Sophie Breitmeyer: Transforming Family Heirlooms And Creating Personalised, Bespoke Jewellery
By
10 months ago
A family jewellery for the 21st century
Sophie Breitmeyer is an entry in our Great British Brands 2024 book.
Sophie Breitmeyer: Great British Brand 2024
‘We are a multi-generational modern family jeweller and as such we’ve built relationships with individual clients, helping them celebrate life’s important milestones, like births and marriages. We’ve aimed to create a home-away-from-home at our Notting Hill studio. There are no bright lights or big glass cabinets here! Instead, we’ve created a comfortable, welcoming space to return to again and again, which has helped us build close, enduring relationships.
Buying jewellery can be intimidating, as something like an engagement ring can be the most significant piece you’ll ever invest in, imbued with love, hope and promise. Our collections are colourful and inspired by Art Deco. We use recycled gold, diamonds from dealers who adhere to the Kimberley Process, and stones sourced directly from small mines where possible. When people come in for a consultation or to browse, we educate them about the different golds, gemstones and the diamond’s four Cs – colour, cut, clarity and carat – so they feel comfortable making choices. That’s where technology comes in. Things can be lost in translation with a hand-drawing and lead to disappointment, whereas we use CAD/CAM and 3D printing so people can see precisely what we’re creating. Taking the unknowns away is reassuring and creates a bond of trust when you’re taking the plunge with a meaningful investment.
Our business has two arms: we design bespoke jewellery and transform family heirlooms – for example, we’ll turn your grandmother’s exquisite brooch into a contemporary, wearable piece – but we also offer a ready-to-wear collection that celebrates life’s important moments, and we can personalise that jewellery with birthstones or engraving. Our aim is to help you create your own distinct jewellery wardrobe for life, so we’re not trend-led but focused on giving you the finest classics, like the perfect gold chain or a stunning, timeless engagement ring, pieces to treasure and pass on.’
Sophie Breitmeyer, founder and Creative Director
Five Proudest Moments
- Making our first bespoke engagement ring in 2011. Since then that’s what we’ve become known for and have made over 500 more of them.
- Attracting the attention of many celebrities with our ready-to-wear collections – seeing Rihanna wearing our jewellery in 2013 was incredible.
- Opening our Notting Hill studio in 2020, which felt like such an achievement.
- Launching our first Mine to Mount collection in 2023, with stones sourced directly from small mines. All profits go to Gem Legacy, which supports gem-mining communities.
- Being asked to make jewellery for a member of the Royal Family, which was a thrilling moment.
What I’ve Learnt…
- That word of mouth is more powerful than almost anything else to promote your brand.
- Sophie Breitmeyer is nothing without its loyal employees and customers. I wanted to reignite the idea of ‘A Family Jeweller’, with an emphasis on family.
- Without a shadow of a doubt, diamonds really are a girl’s best friend.
SOPHIE BREITMEYER
24 Powis Terrace, London W11 1JH
+44 (0)20 7243 2253
