Our Love of Craft

At the heart of Tomfoolery lies a deep-rooted love for art, design and exquisite craftsmanship. We champion independent designers that have a genuine passion for design and authentic flair for creating unique jewellery. Think organic textures, uncut gemstones, beads and even some glitter thrown in for good measure.

At Tomfoolery, we stock independent designers from all over the world who specialise in exceptional craft jewellery such as Judith Benita, Mary Gaitani, Maria Manola, Marion Lebouteiller and Maral Rapp whose work is available in-store at our London-based jewellery gallery or online.

When our creative director, Laura Kay’s mother opened the doors of Tomfoolery in 1993, its foundations were built on contemporary craft jewellery. We define our “craft” jewellery as that made by contemporary craftsmen using traditional or modern techniques. This jewellery is handmade and can be made from various materials, such as metal, glass, wood, plastic or gemstones – even sequins and glitter! We have found that post-pandemic people are looking for bolder, unique and more colourful jewellery that resonates with their personalities, allowing them to express their style. They are less concerned about playing it “safe.” A lot of our craft jewellery tends to incorporate found or repurposed objects into the design.

Contemporary craft jewellery tends to be unique, as the artisans are inspired by the world around them; be that source nature, cultural traditions, artwork or personal style. It is often characterised by attention to detail, high-quality materials, and a focus on aesthetics and design.

With the unpredictable nature of the creative process, craft jewellery is often one-of-a-kind, such as the jewellery by Maud Traon who is known for her bold approach to design, combining vibrant colours, unexpected combinations and Traon’s unusual way of setting stones. The gemstones are set in a manner that reflects their natural structure, glitter is treated as an equal to precious stones and the object in its entirety appears to have fallen out of a natural wonderland. The Thailand Pearl & Silver Ring features a rippled organic surface, with a focus on a large baroque pearl with tourmaline, emerald, tsavorite garnet and glitter.

Another jeweller with a completely unique approach to design is award-winning Emmeline Hastings who combines unexpected and contrasting materials from her Bristol-based UK studio. Utilising both individual and original techniques of hand carving acrylics and resins before embedding them with metallic elements, Hastings manages to capture movement throughout her designs as they shift and change with perspective, creating an instantly recognisable aesthetic. The catwalk-worthy Murmur Acrylic Gold and Oxidised Silver Statement Necklace is lightweight and comfortable to wear yet will have everyone asking you where it’s from.

For an affordable alternative, look to our WorldFinds collection, which was founded to create social impact in artisan communities while being kind to the earth. Artisans in India use discarded wood scraps from local furniture factories for bead bases and discarded textiles, giving them a new life. WorldFinds strive for sustainability every step of the way.