Located in the old city of London, Hatton Garden is world-famous as a jewellery hotspot and the epicentre of the UK diamond trade. It is full of established and emerging talent, from goldsmiths to engravers, with a host of new designers re-invigorating the area.
“I am driven by my passion for the earth's treasures"
When taking a look around Ruth’s new atelier, it’s immediately apparent that she has an unusual approach to the way she designs her pieces.
Ruth: “We try to use metal in quite a different way, so it looks like it’s grown around the stone and it’s quite organic, and almost sort of liquid… It never looks sort of highly polished and shiny but it’s supposed to look like it’s had a bit of a life.”
Whilst unconventional, her work is undoubtedly beautiful, and the organic, life-inspired designs are truly fascinating to behold. The unpolished metals, the often unsymmetrical placement of jewels, and the sheer individuality add a magical quality, making them feel like treasures of the past.
Asked about what inspires her work, Ruth explains her joint love of antique jewellery and the world around her.
Ruth: “I am driven by my passion for the earth's treasures; the magic of minutiae, tiny intricacies, small imperfections, and the individual’s search for preciousness… and I just really loved the fact that people wanted to wear what I had created and it’s something that I loved making.”
“I’m very much a designer-maker creating sort of a quite ethereal sort of romantic feeling jewellery. And jewellery that’s inspired by both historical and antique jewellery but using the stones in quite an unusual and modern way. We often use grey diamonds, and they don’t have to be perfect… a lot of antique ones are hand-cut so they have quite a human feel to them.”
See more about the interior design project for Ruth Tomlinson's atelier
With a range of fabric choices, Ruth was able to find the right combination of atelier seating that worked in her space, opting for leather in the creative spaces, and a grey felt in the client zone.
Ruth: “Leather was incredibly practical for the workshop, and we really wanted a natural colour which goes with everything else in the atelier and something that will age well with time… and we love the felt because it also got that craft kind of feel, it’s got a softness to it and its really nice for our client areas because it feels sort of a more homely.”
Ruth complimented the HÅG Capisco with RBM Noor chairs, a smaller more functional chair for tighter spaces.
Ruth “We chose the RBM Noor because we really liked the sort of slick sort of Scandinavian feel to the chair. They look really beautiful and they are also really comfortable and feel very luxurious. I love the fact that it’s stackable because we have got a small space so it’s perfect for us.”
“We went into the showroom and there were just so many different options for colour and upholstery, so we could really tailor what we wanted and what we needed for the workshop and the consultation area… I really love they are made to order and the fact that it’s made out of sustainable materials. It blends so well with what we do and the company and our ethos.”
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