A little something: Jewellery by Ineke Otte

Well jewellery has brightened my day today, having come across the sculptor and jeweller Ineke Otte, a native of Holland who takes inspiration from almost anything that comes her way. The detail, playfulness and creativity of her jewellery is like nothing else. She even uses 3D printers to create some of her pieces, such as the oversized chain necklaces, below. Try wearing a necklace made from Barbie shoes without a smile on your face... Or just take a look at more of her mad creations here, or scroll down for some of my favourites. 

A little something: the H&M crystal necklace

This little beauty caught my eye yesterday as I trawled through the rails in H&M in search of an elusive pair of black jeans (always the way, eh?). Distracted by its rainbow sparkle, I leaned in for a closer look and moments later had it my hand, on the way to the till. It's not often that I write about high street jewels, and I know this necklace nods towards the designs of two particular costume jewellers, but for £5.99 you can't go wrong. I love the punchy orange colour and the fact it's just a bit tongue-in-cheek. I'll be pairing it with a simple grey T-shirt or a contrasting bold colour, such as this cornflower blue shirt. 

Anne Sportun - my new favourite designer

When it comes to fine jewellery I can be particularly picky. But when I find something I love I don't forget it in a hurry. While clean lines and a minimal look are something I appreciate, I also love jewellery that looks as though it has been hewn, crafted and is a little bit rustic. So comes Anne Sportun, a Canadian jeweller who has been making her unique style of jewels since the tender age of 16 (back in 1981, no less). Her work is now sold across the world and is still handcrafted to this very day. With the tagline 'precious everyday' these really are jewels to adore and to wear, whatever the occasion.

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A selection of 14ct white and yelow gold rings set with natural coloured diamonds,

coloured sapphires and tourmalines.

A little something: Celestial rings by Andrew Geoghegan

I'll admit, I'm a sucker for colour at the moment (well, pretty much all the time)... And with blossom on the trees, crocuses in punchy purples and oranges popping up and the birds already singing bright and early, the need to throw on some colour each morning is filtering its way into the jewels I'm wearing. Other than my beloved Alexis Bittar bangles, most of my jewellery is simply silver or gold, but these striking gemstone cocktail rings by Andrew Geoghegan are a fun way to add a splash of bright colour.

Andrew kindly loaned me some of his jewels last year, to wear during Professional Jeweller's Hot 100 party. Needless to say I've kept an eye on his creations ever since. These space-inspired Celestial rings are made with loving attention to detail and often have a contrast between the stone and metal colour, while a halo of diamonds orbits the stone. Andrew's also a big fan of rose gold and pink stones which suits me just fine (though I do love the aquamarine Celestial ring, and wait with baited to breath to see if a sapphire version ever appears...)

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18ct yellow gold Celestial ring set with rose quartz
18ct rose gold Celestial ring set with sunstone
Top view of 18ct yellow gold Celestial ring set with golden rutilated quartz
18ct white gold Celestial ring set with aquamarine