Collection Highlights We caught up with Claudia to find out how the Stronger Together collection came about. Claudia writes:
‘I have always believed in the importance, and power, of connections; it is a founding principle behind my jewellery business. I believe that jewellery uniquely connects us to ourselves, as well as to those we love. Love comes in many forms from the love of friendship, the love for a place, and then, of course, the more talked about romantic love. With these new pearl designs, I wanted to celebrate the connections we share, to mark the value of them, and the interlinked nature of life and love. History shows us, time and again, that we are Stronger Together.’
Our new Stronger Together pearl designs feature fluid love knots, which Claudia explains: ‘hold the trinity of friendship, connections, and love’ within them. Love is not confined to romantic love, but encompasses love of oneself, of friends and family and of communities and places too.
Claudia worked with her team to create our distinctive fine lines and grooves, to give this new pearl jewellery an ancient feel. Much like the history of the pearl itself, these new pearl love knot designs represent ancient historical story telling power, within fresh new modern pearl jewellery designs.
The collection was inspired by a visit to the British Museum to see the Stonehenge exhibition. Claudia says ‘I was particularly struck, viewing the ancient icons, by the desire to craft beautiful pieces to carry around with you, connecting the wearer to what they believed in. I hope these designs will carry some of this spirt with them for you.’
There has been a recent trend for 80’s inspired Chanel pearl jewellery, and the hero pieces, our Stronger Together Love Knot Pearl Drop Earrings, and Love Knot Pearl Necklace, have a flavour of this jewellery trend intrinsic to their look and feel. Like the ancient jewellery at the British Museum, these designs channel the ‘Under One sky’ ethos and represent commonalities we all share.
We Already Have Fans of our New Collection
The ITV cook Clodagh Mckenna Herbert wore our Unita Organic Hoops to Cheltenham. Styled by sustainable fashion stylist Sarah Kate Byrne.
Suit @thedecklondon_
Hat @jesscollettmilliner
Handbag @tusting
Style hack queen, Claire Hall, chose to wear our love knot pearl drops with an over-sized leather jacket. These earrings were given as a gift to Claire on her 50th birthday, to thank her for the support for our business. We are so grateful for our personal and business connections which make life richer and very joyful. Watch Claire's reel.
More About Claudia's Inspirational Visit
Claudia explains a bit more about the visit to the British Museum:
‘Visiting the Stonehenge exhibition at The British Museum, having had my interest piqued by a newspaper article about the Nebraska Sky Disc, I found out that what was happening in the UK at the time around Stonehenge’s heyday, was replicated around the world. Humankind was connecting all over the world with the sky. At a time that they could not have been physically sharing these messages.
As the book The World of Stonehenge noted ‘Formation (of Stonehenge) was related to the sun, and its worship. Great care was taken to shape and dress the stones that framed the sun on auspicious occasions when the sun was at the extremes of its solar journey and the fortunes of the community were thought to hang in the balance. Around the world, similar considerations were in place with stones strategically placed to allow the sun to fall on tombs in Ireland, (Newgrange, co Meath, Republic of Ireland), at Maeshowe in Orkney. By building and aligning tombs of the dead and sacred circles on the sun, communities were marking and celebrating the connection that existed in their world view between the passage of the sun across the sky and death and the ancestors. This connection was probably related to beliefs about the regeneration and renewal of life.’
What Claudia was intrigued to learn, was the introduction of gold making techniques from France into England which then allowed for ‘sun-discs and collars’ to be made to reflect the sun. Portable sun symbols, made some ‘4,500 years ago marked a significant transformation of beliefs, from fixed, ancient, monuments, where the sun was worshipped and observed at carefully prescribed times of the year, to artefacts that could express a bearer’s close, personal connection to the heavens.’ - The World of Stonehenge by Duncan Garrow and Neil Wilkin
This sun disc was found at Harlyn Bay, in Cornwall.
Claudia's Collection Highlights
And what of Claudia’s favourite pieces from the new collection:
‘I love to wear the Stronger Together Love Knot Necklace with the Unita Organic Oval Hoops; both in gold. I layer up the necklace with our Luxury Gold Pearl Drop Necklace. I like the softly low key luxe the lines gives the designs, and how they mix in with my other pieces in my jewellery box. I always get a comment on the love knot necklace.’
Explore the full collection here.
