Celebrating Up Helly Aa

We’re celebrating Up Helly Aa in spirit with our fellow islanders and wishing we were up in Shetland!

All the best to Guizer Jarl, Stewart Jamieson, and the Guizer Jarl squad for today, and to all the squads, halls and everyone taking part  – may the Galley burn well and the night be long!

Breckon Collection for Up Helly Aa

This year’s Up Helly Aa has a special significance for us. It’s 10 years ago since Sheila designed the Breckon collection for Roy Leask, Guizer Jarl in 2008. The name Breckon comes from the Galley ship. Roy named the Galley after his family’s favourite beach in North Yell, Breckon.

You can see the Breckon pendant in Fire enamel above beside the burning Breckon Galley ship. We also use Fire enamel in the Skara Shard collection, the ring makes a nice set with the Breckon Fire pendant.

The Guizer Jarl

Each year the Guizer Jarl chooses to portray a character from the Norse Sagas. Often the Viking character chosen has a link or particular meaning to the Guizer Jarl and his family. In 2008 Roy’s daughter, Rona, and her family were living in Orkney so Roy chose to be Kol Kalison, the architect of St Magnus Cathedral.

The Cathedral contains three unique stone carvings built into the East Wall and thought to be old alter stones. One of the carvings became the inspiration for the design on the shields carried by Roy and his Guizer Jarl squad.

Sheila interpreted the design into a pendant and earrings in silver and developed a special Shetland Green enamel colour. Daughter Rona looked simply stunning…  The pendant is offered on our website in Peacock (shown above), Ocean Hue and, of course, Fire enamels.

North Sea Waves

Other pieces in the Breckon collection are inspired by the wave shapes in one of the Cathedral carvings. Here are the Breckon rings in Peacock and Pentland enamel colours, reflecting the depth and power of the North Sea waves that brought the Viking galley ships west over sea to Shetland.

And finally, with its Fire colour and waves design the New Wave bracelet below captures the spirit of Up Hella Aa tonight in finely-crafted silver and crystals of molten glass.

Of yore, our firey fathers sped upon the Viking Path;
Of yore, their dreaded dragons braved the ocean in its wrath;
And we, their sons, are reaping now their glory’s aftermath;
The waves are rolling on.

From the Up Helly Aa Song – words by J J Haldane Burgess

Good Luck Shetland for Up Helly Aa 2018!