Jeweller's success in US has the ring of authenticity

THE recession has helped a new generation of entrepreneurs to cast off the "Scottish cringe" according to an Edinburgh-born jeweller who runs her own design studio in New York.

Maeve Gillies, who set up her own business five years ago making engagement rings in the Big Apple, said Scots targeting overseas markets were shedding the alleged "cultural inferiority" and were capitalising on their Celtic heritage.

Gillies, who will be speaking at the Going For Growth event in Dumfries on Thursday, said: "There has been a shift in the mood of modern-day Scotland. The recession has been good in that it has attached value to products that have an authentic story."

Gillies – who was previously head of design for Domino, Europe's largest platinum jewellers – has sold 2,000 rings in the past two years and now employs nine staff, with a network of 100 retailers selling her products. The rings have proved popular with a US audience because of their Celtic designs.

At Thursday's event in Dumfries, which has been organised by the Linking Entrepreneurs initiative, funded by Scottish Enterprise and run by Fusion, businesses from the south of Scotland will hear from speakers including technology entrepreneur Ian Ritchie and former Scotland rugby player Doddie Weir, who is now commercial director of wastewater firm Hutchinson Environmental.