Alexandra Kent (CEO at Alexandra Elizabeth)
Alexandra Kent is a gemologist and designer of high-end jewellery at Alexandra Elizabeth, based in West Yorkshire. She has spent her entire career in jewellery and was the youngest person ever to have achieved the coveted graduate gemology GIA qualification, having also been awarded a scholarship by the GIA in London. She has worked in jewellery retail and for herself as a bespoke luxury jewellery designer. After almost two decades in the industry, she launched her brand Alexandra Elizabeth, last September. Hearing her describe it as founded on love — for jewellery, for gems and for love itself — we had a chat with Alex about how she came to forge a career in jewellery and what her plans are for the future of Alexandra Elizabeth.
- What first drew you to jewellery as a field of study and work?
I have always been attracted by sparkly things. Even as a small child, one of my favourite things to do was dig up minerals and fossils in the hope I would find ones that glittered in the sunlight. By the time I was 14 years old, I was working as a Saturday girl at a high street jeweller and knew that I didn’t want to do anything other than work with jewellery. I find it exciting and fascinating in equal measure and, even now, all these years on, I feel so fortunate that it is how I get to spend my days. I just adore it.
- You’re both a gemologist and a jewellery designer. How does your training in gemology shape the way you approach design?
Being aware of the properties of different gemstones makes a huge difference to how you think about how they’ll be used. For instance, there are some very beautiful stones that look stunning in the right pieces but would not be suitable for jewellery that you want to wear every day — they might be prone to chipping, clouding or scratching, for example. In these cases, knowledge and understanding of gemology not only means you only use those stones in pieces that are appropriate for them; it also means you’re able to be creative in suggesting alternatives that may be less well known, are still precious, and can achieve the same colour or look whilst being more hard-wearing.
- Jewellery often marks some of the most important moments in people’s lives. What do you think gives jewellery that emotional power?
It is incredibly symbolic, most often of love. A piece of jewellery given as a gift or bought for oneself is a visible, tangible symbol of a feeling, a relationship, a memory or milestone. And it’s really intimate — we wear it next to our skin and there are some pieces we wouldn’t feel comfortable lending to someone else to wear because it’s too personal. Jewellery is highly sentimental in all the best ways and is a bit like a wearable archive. That’s why it’s so important in legacy, as well. Sometimes the most meaningful items that people inherit are from relatives, such as parental wedding rings. One of my favourite design briefs is remodelling old or inherited jewellery. The jewellery you inherit may not be to your taste, but it still holds enormous value. In these cases, we reuse the stones in a new design that works with your personal style, so you retain the emotional bond and can still wear a piece that suits you. These kinds of commissions always have fascinating stories that come with them and I feel enormously privileged to be trusted with them. It’s always interesting and the final piece of jewellery always so meaningful.
- When you begin designing a new piece, where does that process usually start? With an idea? A stone? Or something else entirely?
With the person — always with the person! Whether I am designing a bespoke piece where the wearer is already known, or designing a ready-to-wear collection, the person who will wear it and how they’ll wear it is always front of mind to me.
When we design bespoke pieces, getting to know and understand the client is key to the process and it’s the first thing we do. After that, it is often a stone. For example, an engagement ring I designed at the end of last year had really specific requirements based on the personality of the bride-to-be, and a particular stone that was unusual and is not always easy to source. Finding the right stone from the right mine for that piece was incredibly satisfying and the feedback after the proposal was that she was stunned, as she didn’t think it was possible to have the ring that she wanted. I am happy to report she said yes and they are getting married next year!
- Is there a gap in the market that you see Alexandra Elizabeth addressing?
Historically, fine jewellery has often been something a woman received rather than chose for herself — typically given to mark a relationship or life event such as marriage. That tradition is still important and meaningful and we love being part of those love stories. I also think, though, that there’s a growing shift in how people think about jewellery, and love extending further than the romantic love most often associated with high and fine pieces. It can also be about celebrating yourself, your own milestones and your own sense of identity.
Part of the drive behind establishing Alexandra Elizabeth was that jewellery can hold meaning whether it is given by someone else or chosen for yourself. A piece bought to mark your own achievement, a personal moment, or simply because it speaks to you is just as emotionally significant. After all, the most important relationship any of us have in our lives is the relationship we have with ourselves.
So, in many ways, we want to expand the story around jewellery, keeping the beautiful romance and symbolism that has always been there, while also embracing the idea that a beautiful piece can be a celebration of oneself, too.
- What jewellery do you personally wear most often?
I am a big fan of colour and flourish so, when it comes to the contents of my own jewellery box, I don’t really do understated! I love colour in gemstones, elaborate and unusual designs and big, bold pieces of jewellery. That I get to design these as bespoke pieces for other people as well never loses its sparkle and excitement for me.
- Is there a gemstone that consistently captivates you?
I have always had a particular soft spot for labradorite. It has a shimmering, “labradorescence” effect, which means it produces vibrant blues, greens and golds in the light. It’s stunning. And I’ll let you into a secret — one day, I’d like staircase made from it. Wouldn’t that be incredible?! I can but dream!
You can find out more about Alexandra Elizabeth at https://alexandraelizabeth.co.uk and can follow the brand on Instagram, here: https://www.instagram.com/alexandraelizabeth_jewellery
