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Despite what tradition may suggest, your wedding band can be anything you want it to be! We have many clients that come into the boutique looking for something a little different to the conventional, yellow or white gold band.

Accessories can change any woman’s outfit in an instant. From a conservative suit to an extravagant gown, a daring piece or a subtle touch, jewellery is the perfect finishing touch. As spring hits the scene, it brings a plethora of enchanting new pieces to freshen up any look.

Spring is in the air and so is love! Spring is the most popular season for weddings and it’s an especially exciting time in the boutique with so many of our clients tying the knot.

The placement of the wedding band on the left ring finger is a constant reminder of your love and commitment for your significant other– but where exactly did this tradition originate?

We’ve long been told that diamonds are a girl’s best friend but when it comes to engagement rings– diamonds aren’t the only choice! In fact, the diamond engagement ring only leapt to popularity post-1980.

Our wedding day is one of the most momentous occasions of our lives likewise; getting engaged is an amazing time filled with great excitement. In my line of work, I’ve been lucky enough to share in the love, the nerves and the delight of countless weddings and engagements – it’s one of the best parts of my job!

Working with future brides and grooms to put the ideas they envisage into reality is a great honour and helping to guide them through the decisions and choices that surround finding their perfect ring is one of the most satisfying parts of what I 

do.

When a client comes to us looking for a gift to mark a milestone with a loved one we always like to find pieces that aren’t just beautiful but also represent the relationship. For this reason we like to suggest considering some of the following factors to pick the perfect piece.

With the Rio Olympics in full swing, the boutique has been transformed into a sporteluxe destination to channel the spirit of the games.

Aside from being striking and vivaciously vibrant, historically gemstones have ancient and contemporary connotations and symbolism that give them significance for many of our clients.

At Matthew Ely, every season presents an opportunity to draw inspiration for new and exciting concepts and winter is no different. To celebrate this gorgeous time of the year, step into our boutique’s newly transformed ‘Winter Wonderland’.

We have an exciting range of new pieces in the boutique this month. They're intricately designed, statement pieces and we're delighted to showcase them. Featuring the stunning Oval Citrine and Diamond Cocktail Ring and Oval Sapphire and Diamond Dress Ring showcased above.

Today marks world Social Media Day. To celebrate head over to our range of social media channels including, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for a range of featured product, behind the scenes content and inspirational concepts for our pieces.

Join the Matthew Ely community and experience the range of radiant pieces we have to offer in all their glory and be the first to see new and upcoming designs.

I am exceptionally thrilled to introduce 'Joyau Rouge' our new, one of a kind bespoke feature piece - a rare 64.53ct Rubellite Tourmaline set in white gold, surrounded by over 1.60cts of fine white diamonds.

The piece was inspired by the feature pieces of the Georgian and Art Deco eras; with its large centrepiece stone a popular feature of the jewellery worn by dignitaries throughout this period. Building on these foundations a modern twist was added with it’s fine detailing around the edge and three-tiered black spinel necklace ensuring it remains a truly timeless piece.

Some of the most excited clients I have the pleasure of working with have been those planning their engagement and or weddings. Each client has brought their own unique range of emotions and character to select or develop what will be their engagement ring or wedding band, making these experiences truly unique and investing in each piece with its own unique story.

June is the month of Pearl, the oldest known gem and traditionally thought to represent truth, faith and love.
I have always enjoyed working with pearls, it can take up to three years for a pearl to reach its full size and nacre thickness but it is this organic process that brings about an air of natural beauty to each pearl. Their clean, look and bright lustre adds a level of sophistication to any piece, allowing me to create minimally styled, finely detailed jewellery elements that let the pearl take centre stage.

Winter is lit up by festivals and the celebration of lights, music and creativity. Breaking out of the typical winter greys and blacks and engaging in a season where Sydney comes alive with colour and splendour is such a joy. In the same way, I love the ability that injecting a little colour into your winter pieces can bring that same sense of splendour into your attire.

May is the month of Emerald, also referred to as the ‘Stone of Successful Love’, the Emerald is believed to open and nurture the heart.

The beautiful, radiant green colour of Emerald makes it a gemstone that I always find great joy in working with. Working with Emeralds brings my passion for coloured gemstones to life and working at the bench with them always inspires me to create new designs. Their strong colour offers great opportunities to incorporate different complimentary metals and stones to highlight the vivid green colour, and capture the viewer’s attention.

As the days get shorter and the temperatures drop, it’s time to put aside your Summer looks and embrace your Winter wardrobes. This winter season is the perfect opportunity to showcase the medium and dark tones in your jewellery collection.

I love working with coloured gemstones and diamonds, to create the perfect complimentary combination of stone and metal. Rose Gold coloured pieces are always a good idea during Winter as it has a natural ability to compliment coloured gems, has a flattering effect on most skin tones and is becoming increasingly popular.

Mother’s Day is a special day where we recognise the role of all of our Mothers, and those who have been like mothers to us, and their ongoing support and love.

I’m delighted to announce that the boutique will once again be partnering with our neighbours, Element Hair salon this Mother’s Day.

To celebrate and share the love this Mother’s Day, Element Hair are running a special promotion for the first 50 people to visit the salon for an appointment between the 28th of April and 14th of May. You will be presented with a $150 Matthew Ely gift voucher to put towards your next fine jewellery purchase.

Recently three of our newest cocktail rings were featured in the Australian Financial Review (AFR), it’s fantastic to see our pieces gaining such widespread recognition.

More about our three newest additions:

Oval Aquamarine and Diamond Ring:

In recognition of Creativity & Innovation Week I wanted to spend this weeks blog post talking about the incorporation of creativity and innovation in the creation of my Jewellery.
As a designer of jewellery, one of my greatest joys is creating jewellery pieces that are unique and treasured by their owners. For this reason I always take great enjoyment in working with clients to design their own bespoke jewellery piece. To see their personal tastes and characteristics brought to life through creative design with the end result being a personal item that they cherish is something truly special.

Stacking jewellery pieces is a recent trend that has soared in popularity and one I see all the time with clients. Many clients choose to stack pieces as a way to combine existing pieces with something new or to add extra character to an ensemble. By stacking like this people are able to mix and match various colours, stones, shapes and styles to get a look that is unique. Whether contemplating a minimal stack or one to make a statement the range of options and combinations are endless.

A good piece of jewellery is always considered timeless and there are a range of designs that have grown increasingly popular in recent times. At the moment there are four trends in particular which I really resonate with and that I’ve incorporated into my own work.

Thanks for having us along for a fun day!

Like most trends in general, jewellery design moves in swings and roundabouts - something is popular for a while and then another new trend takes it's place, only for the first trend to come back around in time! Rose gold has proven time and time again that no matter your style, skin tone or current jewels it can be worked into a fine jewellery collection with ease and looks incredible set with most diamonds and gems.

This collection first came to life when my wife and I were waiting to welcome our daughter into the world. I wanted to create a personalised memento for not only my child, but for my clients to enjoy too. The response has been incredible and this has lead me to add to the collection with the Innocence Necklace. Designed to be worn by adults, this piece is available in 18ct white yellow and rose gold with a special initial hand carved on the front. Choose your intial, your loved one's or your childs and wear it close to you everyday.

Personalised pieces are not only on trend right now, they are the ultimate gift for your loved one (or yourself) and are the perfect addition to a fine jewellery collection. There's something truy special about a bespoke piece made especially for you, and adding a personal touch like a hand carved inital can create a lasting memory.

Nick was referred to come and see Lauren by a friend of the boutique, who recommended our services to design a bespoke engagement ring for his fiance to be. After doing his own research online Nick came to us with an idea about what type of diamond he wanted and some inspiration for the design for the ring. Lauren worked closely with Nick, hand selected a range of stones for him to view in the boutique and bought his design concept to life with a hand drawn sketch. As you can see the end result is incredible, and of course she said yes! Congratulations to Nick and Tash on this exciting new chapter. We are so happy to have been invited to help you along the way and look forward to seeing you soon!

Australia produces some of the most rare and unique coloured diamonds in the world, and we are so priveliged to have access to such an incredible variety. I love being able to work with rare Australian pinks, yellows and blues. For my recent competition piece I was supplied with a selection of the most intense Argyle pink and blue diamonds from our good friends at Pink Kimberley. Diamonds aside, we can't forget to mention the colourful array of gemstones like sapphire, ruby and garnet, all mined here in Oz. I'm proud of our industry here in Australia and also to be associated with talented designers, jewellers and suppliers who continue to support each other and the trade.

After a fantastic break with my family over the holiday season I have had a moment to reflect on the many incredible moments that made up the past year.

I had the privelage to craft some stand out, bespoke pieces for our clients and celebrate love by helping couples create their engagement and wedding rings.

My team and I would like to wish you a happy and safe holiday season and offer our best wishes for the year ahead. The past year has been incredible and the support that we have received from our wonderful clients, family and friends means the world to us. Here's to a fantastic 2016!

My must haves for Christmas would have to include a classic diamond tennis bracelet or a pair of diamond studs. These are two coveted pieces of jewellery that will compliment any collection and can be worn daily, or saved for special occasions.

Christmas has arrived at the boutique! This year we are encouraging you to let your light shine, in whatever way means the most to you. Be it with diamonds or gemstones, maybe a combination of the two.