What Does Jewellery Mean for You?
It conveys so much about who we are and our values. A crown is an obvious symbol of position and power. Wedding bands elucidate commitment. Earrings that we have reached a certain age of maturity. What does jewellery actually mean for you? When we choose what jewellery to wear, we base our purchasing decisions on a whole myriad of reasons such as what we like, our preferences, who we are, what culture we belong to, what kind of image we want to convey to others, and what is special to us.
Whilst there are many jewellers to satisfy even the most demanding of clients, many tend to create jewellery according to a formulaic design pattern. Being innovative, daring, and modern carries a lot of risks as there is no guarantee that these new designs will be popular. So most jewellers end up doing very similar designs. But each and every person is unique. And jewellery is something very personal. Whilst many are happy to wear what is widely available, there are those of us who want something that has a closer connection to our id and a truer reflection of our personalities.
Here are three very distinct jewellery designers that dare to challenge the norm with their own unique styles. They truly encapsulate what jewellery is all about which is you and your personality.
House of Meraki
As I have green eyes, I have always been an admirer of emeralds. One of the foremost proponents of this stunning gem is the House of Meraki. It is one of the few jewellers that specialises in using emeralds as the centerpiece in all their jewellery. Gargi Rathi, the founder of House of Meraki, is affectionately known as the “Emerald Lady.” She was raised in Zambia, where she was exposed to emeralds at an early age, and her infatuation for this gem that is 20 times rarer than diamonds was sealed.
Her passion for the aesthetics of emeralds is evident in all her designs. She ensures that the settings provide the pinnacle of design to best showcase the natural beauty of each and every emerald. A flawless diamond is the same as another flawless diamond, whereas each emerald is completely unique due to the inclusions of trace elements. As the size increases, the uniqueness of each emerald becomes magnified due to the greater diversity of inclusions. Nature has given them their own unique personality. There is no better jeweller than the House of Meraki that can find that unique emerald that perfectly matches your personality and preferences through its bespoke service.
Gargi takes great pride in that all the emeralds she uses have been sourced from responsible suppliers. This can be guaranteed as they are sourced directly from the producers. By cutting out the middlemen, the House of Meraki can provide the very best Zambian emeralds to suit all pockets. The gorgeous Azure drop emerald earrings are priced at £2,200 to the exceptional La Scala Ring with a 5.43 carat Zambian centrepiece emerald surrounded by round and baguette diamonds handcrafted in 18k white gold (price upon application).
Āto-Jewels
Founded by Johara Abdullah, a Saudi-based jewellery designer, Āto-Jewels has a unique heritage. Her design ethos is a confluence of two very diverse cultures – Japanese and Saudi. Whilst studying for her bachelor’s degree in Fashion Jewellery Design, she had an internship with a Japanese designer in New York City. The impact is evident by the name Johara chose for her brand. Āto means art in Japanese as she became fascinated by Japanese minimalist design principles as they strongly aligned with the minimalist landscape of her native Najdi, Saudi Arabia.
Āto-Jewels perfectly reflects the “less is more principle” of Japanese minimalist design aesthetics. The contemporary collection of rings is a symbiosis of the minimalist principle with her interest in the zodiac as well as her Saudi cultural heritage. Each ring in 18 ct gold reflects a zodiac sign through the use of intricately placed diamonds to represent the stars of each constellation. Her designs epitomise the delicate feminine aesthetic yet strength of the modern woman.
As you can see from her collection, Johara's designs are truly unique. They often become a focal point of discussion as they make such an impact. Beautifully handcrafted in precious metals and adorned with diamonds, the asymmetric designs with their geometric angles and feminine curves perfectly illustrate the modern woman's complexities. Johara believes that "women can be whatever they want" and this conviction is reflected in her jewellery.
House of Messika
We had to, of course, include a jeweller that specialises in diamonds. After all, aren't "diamonds a girl's best friend?". With such a multitude of diamond jewellers, it was hard to select which one to include. That was until we saw the latest collections from the House of Messika. Founded in 2005 by the legendary diamond merchant André Messika, it is today run by his daughter Valérie Messika. Whilst maintaining the core values instilled by her father to enhance the diamond, strive for excellence, and push the boundaries, Valérie has truly embodied the spirit of pushing the boundaries to perfectly reflect the modern woman.
Valérie Messika wants her jewels to encourage women not to be afraid to show who they really are - modern and confident in themselves. Women are like diamonds: brilliant, sparkling, sensual, unique, and so much more. This ethos is vividly expressed in the latest collections from the House of Messika. The Desert Bloom collection caters to those who prefer intricate designs with a classical foundation for modern bohemian chic. Their Glam'Azone collection with interconnected rings provides a delicate modern setting for a refined, understated, yet glamorous avant-garde look. The Joy Coeur collection will satiate even the most demanding of romantics with their heart-shaped diamonds.
With its strong connection to the diamond trade, the House of Messika uses only the best quality diamonds. And to showcase their high jewellery craftsmanship, Valérie Messika has created some awe-inspiring fairy tale masterpieces such as the Eternal Soul line tiered necklace. Part of the Little Mermaid collection juxtaposes rivers of flawless emerald-cut diamonds emanating from the exceptional 5.01 emerald-cut centrepiece diamond. Taking over 2,000 hours of painstaking work by the world's best craftsmen in the Messika workshop, it is fit for royalty made by the royalty of diamond jewellers that is the House of Messika.
