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After life-changing field trips to Sri Lanka and Tanzania, she realised, “Our lives and livelihoods, though worlds apart, are inextricably linked with the miners through gold and gemstones – and I, for one, want that link to be a positive one. So, when it came to starting my own jewellery brand, The Rock Hound, in 2015, having this duty of care was at the heart of all my decisions.”

Since launching her brand in 2015, she has won multiple industry accolades, including being named Creative Designer of the Year 2024 at this year’s UK Jewellery Awards.

Susi Smither, also known as The Rock Hound, is East London’s Gemmologist Jeweller. With over fifteen years of experience in the jewellery trade, Susi has honed her skills, beginning with bench training in Hatton Garden and culminating in the honour of becoming a Freeman of The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths in 2023.

Although she grew up surrounded by her parents' mineral collection, it wasn't until studying for her Diploma in Gemmology at The Gemmological Association of Great Britain that Susi discovered her true passion. Captivated by the combination of scientific curiosity and the aesthetically beautiful natural wonders, her fascination with gemstones and crystals was ignited.

The Rock Hound is known for transforming responsibly sourced raw materials into bold, colourful jewellery that pays homage to natural gemstones and crystals. A self-confessed gem geek, Susi is fascinated by the form of natural crystals. Selecting the finest examples, she uses the lost wax casting process to create moulds, then recreates each piece in solid precious metal, focusing the eye on their inherent natural beauty by highlighting striations, etch marks, and growth patterns. By combining state-of-the-art technology with a technique that dates back thousands of years, The Rock Hound is able to experiment with the scale of surface textures, zoning in on even the minutest details. Adding a kaleidoscopic splash of her trademark nano ceramic to each piece results in bold, eye-catching jewellery unlike any other.

Holding ethical principles at the core of her jewellery brand, Susi brings aesthetics to ethics. All her pieces are handcrafted in London using responsibly sourced gemstones and metals, including Fairmined Gold and silver salvaged from medical X-rays.

2% of The Rock Hound’s sales are donated to charity.