A girl called Bert.
"My first memory of metalwork was watching my Great Uncle forging horseshoes in his blacksmithing workshop.
Years later, at art school, I was taught how to solder and the obsession began."
Bert Jewellery is the bespoke atelier dreamed up by Welsh-born, Sydney-based jeweller Sian Jones.
Growing up surrounded by mountains and near the ocean, water and nature has been a constant source of inspiration, and before jewellery found her, she constantly sketched, created and imagined designs.
“I feel that my small-town upbringing has influenced the way that I’ve built Bert Jewellery. I’m interested in everyone and love meeting people from every walk of life. It’s probably why I love creating personalised pieces.”
Sian studied Jewellery Design and Goldsmithing at Birmingham School of Jewellery, UK, where she learnt traditional jewellery-making techniques. She fell in love with the creation process - From the initial idea and meaning through to the final piece. She loved learning how to shape, form, solder, polish and set stones and spent three years perfecting these techniques.
In 2009, along came Sydney, her biggest inspiration to date. Drawn to the climate, the coastlines and welcoming sense of community, she explains “I was quickly able to express myself and find constant inspiration from everything around me. I soon emigrated permanently, sponsored by a major jeweller, and quietly, gradually, alongside being a trade jeweller, began the venture that has become Bert.”
Bert is a sustainable, 100% domestically sourced bespoke jeweller located in Bondi Beach, Sydney.
Bert was initially started in Sian’s tiny Bondi studio, after returning from a six month solo stint in South America (upon walking away from said major jeweller) yet she now has a (slightly less-tiny) studio in North Bondi which she works from and takes meetings on an appointment-only basis.
All pieces draw influence from Bert’s diverse upbringing (spent in the US, UK, West Africa and Australia), her extensive travels, encounters, coastal surroundings and respect for nature. All diamonds and gemstones sourced are conflict-free and ethically derived. The ring boxes? They’re custom made too - small-scale, and manufactured from highly sustainable Australian Jarrah in New Zealand. In her personal life, she tries to live as ethically as possible, buying little, investing in items she knows will be cherished for a lifetime, and choosing a cruelty-free, plant-based lifestyle.
Sian’s attention to every detail, as well as her personalised approach, keeps Bert’s customers consistently recommending Bert Jewellery to those embarking on their own custom-made jewellery experience.
The process:
We make the process stress-free and easy.
We either liaise via email or meet in person. We bounce around ideas, I sketch, we agree on a starting point. Bert does the rest.
You'll receive further ideas, often via email, quote options, and when you're happy, we commence creating your perfect ring. It's as simple as that.
Transparency is the most important aspect of Bert Jewellery, so you will work closely with Sian throughout the design process - from initial sketches right through to completion. We won’t try to push your budget higher or create a ring that you don't feel as excited about as we do.
To book an appointment, or to ask us a question, please just holler: right here - https://www.bertjewellery.com/hello-1/