Rock It! Niza Huang Crush Studs

 Known for her distinctive use of signature textures and striking sculptural forms, Niza Huang's jewellery collection is inspired by the blurring lines of perception and reality, and by what exists around us. Her wild imagination and the ability to see hidden beauties is conveyed in her pieces. 

The Crush studs reflects on Niza's innate curiosity of storytelling through unusual textural materials and its intrinsic possibilities. The boldness of the shape mirrors mountain ranges and the dramatic formations of lava; a representation of the brutality of mother nature as well as the fragility of its beauty. 

www.nizahuang.com

/Jewellery Crush/ Maud Traon Cluster Ring

Inspiration: Wonderland, natural structures, miniature sculpture, exploration of colours, breaking traditional mold, found objects/treasures

Style: Unusual and innovative settings, floating stones, wearable art, vibrant and explosive colours

Ring: Tourmaline baguette set in gold plated and silver glitter/resin ring

www.maudtraon.com

/Jewellery Crush/ Mirri Damer Sapphire Drift Ring

Inspiration: Beauty in nature, Cornish coastline

Style: Organic, contemporary, rustic, imperfect perfect, unique

Ring: 9ct yellow gold set with graduated blue sapphires

 www.mirridamer.com

/Jewellery Crush/ Annelise Michelson Algae Sea Leaves earrings

 Inspiration: Marine flora, sensuality, nature

Style: Organic, statement, glamour

Earrings: Algae Bronze plated gold earrings

 www.annelisemichelson.com

/Jewellery Crush/ Dreams Of Norway Dawn Crescent Earring

 Inspiration: Femininity, Norwegian nature, environment, spiritual

Style: Organic, rustic, fine

Earring: Silver half hoop earring

www.dreamsofnorway.com/

/Jewellery Crush/ Emanuela Duca Under a Tree ring

Inspiration: Marriage of movement and sculpture, earth, nature

Style: Clean, minimal, simplicity

Ring: 18k yellow gold and diamond ring

www.emanueladuca.com

Rock It! Elizabeth Humble Fragile Landscape Ring

 Inspired by the incredible filmic scenery of the rugged landscape in the west coast of Scotland, Elizabeth Humble's Fragile Landscape ring features fragmented linear structures influenced by coastal erosion and natural rock formations hidden beneath the surface of the land, evoking the ever changing qualities of the natural landscape. The designer create intricate structures in precious metal to capture the natural elements by developing a unique technique of layering silver wires together, giving them a contemporary twist and resulting in a futuristic luxe aesthetics as well as a sophisticated edge. 

                                 www.elizabethhumble.com

Rock It! Aphra Ellen Block Ring

 Aphra Ellen's creative abilities in a variety of other mediums such as painting and sculpture enables ideas to spark that will ultimately be channelled through her contemporary jewellery designs. Inspired by organic forms and unique shapes, she is drawn by the unpredictability of nature as well as the fascination of macro-photography and observing objects on a cellular level. She finds irregularity and imperfection far more appealing and versatile, emphasising on the character and story of the piece as opposed to the conventional beauty of jewellery. By focusing on the concept of jewellery as wearable art, it allows her to broaden the playfulness and intrigue of jewellery design.

www.aphraellen.com

Rock It! Oblik Atelier Double Fold Cuff

 The double fold cuff is not your conventional everyday cuff but a bold and sophisticated art piece where the human form acts as a prop, a mere background, for this extraordinary sculptural adornment of delightful wearability. The intimate undulating lines and movements of the cuff symbolises the process of leaving nature untouched and thus allowing it to progress instinctively, resulting in the creation of an unintentional and intuitive object. Most often beauty is predominately found in something that is naturally occurring as opposed to man made objects, resonating well beyond jewellery and into the world around us. 

www.oblik-atelier.com

Rock It! Chayle Infinity Hammered Oval Studs

“Capturing the simplicity and modern elegance of hammered precious metals.”

- Chayle Cook 

Nature is predominately the main source of inspiration for Jewellery Designer Chayle Cook, and to narrow down the vastity of this source she took a particular interest in the growth patterns of lichens, how they curl and overlap in its orderly chaos and the geometric qualities that derives from them.

 The Hammered Oval studs from the Infinity collection is elegant and graceful with its gentle curves, whilst adding a touch of subtlety and boldness simultaneously. 

 www.shop.chayle.ca

Rock It! Sarah Winter Jewellery Raw Rock Ring

 Inspired by the fascinating structures of rock formations in Stockholm, this organic Raw Rock ring is part of the In the Rough collection that explores all things geological and environmental. The cracks and jagged edges of the oxidised ring allows a certain authenticity to shine through, giving the impression that it is picked up straight from the ground to be worn; a symbolic and idealistic re-connection between human and nature.

www.sarahwinther.com

When Ancient Meets the Modern | Tessa Blazey

 I am still on the continuous journey of exploring the concept of perfect imperfections in the creative and ideological world of jewellery design; how the two words contradict each other when used in the same sentence yet so curiously befitting in describing certain pieces, for example, Melbourne based contemporary jewellery designer Tessa Blazey's wonderfully captivating collection of bespoke wearable art. As I absorb the enticing visuals of her work in a wide-eyed gaze, I would define her work as perfect, yet simultaneously there is a sense of rawness about her work; the deliberate misshapen forms, rough textures and unpolished organic gemstones - a collection of definitive beauty at a natural state. It is perfect because of the intricate craftsmanship, a hint of laborious touch and of course, one-of-a-kind.  

 Tessa's work reveals her fascination with geometry and the structures and landscapes of crystal specimens through mimicry and transformation. The outcome of each and every one of her pieces appears ancient yet with futuristic togetherness, allowing her designs to create new connection with the wearer whilst merging with their unique personalities.

www.tessablazey.com.au

 

Out of the Sea: Karolina Bik Jewellery

 "Emotion, Story, Relation. It is not clearly visible at first sight. This is where wearer has to see, feel, hear or experience it" - Karolina Bik

 I was completely awestruck upon the discovery of contemporary artisan Karolina Bik's jewellery collection. Inspired by the innate curiosity of nature, Karolina carefully absorbs all its energy, forms, colours, processes and intricate details to create a truly stunning work of wearable art where beautiful imperfections are fully immersed and embraced. Somewhere down the line our respect for nature has slowly disintegrated by humanities own selfish needs, the relationship between human and nature become a battle of survival. Karolina's objective is for us to understand the importance of nurturing our environment and the creation of her work allows the wearer to reconnect with nature at an intimate level and cherish the beauty associated with it.  

One of my favourite pieces from her collection is the Scoria ring inspired by the structure of volcanic rocks. The surface of the ring is oxidated into deep black colour and splattered with 14k gold on the surface with a singular gemstone of your choosing. Another favourite is the Out of the Sea collection that explores Karolina's fascination of the deep and mysterious life in the ocean.

www.karolinabik.com

/Jewellery Crush/ Ros Millar Yellow Brickmoon Ring

Inspiration: Natural forms, gothic luxe edge, inventive originality

Style: Asymmetric, textured, statement piece

Ring: Yellow gold double band ring with cut out details 

www.rosmillar.com 

 

/Jewellery Crush/ Moogu Melting Ice Earrings

 Inspiration: Elementary forms, essential materials, visual language, culture, nature, Japanese poetry, oneiric (dreams)

Style: contemporary, Nordic design, geometry, organic, minimalism

Earrings: Handcrafted sterling silver and oxidized silver, white natural pearl from the Minus Collection

www.moogu.ro 

Rock It! Katie G Cutting Edge Oxidised Silver Ring

 Inspired by nature and its raw beauty, Katie G embraces the allure of imperfections to create an intriguing Cutting Edge collection. By rebelling against the conformity of precision and flawlessness normally instilled in society, Katie G took an alternative route to use the roughness of nature within the core of her creations, exploring irregular shapes and forms which provides the most organic beauty. All of her pieces are handmade which allows her to craft perfect imperfections.

www.katiegruber.com 

Elliptical Rhombus: Abby Seymour the Maker

 Abby Seymour is an organic jewellery artisan at its very finest. A multifaceted creative and a free spirit, she draws inspiration from obscure details, subtle forms, simplicity of textural patterns and natural layers in the environment. Her collection is highly attentive with her own distinctive thought process to produce individual pieces with their own narrative yet they are unmistakeably identifiable as Abby Seymour's body of work; illustrative quality, diverse intricacy and aesthetically refined. 

The Galaxy oxidised sterling silver ring and Sunrays bright white sterling silver ring are two delectable pieces from the Elliptical Rhombus collection that have caught my attention. Lovingly hand carved, I am thoroughly intrigued by the detailing on the surfaces, whether they depict fingerprints of nature, the creator's story telling or hidden meanings. What's so fascinating about jewellery is that the interpretation of the work is endless. Designed to be stacked in variety of forms the rings are deliberately minimal and dainty in order for the wearer to create their own individual style.

www.abbyseymour.com

/Jewellery Crush/ Sarah Brown Jewellery Seaforest Ring

Inspiration: Scottish heritage, Islay, rugged coastlines, underwater forest, nature, memories of island legends, tales of creatures beneath the sea, sense of the unknown, innate curiosity

Style: Alternative engagement ring, organic, detailed

Ring: Oval grey diamond set in 18ct white gold 

www.sarahbrownjewellery.com 

Urban/Nature Love-In with Adriatic Jewelry

 A story is a core ingredient when it comes to creating a piece of jewellery. From ideas to sketches and design to product; the laborious yet satisfying stages are a story in itself.

Adriatic Jewellery founder Rebecca Fragola uses her past, present and future to create pieces that has sentimental importance and a continuous narrative. Her inspiration comes from a contrasting combination of architecture in New York City where she is currently based and the beautiful Adriatic Sea where she spent her summers on a small island. 

The tall, sky-scraping buildings in New York City is used for its form and structure to create elongated and clean lines stacked together, symbolically emphasising the intimate closeness of the buildings and its people in New York City. The tiered piped ring also has a small element of the Adriatic influence with its organic tone and clean texture. Or possibly, the ring is inspired by the elongated area of the Adriatic Sea nestled in a cove between Italy and Croatia. 

 There is an accidental/subconscious deliberation of taking my images by the beach and Rebecca's images in an urban area. The ring worn alone by the beach represents the vastness of the never ending sea, a view undisturbed and uncluttered to reveal its natural beauty entirely on its own. Whereas the images taken in an urban area with a collection of jewellery worn represent the closeness of everything in New York City, hence the rings, bracelet and necklace being worn altogether against dark clothing; a representation of shadows and silhouettes being over-casted by skyscrapers. 

My favourite item out of the whole collection is certainly the tiered piped geometric ring in brass due to its clean lines and simplicity of it all. It has a feel of a statement piece due to its size yet at the same time it is wearable everyday; it does not feel like a ring that cannot be worn for certain occasions and  situations. This is possibly the sole purpose of it all. Jewellery does not need a reason. 

Images: Mine and Rebecca Fragola

About the designer

 Rebecca Fragola uses recycled metals (brass, silver and copper) and unique gemstones for her handmade jewellery line. She has a BFA in metalsmithing and is always trying to learn new techniques to expand her line. Her Australian Shepherd Shelby is always in the studio to keep her company. 

To check her website for more pieces please visit www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Adriatic 

  More about this etsy feature

Adriatic Jewellery is the third of my new exciting collaborative project based on etsy boutique owners concentrating solely on independent jewellery designers every fortnight. The designers I've have chosen are all unique in their own way and everything is completely made by hand.