The latest big-brand jewels: from eastern exotics to the British royal family

The CMJ Media “Christmas in July” press day this week was a visual feast showcasing a stunning variety of jewellery fresh and ready for A/W ‘13.

There was a brand for every taste, whether you’re after something on a budget – Diamonfire’s traditionally elegant pieces were mainly under £100 – or something more extravagant. Brumani, who are currently breaking the UK and cater to the likes of J.Lo, showed jewellery costing upwards of £20,000.

A brand that really caught our eye was Mi Moneda, who create pendants containing beautiful interchangeable coins, made of everything from pieces of shell to Swarovski crystals. They’ve developed quite the cult celeb following too – they made a bespoke pendant for Rihanna. 

Fei Liu and Decï added an exotic influence. The former combines the aesthetics of his native China with western craftsmanship. He really gives the wearer bangs for their buck – every angle is carefully considered, and some pieces can be worn in two different ways. 

The Decï designer, Dessy Tslova, draws on everything from Greek mythology and Roman ruins to Byzantine artefacts. Particularly using precious stones combined with battered gold, some pieces look like they could have been made thousands of years ago – yet are just as stylish in 2013. 

There was also a dash of British heritage to be seen in the shape of Clogau.

They create stunningly intricate designs made from Welsh gold taken from the Clogau St. David’s Mine in the north-west of Wales – the very same gold that has been used to make the wedding rings for the royal family since 1925. This connection has made the brand internationally sought-after. 

All in all, the jewellery industry seems to have a lot of excitement and innovation in store over the coming months, full of some great little additions to our winter wardrobes.

Kate Williams