The Archive

DISCOVER PAST DESIGNS NOW ENJOYING THEIR FOREVER HOMES

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The archive showcases some of our favourite, sold pieces

Whilst they are no longer with us in person, they continue to inspire us on our fun, fine jewellery journey as we explore new themes, ideas and designs along the way

SELECTED JEWELLERY FROM THE ARCHIVE

EXPLORE BELOW

ANIMAL JEWELS

Nature and animals enjoy a centre stage role in our fun fine jewellery. From bees to pigs and insect-filled secret gardens, we have tackled a large number of animal subjects over the years, the most famous series being perhaps our porcelain animal earrings, some of which are shown below. These one-of-a-kind creations feature a different porcelain creature each time, paired lovingly with carefully selected gemstones to create statement mis-matching earrings. Whimsical, fun and utterly memorable, they embody a child-like, fairy-tale fascination with the natural world, typical of Tessa’s brand DNA.

Another archived animal design is our one-of-a-kind Fruit Bat Earrings. Hand-crafted in 18ct yellow gold, these statement earrings featured hand-enamelled green leaves, carved watermelon tourmaline fruit and a little bone carved bat. The leaves were articulated, allowing them to move with the wearer; so too was the bat who could swing backwards and forwards upside down from his perch.

Giving movement to animal earrings is important to us. Although these creatures may be made from inanimate materials we still feel it’s important that they can come to life when worn.

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ANIMAL JEWELLERY

COCKTAIL HOUR

The Martini, the Manhattan, Flaming Lamborghini and the Tom Collins are cocktails we know and love. But there are others – in fact many others – with far more daring, dark and macabre histories behind them. Our Under the Influence collection of fine jewellery tells the tale of some of these lesser-known, lesser-drunk concoctions, exploring in visual form who inspired them, where they were created and the ingredients they contain.

Brightly coloured and inspired as much by the theatricality and drama of cocktail making as the range of riotous, rainbow-hued creations synonymous with this style of drink, Under the Influence is a collection all about fun. Our range of interchangeable earrings made from sliced fruit, booze bottles and richly hued cabochons (the idea being the wearer is able to mix and match ‘ingredients’ as they please to create their own ‘cocktail’) were a sell-out hit. So too were our In-Case-of-Emergency Earrings that contained a nip of real vodka.

UNDER THE INFLUENCE COLLECTION

PAST FRUITY DESIGNS

CANDY CRUSH

From gummy bear cufflinks to waffle necklaces, pear drop earrings and Brighton Rock-inspired cocktail rings, it’s been a lot of fun exploring the world of fat free treats.

Perhaps one of our most notable pieces from the Fat Free collection is our Fried Egg Earrings. Hand-crafted in 18ct white gold, they were made to look like (in giant, timeless form) the fried egg penny sweets much loved by sweet-tooths the world over. White topaz stones were chosen for their resemblance to sugar cubes; so too were a pair of deep yellow oval agates for their yolky appearance. A dusting of pave-set diamonds completed the look, mirroring the layer of powered sugar found coating these bon-bons. And like all fried eggs where no two are identically alike, these earrings are designed to be mismatching, each egg completely unique in shape and form.

PENNY SWEET CUFFLINKS

Timeless vermeil gold cufflinks set with real British coins

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THE AGE OF EXPLORATION

For King and Country collection explores the Age of Discovery in Europe, focussing on nautical adventures and conquests – the search for treasure and bounty in lands not yet discovered or conquered.  Our archived pieces give you a glimpse of the shapes and forms that inspired this time, from capped pearls symbolising the lunar cycle to golden stars representing the polaris in the night sky.

PLASTIC FANTASTIC

This bold and brave collection has attracted widespread admiration from clients and press alike. Featured in print editorials such Vogue and Conde Nast Traveller, the unanimous decision is that up-cycled plastic is definitely a good thing, both for our ears and the planet.

In the spotlight is our much-loved Coco Gone Loco Earrings in 18ct yellow gold, lucite and pearl. They imagine what Coco Chanel might have worn in the 21st Century if she were still around to impress upon us her revolutionary style and love for pearls in costume settings.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN MY SECRET GARDEN

This collection is inspired by magical, imagined gardens – those created in literature and print, in art and imagery, and in the physical landscape.

It tells the story of what Tessa’s garden would look like, what would reside within it, and what keys would be needed to open up the various follies and grottos spread across the vast place.

It’s stylised palette of green, yellow, white and black symbolises the various components of her imagined garden: the dark, antique brass metal-work, the sunshine-yellow flowers, the snow-capped trees and the verdigris sculptures, aged over centuries by the weather.

This would be a secret garden lost to time, but rich in flora and fauna – some native and some as mysterious as they come.

magical secret garden

Tessa’s imagined garden

Three All-Time Favourites

CARMEN RING
RIVIERA RING
DICKY BIRD EARRINGS

SHOWCASING

THE FAVOURITES

Mexicana

Sculptural reliefs, mid-century architecture, ancient temples and the hot, central American weather all play their part in the creation of Mexicana, our first fun fine jewellery collection.

Among the pieces showcased here we remember the one-of-a-kind Carmen ring, set with custom-cut Mozambique aquamarines; the Sun Cuff Earrings inspired by the searing Mexican sun; and the stylish Mexicana vermeil cufflinks, one of our very first cufflink designs.

Ice Cream Rings

Totally delicious and available in fun flavours, our unique Ice Cream Rings captured the hearts, imagination (and stomachs) of many happy clients.

In the place of real scoops we used beautiful gemstone cabochons to replicate the look and feel of our favourite fruity flavours. For our Lemon Sorbet ring we use iridescent moonstone; for the Spearmint Ring we used sapphire, topaz, aquamarine and blue agate; in our Raspberry Ripple Ring we chose richly-hued garnets; our Blackberry Ring was set with dark onyx stones, mirroring in appearance the form of the bubbly blackberry fruit; and our super fun Green Apple Ring featured green jade, tourmaline, emerald and peridot.

Each ring was one-of-a-kind, with a total edition size of six in total. One Ice Cream Ring remains online, and it can be found using the link below

HONEY AND BEES

Bees are one of the most frequently depicted animals in the history of jewellery and the arts. Not only do we revere them for their honey, we have come to rely on them, like so many insects, for their ability to pollinate and thus cultivate what we seek to grow. In short, humans are intimately bonded to bees and it is perhaps no surprise that through the ages they have come to symbolise a myriad of human characteristics, from industriousness and hard work to careful organisation and civilised order.

Over the years we have designed and made many bee-themed pieces. Some look to showcase the beauty of this insect and the delicate honeycomb structure that it lives in. Others have aimed to explore the ‘conscious’ nature of jewellery – that being how life and meaning can be given to the inanimate bee through the physical relationship it has with the wearer. When the wearer moves (or is ‘living’) so too is the bee.

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