Inspired by history and contemporary culture, Sophie Lomax is the Head of Design at 77 Diamonds. We sat down to chat with her about how she started, what she loves about diamonds and what it’s like creating heirlooms. A multi-award winning designer, she has worked at Graff and De Beers before starting to lend 77 Diamonds her talents.
How did you first begin designing engagement jewellery?
I’ve always wanted to work with fine jewellery, I just think it’s so beautiful. My grandmother always had beautiful jewellery in her jewellery box. I think gold and diamonds are timeless and really make pieces into heirlooms. I’ve inherited jewellery from my grandmothers, I love that diamonds aren’t trend lead. Diamond jewellery is designed and made for a lifetime so it’s my favorite thing to work on. I’ve been designing jewellery since I started making friendship bracelets at six and then moved into making more proper jewellery and started selling it at school fairs.
How did you turn making friendships bracelets into a career?
When I was studying history of art I knew that I loved it but i missed the practical side of art and making things. I enrolled in a part time course in jewellery making. I finished my History of Art degree but then did a degree in jewellery too. I just realised that jewellery was what I always wanted to do. I then specialised and did jewellery design for industry where they teach you CAD design (computer aided design) and it’s a completely different way to work. You can cast from 3D printing – it’s so incredible. It was so new when I started working with it. I combined the training with CAD and the practical making of jewellery by hand too so I had multi layered abilities to create pieces.
How much do you think about your clients when you start designing?
I think about it as soon as I start, I want to make pieces that are passed down. I want to make something that’s on trend but also something that won’t date. You want people to wear them forever. Our Impero collection is a great example of a timeless trend collection.
What is something that continues to inspire you?
I’m always inspired by my history of art degree. There is just so much beauty to draw from. I don’t really look at jewellery as inspiration, it’s always fashion and architecture for me. I want to be inspired by shapes. The Dior exhibition that inspired the Muse collection is so important to me. There is such a history to it and it’s timeless design that’s inspired so much more than clothes.
What’s your favorite thing to work on at 77 Diamonds?
It’s so fun to work on large scale showpieces, I love love love making Engagement Rings but there’s only so much space to work with. Seeing the final campaign is also one of the best moments of my job, I love seeing things that come together and obviously seeing the designs on people and watching people enjoy them. It’s so rewarding to know that people love your designs and actually wear them everyday.
The bespoke element to 77 Diamonds is so integral to what you do – what do you love about it?
I love being able to create bespoke pieces. It’s such a special part of the process in a couples relationship and a privilege to be let into their life. It’s so nice to see the effort that grooms especially put into choosing their fiances ring. I love bringing in elements of their relationship into their rings final design. We do get very unique customers and so it’s so fun to create rings that you know will mean so much to people. Often they’ll come back with their fiance after the proposal to choose wedding rings which is so exciting. We can be part of their love story start to finish.
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