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Gaynor Thomas

Jewellery has always been a way to communicate, overtly or not. Victorians used gemstones to send messages: diamonds for eternal devotion, pearls for sorrow, rubies for passion. Edwardian ladies expressed sympathy with militant suffragettes by combining white, green and purple gems – for purity, hope and dignity, respectively.
Today, we convey messages to our loved ones through gifts of jewellery for occasions such as wedding anniversaries or birthdays. We use such ornaments to tell our story: the charm bracelet, for example, can be a narrative of our individual achievements and milestones.

For example, Carrie Bradshaw’s name necklace in the Sex and the City television series – it was a personal affirmation of confidence and individual worth. More than two decades later, today’s personalised jewellery has become less about oneself and more about loved ones and family.
How did Kate, not Meghan, end up with Princess Di’s engagement ring?
Fashion standard bearers such as Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle have popularised such trinkets; Middleton has been seen wearing a Gold Midnight Moon necklace by Daniella Draper with her children’s initials.

Draper, known for recycled precious metals, uses initials, as in her Mini Cupid Hoop Earrings with Alphabet Charms. Her collections, engraved with inspirational messages, even include baby bracelets.
Markle has been seen wearing an “A” initial necklace by Australian designer Emma Swann of Verse Fine Jewellery. The result was an avalanche of orders and a website that crashed. Markle has also worn a zodiac dog tag 14-carat necklace by Los Angeles-based Mini Mini Jewels, with a pendant each for her husband, Prince Harry, and son, Archie.
Zodiac references are an opaque way in which jewellery is used to show family solidarity. Necklaces with astrological signs or star configurations picked out in diamonds are popular. And with the trend for layering chain necklaces, several star signs can be saluted at once.
How royal weddings have changed engagement rings over the years
There is cross-cultural appeal in Qeelin’s Qin Qin collection. It includes necklaces with 18-carat white or rose gold diamond and agate goldfish pendants, with two necklaces meant to be worn together.
While this would represent the Western zodiac sign of Pisces, Dennis Chan, founder and creative director of Qeelin, reminds us that Qin Qin means “kiss” in Mandarin: ingeniously, micro magnets in the mouths draw the two fish pendants together.

The Qin Qin collection includes rings, cufflinks and earrings with fish in large, medium and small sizes, fully or half encrusted with diamonds, rubies and sapphires.
Another way to celebrate family and be a trend in the bespoke jewellery world, is studding jewellery with birthstones. Stacking rings set with different birthstones is pretty and practical, while allowing for family expansion.
Birthstones are more versatile than one might think. A January garnet need not be deep red; it could be a green garnet, tsavorite, which is rarer and more highly valued.
September’s sapphire need not be blue but a collection of different coloured sapphires. Les Ciels de Chaumet high jewellery collection includes Lueurs d’Orage earrings with pear-shaped Madagascar pink sapphires of more than four carats each, surrounded by diamonds and more pink sapphires.
From movies to Shakespeare – the best themed luxury jewellery collections
A brooch from the same collection features purple sapphires from Madagascar and Sri Lanka, four pear-shaped purple sapphires, baguette-cut onyx and brilliant-cut diamonds.
Chanel’s latest Tweed de Chanel high jewellery collection has a wonderful collar for those looking for a November birthday gift. Inspired by the house’s signature woven fabric, it is a necklace of pearls and diamonds in yellow gold and platinum. The squared-off ends overlap and are secured by a 20.40-carat Imperial topaz that, along with citrine, is November’s birthstone.
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Both Kate and Meghan are fans of personalised trinkets and jewellery, which on closer inspection may express meaning. Photo: Instagram

Tweed necklace by Chanel, Photo: Chanel

Lueurs d'Orage earrings, Photo: Chaumet

Qin Qin by Qeelin, Photo: Qeelin

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The Panthère has prowled through Cartier’s collections since 1914, and has since come alive through precious stones, roared on rings and been seemingly ready to pounce from wrists and lapels. Photo: Cartier

Alhambra bracelet from Van Cleef & Arpels, Photo: Van Cleef & Arpels

Chanel's Tweed Graphique necklace from the Tweed de Chanel high jewellery collection, Photo: Chanel

Bulgari Serpenti high jeweller, Photo: Bulgari

Boucheron Bouquet d’Ailes Question Mark necklace, Photo: Boucheron

Jadeite, a not so hidden gem – the bright green stones enjoying increasing international interest at Sotheby’s and Christie’s auctions

Record-breaking jadeite bracelet sold by Christie’s – a most sought after gemstone by Asian collectors. Photo: Christie’s

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High jewellery featuring hard stones, such as Bulgari’s Cinemagia collection, is making a comeback. Photo: Bulgari

Louis Vuitton Bague B.Blossom Malachite ring, Photo: Louis Vuitton

Van Cleef & Arpels' Alhambra collection featuring malachite, Photo: Van Cleef & Arpels

Piaget Possession collection, Photo: Piaget

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We convey messages to our loved ones through our jewellery choices – but how is it possible to make such expressions personal and individual?


Royal signals: How Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton express themselves through their jewellery choices

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}We convey messages to our loved ones through our jewellery choices – but how is it possible to make such expressions personal and individual?

We convey messages to our loved ones through our jewellery choices – but how is it possible to make such expressions personal and individual?