We recently caught up with Kristi from KR Jewellers, who kindly gave us an exclusive interview:

Tell us about your company

My husband Richard and I own and run our business KR Jewellers which started in 2011. We are both fully qualified handmade Jewellers with 10 plus years of experience behind us. Anything from wedding and engagement rings, to redesigns- making old pieces new again and repairs. Working in all metals and all stones we are a small unique bespoke business who caters for all your jewellery needs.

How did you get interested in jewellery?

I found my passion for jewellery early after a year 10 work experience with a Jeweller in Cairns. Right away I knew I had found my dream job and pursued the long road to achieve this unique trade. Richard became interested in the trade after joining a hobby goldsmith school and discovering that he too had found his passion. The rest as you say is history.

What products and services do you provide?

We provide a range of products and services for all budgets; no budget is too big or too small for us.

From original custom handmade jewellery, repairs, designs, valuations and pearl stringing, we cover all aspects of the jewellery industry to provide our customers with the best service around.

Do you have a favourite piece of jewellery?

That’s a tough question, and I mean how long is a piece of string? We have a lot of competition pieces which we love, as we really get to shine and show off our skills in these one-of-a-kind pieces. However, our favourite piece would be one which Richard won “All-star Queensland Jeweller”. It’s a gorgeous ametrine hinged bangle with a lot of metal work and fine skill. Lucky for me I get to wear and show off this fine piece as well.

Can anyone wear rose gold?

Yes, anyone can wear rose gold, really anyone can wear most of the metals. It really is personal preference. Some skin types really do make the colours shine, however most of the time it is all about what the customer prefers.

Can you describe a typical day?

A typical day in the life of KR Jewellers would be sitting at the bench and starting off with some repair work for our customers, perhaps a brand-new make, (we start from scratch with all our makes, starting with a bar of metal and our stones, it’s a fun and exciting process).  We then polish all the pieces by hand, a very messy task and finally wrapping up all the jobs for the day to get to our customers.

What’s been the highlight of your career so far?

A highlight of our career would be receiving our trade qualifications. It’s a long hard road to obtain this certificate (a lot who start the trade never finish or receive their qualifications), due to the jewellery industry being such a small industry. It certainly was an exciting day when we received our certificates.

What do you love most about what you do?

Watching your design grow and become a stunning piece of jewellery from start to finish. When you see a bar of metal and gemstones, it is sometimes hard to believe that with some clever metal forging/rolling and bending, as well as some clever filing and setting, you end up with a unique one of a kind piece that someone can treasure for a lifetime.

What’s the biggest challenge working with jewellery?

There are a range of challenges in our industry, however none of which we can’t overcome to give our customers the very best piece.

Who or what inspires you?

Many things inspire us and our designs. We like to take inspiration from all forms whether it be an artist or the surrounding landscape. We like to really listen to our customers to make our piece individual and unique for each person, something to be treasured for a lifetime and passed down from generation to generation.

Do you have any predictions for jewellery?

I would say our predictions for jewellery is that a lot more people will come back to the handmade and designed pieces, seeking quality and customer service for that individual and unique piece.

What’s next for you?

The next big thing for KR Jewellers is starting our online store. Making quality jewellery for everyone’s price range that is readily available. We are very excited about this new range and website that’s on the way.

About KR Jewellers

To find out more about Kristi head to their KR Jewellers Facebook page or KR Jewellers Instagram page.