Cece Fein Hughes wears her heart on her sleeve, or, more precisely, on her fingers and around her neck. The London-based jeweler expresses herself—and her clients—in lyrical imagery of romance, fairy tales, and nature, all hand-crafted on canvases of enamel and gold.
Each of her creations is the result of a careful process that begins with a painting—a fantastical scene or whimsical icon born of vivid imagination and childlike wonder. Fein Hughes’s finely detailed watercolor is then transformed into a miniature work of art by master artisans in London’s historic jewelry-making center, Hatton Garden. Crafted with champlevé—a Byzantine-era technique whereby metal is engraved, then painted with powdered-glass enamel—each illustration comes to life in vivid, one-of-a-kind color.
After the custom hue is applied, the work in progress is fired in a kiln to form enamel, which is then fused with 18-karat gold. A satin-like, glowing finish is achieved through careful polishing, after which the designs are embellished with delicate diamonds, gemstones, and tiny pearls.
What follows is pure, wearable fantasy—talismans telling rich and meaningful tales: lovers’ lockets, pendants, and signet rings bearing scenes of lucky clovers or secret gardens, slithering snakes or fluttering butterflies, hearts aflame or cherubs in flight.
Fein Hughes’s inspirations are many, derived from childhood summers spent in pastoral Devon—where she was immersed in the English moorland’s folklore—as well as her family of free-thinking creatives. Her father, a deep-sea diver whose arms are covered in tattoos, serves as a special muse, influencing depictions of nautical imagery such as swallows, mermaids, and diamond constellations. “There’s something romantic about nautical tattoos,” Fein Hughes says. “I think of my designs as contemporary tattoos.”
Cece Jewellery’s hand-engraved Insignia Pendant’s diamond dial rotates to choose the wearer’s muse of the moment: the formidable lion, the lovestruck cherub, the free-spirited sparrow, the graceful whale.
Fein Hughes searches for unique heart-shaped diamonds for her handmade 18-karat gold pendant necklaces.
A sparrow in flight, inspired by an illustrated children’s book, graces a pendant and signet ring, surrounded by diamonds and enhanced with hand-etched engravings of stars and anchors.
Fein Hughes’s modern-day heirlooms are often the result of collaboration blending clients’ memories and mementos with her own. “I get to know a client, listen to their stories, and interpret their vision,” the designer says. A recent commission for Taylor Swift rendered the musician’s beloved blue-eyed feline Benjamin Button on a signet ring, surrounded by a halo of diamonds. On either side, an enflamed heart pierced by two swords was marked with 78 and 13, two numbers of significance to Swift. Other custom creations embody more personal sentiments: A modern family crest represents generational pride; a serene landscape reminds the wearer of home; a dragon and phoenix symbolize strength, passion, kindness, and grace.
Fein Hughes’s own ring, meanwhile, bears another personal symbol of great import: a wild-maned lion, topped with a diamond-studded crown. “It’s a sign of courage and fierceness, and a reminder to always be brave.”
For bespoke commissions, Cece Fein Hughes will meet with clients in London to bring their vision to life. Another reason to visit: In late 2025, Auberge Resort Collection’s Cambridge House opens at one of the city’s most storied addresses.
