/In His Words/ Karl Fritsch A Ring can be a Weapon

“What I find really fascinating, and one of the reasons why it’s so interesting to make jewellery, is the moment of recognition when something that comes across cute and pretty has on second glimpse an almost obscene grotesqueness.

“Of course the ring wants to be beautiful. The technique also wants to be beautiful, and most often it’s the idea that wants to be the most beautiful. But sometimes a ring likes nothing better than to sit in the mud and not give a damn about how it looks. If it’s exactly what it wants to be in a given moment, it is precise, perfect and the most beautiful”.

- Karl Fritsch

/Jewellery Crush/ Clara Jackson Contour Slice Rings

Inspiration: Architecture, travel, urban culture, rock formations in mountains

Style: Simplistic elegance, contemporary, timeless, organic, jagged peaks

Ring: silver textured slice ring

www.clarajacksonjewellery.co.uk 

 

The Mesmerising Figure of Dreams

Relax Ring

Rarely do I stumble across a ring that has struck me like a lightning bolt and completely stunning me with a sense of awe and wonder, resulting me to being enticed back to the collection time and time again. This was one seldom occurrence when I unexpectedly came across a ring that featured a naked woman in a bathtub. What initially drew me in is not by the simple fact it is actually a ring of a naked women in a bathtub, but the enticing and seductive nature of the woman fully submerged in water therefore showcasing her ample figure with her head thrown back in a seemingly relaxed state. The whole image depicts a sensual woman in her own little world yet although her body is at ease her mind seems a million miles away. 

After coming across this ring I immediately researched on this miniature sculptural artist and visual storyteller. I expected more surprise in store.

Relax Ring

Stone Master

Turkish designer Selda Okutan has a signature style that has made her work easily identifiable and relatable; tiny human figures in various states and motions. In her collection you could see them climbing, building, perching or relaxing. On others you could perceive their emotions, expression, thoughts and telling posture in the human body. Selda is inspired by the human form and their subconscious movements and emotions. If you heard of the term 'people watching' and it applies to you then you will know exactly what she is attempting to convey. As individuals we vary from one another in terms of appearances, personalities, mentality, styles and tastes; we find our fellow individuals avidly interesting and mysterious. As humans we are an art form subjected to a stranger's gaze.   

Sweet Heart Frame Ring

Like a Diamond

The visual narratives of her designs allows the wearer to form their own distinctive story. I'll be delighted if the ring was picked out because they can relate to it, that's the spirit and whimsical nature of her designs. The sentimental factor allows the ring, as well as the story, to live on. It is enticingly collectible and each and every piece has appealing intricacy, quality craftsmanship and intriguing intimacy. It'll be such a shame to store the ring in a ring box when they can be displayed openly. It is wearable art sculpture after all.    

Her rings are rather dream-like whilst mildly nightmare-ish due to the darker undertone; gothic romanticism comes to mind. If you look closer at the tiny human figures their expressions depicts subjective fear and forlornness; I could speculate it is a inconclusive representation of our current state in society where isolation and powerlessness are a padlock from freedom. However freedom comes with the tiny figures in the state of undress. It's peculiar how since the beginning of mankind it is part of everyday normality yet in this current society it is a criminal offence to expose yourself in public spaces. That's unconscious influences in modern society for you.

Of Mice and Men

A Drop of Tear Ring

Wake Up Ring

Stone Ring

It is not my intention to showcase majority of her ingenious collections. I tend to focus on a particular theme or a piece from a collection that stood out more than others. However her work is just too good to go amiss. So if you're still intrigued then please do visit her website and Etsy shop as there are fabulous rings to awe and shock you. 

What's my favourite? You wouldn't believe how difficult it was as they wildly differ from one another. But the designs I've repeatedly gone back to the most are the Drop of Tear Ring and Like Diamond Ring. They completely won me over due to their modern simplicity and raw originality. In my whirling thoughts they are an antagonist to an engagement ring; a rebellion to the mass produced and identikit aspect of tradition and abject conformity to trends. Would you want to wear a ring where the diamond crown is facing upside down and a diamond that is not actually a diamond? 

There's a thought.

Please visit her website www.seldaokutan.com
  

Diamond Addiction

Love in Rose Garden

Fantastic Love Ring

Que 'est-ce que c'est

Istanbul Ring

Prisoners of Love

For the Love Volume II

Heart Ring

Like Diamond Ring

All images from www.etsy.com/shop/SeldaOkutan

Underneath It All Is A Natural Beauty

Simple, elegant and modern jewellery is how I would describe my personal style of choice. Though I may experiment with jewellery that veers from the delightfully impractical cube bangle to a dangerous looking double spike finger ring (cue instagram) ultimately I like to stick to refined and simplistic designs that can be worn with high frequency and I continuously seek those who create designs that fits within this criteria.

  Thereby I introduce jewellery designer of the moment Kerrie Yeung who certainly ticks all the right boxes when it comes to the everyday jewellery concept; stackable, compatible and classical. Rhode Island School of Design alumini Kerrie Yeung has been trending like wildfire in the blogosphere since the launch of her new online jewellery website only a matter of weeks ago and since then it has been a love-fest amongst bloggers and jewellery lovers alike. The modern elegance of her intricate detailing and fine craftsmanship has received utmost recognition in this small yet strong community.

Inspiration is considerably close to home when it comes to the awakening of Kerrie's first jewellery debut The Originals Collection. Drawn to the simpler and natural things in life, it is rather ironic that Kerrie is hailed from the hustle and bustle of New York; the city that never sleeps. She uses the restlessness and energy of New York City with its accompanying skyscrapers and bright lights to completely strip it down to its bare essentials and thus revealing its raw and organic form. By focusing on clean architectural lines and natural patterns she allows the wearer to begin the story with a blank canvas. 

Rather than searching high and low for inspiration, she uses things at her disposal; by seeing beauty in everything and by using her own unique interpretation of the wonders of the city. Despite its natural form, her work is intricately detailed and with a high degree of complexity and deliberation. 

Personally, her silver faceted bar ring is arguably a stand-out piece from her Originals Collection. Rough yet delicate, the ring is highly textured with distinguishing marks and grooves. The faceted ring is inspired by the idea of diamonds; each and every one has its own identity and uniqueness. That concept alone is enough for the person to treasure this one-of-a-kind timeless beauty.

Please check out her collection: kerrieyeung.com

My favourite: Silver bar faceted ring

 All Images from Kerrie Yeung

A Ring is Worth a Thousand Words...

Vara single point ring from Roam/Remain collection

 It's wonderful how the use of social media can allow you to come across new discoveries and unearth natural talents from across the globe. I set up my instagram account 3 weeks ago and was delightfully bombarded with images of fantastic jewellery designs which feasted my appetite for stackable jewellery pieces, particularly stackable finger adornments.

 Amandex Jex is one particular instances of my new found discoveries. Hailing from the prairies of Alberta, Canada; her extensive travels to all corners of the globe gave her endless inspirations and creative possibilities. Her collections are modern, feminine and evoke innate curiosities of the wonders of the natural world. However, her Roam/Remain collection caught my admiration of her talent as a designer and storyteller. It comprises mainly of fair trade, organic and found items from wondrous locations such as India, Mexico, Greece and Peru. An individual is not just wearing a piece of jewellery; what they have in their possession is a piece of story; a journey to the unknown that needs to be told. 

The Vara single point ring is part of her Roam/Remain collection and my absolute favourite. It is inspired by her travels in Northern India. The structural shape of this ring is indicated by the form of a mountainous top, temples and ancient structures encountered. The band is delicate and refined yet structurally sustainable with regular wearability. It is available in brushed gold finish in solid brass and also in sterling silver. 

       What goes really well with the Vara single point ring is the Amarantos 1st and 2nd knuckle ring, also part of her Roam/Remain collection. The hammered finishing of the Amarantos (which means unfading) represents the rippling effect of the Silurian waves off the coast of Mykonos in Greece. Stack them up to create the repetitiveness of the waves created by its natural environment.

 Although pictures are worth a thousand words; wearing a memory is something else.

Her poetically-worded website can be found here: Jexshop  

 

All images from www.hellojex.com and instagram.com/hellojex