Under-The-Radar Luxury Jewellery Brands To Add To Your Collection

Make no mistake: We’ll always be loyal to our favourite jewellery labels, particularly the veterans that will never go out of style. But we’re always on the lookout for the next big thing, and that means scouring for new, independent brands to add to our collection, particularly that of young designers with a fresh eye. Thankfully, there’s plenty to go around, including these seven luxury jewellery labels you need on your radar.

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1. Anneliese Michelson

Anneliese Michelson’s big break is a dream come true for many: Former Vogue Paris editor Carine Roitfeld commissioned her to create earrings and statement jewellery. Soon came her Carnivore collection which became an instant hit with stars like Rihanna, and fashion insiders such as Alexa Chung. Her jewellery is not made for wildflowers. “I don’t want to make women look pretty and harmless,” she says. “I want to give them objects of desire that reflect their own power.” Her jewellery is bold and sculptural — many, like her signature gold draped choker pictured above, cuffs and lava earrings, are designed to resemble movements in fabric and liquids. Every piece is crafted from of French materials in her Parisian atelier.

2. Sarah Hendler

If you have an affinity for gemstones, you’ll love Sarah Hendler: An American fine jeweller that marries vintage silhouettes with coloured gems and stones, and unexpected details. Her main collections are named after her grandmothers. Ethel is inspired by her grandmother who loved large cocktail rings; the ‘starbust ball collection’ gives a twist on Victorian-era jewellery with its enamel touches. The Shirley collection, on the other hand, pays tribute to her fashion-forward grandmother with its edgy spear-like earrings with gemstones that appears both vintage and edgy at the same time. If you’re ordering a piece for an occasion, do so well in advance as all pieces are made to order.

3. Eden Presley

Got a taste for bohemian jewellery? You’ll love Eden Presley. Founder and designer Gwen Myers channels her daring spirit into her design by combining brightly coloured stones with bold silhouettes. The Rock collection, in particular, features a gamut of teardrop stone necklaces, dangle earrings and chunky earrings studded with loud, bold-coloured gems. The Mantra collection is another eyebrow-raiser for those who love making a (motivational) statement as it puts large, diamond-studded phrases front and center.

4. Alighieri

Alighieri takes inspiration from Dante Alighieri’s “Divine Comedy”— each of its pieces are inspired by his 100 poems. Much like the subjects of these poems, designer Rosh Mahtani shapes her jewellery to be battered, imperfect and melancholy with references to motifs of mythical creatures and landscapes. The Land of the Lawless collection, for instance, pays homage to the beginning of Dante’s Inferno with a terrifying lion motif to remind its wearers to stay courageous.

5. Ana Khouri

It’s clear that New York-based jewellery designer Ana Khouri’s passion for jewellery extends beyond the aesthetics — on her website, she describes how she wants her jewellery to not simply stand alone as beautiful objects, but “to evoke their connection to space.” Ana translates her background as a sculptor into her work; her pieces are meant to resemble art by defying typical forms and silhouettes. Earrings hang from the ear canal and cuffs are outrageously large. If you need further convincing to shop her pieces, all of them are made from 18K fair-mined gold or platinum and feature ethically sourced gem stones.

6. Sophie Bill Brae

Danish designer Sophie Bill Brae kickstarted her skill-building at an early age. As a child, she began fiddling with making her own pieces in a small workshop before she studied jewellery making in school and trained with master jewellers. All of her pieces demonstrate incredible craftsmanship; she makes each piece using centuries-old goldsmith techniques and infuses each with a backstory. Her works span the classic, bridal and archive, and feature modern takes on freshwater pearls,  and yellow gold diamond rings.

7. L’Atelier Nawbar

Started by sisters Dima and Tania Nawbar, the Beirut-based label was the first of its kind as its space combines an art gallery with a jewellery boutique and workshop. The label’s pieces do not shy away from colour or drama — its Stackables collection feature an assortment of brightly coloured gem bracelets and gemstone encrusted rings while its Living Vintage collection is a range of diamond-studded Hand of Fatima necklaces, pins and earrings.