Hancocks London is proud to launch a new collaboration:
GRIMA for Hancocks.
Three years in the making, the collaboration brings together two iconic British jewellery houses, honouring their legacies, with heritage, design and craftsmanship at its core, grounded in a shared understanding of jewellery as both object and legacy.
This series of jewels sits at an interesting intersection: unmistakably GRIMA in its sensibility yet shaped by Hancocks’ world of exceptional stones and underpinned by a friendship and shared history that makes the collaboration feel natural. It will be unveiled this September, with five unique jewels.
At the heart of the collaboration are two women, best friends whose long-standing friendship and parallel histories have come together in the shape of jewellery for the first time: Francesca Grima, Creative Director, GRIMA, and Amy Burton, Creative Director, Hancocks London.
Francesca Grima (left) and Amy Burton (right). Photo credit Hancocks London.
Amy Burton explains: “The seeds of this collaboration were sown three years ago when Francesca shared a series of her paintings with me. We’ve always had a love of jewellery design and painting, but when I saw these, I was struck by them and how much I wanted to see them become a reality.”
Francesca Grima continues: “When Amy proposed the collaboration, I immediately embraced it. There was nothing I wanted more than to work alongside my closest friend, in partnership with a House whose history and heritage I have long admired, and the opportunity to engage directly with such exceptional stones.
“The collaboration with Hancocks is rooted as much in personal history as it is in design. Our families’ relationship goes back decades, to a time when my parents were living in Switzerland and would return to London each summer to exhibit at Hancocks. Those early exhibitions established a connection and friendship that has endured over the years.”
A focus on design and craftsmanship
Amy adds: “In a world increasingly driven by speed, technology and repetition, our GRIMA for Hancocks London collaboration stands apart: it is a celebration of design instinct, British craftsmanship, skill, and embodies rare, creative talent that simply cannot be manufactured.
“Giving Francesca full creative freedom was important to me. I wanted her to be able to design without restrictions or caveats and be entirely, unapologetically herself.”
Hancocks London and GRIMA worked with a single craftsman for the series, someone of exceptional ability, who instinctively understands both jewellers, and is trusted by both Houses.
Francesca explains: “Craftmanship is so important to Amy and myself. Interestingly, the goldsmith’s father had, decades ago, worked with my father. The sense of generational dialogue, of hands and knowledge passing from one era to another, feels particularly meaningful.”
Francesca says: “GRIMA has always been recognised for its use of semiprecious stones set in precious metals, rather than an emphasis on precious stones themselves, so these designs represented a notable departure yet still embody GRIMA design.” The gemstones used throughout have been sourced personally by Guy Burton, Managing Director, Hancocks London.
For example, the French cuts are significant, a historic cut that is less known today, but one that brings remarkable life and character to the smallest of diamonds and is one strongly favoured by Hancocks and used in many of their contemporary designs.
Guy Burton explains: “Hancocks London specialises in old cut diamonds and gemstones. Every stone selected to be part of GRIMA for Hancocks represent not only our particular expertise but also our personal passions. We are unapologetically selective, as is Francesca. The alignment worked perfectly, none of us are interested in compromise.”
Amy adds: “Ultimately, what we hope resonates most is the sense of meaning behind the work. These pieces are unique, but more importantly, they are the result of a shared perspective, true friendship and, having our makers’ marks side by side is a proud, meaningful and emotional moment for us both.”
Each piece carries dual makers marks for Grima and Hancocks. Price: POA.
GRIMA for Hancocks can be viewed at Hancocks London, 62 St James’s Street, London SW1A 1LY.
