Kiwi businesswoman tells 'MY JEWELS DON'T COST THE EARTH'

This Christchurch gem is reducing waste and creating jobs with her precious treasures

- HAYLEY MCLARIN

How much money would it take to change your life? For Rosie Shelton, it wasn’t millions or even thousands – it was a mere $250.

When the outgoing Christchurch woman went on the Aussie game show Deal Or No Deal with a friend, they won $500 and split it down the middle. Her mate desired new shoes, but Rosie wanted some jewellery that would give her a life-long memory of that crazy time she was on TV – yet no piece of bling really fitted the bill.

“I was looking for something that was meaningful and special – more than just being a pretty piece,” the 34-year-old tells Woman’s Day. “There was nothing that was showcasing who was making it or the story behind it. It got me thinking and spurred a move to Bali.”

Rosie had studied fashion and apparel design at Massey University in Wellington, and went on to be a product developer for a leading surf brand in Australia, but she soon became disillusioned with the world of fast fashion.

She explains, “I really enjoyed my role. I was working as the middleman between designers and the production houses. While I loved that, and loved having those connections and relationships, I would go into the stores and felt something was missing.”

After winning that $250 and shifting to Bali, Rosie decided to launch her own artisan jewellery range that would showcase where it came from, which saw her researching local craftsmen and doggedly saving enough money to work with them.