Interview about Purple Orchid Ring, winner of the A' Jewelry Design Award 2022
This project created from a sense of an Orchid garden. The overall design looks refreshing, vibrant and lively. It is an adjustable size ring with various shapes of Amethyst in the flower petals. The combination of colors is contrast yet attractive with purple and off-white. It consists of duo gems, Amethyst and Pearl and another Pearl with a little butterfly on it. When you wear it on, it looks like a flower and bud floating in between two fingers which contain nature feeling and momentum of movement.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsI always like to challenge irregularity, and by combining different shapes of Amethyst into flower petals make each of the petal has its own unique characters. I relate to every living has its unique path however we all co-exist in this world and by staying united it reflects harmonism. It’s also represented the beauty of nature where things aren’t perfect and to admire the law of nature. I want my design to look as natural as possible.
I like my design to be versatile, to wear on different fingers. Due to this it is made to be adjustable. At the same time making it flexible, I can make the other part another unique design too which a pearl and a butterfly on top. This goes well with the concept that I am having in which all living unites harmoniously. We have flower, insect and human whom will be the wearer. When this being wear in between fingers, it looks floating especially when wearer moving the hands. For the bud concept, it is because not all flowers bloom, some are bud, again I want to make it natural and adopting the nature.
In our country of Malaysia, the climate is humid with rain or sun all year around and Orchid is the lasting flower here. For the choice of Amethyst and Pearl, I like contrast from the real Orchid whereby the petals are usually purple and the inner part of the flower is white. In real Orchid the purple petal is very attractive. Therefore, Amethyst as faceted gem is being chosen. As for the white, white is an understatement color just like pearl it is humble but elegant thus the white opaque stone such as pearl is chosen. The combination is to embrace differences.
In terms of the floating effect and comfort, there is a bit of technical aspect here. The entire ring needs to be design high and stone need to set above. This way the view is raise on the top of the fingers and give more 3D effect. It can me admire with different angles as to embrace differentiation. For the stability, the width needs to be reasonably spread out so that it touches the next finger and the weight need to be reasonably spread out too.
As I move along my career as jewellery designer, I came to realized that marketing is part of design. Design is the first impression people look at it just like marketing when you do advertisement this is what people first has impression about it. However, how we market is another aspect. The way I market it is to carry unique features while maintain its affordability and marketability. In compare to commercial design in the industry it is more to universal product, maintain trend rather than set trend and challenge the norm. I want my design to be the statement of my style, an individual designer style.
My initial inspiration for my Purple Orchid Ring was from my garden and there are always beautiful butterflies visiting my pots and flowers and Orchid is one of it. The moment is very magical and I came to understand how we live together harmonious with each living has its own nature and eco system. My garden once was a place to give birth to butterflies, there were times, many butterflies nested under some leaves and they lay eggs underneath. I even able to watch their development and their transforming stage until they first to fly for freedom. How amazing and wonderful of this feeling which it has embedded in me and I want to express it in my design.
First and foremost, choosing the shapes and combining it, takes some moment to work around. I shall say just keep working on the shapes and try with numerous sketches until you feel pleasant with it. Also to take note of the sizes and each shapes carry differences. Having the real Orchid on hand as references helps a lot too. Luckily, my garden provides me wonderful choices of orchid flower to look at.
As mentioned, I work with contrast and by nature of the Orchid is, purple is the petal and the center base is white in color. When it comes to proportions, it was greatly inspired by the actual flower. The purple petals parts taken the large proportions where else the white part is rather understatement. However when combined, it definitely carry a huge impact of eye captivation.
I studied not only the flower but my garden too. To incorporate the nature elements from a typical garden included the small details of it. I wanted the structural to represent both living and nature. To ensure the floating elements, the structure needs to be high and low, big and small. Due to these irregularities, it beautiful expressed its elements and structure.
Purple Orchid Ring will challenge the conventional flower design. Not only the aesthetic but also the way of wearing and the choices of gems. The entire ring is thoughtful enough to carry few interesting features which is unusual in the market. I envision every designer to put more creative and innovative thoughts into future work.
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