Ethical jeweller Pippa Small has once again taken inspiration from far-off lands - specifically, central Asian skies - for her new Constellation jewellery collection. "The collection was inspired by the dark nights in the deserts around Bukhara in Uzbekistan," she explains. "With no bright city lights to disturb the night sky, the stars shone with such fervour, and the constellations unfolded with such magical arrangements."
The joy of Small's jewellery is not only the colourful stones she employs but also the wonderful handcrafted nature of it. Necklaces are seemingly plucked straight from the starry night she so vividly describes: "The use of stormy haematites, labradorites, rutilated quartz and moon stones bring out the night sky, and the dreamy purple flashing opals tell of the colourful stars," she explains.
Although British, Small has travelled the world in aid of some of the poorest communities, and it is these experiences that give her pieces such a tactile and earthy presence. The Constellation collection was designed in London but crafted in Rajasthan, India, using traditionally skilled goldsmiths and stonecutters. The yellow gold carries that shimmering luminosity often found in Indian jewellery. Even necklaces in the collection that eschew the vibrant mix of colours found in the other pieces catch the eye with their cascading arrangements - an ideal match for the soft, hand-hewn shapes of the stones.
This brightness of colour, combined with an exotic mix of semi-precious stones, is a superb addition to Pippa Small's treasure trove of works. The collection will be available from mid-November, with prices ranging from £4,700 to £15,000.
