Annette Welander brings offbeat cool to the diamond ear cuff

diamond ear cuffs by Annette Welander — (Image credit: Annette Welander)

Swedish jewellery designer Annette Welander brings a sculptural simplicity to pieces that encompass chic and clean silhouettes, interpreting the classic form of a diamond ear cuff in her new pieces.

‘Arches are a timeless symbol and are one of the single most important architectural discoveries,’ Welander says of what inspired the design. ‘Through a seemingly simple stacking, the complex nature of the arc generates the ability to perforate massive and otherwise hidden structures. The arch achieves the qualities of being self- supporting, stabilised by the force of gravity and it signifies the opening to new perspectives, the fact of seeing on the other side. We used the arch idea and transferred it to arcs defined by a segment of a circle, with the intention of shedding light onto what’s on the other side of the arch.’

person holds diamond ear cuff by Annette Welander

The pieces are cast in distinctive Swedish red gold, which strikes a balance between rose and yellow gold in its elegant hue. ‘When you see pieces in this gold colour, it catches your eye immediately,’ Welander adds. ‘It is our signature gold but we also offer all our designs in sustainably sourced carbon-neutral 18ct red gold, yellow, rose and white gold to suit everyone’s personal taste.’

close-up of diamond ear cuff by Annette Welander

The ear cuffs eschew perfectly proportioned forms and are instead slightly offset. ‘This was a challenge and required a unique handcraft, since it is a complex design. For the rings and bracelets in the collection, all the arcs are made separately and after this, assembled together through a very special technique. To make the pieces offset you need to be very precise in your craftsmanship so that they will have a strong structure and last for generations. For the earrings, all of the arcs are mirror-turned so you have truly unique pieces.’

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Hannah Silver is a writer and editor with over 20 years of experience in journalism, spanning national newspapers and independent magazines. Currently Art, Culture, Watches & Jewellery Editor of Wallpaper*, she has overseen offbeat art trends and conducted in-depth profiles for print and digital, as well as writing and commissioning extensively across the worlds of culture and luxury since joining in 2019.