On the fifth day of our countdown to Christmas, HeraldScotland meets jeweller Euan McWhirter to discuss his year and discover how his 'Lucky Bitches' ring is the perfect foil to the song's token of marriage.

Gold jewellery isn't just the preserve of rich folk, rappers, and the religious - not if contemporary jeweller Euan McWhirter has anything to do with it.

For the material traditionally seen as the material of choice for kings and Kanye West has been given a design-led twist by McWhirter, who has used it to create what is arguably the hero piece of his creative output - the Lucky Bitches ring.

After graduating from Central St Martins, London, the jeweller cut his teeth at prestigious jewellery house Erickson Beamon where he spent a number of years learning about the industry from the inside.

Coupled with the technical knowledge gleaned from his time at university, 2010 saw McWhirter leave the the company to launch his eponymous brand, and has gone on to receive nominations for Accessory Designer of the Year (2010) at the Scottish Fashion Awards, and had a stylish hat doffed in his direction by British fashion journalist Hilary Alexander OBE who picked him as a Bright Young Thing at esteemed trade show International Jewellery London.

Fast forward three years and the designer shows no signs of slowing down.

"The highlight of 2014 was travelling to India where I sourced stones, inspiration and suppliers.

"Then I had my new showroom renovated which took a month and which wasn't so great! It's been a busy year for me."

McWhirter's jewellery includes earrings, cuffs, necklaces and pendants, and the spectrum of design shows real variation from piece to piece. Moonstone, pearl and emeralds feature, but there are more whimsical additions to his portfolio too.

Hubba Bubba, a necklace created by weaving coloured jade spheres into rows, showcases pastel toned beads that reference the world's most famous bubblegum. And elsewhere, one very special piece was born from the most unlikely of inspirations.

"'The 'Lucky Bitches' ring started out as a bit of joke.

"I was watching a French and Saunders parody of Jackie and Joan Collins and thought about designing jewellery for those over the top '80s characters.

"The design quickly became iconic and I've since become known for those colourful cocktail rings. Jewellery can be sentimental, but it can also have a sense of humour."

"I love working with gold. 18ct yellow gold is a lovely buttery colour and a relatively soft material to work with.

"When I'm designing I like to think of how the wearer will feel wearing an item but what makes my work different is the combination of coloured stones I set in gold."

But even during the design process it was surely unlikely that McWhirter could have ever imagined who would go on to wear his interpretation of the classic gold ring Lucky Bitches.

Celebrity aristocracy including Kylie Minogue, Shirley Manson and Laura Bailey have each worn a 'Lucky Bitches' in editorial shoots or during high-profile interviews, Minogue in the rose gold version and Bailey and Manson in jet black.

The original, however, with its Swarovski encrusted shank, hand-cut glass ball and 18ct gold-plated brass form is the original and best-selling ring. It's also, arguably, the most wearable: a statement piece that avoids vying for attention with an outfit, while its delicate detailing ensures it steers clear of the gaudy elements of costume jewellery. Its pricing point is key to its success, too. At £95, this is gold jewellery accessible to the modern woman, an item that can be saved for or the star of a Christmas wish list. Gold rings, it seems, don't necessarily have to mean weddings.

Fitting to his 'twist on a classic' ethos, McWhirter has noticed a change in buying habits when it comes to the purchase of his pieces. Gone are the days where a gold ring would be exclusively bought by a husband for his wife; today's consumer is confident to buy jeweller for themselves.

"Women - and men - are now definitely making more self-purchases nowadays. Young women tend to be more in charge when it comes to buying a piece or having something designed although I'm seeing a lot more men having their old wedding rings revamped for their wife."

Despite a market flooded by disposable presents, McWhirter firmly believes that the gold ring holds its own in the saturated market of Christmas gifts.

"Gold is valued for its colour, beauty and durability, so it's still regarded as a very special gift. If someone buys you a gold ring they might be trying to tell you something!"

And what will Christmas day hold for McWhirter himself?

"The run-up to Christmas is my busiest time so I'll definitely be taking a day off on the big day.

"I don't receive jewellery as a gift because I don't actually wear any myself, but I love making something special for friends and family."

The Liberty Lucky Bitches ring costs £95 from Euan McWhirter. For more information visit www.euanmcwhirter.com