ROCK STARS

Madly translates its founders’ passion for coloured gemstones into a beautiful menagerie of covetable jewels

In recent years, coloured gemstones have blazed a path in the world of jewellery, taking a prominent spot amidst the big four gems—emeralds, rubies, blue sapphires and diamonds—on the radar of jewellery connoisseurs. Where the intense hue of green emeralds and the facetted brilliance of diamonds dominated our wardrobes for the longest time, the cool tints of aquamarines and tsavorites and the vivid character of Paraiba tourmalines and tanzanites are now on the must-have list of any bona fide magpie.

The best way to find such exquisite and exclusive gems is through a jeweller with the right credentials, and the experience and knowledge to match. Madly, established by Maddy Barber (left) and Emily Tan (right), may be a newcomer to the market but has already made waves with its portfolio of spellbinding gems and modern designs.

From the get-go, the founding duo has been adamant about pursuing unparalleled quality. With sheer tenacity and dedication, they tracked down the stone suppliers and cutters that work with globally renowned brands, and convinced them to be part of their network. Hence, the coloured gemstones at Madly are unique, rare and beautifully cut and facetted, allowing the designers free rein in conceptualising designs.

The world of jewellery is one that elicits countless emotions, and passion marks a significant tenet of success: Tan and Barber are keen to educate customers on the world of coloured stones, and share how a different hue of a popular gemstone can hike up its value by sheer virtue of being rare.

Take for instance their latest acquisitions, Mahenge garnets, which were recently discovered amidst the limestone plateau area in Tanzania; this was also a source of the hot pink spinels that made their appearance some 10 years ago, and have since been exhausted. Most of us are more familiar with the dark red hues of garnets, the orangey tones of the spessartite varietal, or the purplish tones of rhodolites. These Mahenge stones are prized and valued for their warm tones with peach and pink undertones, making them very rare indeed.

Nonetheless, it would have been easy for Tan, the principal designer, to accentuate the marvellous gem and set it like a solitaire diamond. But for Madly, design is paramount: interesting details and pretty motifs abound, setting its aesthetic apart from the rest.

No two ladies are alike, and neither are two stones: even a spinel of the same hue and same weight will have its unique character. Thus, Madly promises that no two designs are exactly the same, ensuring that each sparkler embodies the personality of its wearer.

72 Seng Poh Road #01-63. Tel: 6650 1544. www.madlygems.com