Christchurch is home to a thriving community of jewellers producing stunning pieces for every occasion, from engagement and wedding rings to precious gifts for very precious people. The artisan jewellers at three of the city’s leading practices – Via Sollertia, The Filing Kabinett and Sophie Divett Jewellery – tell Cityscape where they find inspiration, how they got started and how hard it can be sometimes to let a piece go.

Sophie Divett Jewellery

How would you describe your jewellery style? Organic, understated and made to be worn every day.

Where do you find inspiration? My biggest inspirations come from nature, especially our unique native plants that we have here in New Zealand. I’m also very inspired by ancient artefacts – the sense of history, the surface textures that show the life they’ve had and become as important a part of the piece as the original design.

What are you working on at the moment? I’m always kept pretty busy with custom-made pieces but recently I’ve been working on some new one-of-a-kind, ready-made engagement rings for the upcoming season. I’ve also recently found some great sources of super-ethical diamonds so I’m quite excited to create some pieces with them. They’re recycled white diamonds (no new mining has to take place for these so they’re pretty much as environmentally friendly as you can get) and some amazing salt-and-pepper diamonds that are guaranteed ethically sourced, and support small communities in Africa.

Commissions or your own creations – do you have a preference? I love both – having total creative freedom with my own new pieces is pretty great, and it’s also so lovely working with clients to create something 100 percent unique. Often the custom-made process is what inspires new ideas.

How did you come to be a jeweller? I got my Bachelor of Fine Arts many years ago, and towards the end of my studies one of my tutors suggested I think about getting into jewellery because of the small sculptural objects I was making. I started experimenting after graduating, and after a while of being self-taught and doing the occasional evening class, I decided that this is what I want to do. So I did a further two years of study, refined my technical skills and completed a Diploma in Jewellery Design. That was a few years ago, and I’ve been making jewellery full-time since then.

What’s the best thing about the job? Definitely the people – all of my clients are the loveliest. I love hearing the stories behind the pieces people are giving. My absolute favourite is hearing proposal stories! It’s so amazing to think something that I have made is a part of that. Also, buying gems – I’m a bit of a magpie and can’t resist a beautiful sapphire.

Any pieces you are particularly fond of? I made myself a ring last year, as a sort of ‘engaged to my business’ ring. It’s 18 carat yellow gold and one of my signature bezel designs, with lots of hand-carved texture. It took me about eight months to finally settle on the stone, which is a 1.8 carat Queensland sapphire that looks so different depending on the light it’s in. I still can’t stop looking at it and it’s pretty cool to understand what my customers are feeling when they say ‘I can’t stop looking at it’!

What was the last piece you made that you couldn’t bear to part with? There’s a ring I finished the other day called the Hestia ring. It’s a really simple organic band with a few tiny recycled white diamonds set in. I love that it’s so understated, with subtle little details. I was wearing it to take some photos for the website and really, really wanted to keep it on my finger. It hasn’t sold yet, so who knows?

How does it feel when you are out and you see someone wearing your work? Pretty amazing!

Who would you love to see wearing one of your pieces? I’m always really flattered whenever anyone chooses to wear one of my pieces. It’s so great to see when people find a piece that resonates with them, especially if it’s an engagement ring or something that celebrates a significant milestone.

Describe the process for making a custom-made piece. Every piece is different and the process can vary quite a bit, but we usually start with a consultation to brainstorm ideas for the general design. This can be looking at pictures of past pieces I’ve made, trying on pieces in my gallery, and finding out which elements the client is drawn to – colours, textures, setting styles, gems. It’s great if we can meet in person, but I’ve made pieces for people further afield too by communicating via email, with lots of pictures to make sure we’re on the same page. Once we have a good idea of what it’s going to look like, I create wax models of the piece, which can be adjusted until it’s exactly how we want it to look. Once it’s just right, the wax model is cast in metal using the traditional lost-wax technique, which is then refined and polished to create the final piece. The whole process can take from two weeks to two months, depending on the design, but the more time we can allow the better – I’m a one-woman show so extra time is always appreciated to get it all looking perfect (or perfectly imperfect, as is more the case with my pieces!).

Some tips for maintaining and storing jewellery. To keep jewellery looking its best, it’s always a good idea to remove it before bed or before anything where it’s likely to come into contact with dirt or solvents. Swimming (especially in chlorinated pools), cleaning, gardening and cooking are the big ones. I have a little dish in the kitchen and bathroom to pop rings in so they don’t go astray. Most pieces can be cleaned once a week with just soapy water and a toothbrush.

When you are not making beautiful jewellery, what do you love to do? Jewellery is my passion so it’s hard to stop but I like a bit of work/life balance by getting out into nature, visiting other art galleries and trying my hand at various other crafts – I tried wood carving not long ago, and would love to have a go at pottery some time.

sophiedivettjewellery.co.nz