Crafts in the Cotswolds: In the studio with jewellery designer Hattie Rickards
From her Cotswolds studio, designer Hattie Rickards creates unique meaningful jewels for her loyal clientele
The second in our Crafts in the Cotswolds series takes us to the region’s southern edge to discover the work of bespoke jewellery and engagement ring designer Hattie Rickards.
What makes the perfect piece of jewellery? For designer Hattie Rickards, it is not about the size of the gem or the weight of a carat. It’s about how the piece makes you feel when you wear it, its deeper meaning and your connection to it, whether it marks a major life milestone or was given as a carefully chosen present. This ethos forms the basis of Hattie Rickards Jewellery (HRJ), the business she set up in 2010 that has seen her create over 1,200 private commissions.
“I am passionate about creating high level unique designs that empower people,” she says. “These are generational masterpieces that capture my client’s essence. Time and again clients tell me that I have made their dreams come true. Jewellery is so personal. I love the idea of walking down the street and wearing jewellery that no-one else is wearing. That is why clients come to me. Even if they ask for a copy of a previous design of mine, I always put in the effort to get to know them and then tweak the design to make it truly personal for them.”
Hattie works from her home studio in the Cotswolds village of Poulton, ten minutes from Cirencester where she lives with her husband Toby and their children Orla and Frank, 10 and 9. The family relocated from London in 2019 and Hattie travels back into the capital one day every week, catching the train from Charlbury to Paddington for a full day of meetings with clients and suppliers.
I am passionate about creating high level unique designs that empower people
“I feel so fortunate to live in the Cotswolds,” she says. “My business operates internationally but I can live and work here, in a beautiful area surrounded by great friends and fellow creatives. The land grounds me in nature and the countryside inspires me, giving me space and clarity to let my designs flourish. It certainly feels like there’s buoyant creativity right across the Cotswolds, a vibrant network that it’s a joy to be part of. There are so many entrepreneurial people, chefs, other jewellers, photographers, cabinet makers, all making a career doing what they love.”
Clients are also encouraged to meet her in the Cotswolds, something that adds to the experience of commissioning a bespoke piece of jewellery. “The Cotswolds is on the map for people around the world so for them to come here and meet me as part of a tour is a pleasure,” she says. “Last month a client who had been following my work online for some time flew in from Los Angeles. After an initial meeting with her in London to discuss an engagement ring, she and her fiancé met me a week later at their hotel in the Cotswolds, Thyme where they were holidaying.”
Hattie’s artistic talent was honed first at Wimbledon Art College then at Central Saint Martins. She began her career working for British jewellery designer Solange Azagury-Partridge, including overseeing the opening of her New York store on Madison Avenue.
“I’ve always been passionate about the design aspect of making jewellery, the journey of getting to know a client, understanding them and making something that reflects their personality is what excites me most,” Hattie says. “And when I set up my company, I wanted British design and the best quality to be at the forefront. I have always wanted the backbone of my business to be the production of the finest quality jewellery, exquisitely designed and using ethically sourced materials. I’ve worked with the same goldsmith from the start, a wonderful woman who understands my jewellery ‘handwriting’ and who I speak to every day.”
The journey of getting to know a client, understanding them and making something that reflects their personality is what excites me most
HRJ was one of the first licensees to use ethically sourced 18 carat Fairmined gold, while her partnership with De Beers Code of Origin means the diamonds she uses are also ethical, natural and conflict free. Her clients appreciate this integrity alongside the discreet luxury of her designs. Her website has fulsome praise from clients, many of them repeat, who mark the life milestones with a bespoke commission.
“Right now, more than ever, there has been a shift in the concept of value. My clients are not looking for the big name brands but instead are concerned with provenance. They want a bespoke and unique piece of jewellery and appreciate the connection I intuitively make with them,” she says. “The core of my work today is creating bespoke engagement rings and I am busier than ever. My style is recognisable and that is what makes my brand authentic. It says, this is me and this is what I do.
Bespoke commissions start from around £5,000 and engagement rings from £10,000
The Southern Cotswolds
Poulton lies in Gloucestershire on the southern edge of the Cotswolds, five miles east of the market town of Cirencester and four miles southwest of Coln St Aldwyns.
In general, the south Cotswolds is quieter than many better-known villages to the north, with a strong local community centred on village shops and traditional pubs. That includes Coln Stores and The New Inn, both in Coln St Aldwyns.
Local attractions include the family-friendly facilities spread over 180 lakes at Cotswolds Water Park, Thyme, a hotel, restaurant and cookery school in Southrop and Elkstone Studios, a collection of elegantly converted farm buildings that has co-working and office space, food markets, shops, cafes and padel tennis courts.
Train stations at Stroud and Swindon connect to London Paddington and Bristol and well-rated schools nearby include Ampney Crucis Church of England Primary School, Hatherop Castle, Beaudesert Park in Minchinhampton and Westonbirt School in Tetbury.
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