Among the styles used in jewelry is Australian Gothic. From Melbourne, to be precise. This design was introduced by William Llewellyn Griffiths, a jeweler who loves creating surprising sculptural pieces. The designer lives and works in Melbourne, but trained in London at his family’s jewelry shop in Hatton Garden. His world combines the codes of ancient jewelry with cutting-edge technologies like 3D printing. But that’s not all. His jewelry is inspired by the architecture of cathedrals or the chivalric atmosphere of the Middle Ages, as in the case of rings that open to reveal a secret compartment, once capable of concealing a poisonous potion.
The jewels are unusual: one ring features a large citrine carved by master Dalan Hargrave, depicting flowers, cherubs, and musical instruments. The Spectre Paradiso bracelet, featuring a large 133-carat topaz, is inspired by the Gothic architecture of Milan Cathedral. The stone forms the roof, while the structure is supported by Gothic arches that let in light. At each corner, a flying buttress is topped by a gargoyle. Two skeletons stand sentinel in niches on the sides of the bracelet. To open the bracelet, press a button at the bottom, which opens via a hinge.
The Eclipsed Secrets ring was created based on jewelry with a secret compartment, in a style defined by dark romance, where secrets are kept in a secret chamber decorated with black, green, and blue vitreous enamel. It is topped with a brilliant green Asscher-cut tourmaline, set in 18-karat yellow gold and black, green, and blue vitreous enamel. The La Gargouille Cathedral ring also uses a topaz on gold Gothic architecture. A pendant, meanwhile, is shaped like a carousel and can rotate just like the original model.
