‘Throughout history there has been a link between architects who have designed jewellery and jewellers that have been inspired by architectural elements,’ notes architect and jewellery designer Ramona Albert.
‘I decided to pursue architecture because I thought that it gave me a broader understanding of all fields of design within history and culture. Jewellery design uses many of the same (digital) tools, and especially within the manufacturing techniques, it is quite close to the process of creating building parts. In my work, which is heavily inspired by nature, the quality of materials and light are very important and therefore the way the two interact is key in the creation of the product.’
Ramona Albert’s fluid jewellery designs
Albert draws on her training for her eponymous jewellery brand, which celebrates living forms, casting fluid and flexible silhouettes in gold. In her hands, golden tendrils weave themselves around the wrist and the fingers, their interlocking forms cutting intricate silhouettes.
‘I look at design as a learning experience, and as a way to understand the world. Nothing in nature is perfect, and everything is fluid,’ she adds. ‘The pieces have an instinctive quality to them, which is what makes them unique. And my aim is to create beautiful pieces that connect you to ideas, dreams or memories. For me, this is defined through the instinctual connection with nature and human nature in general.’
Albert, who also works on furniture, lighting and small objects among other projects, sees jewellery as a natural extension of her architectural portfolio. ‘The jewellery started more like an extension of the design work, not as a separate business,’ she says. ‘The challenge now is to build it up as a separate business rather than an extension of the existing design studio.’
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