The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2023 - Issue 33

bitejewellery MEANINGFUL TREASURES Dower & Hall British jewellery brand Dower & Hall introduces Cristina Lloyd to its sustainable, wearable, timeless classic pieces, including men’s themed treasures. T aking the brand name from their surnames, Dower & Hall was founded by husband and wife team Dan Dower and Diane Hall in 1990. Since then, they have created fine and everyday jewellery and are renowned for their easy-to-wear pieces that have become treasured fa- vourites. Several sources, including travel and organic forms, inspire the jewellery made from recycled metals. "Each piece captures the riches of adventure and is brought to life in our London studio by our team of skilled jewellers.” The brand’s handcrafted jewellery has been featured on the pages of high-profile fashion magazines, on red carpets, tel- evision and cinema screens. Its stylish silver and yellow gold vermeil collections combine innovative style with unequalled quality and feature on every woman’s ‘wish list’. “For those with sheer indulgence in mind - a peek at our luxurious pre- cious collections will not disappoint!” Each range reflects the insatiable curiosity and passion for de- sign, making Dower & Hall unique, combining tradition with contemporary. "Every design is studied in the finest detail, focused on the elements that make each collection distinctly recognisable as Dower & Hall. Our signature dotty and ham- mered finishes transform the simplest shapes with a beautiful texture that catches the light.” The pieces are sustainable, wearable and timeless classics. Dower & Hall uses ethical gemstones and works with dia- mond suppliers that adhere to the Kimberley Process. Its recy- cled silver and gold metal jewellery are curated using heritage and craft techniques alongside new technology that saves on waste, is better for the environment, reduces water usage and reduces CO2 emissions. The pearls are from a clean, pollu- tion-free environment enabling them to live and grow their beautiful lustre. Dan began working on jewellery during his A-level Art stud- ies after discovering a workshop attached to the Art depart- ment. His first design was a moving dial inspired by the old dials on a car dashboard. From that point, he began seeing jewellery as another way of creating art and sculpture. Diane has always loved jewellery and tiny treasures; she studied jew- ellery-making at school and created gifts at 13. She also created pieces with her father, who loved jewel- lery-making as a hobby. “Having that bond with my father helped grow my love for jewellery design and making. You can’t put a price on time spent like this.” The couple met at Middlesex University while studying for a Jewellery Design degree. Diane continued to learn more about gems and di- amonds at the Gemmological Association. She completed a Computer Aided Design/Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) course to keep abreast of modern technology, which “prepared me greatly to be able to design and make jewellery.” When they started their business, Diane revealed they used to exhibit at London Fashion Week. “My degree showpieces were made in Perspex, and we designed jewellery for different fashion designers and made a lot of exciting catwalk pieces.” Since Perspex is light, it can be used to make huge pieces and dyed to achieve great colours, making it perfect for the cat- walk. “We also did George Michael’s stage show pieces [with] huge cuffs and neckpieces for the backing dancers.” After five years, Dower & Hall moved from using Perspex to making natural, organic shapes and sculpted jewellery with gold and silver pieces that became their design signature. Di- ane admitted she fell in love with coloured gemstones and their different hues. Incidentally, the first jewellery piece she designed was a vast, eclectic Perspex ear cuff based on a feath- er plume in blues and purples which she described as abso- lutely eye-catching. “Over time, we have evolved to making Timeless Classics rather than fashion-focused pieces. Creat- ing items that last a lifetime rather than a season.” Among their stylish pieces, Dower & Hall created a distinct collection of signet rings, chain pieces and pendants for men featuring sculptural, fluid designs in recycled metal. Discover the beast inside you with the Engravable Lion Talisman Neck- lace, a sterling silver belcher chain necklace featuring a lion talisman pendant embossed with the inspiring words “a lion doesn’t concern itself with the opinions of sheep.” It can be