In the fine jewellery world where there is no lack of boundary-pushing and cutting-edge designs, award-winning jewellery designer Yael Sonia has her own way and style of making artistic jewels that strike modern women’s fancy. With the juxtaposition of geometric lines and organic forms as the signature look, her life-giving designs bring a sense of rhythm and movement to the wearers, becoming more than just decorative, but playful, innovative, energetic and personal.
Growing up in New York, Paris and São Paulo, Yael Sonia was constantly surrounded by art and visually rich and multicultural environment. Her gemmologist mother has made a heavy impact on her journey of jewellery design and most of her early work was inspired by her mother. “I was often exposed to my mother’s private collection of gemstones acquired over the years in Brazil, Jaipur and even New York,” said the designer. “I always admire her personal jewellery collection; antique chains meant for pocket watches, and her vintage pearl and gemstone Chanel lariats.”
After graduating from Barnard and the thereafter Parsons School of Design in New York, Sonia returned to São Paulo and then Brazil’s rich resources of precious gemstones and high-level craftsmanship reignited her love of coloured gemstones. She established her brand Yael Sonia in the city in 1998 and created her first and the most recognisable collection Perpetual Motion which is inspired by kinetic movement of children’s toys not long after.
Differing from her work in school which was sculptural and feminine, her designs have become more architectural and mechanical after graduate. From Perpetual Motion collection which is a confluence of graphic lines and spherical gemstones free of prongs or traditional settings, to Spinning Top collection featuring constantly whirling gemstones placed precisely within gold frames, embedded in every piece of her jewellery is a playful spirit.
Among various inspirations including the nature, cities and even societal ideas about marriage, children always fascinate and inspire Sonia. “The sound that my jewellery makes as it accompanies a wearer’s movement soothes me and reminds me of my own childhood,” she said.
In addition to kinetic designs, Sonia also created her fluid and organic Rock collection, which reinterprets the meaning of rocks and is a nod to traditional engagement rings. A variety of Brazilian coloured gemstones are cut into multi-faceted, hammered shapes, creating a rough-hewn appearance, similar to rocks found in nature, with a smooth, spare setting for a look that is both chic and playful.
“My favourite collection is Spinning Top, as it precisely combines my love for mathematics, geometry and physics with jewellery and art,” Sonia told Hong Kong Jewellery. “The process of creating each piece is lengthy but once the first piece is ready, the result is so satisfactory. I love to challenge my goldsmiths and myself.”
Sonia’s commitment to high-standard craftsmanship anchors her design and production processes. She has been working with highly-skilled Brazilian cutters and goldsmiths who create new cutting and metalworking techniques to materialise her designs for years. While there are complex mechanics and architectural lines on display, they all execute by hand.
According to Sonia, all of her gemstones are sourced and cut in Teófilo Otoni, Minas Gerais of Brazil. Since she likes to set stones free in a lot of her work and have them cut into perfect spheres or spinning tops, varieties of quartz and tourmalines are the most suitable gemstones for the purpose thanks to their hardness.
With a showroom in New York opened in 2013, Yael Sonia’s jewellery has been showcased at boutiques and galleries in the United States and abroad. Acknowledgedas a talent designer in the industry with unique ability to create modern and intricate jewellery, Sonia continues to celebrate her life-giving designs that complement the strength and beauty of women.(Photo courtesy: Yael Sonia)
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