Founded in 2019, Westhill is an Australian design studio renowned for the quality, authenticity and durability of its works.
With a passion for creativity rooted in Industrial Design, we offer refined pieces from a rational mindset. We think good design should explain itself, so we won't oversell it. Made locally with meticulous attention to detail, and with materials and longevity in mind.
Driven by the creative class, we help our community curate enduring collections and develop a cultured aesthetic. We aim to inspire through meaningful design, and by sharing stories to encourage positive change.
We invest our time in perfecting designs. We obsess over materials and details to produce a collection of timeless styles to elevate the everyday - built to outlast trend cycles, and probably even the wearer. Always accommodating space for the them to embody their own stories. An act of personalisation that's one of the purest ways for us to encourage longevity in our work and promote sustainable practices.
Here for a long time. And a good time ;)
Design
All of the jewellery is designed and developed in our Sydney studio. A background in Industrial Design informs the rational approach we take to form development, creating classic silhouettes infused with our design sensibility and attention to detail.
This creative practise inherently starts with extensive studies into new techniques and methods, before we conceptualise product ideas and prototype. The jewellery is then made-to-order in collaboration with the best local craftsmen, using a blend of modern and traditional handmade techniques. Celebrating skilled small-scale production in Australia, we only work with people that we admire and are proud to be associated with. A dedication that underpins the exceptional quality and authenticity of our work.
Outside of the workshop, the brand provides an opportunity to collaborate with inspiring creatives from artists to writers and everything in between. A process that spurs education and continual growth of our community.
Casting
The wax model is attached to a tree of wax rods, encased in plaster, and left to set hard. From there it spends up to 11 hours in a kiln, until every trace of wax has burned away and only a hollow cavity remains. Solid silver or gold - sourced locally - is poured into that cavity, the same way it's been done for centuries: lost wax casting. Once it's cooled, we break the mould away and cut the piece free. The wax doesn't survive the process. Everything else does
Clean Up
Every piece comes off the casting tree rough - sprues to remove, edges to even out, small inconsistencies to work through. We take it through a series of abrasives by hand until the surface is consistent across the whole piece. Not the most photogenic stage. Necessary all the same.
Stone Setting
Diamonds are bright-cut flush set - a flat graver cuts a crisp, reflective bevel around the stone before the metal is rubbed over it, framing the diamond's geometry and smoothing the transition into the ring's shoulder. Onyx, bloodstone and tiger's eye are bezel set instead: a raised rim wraps fully around the stone, holding it in place while leaving the flat face exposed. Different stones call for different settings - we use whichever the stone actually needs, not whichever's easier.
Polishing
A preliminary buff first, then a final pass, inside and out, for a proper high-lustre finish. From there it's ultrasonic and steam cleaning, then a last quality check before packing and dispatch.
Hand-finished in our Sydney studio, then checked twice before it ships.
The Environment
Longevity
We work with our community to help them curate lifelong collections to be passed down through generations. Encouraging longevity in this way is one of the most effective ways that we can promote sustainable practices.
We enable the wearer to embody their own stories into the piece by offering a range of personalisation services, using solid materials that are durable enough to endure the journey. The goal isn't to make something you'll like this year. It's to make something you'll still be wearing in twenty. Contributing to environmental progression in this way is fundamental to our interpretation of success.
Materials
All of our rings are made to order. It's our way of making sure we create no waste - nothing sitting in a drawer waiting to be discounted.
The brand was originally born out of a belief that we can all be challenged to appreciate an object's materials and where they come from. The details, the form, the traces of different production techniques, and the meticulous refinement that goes into the process.
Believing that 'Made in Australia' should be a badge of honour representing a lifestyle-focused, material driven and socially responsible approach to objects. Helping to build purposeful relationships with an object's materials, source and lifecycle moving forward.
Circular Economy
Our high-grade materials are from local, accredited sources. In Australia, there is enough Silver and Gold within the circular economy that there is little need to mine for more and put further strain on the Earth's natural resources. Unfortunately, the same can't be said about other continents in the world where small-scale gold mining accounts for a large portion of global mercury pollution. Highlighting the need for conscious decisions from consumers about our collective product choices.
If one day, someone no longer wants their ring then the material can be returned into the system, refined and re-created into jewellery for the next person to enjoy.
Growth
We are a brand for those who care about people, the planet, and the impact our collective decisions make. Always looking to cultivate the communities around us wherever we can.
The journey to reduce our environmental impact is ongoing. Consistently educating ourselves with an open mind and conceptualising ways to move forwards in a positive direction. We always welcome open dialogue with our customers and encourage you to reach out anytime with questions or ideas.