Want to order a bespoke diamond ring for Christmas? Moya Corcoran draws on Bond Street experience for her jewellery designs, writes Marie-Claire Digby.
Imagine designing a show-stopping piece of jewellery, selecting the stones, fine-tuning the setting, giving it a loving polish, placing it carefully in its soft, padded velvet box . . . and then handing it over for someone else to wear. It's a wrench that fine jewellery expert, gemologist and bespoke jeweller Moya Corcoran faces on a regular basis.
A history of art and design graduate, originally from Killiney, Co Dublin, Corcoran says she "fell into" a job with the luxury brand, Cartier, in London when she left college. Initially hired as a researcher to work on a project combining Cartier's centenary with 150 years of the British Museum, Corcoran fell under the spell of the magical world of gems and jewels. "I only intended to stay a short time," she says. But, bitten by the bug, she continued her studies, becoming a fellow of both the Gemmological Association of Great Britain and the Diamond Grading Association of Great Britain, while working her way up to the position of heritage manager and head of authentication during her five-year tenure at Cartier.
In all, Corcoran spent more than a decade working with some of the best-known jewellers on Bond Street, polishing her reputation as an expert in fine jewellery, and lecturing on the subject at prestigious venues such as the National Portrait Gallery and the British Museum. In addition, she was a consultant to the popular BBC TV programme, Antiques Roadshow. "I had to authenticate an unsigned Cartier piece - a sapphire and diamond brooch - which was very exciting," she says.
After a spell as a freelance jewellery consultant and lecturer, Corcoran and her family relocated to North Co Dublin three years ago, and, finding the Celtic Tiger in mid-roar, she decided to set up a bespoke jewellery design service, using her years of expertise and contacts in the trade.
"I sit down with the client and we create the design together and I then come back to the client with a hand-painted image of the piece, seen from different angles." The design is then made up by Bond Street-trained jewellers. "They're the best in the world," Corcoran says.
The turn-around time on a bespoke piece is surprisingly short. Corcoran took just six weeks to design and deliver to an Irish client a stunning necklace made with a mix of 50 yellow, pink and blue quarter-carat sapphires.
The gems she uses are sourced from the same dealers used by Cartier and Graff. They are certified "conflict-free", and can be traced from the mine to the customer. "My diamond dealers are all members of the London diamond bourse."
Engagement rings are the backbone of Corcoran's business, as increasing numbers of Irish women search for something unique and personal. "The average spend is around €7,000, and people are going for classical diamond rings," she says. "Platinum was the most popular choice for the band, but yellow gold is coming back."
Corcoran is keen to dispel the notion that bespoke jewellery is the preserve of an elite: "I don't want people to think that going bespoke will be beyond their range." She aims to ensure that her clients "receive the best quality for their budget." With years of experience with LVMH and Tag Heuer as well as Cartier, and and a top-drawer contacts book at her disposal, Corcoran is herself something of a gem.