Lucy Crowther (pictured) comes at jewelry with a photographer’s eye—when designing for her London-based brand Minka Jewels, she considers every aspect, from color to movement to craftsmanship, to create that perfect composition.
But as they say, you learn the rules so you can break the rules. Crowther describes Minka’s jewelry as heirloom-quality but with fuss-free designs.
“For me, it’s all about using the best gemstones in rich, irresistible hues. I love modern, simple settings that showcase these stones to very best effect and allow them to do all the talking,” she says.
Lucy Crowther learned composition, which she uses in designing jewelry, from her work in photography.
Crowther was born in London’s Barnes district and lived there until she was 11, when her family moved to the English countryside, on the border of Wiltshire and Dorset. She recalls a “free” childhood, spending most of her time outdoors with her family’s dogs and horses.
She went to St. Mary’s Shaftesbury, an all-girls convent school in Dorset, where she found ways to express herself through sport and the arts despite the school’s strict rules. After graduation in 2006, she studied photography at Arts University Bournemouth for a year.
“I’ve always had a keen eye for composition and loved working with imagery, but after that year I decided to move to London and start working instead,” says Crowther.
London was an ideal playground for Crowther. Her work in fashion photography helped hone her eye for color and design, and she got a broad and inspiring view of creative industries working with leading talents like makeup artist Georgina Graham, stylist Mary Fellowes, and luxury brand marketer Sebastian Kaufmann.
Minka Jewels’ Berlin Nights ring ($20,871) is set with a 1.24 ct. square octagonal-cut cognac brown diamond, surrounded by a halo of diamonds weighing 0.54 cts. total.
A silversmithing class Crowther took in her free time sparked a new interest. She had been employed briefly at a London jeweler, and being around fine jewelry in the fashion world made her think back to the jewelry designers her grandmother wore, such as Stuart Devlin and John Donald.
In 2009, Crowther moved to India to delve further into jewelry and see where it might take her. She got a job assisting Munnu Kasliwal, learning from the masters who worked at Kasliwal’s Gem Palace company. (The Kasliwals have been jewelers for eight generations, and the family business established in 1852 has boutiques in India and the United States.)
“Being surrounded by the most exquisite gemstones and craftsmanship ignited a deep passion in me,” Crowther says. “That was when I knew I wanted to dedicate my career to fine jewelry, particularly colored gemstones, which they used to cut in-house and you would see these incredible bits of rough material come to life.”
Crowther selected each of the keshi pearls on this Atlantis necklace ($1,956) for their size and quality.
When Crowther returned to England in 2011, she trained as a gemologist at London Gem-A. She worked as an independent colored gemstone dealer and then head of sales for colored stone specialist G.F. Williams & Co., gaining experience in sourcing, evaluating, and understanding precious gems and their pricing.
She decided to go out on her own and founded Minka Jewels in 2016. The company’s name is an amalgamation of the names of her great-grandmother Minnie and her grandmother Katrina, who were both ardent jewelry lovers.
“My philosophy is simple: Use the finest gemstones possible for the piece and the client’s budget,” Crowther says. “I believe in sourcing exceptional stones and offering clients a carefully curated selection so they can be part of the process, choosing the gem that speaks to them the most.”
(Photos courtesy of Minka Jewels)