The GoldDust Podcast: The Business of Jewellery
Episode 4: Susannah King | Building a Global Jewellery Brand Through Community, Creativity and Social Media
Susannah King has built one of the UK's most recognisable independent jewellery brands by doing almost everything differently. Without a traditional marketing plan, she grew a global audience through TikTok by simply sharing her creative process, personality and the realities of running a jewellery business.
In this conversation, we explore the unexpected path behind her success, from an unconventional childhood and making silver spoons at university to building a brand known for its bold, colourful and highly personal designs. Susannah shares how viral content transformed her business, why authenticity has become her greatest marketing tool, and how trusting her instincts has helped her stand out in an increasingly crowded industry.
We also discuss the importance of developing a recognisable creative voice, embracing opportunities as they come, and why building a successful jewellery business doesn't have to mean following the traditional route.
What we cover in this episode:
• Growing an international jewellery business almost entirely through TikTok
• Turning millions of video views into paying customers and bespoke commissions
• Why authenticity consistently outperforms polished marketing
• Finding your signature style without copying what's already selling
• The ‘joy-payoff’ - how using alternative materials gave her the edge
• The realities of building a successful brand without following the traditional jewellery industry path
• What independent jewellers can learn about content creation without becoming "content creators"
Episode Summary:
Building a jewellery brand without following the rules
Susannah King has built one of the UK's most recognisable independent jewellery brands by trusting her instincts rather than following convention. Known for her colourful gemstones, sculptural gold settings and distinctive aesthetic, she has attracted a global audience through social media while creating a loyal community of customers who value originality over tradition.
In this episode of the GoldDust Podcast, Kate Baxter sits down with Susannah to discuss the journey behind her business, from growing up in a family of jewellers to creating a brand that has become synonymous with alternative engagement rings, unusual materials and an unmistakable creative identity.
How TikTok transformed her jewellery business
Unlike many jewellery brands, Susannah never approached social media with a carefully planned marketing strategy. Instead, she began sharing honest, unpolished videos of herself making jewellery, talking to camera and inviting people behind the scenes of her workshop.
Those videos resonated with millions of viewers, transforming TikTok into the biggest driver of her business. In this conversation, she explains why authenticity consistently outperforms polished content and why independent jewellers shouldn't be afraid to show their personality online.
Alternative engagement rings and breaking industry conventions
Susannah's work challenges many of the traditional ideas surrounding bridal jewellery. Rather than relying solely on conventional gemstones, she has become known for experimenting with unusual materials, including lab grown gemstones and LuAG, a vibrant green material originally developed for laser technology.
She explains why she chooses materials based on colour, creativity and emotion rather than convention, and discusses why transparency matters far more than whether a gemstone is natural or lab grown.
Building a recognisable creative style
One of the recurring themes throughout the conversation is the importance of developing your own creative voice. Susannah reflects on how growing up in a family of jewellers gave her a strong technical foundation while also creating a desire to forge her own path.
From her sculptural wax-carved settings to her intuitive approach to bespoke commissions, she shares how originality has become the defining characteristic of both her jewellery and her business.
Opening a jewellery shop after online success
After building a huge online audience, Susannah took the next step by opening her first London boutique. She speaks candidly about the challenges of creating a physical space that truly reflected her brand, the pressure she felt before opening the doors, and how meeting customers in person has become one of the most rewarding parts of her business.
The conversation explores how retail can strengthen relationships with clients and why creating the right feeling is often more important than creating the perfect space.
Lessons for independent jewellery designers
Throughout the episode, Susannah shares practical advice for designers building their own brands, from overcoming the fear of posting on social media to trusting your intuition and embracing opportunities before you feel completely ready.
Whether you're interested in jewellery design, branding, social media or the future of alternative bridal jewellery, this conversation is full of honest insights from one of the industry's most original creative voices.
And finally, Susannah shares her ‘gold dust’ advice for new independent jewellers starting out in 2026
About Susannah King
Susannah King is the founder and creative director of Susannah King London, an independent fine jewellery brand renowned for its sculptural gold settings, vibrant coloured gemstones and distinctive approach to contemporary jewellery.
Known for creating alternative engagement rings and one-of-a-kind pieces, Susannah combines traditional goldsmithing techniques with an instinctive, highly personal design process. Her work challenges conventional ideas of fine jewellery, embracing unusual materials, organic forms and bold colour to create pieces that feel joyful, expressive and deeply individual.
After building a global audience through TikTok and social media, Susannah has grown her business into one of the UK's most recognisable independent jewellery brands, with a London boutique specialising in bespoke commissions and contemporary bridal jewellery.