ANOTHER IStylista Exclusive! An interview with the Brilliant Inc Ladies.

The quality of these ethically grown “diamonds” are unbelievable, they yield a clarity of “IT” (internal flawlessness), and even have the ability to cut glass. The expertly cut “diamonds” are set in solid yellow gold, white gold and sterling silver, with beautiful up to date designs. But don’t just take my word for it, go and check them out for yourselves at www.brilliantinc.eu

I must warn you, however, that once you start buying, you might not be able to stop. I got the chance to talk to the ladies behind this BRILLIANT business…..

Sarah-Jane Gardiner (S-JG) - What makes your jewellery stand out from the crowd?

Brilliant Ladies (BL) - The quality of our simulated diamonds. It’s virtually impossible to distinguish our stones from natural diamonds so you can complement your natural diamond collection without breaking the bank.

S-JG - If you could choose anyone to wear your jewellery who would it be, and why?

BL - Gwyneth Paltrow – she loves fashion and is admired for her ethical lifestyle. Gwyneth successfully juggles a young family, a very public career and uses her profile to advocate good causes and sustainable, ethical brands.

S-JG - Can you tell us a bit about Brilliant Inc, and how the idea came about?

BL - After working for a few years we wanted to treat ourselves to some diamond earrings. However, after shopping around we realised our budget wasn’t going to go very far…! We then started to seriously research the jewellery market and we came across simulated diamonds. There are quite a few different simulants on the market, but just as natural diamonds vary in quality, simulated stones can vary considerably in terms of quality and the few UK companies that were using simulants back then weren’t offering spectacular quality.

We began thinking how amazing it would be to start up a company that really epitomised what we’d been looking for - high quality, beautiful jewellery, that didn’t require you to blow all your savings in one go! It took a number of years and lots of research and it all came together with Brilliant Inc. Our simulated diamonds yield a clarity of “IT” (internally flawless), and have the ability to cut glass - they are that durable. We select only the most perfect material to be cut, according to ideal diamond proportions. The settings themselves are also just as important to us as the stones - like placing a frame over a beautiful painting -BRILLIANTINC simulated diamonds are set to be admired.

S-JG - I can’t tell the difference between natural diamonds and your simulated diamonds could you tell us what the differences are?

BL - BRILLIANTINC uses simulated diamonds that are ethically grown in state of the art laboratories under precise conditions, using a mineral base known as zirconium oxide. We expose the stone to the same pressures that natural diamonds, so the result is a stone with a similar refractive index and hardness of 8.5 on the Moh scale, which is the same as natural sapphire (only diamonds are a perfect 10 on the scale).

S-JG - Where did you both start your careers and can you tell us a little bit about your backgrounds?

BL - We began our first business HighCare Childcare in 2003. We continue to run two daycare centres in Ireland and love the feedback we get from the kids. The pre-schooler’s often ask us how our “other job” is going! Childcare is very rewarding but also a very serious responsibility and we love the girly fun of Brilliant Inc. It really is like a dream come true when we see customers come into our stores and love our jewellery as much as we do!

S-JG - What inspires your work?

BL - We take inspiration from our travels, the different cultures we come across, and old movies; films like to Catch a Thief and even Pretty Woman! We love the glamour and sparkle that makes you feel anything can happen!

S-JG - What has been the most challenging part of the jewellery business?

BL - We specialize in beautifully made, design-led, yet affordable jewellery. We are also very conscious of our ethical credentials. You can easily get each of these elements right on their own, but getting them all right is a constant challenge.

S-JG - Can you tell us about any new pieces coming out, and the inspiration behind them?

BL - We’re very excited about our new Deco collection. It comes in a number of colour combinations and a mix of stone and gold colours. By using our bespoke service you can decide any combination you like! In the autumn we will be building on this mix; there’s been a surge in popularity in hammered gold and different gold finishes. We’re re-working variations of our classics and mixing them with new colour combinations - contrasting old luxury with a modern luxe feel.

We’re also extending our “Brilliant Stack” collection. There are a number of new pieces to add to our current range of stackable bracelets and rings; we like the idea of “easy luxury” - enabling our customers to purchase pieces that can be worn as a single, elegant piece yet will also work as part of an interchangeable collection. We’re always mixing and matching pieces to wear for both casual and more formal occasions ourselves!

S-JG - What is your favourite piece of jewellery, past or present, and why?

BL - This may sound a bit boring, but honestly, the very simple classic Brilliant Inc studs are still a favourite! I change my earrings all the time but I come back to them over and over again. They offer freedom to achieve a really classic, elegant look and you don’t have to be too precious about doing so - if you lose one it’s not the end of the world because they’re really not an expensive piece! They’re just such classics. I wear them in white gold.

S-JG - What is your design process?

BL - Dervla and I are constantly thinking about ideas, shapes, cuts, colours…it’s just part of the job I guess! So we make sure that we set aside time every month to go through all the ideas we’ve had, and we analyse whether we think these ideas are on trend, and if it’s something our customers will love. We fine tune these ideas and send through sketches to our workshop, to cost how feasible it is to turn each idea into an actual piece. Once we are agreed on scale and costings the initial mould is made and we receive the first sample. We assess the design and agree any new details – this can be very simple or very frustrating as we need all designs to be perfect! Once all the elements are in place we can begin and the master craftsmen bring our designs to life!

We have two main collections a year and introduce variations in colour and size throughout the year to keep things interesting!

S-JG - Is there another area you would like to break in to?

BL - We would really like to explore hair jewellery and love antique diamond hair clips and even tiaras for brides. Watch this space!

S-JG - What has been the highlight of your career so far?

BL - Last summer a Saudi princess visited our Sloane Square store surrounded by bodyguards. She was wearing some beautiful natural diamond jewellery - and left without buying anything. The next day she returned and to our amazement nearly bought us out of stock completely!

She had brought her natural diamond pieces and was mixing and matching them with Brilliant Inc pieces. We’re thrilled to think our designs sit proudly with some of the best designs in the world.

S-JG - Could you tell us about the favourite piece of jewellery you own?

BL - When I (Emma) was twelve years old I got my grandfather’s watch repaired for my Dad as a Father’s Day gift. While there I noticed the store was running a competition where the first person to enter the store the following Friday would win a £4000 diamond and sapphire necklace. This really caught my imagination although I was thinking of all the lovely things I could buy with £4000 – rather than just the jewellery itself! As luck would have it, I was on school holidays and happened to walk past the store the following Thursday afternoon. It struck me that if I stayed exactly where I was until the following morning the necklace would be mine! It seemed like a great adventure and I did exactly that. The following morning I was the winner!! The necklace is something I have kept over the years – I rarely wear it as the design is not really my style but the memory always makes me smile!

S-JG - What are the goals for Brilliant Inc for the future?

BL - We’re looking to open more stores, and potentially take the brand global!

S-JG - How would you describe your design style?

BL - Fairly classical. We like to take inspiration from the past and bring it up to date for modern women.

S-JG - What was the first piece you ever designed?

BL - It was quite a simple round brilliant ring with a micro set band. It was actually very similar to the Gala ring which we have in our current collection.

S-JG - If you could open a store anywhere where would it be, and why?

BL - Probably Rodeo Drive – that would be amazing!! Everyone looks to LA during red carpet season - imagine someone receiving an Oscar while sparkling in Brilliant Inc!

S-JG - Do you have any advice or tips for our readers wanting to get into the jewellery business?

BL - It’s not impossible, but you need dedication, a good work ethic and patience. Most of all love what you do and go for it!

S-JG - Brilliant Inc have been featured in many magazines including a piece on vogue.com where they call the designs flawless and say they are impossible to tell them apart with the naked eye. How have you felt about receiving such rave reviews?

BL - It‘s amazing to get such exciting editorial and to see readers’ reactions when they visit the store! It’s great to see they just can’t believe how gorgeous the simulated diamonds are and nearly always start their collection there and then!

S-JG - How did you get your big break?

BL - Ultimately it all comes down to hard work; the harder you work the luckier you get!

S-JG - What would you say is the ‘MUST HAVE’ item on the Brilliant Inc website at the moment?

BL - The new Deco ring. It’s just gorgeous. I really like the Aqua blue and white gold for summer.