Karen Walker's jewellery launches at Start

This week, designer Karen Walker launched her jewellery collection in the UK. Walker's magical medley of precious stones and metals are distributed via a vast cast of international stockists and online shops, but it only became available to buy offline here in the UK on Tuesday June 19, and only from east London's Start boutique.

Previously, Ms Walker teamed up with UK high street chain New Look for a season and provided them with a fun selection of costume jewellery. Her own collection is much more grown up than those offerings and bear a much more authentic Walker stamp - literally, alongside the hallmark, Walker's initials are engraved onto every piece.

Like her clothing, Karen's accessories reveal her humour and the way she enjoys to play with contemporary icons. For the current season, Karen complements her mainline collection entitled 'Victory Garden' with solid silver charms of bunches of carrots, watering cans, pea pods, alongside Walker's established icon, Runaway Girl and circus-style lions jumping through hoops as well as quirky ciggy butts encrusted with jewels. Walker's autumn 07 collection is 'Karen To The Rescue' and it celebrates super heros and 1950s cartoons - the jewellery range has incorporated robot charms with moving arms and legs. Charms can be bought on pendent chains and there's a variety on offer including some belting belchers.

There are two aspects to the range. Start stocks a selection of off-the-peg (so to speak!) pieces which you can take home the same day. In addition, the boutique is also offering a made-to-order service where customers can construct their own individual pieces choosing from a range of metals (white gold, yellow gold, rose gold and platinum) and stones (regular and black diamonds, pearls, topaz, garnet, smoky quartz and citrine). For example, you can get Karen's haunting owl ring made in any metal with any mixture of stones. Every piece is made in New Zealand so you can appreciate that the four week waiting period is actually quite impressive. All the precious metal and stones are also sourced from Walker's native country where she works with established suppliers Worth Douglas. This drastically diminishes the possibility of any dodgy dealings or unethical production processes (which are as we know is rife in the diamond trade).

As well as complete pieces, there are also pieces that can evolve. Charm bracelets can be built up incrementally, you can add stones to her stunning cluster rings to mark the birth of child, wedding anniversary or whatever special occasion you wish to commemorate. As with all Karen's designs, she has been meticulous in her attention to detail. This is reflected in the prices which start from £75 for a charm. A complete charm bracelet in silver costs £680 and £3,000 in gold, silver star earrings are £100. Have to say though, the pieces are so beautifully designed and made that as well as being delightful to wear, they can make great little investments.

Karen Walker jewellery will go on sale to the pubic at Start on July 4 2007.

Words: Marian Buckley