CollectionsJul 15, 2025
Boucheron’s New High Jewelry Calls Attention to Nature’s ImpermanenceCollectionsJul 22, 2025
Jewelry With a Rock ‘n’ Roll Aesthetic Heads to Sotheby’s London
Next week, the auction house will kick off a selling exhibition of jewelry by British artist Hannah Martin and Coldplay’s Guy Berryman.
The “A Vanitas” diamond pieces pictured above will be exhibited and available for sale from July 28 to Sept. 5 at Sotheby’s London.
London—Sotheby’s London is gearing up to exhibit a capsule collection designed by British jeweler Hannah Martin in collaboration with Coldplay bassist Guy Berryman.
Beginning July 28, the auction house will display new variations of the designs in the artists’ “A Vanitas Stoned” collection.
The selling exhibition will feature expanded designs, such as chain necklaces and earrings made in 18-karat yellow gold with pavé diamonds.
Beginning July 28, the auction house will display new variations of the designs in the artists’ “A Vanitas Stoned” collection.
The selling exhibition will feature expanded designs, such as chain necklaces and earrings made in 18-karat yellow gold with pavé diamonds.
The “Dog Tag” earring with diamonds from the “A Vanitas Stoned” collection takes inspiration from a detail found in the early dog tags worn as identification.
The “Razor Dog Tag” pendant with diamonds is designed to be worn alone or layered.
The A Vanitas line, launched by the jewelry designer and musician in 2023, draws inspiration from the 17th-century Vanitas genre of Dutch still-life paintings that were meditations on the fleeting quality of life.
A combination of Martin’s rebellious-meets-refined aesthetic and Berryman’s form-meets-function approach, the collection’s stylized razor blade motif is meant to symbolize the fragility of life.
The designs, which also include a dog tag earring and a razor dog tag pendant, are “a call to arms to make the most of every living moment,” Sotheby’s said.
Prices for the new diamond pieces range from £1,490 to £50,700 ($2,010 to $68,400).
Martin, a graduate of Central Saint Martins who’s been designing for two decades, and Berryman, who has been with Coldplay since the late ‘90s, met a few years ago on a flight from Los Angeles to London when she noticed the bassist wearing one of her early designs.
The two connected, and Berryman shared that he was considering expanding into jewelry for Applied Art Forms, the Amsterdam-based contemporary clothing brand he founded in 2020.
A Vanitas is a collaboration born of the artists’ mutual respect for “elevated design and meticulous craftsmanship,” Sotheby’s said.
“The essence of A Vanitas blends heritage with avant-garde elements inspired by the Dutch Vanitas tradition,” said Martin.
“With a vision to infuse heirlooms with defiance, I aim to craft pieces that are historically rooted yet rebellious—fresh and charged with contemporary spirit. When Guy and I began this creative journey, we sought to create objects that not only adorn but also ignite conversations about the beauty of seizing the moment.”
Each piece made for the collection is designed for all, the brands said.
The A Vanitas Stoned Collection recently debuted in Hong Kong, featuring limited-edition pieces accented with sapphires.
“With A Vanitas receiving such acclaim at its debut in Hong Kong, there was an immediate desire from Hannah, Guy and Sotheby’s to revisit this outstanding project in one of our galleries, and London felt like the best fit, especially given Coldplay’s touring schedule,” said Paul Redmayne, senior vice president for luxury sales of Sotheby’s.
“Working with those two wonderfully original artists again has been a pleasure, finding a new way to grow the A Vanitas story with exquisite new pieces shown for the first time worldwide as part of this showcase. Hannah’s bold and iconoclastic approach to jewelry design is brilliantly rendered across both the brand-new creations and the A Vanitas Stoned collection, which was only ever seen in Hong Kong, making its European debut at Sotheby’s London.”
The A Vanitas diamond designs and some of Martin’s other creations will be available for purchase at Sotheby’s London salon on the ground floor through Sept. 5.
The capsule collection will be displayed alongside the original yellow gold and pearl pieces that launched her collaboration with Berryman in 2023.
A selection of pieces also will be available for sale on the Sotheby’s website.
More on Collections
The Latest
Policies & IssuesNov 14, 2025
U.S., Switzerland Reach Deal That Drops Tariff to 15%The Swiss government announced the deal, which cuts the tax on Swiss imports by more than half, on social media Friday morning.
AuctionsNov 14, 2025
Napoleon’s Diamond Brooch Blows Away Auction Estimates A buyer paid $4.4 million for the piece, which Napoleon wore on his hat for special occasions and left behind when he fled Waterloo.
FinancialsNov 14, 2025
Richemont’s Q2 Jewelry Sales Up 12%Plus, how tariffs and the rising price of gold are affecting its watch and jewelry brands.
Brought to you by
Roseco Releases New Full-Line CatalogRoseco’s 704-page catalog showcases new lab-grown diamonds, findings, tools & more—available in print or interactive digital editions.
Events & AwardsNov 14, 2025
JCK Names New Event DirectorJennifer Hopf, who has been with JCK since 2022, will lead the execution of the long-running jewelry trade show.
Weekly QuizNov 13, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
IndependentsNov 13, 2025
127-Year-Old New Orleans Jeweler to CloseAdler’s Jewelry is set to close its two stores as 82-year-old owner Coleman E. Adler II retires.
IndependentsNov 13, 2025
Green Lake Jewelry Works to Move to New Seattle StudioFounder Jim Tuttle shared how a dedication to craftsmanship and meaningful custom jewelry fueled the retailer’s double-digit growth.
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America Aligns New Mission to Create Meaningful Impact for MembersFrom educational programs, advocacy, and recent MJSA affiliation, Jewelers of America drives progress that elevates businesses of all sizes.
MajorsNov 13, 2025
Vahan Jewelry Founder Leon ‘Sacha’ Der Calousdian Dies at 85The third-generation jeweler is remembered as a passionate creative with a love of art, traveling and sailboat racing.
CrimeNov 12, 2025
Father, Son Jewelers in Chicago Victims in Double Homicide JSA and Cook County Crime Stoppers are both offering rewards for information leading to the arrest of the suspect or suspects involved.
AuctionsNov 12, 2025
‘Mellon Blue’ Diamond Sells for $7M Less Than It Did a Decade AgoA buyer paid $25.6 million for the diamond at Christie’s on Tuesday. In 2014, Sotheby’s sold the same stone for $32.6 million.
AuctionsNov 12, 2025
Historic Rolex Oyster Fetches $1.7M at Sotheby’sMercedes Gleitze famously wore the watch in her 1927 swim across the English Channel, a pivotal credibility moment for the watchmaker.
GradingNov 12, 2025
It’s Time: GIA’s Express Holiday Service Is Back GIA is offering next-day services for natural, colorless diamonds submitted to its labs in New York and Carlsbad.
MajorsNov 10, 2025
Jewelers Focus on Love, Joy In 2025 Holiday Campaigns Tiffany & Co., David Yurman, and Pandora have launched holiday campaigns depicting their jewelry as symbols of affection and happiness.
SurveysNov 10, 2025
5 Things Retailers Should Know About Holiday Shoppers This YearThe National Retail Federation is bullish on the holidays, forecasting retail sales to exceed $1 trillion this year.
AuctionsNov 10, 2025
300+ Colored Diamonds Up for Auction at Christie’sLate collector Eddy Elzas assembled “The Rainbow Collection,” which is offered as a single lot and estimated to fetch up to $3 million.
EditorsNov 07, 2025
Piece of the Week: An MVP’s Sapphire Tennis Necklace At the 2025 World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto sported a custom necklace made by California retailer Happy Jewelers.
IndependentsNov 07, 2025
Foundrae’s New Palm Beach Location Is a ‘Golden Solarium’The brand’s seventh location combines Foundrae’s symbolic vocabulary with motifs from Florida’s natural surroundings.
FinancialsNov 07, 2025
Watches of Switzerland’s H1 Sales Up 8%The retailer also shared an update on the impact of tariffs on watch customers.
SourcingNov 06, 2025
Pink Tourmaline Bracelet, Emerald Suite Take Top Spectrum Honors Pink and purple stones were popular in the AGTA’s design competition this year, as were cameos and ocean themes.
IndependentsNov 06, 2025
Greenwich St. Jewelers Hosts Raffle Supporting Food RescueAll proceeds from the G. St x Jewel Boxing raffle will go to City Harvest, which works to end hunger in New York City.
IndependentsNov 06, 2025
Cornell’s Jewelers Names New PresidentCourtney Cornell is part of the third generation to lead the Rochester, New York-based jeweler.
SourcingNov 06, 2025
De Beers’ Production, Sales Increase in Q3 De Beers also announced more changes in its upper ranks ahead of parent company Anglo American’s pending sale of the company.
WatchesNov 05, 2025
Shinola President Steps Down Just as He Starts Former Signet CEO Mark Light will remain president of Shinola until a replacement for Ulrich Wohn is found.
AuctionsNov 05, 2025
Taylor Swift’s Engagement Ring Designer Makes Her Auction DebutKindred Lubeck of Artifex has three rings she designed with Anup Jogani in Sotheby’s upcoming Gem Drop sale.
FinancialsNov 05, 2025
Pandora Posts Modest Q3 Sales Growth Amid ‘Weak’ Consumer Sentiment The company focused on marketing in the third quarter and introduced two new charm collections, “Pandora Talisman” and “Pandora Minis.”
FinancialsNov 05, 2025
Brilliant Earth’s Q3 Sales Climb 10%The jewelry retailer raised its full-year guidance, with CFO Jeff Kuo describing the company as “very well positioned” for the holidays.
