Elyse's style is really winning us over. With a little more graphic modernism than Hannah, and a little less rock'n'roll and masculinity, this 'Signature' collection seriously has the potential to last the course and become a future classic.

This debut 'Signature' range really encapsulates what we're wanting from jewellery at the moment - good stone selection, innovative unfussy shapes and lines, and lots of 18k gold. Black diamonds are particularly prominent, another good thing, as well as touches of deeper colours such as red garnet and rich cognac.

Elyse Jacob's collection is available in the UK through Kabiri, and has various stockists in the US. Have a look at Elyse's website for more info.

Leblas branches out....

2009-12-09T20:41:00.005Z

18 carat gold & diamond Square ring

Our favourite SW1 jewellery store has expanded its range to support a number of ace independent designers - SHO, Missoma and Francesca Sibylla Augusta. More from them to come.

The Leblas label by Arabel Lebrusan still remain our favourite pieces in the store though...we've picked a few of the highlights in all their recycled golden glory.

18 carat gold and diamond Square earrings

18 carat gold and diamond Square pendant

The simplicity of the designs and the geometric structure aren't typical of all the Leblas pieces - but they are our favourites. Inspired by typical Edwardian styles, the shapes are bold whilst remaining delicate and light....

Harlequin Sombra earrings in 18 carat gold and Malawi sapphires, amethysts and Raja garnets

Harlequin Sombra ring in 18 carat gold and Malawi sapphires, amethysts and Raja garnets

The Harlequin collection is the perfect pop of colour with all our grey/black/leather/studded winter-wear...

Further collections are available in the store - and to be honest it all looks much more beautiful in the flesh - perfect proportions, reasonable prices and amazing customer service from the gorgeous team.

Easily one of our favourite indpendent London boutiques with really unique designs. Plus - you're kind of saving the earth from being ravaged in the name of fashion by buying recycled gold and ethical stones. At 149 Sloane St, London SW1X 9BZ.

All images copyright Leblas 2009

Solange does the Zodiac

2009-09-22T21:06:00.005+01:00

Since Zodiac, or star-sign, jewellery is usually so naff, we don't own any - despite quite liking the motifs used in the traditional western calendar...the fish, the crab, the bull - all good.

But our minds were changed when we laid eyes on Solange Azagury-Partridge's Zodiac collection. Figurative, substantial creatures in 18k white and yellow gold, studded with diamonds...what's not to like?

By using the skeletal forms of the animals in the zodiac, Solange has taken a traditionally un-explored area in the cooler end of fine jewellery, and created these lust-worthy pieces.

It makes me want to change my star sign. (to Taurus, below...)

View the other months' designs at www.solangeazagurypartridge.com

All images cocpyright Solange Azagury-Partridge 2009

Ana de Costa - not your usual hippy.

2009-11-01T14:03:00.008Z

18ct yellow gold and Tsavorite asymmetric earrings

We often find ourselves loving a piece of jewellery much more after we've met the jeweller themselves.

And after hearing the lovely, rambling Ana de Costa passionately effuse over her intricate designs - describing the deep, dark late nights exploring her inspirations - we couldn't help but feel a stronger connection with her pieces. And with Ana, too.

Her bohemian spirit slightly betrays the polished, fine jewellery she produces; but her personality definitely seeps into the high-end world she's selling to: asymmetry, thorny, spiky detailing and references to mystic and spiritual worlds are all strongly present - edgy references sitting boldly in her somewhat classical style.

18k white gold, Tanzanite and diamond cocktail ring

In a similar vein to fellow St Martin's graduate Hannah Martin (Ana graduated in 2005), Ana clearly isn't afraid to add her own trademark style to extremely expensive pieces, despite it possibly not being to the traditional fine jewellery clients' tastes - thus reducing her potential audience.

A brave move indeed, and one we strongly applaud. Ana's bold use of colour, unusual design references and constant challenging of the traditional fine jewellery boundaries will ensure that this young designer remains a prominent force in the London jewellery world.

We heart you, Ana.

For more images and to see Ana's previous collections, visit www.ana-de-costa.com.

All images copyright Ana de Costa 2009

Melanie Eddy - sharp stuff.

2009-10-15T21:33:00.005+01:00

Mmmm....geometric gorgeousness from Melanie Eddy - another great find at this year's Goldsmith's Fair.

Jewellery designs that demand a perfectly accurate line or angle are usually made using 3D modelling on a computer - but these rings have a hand-sculpted feel, with slight subtle curves that allude to a hand-made technique....perfectly formed shapes and facets that give just the right level of graphic style.

A St. Martin's graduate and fellow classmate of ethical jewellery pioneer Arabel Lebrusan of Leblas (see previous The Cut features showcasing Arabel's men's and women's jewellery designs), we're really excited to see the rest of Melanie's cool, clean collection.

More designs to follow in a few weeks...in the meantime visit www.melanieeddy.co.uk.

Images copyright Melanie Eddy 2009

Melanie Eddy - again.

2009-11-01T13:07:00.005Z

When we thought Melanie Eddy's perfectly crafted sculptured rings couldn't get any better, she sneakily added a selection of gorgeous rocks: sapphires, diamonds and aquamarine.

We aren't huge fans of big rocks - but these strong, straight-sided stones really sit well with Melanie's smooth edges, and allow the beauty of the expanses of 18k gold to shine.

Scroll down to see the plain metal versions, or go to www.melanieeddy.co.uk

All images copyright Melanie Eddy 2009

Jo Hayes-Ward - crafty but good.

2009-10-13T21:35:00.005+01:00

So we're not usually huge fans of the whole 'craft' jewellery scene - there's only so many large 'pebble' necklaces and weird wirework rings we can handle.

However - we recently spotted new work from Jo Hayes-Ward, a big player on the more 'craft-y' end of the jewellery shows, and an award-winning designer who despite her young age has been at the forefront of rapid prototyping in jewellery for years since graduating from the RCA in 2006.

The resulting cubist-style pieces have a futuristic edge; feeling like lunar landscapes or natural geological formations - appearing hugely modern and complex, yet organic at the same time.

We particularly like the gem-set pieces (above and top), where the graduating metallic tones and absolute accuracy of the design shines through - interlocking pieces and perfectly set stones are a fantastic additional to Jo's collections - proving that this designer is not just a one trick pony.

Her distinctive look has managed to stay strong throughout the past 4 years, with each new collection bringing something exciting and new to her staple style.

She is currently a resident at the eponymous Cockpit Arts Studios in Deptford, London....pieces are available by contacting Jo directly at www.johayes.com.

All images copyright Jo Hayes-Ward 2009

IJL: Kity Sun

2009-10-02T18:20:00.004+01:00

We love Kity Sun. After winning the prestigious Bright Young Gems award at this year's IJL, she's been snapped up by Astley Clarke for 2010, and is carrying an aesthetic that sits exactly on our radar at the moment. Lightweight, gold, slightly space-age constructions are the perfect adornment to our current uniform of grey/black/white.

Watch this space for more of her work before it launches next year. A young London jewellery design talent worth watching, we reckon. Go Kity.

This month we're feeling:

2009-07-13T22:19:00.019+01:00

Tough, simple, golden. You may have already noticed this, with the last few posts dedicated to our favourite style of the moment; bold, gold hardware with a masculine edge and minimum fuss (hello Hannah Martin and Dominic Jones). We know all the big fashion houses are doing big, oversized, embellishment overload; with felt and crystals at Prada and huge slices of rock at Marni, but we can't help but feel that this is all a bit much - and carries a certain 'highstreet' feel about it. Yikes.

Whereas there's definitely a place for a nice Prada grey crystal 'bib' necklace (see below) - it certainly whacks a grey t-shirt and jeans up a notch - there's still little to distinguish these pieces from their highstreet copies.

Which is where the beautifully crafted solid golden pieces of detailed simplicity win us over every time. We know it sounds dramatic, but this simple Hannah Martin necklace (below) can totally transform anything else remotely girly or 'safe' you might be wearing in an instant - without a whiff of the highstreet.

We're also wearing a single earrings with everything at the moment to get the same result: a bit of asymmetry always helps to stop us from feeling too 'pretty' - current favourite is this Hannah Martin beauty (we're going to stop ranting about her soon, promise)

We know that the Prada bib is costume jewellery and Hannah Martin is clearly fine jewellery (prices can reach over £12,000 for a bangle) - so in theory we can't put them in the same race - but we feel we can. Jewellery always has a job to transform your outfit and how you feel when wearing it - so whether it's made of glass or gold, both these pieces aim to finish off your look with a lasting direction....and in this case we'd rather end up feeling a little bit tough than a little bit Topshop.

Images copyright Prada 2009, Hannah Martin London 2009, Dominic Jones 2009

Leblas - The Alhambra Collection

2009-09-19T17:49:00.006+01:00

Another report on the superb new London-based label Leblas....we love it so much not only for its pioneering determination to run a totally ethical practice throughout the entire business, but the sharp, strong design aesthetic.

The Alhambra collection uses motifs from owner and design director Arabel Lebrusan's Spanish heritage, resulting in stunning, angular pieces.

Anthill garnets are set in 18k white recycled gold...all responsibly sourced, obviously...

This jewellery collection (and many others - to be featured soon on the Cut) is available online at www.leblas.com or from the gorgeous store in Sloane St - just round the corner from Lara Bohinc.

All images copyright Leblas 2009