Central Canadian Jewellery Designers

If you’re in central Canada, you’ll certainly want to make your way to any of the following jewellery designers. Otherwise, you may be eager to slide into their DM’s. Scroll the first of our blog series to explore a few of Misfit Diamond’s stockists located in Toronto and Montreal.  

Transitioning a side hustle to a full time gig is a major turning point for a creative entrepreneur, but 7 years later, Emily Gill has carved out a reputation for her wondrously ornate pieces of jewellery.  Her digital renders are works of art themselves, something she has caused her followers to gush over and effectively crave the tangible treasure. These designs brought to life will stand the test of time, since her technique offers the longevity of a forever heirloom. Emily is a master enameler, using vitreous kiln fired glass in very elaborate and intricate ways. This technique is not to be confused with the resin enamel left with scratch marks after a few wears, but Emily’s blend of art and science is the real deal for enamel adornment. She has plans to experiment with some new shades of pink sourced all the way from Israel to pair with Misfit opalescent sapphires, and we will certainly be keeping our eyes peeled to see the finished pieces. Emily has introduced new pieces to her collection with minimalist metal work, the emphasis being on the diamonds and gemstones set in delicately crafted eagle claws.

 Emily Gill can be found at Made You Look, 1338 Queen Street West in Toronto. Search for the bench next to the white treasure chest of kiddie treats.  

Jilian Maddin came into the jewellery world by chance. Living above Made You Look had her spending plenty of time with the shop's owner, Sarah, who also happened to be a childhood friend. Jilian no longer lives above Made You Look, but she never did leave, spending the last 20 years building her brand in this location and contributing greatly to what is now Parkdale's iconic sanctuary of jewellery.

The detailing in Jilian’s work is mind blowing, her jewellery is filled with little secrets of engraved elements, one detail revealed after another upon intimate observation. Her wreath-like wedding bands are decadent, but not only for the bride-to-be. Jilian’s diamond rings make magnificent engagement rings for an alternative bride, or cocktail rings for any other purpose. Explore her everyday items, like wrap bracelets and juicy gemstone earrings.

As mentioned, Jilian works out of Made You Look, 1338 Queen Street West in Toronto.  

The composition of shapes in Yuliya Chorna’s work draws you through a time warp to a jewellery box in a Medieval candle lit castle. Her collection comprises of fairy dusted rose cuts, opalescent diamonds, and geometric stones set in yellow gold, sometimes reflecting a texture to the finish. She turns to romantic colour palettes within the chosen stones of her work.

 Yuliya practises conscious goldsmithing, keeping production of ready to wear jewellery limited, and using recycled gold as much as possible. Much of her work is made-to-order for the purpose of avoiding material waste.

 Yulia is based out of a Toronto loft, where she shares a studio with three other colleagues at 366 Adelaide Street East.  

Minimalism, but certainly not typical. Attic Gold sets alternative diamonds into the clean lines and smooth surfaces of yellow gold, making for a beautiful contrast between the textures of gemstone and metal materials.

 Their recently launched collection includes a continuation of heftier metal pieces that they began introducing last year. A heavy metal link necklace they named the ‘Miami’ layers nicely with their slightly finer chain carrying a bezel set diamond pendant and slider bead. For the holidays, they brought back a classic threader chain earring that has remained popular since their beginnings 7 years ago. But most importantly, ready-to-wear rings set with an array of hand picked Misfit Diamonds are available for gift giving as well.

In the new year, the founding duo, Melissa and Susan, have plans to update their studio and boutique space. The showroom, located at 366 Adelaide Street East in Toronto is open by appointment for private collection viewings and custom consultations.  

Pilar Agueci celebrated the 5th anniversary of her studio and boutique space this past September. To mark the occasion, she and her team launched their 9th collection of ethically sourced gemstone jewellery.

The textured metals reveal the vulnerability of the pre-polished material, exposing its raw nature in the stylized craftsmanship.  Pilar works in both sterling silver and gold, and of course lots of rustic gemstones. The collection is a juxtaposition of dissimilar elements paired together in each piece.

Stroll into Pillars Montreal boutique at 180 Beaubien East, where you’ll find not only her personally designed treasures, but also a curated assortment of handcrafted items made by other artisans.