by Catalogs.com Info Guru Oliver Vandervoort

Whether you are shopping for yourself or for a special someone, finding a nice piece of jewelry is always a pretty safe bet.

The real question is what kind of jewelry you actually want to go out and purchase. Some people want to go with a particular style and others love a very specific kind of designer. If you are Canadian or love Canadian craftsmanship, perhaps you want to find out some of the best and more interesting designers from that region. Most of the time, finding something that specific can be a bit of a challenge so we’ve gone ahead and done the research for you. Without further ado, we bring you the top ten famous Canadian jewelry designers.

10. Henry Birks

Henry Birks may not be the first designer you think of when you think jewelry and Canada, but he might be one of the longest lasting names in the jewelry design business. Birks first set up shop in Montreal in 1879 and his company Maison Birks is still going strong.

9. Niki Kavakonis

If you’re looking for a more modern Canadian jewelry designer, you really don’t have to look any farther than Niki Kavakonis. Niki studied architecture as well as jewelry design and she has blended those two studies quite nicely in her work.

8. Danielle Stirling

Danielle Stirling isn’t someone who has her own shop, but rather works with various jewelry stores selling her pieces. Stirling is actually someone who works more with custom order pieces but there are various online and brick and mortar stores that deal with some of her already made necklaces, bracelets and rings.

7. Camilla Jørgensen

Jewelry aficionados might not know the name Camilla Jørgensen as well as they do the line of jewelry she is behind. While she is dutch born, Camilla Jørgensen has long been based in Montreal and is the lead designer with the jewelry company MICALLA. The line most often thought of when talking about this company is chunky necklaces as well as crystal cuffs. MICALLA produces both find and costume jewelry.

6. Corrine Anestopolous

Corrine Anestopolous is the Toronto based designer who has put together the line of jewelry known as Biko. Anestopolous handcrafts every piece of jewelry that Biko puts out. The accessories tend to be those that are made using metals, charms and stones the artist has come across in her travels and work life.

5. John Hardy

John Hardy formed his jewelry company in 1989 and while he is Canadian born, he’s managed to set up different offices all over the world. Hardy’s collection is considered quite high end.

4. Jessie Turner

Jessie Turner hasn’t been around as long as some of the designers, but she has managed to make quite a name for herself since she got her start in 1998. This designer, who got her start in Vancouver, specializes in more traditional pieces in gold and silver pieces. Over the years, she has won a number of design awards.

3. Shelly Purdy

Shelly Purdy started her company in 1991 in downtown Toronto and now is well known around the world. Like other designers on this list, she works mostly in gold and silver, but she will work with other materials if she has been contracted to make a unique piece.

2. Laura Marshall

Laura Marshall has managed to combine her love of art and fashion in a very real way. What really makes her stand out from the rest is you might have to go traveling quite a ways to get one of her pieces. All of her brick and mortar stores are located in Alberta.

1. Charlotte Hosten

Charlotte Hosten is a Montreal based designer who makes pieces that will make any outfit look fancy and ready to hit the town. She will also put together a custom piece should your mood and your wallet move you to pursue one.