Tagged with 'Winterson'

This week we are delighted to launch a new collection of jewellery called Lief, which is also the old English word for "Beloved".

The newly launched Lief collection has been designed by our new Creative Director Alice Cicolini, who first began working with Winterson in 2013.

ALICE CICOLINI

Alice is a successful jewellery designer, creative commissioner and producer, with her work currently being stocked at Net-A-Porter, Dover Street Market, Urban Flower Grange Hall and Colette.

Her first collaborative collection with us called ‘Beau’ - a flamboyantly British range of seed pearl jewellery – is available exclusively at Winterson.

In her official Winterson role, Alice will be responsible for the creative conception and product development of the classic, bridal and fine jewellery collections at Winterson. She will also establish and manage our exclusive collaborations with other up and coming British designers.

Alice brings a distinctive style and influence to our jewellery that has already inspired our customers with her Beau collection, rings and earrings. We are delighted to welcome her fully to our team.

THE INSPIRATION FOR LIEF

The new Lief collection is based on the Winterson brand motif, which is inspired by a wild northern flower called Linnaea Borealis.

This little alpine twinflower is named Carl Linnaeus, a world renowned Swedish botanist who is also believed to have been the first to culture successfully a spherical cultured pearl.

Alice's designs for Lief are an exquisite fusion of colourful gemstones and diamonds with Winterson’s signature pearls. Clever interchangeable design allows the wearer to create different looks across the collection, from everyday to the more formal.

Three designs beautifully capture the essence of spring and colour and will be an exciting range of enduring classics to treasure.

LIEF, ENCHANTED AND ENTWINED

 

The new Enchanted Diamond Earrings sparkle with 36 ice clear gems and are finished in white and yellow gold. Stunning on their own, they can also be combined with a selection of our carefully chosen pearls, crafted with an 18 carat gold loop and expertly designed to fit the Lief stud earring earpost.

New elegantly understated studs also join the range with a beautiful selection of gemstones to tempt, from soft Morganite and Green Beryl, to vibrant Pink Tourmaline, Aquamarine and Amethyst. Each stud earring can be paired with white Akoya or Freshwater Drop pearls, naturally grey Tahitian pearls, or simply worn on their own.

New Entwined Pearl Stud Earrings feature wild gold leaves, entwined around a pair of white Akoya pearls and adorned with two round white sparkling diamonds.

Discover the Lief collection here.

Introducing the latest addition to the Winterson range of exquisite pearl jewellery. The Luna Ice South Sea Pearl Ring, a timeless piece of jewellery with an irresistibly modern twist. A stunning addition to any Christmas wish list.

Capturing the spirit of winter time with its highly polished 18 carat white gold setting, ice-clear diamond and stunning South Sea pearl in purest, silvery white, the new Luna Ice ring is the product of our design work with up-and-coming British jewellery talent Alice Cicolini.

Cultured in ocean waters off the coasts of Australia and Indonesia, South Sea pearls are notable for their silky lustre. The perfectly round 8.5 mm pearl in the Luna Ice ring is perfectly complemented here by the subtle sparkle of the art-deco style baguette-cut diamond set beside it.

A new contemporary design to treasure.

We are delighted to announce that the winner of the Winterson Prize for Best Use of Pearls this year is Felicia Swartling, showcasing a collection that combined imaginative sculptural elements with the freeform shapes of baroque pearls.

The CSM Jewellery Degree Show Awards took place on Thursday 19th June at Central Saint Martins. Each year this exclusive awards ceremony celebrates the new and exciting creations submitted by graduates of the influential London arts institute.

This year’s judging panel comprised Winterson Director Andrew Fraser, Caroline Broadhead, Programme Director at CSM, Maia Adams, Director and Founder at Adorn Insight, and British jewellery designer, Alice Cicolini, herself an MA graduate of Central Saint Martins.

The judges also commended Ruiyin Lin for work that drew parallels between how pearls take their form and modern materials that are constructed using 3D printing.

Commenting on the award, Winterson Director, Andrew Fraser said: ‘Felicia's work showed a well-judged appreciation of how each pearl could become an integral part of each piece, as well as being impressively accomplished at a technical level. We are delighted to award Felicia this year's Winterson Prize.'

Read more about Felicia's work in our interview here.

Here we feature the final part in our series of short interviews with designers from the Central Saint Martins Jewellery 2014 show, including in this article – Sylvia Zhang, Tresy Liaunardy, Vicky Lew, Yerin Jeon and Ying Lola Lou.

For the second year, we have been working with the students designers of the Central Saint Martins Jewellery Design course. We will be awarding a Winterson Prize to one of the students for 'The Best Use of Pearls' at Jewellery Awards Evening on 19th June.

Read about some of the other designers in Part I, Part II and Part III of our interviews here. Discover the Winner of the Winterson Prize 2014 here.

SYLVIA ZHANG

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Sylvia Zhang.

What was the inspiration for this collection?

The aesthetic of Taoism’s simplicity and the philosophy of worshipping nature.

What have you discovered about working with pearls?

Pearls have great possibilities and can work really well with different concepts.

What’s next for you after CSM?

I will be pursuing higher academic qualifications.

Which designer or artist do you most admire?

David Watkins.

Name one jewellery toolbox essential that you can’t live without.

My files in different grades.

Name your favourite place for design in London.

Tate Modern.

TRESY LIAUNARDY

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am from Indonesia, I was introduced to the world of jewellery by my mother, because of her profession. I believe in handmade jewellery and the journey of making the piece itself.

What was the inspiration for this collection?

I was inspired by United Kingdom itself, which is a beautiful country with rich backgrounds and stories.

What have you discovered about working with pearls?

I have discovered that pearls are very versatile, the rich colour and lustre can be combined with any material.

What’s next for you after CSM?

I would like to learn more about fine jewellery making.

Which designer or artist do you most admire?

JAR: Joel A. Rosenthal.

Name one jewellery toolbox essential that you can’t live without.

My pin vice.

VICKY LEW

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am a Malaysian-born and bred girl. I grew up surrounded by shoes – Dad's a shoe designer and Mum's very lucky!

I initially planned to pursue a shoe design course but decided on jewellery instead (much to my Dad's amusement), just because I wanted to work on different parts of the body rather than just on the feet.

What was the inspiration for this collection?

My collection Flight was inspired by a photo I took of a bird in Hyde Park. It was spreading its wings before it flew away. It's such a lovely transient moment and I like to preserve such moment in pieces of jewellery.

What have you discovered about working with pearls?

The pearl has a luminescence that is unlike other gem, never failing to add a touch of luxury to any piece. A t-shirt will instantly look regal and elegant with pearls sewn into them.

What’s next for you after CSM?

Having my own studio would be nice.

Who could you imagine wearing your jewellery?

I'd like to see Tilda Swinton wearing my pieces.

What is it that makes a piece of jewellery a design classic?

A memorable one.

What is your most treasured piece of jewellery?

My gold baby ring, which I now wear as a pinky ring.

Which designer or artist do you most admire?

Gijs Bakker for his interpretation of jewellery, always unexpected and very clever.

Name one jewellery toolbox essential that you can’t live without.

My handy Dremel torch, it's also good for the occasional creme brulee.

Name your favourite place for design in London.

The Victoria and Albert Museum, I get inspired by different things each time I visit.

What’s your motto?

Perseverance is the key to success.

YERIN JEON

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Yerin Jeon, I come from South Korea. I studied fine arts in Germany and then came to London to study jewellery design at Central Saint Martins. I am a designer and a creative.

What was the inspiration for this collection?

Attempt to visualize the invisible. Especially the sound of silence, which is interpreted internally and externally in this collection.

Wearing the piece, from the other side, people can visually trace the flowing lines of resonance around body.

What have you discovered about working with pearls?

I researched more about how pearls are created and chose to focus on their shell, where they are formed.

I also looked at how pearls can function as a medium to allow sound to remain trapped within them. Furthermore, I was surprised to find out that when pearls are worn as earrings, they give a soft and comforting feeling.

What’s next for you after CSM?

I would perhaps like to work for a fashion brand because I am interested in how they accentuate the properties of textiles and the beauty of objects around us.

Which designer or artist do you most admire?

Francis Alÿs.

What’s your motto?

You create your opportunities by asking for them (Patty Hansen).

YING LOLA LOU

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Ying Lola Lou, born and raised in China. I am interested in observing the people, living things or anything that might catch my eye.

What was the inspiration for this collection?

The idea of this project is to turn my drawings into jewellery or wearable accessory pieces. This is my own way of capturing my memories.

The drawings are portraits of my friends, of hands holding or picking up a stone. As most of the pieces (with drawings on them) are quite flat, I am playing with the components, to add some other element such as branches cast from metal, pearls or wire frames that continue the drawing.

What have you discovered about working with pearls?

Pearls are not as fragile as I imagined they would be. And you can’t glue pearls onto the silk thread because the silk thread breaks apart after the glue dried.

What’s next for you after CSM?

I would like to learn about ceramics.

Which designer or artist do you most admire?

Salvador Dali.

Name one jewellery toolbox essential that you can’t live without.

My jewellery files.

Here we feature the third in a four part series of short interviews with designers from the Central Saint Martins Jewellery 2014 show, including in this article – Raven Tuson, Robyn Hole, Ruiyin Lin and Shirley Li.

For the second year, we have been working with the students designers of the Central Saint Martins Jewellery Design course. We will be awarding a Winterson Prize to one of the students for 'The Best Use of Pearls' at Jewellery Awards Evening on 19th June.

Read about some of the other designers in Part I, Part II and Part IV of our interviews here. Discover the Winner of the Winterson Prize 2014 here.

RAVEN TUSON

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself

I am always bursting with ideas and like to express these by trying out new materials and methods. I enjoy visiting museums and being creative by capturing inspiration from sketching and photography.

What was the inspiration for this collection?

The focus of this collection is the lifecycle of architectural structures and how, over time, they are transformed by the natural world. The collection aims to portray the stages of transition from cradle to grave, with the pieces representing a milestone in the buildings lifecycle.

Each stage is expressed through a varied use of materials with delicate lines of silver wire and chain representing the architectural structure and fine silver granules and a mixture of stones appearing as natural growths on the pieces.

What have you discovered about working with pearls?

Using pearls was a great way of introducing my work to using real life grown formations and offered my jewellery a natural element.

What’s next for you after CSM?

I intend to continue with designing and making, creating many more collections and building my own business.

What is your most treasured piece of jewellery?

The brooch as it collects all my significant elements in one piece.

Name one jewellery toolbox essential that you can’t live without?

My files as it allow me to create perfect angles for geometric effects.

ROBYN HOLE

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I have been designing /making jewellery for the past 3 years and I enjoy experimenting with materials and ideas. Finding a good concept keeps me interested and always thinking.

What was the inspiration for this collection?

The metamorphosis of a beetle was the inspiration for this collection.

What have you discovered about working with pearls?

I have learnt a lot about pearls during this project and I have learnt that silicone can be used as a vehicle to enhance small pearls and make them look bigger. I have also learnt that the lustre of the pearls is very important.

What’s next for you after CSM?

After CSM I would like to create my own business selling jewellery, I would like to explore further the use of pearls and silicone.

Which designer or artist do you most admire?

Vivienne Westwood, because she pushes boundaries more than most.

What’s your motto?

Anything is possible and everything happens for a reason.

RUIYIN LIN

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am drawn to the aesthetics of the past as a way of preserving our memories and I adore the new with its unknown future.

What was the inspiration for this collection?

I wanted to create a collection that is both a tribute to the past and a prelude to the future, to explore our intuitive comfort of the familiar by taking traditional forms and subverting them with contemporary attitude and techniques.

What have you discovered about working with pearls?

Pearls are so hardy it sometimes still surprises me. I’m in love with how pearls are formed.

Mixing modern materials with pearls allow me to create a bridge between the processes of construction. Layers of nacre form pearls, and 3D printing is a process that is likewise built in layers. I hope to question the perceived preciousness of these materials and their authenticity.

What’s next for you after CSM?

I’m hoping to set up a jewellery and furniture studio.

Name one jewellery toolbox essential that you can’t live without.

My hands.

What’s your motto?

Stay hungry, stay foolish. – Steve Jobs

SHIRLEY LI

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Shirley Li. I am a jewellery design student at CSM, sick with design but I love art.

What was the inspiration for this collection?

The collection inspired by jewellery in famous oil paintings. I am trying to remake them and redefine their value.

What have you discovered about working with pearls?

It is a material that has lots of possibilities for use. Especially in my collection I made fake pearls with resin and wood. Mixing pearl powder in paints and using that to paint a new fake pearl. It is a process of deconstruction that redefines the value of pearl.

What is it that makes a piece of jewellery a design classic?

Full of designer’s love, a look that is simple outside and unique inside.

Name your favourite place for design in London.

No doubt, it is Central Saint Martins.

Here we feature the second in a four part series of short interviews with designers from the Central Saint Martins Jewellery 2014 show, including in this article – Gianna Pak Yung Chan, Ioanna Souflia, Jessie Seo and Junko Kurihara.

For the second year, we have been working with the students designers of the Central Saint Martins Jewellery Design course. We will be awarding a Winterson Prize to one of the students for 'The Best Use of Pearls' at Jewellery Awards Evening on 19th June.

Read about some of the other designers in Part I, Part III and Part IV of our interviews here. Discover the Winner of the Winterson Prize 2014 here.

GIANNA PAK YUNG CHAN

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Gianna Chan. I enjoy working with pearls and combine them with different types of material to explore new possibilities.

What was the inspiration for this collection?

In my final collection, I mainly use rope to play with the line and knots. The inspiration of my collection is from Japanese Bondage. Japanese bondage involves the interaction between ropes and knots on body to emphasis the body shape of female.

What have you discovered about working with pearls?

The uniqueness of each pearl brings out the differences of individual jewellery. This uniqueness can be differentiated by size, shape and texture etc. Each pearl may lend its character to the design with different settings, like twisting pearls strings to the knots. The roughness of rope and the smoothness of a pearl creates an interesting combination.

What is it that makes a piece of jewellery a design classic?

Historically, there are many paintings that included pearl jewellery. Photographs of Louise Brookes with simple long string of pearls shows an elegance of women that is memorable.

Classic design in jewellery often comes from the combination of using traditional technique with creativity. In my collection, the traditional way of stringing pearls with new expression in rope shows feminine and elegance in a classic style.

What is your most treasured piece of jewellery?

My parents gave me a jade pendant after my birth.

Name one jewellery toolbox essential that you can’t live without.

My hands! Tools are the integrated version of my hands.

IOANNA SOUFLIA

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am former law graduate who decided to challenge herself and enter the creative world through jewellery. I am amazed by the infinite possibilities of jewellery design and drawn to the challenge of expressing one self through such an object.

What was the inspiration for this collection?

The starting points for this collection were my contrasting fields of studies: law and jewellery. Contrasting elements; linear patterns and sculptural forms; black and white; contemporary materials such as marble and traditional materials such as metal and the pearl brought together. A synthesis of opposing elements resulting to a cohesive union.

What have you discovered about working with pearls?

The ability of the pearl to stand out but at the same time to adapt to the design; its dual character, a classic, fine jewellery material which can be incorporated to a more contemporary piece of jewellery; for me this is what makes pearls timeless.

What’s next for you after CSM?

My goal after CSM will be to start and establish my own brand.

What is your most treasured piece of jewellery?

My most treasured piece of jewellery would be the first ring I ever made. It signals the beginning of my creative journey in the jewellery world.

What’s your motto?

Be persistent; this is what I have been telling myself from the very moment I decided to become a jewellery designer.

JESSIE SEO

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am Jessie Seo. I am a final year student at Central Saint Martins. My designs were derived by my fascination of nature.

What was the inspiration for this collection?

My imagination started when looking at large pieces of dark bark that had really interesting textures. I wanted to manipulate the textures of the wood and explore the depth and texturized images engraved on the wood. The idea of engraving flowers on the wood has been the subject of my fascinatation with the material of wood.

I found an artist named Karl Blossfeldt. His black and white photographs of a flower’s buds, shoots and stems were magnified and their shapes were amazing. I was drawn to the images of his works and inspired me to engrave them immediately on the black ebony wood.

Combining natural material into jewelry gives me an emotion of wearing nature. My collection is a night garden. The beauty of blackness shines through moonlight that gently rests on this night garden. I have used the pearls to picture the moonlight on the black garden.

What have you discovered about working with pearls?

I have discovered that pearls are very delicate and it has very oriental and natural beauty that makes the jewelry’s beauty to its most height.

What’s next for you after CSM?

An MA in Italy!

Name one jewellery toolbox essential that you can’t live without.

Drill bits!

Name your favourite place for design in London.

London Zoo.

JUNKO KURIHARA

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am 23 years old and am from Japan.

What was the inspiration for this collection?

My inspiration came from the blurred images and eyesight, that occurs without wearing contact lenses or glasses.

What have you discovered about working with pearls?

That a natural pearl may have a beautiful colour that people are not able to create.

Who could you imagine wearing your jewellery?

My jewellery is designed for everyone who wants to wear it, but I would imagine particularly for ladies aged 40-50 years old.

What is your most treasured piece of jewellery?

An 18 carat gold ring that I bought with my first salary.

What’s your motto?

Be creative!

For the second year, we have been working with Central Saint Martins, the leading art and design centre based in London.

Our collaboration gives the student designers an opportunity to experience designing with pearls for their final year work, which is showcased at a sparkling Jewellery Awards Evening on 19th June. We will be awarding our Winterson Prize to one of the students for 'The Best Use of Pearls'.

The designs are also open to the public at CSM during June 18-22nd.

Here we feature the first in a four part series of short interviews with designers from the CSM Jewellery 2014 show, including in this article – Eleonora D'Ottavi, Elizabeth Lee, Emma Duckers, Felicia Swartling and Fortuna Weeks.

Read about some of the other designers in Part II, Part III and Part IV of our interviews here. Discover the Winner of the Winterson Prize 2014 here.

ELEONORA D’OTTAVI

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am Italian although I have lived both in London and Geneva. In Geneva I became an intern in Christie’s jewellery department where I discovered Fine Jewellery. Since then I have been designing Contemporary/Fine jewellery.

What was the inspiration for this collection?

I wanted to create a collection which would transfer my personality and individuality into pieces of jewellery.

What have you discovered about working with pearls?

While writing my dissertation on the history of pearls I discovered that although natural pearls are incredibly symbolic, freshwater pearls are still without meaning even though they are just as beautiful.

What is it that makes a piece of jewellery a design classic?

I am not sure how to explain this, but there are some pieces of jewellery which make whoever is wearing them radiant, no matter what their age or style (both of the person and jewel). These are what I would consider a classic.

Which designer or artist do you most admire?

JAR

Name one jewellery toolbox essential that you can’t live without.

An antiseptic cream for burns.

ELIZABETH LEE

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am half Chinese, half Taiwanese, born and raised in London. I have studied at Central Saint Martins since foundation, initially wanting to study fashion design and eventually becoming inspired by jewellery through product design.

What was the inspiration for this collection?

The concept of my collection entitled “Play” is based on the idea of finding the beauty in objects by looking at the finer details we often dismiss. Merging cosmetics into jewellery became the main source of inspiration as the notion surrounding makeup defines play.

What have you discovered about working with pearls? 

Pearls come in many sizes and shapes, each having its own unique character and lustre. For a few of my pieces, I worked with inlay and found that the rainbow shine could be reignited with a touch of water to recreate its mesmerizing appearance.

What’s next for you after CSM?

Designing anything product related for a company. Perhaps somewhere abroad!

What is your most treasured piece of jewellery?

A Yves Behar watch. The design is minimal and so innovative and beautiful!

Which designer or artist do you most admire?

Oki Sato for NENDO

EMMA DUCKERS

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself

I am a designer who is looking to alter some of the grey in today’s world.

What was the inspiration for this collection?

The impact of heart disease has been the driving force behind this collection, as it is a matter close to my own heart. This collection is to raise funds for research aimed at conquering Cardiovascular Disease, the biggest killer within the United Kingdom.

There is a focus on the dual aspect of the heart: ‘two pairs of two different kinds of chamber, two types of blood- oxygenated and deoxygenated, red and blue, two sides, two return journeys, two types of vessel: artery and vein; all with a unification in purpose’ (L.Young, The Book of the Heart, 2002).

The series of pearl pieces focuses on the circulation of the blood around the heart. The lathed and milled interlocking sections illustrate the inter workings of the heart, whilst also allowing the neckpieces to have a dual wearability factor. Taking a broad view into a healthy heart, through to the digression experienced with Cardiovascular Disease.

The collection has been informed by the scientific advancements made in the study of the treatment of heart disease up until the present day. It also makes a nod to the fact that this is part of an on-going process. We are not at the end of the road yet and the collection celebrates innovation and advancement as abstract ideas by themselves, whilst also translating into a striking, wearable, considered pieces.

What have you discovered about working with pearls?

Pearls I have found hold the importance of material relevance for my collection, in representing both red, white blood cells and plasma. Relevant from the way they are formed, considered as a natural material and ideal in the array of colours and forms available.

Not only used for their relevance to my concept, yet used in this way the pearls offer an elegant luster, in a considered contemporary design.

Who could you imagine wearing your jewellery?

Melinda Gates.

Which designer or artist do you most admire?

Rebecca Horn for her creative approach to the adornment of the body and spaces.

Name your favourite place for design in London.

The Victoria & Albert Museum hosts an array of inspiration from all over the world under one roof. No matter how many times I visit there is always something new to discover.

FELICIA SWARTLING

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Felicia Swartling, I am twenty-four years old and I am obsessed with jewellery. Where my love and hunger for jewellery has grown beyond anything I’ve ever felt before, to the point were Jewellery has to me become more then something that you just wear. It has become a part of me, almost like a language through which I can express myself.

What was the inspiration for this collection?

Similar to the framework of art and fashion, jewellery is also shaped by pre- conceptions that inevitably forms conventional jewellery to be conceived primarily as body adornment. When jewellery is not worn it is placed in a box, drawer or other encapsulating precious container to become invisible and obscured from further admiration. The jewellery box can therefore be seen as a parallel to the invisible space surrounding an exhibition or the stereotyped anonymous body on a catwalk.

With an equivalent shift of perception, my aim is to fuse features from other fields such as sculpture, flowers and African artefacts with jewellery to provoke the pre-conceptions that the conventional framework of jewellery may have.

Through the collection I have designed, I hope the wearer and viewer will re-evaluate the perception of what jewellery is and the value of its use. My collection consists of fifteen independent pieces of jewellery. Each piece has a dual quality; the ability to be worn, yet simultaneously does not require a body to be complete. The pieces have a sculptural quality to inhabit a space so to make the physical body irrelevant when they are displayed.

What have you discovered about working with pearls?

To work with pearls was a new experience and I’m now under their spell and intend to incorporate pearls in more upcoming collections.

What is it that makes a piece of jewellery a design classic?

Primal elements combined with futurism.

A design classic is something that possesses features from its history and tradition, yet fused with futuristic elements that when combined strikes as a contemporary piece with subtle connotations of heritage awareness.

What’s your motto?

No compromises. Shut up and work.

FORTUNA WEEKS

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I was born in Cuba and raised in New York City. I danced professionally and taught Pilates whilst living in NYC. After relocating to London I became fascinated by the creative buzz that surrounded me and decided to pursue a BA in Jewellery Design at CSM.

What was the inspiration for this collection?

Two contemporary artists inspired me: Yeon Joo Ham, a Korean textile artist; and Jose Parla, a Cuban/American painter. Their pieces brought to mind the interconnection of threads.

I taught myself a selection of complex braids using the ancient art of Japanese braiding, Kumihimo. Whilst braiding I found that I could relate the sound and rhythm of the bobbins knocking against the loom to the natural cycles in nature, such as Water. My collection is based on all these ingredients.

What have you discovered about working with pearls?

They feel great, they are timeless, and I love the lustre of good quality pearls. They are beautiful and work well with my collection.

What is it that makes a piece of jewellery a design classic?

A piece of jewellery is a design classic when it possesses timeless aesthetic value. It can be worn and appreciated regardless of when it was made.

What is your most treasured piece of jewellery?

My mother’s bracelets. Their family history, craftsmanship and beauty make them a design classic.

Name your favourite place for design in London.

My favorite place for design is the Saatchi Gallery.

The world of the cultured pearl is always changing, with each year bringing a new set of pearl trends to discover as pearl farmers adapt their production and develop new techniques.

Our buying team recently returned from Asia with a stunning selection of the highest quality pearls for our collections of jewellery at Winterson, being carefully chosen for their lustre, colour and beauty.

But there were a few surprises too.

Here are our reflections from the visit and a prediction of pearl trends for the coming year:

SMALL SIZES…

Pearls above 11mm in diameter command a significant premium for their rarity, particularly for the highest quality South Sea and Tahitian pearls.

But this year more than ever before, we noticed that pearl sizes smaller than 7-8mm diameter, for the Akoya pearl and even seed pearls as small as 1-2mm, are very much in demand for necklaces, earrings and other types of jewellery.

Comfortable to wear and elegantly proportioned, these are the classic pearl sizes for a jewellery designer to work with.

THE EVER CHANGING FRESHWATER PEARL…

The shift in production and demand for Freshwater pearls over the past thirty years has been significant, with small cereal shaped pearls being steadily replaced by the introduction of rounder shapes, and more recently by larger nucleated pearls.

This year really is no exception. Round nucleated Freshwater pearls are now widely available in sizes above 12mm. The trend of the last few years towards large oversized baroque shapes in contemporary jewellery seems to be falling out of fashion.

Perhaps more concerning was the apparent level of processing treatment of some of the larger pearl sizes. Although designed to achieve a whiter colour, these pearls might lose their lustre over time. If in doubt, always buy from a retailer that specialises in pearls.

We only select the highest quality Freshwater pearls that we can find and we loved the dazzling metallic colours of the pearl drops above!

THE NEW WHITE IS…GOLDEN?

The boutiques and shops of Hong Kong are filled with many of the world’s luxury and fashion brands.

The Chinese home market of shoppers loves pearls and prices for high quality pearls are increasing with the growth in Asian markets.

Classic pearls that have a natural-looking white colour are the most favoured style, but it is the luxurious golden South Sea pearl, with its rich tones of champagne, gold and burnt orange, that is the most highly sought after pearl this year.

PREDICTION FOR 2014

The world of pearls is so varied that it is difficult, almost impossible, to summarise one single prediction for this organic gem next year.

Perhaps the most exciting trend is the popularity of small sizes - we are going to see more jewellery designers working with classic white pearls in many subtle, intricate and intriguing ways in 2014.

Laura Whitmore, brand ambassador at Pond's Institute and immaculate host of ITV2's 'I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! Now!', last week hosted an exclusive event for 100 press and VIPs at the Victoria & Albert Museum's Pearls Exhibition.

We were delighted to be asked to help celebrate the event with Laura wearing a selection from our finest Akoya pearl range of jewellery.

The Akoya pearl is a traditional type of saltwater pearl, that is cultured in oysters in coastal waters near Japan, China and Vietnam. The Akoya is particularly well-known for its sharp lustre, perfect round shape and tinted pink overtone.

The guests were treated to an interview by Laura Whitmore about Pond's and pearls with Caroline Neville, followed by a private tour of the Pearl Exhibition to see the pieces on display there and learn about the iconic status that this amazing gem has held throughout history.

The pearl jewellery on show included Marilyn Monroe's necklace of Akoya pearls, which was famously bought for her in Japan by her husband Joe DiMaggio in 1954, and a pair of Bulgari pearl drop pendant earrings worn by Elizabeth Taylor.

An explanation of how pearls are cultured today introduced a number of showcase pieces of Akoya pearl jewellery by Mikimoto, including a flamboyant scarf of over 5000 pearls that was just pure showbiz.

As well as the elegant Akoya Pearl Bracelet, pictured below, Laura also wore our Amber Eclipse Pearl Ring which is an open ring design of 18 carat yellow gold, that has been finished with a square-cut orange sapphire gemstone set facing a white Akoya pearl.

Laura also wore our new Beau Seed Pearl and Diamond Ring with Yellow Gold, designed by Alice Cicolini. With seed pearls, a diamond knot and a flamboyant bow, this eye-catching ring will be coming soon to Winterson with the launch of Alice's Beau Collection.

Thank you to Laura Whitmore and Pond's Institute for hosting the event.

The world of pearls can hold many surprises, but it is not everyday that you have an opportunity to view a historic treasure secured safely beneath the streets of London.

The experimental pearls of famed Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus are about to join the forthcoming Pearls Exhibition at the V&A and so we jumped at the chance to see these early successful attempts to culture a spherical pearl in close up.

CARL LINNAEUS

Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) is best known for his method of classifying organisms that uses two latin names to represent the genus and the species, for example 'Homo Sapiens'. This taxonomy is conventionally used today to describe and classify the hierarchical relationships of animals, plants and  insects to each other.

Linnaeus' collections of specimen organisms, including dried flowers, insects, fish and molluscs are unique and are still a primary reference point for scientists to determine if they have found a new species.

Following his death, the Linnean collections were purchased by Sir James Edward Smith in 1784 and transported to London, where they remain today.

THE LINNEAN SOCIETY

In 1788, Smith also founded The Linnean Society to provide a forum to discuss and promote the study of natural history.

The Linnean Society is the world's oldest active biological society. It was at a meeting of the Society in 1858 that papers by Charles Darwin were presented outlining the theory of natural selection and evolution.

The collections were obtained by the Society in 1829 and are today securely held in a vault below the courtyard of Burlington House, Piccadilly in central London. Leather bound books, old parchment folders and specimen trays line the carefully curated shelves and drawers.

Also in the strongroom was a very rare (and valuable) signed first edition of Charles Darwin's 'Origin of the Species' - a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see.

LINNAEA BOREALIS

Carefully wrapped in parchment was this original specimen of Linnaea Borealis, a wildflower of northern and alpine origin that has a distinctive double twin flower shape. The flower is named after Linnaeus as it was a favourite of his whilst travelling in Lapland.

As well as having a beautiful white pink flower, Carl Linnaeus fell in love with the wildflower for the way that it grew persistently in the undergrowth and its ephemeral, short-lived life. These were two symbols that he felt were important in his own life and portraits of Linnaeus, including the one above, and in the Society all feature the Linnaea Borealis.

This little flower has a special meaning for Winterson as it was an inspiration for our own flower motif, also honouring its link with Linnaeus and his early achievements in culturing pearls.

LINNAEUS AND PEARLS

Linnaeus declared in 1761 that 'he had heard of people who made gold, but had never heard of any who could make pearls'. Describing the lengthy and time-consuming efforts to find natural pearls that he had seen in Purkijaur, Lapland, Linnaeus believed that a technique for culturing pearls existed that would be more effective and profitable for Sweden.

Linnaeus started to experiment with 'Unio Pictorum', a species of freshwater mussel called the Painter's mussel. This mussel was named as traditionally its shells were used by painters as convenient receptacles for mixing paint.

His technique was a variation of an old Chinese method for producing blister pearls. Drilling a hole in the mussel's shell, Linnaeus inserted a small granule of limestone between the mantle and the shell to help produce a free spherical pearl inside the mussel.

The mussels were returned to the riverbed for six years to produce what is regarded as the world's first spherical cultured pearls. They are indeed historic and fascinating to view.

Linnaeus' method is also based on an old misunderstanding that pearls are created with a grain of sand. We know now that a response to illness or a parasite is the more likely explanation for the growth of natural pearls in an oyster or mussel.

These experimental pearls were not ultimately the source of riches that Linnaeus had hoped for, but he was enobled by the King of Sweden for his efforts taking the title von Linné. The pearls, a patent and Linnaeus' secret were sold to a Swedish merchant named Peter Bagge, but nothing came out of this venture.

Another Londoner Sir John Hunter is recorded as having attempted to culture freshwater pearls in his ponds at Earl's Court Manor House using a similar method to Linnaeus, but it was left to a different Englishman William Saville-Kent to make the next break-through in pearl culturing.

SEE THE LINNAEUS PEARLS AT THE V&A

We would to like thank Elaine Charwat, Deputy Librarian of the Linnean Society for her fabulous help in showing us Carl Linnaeus' pearls.

The pearls themselves are on display soon at Pearls, the V&A's new exhibition. Not to be missed...