For this blog post, I stumbled across a Dutch jewelry designer who has found his passion for the craft throughout the years having been born into a family of jewellers. Daniel Moesker‘s dream to pursue jewelry design was only realized at the age of 15 – he was largely inspired because both his parents and grandparents were in the industry, and he found the technique of handcrafting designs very interesting.
To give a little context, Daniel’s family has been in the business of jewelry-making since 1938. So you can only imagine the amount of passion that ran in the family for this art, inspiring one generation after the other. It all started when Daniel’s great-grandfather opened a silver factory in Schoonhoven, a Dutch town.Following this, Daniel’s grandparents opened a jewelry store called Veensta Juweliers in a town in The Netherlands as well, after which Daniel’s mother was in charge of the business in 2005.
Soon after, Daniel began his education in jewelry design in 2006 at the Vakschool the Dutch School for Jewellers. Daniel continued to learn about jewelry, specifically about Danish design, after he graduated and completed an internship. He even spent some time in Florence, Italy, to learn about gemstones and gem setting.
After moving back from Florence to The Netherlands in 2010, Daniel’s career was finally launched. He opened his own company, Daniel Moesker Jewellery, where he started by designing small collections and then eventually expanding. It’s interesting to see how quickly Daniel achieved this success – at the very beginning of his career; he attained an international client base. His line was also exhibited at notable events across Germany and London, and he even had agreements with international jewelry retailers to sell his work.
As you’ll see throughout this post though, Daniel’s line isn’t your ordinary line of jewelry – the pieces are quite high-end, and come with a hefty price tag too (some of his designs are actually made to order). Daniel works with 18kt gold, platinum, natural pearls and precious gemstones to create timeless and luxurious pieces.
Here are some of his designs, you’ll notice how some of them include diamonds as well – finishing off the piece with an even more luxurious touch.
This beautiful ring is made from natural pearl, using 18kt gold ring and is surrounded by diamonds. It costs € 9,800.
So far, researching through the countless array of jewelry designers from around the world has been an awesome experience. I really did learn quite a lot about the materials that designers use, how different designers implement them differently across their work, and how each of the designers uniquely distinct themselves from the rest of the crowd.
Here’s a video showing a 18kt white gold and diamond set ring being designed.
To view more from Daniel’s work and learn about his designs, click here.
Researching jewelry designers from around the world has been very educating and inspiring. Especially when looking at how different global designers come up with their creative ideas, and how they’re all motivated to implement the visual image they have in their mind to their designs.
Today, I’m going to look at how UK designer, Kate Wood, gets her inspiration when designing beautiful pieces. Kate’s designs stand out because she incorporates beads that are detailed using nature as a theme. She handcrafts her designs using mostly a number of tiny beads that are intertwined onto the chains using silver pins, which are also handmade.
Kate graduated with a French degree, after which she worked as a museum curator. Later on, in 2005, she turned her passion for jewelry design into a career, selling her first collections in London. Soon after finding success, Kate enticed a couple of boutiques and galleries that rapidly displayed her designs. Kate didn’t study jewelry design, so a lot of her work at the beginning was self-taught.
Following the launch of her career in 2005, and after five successful years of proving herself in the industry, Kate’s studio for her line Kate Wood is based in Bristol, South West of England.
I personally find that Kate’s designs are very unique, and so is her way approach to her work. For example, her latest collection, titled ‘Talisman,’ is inspired by ancient civilizations from India and the Middle East. Looking at some of her designs from the Talisman collection below, it you can see how Kate creatively incorporates chain work with exquisite fabric that’s similar to lace and crochet. Brightly coloured as well, these pieces are truly symbolic of India’s traditional culture.
For those who love pearls, I find that this piece amazingly combines gold with pearls – resulting in a classy piece that speaks for itself. With a V-shaped structure, it makes for a perfect accessory on a black dress!
I really enjoyed exploring Kate’s unique and luxurious work. All of the Kate Wood jewelry is hand-crafted in Kate’s Bristol studio – for more information about her designs, check out her website or Twitter page.
By now, after exploring a couple of jewelry designers who have made their mark in the industry, whether locally or globally, I’ve come to the conclusion that good designers find inspiration through travel! I myself love to travel (who doesn’t!), and find that there’s so much culture to absorb – for designers, this is a great opportunity to mentally create images of pieces that are embedded with cultural meaning.
Today, I’m going to explore a renowned designer from Rome, Italy who has been making noise across the European fashion industry. Alberto Luzzi prides himself in being a successful entrepreneur, and an adventurer at heart who loves to travel. His eye for design has never failed him – and with an uncommon sense of taste, along with his love for art and sculpture, his designs have become a hit. His jewelry line, Adami & Martucci, has become a global one ever since the early 2000’s when Alberto designed two jewelry collections for the Italian line Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti.
So, what’s so special about Adami & Martucci’s collections? For starters, the handmade jewelry line is not only designed by Italian designer Alberto, but also from artisans in Bali. With Italian luxury and the exotic stance that’s famous in Bali, both are intertwined to result in the creation of some beautiful pieces by Adami & Martucci, as we’ll see below.
The technology used to create the handcrafted pieces seems quite interesting too. Precious metals are used, and all the jewelry pieces are handcrafted in Sterling Silver and plated in rhodium or 24kt and 18kt gold. Also, to make sure that everything is created with the best quality and standard – the process of rhodium plating undergoes several stages to ensure brightness and resistance to any factors that may affect the piece.
Now, let’s take a look at some of Adami & Martucci’s gorgeous designs that are made in Rome and Bali.
Traditional Collections
These are some of A&M’s traditional pieces, which are primarily comprised of solid .925 sterling silver and are plated in either rhodium of gold. Some of these pieces are designed with semi-precious stones, as you’ll see below. I love the mix of colours and the designs, it really speaks to Italy’s classiness in fashion taste, and incorporates a unique richness in design.
Featuring .925 sterling silver our signature hand-brushed dune finish. Available in rhodium (white/silver), yellow gold or rose gold plating and with semi-precious stones.
Featuring .925 sterling silver our signature hand-brushed dune finish. Available in rhodium (white/silver), yellow gold or rose gold plating and with semi-precious stones.
Mesh Collections
The Mesh Collection features A&M’s signature Italian-made mesh, which are also made with .925 Sterling Silver and are plated in rhodium or gold, and often adorned with semi-precious stones. I find this collection quite unique, and represents more of an Italian taste.
If you’re interested in seeing how the production of the designs are implemented, check out this video. It really shows how every detail is thought of during this stage.
For more information about Adami & Martucci’s collections, check out their website and Instagram page!
Today, I’m going to explore a jewelry designer that’s close to home. Toronto-based, Corrine Anestopolous runs a line called Biko, which includes some creations that have been thoroughly thought of in terms of design. Corrine’s designs are interesting because they’re inspired by her own past – which she beautifully transforms into wearables using resources like metals, charms, as well as natural stones.
Corrine founded Biko in 2004 when she was just 21 years old, while she was a student at Ryerson University here in Toronto. Her goal was to merge some vintage aspects to her designs to tell a unique story. In her own words, she denotes that her jewelry line invites its wearers to let their imagination run free – with a modern-nostalgia design that she prides herself with.
Perhaps Corrine’s inspirations emerge due to the fact that she travels a lot – and this opportunity allows her to pick up not only ideas but also creative materials and pieces that are unique to every country she visits. Personally, I think this is an amazing approach to the craft of jewelry-making. It doesn’t limit the designer to solely their own thinking and techniques, but it allows them to add to their imagination by exploring the world around them and being open to incorporating designs that they may have never even thought of. This speaks to the true essence of the craft – because it’s simply an art and must be treated as such. With art, designers ought to be inspired by the various places they visit, the people they meet, or even the architectural monuments they come across. Thus, I find that Corrine’s perspective into handmade jewelry is pretty unique because she allows herself to be inspired by various notions as she travels.
Also, another factor that presumably contributes to her success is that fact that she started Biko out of pure hobby. And, surely, when hobby and business intersect, the result is an unmatched accomplishment given that it’s done with passion.
In today’s exploration of global jewelry designers, I’ll feature a designer that truly demonstrates a unique approach to jewelry-making. Imagine taking scraps of wood and creatively incorporating them in the craft – the result is a distinct combination of stones embedded on wooden pieces that demonstrate a stunning contrast using a combination of colours.
Handcrafted in Venice, California, Sophie Monet designs unique wood jewelry that integrates materials from around the world. While Sophie’s career in jewelry-making is fairly fresh, established in 2009, her talent in the craft runs in her blood. Her father had a massive woodshop, and she grew up surrounded by his creative stance. Sophie’s approach to jewelry design is very original, as you’ll see in the images to follow – she redefines modern luxury using exotic wood and precious stones, as well as metals, to create jewelry that’s quite different.
What’s great about Sophie’s approach to her designs is that she uses local and sustainable materials whenever she can, creating bold and colourful shapes.
As you can see, Sophie’s designs represent a unique touch of individuality, and perhaps that’s her intent when designing her pieces – to make those who wear them feel unique. I’ve looked into other wood-based jewelry, and there are surely are other designers out there who incorporate this approach. Though, what distinguishes Sophie’s designs is the fact that she embodies a more luxurious, simple, and modern style to her designs. As I browsed through her handmade pieces, I noticed that simplicity is key to her designs. She’s also seemingly careful with the amount of colour she uses in each of her items – in that, too much colour would take away from its purpose.
Her work is absolutely one of a kind, and I honestly haven’t stumbled across any designers (yet) that have a similar approach to jewelry-making. I encourage you to check out her website for more details about her line, and to view her entire collection.
So far, in exploring jewelry designers from around the world, I’ve discovered amazing talents from Egypt, Armenia, and Iraq. While on my quest for the next jewelry designer to feature, I came across an accomplished designer from Turkey – Milka Karaagacli. I travelled to Turkey back in 2012, and got the chance to roam around the streets of Istanbul and to discover the country’s incredible taste in jewelry. Ranging from a wide range of designs and shapes, Turkey’s bazaars are filled with jewelry and accessories that have a solitary style on their own – and Milka seems to take this style to another level, entailing luxury and elegance.
Milka obtained her degree in Business Administration from Marmara University, following which she spent 13 years working in Advertising until she decided to quit and pursue her love for jewelry-making as a career instead. Soon after, Milka founded her jewelry shop named Kismet, which was first made known in London. In the span of five years, Kismet became a success, going global and selling in USA, UK, Canada, Japan, Dubai, and Kuwait. Collections from Kismet have also been on display in top-notch chains like Harvey Nichols, Nordstorm, Fragments, Intermix, Shopbop.com, Liberty, Kabiri Stoes, and other concept stores – excluding Kismet’s shops.
Within such a short period of time, Milka seemed to have created a connection with her clients through her designs, further expanding Kismet’s brand image. The designer had also collaborated with celebrities like Naomi Watts to promote her brand, further raising awareness about its unique sense of style and simplicity.
Milka’s work is truly elegant (rather a bit pricey, yes) and simple – and I think that she quickly made a name for herself given her chic style and delicate approach to jewelry-making.
Below are some images I compiled together from Instagramers who boast her jewelry – the posts seem to reveal just how modern the pieces are, and the unique fashion sense they have.
I’ll definitely be on the lookout for her future collections and any upcoming events, so I’ll keep you posted on that front!
You can check out Milka’s work using the below links:
So far, I’ve been researching various jewelry designers from around the world – whether famous or not – and it’s been so much fun to read about their stories and to learn about their backgrounds and how they approach their designs in jewelry-making. There’s so much I’m learning along the way, making me more and more passionate about the art of jewelry.
Today, I decided to feature world-renowed Zaha Hadid – an architect by profession, who has aspired to become a jewelry designer at the same time. First, I’d like to thank my colleague Peter Kattan for suggesting that I cover Zaha Hadid’s talent and work. You can check out Peter’s blog here, where he shares some pretty interesting insight about the ever-changing interests we have towards our careers!
British-Iraqi Zaha Hadid had initially studied Mathematics at the American University in Beirut, but she then moved to London in 1972 to study Architecture at the Architectural Association. Following her studies in London, she commenced her first job at the Office of Metropolitan Architecture (OMA). However, shortly after, Zaha successfuly founded her own practice in London in 1980 – during this early stage of her career, Zaha realized that painting and drawing were becoming the backbone of her design.
If you’re familiar with Zaha Hadid’s work, you know that she’s an architect who simply pushes boundaries like none other. Her taste doesn’t shy away from spatial concepts that are bold and corageous. I’ve known about Zaha Hadid since my father is an architect himself – so I remember him often speaking about her because he’s a huge fan!
Zaha can be thought of as a celebrity within the world of architecture – she’s behind the design of some of the world’s greatest architectural pieces, like the BMW Central Building in Leipzig, Germany that was started in 2001 and finished in 2005; the Beethoven Concert Hall that was constructed in Bonn, Germany in 2009; Beijing’s New Airport Terminal in China; the ski jump in Innsbruck, Austria that she designed in 2002; and more. [1]
You might be thinking, enough about architecture! Well, the interesting part is that Zaha’s love for architecture and her exceptional design talent has encouraged her to also pursue jewelry-making.
Zaha’s first experience with designing jewelry was back in 2010 in her collaboration with Swarovski, where she created an exclusive collection for them. Following this, Zaha designed a set of rings made of gold for Geneva-based jewelry brand Caspita.
The above are the rings designed by Zaha for Caspita, under the Skein collection. They are clearly innovative in nature, with some of them designed with 18 carat gold, and others with precious stones that reflect Zaha’s spatial concepts.
Zaha’s taste for the Swarovski collection, on the other hand, reveals a different approach to her designs. As you might tell from the below images, the pieces are made of crystal – with a more natural concept embedded in their meaning. They also appear to be more solid and ‘out there.’
Personally, I find that the Caspita designs by Zaha Hadid are extraordinary and unique – they really do represent her architectural spirit, and it’s impressive to see her translate architectural concepts into jewelry designs.
I’ll be on the lookout for future jewelry designed by Zaha Hadid – it’ll be great to see what else she creates out there!
Exploring different jewelry designers from around the world is quite inspiring as each comes with a unique viewpoint towards the art of jewelry-making. This perspective may be essentially influenced by the cultural roots of the designer, as explored in my first blog post with Egypt’s Azza Fahmy. This week, we’ll discover work of the young and talented Narinée Tchilinguiria, of Armenian origin – born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon.
As an interior architect and multimedia designer, Narinée’s work is very unique, incorporating themes that are perhaps rarely used in jewelry-making, at least that I know of! Narinee’s background was a major influence as she stems from a family of designers – her father is a jewelry designer, her mother an interior designer, and her sister a graphic designer.
Narinée studied Product & Furniture design in Milan, Italy, at Politecnico di Milano, also completing two Masters degrees at the school. It’s interesting to see that her love for design was initially geared towards product and furniture design, and interior design. Combining distinctive concepts from such practices in her jewelry designs is what seemingly helps Narinée stand out – as you’ll see below in some of her work, she essentially uses minimalistic and contemporary patterns to create pieces of art, and she’s clearly redefining traditional approaches of designing jewelry.
So, what makes Narinée’s jewelry pieces so unique and what do such shapes represent? I dug a little deeper to find out what some of these characteristic shapes and forms that are incorporated in her designs really mean. Narinée’s rings, for example, are interestingly inspired from patterns represented in traditional Armenian costumes and adornments, as you can see below.
Other designs that Narinée embodies in her rings are derived from Armenian architectural ornaments – the below image really illustrates this notion. Simple architectural details embedded on a wall have been uniquely translated into ring designs by Narinée,
What makes Narinee Tchilinguiria’s jewelry designs stand out is perhaps her adoption of Armenian culture and her integration of some of the country’s traditional architectural forms and structures, as we’ve seen in some of her designs.
Jewelry stems from many different backgrounds, and speaks to a variety of cultures around the world. My first blog post features an esteemed jewelry designer who comes from Egypt and has made an international name for herself – Azza Fahmy.
Azza’s story is an inspiring one, she started handling tools of the craft back in the 70s and designing a few rings that she sold at her first exhibition back in Cairo. She quickly discovered that this is what she wished to pursue, and went on to study Jewelry Craft at the City of London Polytechnic School, which was a great opportunity as the British Council in Egypt sent her for a fellowship. For Azza, this was the perfect opportunity and a leap forward to accomplish her dream of becoming a jewelry designer. After her studies in London, Azza returned to Cairo with a greater perspective towards the art of jewelry making, one that inhibited more confidence in her. And sure, by the early 80s, Azza had already set up her own tiny workshop where she employed her small team of two.
What makes Azza’s work so unique though, you may ask? Azza’s unique pieces and designs have been notably featured around the world, including Harper’s Bazaar. Her items were also worn by a few stars including Academy Award winning actress Vanessa Williams who played roles in Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives. She posed as Cleopatra in Pharaonic Azza Fahmy Jewelry for the Black Hollywood Book Project in LA, California in 2013. So, what makes her designs stand out is her concept of simply combining design with culture.
Azza began her journey in the world of jewelry making by exploring the artistic side of cultural Islamic design and combining that with her love for architecture. Her very first collection for instance was titled ‘Houses of the Nile’ – obviously referring to the Nile River in Egypt. She went on to create design concepts that would later become the backbone of her success. Azza spent hours creatively bringing together collections of poetry that she loved and engraving some of the wordings on pendants, rings, bracelets, and key chains. This really appealed to people. Not only were they wearing jewelry that looked unique and embedded with cultural meaning, but they could also relate to the various eloquent verses engraved on the items. Jewelry inscribed with verses thus became Azza’s signature, and she successfully made a name for herself.
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