Adelaide artisan jewellers: Simon Williams, Days of August and more

Nothing makes a statement like a one-of-a-kind piece of jewellery - and South Australia has some of the best designers in the nation. See the list.

Whether you’re looking for a special something that’s limited-edition, a one-of-a-kind treasure or have a vision you would love to see created just for you, an artisan jeweller has, or can custom-make, just the thing. Here’s our one-stop shop for 10 of Adelaide’s best:

USE BY SIMON WILLIAMS

With its colourful chunky rings and earrings in opaque and transparent brights and pastels – handmade by pouring resin into moulds – this brand is loved by fashionistas of all ages.

“It appeals to people who like to be bold and like statement jewellery … and are not too precious about jewellery,” Williams says.

That said, Williams also creates precious pieces – including commissions – specialising in fabricated precious metal work.

Williams works out of a studio space, with other local jewellers, at Zu Design in Gay’s Arcade off Adelaide Arcade.

Instagram @usebysimonwilliams

Christine from Tanya Powell Models showcasing Use by Simon Williams jewellery. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

Use by Simon Williams ring.

CINQUANTE

Jane Edwardson’s Cinquante is French and Italian for 50, which is also the number of pieces made per limited-edition designs handmade in sterling silver, brass and gold plate. Available to purchase on Instagram, the brand’s fans include Sonia Kruger, Olivia Rogers, Pippa Wanganeen and Taryn Brumfitt.

Instagram @cinquantethelabel

Cinquante hoop earrings.

Cinquante earrings.

DAYS OF AUGUST

This brand takes minimalism to the max. Designer Marie-Pier Labelle hand makes her bold and beautiful “architectural” earrings from reclaimed stainless steel, which is ideal for anyone with sensitive ears because it’s hypo-allergenic. The jewellery is also low-maintenance; stainless steel never needs polishing because – unlike sterling silver – it just doesn’t tarnish.

Instagram @daysofaugust

Days of August jewellery designer Marie-Pier Labrelle. Picture Roy VanDervegt

Days of August Mykonos earrings. Picture: Supplied

IDA MAGLAI

This Hungarian-born artisan graduated from the North-Adelaide School of Art, where she studied visual arts majoring in jewellery, in 1995. Nature and her Hungarian heritage both influence her work, which is made from sterling silver and titanium and materials such as recycled leather and vinyl. “I consider jewellery as visual poetry that is the reflection of the maker and the wearer,” says Maglai who produces ranges and also creates bespoke commissioned pieces.

Instagram @idamagliastudio

Ida Maglai with one of her earliest collections of jewellery in 1995.

Ida Maglai’s jewellery.

AYESHA AGGARWAL

Indian-born potter Aggarwal works out of her home studio creating one-of-a-kind “botanical ceramics” such as dishes, plates, vases and earrings. Because they are “hand built” from clay, no two pairs and, in fact, not even each of the earrings within a pair, are the same. “As is the case with anything made by a person and not a machine, they may have slight imperfections and irregularities,” Aggarwal says. Those little quirks just add to their beauty. As “botanical ceramics” suggests, nature is a strong theme.

@ayeshaaggarwal

Ayesha Aggarwal leaf earrings.

Ayesha Aggarwal earrings.

HANNAH CARLYLE

Forget about wearing a pop of colour, this brand is all about an explosion of the spectrum. This artisan loves the “randomness” of her jewellery making. “I coax ‘spontaneous patterns of colour’ from the (resin) material, layering and mixing, as I exercise partial control over the material, unable ever to predict the exact and final outcome,” Carlyle says of her bespoke earrings and necklaces not two of which are the same. “Each piece tells its own story of control versus chance in its spontaneous patterns and colour and shape.”

@hannahcarlylejewellery

Hannah Carlyle necklace.

Hannah Carlyle earrings.

LAURENCE COFFRANT

The irregularity or “random beauty” of raw minerals – think “vivid green Peridot, ocean blue Apatite and dazzling Pyrite” – make each and every piece from this jewellery brand unique.

While she studied jewellery making, Coffrant was already practising her craft as a child; she loved “deconstructing everyday objects and reconstructing them into wearable pieces”. When Coffrant isn’t making her mineral jewellery or custom orders, she also creates delicate earrings and stackable rings from sterling silver.

@laurencecoffrant

Laurence Coffrant ring.

Laurence Coffrant earrings.

CHRISTELLE MARIE DESIGNS

Mother nature provides not only the inspiration but they key materials for this artisan who uses locally-sourced flowers – such as hydrangeas and violets – including many grown in her own garden. The botanical earrings and bangles are handmade from resin in her home studio. “The colours and combinations of flowers and the shapes of the resin pieces are carefully chosen to create a soft, pretty, minimal look in her signature colours and style,” her website says. Instagram @christellemariedesigns

Christelle Marie earrings.

Christelle Marie bangles.

TIFF MANUELL

Famous for her fabulous handbags some of which are on display in London’s Tate Modern art gallery, Tiff Manuell also makes jewellery. Like the bags, it is wearable art. While she has previously made necklaces, earrings are part of the current collection. And just as each bag is fashioned from a one-off painting, each earring showcases a unique Tiff Manuell artwork. Like her bags which she describes as “statement pieces” the earrings – currently available in drop styles – are collector’s items.

@tiffmanuell

Designer Tiff Manuel. Picture: Tait Schmaal

Tiff Manuell earrings.

NAOMI SCHWARTZ

Silversmith Schwartz, who curated the Wear a Piece of Adelaide exhibitions for the Fringe Festival back in the day, is also inspired by nature and “manipulating metal”. Working with silver and gold, Schwartz hammers them into what she describes as “curvy organic forms, creating strong, yet delicate structures”. She has also incorporated Henley Jetty wood into her work, upcycling it to make it a feature in some of her rings. It’s a nice touch seeing as Naomi Schwartz Jewellery Design Gallery, her open plan workshop and gallery, is housed in Henley Square shopping centre.

@naomischwartzjewellerydesign

Naomi Schwartz ring with Henley Jetty wood and an aquamarine.

Naomi Schwartz rings with Henley Jetty wood.