There’s a reason spring collections have long centred on exuberant colour and vibrant prints. That tinge of warmth in the air has the tendency to make you want to throw out all of your black clothes for good and dress exclusively in pastels, which is an affliction that can extend to your jewellery collection too.
Just ask the designers at the iconic Australian jeweller Hardy Brothers. For its spring collection, the 173-year-old jeweller took its cues from native Australian florals and the landscapes they grow in, reinterpreting them in contemporary silhouettes and designs. Across an over-30 piece collection, coloured gemstones find their way onto rings, necklaces, earrings and bracelets, cushioned with diamonds in some instances, hanging off pearls in others. The pieces pay homage to the surrounds that have long played muse to the Hardy Brothers craftspeople, translating those inspirations into pieces designed to elevate a jewellery wardrobe.
Recent years have seen jewellery evolve beyond the traditional confines of gold and silver to incorporate unexpected shapes, materials and, perhaps most excitingly, colour. Gemstones have been used in fine jewellery for centuries, but only fairly recently have they been seen as something to be worn and cherished daily, whether it be on an engagement band or a pendant necklace.
In its spring collection, Hardy Brothers proves the coloured gemstone’s wearability. A pair of Elysian tourmaline rubies are nestled between two round brilliant cut diamonds on a set of stud earrings that would be right at home worn with a simple gold hoop. A halo aquamarine encircled by diamonds hangs from a gold chain, ready to be layered with another necklace, while elsewhere, a cluster of Elysian diamonds and Australian opals lends visual interest to a dainty gold bracelet.
This movement towards coloured gemstones aligns with the resurgence of the free-spirited bohemian aesthetic that has peppered the runways over the past few seasons. Voluminous silhouettes and statement accessories have come to the fore, ushering in jewellery that plays with colour, proportion and materiality in new ways. Take one of the rings from Hardy Brothers’ new collection: atop an 18 karat yellow gold band sits a lustrous pearl flanked by two tourmaline gemstones — one lime green, the other a deeper forest — and a pair of natural diamonds arranged to look like leaves emerging from the bud of a flower. The piece is a statement worn solo, but for the maximalist, could easily be stacked with daintier gold bands too.
The magic of coloured gemstones comes from their ability to inject a jewellery wardrobe with fun. Their stained glass, candy-coloured hues bring a playfulness to an everyday jewellery stack (even if the wearer is colour-averse) and is a subtle way to signal your sartorial emergence from winter hibernation. Think of it as an investment in joy — what could be a better investment than that?
Discover Hardy Brothers’ spring collection here.
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