O
urs is the era of the neck mess, that personalised curation of chains and charms that adorns the décolletage of pretty much every woman I know, telling her story by way of an array of hanging objets.
What I have before me today, as I sit having coffee with the jewellery designer Alexandra Jefford, 55, is not a mere neck mess so much as a neck mass. As in, it’s the absolute massimo, the very apogee of what a neck mess can be, with its stunning assortment of shapes — from the sculpturally abstract to a cloud, an eye, an Om, a snake. Each are distinctively rendered and often glistening with diamonds.
No wonder Jefford’s bespoke creations have been seen on women such as Nicole Kidman. Another devotee of her eponymous brand, which she launched in 2004, is Ruth Chapman, the soignée co-founder of the now late, much lamented, Matches Fashion. “Alex is quite simply the most original fine jewellery designer working anywhere today,” says Chapman, who has been buying from her for 18 years. “I am constantly asked about her pieces when I wear them. There is such a deep artistry to them.”
Iguana Pickle talisman, in 18-carat gold
