If you're a little sick of the high street and want to wear jewellery that no one else has, all whilst supporting a fellow creative, then we've pulled together an inspiring list of independent jewellery designers to follow and buy from.
We asked the creative community on Twitter for help and, as usual, they delivered. We've not added all of their amazing suggestions here – only because there are so many. In which case, feel free to delve back into that tweet and see more great independents to follow.
Here, we've picked out 27 jewellery designers along with one of their latest creations to give you a flavour of what they produce. This year has been especially tough for makers, as the price of gold has skyrocketed. So browse, shop, and follow to give them some support.
Wolf & Moon is a handcrafted jewellery label by British designer Hannah Davis. Inspired by nature, architecture, art and design, Hannah started designing and making jewellery at the age of 16, exploring mixed materials, colours, textures and geometric forms; making original, statement pieces that could be worn every day.
While studying fine art at Goldsmiths University, Hannah began selling her signature geometric designs under the name 'Wolf & Moon' at weekend markets in London. She quickly gained a loyal following and in 2011 launched the brand online. Wolf & Moon is now stocked in over 200 stores worldwide.
Elin Horgan is a British jeweller with a passion for creating understated, elegant and versatile necklaces, earrings, rings and bracelets. Inspired by abstract art, architecture and the urban environment, she makes her pieces by hand at her Bristol studio. With a design ethos of "beauty in simplicity", Elin uses geometric shapes and clean lines to give her work a timeless aesthetic.
Even better, everything she creates is made from Ecosilver (100% recycled silver) and meticulously crafted and finished. "I want to ensure that my jewellery lasts you a lifetime," she says. All her jewellery is handmade to order, so if you're thinking of buying one of her pieces as a gift, give yourself between one to two weeks.
Mia Minerva is a freelance illustrator and visual artist from Helsinki, Finland who loves to draw "a lot of girls and plants". What's not to love? She also creates bespoke jewellery featuring her charming illustrations. Expect "calm scenes that depict the magic of spending time alone," as Mia puts it. "I get inspired by nature, people, and introspection."
Ella Bull is a jewellery designer and goldsmith based in London, specialising in the use of traditional goldsmithing methods combined with a passion for design, craftsmanship, gemology and metallurgy. With eight years' experience, Ella has also worked in the jewellery department of many feature films including Disney and Marvel's Beauty and the Beast, Dr Strange, Maleficent, Aladdin, and The Eternals.
Alice Chandler is an artist currently living and working in Leeds. She creates sculptural objects and, often site-specific installations that explore our relationship with the domestic, functional and wearable. Using a wide range of craft processes, from silversmithing and glasswork to printing, sewing and embroidery, she makes objects that, dependent on display and context, can be at once sculptural, functional or decorative.
She graduated from Edinburgh College of Art with a degree in sculpture in 2015 and has recently been selected for the Tetley Artist's Associate Programme. Her artistic practice extends to jewellery design where you can get your hands on her sculptural pieces, often in a pleasing "wiggle" or "wavy" style.
Aliyah Hussain is a visual artist and contemporary jewellery designer based in Manchester. Working predominantly with ceramics, she adapts and uses techniques and processes typically found in traditional ceramics to make abstract, playful, sculptural work for the body with a focus on line, form and colour. Informed by her visual arts practice, her jewellery is viewed as an expansion of her drawing, as all pieces are made using coils as a starting point - giving flow and movement to her pieces.
Jane Kenney is a jewellery designer and maker based in Bristol. Following graduation from Loughborough University in 2003 with a degree in jewellery and silversmithing, she moved to the south-western city to work in the workshop of an award-winning jeweller. In 2005, she set up her jewellery business designing and creating her own collection, which she displays and sells online, and through a selection of galleries and exhibitions.
"My jewellery is not based on one particular theme or idea but has been a natural development of a variety of interests and influences," Jane says. "Each piece of my work is hammered by hand to create unusual textures and shapes, giving my work a unique and individual quality." Jane works mainly in silver to create versatile, wearable pieces alongside one-off commissions in a variety of precious metals.
Chalk is the London-based design studio of architect Malaika who creates unusual, geometric, wearable forms. With a passion for "beautifully crafted design in all its forms", Malaika is inspired by everything from the structure of large cityscapes to the intricacies of fine jewellery pieces. Chalk's collections are influenced by architectural elements, everyday objects and bold colourful cultural patterns. All pieces are carefully handmade.
Morgan Thomas is the founder of Yam, an Astoria-based jewellery studio that sells unique necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings that are handmade using upcycled materials. Morgan comes from an art background and studied sculpture during her time in college in New York City. However, her relationship with jewellery had an earlier and much more organic start. Morgan's business was conceived when her mother brought home a jewellery-making book when she was young. This moment "unknowingly implanted an idea for a company that would later recognise her legacy," as Morgan explains. Yam is an ode to her late mother and draws inspiration from nature and nostalgic aesthetics.
Londoner Zoe Sherwood comes from a creative background. Her mother, a seamstress, and her father's interest in graphic design sparked her passion for creativity from a young age. Zoe freelanced for DVF and launched her luxury accessory brand with the assistance of Liberty London, before graduating from womenswear design at Central St Martins in 2010. For the last decade, Zoe has worked across the creative industries creating bespoke pieces for various leading brands.
Zoe is inspired by the journey of life, she uses words to tell these stories and creates visual patterns. Repetition of 'Me' evokes thoughts of reproduction and growth as well as working with other individuals in unity. Zoe believes in embracing who you are and what you stand for. Empowering, unusual and full of life and colour, we especially love Zoe's hair accessories.
Adriana Chede was born in São Paulo and grew up in Brazil, completing a product design degree and courses in photography, fashion and goldsmithing, before moving to Europe to study jewellery design in Parsons Paris and take a master's degree at the European Institute of Design in Rome. While developing her own aesthetic, Adriana worked with jewellery design houses in Copenhagen, Milan, Rome and Paris. She moved to London to set up her fine jewellery brand in 2018.
Adriana designs elegant, delicate pieces for the "modern woman", that can be worn every day and are built to last. She focuses on sustainability within her work, using recycled materials and responsibly sourced stones.
In the summer of 2012, Oh My Clumsy Heart (OMCH) was created by Sophie Davies to offer minimalist jewellery designs created with "thoughtfulness and obsessive attention to detail, made from fine metals and sold at a fair price".
What started as a passion grew into a mission for a simpler way of living and a more honest way of doing business. All of Sophie's jewellery is crafted by hand using responsibly-sourced metals then packaged and shipped with love in eco-friendly packaging from her studio in Birmingham's famous Jewellery Quarter. A favourite for those of you who love simple, minimalist designs.
Laura Nelson is a designer and maker from Yorkshire now based in London who creates handmade contemporary jewellery inspired by the "overlooked textures all around us" and using recycled precious metals and experimental techniques. Originally trained as a product and furniture designer, her jewellery draws on her design skills and love of making. Laura has a curious approach to design as she likes to explore different materials and processes.
Her work has an honest and minimal aesthetic with a focus on contrasting textures. Each piece is designed and handmade by Laura in her studio in Deptford, London. At The National Festival of Making, Laura was presented with a One to Watch Award in 2018 from the Crafts Council.
Jewellery brand Sophia Alexander was established in 2006 by artist, sculptor and mother of five, Lucille Whiting. Now, 13 years later, it has grown to feature personalised fingerprint jewellery, all handmade in Suffolk and shipped to clients around the world. With a studio surrounded by fields, Lucille and her team design and make everything by hand with necklaces, rings and bracelets inspired by nature, family and stories.
Joanna Wakefield is a jewellery designer-maker based in York whose silver jewellery reflects her love of textiles and haberdashery as well as vintage and found objects. Her original training began with a degree in design, specialising in textiles, which came from growing up surrounded by three generations of needlewomen. From cotton reels, thimbles and various button inspired pieces including the use of vintage buttons, to more recent designs which include the seamstresses tape measure and a needle – what's not to love about Joanna's charming wearable pieces?
Good Daze is an independent jewellery brand founded in 2017 by Rosie Greener. With light-hearted designs that have symbols of love, humour and positivity running through them, Rosie's necklaces, earrings and rings “give the wearer a reminder to appreciate the little things in life and smile". All Good Daze pieces are designed in London and made ethically in small workshops from recycled metals. Are we allowed to have a favourite? We featured Rosie's Happy Together necklaces above, too.
London-based jewellery designer Deborah Blyth founded her business in 2004 while living in Italy. Surrounded by beauty, style and history, her passion for the arts and love of nature combined to influence her process. Each piece of jewellery has a personality of its own, handcrafted in her London studio through the process of lost wax casting. Many pieces are embellished with semi-precious stones and all are made from solid sterling silver.
Nagle and Sisters is an emerging jewellery brand created by three sisters: Sophie, Dominique and Chloé. Being of dual nationality, French and English, the girls have had a perfectly 'franglais' upbringing. Currently based between London and Montréal, the Nagle sisters launched their first collection, Pyramid, in 2015.
With a combined background of jewellery and fashion design, marketing and sales, the girls spent years honing and expanding their skills. Nagle and Sisters is an amalgamation of "three minds, three characters but just one style... theirs". It’s modern ethnic, merging rough handmade details and textures with elegant, clean designs and materials. Whilst the collections combine strong historical influences with current high fashion trends, the designs are contemporary with an emphasis on texture and detail.
If you believe in the idea of slow fashion, shopping independent and buying pieces that are made to last, then Ellis Mhairi Cameron is an independent fine jeweller who should be on your radar. Based in London, she creates sculptural fine jewellery, inspired by her Scottish heritage.
Transparency and accountability are hugely important to her, as jewellery is cast in 100% recycled gold using British suppliers, based in the UK. Ellis is also a Registered Fairtrade Goldsmith and an Ambassador of Fairtrade Gold: she works with a selection of independent, reputable diamond suppliers based in London and India. The diamonds used are traceable to source. "In keeping with this ethos, I am more than happy to rework your inherited gold and diamonds into new pieces, so they can once again be worn and enjoyed," she says.
If you fancy something fun and bright, then London-based artist and designer Melody Grossman crafts her own jewellery range via her business, Melody G Studio. Surrounded by the bustling and demanding nature of the UK's capital city and more recently, Berlin, she's determined to make some positive noise in the artistic community. Much like her vibrant and joyous fine art, her necklaces and earrings aren't like anything you'll have seen elsewhere.
Born out of a love for clean lines with a boho twist, Lines & Current is a minimal jewellery and accessories brand for "normal girls who work hard to keep it simple". Founded by Belfast-based jewellery designer Rebekah Johanson in 2015, her business has proved so successful she now manages a small team from her studio in a big old converted linen mill in the heart of East Belfast.
Check out this minimal but fun jewellery by Maggie Cross, ethically handmade from recycled precious metals. Maggie trained at The School of Jewellery in Birmingham and now lives and works in West Wales. The jewellery is constructed in-house by Maggie, with some elements outsourced to small workshops in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter. We love her charming smiley flower and sun necklaces, made from recycled sterling silver and available in silver or gold plated designs.
Abel is a line of fine jewellery by Kelsey Lim. There are no seasons or collections – only select pieces that are thoughtfully designed and crafted to last a lifetime. Each piece is handmade to order in New York City from solid 14k gold or sterling silver.
Soft Corner is the jewellery brand of Katie Tiehen, a self-taught maker based in Portland, Oregon. Her two hands make everything in her online shop. And did you know that Katie has been making wearable things for herself since she was a kid? What started as a personal project in mid-2018 turned into a tiny business soon after. "I wanted lightweight statement earrings for myself – and a few pairs and an Instagram post later, we had a following," she says.
Having worked in the education and nonprofit sectors for over a decade, Soft Corner was the catalyst for turning Katie's creative side projects into a full-time job. Other than always having her hands in clay, Katie is also a florist, "design history nerd", and nature obsessive – much of which influences her jewellery designs.
Graduating in 2014 with a first-class honours degree in jewellery and metal design at Duncan of Jordanstone Dundee, Rebecca E Smith is continuing her love of designing and making jewellery under the name Smith & Gibb. Handmade in Glasgow, her contemporary jewellery is inspired by her grandparents, Trevor Smith and Margaret Gibb.
She marries family sentiment with contemporary, bold and colourful designs. With a passion for colour, Rebecca uses vitreous enamel, powdered glass, in a lot of her designs and enjoys teaching this process, too. "I want to bring out your personality when wearing a piece of my jewellery. Jewellery should allow you to express a part of who you are. For me, it's about bringing that joy to both the wearer and admirer – it's a pleasure making something completely unique that will hopefully become a cherished piece for years to come."
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