If diamonds are a girl’s best friend, then Creative director Olivar Musson of family-owned Musson Jewellers may just be their secret weapon. On the back of his overall ‘Supreme’ award win (that’s the ultimate acclaim) at the most recent Diamond Guild of Australia Jewellery Awards, we chatted to Sydney-based Olivar about wedding jewellery trends to watch, celebrity engagement rings and designing strong pieces for strong women.

Your Diamond Guild Australia Jewellery Award winning piece is undeniably striking…
My award-winning design was inspired by the Amazonite warrior, Aella. Aella dared to fight Hercules because she saw herself as his equal! We design for strong women every day, and so it seemed fitting to look to trail-blazing women in history as a design inspiration. I was particularly drawn to the story of Aella because she embodied strength, confidence and femininity.
I wanted these earrings to have a shield-like quality, so I needed a diamond shape with edges. The square cut diamonds created the look that all the components locked together like in great armory. The studs are double-edged, they are decorative but at the same time act as weapons. I used rose gold because it feels timeless, you could imagine an ancient warrior’s shield being decorated in rose gold.

The earrings feature over 32-carats of exquisite Forevermark Black Label, Ideal Square diamonds. I love working with Forevermark Diamonds, the quality of the diamond crystal and cutting style is extraordinary. I also love that Forevermark diamonds are ethical and that their production gives back to the women in the communities where they are mined.
This design was so close to my heart, I was thrilled when it won the ‘Red Carpet’ category and then took out the overall ‘Supreme’ Award at the awards.


What is inspiring your jewellery designs at the moment?

I am always inspired by architecture. If I wasn’t a jewellery designer, I think I would be an architect. Zaha Hadid’s work has always been an incredible inspiration. I desire a sculptural element in my jewellery, I want it to be enjoyed by the wearer and viewer at all angles.

What’s in demand for engagement rings right now?

Fancy cuts are king at the moment and as a lover of fancy cuts I’m very pleased! I try to use oval, pear and marquise shapes as often as I can in my designs. Not only are they unique, but visually they appear larger and are more cost effective than round diamonds – which is great when you are buying your engagement ring!

Do you foresee any emerging trends for wedding rings from the 2019/20 season?

Yellow gold is back. We have seen rose gold reign supreme for the last five years, but yellow gold is definitely starting to make its comeback.

We are also seeing a move back to trilogy style engagement rings (three stone rings), whether those be more traditional with all white diamonds, and also featuring combinations of coloured gems. Coloured stones are increasingly popular for brides desiring individuality. A pop of colour can make a ring uniquely yours and represent your personality.

What would you like to see couples do more of when it come to choosing or designing their rings?

Be more inspired by what you like rather than what you think you should like! Engagement rings and wedding jewellery should be unique celebrations. I love looking at the engagement ring I designed for my wife Catherine, it represents so many design elements I love such as oval-cut diamonds and Argyle Pink Diamonds, whilst encapsulating an ultimate elegance that is so my wife! It is truly her ring.

An engagement ring should be your unique expression of love. Stop being generic. People have this strange concept of what an engagement ring should be. There are no rules!

An engagement ring could be the only luxury item you ever have made for you. Enjoy the bespoke journey, do research on your likes and dislikes, discuss with a jeweller how to make your ring design special. You will be wearing this ring or looking at this ring every day, you want to love it and for it to be truly special to you!

Aside from classic white diamonds, what stones do you personally love using for wedding jewellery?

At Musson we have had a long love affair with Argyle Pink Diamonds, with my father being one of the first jewellers to be invited to the Argyle Pink Diamond Tender.

I love Argyle Pink Diamonds, they are the ultimate love letter. They are ‘beyond rare’, being billions of years old and the rarest natural commodity on earth. I love using them in wedding jewellery as side or accent stones to beautifully contrast with white diamonds, or even hidden within a setting so only the wearer is aware of their presence.

There is something so luxurious about wearing an Argyle Pink Diamond, to know that Mother Nature created something of such intense beauty billions of years ago and you get to wear and enjoy it today is exquisite.

I have an Argyle Pink Diamond in my wedding band!

Which famous engagement or wedding rings have impressed you recently?

I would have to say Duchess Meghan Markle’s diamond engagement ring from Prince Harry. I love the fact that Harry designed the ring himself from scratch – designing a piece for the person you love and being able to personalise the design to perfection to represent everything your partner means to you is truly so special. Harry’s use of his late mother’s diamonds is also a beautiful sentiment. We love remodelling client’s jewellery at Musson. Being able to transform sentimental pieces with rich histories, into jewellery that the client will wear and gain joy from every day, is one of the best parts of this job!

About Musson Jewellers: Musson has been providing Sydney and the world with the finest jewellery for over 40 years. Musson is a rare and enduring jewellery design business, manufacturing all their exclusive creations in their state of the art North Shore Studio.

About the author Ms Fleur de Lys: Aside from being Ms Polka’s Editorial Assistant, Ms Fleur de Lys is also Polka Dot Bride’s Melbourne correspondent so you’ll see her running all over town finding wedding inspiration. As both a lifestyle journalist and cocktail aficionado, Fleur appreciates the power of words whipped up as deftly as a good martini.