London-based goldsmith and jewellery designer Jessie Thomas nails the brand of offbeat cool often missing from fine jewellery. Taking traditional, raw materials – including recycled gold and conflict-free Botswana diamonds – Thomas gently subverts classic design codes. The results are sculptural, encompassed in swooping gold bands adorned with floating diamonds, or in abstract clusters of diamonds adorning the collarbone. Her Wallpaper* editor-approved engagement rings (an everyday wear for two editors and counting) are particularly loved by jewellery aficionados.
Our expectations were high, therefore, for the new ‘Donut’ collection, comprising ten pieces in 18ct yellow gold and diamonds, staying faithful to the curved forms and chunky outlines of previous pieces. In the sculptural slabs of yellow gold rings, diamonds sink into their precious and puffy homes, or adorn the thickly drawn links of chain bracelets. Taken as a whole, it is a celebration of the physicality of precious metals, drawing delight from the sheer joy of wearing an oversized piece of jewellery.
‘The concept was developed out of an archive piece of David’s,’ says Thomas, referring to her goldsmith father, David Thomas, ’which he had called “the donut”. I have taken this and used it as the starting point for a series of pieces. Still simple, but bolder and larger, the diamonds stand out from their convex settings; I have made them feel more contemporary with the use of pointed claws.’
In the unexpected placement of diamonds and generous proportion of gold, the ‘Donut’ collection riffs on the classic. ‘I have designed these pieces to be worn every day but have added offset diamonds and unusual shapes to stand out and feel different from the classics. As always, these pieces are sculptural and reference the curving lines that you see in my previous collections and engagement rings. I personally hand-carve each piece in my west London workshop using 18ct gold and diamonds that I source from the same gemstone dealer that my father has worked with for over 40 years.’
