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.

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 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.
The Latest

The retailer is bringing Rolex Certified Pre-Owned watches to five U.S. cities in 2026 for collectors to see, try on, and purchase.

The actress and entrepreneur stars in the jeweler’s new campaign that celebrates life’s quiet moments.

The price of gold has risen, affecting the number of pieces designers make, the materials they use, and how they position themselves.

As gold prices rise, today’s retailers are looking for alternatives at prices that will appeal to wider audiences.

The jewelry retailer is zeroing in on Zales, Jared, Kay Jewelers, and Blue Nile as it looks to create unique brand identities for each.


Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, a development economist, will head the fund created to help Botswana diversify its economy.

Sotheby’s has appointed the former Phillips executive as its global head of private sales and retail in its watches division.

With the trade and customer trust in mind, GIA® developed NextGem™ – on-demand training designed specifically for retail.

A private collection of five Paraíba tourmalines also will be up for sale at Sotheby’s High Jewelry auction in New York, scheduled for June 16.

From Gen Z’s view of luxury to “doom spending,” these are the six consumer trends to note this year.

The show started by honoring Mildred Marcano, ended with a tearful Beth Anne Bonanno, and recognized a dozen-plus designers in between.

The revamped online diamond marketplace will feature pricing intelligence and data-driven tools for more efficient buying and selling.

The miner said demand for higher-quality emeralds is stable, but there is notable caution in the market.

This year’s inductees include second-, third-, and fourth-generation jewelers.

The author, speaker, and entrepreneur will give his presentation, “Spiritual Billionaire,” on Saturday morning.

Three-time Grammy award-winning artist Nelly is set to perform at the annual event at Tao Beach on Sunday night.

Signet will integrate the online-only, natural diamond-focused jeweler into Blue Nile, which it wants to position as a higher-end retailer.

The lab’s proprietary diamond cut grade has been expanded to include the popular fancy shape.

This year, it’s what could happen outside of show hours that worries JSA Executive Vice President Scott Guginsky.

High-end fashion houses know how to emotionally connect with customers online. Retail jewelers should take note, Emmanuel Raheb writes.

The designers are the third cohort of mentees from the show’s Belonging @ Couture mentorship program.

Buying discipline at trade shows starts with clarity about your inventory levels, Smith writes.

The trade show’s education series returns, with sessions on retail trends, AI, watches, marketing, corporate responsibility, and more.

The Curated Designer Project has expanded to highlight eight independent jewelry designers during CBG’s Las Vegas show.

Bring a cool tone to your summer jewelry with these white metal pieces.

The deal closed this week, which means Instore will produce the JA NY show slated to take place this fall.

The company’s jewelry sales were up in Q4 and the fiscal year, with Richemont raising prices in part because of the cost of gold.



























