We feel so lucky to create jewellery inspired by Shetland’s landscape, history, and people — and to collaborate with such talented artists along the way. Looking back at the past year, we wanted to share our top five best sellers, along with a couple of honourable mentions.
1. Avril Thompson-Smith x Shetland Jewellery
The most popular pieces in this collection are the small round pendant and the mini round studs.
We teamed up with Avril for this stunning collaboration, and it’s been so exciting to see how well the collection has been received. Avril created drawings in her distinctive style, featuring a traditional Shetland croft house and colourful wildflowers. These were then crafted by Sophie and cast in silver (and gold!).
When Avril visited our workshop, we spent the afternoon deciding which colourways to include. Each piece of jewellery is hand-painted with enamel, making it like a tiny wearable painting. It was such a privilege to work alongside Avril — showing her how to paint with resin and getting a close look at her artistic process.
👉 [Explore the Avril x Shetland Jewellery collection here]
2. Stacking Ring Classes
Our stacking ring classes are a perfect mix of creativity and fun. It’s amazing watching people come out of their shells during the sessions. Many arrive saying they’re “not very artistic” or “not sure they’ll be good at this” — but everyone leaves with a beautiful, personalised set of handmade rings.
Each design is completely unique, and we’re there to guide and encourage every step of the way. It’s more than just a class — it’s an experience to treasure.
👉 [Book your stacking ring class here]
3. Busta House Earrings
This collaboration with the beautiful Busta House Hotel is close to our hearts (and yes, the tattie skins there really are unreal!).
The earrings are designed as a mismatched pair: one features the iconic Busta House, while the other shows a moon. They’re finished with our signature sky-coloured enamel, available in three colourways: starry Midnight Sky, calm pink Dawn, or our very popular Mirrie Dancers — inspired by the aurora borealis.
We’re lucky to see the northern lights during Shetland’s long, dark winters. I even spotted them once from the garden at Busta House during a staff meal!
👉 [See the Busta House earrings here]
4. St. Ninian's Isle Ring
This particular design is part of a collection inspired by the St Ninian's Isle Treasure — a hoard of Celtic silver jewellery, church silver, and other items found on St Ninian’s Isle, Shetland, in 1958.
This is one of Jack Rae’s original Celtic ring designs, and we love to see that it is still a firm favourite! The Celtic knot design also features in many more of our products, including narrower and wider rings, charm barrels, and more.
👉 [View the St Ninian’s Isle collection here]
5. Wishbone Ring Keeper
This clever design means you can quickly and safely remove your rings and wear them around your neck. Whether you’re washing dishes, at the gym, or even working with sheep in the cro, you’ll never misplace them — and you’ll still be wearing them close to your heart.
👉 [Shop the Wishbone Ring Keeper here]
Honourable Mention
Our top five is based on online sales, but we also supply our trade customers (including JG Rae in Lerwick and shops on the mainland) and welcome many visitors to our busy showroom in Weisdale.
In summer, tour buses often arrive full of people from cruise liners. When they arrive, we take them through the workshop to show them what we do, let them watch us work, and then invite them into the showroom.
Traditional designs from the 1970s are still bestsellers with visitors, proving that timeless style never goes out of fashion. We love the balance between our traditional jewellery designs and our more contemporary work — both online and in-store.
The Quendale Beast
One final mention goes to a very special piece. The Quendale Beast was found on the beach at Quendale, on the south end of the island, in the 1950s. Believed to be part of a horse harness dating back to around 800 AD, it was missing a section. Jack Rae completed the design by adding the “head” of the beast — later verified by historians as a true likeness. Today, it is sold as a replica and remains one of our most treasured historical pieces.
👉 [Discover the Quendale Beast here]
We love seeing which designs resonate with people near and far. Whether it’s our contemporary collaborations, creative classes, or traditional treasures, every piece carries a part of Shetland’s story. We hope you find a design that speaks to you and becomes part of your story too.
