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 

Designer: Sophie Bille Brahe

I have to thank a friend of mine (she knows who she is!) for introducing me to Sophie Bille Brahe's work, and getting me down to London Fashion Week - more of that to follow - in time to get around the Exhibition and the British Fashion Council's Rock Vault space earlier this week. It was there that I managed to catch a glimpse of Sophie's work before the doors closed at 7pm and I wasn't disappointed, not even with just a momentary chance to view her work.

It's designers like Sophie, a graduate of London’s Royal College of Art, that bridge the gap between fine jewellery and avant-garde design. She's one of a handful of talents pushing their way into the UK jewellery scene and someone I'll be keeping an eye on this year. 

Her designs have won her accolades from fashion magazines worldwide and, in her own words, adorn inspiring women. It is her Scandinavian background that also paves the way for her sharp design set - a cross-over of clean lines and architectural shapes with more natural forms such as birds or those with celestial connotations. Beautiful. 

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Palais des Escaliers ring in 18ct gold with diamonds

Palais d’Émeraude ring in 18ct gold with emerald and diamonds

Pavillon Fenetres ring in silver with a single diamond

Lyra ring in 18ct gold with diamonds

Petit Hibou and Petit Hibou Pirate necklaces (cute!) in 18ct gold with a diamond

Rideaux Simples and Rideaux Louise ear cuffs in 18ct gold and diamonds

A little something: Rings by Brazen Studios

I was having a lovely chat about engagement rings earlier on with Sarah Raffel, the founder and director of Brazen Studios in Glasgow, for a piece I'm writing at work. The subject also touched on commissions, which always intrigue me.

I guess it's just the way that people get so thrilled (even those of us who think we don't have a creative bone in our body) being able to let their imagination run wild a bit. They soon realise that they can help create something beautiful that is all their own. It makes me think: just open your favourite childhood book, watch your favourite film, trawl through your wardrobe, think about that inspiring photograph or colourful piece of art and realise what's 'you'.

All of this is what brings a commission together and is something that Sarah actively encourages, creating visual briefs - mood boards of sorts - for each of her commissioning customers. One came to her with a page of architecture, full of Art Nouveau designs and unusual gothic ceilings and cornices. Bet you can guess which one of these it was. Utterly lovely.

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Marianne ring: green tourmaline ring set in 18ct yellow gold and palladium

Nouveau ring: 18ct red gold, palladium, brown diamond, white diamonds

Margo ring: 18ct red gold, pink sapphires, amethyst

A little something: Disaya SS11 rings

Just stumbled across these little beauties on ASOS. Disaya's new collection of jewellery, including this cute, very aptly timed enamelled swan ring and a colourful mosaic-style enamel ring that has me yearning for warmer evenings and a pastel-coloured sun dress. Love the real azure greens and blues... Check out the British soldier hat ring, too. Little beauties!

Multicolour enamel jewel ring and white enamel swan ring, both by Disaya

A little something: Dior Joaillerie - Making of a Milly Carnivora ring

J'adore the Diorette rings by Dior, but the Milly Carnivora is something else. Victoire de Castellane, the designer behind Dior's jewellery collections, is fun and silly and you can see it in the bright colours and whimiscal style of her jewellery designs... Despite the fact they cost thousands.

Check out the making of one of the Milly Carnivora rings (worth it for the rose-cut diamonds alone, aaaaah!) which packs four months of work into three and a half minutes. Et voila indeed!

P.S. Sorry, still on a video roll it seems!

A little something: Pebble's rough-cut citrine ring

OK, so I know it's only Janaury, but I am in a summer bubble of excitement at work today, seeing the amazing things we've picked up from a recent trip to Pebble. The colours are good enough to eat and the gemstones are shimmering away. There is lapis, prehnite, aquamarine, coral, labradorite, moonstone, dyed jade, chalcedony... Then I spotted this AMAZING ring - the kind of mad thing I fall very hard for. I grabbed our camera, took a few snaps et voila. Pebble's rough-cut citrine ring. Luckily it's far too big for me, but I look forward to seeing which colourful (and very lucky) lady snaps this badboy up. <3

Stephen Webster: Seven Deadly Sins Rings

Last week I got to luxuriate in the headiness of high-end jewellery - being involved in the launch of British jewellery designer Stephen Webster's exclusive new collection - Seven Deadly Sins - at EC One in Notting Hill. This was the first time the rings had been unveiled in the UK, and the idea behind the collection is Stephen through and through - a little bit dark, a little bit playful; showing off the beauty and the atrocity of the theme simultaneously. The desire for Stephen's jewellery is reflected in these rings' exclusivity: only seven of each design will ever be made... And with two of the seven styles already selling out, the Seven Deadly Sins rings are in demand - despite starting at £15,000 and peaking at £125,000...

So here we have them: Envy, Gluttony, Greed, Pride, Sloth, Wrath and Lust.... and a few little snaps from the evening at EC One

Envy - white gold set with a central green tourmaline, black and white diamonds

Gluttony - white gold set with a central fire opal, white agate 'teeth' and rubies

Greed - yellow gold set with round brilliant-cut diamonds

Pride - set with a central emerald-cut amethyst in anodised titanium, with blue and pink sapphires

Sloth - yellow gold set with a cushion-cut aquamarine, diamonds and rubies
Wrath - rose gold set with a deep red garnet, rubies and black and white diamonds

Lust - white gold set with a central tanzanite and white diamonds

A little somthing: CA & LOU Deco Loulou ring

Just spotted this CA & LOU Deco inspired Loulou ring on the Browns website. Lovely lovely, and definitely up my street as I (somewhat impatiently) await the new Holly Fulton for ASOS collection which hits the e-shelves on Friday. Tick, tick, tick.

Rose Gold plated bronze ring, set with Swarovski crystals, by CA & LOU