2 days ago
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- Otago Daily Times
International accolade for ring ‘huge honour'
Alice Herald has been living in Wānaka since 2005, and was the first Kiwi jewellery designer to be invited and receive an accolade at the Couture Jewellery Awards. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED
Wānaka jeweller Alice Herald received second place at the renowned Couture Show in Las Vegas this week.
Ms Herald was exhibiting her work at the prestigious invitation-only international jewellery design show, and was the first Kiwi jewellery designer to be invited to exhibit.
She attended for the first time last year, and returned this year with more designs to share with international retailers, editors and influencers.
Dubbed as the Oscars of the jewellery world, Ms Herald was overwhelmed with the accolade.
"I decided to enter the gold category to showcase our beautiful New Zealand alluvial yellow gold. This year's design, the "Light My Fire Pinky Ring", is from my new collection "The Deities" inspired by the story of Prometheus.
"I am a storyteller and artist at heart, expressing myself through exquisite jewels that are loved for generations. Being a finalist for this award is a huge honour."
Wānaka jeweller Alice Herald's ''Light My Fire Pinky Ring''
Ms Herald said she was inspired by the Wānaka environment, the lake and all of its beauty. Her love for the outdoors and skiing led her to settle in the town in 2005, where she lives with her husband and young family.
"I see jewels when walking through forests. Nature's colour, its architecture and quiet energy, have such influence on my design and in the story-telling of the fine jewellery I create. I see a jewel as a miniature sculpture; if it's line, form and colour flow uninterrupted, it truly sings."
Ms Herald's store is based at the precinct in Wānaka's town centre. She also sells online as well as through stockists in New York and Dallas, Texas.
The ring was crafted using 18-carat New Zealand alluvial yellow gold.
Ms Herald first discovered jewellery when studying sculpture in Mexico. The ancient Mexican architecture still influenced her work today.
Cementing this new found love on her return to the United Kingdom with a bachelor of arts with honours degree in jewellery design from Central St Martins, London, she gained industry knowledge and experience through working alongside goldsmiths to the Royal family, jewellers, glass makers and fashion designers, showing her work around the UK and at London Fashion Week.
Ms Herald co-founded an international online engagement ring company where she was head designer and product manager for over eight years before she founded her label, Herald, in 2016.
Her respect for traditional craftsmanship and desire for each design to embody a beauty that was true to that of her clients', meant she relished her relationship with her team of craftsmen, she said.
