Here at Hello May, we know all too well the kind of work that goes on behind the scenes of a small business. As always, we are keeping you in the loop and giving you a sneak peek behind the scenes and introducing you to Gabby Grew, the founder behind one of our fave fine jewellery companies Grew & Co. The wonderful Scott Surplice was there to capture all the action as well as some mighty fine jewels. First featured in Issue 24, we truly can’t get enough of these guys. If words like champagne diamond get your heart beating then you might just want to scroll down for the inside scoop…
Can you please explain what Grew & Co is and what you are about? We are an Australian fine jewellery company with a classic, contemporary design.
How would you describe Grew & Co’s style? Our style is playful but considered. We combine classical elements and proportions in contemporary styles using interesting shapes and gemstones not commonly celebrated.
What inspires your designs? We are inspired by the incomplete and asymmetric form seen in both nature and architectural forms. We love Mexican architect Luis Barragan who uses asymmetric block shapes and slices of colour and Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill. We look at botanical sketches of ferns, fauna and shell shapes. We also love the textured forms from rocks and man-made materials such as concrete and contemporary ceramist techniques such as Tortus.
What is the price range of your pieces? Wedding rings range from $1000 to $4000 whilst engagement rings average between $5000 and $15 000.
What are your three most popular designs? Clients love the geometric shape of the Orla ring with its hexagonal cut, teal Aussie sapphire, our champagne diamond emerald cut Luna ring and the Kit ring with its geometric salt and pepper diamond.
Any advice for couples looking at wedding and engagement rings? Start with the engagement ring first and try on everything as often clients will come in with mood boards and end up going in the complete opposite direction to what actually suits on the hand. Only try wedding ring options once you have narrowed a design down.
Where is your showroom based? We have a brand new [Sydney] boutique that opened in December 2018. We also offer online consultations and visit out Melbourne clients 3 times a year for trunk show private design consultations.
Where do you source your stones from? We attend fairs across the globe handpicking unique shapes, colours and gemstones to fit the design parameters we seek. We also support Australian teal sapphire mining families and champion business here in Australia.
Any jewellery trends you’re loving for 2019? Loving the strong end of white gold and the warm embrace of rose and yellow gold.
What’s new for Grew & Co now this year? We will be adding new men’s designs this year with updated machinery and techniques plus more flair and finesse in our women’s collections.
Fave part of the job? Sourcing a rough stone, seeing it form into a design and then the final three-dimensional piece.
If you fancy checking out some of our fave Grew & Co pieces than click here for an extra fix but first scroll down for some exclusive shots by our pal Scott Surplice.
CREDITS Photos Scott Surplice Rings Grew & Co.