The Laings Journal
Welcome to our meet the team feature where you can get to know the people that help make Laings what it is today. In this feature we like to get to know some of the characters from the team here at Laings and ask them what it is about jewellery and watches that they love.
Today we meet award winning jewellery designer Kirsty Berry who works in our flagship store in the Argyll Arcade – she has been with the company for 9 years and qualified from The Glasgow School of Art with a BA Hons in jewellery and Silversmithing. Since then she has gained a wealth of experience at Laings which has been a wonderful platform to develop and hone her trade in craftsmanship and jewellery design.
What is your favourite jewellery/watch piece that you own?
This is easy to answer, its my engagement ring - I love that its a trilogy setting but its not an obvious three stone, the ring is almost mix of solitaire and three stone so you get the best of both worlds. The style is classic and timeless and I am pleased to say that my partner chose the perfect style without my input...but he did have a little help from the girls here at Laings!
In your opinion what is the most spectacular piece of jewellery that you have designed?
One of the most memorable pieces I had the privilege to create was an Art Deco style Sapphire and diamond necklace and earrings set worth 25K - the challenge was to incorporate the customers own Sapphire alongside a large amount of additional diamonds. She allowed me to be truly creative and the design concept was all my own work, I met with the client many time so was able to gauge her style and taste to be able create her dream piece. The reaction was incredible, she loved the fact that it was unique and it meant even more that it featured her sapphire from the original piece of jewellery.
Who is your celebrity style icon?
Grace Kelly always looked classic, elegant and up to date with fashion and was a master at teaming chic outfits with beautiful jewllery. Her signature accessory was a string of pearls which I love and often wear myself.
What would be your Engagement Ring style choice, Classic, Vintage, Modern Classic or Unique?
Classic for me, as you can probably tell!
What piece of jewellery/watch would you aspire to own?
I would love a diamond line bracelet with round brilliant stones to match my ring, this style of bracelet really makes an outfit look polished and can easily be worn dressed up or dressed down. I also aspire to one day to have a gold Cartier tank watch - I love Cartier because its an iconic brand of the highest quality and it doesn't matter which model you choose, the design will never look outdated.
If you were a character from a movie who would you be?
Jennifer Lawrence in the hunger games - she is a down to earth character, I love her style and you can totally imagine being her friend in real life.
What about your birthstone, would you stick with your original or change it if you had the choice?
I am more than happy with Sapphire for September - I love the colour and they work beautifully with diamonds, if I had my pick of sapphire jewellery I would love the oval cut sapphire and diamond pendant, it is set in white gold and has an amazing 1.60ct of blue sapphire and 0.70ct of brilliant white diamonds - it reminds me of the Kate Middleton engagement ring and has a majestic look and feel.
In your opinion what is the best buy available in your store?
I really think that our diamond rings are the best value on the market, particularly the rings from our new Signature Collection because the customer can experience amazing value due to the buying power we have when obtaining ethically sourced, officially certified diamonds. The collection offers a type of "build your own ring" idea, where you can choose the setting and then the diamond making sure you get best quality for the best price. Having been part of the jewellery industry for over a decade I truly believe that the value for money you get with our engagement rings is outstanding.