Bright Young Gems

• 2011 Bright Young Gems
  

  
  Euan McWhirter
  
  Having trained at Central St Martins, Euan McWhirter has designed for a number of jewellery houses, including the legendary Erickson Beamon, where his love of Couture quickly grew.
  
  After gaining valuable industry experience, Euan set about creating his own vision of luxury and it is this vision that has resulted in him being recognised as a Bright Young Gem. Using traditional beading techniques, trademark pearls have been cleverly combined with Swarovski, acrylic and semi-precious stones to create bold stylish statement pieces for evening and everyday wear.
  
  Launching his eponymous collection in 2010, Euan’s heady mix of old world glamour and rock ‘n’ roll edginess are now gaining international attention. His ever-expanding portfolio of private clients includes celebrated British designer Jenny Packham.

  

  

• Fernando Jorge
  
  Brazilian Fernando Jorge takes inspiration from the laid back attitude and effortless sensuality of his home country. His organic lines and rounded shapes result in ambiguously provocative and elegant pieces.
  
  To materialize his designs, Fernando makes use of a broad range of jewellery manufacturing techniques, combining highly specialised craftsmanship with contemporary technology.
  
  He relocated to London to pursue a Masters degree in Jewellery Design at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, which he obtained in 2010 with a distinction. His previous experience in Brazil includes designing for renowned label Carla Amorim.

  

  

• Hattie Rickards
  
  Designer Hattie Rickards’ passion is the creation of something personal and exceptional that tells a story. The launch of her own brand – Hattie Rickards Jewellery - delivers jewellery with origins rooted in her own stories and experiences. The luxury brand has a strong focus on sophisticated design and an ethical backbone, and jewellery is British designed and made.
  
  The journey began on the Skeleton Coast in Namibia where Hattie found rough uncut agate in the sand. Agate characterises with natural contours, which she then replicated in precious metal. These contours sewed the seed for illustrating movement in her jewellery as well as the waves of the water, the ripples in the sand and the curves of the dunes, which were all very naturalistic ways to depict movement.
  
  The launch collection, ‘Revealed’, is a more refined depiction of movement. Each piece is made out of 18ct Fairtrade gold and precious stones and designed and made here in Britain. The collection demonstrates sophisticated designs that incorporate rotating bands and spinning barrels of precious stones which both allude and inspire movement. There are also rough stones set in their natural state with the setting echoing their texture.

  

  

• Imogen Belfield
  
  Imogen Belfield creates bold and beautiful jewellery sculptures for the body, each piece being designed and handmade in the UK. Her experimentalist jewellery takes influence from both architecture and nature combined - from the tallest building to the shyest flower. Working with bronze, sterling silver, rose gold and yellow gold, pyrite and set with porcelain shards or gemstones, all pieces are handcrafted in her South London studio and finished in Hatton Garden.
  
  A jewellery graduate from the Sir John Cass School of Art, Imogen honed her craft whilst completing an internship with renowned jeweller Shaun Leane. During this time she was given the opportunity to help with exciting projects, such as catwalk pieces for collaborations with Leane and Alexander McQueen.

  

  
• Lauren Colover
  
  Lauren Colover’s sensitive approach to design stems from her love of the natural forms and structures that surround her. She is also strongly influenced by art and fashion styles, both historic and contemporary.
  
  A recent graduate of the prestigious Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, Lauren creates beautiful and unusual pieces of jewellery, which hold within them a deeper meaning and hint at a sense of intrigue and the thrill of the unexpected. Each elegant and intensely desirable piece, made from precious metals and carefully selected stones, is skilfully crafted in the UK. The result is luxurious, timeless jewellery that draws the essence of the past into the present and onward to the future.