Sunday sit-down with…Renné Jewellery

Using ethically-sourced sterling silver, gold and semi-precious stones, Annie and Helen focus on creating classic styles which hold intrinsic value, priding themselves on the love and attention to detail they put into each and every piece they hand-craft.

When they’re not working their magic in the workshop, you’ll find the pair in their studio: sharing their gorgeous collections with customers and helping them to find those sparkling new additions that promise to elevate their (or their loved ones’) seasonal wardrobe.

We caught up with Annie to find out how they’ve brought traditional jewellery-making methods into the 21^st century, what some of her favourite pieces are right now and what it’s really like having your Mum as a business partner…

You’re all about letting each collection of your jewellery ‘speak its own story.’ How do you inspire individualism and personality with your pieces? 

Absolutely! There’s nothing better than being true to yourself. We encourage layering and stacking to create a collection that has texture, depth and meaning. Here are a few of our favourite tips:

• Accessorise with a variation of metals – By wearing silver and gold, you’re complimenting your skin tone and opening up your horizons with watches and other pieces!
• Wear a cluster of charms – Choosing charms that mean something to you and wearing them on a chain keeps precious memories close.
• Pair semi-precious stones together – Whether that’s rings or charms, by layering semi-precious pieces together, you can inject interest into your look with colour. Generally speaking, you’re drawn to a specific stone – they hold healing properties, so you’ll always feel a pull to the stone that’s perfect for you.

What’s it like, working within the family?

As a mother and daughter duo, we started our Renné journey together in 2014. We’ve always had an exceptionally close bond, which makes business together simple. We agree on design, decisions, the future and will always have each other’s back at the end of the day. I wouldn’t want my work life to be any different.

We have found it’s important for us to spend time together out of work too, whether that’s a weekend away in London, Sunday lunches at home or breakfast dates before work!

You hand-craft each of your pieces yourselves using traditional methods. Why is this important to Renné as a brand?

When we started making jewellery together, it was an outlet for our creativity; using our hands to make something beautiful was why Renné began. As we’ve grown, we’ve managed to maintain the manufacturing in-house. Our chains are made by one of Britain’s most well-known chain manufacturers, which is also a family business. We also use a local hand engraver, which is becoming more and more of a rare trade. Using top tier suppliers and craftsmen means we can keep a close eye on our collections and their processes. It also means we can check the quality and standard meticulously before it goes on our shop floor.