From Engagement Rings to Necklaces, Laura Miers’s Handwrought Jewellery Is All About the Story

Laura Miers believes jewellery should be seen as sacred objects that tell the wearer’s story. The Sydney-based designer launched her namesake label in 2016, growing a team around her to help execute the brand’s signature pieces and custom designs.

When we catch up with Miers, she’s having a day that “feels like [she’s] on The Amazing Race ”. But that’s just the life of a small business owner – while it can leave her feeling like she’s on an adrenaline-inducing reality TV show, she likes to take things slowly when she can. Intention is the basis of her craft.

A week in Miers’s life can include a mix of days structured around client consultations and being in her Surry Hills studio with her team, as well as moments of quiet – this is when she can really unlock creativity.

“I’m definitely the most creative when I’m on my own,” she says. “We come together as a team and bounce off each other with collective energy. And then I take the time to concentrate on aspects of the business where I need to really knuckle down.”

Storytelling is a big part of what Miers does. “It’s important to embed as much as possible about a customer’s story into each custom piece – especially for engagement rings that can really ground a relationship.” Her own story, too, is rich with detail.

Miers’s father Peter established and ran J&P Miers Jewellery Studio and Gallery on the South Coast of New South Wales in the early ’80s. Originally conceived by Peter and his brother in their parents’ garage in Cootamundra, the project soon became an integral part of the community in Batehaven. Peter was a certified master craftsman and guided multiple jewellers through their careers. He passed away unexpectedly when Miers was a teenager.

She was served a serendipitous moment when she returned home to Bateman’s Bay after travelling in her early twenties, and found her childhood home available to rent. She moved in with her brother Sam and set up in her dad’s old studio. “Sam was making a film at home and he would wake me up at five o’clock every morning. We would go get a coffee and then I’d head to the studio. I was on the bench until 11pm most nights, making all of the mistakes and learning everything I could.”

Growing up in the coastal town has left Miers with a deep affinity for nature. When she’s feeling homesick or a bit stuck in Sydney life, she’ll take a stroll to neighbouring Prince Alfred Park. “There’s a specific tree that’s really taught me how to live in the city. When I’m feeling overwhelmed, I go down and hang out there and think, ‘If this [tree] can exist here, I can exist here’.”

Getting outside and switching up her vision or focus is an important part of Miers’s practice. “If I’ve had a long day on the bench and my body is sort of hunched over, I’ll go for a really long walk. I think it’s important to be able to get cues from your surroundings and let those things feed into work, rather than only ever focusing on what’s directly in front of you.”

If she finds the need to escape beyond the boundaries of her Surry Hills home and studio life, Miers will head down south to the coast or visit friends in Braidwood and Bungendore. “That backcountry area around Canberra feels really regenerative – it grounds me.”

On top of running her business, Miers is also currently studying gemology. “A really big interest of mine is sourcing particular gemstones that are going to hold the spirit of the wearer,” she says. Adding evening classes into her schedule means Miers’s weeks have gotten even busier, so it’s important for her to stay on top of things while making sure not to get too overwhelmed.

Her slow focus also extends to her caffeine intake throughout the day. “I don’t like to have coffee as soon as I wake up or even be on my phone. The first hour of the day should be as calm as possible,” she shares. “Coffee is for when I need to start getting shit done. Or if I need to stay awake late at night to finish a project.”

Her team has also developed a ritual where they spend the first 15 minutes of each day having a coffee together, sharing stories and offloading a bit before they get into it. “It forms a really nice flow for the day.”

When she needs an afternoon caffeine pick-me-up, Suntory BOSS Coffee’s Iced Double Espresso is her cold drink of choice. She also turns to cooking to help de-stress. Today, the Laura Miers Jewellery home studio smells like fresh lilies, and lamb being cooked low and slow for dinner.

“It’s my signature meal. I’ll pop it in the oven in the morning and throughout the day it cooks away. Sometimes customers come in and are like, ‘Oh wow’ … it’s all part of the experience,” she laughs.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Suntory BOSS Coffee.