Claudia Jewellers – A handcrafted love story
Theirs is a love story that unfolded amid the wilds of Bass Strait. Scott Loring and Freya Liddell met at a country dance in a small community hall on Flinders Island. “He invited me outside to look at the full moon,” laughs Freya. “Even at the time it sounded corny, but in actual fact all we did that evening was lie on the bonnet of a ute and gaze up at the sky.”
“My family have had land on Flinders since the late ‘60s,” continues Freya. “I spent every summer there as a young girl, roaming barefoot, fishing. It was wild. The untamed freedom was always a welcome break from life in Melbourne.”
Growing up in Hobart, Scott recalls, “After moving north to undertake a teaching degree, my first posting was in Launceston. I worked with another teacher who had strong ties to Flinders and this led to an invitation to visit the island over Christmas.” He continues, “That night of the dance marked the end of a boys’ week away… we’d been letting loose and just enjoying the outdoors. I distinctly remember spotting Freya chatting to my mate. It was hard not to notice that gorgeous mane of hair; she was just beautiful. Scrambling for a reason to be introduced, I grabbed a tray of sandwiches from the ladies in the kitchen, thinking ‘What have I got to lose?’”
The Strait wove its magic that evening. Almost before she knew it, Freya had packed everything she owned into her tiny two door Celica and moved to Tassie. “It was big enough to bring all the essentials… my record collection and doona were definitely in there,” she laughs. “I’d just finished an arts degree and was keen to do some more study, so whilst Scott was in Launceston, I opted to make Hobart my base. I literally walked through the door at the University of Tasmania and asked what places they had available. When they mentioned someone had dropped out of a teaching degree that same morning, I grabbed the spot. I just slipped right into life in Hobart and instantly loved the change.”
“I was busy in Launceston back then,” continues Scott. “But Freya and I would see each other when we could. I was teaching all day and making furniture of an evening. Working in Special Education at the time, I had to develop individual lesson plans for each of my students. It was back before computers were widespread in schools and everything was laboriously handwritten. At the end of the day, I headed to a shared workshop to design and make furniture alongside a group of mates. The design and building process has always been a passion of mine, and back then I had a number of pieces featured in galleries.”
Scott’s creative talents were complemented by previous training as a boilermaker/welder. “Looking back, I unwittingly paved the way for what was to come,” he smiles. “But unfortunately, there just wasn’t enough money or stability in furniture making then for me to do that full time. Interestingly though, all those skills I developed have since been applied to jewellery making.
By the mid ‘90s the pair found themselves building their own home on the slopes of kunanyi/Mount Wellington. “I’d made the move down to Hobart and we were both teaching full time in order to be able to afford to build,” explains Scott. “It was a beautiful spot tucked in the bush with spectacular views down the river. We both invested a lot into that place and thoroughly enjoyed the process of crafting it ourselves. It’s become a bit of a thing for us… to always have a project on the go. It’s just our nature I think, as we both really enjoy the creative process.”
Freya picks up the story. “We had a friend who was a marine biologist and was working on a pearl farm in Tahiti,” she explains. “We’d been catching up with him over in Melbourne on one of his pearl selling trips when Scott offhandedly said, ‘We should sell some pearls in Hobart for you.’ Before we knew it, we were taking a bag back home with us.”
“That’s where things began,” nods Scott. “I started doing the rounds of the local jewellers and selling pearls wholesale. It didn’t take very long before my customers started asking me if I could supply them with other things.” He continues, “First someone asked me if I could source sapphires, and then diamonds. Things just grew from there. Before we knew it, we had a small wholesale gemstone business on our hands.”
Scott’s love of gemstones can be traced back to his childhood. “I distinctly remember a trip out to Cape Barren Island as a child,” he recalls. “The teacher at the local school took us out on an adventure through the bush. We jumped off the truck and spent the afternoon exploring some local caves, stumbling across some beautiful sparkling amethysts… so clear and purple. I squirrelled a few away in my pocket, and even still have them to this day. That’s the first real recollection I have of being fascinated by stones.”
“I’ve always been a beachcomber,” admits Scott. “Growing up I’d always be collecting bits of agate and carnelian… always on the lookout for natural treasures.”
“We had no intention for this to grow into a fully-fledged business,” says Freya. “But it became a really good way to supplement our teaching income. The harder we worked, the more successful we became too – something that unfortunately doesn’t happen in the teaching profession. We both really loved working with kids, but didn’t enjoy the flaws in the education system.” She continues, “Scott enrolled in a gemmology course to increase his knowledge and then progressed onto qualifications in diamond grading and jewellery evaluation. The trajectory to a fulltime business certainly wasn’t clear cut, but a pivotal moment came with the arrival of our first child.”
“Things may not have progressed at all if we hadn’t had kids,” muses Scott. It was a turning point that really made us stop and think about the life we wanted. For us, that involved spending quality time with our children and a lifestyle that was meaningful and sustainable.” Reflecting further he adds, “We made the decision to sell our home and buy a rundown cottage in order to become mortgage free. We suddenly had a real choice in our lives for the first time ever. Neither of us had to work full time. We were both aware we’d never get those precious early days with the kids back again.”
The move from wholesale to retail was a huge step. “The global financial crisis had a significant impact on the wholesale market,” says Scott. “Diamond prices increased dramatically and suddenly things got a whole lot tougher. The concept for a retail store emerged and began to look favourable. We then started chatting with the old owner of Precision Jewellers in Hobart. He was not only enthusiastic, but eventually helped us set things up.
“I’d never even set foot in a traditional jewellery store before,” admits Freya. “But it turns out that was an advantage as I had no expectations. I wasn’t entrenched in following the typical rules and patterns of the industry.” She continues, “I soon realised that everyone in Hobart was selling the same few brands. None of which appealed to me. I could see there was an opportunity to do something quite different and for us to focus on quality over quantity.”
Claudia Jewellers opened its bricks and mortar store in Sandy Bay in 2009. “Naming the business was a process,” says Freya. “I’d done a lot of research and had become familiar with how the most successful European brands had positioned themselves in the global market, becoming renowned for quality whilst achieving status and longevity. I also knew I wanted something timeless and elegant. From the outset, the goal was to create a meaningful brand that people would be proud to wear. Something classic.”
“Claudia is a name that holds huge significance for us,” reveals Freya. “It’s both the name of our daughter and my best friend – two women in my life who are wildly important to me. In the end it became the obvious choice. When the graphic designer came back with the initial mock ups of the name and logo, we instantly knew that was it. The lettering was just beautiful and represented everything we wanted.”
“There is absolutely no doubt that those early days were hard going,” says Freya. “But I think our naivety fuelled us. I recall having a two-week-old baby sleeping in the corner and frantically trying to learn how to use MYOB so that I could drive the back end of the business. Business operations have become my forte. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed building a wonderfully capable team and creating a culture in which they can all thrive.”
“We were unique in Hobart at the time,” describes Scott. “Everyone was either a standalone jeweller or a big brand store. There was nothing in-between. We began by stocking beautiful Danish pieces that no one else did, and our own designs. There’s always been a focus on crafting bespoke pieces, particularly engagement rings. The other crucial piece of the offering which will never change is our genuine, personalised service. That interaction with our customers is something we hold very dear.”
A peek inside Claudia Jewellers reveals a focus on stunning bespoke pieces. From yellow sapphires to black diamonds, spectacular gemstones and precious metals abound. “Lovers of fine jewellery are savvy and are looking for premium materials and exceptional workmanship,” says Freya. “That’s the niche we excel in. Our pieces are handcrafted by passionate local artisans with a penchant for true quality. Custom jewellery is a beautiful art form.”
“Interestingly, aside from Scott in his design role, we now have an all-female team of incredible artists,” explains Freya. “There’s a long-held stereotype in this industry that all the great jewellers are male – you’d be surprised how many people walk in the door and instantly assume Scott is the jeweller. I’m thrilled to have some of the most talented female jewellers working with us and proud that we’re demonstrating that women can be amazing in this profession.” She continues, “I love being able to give our team the space and freedom to create. Each one of them is an absolute blessing and has helped us grow immeasurably.”
“One of the most rewarding things about our work is the sharing of milestone moments,” explains Freya. “Engagements, weddings, anniversaries… I love hearing all those stories and going on the journey with each customer. We never take any of that for granted and consider it a real privilege to play a small part in the joy that those special moments hold. Whilst the end product is a piece of jewellery, the process involves working with emotion – and that is a very special thing to be involved in.”
Scott describes his design process as customer driven. “I listen a lot,” he nods. “The end goal is always to bring the customer’s vision to life so I need to really understand exactly what they have in mind and how each piece will be worn.” Extrapolating further, Scott explains, “For example, it wouldn’t work to craft an engagement ring – something that is worn every single day – out of a soft stone. It just wouldn’t last a lifetime. The design process often delves deeply into the properties of the stones so that the customer can understand those.”
From vision and concept through to design and creation, it’s a process that Scott takes extremely seriously. “We draw concepts by hand and can also create models of pieces to ensure they will be just right,” he explains. “There are a lot of elements to consider – colour, shape, cut and size… each one has to be exactly right. I’ll usually create a storyboard and identify themes that are important to each individual customer. I really enjoy that process of conversation and guiding them to a beautiful endpoint.”
The creation of a unique Tasmanian collection occurred just prior to the COVID pandemic. “I remember placing a single pair of earrings in the window,” recalls Scott. “Along with a little sign that read ‘Flinders Island Killiecrankie Diamond.’ They sold within a day. We made some more and they did the same. Customers quickly started asking me for rings and pendants too.” He smiles, “Aside from the connection people were making with the stone itself, the design simplicity was hitting the mark too. I really love letting the stone tell its story.”
“We found that people have such a strong sense of place, and particularly to this stone,” continues Freya. “Although it’s well known that it’s a form of white topaz – not a diamond – the fact that it’s only found on Flinders Island resonates with so many of our customers. It’s beautiful and lustrous of course, but it’s more than that. We’ve been overwhelmed by just how many people want to hold that special part of Tasmania close to them. It’s not just Scott and I who have a connection to Flinders.”
Tasmania by Claudia emerged online in 2020. “It’s close to our hearts as it’s inspired by Tasmania, and both designed and handcrafted here. We’ve spent so much time working on these pieces,” says Scott, describing the collections that sit within the range. “My design aesthetic is definitely simple and classic and you’ll see this reflected across all the Tasmania by Claudia collections. Simplicity is so often the best path forward.”
Within the range sits the Nothofagus Collection. “That’s another magical Tasmanian story,” nods Freya. “We began working on that well before the turning of the fagus was widely celebrated,” she says of the autumn brilliance that sees the leaves of Tassie’s lone deciduous tree morph from green into vibrant hues of gold and rust. “That was definitely a design that evolved over time. It’s hard to describe the countless steps and level of detail required to capture the essence of the leaf and its varied tones, but we feel that we’ve done justice to the uniqueness of such a special Tasmanian phenomenon.”
Tasmanian black spinel has been quietly simmering under Scott’s design eye for quite some time. “It’s a naturally occurring black gemstone we find in Tassie’s northern rivers,” he explains. “In the past it’s often been discarded by those searching for sapphires. It was seen as worthless.” Smiling he adds, “But when it’s cut and polished it’s just beautiful and has a mesmerising shine perfect for fine jewellery. I think we’ll see a lot more of it going forward.”
Also new to the Claudia offering is the In Memoriam Collection. “We were occasionally asked by some of our closest customers to create special pieces that commemorate love and loss,” describes Freya. “These are pieces that are meticulously handcrafted and combine the ashes of a loved one. They are the most special of heirlooms and are designed very closely with each individual customer. Often they are rings, with the ashes underneath a special stone. They are a way to always have your loved one with you.”
“It’s not something that’s for everyone,” continues Freya. “But we have been quite overwhelmed with demand. It’s a special way of treasuring a memory and not dissimilar to the traditional notion of keeping a loved one’s photograph within a locket. As a team, we dug deep into the notion of why we wanted to do this before we launched the idea. It’s a huge emotional investment for everyone involved – the customer and our staff too. We’ve had to develop steps to care for everyone throughout the process and to ensure that our process is exemplary. What an honour it is to help our customers on this journey and craft pieces that are perfect for them.”
“Our customers place a lot of trust in us and I’ll never lose sight of that,” says Scott. “I love the community connections that we’ve formed and I think a lot of those are due to the fact that we treat everyone the same – from the old ladies who come in to get their watch batteries changed, to the customers who trust us to craft heirloom pieces.” It’s a sentiment shared, “I feel like we’ve grown up with Tasmania,” adds Freya. “When I moved here, no one could believe it. Its dark and gloomy reputation kept people away. But look at it now, it’s just shining.”
Discover your own Tasmanian gem at www.claudiajewellers.com.
