TRENDS FOR 2014
in engagement rings...
Definitely we find that couples engaged to
be married look at our signature designs,
particularly our Solitaire collection. For most
girls, a diamond engagement ring is the first
real diamond piece in their life. To get that
right is something that we enjoy and take a
close look at.in diamond cuts and shapes...
In terms of shape we have a very special
way of cutting and polishing the proportions
of our round brilliant-cut diamonds. We also
have a special cushion-cut diamond which
is based on the round brilliant cut diamond
which is also beautiful. While we have a
variety of shapes we work with, these [are
most popular] given the way we cut and
polish their portions to give the design a
very special character.in metals...
I love the tone of rose gold. It’s very
complementary to certain diamonds and
coloured stones. It’s beautiful on different
skin tones too.in stones...
We love colour. We do some very beautiful
pink sapphire pieces, some green sapphire
morganite and aquamarine. It’s always a
pleasure to work with a variety of material
and colour.After a foray in
fashion and
architecture, Glenn
Bakker, found his
calling in jewellery
design. ‘It’s a great
passion of mine. I
didn’t necessarily
start up to make a business; I was very
indulged personally with it,’ explains Glenn. ‘I
had a very strong following and it turned into
a business — here we are today, 32 years
down the track.’ Glenn shares with Bride To
Be about his love for pink diamonds and his
top tips for creating the perfect ring.
What does the company specalise in?
If I had to choose a sweet spot it would
definitely be our Argyle Pink diamonds. For
me they are the most beautiful jewel on
earth. We are happy to have them born in
Australia, these very rare purple/pink
diamonds, and there is a huge mystery
about them and romance and rarity.
What service do you offer to couples?
Essentially we are very much a boutique
business. I believe in spending time with our
clients to understand clearly what their dream
and aspirations are and to dignify those
requests by making things beautifully by hand
— it’s a great tradition. We look at how rare
and beautiful a design can be and that the
materials are complementary to the beautiful
coloured jewel. I take a lot of pride in a
beautiful piece of jewellery. It should be
something that is loved dearly by the wearer,
and ultimately becomes a family heirloom.
Describe a favourite custom made
piece you’ve created recently:
There are a lot of favourites, but I remember
a fabulous girl probably a year and a half
ago, her name was Janine. I actually
affectionately called this design the ‘Janine’
because it reminds me of her. It’s become
one of my favourites because it’s a simply
beautiful, modern, classic design with a
beautiful cushion-cut diamond of around
2ct. Janine was very inspiring to work with.
Glenn Bakker
GLENNBAKKER.COM.AU
After 32 years in the industry, Glenn Bakker still remains very much a boutique business who prides itself on
handmade jewellery of the highest quality. Well-known for their rare Argyle Pink diamonds, creative director
Glenn is passionate about ensuring these stones find homes in pieces that will ultimately become a family heirloomglenn’s
top tips:
1
Get to know the designer you
propose to work with and the
quality of their workmanship. It’s
important our couples know how we
work as a business and our values,
then together as a team we get
together to make decisions.2
Make sure you communicate
clearly what you want and
ensure that your designer or
jeweller respects your opinions and
that creative options do exist rather
than what’s just on the market.3
Make sure the design suits
your lifestyle and personality.
We do a lot of engagement
rings and it’s really about making
sure the design is beautiful on the
wearer. It’s an intimate and
sensitive thing to understand and
very exciting to produce.What is the most extravagant or
unique brief you have received?
That’s a good question, interestingly
enough, I guess as a designer I have been
charged with the responsibility in recent
years of creating some designs with some
of the rarest Argyle diamonds that we
have ever known. It’s an honour to be
charged with that responsibility [and] that
design freedom. I feel very strongly about
ensuring that the beauty of these stones
find homes. So to answer your question,
you will have to wait for another little
period of time. Some of those pieces are a
work in progress.228 | bridetobe.com.auCOMPILED BY: ROSIE MCKAYJEWELLERY GUIDE