Nick Von K: Engagement rocks outside the box

It’s no secret that jewellery designer Nick Von Klarwill likes to think outside the box. The designer behind Nick Von K is synonymous with doing things his own way, and having recently proposed to his now-fiancee Lucy is turning his attention to engagement rings. ‘I think diamonds are absolutely exquisite, I totally adore them, but I don’t think you have to limit your thinking to diamonds when there are so many other cool stones out there to consider. If you want to make something really individual, that says something very personal about your feelings and the relationship itself then why not create a ring that really stands out as different?’ says Nick. Engagement rings are one of the most important pieces of jewellery people buy their loved ones. They are a symbol of respect, commitment and undying love. Yet over the past decade people have become more preoccupied with the size of the rock than the meaning of the ring. Nick Von K is trying to bring it back to what it’s all about – not only a symbol of love, but an individual symbol of each couple’s love. ‘I really like to create a beautiful piece that has a story to it. Something about the relationship that is unique, maybe it’s a secret that is known only to them, or maybe it’s something that more obviously symbolises the nature of their connection. It’s nice when showing the ring off to be able to tell the story of its creation and how that is special to the couple involved.’ Upon meeting each client, Nick works closely with them to collaborate on something special and unique to the individual recipient. After feeling inspired to create something personal for his own relationship, Nick is excited to now bring that same creativity he felt to other couples at that special time of their life. ‘It's the best part of the job for me - the satisfaction of coming up with something original and exciting is the reason I love my job. Every now and then people contact me out of the blue to tell me how much they love what I have done for them; its great, and really makes my day. When someone you don’t even know goes out of their way to tell you how much they like what you’ve done, it’s awesome.’ Words by Fiona Connor Image by Kelly Lindsay nickvonk.com