Cityscape Christmas 2019
Bring on the party, Cityscapers! Addington Cup Week kicks off the season we love to love, and we are sooo ready. We bring you all the deets on the biggest week in Christchurch’s social calendar. Important information like what the judges are looking for in The Crossing Fashion Starts Here Best Dressed Competition and stuff about the racing as well, like pointers on how to pick a winner. And thanks to Callam Mitchell and his team at Team Event, Addington Cup Week is just the start of party season. We talk to the promoter putting the icing on Christchurch’s cake this summer. Ladi6 is just one of the fantastic artists he is bringing to town, and we check in with her as well (that’s her gorgeous self on the cover). The days are counting down to Christmas and with that comes the fun and the challenge of finding the perfect gift for all those on your ‘Nice’ list. We live to serve here at Cityscape, and so we have served up a curated Christmas gift guide brimming with ideas fresh and failsafe. Nailing that pressy list is the best reason possible for heading to the central city and exploring its retail hotspots, followed by a drink and some nibbles, of course. We shine our spotlight on what’s new in the inner city, from retail meccas to the hottest hospo hangouts. And if 2020 is looking like the year to put a ring on it, check out our feature on the amazingly creative community of jewellers we have in this city. As always, we also bring you what’s hot in cuisine, events, home and couture. Bring on the party, Cityscapers! Addington Cup Week kicks off the season we love to love, and we are sooo ready. We bring you all the deets on the biggest week in Christchurch’s social calendar. Important information like what the judges are looking for in The Crossing Fashion Starts Here Best Dressed Competition and stuff about the racing as well, like pointers on how to pick a winner. And thanks to Callam Mitchell and his team at Team Event, Addington Cup Week is just the start of party season. We talk to the promoter putting the icing on Christchurch’s cake this summer. Ladi6 is just one of the fantastic artists he is bringing to town, and we check in with her as well (that’s her gorgeous self on the cover). The days are counting down to Christmas and with that comes the fun and the challenge of finding the perfect gift for all those on your ‘Nice’ list. We live to serve here at Cityscape, and so we have served up a curated Christmas gift guide brimming with ideas fresh and failsafe. Nailing that pressy list is the best reason possible for heading to the central city and exploring its retail hotspots, followed by a drink and some nibbles, of course. We shine our spotlight on what’s new in the inner city, from retail meccas to the hottest hospo hangouts. And if 2020 is looking like the year to put a ring on it, check out our feature on the amazingly creative community of jewellers we have in this city. As always, we also bring you what’s hot in cuisine, events, home and couture.
BrightshinythingsChristchurch is home to athriving community of jewellersproducing stunning pieces forevery occasion, from engagementand wedding rings to preciousgifts for very precious people.The artisan jewellers at three ofthe city’s leading practices – ViaSollertia, The Filing Kabinett andSophie Divett Jewellery – tellCityscape where they findinspiration, how they got startedand how hard it can be sometimesto let a piece go.SOPHIE DIVETTJEWELLERYHow would you describe yourjewellery style? Organic,understated and made to be wornevery day. Where do you findinspiration? My biggestinspirations come from nature,especially our unique native plantsthat we have here in New Zealand.I’m also very inspired by ancientartefacts – the sense of history, thesurface textures that show the lifethey’ve had and become asimportant a part of the piece asthe original design. What are youworking on at the moment? I’malways kept pretty busy withcustom-made pieces but recentlyI’ve been working on some newone-of-a-kind, ready-madeengagement rings for theupcoming season. I’ve also recentlyfound some great sources of superethicaldiamonds so I’m quiteexcited to create some pieces withthem. They’re recycled whitediamonds (no new mining has totake place for these so they’repretty much as environmentallyfriendly as you can get) and someamazing salt-and-pepperdiamonds that are guaranteedethically sourced, and supportsmall communities in Africa.Commissions or your owncreations – do you have apreference? I love both – havingtotal creative freedom with myown new pieces is pretty great, andit’s also so lovely working withclients to create something 100percent unique. Often thecustom-made process is whatinspires new ideas. How did youcome to be a jeweller? I got myBachelor of Fine Arts many yearsago, and towards the end of mystudies one of my tutors suggested66 CITYSCAPE.CO.NZ Christmas 19
BRIGHT SHINY THINGSI think about getting into jewellerybecause of the small sculpturalobjects I was making. I startedexperimenting after graduating,and after a while of beingself-taught and doing theoccasional evening class, I decidedthat this is what I want to do. So Idid a further two years of study,refined my technical skills andcompleted a Diploma in JewelleryDesign. That was a few years ago,and I’ve been making jewelleryfull-time since then. What’s thebest thing about the job?Definitely the people – all of myclients are the loveliest. I lovehearing the stories behind thepieces people are giving. Myabsolute favourite is hearingproposal stories! It’s so amazing tothink something that I have madeis a part of that. Also, buying gems– I’m a bit of a magpie and can’tresist a beautiful sapphire. Anypieces you are particularly fondof? I made myself a ring last year,as a sort of ‘engaged to mybusiness’ ring. It’s 18 carat yellowgold and one of my signature bezeldesigns, with lots of hand-carvedtexture. It took me about eightmonths to finally settle on thestone, which is a 1.8 caratQueensland sapphire that looks sodifferent depending on the light it’sin. I still can’t stop looking at it andit’s pretty cool to understand whatmy customers are feeling whenthey say ‘I can’t stop looking at it’!What was the last piece you madethat you couldn’t bear to partwith? There’s a ring I finished theother day called the Hestia ring. It’sa really simple organic band with afew tiny recycled white diamondsset in. I love that it’s so understated,with subtle little details. I waswearing it to take some photos forthe website and really, reallywanted to keep it on my finger. Ithasn’t sold yet, so who knows?How does it feel when you are outand you see someone wearingyour work? Pretty amazing! Whowould you love to see wearingone of your pieces? I’m alwaysreally flattered whenever anyonechooses to wear one of my pieces.It’s so great to see when peoplefind a piece that resonates withthem, especially if it’s anengagement ring or somethingthat celebrates a significantmilestone. Describe the processfor making a custom-made piece.Every piece is different and theprocess can vary quite a bit, but weusually start with a consultation tobrainstorm ideas for the generaldesign. This can be looking atpictures of past pieces I’ve made,trying on pieces in my gallery, andfinding out which elements theclient is drawn to – colours,‘I’m a bit of a magpieand can’t resist abeautiful sapphire’textures, setting styles, gems. It’sgreat if we can meet in person, butI’ve made pieces for people furtherafield too by communicating viaemail, with lots of pictures to makesure we’re on the same page. Oncewe have a good idea of what it’sgoing to look like, I create waxmodels of the piece, which can beadjusted until it’s exactly how wewant it to look. Once it’s just right,the wax model is cast in metalusing the traditional lost-waxtechnique, which is then refinedand polished to create the finalpiece. The whole process can takefrom two weeks to two months,depending on the design, but themore time we can allow the better– I’m a one-woman show so extratime is always appreciated to get itall looking perfect (or perfectlyimperfect, as is more the case withmy pieces!). Some tips formaintaining and storing jewellery.To keep jewellery looking its best,it’s always a good idea to remove itbefore bed or before anythingwhere it’s likely to come intocontact with dirt or solvents.Swimming (especially inchlorinated pools), cleaning,gardening and cooking are the bigones. I have a little dish in thekitchen and bathroom to pop ringsin so they don’t go astray. Mostpieces can be cleaned once a weekwith just soapy water and atoothbrush. When you are notmaking beautiful jewellery, whatdo you love to do? Jewellery is mypassion so it’s hard to stop but I likea bit of work/life balance bygetting out into nature, visitingother art galleries and trying myhand at various other crafts – I triedwood carving not long ago, andwould love to have a go at potterysome time.sophiedivettjewellery.co.nz67 CITYSCAPE.CO.NZ Christmas 19
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Bright
shiny
things
Christchurch is home to a
thriving community of jewellers
producing stunning pieces for
every occasion, from engagement
and wedding rings to precious
gifts for very precious people.
The artisan jewellers at three of
the city’s leading practices – Via
Sollertia, The Filing Kabinett and
Sophie Divett Jewellery – tell
Cityscape where they find
inspiration, how they got started
and how hard it can be sometimes
to let a piece go.
SOPHIE DIVETT
JEWELLERY
How would you describe your
jewellery style? Organic,
understated and made to be worn
every day. Where do you find
inspiration? My biggest
inspirations come from nature,
especially our unique native plants
that we have here in New Zealand.
I’m also very inspired by ancient
artefacts – the sense of history, the
surface textures that show the life
they’ve had and become as
important a part of the piece as
the original design. What are you
working on at the moment? I’m
always kept pretty busy with
custom-made pieces but recently
I’ve been working on some new
one-of-a-kind, ready-made
engagement rings for the
upcoming season. I’ve also recently
found some great sources of superethical
diamonds so I’m quite
excited to create some pieces with
them. They’re recycled white
diamonds (no new mining has to
take place for these so they’re
pretty much as environmentally
friendly as you can get) and some
amazing salt-and-pepper
diamonds that are guaranteed
ethically sourced, and support
small communities in Africa.
Commissions or your own
creations – do you have a
preference? I love both – having
total creative freedom with my
own new pieces is pretty great, and
it’s also so lovely working with
clients to create something 100
percent unique. Often the
custom-made process is what
inspires new ideas. How did you
come to be a jeweller? I got my
Bachelor of Fine Arts many years
ago, and towards the end of my
studies one of my tutors suggested
66 CITYSCAPE.CO.NZ Christmas 19
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