Fearless Transitions: How ANTON Jewellery is Australia’s High Jewellery Tastes

For five decades, the ANTON family has been building a luxury jewellery empire that is somewhat at odds with the traditional tastes of their fellow countrymen and women. Although not the easiest market to crack, ANTON Jewellery has developed a reputation as a tastemaker and collector’s hotspot, located in the prestigious Chadstone Shopping Centre in Melbourne. Today, it’s second-generation creative director, Sesil Arzadian, who is steering the ship and celebrating a successful course correction from bridal specialist to colourful creator of statement gemstone pieces. Rather than being pressured into accepting laboratory-grown diamonds as the new status quo, she pivoted her family business into a new era of jewellery whilst honouring creativity and craftsmanship. Here’s what you need to know…

I met Sesil Arzadian on my recent visit to Australia at her company’s flagship boutique in Melbourne. Throughout the day, I was shown pieces with significant stones, exceptional diamonds, weighty pearls, and extra-large coloured gemstones that have clearly been created for individuals with a passion for jewellery and a desire to stand out. The quality of the finished products suggest that this company has been designing in this way throughout its history. With a long-standing reputation for exceptional bridal jewellery, ANTON has continued to evolve alongside the Australian jewellery landscape. As the market shifted and new categories emerged, the brand saw an opportunity to further express its creativity, expanding into more design-led fine and high jewellery. The result is a distinctive aesthetic that combines ANTON’s established craftsmanship ethos with their diamond and gemstone expertise.   

Sesil is nurturing a new generation of jewellery enthusiasts and collectors, bringing fresh energy, confidence and creativity to the Australian fine jewellery landscape. One thing is certain, she isn’t afraid to do things boldly. Simply put, she’s a fearless and an inspiring lady!

What I loved most about Sesil was her forthrightness. She spoke honestly and is on a mission to reach people through captivating trunk shows, bespoke experiences, unique, one-of-a-kind designs, investment worthy diamonds and gemstones. 

Sesil understands that the Australian audience tends to lean towards a conservative approach, but she is still staying true to her aesthetic with wearable artworks that have real flair. You will notice in my photographs there is a particular suite of opal jewels that I simply fell in love with, as well as a selection of emerald cocktail rings that would fit beautifully in any high jewellery collection. Now that you’ve been properly introduced, I’d like to hand the digital microphone to Sesil, who can tell you more about her vision in her own words. Here are the highlights from our interview…

Katerina Perez: Can you tell me more about your approach to diamonds and coloured gemstones? What are your sourcing strategies and what stones do you choose to work with?

Sesil Arzadian: We’ve always worked exclusively with natural diamonds and gemstones. It’s something I feel very strongly about. I love that every natural stone is completely unique and has its own character and story.

As a family business, we’ve built trusted relationships with suppliers from around the world, and those relationships are incredibly important to us. I travel regularly to source stones from all over the world from our trusted partners and those that my family have been dealing with for generations. They know I’m always looking for something exceptional, whether that’s a diamond, a beautiful coloured gemstone or simply a piece that catches my eye.

For me, it’s not always about finding the biggest or most perfect stone. It’s about sourcing stones with beauty, rarity and personality, something that inspires me, but also something I can imagine becoming part of a client’s story. The strategy is simple, the customer is always at the forefront of what we do, from the stones we source through to the pieces we create.

KP: How would you describe your design philosophy?

SA: My design philosophy has always been about balance. I love creating pieces that feel opulent yet effortless, daring yet timeless. Jewellery should have presence and make a statement, but it should also feel completely at home on the person wearing it.

Every ANTON piece is considered down to the smallest detail. There is always a story or meaning behind what we create, even within our ready-to-wear collections. R.08, for example, has become one of our most recognisable signatures. The name represents ‘rock infinite’, and for us it speaks to something enduring, a design that can evolve over time while always remaining part of the ANTON story.

That duality is something I’m always drawn to, designing pieces that stand out, while still feeling personal, wearable and completely individual to you. Ultimately, we want to create jewellery that is unmistakably ANTON, but becomes unmistakably yours once you wear it.

KP: For my readers around the world, what can you tell us about the Australian fine and high jewellery market and how do your choices help ANTON Jewellery stand out?

SA: The Australian fine jewellery market is quite unique. Clients here tend to be very considered in the way they purchase jewellery. They’re looking for quality, longevity and pieces that genuinely resonate with them, rather than simply following a trend. I think that has shaped the way we approach jewellery at ANTON.

We built our reputation in bridal, which remains such an important part of our story, however over the years we’ve continued to evolve alongside our clients. We began introducing more colour, bolder designs and increasingly exceptional investment worthy gemstones.

Today, our high jewellery collection has become a defining expression of ANTON and our evolving identity as an Australian jewellery house. I love sourcing unusual stones and creating pieces that encourage our clients to be a little more adventurous, whether that’s an unexpected combination of colour, or a design with a stronger sense of individuality.

What I find exciting is that Australian clients are becoming increasingly confident in expressing themselves through jewellery. They may still be considered in their purchases, but when they find something they connect with, they appreciate exceptional quality, craftsmanship and value.

For us, it has never been about choosing between bridal, ready-to-wear or high jewellery. It’s about understanding our customer and continually evolving with them, while introducing them to something they may not have seen or considered before. Jewellery is inherently emotional, it can celebrate a moment, evoke a memory, express individuality or simply create a feeling of joy.  

KP: Presumably, though, there is a small contingent of Australian men and women who buck the trend and want to own beautiful jewellery. Do you strive to cater to this group, no matter how small?

SA: Absolutely. There is a wonderful appreciation for exceptional jewellery in Australia, and part of what we love to do at ANTON is introduce people to pieces they may not have considered before.

I think we have a strong ability to inspire confidence when it comes to wearing more expressive jewellery. That might be a bold cocktail ring or a significant one-of-a-kind piece. Sometimes it’s simply about seeing and experiencing a piece in person, something you may never have imagined wearing can suddenly feel completely right.

For us, it’s also about showing that beautiful jewellery doesn’t need to be reserved for a particular occasion. It can be collected over time, worn in different ways and become part of someone’s life.

Our role is not simply to respond to what people are looking for, but to inspire them and introduce them to what they might fall in love with next.

KP: Does this play into your approach to events and client experiences?

SA: For me, jewellery has always been about much more than the piece itself, it’s about the relationships and the memories that surround it. Throughout the year, we create a series of intimate experiences, from our annual private high jewellery presentation, where exceptional pieces are showcased by appointment, to smaller more intimate lunches and dinners. I also host an International Women’s Day event each year, which has become a very special tradition for us.

What’s important to me is that business never feel’s purely transactional, it’s about bringing people together, sharing knowledge and creating a genuine sense of connection and trust with our clients that become our friends.

My goal is to make ANTON feel like a world you’re invited into, not simply a place where you come to buy jewellery.  

KP: Do you have any plans for international expansion?

SA: We’ve established a successful trunk show model across Australia and I see a natural opportunity to take that experience internationally.

For me, expansion isn’t simply about having a presence in more markets, it’s about giving our international clientele access and introducing ANTON to new markets in a way that feels authentic to who we are. Our trunk show model allows us to do that beautifully, they’re intimate and give people the opportunity to experience us, our jewellery, our craftsmanship and our approach to service firsthand.

KP: What does the next chapter of ANTON look like to you?

SA: The next chapter is about continuing to evolve ANTON while staying true to everything that has brought us here. We have an incredible family legacy, but there is still so much more to build. For me, this is just the beginning.

It’s true that Australia isn’t necessarily the first place we think of when the topic of exceptional fine and high jewellery is introduced. Although perhaps that traditional mindset should change? In Melbourne, I encountered a brand with the warmth and passion that only comes from a family lineage, coupled with a desire to create, set high standards and innovate despite a market that is prone to stillness and conservatism. I hope ANTON Jewellery is now on your radar, whether you are planning a trip Down Under or simply admiring from afar on social media.