Our Materials
Sophie is passionate about gemstones and particular about the materials she works with. With a considered and conscientious approach to sourcing, she takes great care selecting stones and is an expert at educating clients without overloading them with information. She loves working with high-quality natural diamonds because of the value they hold, both emotionally and financially, and coloured gemstones that tell the most vibrant stories.
A strong believer in recycling and reusing gems, Sophie is an expert at breathing new life into antique stones by transforming little-worn heirloom jewellery and forgotten treasures into beautiful, new one-of-a-kind jewellery. Handmade in Hatton Garden, London, all Sophie’s jewels are crafted from precious metals using traditional goldsmithing techniques.
Our Precious Materials
Sophie’s Modular jewellery and most of her ready-to-wear pieces are made in 9 karat yellow gold, which is durable, lightweight and affordable, while our huggies, One-Of-A-Kind creations, engagement rings, wedding rings and bespoke jewellery are crafted in 18 karat gold. More valuable and hard-wearing, 18 karat gold is also richer and more lustrous in colour.
Sophie’s mindful approach to jewellery craftsmanship extends to the workshops and suppliers she works with, with the majority using only recycled gold. Those that don’t are members of the Responsible Jewellery Council (RSJ).
When it comes to white metals, Sophie prefers to use platinum over white gold because of its bright, silvery-white lustre, durability, hypoallergenic properties and the fact that it doesn’t require re-rhodium plating. She also loves to combine yellow gold and platinum in a single design for a mixed-metal look inspired by this classic pairing in antique jewellery.
Our Diamonds
Sophie sources diamonds from her trusted network of dealers in London who are compliant with the Kimberley Process, hand-selecting them for their inherent beauty and charm. Rooted in romance for centuries and more likely to hold their value, natural diamonds - whose stories began millions of years ago, when they were forming deep within the earth - are her preferred stones to work with. Discovered as rough crystals of pure carbon and transformed into brilliant works of art, there is no better gem to represent a couple’s unbreakable bond.
Rich in history, Sophie is especially fond of antique Old Mine and Old European cut diamonds, which have so much character. She sources them specially for bespoke commissions and resets antique gems from rarely worn pieces, transforming them into brand new jewels.
Discover more about the 4Cs of diamond grading, and how you can use them to get the best diamond for your budget, below.
Colour
The term Colour is actually misleading because it is used to describe the lack of colour within a diamond. Graded from D (colourless) to Z (light yellow), the nearer a diamond is to colourless, the more valuable it is. Sophie’s tip: choose the colour you love rather than buying a stone based on the paperwork that accompanies it.
Cut
Cut doesn’t only refer to a diamond’s shape. A diamond’s Cut grade is a measurement of how well the stone’s facets interact with the light, based on its proportions, symmetry and polish. Sophie’s tip: it’s our job to ensure we show you only well-cut diamonds, leaving you to concentrate on the shape alone.
Carat
Many people believe Carat refers to a diamond’s size, however it actually describes how much it weighs, with a metric “carat” defined as 200 milligrams. Sophie’s tip: make your budget go further by measuring in mms, not carats. The size difference between a 0.90ct and 1.00ct diamond is negligible, while the price difference is huge.
Clarity
Clarity measures the microscopic flaws known as inclusions and blemishes within a natural diamond, from Flawless to I (Included), via VVS (Very, Very Slightly Included) and VS (Very Slightly Included). Sophie’s tip: to maximise the size of your stone, opt for a diamond that has flaws which are cleverly disguised by the facets.
Our Gemstones
Sophie’s world is filled with colour and she takes great care selecting gemstones, choosing only those with character and charm in abundance. A mix of precious and semi-precious stones, sourced from her trusted network of dealers in London, the bright pops of colour they provide are perfectly suited to Sophie’s antique inspired jewellery.
Her favourite gemstones include sapphires, which have been associated with rarity, durability and beauty for centuries, in a rainbow of colours and cuts. Tsavorite garnets, a brilliant alternative to an emerald. Multi-coloured tourmalines, with their great hardness and clarity, and captivating sea-blue aquamarines. Sophie also loves working with pearls, particularly baroque pearls for their unique characters. Discover three of Sophie’s signature gemstones below.
Sapphires
One of the “big three” precious gemstones, sapphires are usually thought of as blue, however they are actually found in a wide spectrum of colours. Among Sophie’s favourite gems, she loves to search out unique and unusual sapphires, including cornflower and teal blue varieties, and the rarest of them all: Padparadscha sapphires.
Tsavorites
Discovered in 1963 in Africa, the tsavorite - a grass-green variety of garnet - is a relatively new semi-precious gem that quickly found its way into Sophie’s heart. Much more durable and less fragile than an emerald, in 2022 Sophie travelled to Kenya to visit the artisanal mine where the tsavorites she uses in her designs are unearthed.
Spinels
A precious gemstone that is known for its incredible variety of all-natural colours, from steel grey to hot pink, the spinel is the birthstone of August. Beautifully transparent, Sophie loves to use spinels in her designs because they are a great, slightly more cost-effective alternative to a sapphire - the gemstone they are often mistaken for.
Jewellery Care
How to look after your Sophie Breitmeyer jewels
Fine and bespoke jewellery is designed to last a lifetime, however daily wear and improper storage and cleaning can cause damage. To maintain the condition of your precious pieces, pay them a little care and attention and you will be rewarded with many years of wear. Discover our tips and tricks for looking after your Sophie Breitmeyer jewels below.
- Avoid wearing your jewellery while exercising or in bed. Excessive perspiration, moisturisers, lotions, perfumes, body oils and some cosmetics can tarnish pieces. Before a mineral bath, spa or swim, take off your jewels as the salt water and chlorine may affect the metal finish. Remove your jewellery when cleaning also. The harsh chemicals found in household cleaning products will tarnish metal.
- While diamonds are naturally very hard stones, they can still incur damage when knocked. Precious metals and semi-precious stones are much softer and therefore require gentler handling. We advise all our clients to remove their jewellery when lifting heavy objects, using gym machinery or participating in extreme activities.
- Avoid storing your fine jewellery beside a heating vent, on a window sill or in the car. The less air and light your jewellery is exposed to when you aren’t wearing it, the less it will tarnish. The best place to store your jewels is in a soft, lined box or pouch. Try to keep pieces apart, to avoid them rubbing and tangling together.
- Pearls, organic gems that are naturally softer than mineral gemstones, are susceptible to scratching and damage if not cared for correctly. Follow the golden rule “last jewel on, first jewel off” and wipe them with a soft chamois cloth to remove oils and perspiration after wear. Pearls benefit from being in contact with moisture from the body, so be sure to wear your pearls often. To clean pearls, wet a soft cloth with warm water and rub each gem individually, taking extra care to be gentle
- If your jewellery is worn frequently, it will need a little clean from time to time. The best way to do this is to pour some warm (not hot) water into a container, apply a couple of drops of washing up liquid and gently brush with a soft toothbrush or rub with a lint-free cloth. Alternatively, you can purchase a mini ultrasonic machine for a deeper clean, but avoid cleaning emeralds ultrasonically - it can have an adverse effect on those that have been oiled to improve their clarity. Never use tissues or paper towels to clean your pieces, which risk scratching the surface of the jewels.
- Take extra care when cleaning jewellery with gemstones and pearls and if unsure, please contact us for further assistance.
- Clients are always welcome to drop by the studio to get their jewellery cleaned and polished. We offer an annual check and clean service, free of charge, to all our customers. Simply bring your Sophie Breitmeyer jewel into us and we will professionally clean and re-polish it, check the settings and make any necessary repairs.
- We offer one complimentary resize with the purchase of a Sophie Breitmeyer ring and advise against resizing a ring more than twice because it may weaken the setting and thin the metal.
The Modern-Day Family Jeweller
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