Q&A Fashion In this issue, we ask local jewellery experts about what’s trending TURN SOMETHING OLD INTO SOMETHING NEW Meet the experts: Mother and daughter duo Anita Brightley-Hodges and Amalia Brightley-Gillott are co-founders of the new Devon-based jewellery business Irene & Jenny. We want to have some bespoke wedding rings made for us that mean something – what do you suggest? Anita and Amalia tell us: When two people fall in love and choose to spend their lives together, it is not just the couple-to-be who will share a future. A wedding means the coming together of two families, often from different backgrounds, cultures and with unique family values. Our new jewellery brand offers beautiful, bespoke, breathtaking wedding rings using heirloom jewellery from both sides of the family. “The idea was born after both of my grandmothers, called Irene and Jenny, passed away,” Amalia tells us. “I inherited their jewellery. There were plenty of lovely pieces which my grandmothers collected throughout their lives including beautiful necklaces and bracelets, rings and earrings. Some of them were broken or missing clasps, others were quite old-fashioned and not to my taste. But they held so much sentimental value to me and it seemed a shame to leave them tucked away in a safe.” Amalia’s mum, Anita, decided to design a ring incorporating some of the gemstones, which she gifted to Amalia on her wedding day. “It’s a beautiful gold ring with a large citrine, two opals and tiny emeralds from my grandmothers’ pieces,” Amalia says. “It tells the stories of two women encapsulated into one dazzling ring which I can pass down to my children and grandchildren one day.” The concept soon spread and the duo were asked by friends and family to do the same with their heirloom jewellery. “That’s when our wonderful brand, Irene & Jenny was born,” they say. Amalia and Anita are proud to be championing sustainable luxury. They only work with pre-loved, family gemstones, their supply chain is drastically smaller than with the production of ‘new’ jewellery and there is very little wastage. In today’s fast-paced, throw-away world, they are committed to reusing, repurposing and preserving the beauty of what already exists. “The Irene & Jenny experience is about so much more than just having a piece of jewellery made,” they tell us. “We are storytellers. We breathe new life into gemstones which have been locked away and forgotten. Our wedding clients usually come to us with pieces which are significant to their families. A grandmother’s engagement ring, a necklace from a honeymoon in Paris, a bracelet from a sweet sixteenth. Their eyes light up as they tell us about the stories behind each one, recalling memories of loved ones and adventures which bring a smile to their face. It is then such an incredible privilege for us to work with these family heirlooms and incorporate them into new designs. We delicately remove the gemstones and melt down the gold from the original jewellery. We then create a spectacular new ring for the bride with the gems taking centre-stage and crafting the melted gold into a fabulous wedding band for the groom. We can also engrave special names or quotes.” For Amalia, the magic happens when they hand-deliver the finished rings to the couple-to-be before their big day. Not only does it symbolise the union of two people, but also the fusion of two families into one. “There are usually tears,” she says. “It’s such a significant moment because they have trusted us to produce something extraordinary with jewellery that has been in their families for years. This part of the journey is always very special to us.” So what does the future hold for this wonderful family business? “We want Irene & Jenny to become synonymous with creating beautiful, meaningful jewellery for families all over the world,” Anita and Amalia tell us. “Keeping their memories precious through exquisitely crafted, modern heirlooms.” https://ireneandjenny.com www.instagram.com/amalia_ij_jewellery 70
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