Made in the Caribbean: Five Fabulous Regional Jewellery Designers
by Karen Rollins Aug 1, 2022
Jewellery often makes a statement about the wearer.
Sometimes a piece can be bold and impactful, other times an item might be more understated and subtle, and then there are occasions when jewellery brings an entire outfit to life.
In the Caribbean, there are many jewellery designers who draw inspiration from their beautiful island surroundings to create pieces that are unique and captivating. Here are just a few of them:
Aurelia Walcott is the creative force behind the Barbadian jewellery line ‘Emme Rose’. Aurelia is a trained fine artist, but she started making jewellery when she was a teenager, and official launched her brand in 2011.
‘Emme Rose’ is a whimsical line of jewellery made from gemstones, pearls, wood, and crystals. Each piece is delicately handmade and exceptionally crafted.
Gale Tibbetts is a Caymanian artist who has been making jewellery since she was 14 years old.
Gale founded her jewellery line, ‘Bee Line Design and Jewelry’, in honour of her sister Brenda who died from breast cancer. A portion of the proceeds from every sale goes to the Cayman Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign and the Lions Club of Tropical Gardens of Grand Cayman.
Yaena Eugene has always been a creative person and taught herself how to make jewellery in 2012 shortly after finishing high school.
Now, Yaena has her own small business ‘Khreations Jewelry’, which pairs her love of sculpture with a classic but simple, down-to-earth African style, while also demonstrating the influence Dominica’s stunning natural environment has on her overall aesthetic.
Tamara Prosper started her award-winning line of eco-jewellery and ‘art-cessories’ ‘Tambran by Tamara’ while studying at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago.
Tambran literally transforms ‘one man’s trash into another man’s treasure’ by taking waste materials, such as plastic bottles and vinyl, and turning them into unique earrings, necklaces, and brooches.
Nicole De Gale McIntosh – St Lucia
St Lucian born entrepreneur Nicole de Gale is the founder and lead designer behind jewellery brand ‘NikkiBiedes’ which she launched in 2015.
Nicole was raised between St Lucia and Grenada, and her Caribbean upbringing has heavily influenced her semi-precious jewellery line which is primarily made with freshwater pearls, glass beads, silver, and gold.
According to the NikkiBiedes website, Nicole “loves nothing more than sharing the beauty of her homelands and the vibrancy of her culture and heritage through her work.”
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So, the next time you are looking for a timeless piece of jewellery for yourself or a loved one, be sure to check out the work of these designers based in the Caribbean.
