FEATURE
TREND-WATCH
Maria Kotsoni
rose gold that takes inspiration
from the British countryside – in
this case from Cornish beaches,
sunshine and childhood memories.
Featuring cowrie shells, clams,
starfish and periwinkles the Shell
collection of large hoop earrings,
drops,
necklaces,
bracelets
and anklets is cast in sterling
silver from shells sourced by
Kelly and finished in the studio.
(www.cabbagewhiteengland.com)
Coloured stones are still
immensely popular, especially
blues and greens as the seaside
and ocean theme is so topical,
while rubies, the king of gems, are
much sought after for their intense
colour and rarity. GFG Jewellery
by Nilufer is a London based fine
jewellery company established by
Nilufer Kizilkaya in 2014.
To celebrate her 20th year of
living in London Nilufer introduced
a collection, PROJECT 20/20
featuring responsibly sourced
Zambian emeralds, the gemstone
for 20th anniversaries, with white
diamonds set in 18k gold. The
Lara collection of delicate rings
showcases blue sapphire, Zambian
emeralds, black diamonds and G+/
VS natural white diamonds.
The Eline collection has three
variations – black diamonds with
white sapphires, blue and white
sapphires or Gemfields unheated
Mozambique rubies with diamonds.
(www.gfgjewellery.com)
Aura Bijoux is a new French
brand, introduced to the UK this
year at Scoop London by Alice
April 2019 | jewelleryfocus.co.uk
Charmain Studio
Cannat. Based on lithotherapy,
the belief that all stones emit
healing vibrations and energy,
the collection combines natural
stones with the principle of
wellbeing, featuring lapis lazuli for
connection, friendship and mental
clarity, aventurine for serenity
and pink quartz for kindness and
reassurance.
(www.aurabijoux.com)
This is the year to spend the
day at the Victoria & Albert
Museum. As well as two
outstanding and contrasting
fashion exhibitions: Christian
Dior: Designer of Dreams,
now extended to 1 September,
and Mary Quant, from 6 April
to 16 February 2020, there is
the exciting reopening of the
William and Judith Bollinger
Gallery, home to the Museum’s
world-class jewellery collection.
Among the eighty new pieces
joining the display will be Queen
Victoria’s sapphire and diamond
coronet, recently acquired by
the V&A. The Gallery charts the
history of jewellery from Ancient
Greece to the present, with the
Glenn Spiro Papillon ring gifted
to the museum by Beyonce, and
the first piece of Fairtrade Gold –
a stunning hand sculpture by Ute
Decker. (www.vam.ac.uk)
Vittoria Street Gallery presents
a
fascinating
exhibition
of
jewellery and objects celebrating
Iron in the City of Birmingham,
co-curated by visiting Professor
Elizabeth Turrell and Professor
Nilufer
Stephen Bottomley at the School
of Jewellery, Birmingham City
University. FERROcity showcases
and explores iron as a catalyst,
material and fundamental element
of life, alongside gemmological
samples
and
photography
on
specialist
microscopes
commissioned from the School’s
Gemmology department, capturing
the transformative effect of iron
on the colouration of gemstones.
The work of 22 distinguished
contemporary makers features in
the exhibition, arriving at Vittoria
Gallery on 1 April – 18 April,
fresh from its’ opening show in
Munich in tandem with the March
jewellery events. (www.bcu.ac.uk)
The London Artisan is a quarterly
curated marketplace in the East
End of London for artisanal craft
from independent producers and
makers. The spring show takes
place from 13-14 April, with 60
designer makers, including many
jewellers. Artisan & Fox is a
company that works ethically in
developing countries with skilled
independent artisans, local groups
and social enterprises to sell their
products
internationally.
The
jewellery fuses contemporary style
with traditional craftsmanship,
as in the Lapis Lazuli collection
handcrafted in Afghanistan and
the latest capsule Collection of
geometric smooth and hammered
textures in brass recycled from old
instruments, made by artisans in
Kenya. (www.artisanandfox.com)
(www.thelondonartisan.com)
‘‘
Coloured
stones are still
immensely
popular,
especially
blues and
greens as the
seaside and
ocean theme
is so topical,
while rubies,
the king of
gems, are
much sought
after for their
intense colour
and rarity
‘‘
JANET FITCH
JEWELLERY FOCUS
19