In the first optimistic year of the new millennium, British jewellery brand Hot Diamonds launched its first range of understated, feminine jewellery fashioned out of sterling silver.

Its unique selling point?

At least one small but authentic diamond set in every stud, pendant and ring, brilliant-cut so it glittered as brightly as a much bigger rock and yet was affordable to most pockets. In 2009 this remains the case: a pair of earrings, complete with prettily winking gems, can be picked up for a reasonable £40. ‘It was original and desirable jewellery, made available to everyone,’ says Jonathan Crocker, Hot Diamonds’ head of global sales. It was (and is) a heaven-sent jewellery range for clueless dads, boyfriends and brothers everywhere.

Rock On

They simply couldn’t go wrong with Hot Diamonds’ clean lines, youthful silver, and the glint of a precious gem. ‘It made the perfect gift,’ says Julie Large, Hot Diamonds’ long-standing head of design.

Nearly a decade has passed since the brand’s inception and Hot Diamonds has marked the passage of time by evolving beyond its comfort zone to create some much more adventurous pieces.

 ‘Our original customers have grown up,’ explains Julie. ‘They’re now looking for something aspirational and luxurious.’ The kind of plain and simple, elegant and delicate jewellery with which Hot Diamonds made its name is now referred to as the ‘core’ range, and these new designs are collectively known as Hot Diamonds Black, a clear nod to a big injection of sophistication.

‘Ranges such as Gaia, made from 18ct gold, are completely different from what we’re known for,’ continues Julie. ‘This is the self-purchase market, the sort of thing women buy for themselves.’ Although the starting price across the Hot Diamonds Black range is as democratic as it ever was, there is always the option to spend a lot more. ‘People can buy in at whatever level they want to,’ says Julie.

A Passion for Fashion

As the driving force behind the new designs, her enthusiasm is infectious. ‘This is jewellery I would love to wear, so it’s been really inspiring for me to work on it,’ she says. She and her creative team – an in-house jeweller and an associate who has previously designed for Boodles and Dower & Hall – have been given a free rein. The result is free-flowing, organic shapes, utilising different coloured metals, stones and quartz, and a great deal of attention is paid to the detail. Even the bold ‘trigger’ clasp has been designed as part of the new brand signature. A further mark of the new range’s exclusivity is the fewer number of outlets in which it is sold – 200 compared to the core range’s 600.

The Selene collection from Hot Diamonds Black is a popular one, and manages to be both accessible and original. It has an organic, tactile look that makes sense when Julie explains that her original training was in printed textiles, and that, as she says, ‘my default setting has always been to look at shapes in nature and be inspired by them’.

This knowledge seems to complement perfectly the silversmithing skills of her fellow designers at Hot Diamonds, creating jewellery that feels much more individual. It’s no wonder that the response from retailers and magazine editors alike has been so positive. ‘They’re really excited when they see them,’ says Julie. ‘That really helps build a buzz.’

Julie hopes that some of the new designs will become classics of the future. The Selene Twilight bracelet is her biggest hope for this distinction. The original version is strung with chunky rose quartz or agate beads and a single, solid silver egg. The trademark diamond is found at the fastening, which makes up the letters H and D.

The plan for future versions is seasonally to update the types of beads, the metals used (rose gold is Julie’s current passion), their finish, and even to explore the use of coloured diamonds. A new system of fastening, due for launch in 2010, would make it possible for wearers to create their own unique piece, mixing and matching different colours and textures for a fresh look.

The third string to the Hot Diamonds bow is the charms range. ‘We try to inject some fun into the charms,’ says Jonathan. ‘It’s a separate concept: fun, but also emotional and sentimental.’ There are three new launches annually – in January, June and September – and forthcoming additions to the collection include miniature versions of everything a young girl might covet: a mobile phone, MP3 player, ‘killer’ heels and, of course, a credit card.

Inspiration

More avant-garde designs have been drawn from Japanese manga illustrations, but it’s no surprise that High Life Shop! favourites are generally holiday-themed: a flip-flop, a starfish and a martini glass complete with tiny olive on a stirrer.

Behind the frivolity of the charms and the undeniable glamour and confidence of the new Black pieces, the original Hot Diamonds ethos remains very much intact. The brilliant-cut diamonds are from ‘conflict-free’ sources, the prices are palatable, and you’ll still want to hang onto the lovely box the pieces have always come in.

Win!

We’ve got one fantastic first prize consisting of two pieces from the 18ct Gold Selene Collection (worth £745), a second prize of  three pieces from the Silver Selene Collection (worth £490) and a third prize of two pieces from the Just Add Love Collection (worth £100). 

To enter, click here and answer this simple question: What’s the name of Hot Diamonds’ head of design? You’ll be entered into a prize draw to win one of these three prizes. Terms and conditions apply, please see website for more details. Closing date for the receipt of all entries is 28 February 2010.