NATURE INSPIRED JEWELLERY BY SOPHIE DIVETT
Nothing has intrigued me for longer in my life than the way artists and makers interpret inspiration.
For 10 years (2008 - 2018) I dedicated my design blog Studio Home to uncovering and sharing the stories of clever people and their resulting work. So it’s with excitement that I return to this with a monthly artist feature, focusing on those that find their inspiration in nature, just as we do as gardeners.
Sophie Divett had been on my radar for a few years before I eagerly walked through the doors of her Christchurch studio. My heartstrings pinged as I connected with her obvious subject matter but also the imperfect, hand-formed aesthetic that runs through all of her beautiful products.
It wasn’t long before I began purchasing as presents for landmark birthdays, these soon started reaching my own jewellery box too!
My last purchase was to replace my heirloom engagement ring that had crumbled into disarray. I was so excited to now have the real opportunity to own a piece of Sophie’s work that could be with me in my everydays.
Enjoy this glimpse behind the scenes of Sophie’s studio.
Julia xo
Artist profile
NAME: Sophie Divett Jewellery
LOCATION: 462 Colombo Street, Christchurch, NZ
sophiedivettjewellery.co.nz @sophiedivettjewellery
I launched Sophie Divett Jewellery in 2012. The business started from humble beginnings with a small bench setup in my bedroom, then moving to two other locations (Cashmere, then High Street in central Christchurch) over the past five years as the business and team has continued to grow and evolve.
In April 2023 SDJ relocated to a new space which we all consider our forever home. The new space at 462 Colombo Street is a beautiful gallery store and workshop, located in a heritage space, in the city fringe suburb of Sydenham. Sydenham is one of the oldest boroughs of Ōtautahi. Since the earthquakes it has become a thriving and vibrant hub for artists, galleries, creative start-ups, and street art.
In our new shop we wanted to create a jewellery store of a bygone era. A vintage-tinged calm space that felt distinctly ‘us’ – like an old-fashioned library or den, a cabinet of curiosities you can walk into. We’re painted the walls a deep sapphire teal, sourced antique wooden cabinetry for our displays, sourced vintage oil landscape paintings from op shops, and hung dried floral arrangements to create a cosy, calm and luxurious jewel box of our own.
Sophie Divett in her Christchurch studio.
All imagery in article is supplied unless otherwise noted.
“My pieces are inspired by ancient artefacts, classical Greek mythology, and Aotearoa’s dramatic landscapes, terrains, mountain ranges, flora and fauna. SDJ’s signature collections feature castings from real leaves, seed pods and other plants – immortalising every detail and texture in precious metals. ”
THE JEWELLERY
Sophie Divett Jewellery offers hand-crafted and custom-made jewellery pieces in sterling silver, gold plated or solid gold. Our ranges include engagement and special occasion rings, ceremonial and wedding bands, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and brooches.
My pieces are inspired by ancient artefacts, classical Greek mythology, and Aotearoa’s dramatic landscapes, terrains, mountain ranges, flora and fauna. SDJ’s signature collections feature castings from real leaves, seed pods and other plants – immortalising every detail and texture in precious metals.
Wedding and ceremonial bands are a large part of what we do. We craft every ring to order in our customers desired specifications. Choosing from our collection of SDJ organic ring designs and textures – customers can then customise their band width, metal, carat, and size, which we will then bring to life. We don’t believe that any two people, or union, is alike – and we don’t think wedding rings should be cookie-cutter either.
We specialise in creating custom rings, either through our ‘build-your-own ring service’, where customers can assemble their own ring from our collection of setting styles and gemstones. Or if you are after a completely new style of ring, Sophie will consult with you to design something with you.
We also love breathing new life into old pieces – part of our sustainability mindset – where customers can bring us an existing piece of jewellery that they may have inherited, isn’t to their style, or don’t wear anymore – and we can try to repurpose the stones into a new piece, enabling it to be worn and loved once again.
Sustainability and ethics are of huge importance at SDJ. Whether it’s using recycled diamonds and metals, ethically sourced gemstones, and recycled diamonds - handpicked by Sophie from our trusted suppliers - and ring boxes made from renewably sourced trees. These values influence every piece we produce and decision that we make.
NATURE AS A MUSE
I like to go for walks with Ned around Banks Peninsula. We’re so lucky to live where we do, and all the landscapes and nature right on our doorstep. Christchurch is such an inspiring place to live – in terms of environment, lifestyle and how much creativity has come through since the earthquakes. There’s inspiration everywhere!
A big lesson over the past few years is learning about balance and the idea that you can’t do everything. That applies to both the big things in life – and the everyday. Especially as a small business owner. There’s still a lot of pressure to be putting on the show of being creative, and productive, 24 hours a day – yet, also, since the pandemic – to rest and take ‘me’ time too. As a result, it’s easy to always feel like you’re lacking in some department. Giving myself permission to relax has been huge.
It’s been nice to take a step back and appreciate these lessons and trust that creativity will come. Getting Ned – my Labraspoodle – 2 years ago has been a great way to enforce routine and keep the work/life balance in check. He comes to the shop with me every day. Ned needs food and walks so as a result we need to go home at a reasonable time and get some fresh air during the day. That has such a knock-on effect to the rest of life. Even just his presence in the shop is calming and a fantastic ice breaker!
Photo of Banks Peninsula by Julia Atkinson-Dunn.
“I like to go for walks with Ned around Banks Peninsula. We’re so lucky to live where we do, and all the landscapes and nature right on our doorstep. Christchurch is such an inspiring place to live – in terms of environment, lifestyle and how much creativity has come through since the earthquakes. There’s inspiration everywhere! ”
SOPHIE’S FAVOURITE PLANTS AND SOURCES OF INSPIRATION
Pittosporum because they are so widely varied and there’s so many different kinds. They are such an important native plant to Aotearoa and as a result they feature prominently throughout SDJ collections – you’ll see everything from seed pods to leaf castings in many different shapes, sizes and forms.
Sage Journal newsletter and IG account. I love their seasonal gardening guides and practical, relatable, advice.
I love scouring op shops for second-hand books on gardening, preserving and crafts. I knit, weave and cross stitch, and op shops are always a great source for vintage books from the 1960’s-1980’s on these subjects. The internet is a vast sea of knowledge, but sometimes you can’t beat sitting down with a well-written and illustrated book to really pick up the gist of a craft or hobby and feel inspired.
Now SDJ is based in Sydenham, we’re located in a real hub of great op shops. Our entire team love all things vintage and second-hand, so we’re all very excited to be able to pop into our favourite op shops on our breaks, bringing our funny little finds and treasures back to the gallery to show everyone. We’re very like-minded in this regard and can appreciate the same things, which is lovely!
Our entire collection available to view and purchase online. We offer free shipping within NZ, as well as ship internationally.
We offer a 1-1 consultation service for anyone interested in talking about a custom piece – these can be held in person, or virtually.
Consultations can be booked via our website.
Our physical store is located at 462 Colombo Street, Sydenham.
No appointment is necessary to come and see us – call past anytime and see the space for yourself!