Minka Jewels is a London-based jewellery business, founded by British gemmologist Lucy Crowther in 2016. Her designs are led by carefully selected, high-quality gemstones and she specialises in luxurious hand-made pieces - from exquisite engagement rings to bespoke one-of-a-kind jewels - inspired by everything from classical architecture to the beauty of the natural world.
“For me, it’s all about using the best gemstones in rich, irresistible hues. I love modern, simple settings that showcase these stones to very best effect and allow them to do all the talking. I create precious pieces, designed to be loved and worn every day” - Lucy Crowther
A creative spirit since childhood, Lucy grew up aspiring to be a photographer. Her passion lay in telling stories through a camera lens, which led to her working with some of the fashion industry’s leading image-makers, including Georgina Graham, Mary Fellowes, and Sebastian Kaufmann, and honed her keen eye for colour and interesting design. It was following a silversmithing course in Argentina at the age of 22, however, that Lucy found her true calling in the world of jewellery.
“After Argentina, I went to work at the globally renowned Gem Palace in Jaipur, under the guidance of the late Munnu Kasliwal. It was there that I discovered some of the rarest and most astonishing jewels in the world, and observed every stage of the jewellery creation process, from design and cutting, to setting and finishing. It was the most incredible, eye-opening experience. I realised that what I truly wanted was to create exceptional jewellery that would tell the unique story of its wearer, and that would accompany them throughout their lives. For me, that is a huge joy and a privilege” - Lucy Crowther
Prior to founding Minka Jewels, Lucy studied gemmology at the Gemmological Institute of Great Britain (Gem-A) and worked as a gemstone trader in London’s Hatton Garden. Whilst at Hatton Garden, she devised the name Minka as an amalgamation of the names of her great-grandmother, Minnie, and grandmother, Katrina, who were both ardent jewellery lovers. She is proud to be following in their stylish footsteps today.