IN LIVING COLOUR
Ask any jewellery enthusiast about the best places to go to
for fi ne jewels in Singapore, and you’re sure to hear Madly
mentioned among other top names. The jeweller, which has a
creative studio in the quaint neighbourhood of Tiong Bahru, is
not particularly aggressive on the marketing and advertising
front. Instead, it lets its work do the talking. And that is how
Madly, under the stewardship of founder Maddy
Barber, built its reputation for being an expert in
coloured gemstones.
Word of mouth is also the best form of
advertising for the brand—impressed by the
work of its designers and artisans, clients have
continually sent their friends its way. In just fi ve
years since its establishment, Madly has grown
its clientele base by leaps and bounds.
What is its formula for success? There’s
no secret—the folks at Madly share a genuine
passion for gemstones and, of course, the
expert knowledge and knack for working with
vibrantly coloured jewels.
From left: Family ring in white gold with spinel, tourmaline,
paraiba and tanzanite; cocktail ring in white gold with
kite-cut lagoon tourmaline; earrings in white and rose gold
(with removable earring jackets) with princess-cut imperial
topaz studs, tsavorites, yellow sapphires and diamonds“Coloured gemstones allow us to go big—[the price of] a
top-quality 1-carat diamond allows me to get a 3- to 5-carat
gemstone, which is often rarer than white diamonds, of a similar
quality,” says Maddy. It’s a fact that many clients found hard to
believe—in fact, fi ve years ago, her team had to try very hard to
convince them that coloured gems can be an excellent choice.
That the brand sources many of its gems, including sapphires,
garnets, spinels and tourmalines, from the same tradesmen
that supply major international jewellers and its insistence on
acquiring stones of the utmost quality has greatly helped in
changing the mindsets of its customers, too.
While Madly used to source for diamonds for its customers,
the demand for coloured stones has increased so spectacularlyDiamonds are beautiful but coloured gemstones open up a whole
new dimension. Local jeweller Madly demonstrates its potential with
its vibrantly hued creations