Interview about Finesse Watch Earring, winner of the A' Jewelry Design Award 2025
Inspired by Baroque artistry and the gardens of Versailles, this earring reflects heritage, nature, and craftsmanship. With flowing arcs, emerald accents, and a clock face set on mother of pearl, it represents femininity, resilience, and the passage of time. Decorated with lab-grown diamonds, this design blends France's artistic traditions with sustainable materials, offering a balance of elegance and modern jewelry making.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsInspired by my deep admiration for Baroque art and architecture, I wanted to capture its elegance and structural beauty in a modern way. The Palace of Versailles fascinated me with its perfect balance of geometry and ornament, which became the heart of my concept. By merging the precision of timekeeping with the elegance of fine jewelry, I created the Finesse Diamond Watch Earrings — a piece that embodies a timeless harmony between function and art.
At OBY, sustainability and ethical sourcing are central to our design philosophy. For the Finesse Diamond Watch Earrings, we chose lab-grown diamonds and emeralds, which offer the same brilliance as mined stones but with a far smaller environmental footprint. The mother-of-pearl base is ethically sourced, ensuring that beauty is created responsibly and harmoniously with the planet.
The Finesse Diamond Watch Earrings take their inspiration from the architectural and landscape design of the Palace of Versailles. Drawing on the gardens’ precise geometric patterns, symmetrical layouts, and central axes adorned with fountains and sculptures, the design translates these historic elements into contemporary jewelry. Flowing circular arcs echo the gardens’ harmonious forms, while emerald accents capture the vibrancy of Versailles’ greenery, transforming Baroque grandeur into a refined, modern expression of elegance.
Initially, the goal was to create earrings that functioned as fully operational watches, combining a timepiece and jewelry in a literal sense. However, incorporating a working movement would have required adding a watch mechanism, which significantly increased the weight and made the earrings impractical to wear. Considering the need for comfort and wearability, this approach was ultimately set aside. Instead, the design focused on capturing the symbolic essence of time through the clock face motif, allowing the earrings to retain both their elegance and visual impact without compromising on comfort.
Winning the A' Design Award Bronze for the Finesse Jewelry Watch Earring demonstrates how cultural inspiration and sustainability can successfully shape the future of jewelry design. At OBY, we focus on creating pieces that are accessible, thoughtfully crafted, and environmentally responsible, showing that modern jewelry can combine meaningful design with ethical practices. This achievement affirms our belief in a future where beautiful, wearable accessories are available to everyone, and where designers prioritize both creativity and sustainability in every piece.
The Finesse Diamond Watch Earrings combine traditional craftsmanship with modern sustainable practices. Each piece begins with hand sketches and CAD modeling, followed by precision casting using recycled metals. Lab-grown diamonds, emeralds, and ethically sourced mother-of-pearl are carefully hand-set to preserve artisanal detail. By merging time-honored jewelry techniques with eco-conscious materials, the design achieves both enduring quality and environmental responsibility.
The Finesse Diamond Watch Earrings were created as a tribute to feminine elegance and inner strength. The flowing arcs symbolize grace and softness, while the clock face represents resilience — a reminder of how women move through time with balance and purpose. By combining these elements, the design celebrates both beauty and determination, resonating with women who see jewelry not just as decoration, but as a reflection of their own timeless confidence and strength.
The dimensions of the Finesse Diamond Watch Earrings were finalized after multiple design refinements and wear tests with different individuals to find a size that suits most people comfortably. This proportion strikes a balance between elegant visual appeal and practical wearability, allowing the earrings to showcase their refined details while remaining suitable for everyday use.
Studying Baroque architecture and historical jewelry provided valuable insights into the harmony between structure, ornament, and symbolism, which deeply influenced the design of the Finesse Diamond Watch Earrings. The Baroque focus on symmetry, fluid curves, and refined detail shaped the design’s form, while the exploration of historical jewelry revealed how craftsmanship once carried stories of heritage and identity. This inspired a design that not only echoes artistic traditions but also reinterprets cultural heritage for the modern era, blending timeless elegance with contemporary sustainability.
Building on the success of the Finesse Diamond Watch Earrings, future OBY collections will continue to explore the dialogue between cultural heritage, sustainability, and modern design. We aim to expand the use of lab-grown gemstones, recycled metals, and ethically sourced natural materials, while experimenting with new forms that reinterpret historical artistry in a contemporary way. Our goal is to create designs that are thoughtful, wearable, and responsible, carrying forward the idea that meaningful design can honor tradition while embracing innovation.
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