Fashion: Meet star jeweller Shaun Leane

Arguably Britain’s best-known contemporary jeweller, Shaun Leane made his name collaborating with Alexander McQueen before founding his own brand and, most recently, becoming a judge on TV jewellery talent show All that Glitters. With his work available at Beford’s Baker Brothers Diamonds, Shaun tells Velvet about his life and work

What is the best thing about your job?

I love the idea that jewellery will remain and be treasured forever. There is something very romantic about that, the stories and sentiment behind a piece; to know that it has been greatly treasured and loved through generations.

When did you discover your love of jewellery?

From a young age, I knew I wanted to work within fashion. Before I left school aged 15, I went to the careers officer and discussed that I was interested in going in this direction. He suggested that I undertake a foundation course in jewellery design until I was old enough to go to fashion college.

I attended Kingsway Princeton College and began a Foundation Course in Jewellery Design and Making. It was here I particularly fell in love with the process of crafting; it was the first time in my education I felt I had found something that gained my devoted attention. The beauty in seeing something you had designed and envisaged then being formed and crafted by my own hands was so rewarding. Then my journey began; even at college I wanted to explore different possibilities of design and technique to push the boundaries of my designs.

Where do you find your design inspiration?

I feel that art, fashion, architecture, and all elements of design feed each other and into my designs. In particular I find the sentiment and romance in literature and poetry to be very inspiring. These ideas are reflected in our collections; combining traditional jewellery craftsmanship with avant-garde ideas to create jewellery which symbolises modern romance.

For instance, in literature I am inspired by Oscar Wilde in the story of the Nightingale and the Rose. Within this literature there is love, sacrifice and tragedy. In the art form of writing, Wilde captures those opposing human emotions which inspires me when I create jewellery.

I’m particularly inspired by the works of the Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Victorian period - they were so distinctive of their time. The masters of these periods were so fearless and innovative in their approach to design, materials and technology.

In terms of other jewellers who inspire me, I have always admired the works of Boucheron and Cartier, especially in the 1920s. Also, JAR has always inspired me with his innovative use of materials and colour.

What has been the single most important jewellery-making skill you’ve learned and why?

I worked for a small company called English Traditional Jewellery. There were two masters, Brian Joslin and Richard Bullock. They taught me everything I could ever possibly need to know about goldsmithing and I sat in between the two of them. One taught me technique and attention to detail and the other one taught me speed. I had the best of both worlds and remained working there for 13 years.

I learnt every element which included working on diamond solitaires and tiaras. I also restored some of the most beautiful antique jewels; from Art Deco to Art Nouveau, Victorian to Edwardian. Through this period of my training, I was truly inspired by my past masters and the skill and innovation of design [required to] reflect the time they were in. This triggered a passion inside of me to also explore and evolve my craft through designs that reflected the time I was in. This awakening then led to my journey with Alexander McQueen - and then the launch of my own house creating collections for the 21st century.

What are your favourite materials to use?

The beauty about our house is we use an array of materials from diamonds to crystals, platinum to aluminium, and we will always use a material which will complement the design and help enhance the concept of the piece. Sometimes you have to take weight into consideration, so we would aluminium to create a larger body of structure but decorate it with precious stones and golds.

For example, the recent Beetle Brooch we created is a fusion of aluminium, gold, sapphire, tanzanites and enamel, all crafted to perfection using traditional skills. This is a great illustration of using different materials to achieve a fine-crafted piece of jewellery.

What advice would you have for aspiring jewellery designers?

On a creative level, the piece of advice I would give to those starting out is one that Lee McQueen always taught me: that if you have a skill and apply it to any medium then you can create beauty. As a classically trained goldsmith, he challenged me to think out of the box and apply my skills to a different medium to create the pieces we did. He gave me a creative platform on which there were no boundaries, allowing me to use my craft as a vehicle to express my ideas and to grow to be the designer I am today.

On a business level, the advice I would give to new jewellery designer-makers starting out would be to explore, embrace and learn from the intern possibilities. In addition to this, I would recommend doing a small part-time business course, as sometimes a creative can be blinded by the light of creativity and underestimate the importance of business knowledge.

Did you enjoy judging the BBC TV show All that Glitters and what was the best and worst bit of the judging?

Yes, I loved it! There was a mix of emotions on the show, from nail-biting timelines to moments of pure pressure and tension. There are fine lines between a piece of jewellery being completed or, by the slip of the hand, being melted into an ingot.

There are also tear-jerking moments, from a proposal of marriage to the unveiling of a beautiful bride. When the jewellers recreated an engagement ring for a bespoke client, the husband took an unrehearsed moment to bend down on one knee and propose again - like the renewing of one’s vows - which brought a tear to my eye. When the jewellers created a Mangtika for an Indian bride, she unveiled her face while wearing the piece and her beauty took my breath away. Jewels are beautiful objects, but it is the emotions and memories they bring that is the true magic.

What is the proudest moment of your career?

Designing Princess Beatrice’s engagement ring was a complete honour. I worked alongside her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, to create the ring. It was a real honour and working with Edoardo was a complete pleasure as he understood design and materials and knew exactly the aesthetic Princess Beatrice would like.

What did the first piece of jewellery you got paid for look like? Do you have a photo, if so, can we show it please?

The first piece of jewellery I got paid for was our now iconic Interlocking Rings. One of my first clients, back in 1998, asked me to create two rings in my organic fierce style that he could wear together. . . then the Interlocking Rings were born and are still our best-sellers today.

What’s the one piece of jewellery every man should own and why?

A lapel brooch, because it can set him apart from others, reflect his persona and it’s a great conversation piece. When I wear my beetle brooch standing next to men in similar-cut suits, my brooch creates intrigue and a point of difference to set me apart from the crowd. It allows me to portray my personality through a small objet d’art worn gracefully on my lapel.

Which profession would you choose, if you lived twice?

As a young boy I always wanted to be an archaeologist. I have a deep fascination with Ancient Greece and Egypt; the possibility of unearthing historic objects and understanding civilisations passed through their craft and design.

I suppose that’s why I fell in love with jewellery, as we are creating a record of our today, our styles, craft and technology that one day future archaeologists may examine to understand our time. Jewellery has always been the perfect object to survive the test of time and portray past eras.

To see and shop Shaun Leane’s jewellery, visit Baker Brother Diamonds at 11-13 St Peter's Street, Bedford and bakerbrothersdiamonds.com

Image captions:

- Shaun Leane Blackthorn Silver, Black Spinel and Black Pearl Collection - ring, £450, pendant, £595 and earrings, £1,200, all at Baker Brothers Diamonds

- Shaun Leane Interlocking Rings - made to order

- Shaun Leane - picture by Nicky Emmerson