I’m sitting here having coffee in the beachside town of Busselton, WA. It’s not as warm as Brisbane (home) and although there’s a cool breeze coming in off the Southern Ocean, it feels like summer is on its way.

I can’t wait for the long evenings and bright mornings, swims and chilled Riesling, eating outdoors and backyard parties… Yes, I’m having summer dreams, and loving it.

To help you get in the mood, I’ve picked out my summer jewellery favourites and how to wear them.

MIX YOUR METALS

Nothing gets that summer vibe going than lighter clothes and tanned skin (real or fake). Summer is also the time to show off your jewels – silver and gold on said tanned skin. Such a beautiful contrast.

The idea is to have a little bit of fun with your jewellery – it doesn’t have to be serious.

• Wearing different-sized pendants from the same collection can be absolutely stunning. A no-fail combination is the silver Broadwater medium pendant necklace with a smaller version in gold, featuring a petite white diamond to set off your glowy summer skin.
• You could also try layering different necklace styles – our collections are designed to work with each other. A delicate gold necklace with an exquisite small pendant like our Wild Iris in 18 carat yellow gold with diamond works beautifully with a sculptural silver necklace like our Ebb Tide necklace.

LAYER, LAYER, LAYER

Try playful combinations on your wrists, fingers and neck for that breezy, beachy feel. It’s an easy way to give timeless pieces a dare-we-say-it boho look.

• Bangles, bracelets and cuffs are fabulous to mix, as long as the styles work together. In our Ebb Tide collection, we have a broad range of different shapes and thicknesses to choose from. Try a thinner gold bangle with a wide silver one, or a stack of several slim silver bangles. The fun part is you can keep adding to your collection…
• When it comes to rings, more is more for summer. Try wearing several rings on one hand and play around with different motifs. A flower-inspired design like our Wild Iris ring and wavy Broadwater ring with something simpler and bolder like our Ebb Tide ring is a great combination. The brushed/polished silver and gold of the floral motif will add a subtle detail.
• I also like a larger ring worn on your index finger. It’s a carefree yet cool alternative to wearing it on your middle or ring finger.

COLOUR IT UP

Vibrant coloured gems glistening in the sunshine are a signal that summer’s here.

• Bright blue is always our most popular coloured gem. It works with pretty much any other coloured gem and will amp up your summer outfit. You can wear it casually or it looks fabulous in the evening as well – that’s the power of a great piece of jewellery.

If an amazing blue topaz ring from our Nouvelle Lily collection doesn’t say ‘welcome summer’, I don’t know what does! It’s a bold and confident silver ring with a big, sparkling bright blue stone. Match it up with statement Nouvelle Lily earrings – just stunning

• Or why not do a coloured combo and cluster several bright gems? Our stone-set Ebb Tide rings are designed to easily fit together on your finger in a trio. I think the blue topaz, yellow and light green work well. What’s your favourite summer colour combination?
• Yellow – citrine
• Purple – amethyst
• Bright blue – topaz
• Light green – lemon quartz
• Deep red – garnet

EARRINGS: CLASSIC OR STATEMENT

• Classic hoop earrings are always a summer staple and we’ve added a brand-new pair of Ebb Tide large hoops to instantly refresh your 2023 look and work back in with the rest of our Ebb Tide range.
• Speaking of earrings, I’m excited to reveal the latest design to come out of the studio… our stunning new Nouvelle Fleur earrings.

Every January, my family and I head to North Stradbroke Island or ‘Straddie’, as us Brisbane locals call it. Walking down to the sand at Cylinder Beach, I took some photos of a coastal morning glory creeper with purple flowers.

While I don’t often do flowers in my designs, it all started with my Wild Iris range. When I got back to the studio, I sketched and sculpted the bell-flower shape and created two new earring styles – studs and a long drop earring. I’ve kept the design clean and elegant, with a brushed finish on the inside of the flower and a highly polished shine on the outside for a subtle contrast.

Graceful yet geometic, I think the long drop earrings are a statement on their own – no necklace needed. The delicate flower shape and 6cm-long hook will draw attention to your face. They’re so versatile, too – casual enough to lunch in, then wear with a nice simple dress in the evening.

Maybe they’re just that little bit something special that appeals to you…

Daniel Bentley