Andrew English

Andrew English’s first venture into the arts world was as a sculptor and the conceptual approach that this discipline requires has left a lasting legacy on the way he approaches every new engagement ring commission. Be prepared to be given homework when you start your project with Andrew. He will ask you to compile an album of personal inspirations – with the stipulation that you do not include any jewellery images – and that will in turn inspire his creation. F’s eyes light up at the prospect of putting together our portfolio of ideas for an engagement ring.

His dextrous mind sees the potential in a variety of artistic media for these unique designs.

Talking to Andrew gave us an insight into the mysterious world of crystal formation. When a gem is growing an impurity can get mixed into the formation process and generate what is called an inclusion. Andrew told us about his fascination for how these ‘flaws’ were harnessed by the designers of the Golden Age like Faberge and Tiffany to create features that made their jewels as unique as a fingerprint. Today, technology can render these flawed gems perfect but Andrew prefers to work with his stones in their natural state and to enter into a dialogue with their individual characteristics and deformities in a way that releases the inner beauty of the stones’ individuality.