One of the best jewellery designers set developments and likewise contribute to the narrative of knickknack historical past with contemporary collections primarily based on conventional jewellery types equivalent to chain-link necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings. What’s extra, silhouettes that revitalize types and ideas which might be rooted in custom are destined to remain related to jewellery lovers. In London-based Nadine Aysoy’s case, she excels at chain-link primarily based 18-karat gold designs that includes coloured stones and diamonds, together with “phantasm” or “illusory” settings in 18-karat gold. (Phantasm settings improve the obvious dimension of gem stones by minimizing the quantity of metallic holding the stones in place.) From June 9 till June 12, Aysoy, who has six distinctive collections on supply, is exhibiting within the Design Atelier of Couture Las Vegas. Of particular curiosity are her “Catena” vary of chain-themed designs that characteristic Aysoy’s phantasm settings. Jewels from her Tsarina, Le Cercle, Mille et Une Feuilles and Petite Tsarina collections additionally supply her distinctive model of carefree but elegant seems.
On condition that she focuses on subtly luxurious but versatile 18-karat gold and gemstone jewels, it appears solely pure that Aysoy’s father and grandfather have been eminent Antwerp diamantaires. Lengthy earlier than producing her eponymous collections and incomes her gemology credentials, nevertheless, Aysoy labored as a non-public banker and thus has a agency grasp of knickknack design plus the enterprise of knickknack. Whereas her collections are on supply at on-line luxurious purveyors equivalent to Moda Operandi, Selfridges, Matches Fashion and MyTheresa.com, Nadine Aysoy rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, pendants and ear cuffs grace the upmarket Paris boutique Mad Lords, in addition to at Joseph’s in New Orleans; the Webster Montecito and Soho and 5 Story in West Palm Seashore.
Aysoy, who wore emerald Catena earrings and a versatile Catena diamond ring when this author interviewed her, started by explaining the passions and first motivations behind her collections. “I really like jewellery and am fastidious about consolation and ease of wear and tear,” she started. “The Catena assortment is all about re-imagining chains, and it options easy surfaces, mushy, sensually-shaped hyperlinks, flashes of deeply saturated colours, stack-ability, mobility and wear-ability,” she stated. “The basic chain hyperlink,” she continued, “is reworked into an easy-to-wear but extremely tactile jewel with a variety of gem choices, together with diamonds with phantasm settings, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, tourmalines, peridots, topaz and pearls.” The most recent additions to Catena embrace vivid touches of enamel,” Aysoy stated.
Noting that, “One of the best jewellery feels snug, as whether it is transferring with the physique, relatively than merely mendacity inflexible on prime of it,” Aysoy added, “Catena items are designed for folks to mix and put on diamonds and coloured gem stones in as some ways as they’ll think about.” When this author famous that chains signify such everlasting features of the human situation as bonds of affection, friendship, and household ties, Aysoy added, “Numerous heritage luxurious manufacturers equivalent to Cartier, Bulgari, Hermès and Chanel in addition to designers on all continents the world over have been exploring the aesthetic and technical potentialities of chains for hundreds of years. In my very own small however severe method, I’m a part of that custom.”
As Aysoy demonstrated how the 18-karat gold hyperlinks of her Catena diamond ring flex and permit for simple sporting and removing, the ergonomic nature of her design was instantly obvious— and spectacular. “My problem as a designer lies in re-imagining the probabilities of assorted supplies, types and ideas,” she famous. One thinks of Jeanne Toussaint, Cartier’s inventive director of haute joaillerie within the Thirties, who was the primary ever to counsel that Cartier watch bands be constructed of interconnected gold hyperlinks, relatively than of ordinary watchband supplies like leather-based or grosgrain. “The invention of gold hyperlink watchbands was positively an vital step in jewellery historical past,” Aysoy famous. “It’s at all times value discussing how ladies have originated new jewellery and watch design and technical ideas.”
Whereas this author famous that Catena items embody a particular replace of the chain idea, Aysoy responded: “One of many issues I get pleasure from in regards to the Catena assortment is that it has led me to make surprising sorts of convertible jewels.” For instance, Aysoy introduced her Catena Lengthy Coronary heart Pink Topaz Earrings in 18kt rose gold with 4.64 carats of pink topaz. “These earrings include a protracted chain with a heart-shaped pink topaz that may be worn in a number of methods,” she defined. “You’ll be able to put on the chain in order that it dangles straight downwards, or you possibly can fold the chain in half in order that the earring put up turns the dangler into what’s in impact, a hoop earring. So this design affords two distinctly completely different seems and lengths in the identical earring.”
Within the case of the Catena Phantasm Multistone Diamond Bracelet, Aysoy succeeds at creating a superb chain hyperlink bracelet (16.60 grams of gold) that’s alive with superior glowing mild. She and her sensible artisans do that by executing an phantasm settingdesign that encompasses a cluster of 0.57 carats of white sensible, 1.1. carat of marquise, 0.72 carats of pear, 0.29 carats of baguette and 0.62 carats of princess reduce diamonds. Whereas the French 19th century jeweler Oscar Massin is traditionally credited with creating the primary phantasm setting, Aysoy’s Phantasm Multistone diamond Catena bracelet builds on Massin’s custom. This piece hovers on the excessive finish of Aysoy’s providing, retailing for $22,140.00.
On the subject of shade, Aysoy has it lined with the Catena Multistone pastel rainbow bracelet. That includes oval reduce blue topaz, emerald reduce citrine, marquise reduce inexperienced amethyst and heart-shaped pink sapphire, that is radiantly colourful. So are Aysoy’s new necklaces that characteristic various cuts of coloured gem stones, alongside together with her Tahitian black pearl Catena necklace,which sparkles with tiny pendant diamonds that dangle at completely different ranges of the chain. As regards overtly nature-based designs, the leafy motifs of Aysoy’s Mille et Une Feuilles and the starlight and snowflake-themed silhouettes of the Tsarina and Petite Tsarina collections each embody timeless, organically interesting shapes, textures, supplies and visible results. A working example is the leafy , 18-karat gold ear cuff from the Mille et Une Feueilles assortment that’s studded with .32 carats of tiny diamonds. “That is the form of jewel that folks of assorted ages can put on in the course of the day or night time with every kind of clothes,” Aysoy stated. “I attempt to supply a variety of designs that attraction to numerous life conditions and budgets. Jewellery needs to be as versatile and multitasking because the individuals who put on it.”