Unfurled is a nature inspired collection following natures own form! A new forest fern leaf uncurling into life.
'Excellent jewellery design will reflect our personality, and I love designs that make a statement, expressing a sense of freedom and joy'. Says Charlotte Cornelius.
She has no regrets about choosing to study for a Higher National Diploma in 3D design specialising in metals, all those years ago. Following two years at art college she experimented with all types of material such as glass and ceramics as well as minerals. 'I was itching to learn the practical and technical side of designing, making and marketing jewellery. To gain commercial experience I worked in an exclusive County Jewellers in Northampton for a year and then cut my teeth in the world of jewellery manufacturing – travelling the UK for three years with my company car and what must have been one of the first ‘car phones’! During this time I became more and more disillusioned with the apparent lack of any innovative‘design’ in jewellery outside of London – everything seemed to be a reproduction and was the same wherever I went.’
So when Charlotte and her husband produced identical twin girls we realised the travelling days were at an end – and it was the perfect opportunity to start up her enterprise. Like most families, the ability to work flexibly from home is an ideal scenario. ‘That is when I first started advertising one off and individually designed wedding rings. From an ad in the local paper and one or two wedding fairs Charlotte Cornelius Jewellery was born. We have grown over the last 18 years as steadily as my twin daughters have grown up’.
Continually adding to her exclusive collections along the way, and developing the commissions to embrace all forms of jewellery for all occasions, increasingly including remodelling of inherited and significant jewellery.
Finding a more satisfying and heart-warming job would be hard. Charlotte is so creative and works closely with individuals and couples to find an understanding of their needs and ideas and forge a trusting relationship which in her experience has lasted for years and even decades!’
‘I select and buy all precious metals and gems personally and helped in the handcrafting of both bespoke and limited edition pieces by our locally based team including a silversmith and a specialist diamond mounter”.
Values
'We seek to run our business ethically and with integrity. All work is made and hallmarked in England, and all gems bought from UK dealers who are part of the Kimberley Process using conflict-free diamonds only. Charlotte Cornelius Ltd also supports ethically mined gemstones and the introduction of eco and recycled silver and gold.
I believe it is essential to give back to the local and broader community. As a qualified Gestalt counsellor, I volunteer with a fantastic charity called Off the Record which offers free counseling to young people aged 11–25 years. Charlotte Cornelius Ltd also sponsors a Christian based ‘micro-finance’ charity called Five Talents which gives small loans, mainly to women, in developing countries so that they can set up their businesses. They are then empowered to support their families, educate their children and the loan gets repaid and recycled to the next budding entrepreneur!'
Visit
Charlotte Cornelius Ltd
87A Marmion Road
Southsea
PO5 2AX
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