Shop: Marking the Moment

Subiaco’s family jewellers know the value of heritage, and how to craft a gift to last multiple lifetimes.

WORDS | Tori Wilson

A Gift for Generations

There is something intrinsically special about a piece of fine jewellery that’s been passed down from one generation to the next. The craft and skill applied to create the original piece, a snapshot of the styles of a previous era, the memories it has captured from its past years – all bound together and given a new lease of life.

As a second-generation jeweller (and third generation craftsman, with his grandfather a watchmaker), Justin Linney knows all too well the significance of gifting a timeless piece of jewellery, and the value in crafting items that last.

“Jewellery is special from the initial investment; when you buy the gold

and gems, but that monetary value is superseded by the emotional value of the piece,” says Justin. “After a while, some pieces really do become irreplaceable.”

Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Linneys was founded by Justin’s father Alan, whose philosophy was to hero Western Australian materials. Australian gold, Australian South Sea pearls and Argyle pink diamonds form the backbone of Linneys jewellery, creating luxury pieces that are both beautiful and rare.

“Being in our 50th year, we’re now onto our third generation of customers,” says Justin. “We recently had a grandmother, mother, and daughter visit us, and they all had pieces of Linneys jewellery.

“A friend of mine recently brought in a ring my dad had made for her mum.

Her mum said, ‘you’re 25 now and I’d really like for you to have this ring.’ "It was blue sapphire – the stone's surface had some scratches and general wear and tear. She wanted to keep the ring as it was, but we needed to take the stone out, rebuff it, polish it, resize it to fit her finger, and when we were done, it looked like a brand-new ring after 30 years of being worn. There are not that many items that can be worn for that long. "My dad had seen it and said, 'I remember making that ring'. She's just had children, and she will pass that down."

Justin says while some pieces are brought in for minor repair

A FAMILY AFFAIR The Linneys family of jewellers are celebrating 50 years in business in 2022. Right, Smales create legacy pieces, designed to be handed down through the family.

and rebuffing only, others may be remodelled entirely – re-fashioned to retain their integrity and sentimental value, but in a contemporary style.

Linneys also has a particular knack for custom-making pieces that are destined to be passed down; gifted for significant milestones, such as the birth of a child.

One of Justin’s notable creations was the necklace he made for his wife Cat to commemorate the birth of their first child, Elle. He crafted a disc-shaped pendant fashioned in Linneys signature style with a handcarved, textured appearance and organic edging, featuring Elle’s name engraved in its centre.

The style is available for purchase, customised to order with a unique engraving.

Smales Jewellers is another Subiaco family-owned business that can attest to the power of personalised jewellery as milestone gift, intended to be passed down through the generations.

“Quality in jewellery lasts a lifetime and can be handed down from generation to generation,” says Smales marketing manager Shauna Samuels-Dunbar.

“This may sound like a cliché, but when my mum passed away, I was given her solitaire diamond engagement ring; to this day, whenever I look at the ring on my hand it reminds me of her, and I feel like she is with me.”

Shauna says eternity rings are an iconic purchase for new mothers, especially upon the birth of a first child.

Having originated in 1937 in Kalgoorlie, Smales is renowned for its gold nugget jewellery, set with exquisite Hearts on Fire diamonds and pearls.

These organically textured pieces are true statement items that will retain relevance for years to come, making them the ideal gift destined for continuous renewal from generation to generation.

Allure South Sea Pearls’ Angela Russo says a singular pearl is the perfect gift to purchase for the birth of a child, to be treasured and transformed into a bespoke piece of jewellery for a milestone birthday, such as an 18th. Alternatively, when gifted as a custom piece for the mother, it can be gifted again to the child to renew its purpose and amplify its sentimentality.

“Jewellery is an intimate life-time gift that evokes memories of special milestones in everyone’s lives,” says Angela. “It commemorates

LASTING IMPRESSION Allure South Sea Pearls are a unique way to mark a special event, like an 18th birthday or anniversary.

everything that is important to us and can be treasured forever.”

Allure South Sea Pearls co-founder and second-generation jeweller Lindsay Youd works closely with clients to create bespoke pieces to mark special moments in time such as this and a custom pearl piece from his Subiaco boutique is guaranteed to be of quality craftsmanship.

Its genuine pearls are sourced from Australia, Tahiti, or the Philippines and inspiration is drawn from Australia’s unique landscape and reflected in its individual designs.