‘Structural, soft grunge’ jewellery brand SweetLimeJuice on its eclectic inspirations

‘This season we want to celebrate togetherness,’ say the team behind SweetLimeJuice jewellery, who have built on a signature chunky aesthetic with bold new pieces.

‘We investigated elements associated with family, religion, and tribe, including the symbolic objects from different cultures, such as the Japanese family crest –「家紋」Kamon, the Lingam casket worn by the Hindus, and the Islamic relic The Black Stone in Mecca. These meaningful things evoke a sense of connection, closeness, and belief. This collection was also inspired by sculptors Isamu Noguchi and Wendell Castle – the shape of their fluid yet symmetrical and geometrical sculptures.’

These eclectic inspirations are translated into chains composed of thickly drawn links and intricately embellished silver accentuating the curve of the fingertip. ‘We look thoroughly into what has already been done and then see how far we can go to push the existing boundaries, in terms of how we can manipulate traditional materials with innovative methods, or combine them with uniquely shaped structures or uncommon materials such as fabric and eco-resin,’ the team add. ‘For instance, we have created a claw setting with a chunky hollow base for the freshwater pearl beads to link the pearls together.’

Freshwater black pearls meet distinctive elements such as the split crucifix in a modern take on traditional jewellery design. In other pieces, classic stone setting is eschewed for a swaddling method, where an octagonal gemstone is covered completely in hand-carved silver. ‘Most of our products are developed in-house, including the clasp and chain,’ the team tell us. ‘The most challenging part would be making sure the durability and if the same mechanism works in different sizes.’

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