MAKING TORONTO SPARKLE
Jeweller Myles Mindham has brought a touch of magic to his collections for 25 years Myles Mindham believes in fairy tales, both imaginary with magical woodland creatures and real-life fantasies wherein Toronto’s glitterati shower the objects of their affection with his fantastical jewels.
His magic worlds come together for the few “Very High Net Worth Individuals” who can indulge in a $32,000 diamond-studded flying bunny brooch with plique-àjour liquid glass in platinum and diamond wings.
The Yorkville-centric Mindham celebrated his 25th anniversary as the go-to Toronto society jeweller last year.
In stark contrast to the downturns weathered by luxury retail around the globe, he went on to enjoy what he calls “his best year ever,” culminating in a first pop-up holiday shop: Hazelton by Mindham Fine Jewellery.
The limited-edition boutique, on the second floor of Yorkville Village, features special collections inspired by his fine jewelry lines at the much-more-accessible price point of $500 to $5,000.
The midtown destination, the site of the former Hazelton Lanes, is nearing the end of a rebranding and renovation cycle. The site has been transformed into a more modern retail model involving loads of customer interactivity, music, events, markets and pop-ups.
Mindham, 57, is self-taught and has been loyal to his tony neighbourhood. He began his career “by appointment only,” with offices tucked into the Park Hyatt, then opened a street-front boutique at the hotel in 2006.
Circa 2010, he moved on up to a gallery-style showroom for Mindham Fine Jewellery in a sweet townhouse set back from the street at 37 Hazelton Ave. His longtime team of skilled artisans work over big tools, magnifying glasses and light tables in the basement while upstairs his beloved black poodles, Nelson and Duq, are often on hand to greet the wellheeled customers.
This time of the year, the onsite studio becomes a sort of Santa’s Workshop, where Mindham can execute both the exceptional “bespoke creations” for “his discriminating clientele” as well as respond to sales trends at the Yorkville Village boutique. The pop-up will act as a retail laboratory and if something is selling well, he can produce more of the hit pieces right across the road.
It is nice to have a place where customers can wander in, Mindham says of the pop-up. “It is an opportunity to introduce my vision and my brand to a broader group of people. Here, because of the price point, we don’t need a buzzer system, appointments and security guards.”
The new collections include a version of his Magical Woodland anniversary series, featuring moon fairies, bejewelled mushrooms and glittering stars. A customizable collection featuring initials available in different pave stones is a holiday season hit.
Nature is a running theme in Mindham’s work. One collection called Genesis is inspired by cellular mitosis. He has another collection called Nest, inspired by a “perfect specimen” of a nest that literally fell to the ground in front of him while he was puttering around his Muskoka property.
“I’m like a magpie, or a crow,” he says. “I’m attracted to shiny things and I wanted to fill the nest with them.” He copied the piece twig for twig in gold and ultimately created a stunning, fist-sized Tanzanite brooch, which he “thinks” is spoken for, despite the heady retail price of $22,000.
The big-guns jewels he sells at 37 Hazelton do need their own security detail. Mindham remains resolutely tight lipped about the names of his clients, but teases conspiratorially: “If the walls could talk! I’m a professional listener — like a hairdresser, you should hear the stuff I hear.”
His clients, he says, can and do shop for couture all over the world, but they come home to him to collaborate on the important fine pieces that commemorate life’s special moments.
“I’m selling heirlooms, creating a legacy, together with my clients,” he says. “They trust my intuition in creating the perfect piece. And they won’t be ripped off.
“They like to be guided by a trusted friend in these acquisitions.”
While Mindham safeguards their secrets, his clients share his name. His reputation, which grew slowly as he expanded his business organically and with caution, was built by wordof-mouth. “My jewelry sits at the best tables in the country,” he says.
A dreamy child, Mindham attributes his career to hours spent drawing, an escape for the “highly dyslexic” boy. He also spent much time with his grandmother, who worked for the carriage-trade Paisley Shop. At her elbow, he learned how to look at good design, antiques and fine craftsmanship.
“I’m very intuitive,” he says, and it’s this “highly sensitive” personality that provides his insights into what his clients will want. He often looks at a person, sees a piece in his head and presents the sketch. “And 95 per cent of the time they love it.”
Mindham is a firm believer that every creation finds the person it is meant for. His one-of-a-kind pieces are a kind of antidote to what he calls the “branded lifestyle statements” of the major fine jewelry concerns, such as the Tiffanys, Bulgaris and Cartiers.
His jewelry is highly personal and emotionally loaded, from the crystals to the design. “I’m very strong at creating a signature piece,” he says. He and his team of artisans read each other to execute the vision. Indeed, the stakes are high. The international fine jewelry industry was estimated to be worth some $257 billion (U.S.) this year, according to Forbes magazine, citing a 2014 McKinsey study, with growth expected in the range of 5 per cent per year through 2020.
Online is harder with fine jewelry, where a relationship is key to trust in the product, but Forbes cites a research firm called Connecting the Dots as predicting that fine jewelry online will comprise 15 per cent of the total market by 2020.
Hidden in the setting or tucked inside each of Mindham’s pieces is his very discreet Double M logo.
During the holidays, Mindham is on tenterhooks in anticipation of how his creations are received.
Last year, he got a call regarding one big surprise in a little box from a wife, who beamed: “I didn’t know my husband knew my soul so well!”
Mindham notes that he has a generous return policy for gift givers who don’t nail the soul on their first try. Good things come in small boxes Myles Mindham’s tips on how and when to give jewelry for the holidays.
á Initials and customizable pieces are great for grandparents to buy or for friends to exchange.
Or for more intimate relationships, you could give your sweetheart your initial, or give a mother the initials of her children.
á Earrings are a popular choice and these days, many women are wearing just one, or an asymmetrical look with more earrings or a statement ear cuff on one side only.
á Don’t worry about something going out of fashion. Trends in fine jewelry happen slowly. That said, right now coloured precious stones, mixing coloured metals (such as rose gold) and stacking pieces are hot.
á If you’re unsure a romance is destined for permanent status, never buy any kind of ring, as it sets up expectations.
Try earrings, a bracelet, a pendant or a brooch instead.
á Agood jeweller or sales person will ask questions about the recipient. Just the act of thinking and talking about the giftee makes a magical connection, Mindham says.
Do ask about and listen to the story of the inspiration behind the design of a piece and, when you present the gift, share this information.
á Lastly, include a card that articulates your own thoughts and feelings to elevate the gifting experience. “Make it a moment,” Mindham says.