Julia Lloyd George

Julia naturally got L all excited when she started to talk about her passion for coloured stones and the growing trend for using these in engagement rings. Inspired by tropical beaches, Julia Lloyd George has created some stunning combinations of Paraiba tourmalines set in gold to recall the intense blue water lapping against golden sands.

She has helped couples who were after the blue of a tanzanite and the green of the emerald find alternative stones such as zircon and tsavorite which would give them the depth of colour that they wanted using stones that are less easily damaged.

Julia’s quest for unusual and brilliant colours takes her to Germany regularly where she finds the best dealers in Paraiba tourmalines of rainbow hues.

One thing that struck me when we talked with Julia Lloyd George was her conviction that it is her role as a designer to create a design for an engagement ring that pushes the stone into centre stage. She believes that in reality nothing more is needed.

She told us how she likes to use the trillion cut whose tapered edges are ideal for offsetting a high stone and guaranteeing an engagement ring that is comfortable to wear.

However, it is always a creative challenge to find the subtle ways to glorify the stone and Julia is drawn to using simple and strong lines to achieve the maximum potential of whatever gem she is working with. Her pieces make you want to touch them and the emphasis on their tactile nature is created with her use of weighty gold that has a smooth, soft finish.