The Art of Bespoke Jewellery: Crafting Laura Zakian's Perfect Pieces

Unfolding the Story of Personalised Elegance

In an age where individuality is treasured, there is something exquisitely special about owning a piece of jewellery that is completely one-of-a-kind, crafted with a narrative unique to your life's journey. For Laura Zakian, the allure of bespoke jewellery isn't just in the opulence of the materials or the beauty of the design; it's in the very essence of personal creation that intertwines with the wearer's identity.

Laura's Journey to Bespoke Beauty

It began with a story – Laura's story. Meticulously, the journey of bespoke jewellery starts with a narrative. For Laura, this story found its roots in a cherished memory, an emotion, or a symbol that holds significance in her heart. As she narrated her tale, it was clear that her envisioned piece wasn't just about style, it was a piece of her ready to be translated into jewellery. 

Laura Shares her Journey:

Diamond and Onyx Earrings

This was my first experience of working with Holts’ designers. My husband had bought me, what I thought I wanted, for a landmark birthday – a pair of diamond earrings. However they turned out not suit me, or my style. So after some thought I decided to have them made into something more me. I had an idea in my head of what I wanted, but it was Alicja who brought the magic, through her design.

Lydian Pendant

This is a copy of the Lydian Pendant that can be seen in the Louvre Museum and I particularly like the simplicity and purity of the design. You can buy replicas from most museum shops in France. I had the carcass of a gold ring that was meaningful to me, so decided to have it made into this pendant.

Crystal Slice Earrings

These were inspired by a chandelier hanging in my bedroom and I wanted to capture how the facets of the glass catch the light. I also wanted them to look ‘raw’ so we deliberately chose slices with occlusions.

Onyx and Gold Earrings

These are an exact copy of some earrings I found in a little jewelry shop in the Datca Peninsula in South West Turkey. The originals were made of plastic beads and brass, but the jewellery snob in me wanted gold and onyx! I like how they look a bit like a Scarab.

Sapphire and Diamond Necklace

This was originally my mum’s engagement ring and I wanted to honour her memory by wearing it, but again it wasn’t really me, so I had the idea to make it into a necklace. Again, Alicja brought the design magic, by suggesting adding the diamonds to the chain, as well as the positioning of the chain on the pendant.

Gold nugget

I had been wondering what to do with old bits of broken and unworn jewellery that still had sentimental value to me. Alicja suggested melting them down to make a ‘blob’ but then I saw a picture of an actual raw gold nugget and asked for it to be made to look the same. I love the weight and feel of it.

Opal and Diamond Necklace

This was originally my Grandmothers engagement ring. I like the way simply changing the direction of how it lies, makes it more contemporary and it now has the look of an ‘evil eye’.

Gold Bangle

This was the first piece of jewellery my husband bought me but I had stopped wearing it over the years, as I had ‘grown out’ of it, so I decided to zhuzh it up with some diamonds in a starburst setting. Luckily, Holts now offer lab grown diamonds so I was able to afford to add 8 diamonds.

The Heart of Bespoke

While bespoke jewellery is undeniably aesthetically pleasing, its true value is in the intangibles. The time invested in a bespoke piece, the stories shared, and the soul poured into its creation aren't attributes you can measure by carat or cut. Bespoke jewellery is about the shared journey, the experience, and the emotional resonance it ignites.