Interview about Yin and Yang Ring, winner of the A' Jewelry Design Award 2025
This ring reinterprets the classic bypass playing with asymmetry, curves, heights, and inclinations to challenge traditional symmetry while preserving balance and elegance. Inspired by the Yin and Yang concept, it embodies contrast and harmony. It features 18K white gold, Australian white pearl, gray Akoya pearl, colorless and gray diamonds. The black and white rhodium finish enhances this duality. Meticulously engineered for comfort, the design prevents rotation while creating a piece that interacts with the wearer, creating a constant play of light and shadow, evolving with every gesture.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsThe start, as always, is prompted by my aim to create beautiful and meaningful designs and jewelry. I have always been fascinated by the Yin and Yang philosophy, by the idea that everything contains its opposite, and that balance is found not in perfection, but in contrast. I wanted to translate this ancient, universal concept into a piece of contemporary jewelry that could speak to both the wearer and the observer. I chose the bypass ring because of its symbolic nature: two parts that approach but never fully merge. From there, I pushed the design further breaking symmetry, altering heights and inclinations, and creating movement that brings the ring to life with every gesture. I intentionally selected pearls, which are born of living organisms, as symbols of inner duality and transformation.
Each material was chosen not only for its aesthetic appeal but also for its symbolic resonance. I wanted every element to contribute to the story of duality and balance.The use of a white Australian pearl and a rare gray Akoya pearl was deeply intentional. What draws me to pearls is that they are organic gems created by living beings which symbolize purity, transformation, and resilience. Their formation process mirrors our own journey through challenges. The contrast in their colors light represents the dual aspects of human nature, and the idea that within light there is darkness, and vice versa. They are not simply decorative, but living metaphors of the concept. The black and white rhodium plating on the shank deepens this dialogue between opposites, providing a brilliant, mirror-like finish that reflects light beautifully creating that stunning contrast I was seeking, highlighted by colorless and grey that act as a luminous pathway, guiding the eye along the unfolding narrative of duality and balance.
Securing the pearl without a visible setting was one of the biggest technical challenges. Pearls can’t undergo rhodium plating, so the ring had to be completely finished - polished, set, and plated - before the pearl was added. I designed an invisible through-screw system: the Australian pearl was drilled from side to side and anchored from the bottom with a hidden screw. This final step was extremely delicate, as the finished ring could no longer be scratched or adjusted.
Balancing asymmetry with elegance was both the challenge and the excitement in creating the Yin and Yang ring. I wanted to do something unexpected, break away from perfect symmetry while still making the piece feel harmonious and comfortable to wear. I began by exploring the bypass style, allowing the two ends to flow past one another. This gave me the freedom to play with visual tension, but I carefully studied how each curve and element interacted.For me, true balance doesn’t mean both sides are identical: it’s about achieving harmony, even in contrast. Every material and detail, from the differing pearls to the dual rhodium finish, was placed with intention to create a unified whole. In the end, the ring is both bold and refined. It stands out, but remains timeless and wearable. That, to me, is the real magic: finding elegance in the unexpected.
Preventing rotation while maintaining elegance was a key design goal. Since the ring is asymmetric and features elements with different heights and weights, I had to carefully study its physical balance. The shank was shaped and weighted so the ring would sit naturally on the finger without twisting. At the same time, the curves and inclinations were designed to catch light from every angle, creating movement and visual rhythm with each gesture. It’s a blend of engineering and artistry, where comfort meets expression. In my designs wearability is just as important as aesthetics.
At the beginning of my career, I learned to carve wax models by hand, which taught me essential jewelry manufacturing and production techniques, as well as fundamental skills in proportion, balance, and sensitivity to form - qualities I admit were already within me. Later, I became fascinated by technology. Using powerful 3D CAD software like Rhinoceros allowed me to develop more complex and precise structures. But these tools, while transformative, are not automatic. They require experience, creative vision, and a high level of professionalism. Rhinoceros doesn’t create anything on its own, it is the designer behind it.That said, no software can replace the value of craftsmanship.The true soul of the Yin and Yang ring lies in the handwork: the invisible through-screw securing the pearl, the precise stone setting, the subtle rounding of edges, the polished finish, and the technical challenge of applying two distinct rhodium platings - just to name a few. These final steps demand both delicacy and expertise. For me, it’s in the fusion of digital innovation and meticulous hand-finishing that a jewel becomes something truly exceptional. That’s where the real magic lies.
Yin and Yang Ring is in fact a wearable symbol of complexities and contrasts in everyone's life. The two pearls, the contrasting finishes, and the flowing asymmetry all reflect the dualities within each of us: light and shadow, strength and vulnerability, harmony and tension.We all carry a dark side: those hidden, imperfect, or difficult parts of ourselves. This ring acknowledges that darkness, not to fear it, but to accept it as part of a greater whole. And of course, as the ring itself suggests, I always hope that the light - the better part of us - will emerge. It is a piece meant to accompany the wearer on their personal journey, a quiet reminder that balance, growth, and beauty come from embracing every facet of who we are.
Creating a dynamic relationship between the ring and its wearer was central to the design. Eleonora Federici jewels always give great importance to the interaction with the person who wears them. They are meant to feel like a tailored dress: perfectly fitted, deeply personal, and expressive. A jewel should speak for the wearer, but also become part of them.With the Yin and Yang Ring, I wanted the piece to move with the body, to reflect light differently with every gesture, and to feel like a natural extension of the hand. The asymmetric curves, varying heights, and shifting inclinations were all carefully studied to create a flowing visual rhythm. The result is a piece that lives with the wearer - visually dynamic, physically balanced, and emotionally resonant. It’s more than an object; it’s an evolving expression of identity.
The choice of pearls was both symbolic and intentional. I selected an Australian white pearl and a rare gray Akoya pearl to reflect the dual forces of light and shadow at the heart of the Yin and Yang philosophy. Pearls, being organic and formed through time and resilience, beautifully represent inner transformation and the quiet strength that comes from Nature.As a gemologist, I have always been drawn to unexpected, lesser-known, or underappreciated materials. So I chose a gray Akoya pearl not only for its soft, mysterious beauty that adds emotional depth and visual intrigue to the design, but also because maybe one person in a million would recognize what kind of pearl it truly is, making the ring even more special.Throughout my career, I have consistently used such materials in my work. Often, when clients have trusted me with these choices, they ended up with gems that were once undervalued and inexpensive, but have since become highly prized and sought after.I positioned the two pearls on opposite ends of the bypass to create contrast and balance. Their differences in tone, size, and placement are not only visual. They tell a story: light and darkness are not opposites in conflict, but complementary forces that define one another. These pearls are not just decorative: they are the emotional and philosophical core of the ring.
The Yin and Yang Ring pushes the boundaries of the traditional bypass ring by introducing intentional asymmetry, contrasting materials, and symbolic depth...all elements I believe are increasingly relevant in contemporary jewelry. As Clients and collectors seek pieces with meaning and individuality, I hope this ring encourages a shift toward designs that are both emotionally resonant and structurally innovative.At the same time, its timeless appeal comes from its balance of form, materials, and symbolism. The contrast between light and dark, movement and stillness, elegance and boldness, speaks to something universal. I always aim to create wearable pieces of art, objects that transcend generations. Because to me, beauty and elegance are not subjective, they are an attitude.
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