We love our Local Folk profiles – your go-to for discovering the best wedding vendors Australia has to offer and the creative minds behind them. Today, we’re shining a light on bespoke engagement rings and fine jewellery with one of Sydney’s most sought-after designers.
We caught up with Faith Hilda, founder and creative director of Faith Jewels, in her stunning Sydney Flagship boutique to talk custom engagement rings, meaningful design and the beauty of creating jewellery that tells a love story. With decades of experience across some of Australia’s most prestigious jewellers, Faith has built a fine jewellery maison known for its refined aesthetic, personalised process and globally recognised craftsmanship.
We also enlisted Miko Meeks of Tones & Harmony to capture the space — giving you a behind-the-scenes look at this Sydney jewellery studio and its collection of bespoke engagement rings and heirloom-worthy pieces. You’ll want to make an appointment stat! Take it away, Faith…
Faith Jewels is…
A fine jewellery maison I began 10 years ago, after more than a decade working for Australia’s most prestigious jewellers. My journey started humbly — from making coffee at the back of a Melbourne workshop, to sourcing diamonds, managing production, and eventually running design and boutique teams. With a foundation in architecture from the University of Melbourne, and before that fine art training in Singapore, I bring a unique sensitivity to proportion, balance, and artistry.
What began with little more than a sketchbook and a clear vision has grown into boutiques in Melbourne and Sydney, representation in Paris for our clients in Europe, and a loyal clientele spanning Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong, America and beyond. Through it all, our heart remains in Australia — the place that first gave me the chance to shine.
How would you describe your aesthetic?
Our aesthetic is refined yet personal. Whether a client dreams of something bold or something quietly classic, I design with a sensitivity to proportion, balance, and beauty that comes from years of practicing architecture and fine art. Many of our jewels carry subtle details known only to the wearer – touches of personalisation that make even the most timeless designs feel deeply individual.
What can couples expect when they shop at Faith Jewels?
A deeply personal and bespoke experience that begins with listening. Couples are welcomed into an intimate, creative process: from live sketches drawn in front of them, to the selection of rare gemstones, to seeing their vision take form at the jeweller’s bench. They can expect honesty, artistry, and a jewel that becomes a true chapter of their love story.
They also leave with something no other jeweller provides — a personal hand-sketched of their design drawn to scale, often finished in watercolour or gouache and framed. Many couples treasure these artworks for life, keeping them close as a reminder of their journey and as a symbol of the love their jewel represents.
How did you get into the jewllery design business?
I began my career with some of Australia’s most prestigious jewellers — starting in the workshop and eventually managing sales, design, and entire boutiques. Early in my career, a mentor and master jeweller once told me: “Give it ten years, and you’ll have your own brand.” At the time, I laughed, unable to imagine it — but his words stayed with me.
Ten years later, I had stepped away from the industry – burnt out and facing a difficult chapter as a single mother with another child on the way. It was then that a friend from architecture school asked me to create his engagement ring. When I said I was no longer working for any jeweller, he insisted: “Then start your own. If I’m to have an engagement ring, it must be designed and crafted by you and only you.” That moment of belief, together with the encouragement around me, gave me the strength to launch myself — with little capital, no shop, and no stock — just the decision to begin.
In hindsight, I see the truth in this: we can’t connect the dots looking forward, only backwards. What began in uncertainty has grown into a maison built on love, intuition and the trust of clients who continue to carry our story forward.
What inspires your designs?
Inspiration begins with love and the strength it carries. One of the most defining moments of my career was when my grandmother commissioned me to create a piece of jewellery for her — one of the very first jewels I ever made under my own name. Years later, she passed it down to me, just before she herself passed away. That full-circle moment reminded me that sometimes when we have nothing, we truly have everything: love, memory, and meaning.
That experience stays with me in every design. Jewellery has the power to hold our stories, to carry us through time, and to connect us across generations. It inspires me to keep creating pieces that don’t just adorn, but empower — helping people feel beautiful, confident, and forever connected to the ones they love.
What is the price range of your engagement rings?
Our engagement rings generally begin around AUD $8,000, with most couples choosing something in the $12,000–$30,000 range. For those seeking rare or collector gemstones, we create one-of-a-kind designs at higher levels. Whatever the budget, our focus is always on quality, craftsmanship, and meaning — creating jewels that will be loved for generations.
Any best-selling or most-popular pieces?
Our engagement rings remain at the heart of Faith Jewels – thousands of completely individual, one-of-a-kind designs for couples who have found their way to us over the years. Each piece carries a unique story, crafted with the balance, proportion, and artistry that define our maison.
Beyond engagements, our Bouquet Collection has been hugely popular, with clients customising extraordinary combinations of coloured gemstones and diamonds to reflect their own story. Our Masterpieces — like the Wave, the Volcano, and designs inspired by the elements — have also drawn collectors who seek bold, art-driven creations. And our ready-to-wear collections, such as Whispers of Love and Wildflowers, have sold out multiple times and been reinvented again and again, reaching clients around the world who treasure our distinct design language.
Top tips for couples who are ring shopping?
- Focus on quality over size — a well-cut stone of fine colour and clarity will outshine a larger, lesser one.
- Know your story first — let the design reflect who you are together, not just what’s trending.
- Trust the process — bespoke design is a journey, and the right jeweller will guide you with transparency and artistry.
What are you most proud of when it comes to the Faith Jewels brand?
That everything began through trust — through the kind of word-of-mouth that only comes from truly happy clients. That circle of love and connection has carried us far, rippling out into media features and international recognition, while still keeping us grounded here in Australia.
I’m also deeply proud of the team that surrounds me. We are multiracial, we speak many languages, and we understand the nuances of cultural difference — subtle or bold, quiet or celebratory. We honour every client’s hopes and dreams, and the couples and families who entrust us to create jewels that mark new chapters of life. To be part of that significance, time and again, is the greatest privilege of all.
Where are you based? How big or small is the team?
We are based in Melbourne and Sydney, with a presence in Paris. Our team is intentionally small and dedicated — highly skilled jewellers, designers and client specialists who share my commitment to excellence. Every jewel passes through the hands of our master artisans in Melbourne, ensuring uncompromising quality.
Photos Tones & Harmony
