The art of Sumi-e
As part of our 2023 High Jewellery collection - TATTOO, Simone Jewels has collaborated with Japanese-American artist Tomoyuki Iwanami on a six-piece collaboration collection, Simone x Tomo, based on the Japanese art of ink painting, or Sumi-e.
The gender-neutral Simone x Tomo collaboration collection comprises rings, earrings, and a bracelet, expertly fashioned as ink splash motifs. The monochromatic black and white pieces are crafted from various materials, including 18K gold, diamonds, and natural black spinel.
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Illustrating sentiment jewellery with body ink
TATTOO marks another milestone in Simone Jewels’ journey: It is the brand’s first androgynous collection, designed with both men and women in mind.
Tattoos and jewellery are both powerful expressions of individualism and symbolism, holding a strong sentimental link that forms the foundation of the 2023 collection. TATTOO is a continuation of Simone’s desire to craft jewels that serve as an extension of the wearer’s personality. The collection focuses on four main themes that recur in tattoo design, namely Love, Beauty, Courage and Life, ready to mark one's significant milestone or challenge like the purpose of tattoos.
Each design is a veritable work of art, one that makes a careful study of the theme it manifests, but also evokes emotion when viewed. Like any piece of art, a jewel by Simone Jewels is meant to intrigue, and to speak directly to the beholder who might spot a little bit of themselves in the design.
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Wearable tributes to an ancient, regal art
Simone Jewels’ 2022 collection – Portraits of Porcelain – is inspired by three of the most talked about Chinese porcelains from the Qing dynasty that are celebrated for their historical and aesthetic significance, commanding astronomical prices in recent auctions.
The ancient art of Chinese porcelain was a closely guarded technique valued for its durability and delicacy. Porcelain reached its pinnacle in the Qing dynasty with brightly coloured portraits of floral, landscape, and figurative scenes, making it highly sought-after worldwide. The development of painted enamel was also one of the most significant technical contributions made during this period.
Chinese porcelain is otherworldly in its beauty and strength, conferring it a highly coveted status by rulers and empires throughout history.
Portraits of Porcelain distils the evanescence of porcelain and the techniques of its unsung masters into profoundly wearable tributes to this ancient, regal art. Feast your eyes on these storied gems.
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From Time Immemorial
For 14 years, Simone has told stories from around the world through coloured gemstones. Now, for her 2020/2021 collection, Storied Gems, she has returned to the genesis of these precious stones, breathing new life into a story that is as old as time.
Formed beneath the earth long before we existed and in limited supply, these humble minerals have taken the world by storm. Being one of mother nature's most breathtaking creations, there is nothing quite like the uniqueness of natural gemstones.
Rhapsody celebrates the beauty of coloured gemstones through a series of monochromatic, free-flowing designs inspired by their crystalline structures. Boasting an extensive range of beloved gemstones like Tanzanite, Sapphire and Spinel, each skillfully crafted design brings forth the beauty in each gemstone variety.
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Empowering modern women
Simone collaborated with world renowned jewellery insider Katerina Perez on her 2019 capsule collection, Simone x Katerina Perez. The two came together after years of mutual admiration for each other’s creativity and passion.
Katerina wanted to convey an empowering message to women: Always reach for the stars; the sky’s the limit. Enter Simone’s celestial-inspired rings and earrings. Strong yet fluid, dazzling yet understated, these pieces are evocative of the modern woman’s nuanced qualities. Made with ethically sourced recycled gold, they are set with hand-carved gemstones in cool tones. This is a collection dedicated to everyday wear.
Shop this collection online at https://simonexkaterinaperez.com/
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Celebrating a beautiful mind
Simone’s 2019 collection, Bombshell, draws inspiration from an amazing story of a star for her inventions. Amongst them was frequency hopping, which is an essential technology for Wi-Fi today.
Celebrating a beautiful mind of ingenuity, the designs are of celestial motives and intricate details hidden within the jewellery. This includes incorporating an actual miniature music box beneath a pendant; music was one of the early influences for such technology. Discover the layers of hidden gems within these gems.
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Love, hope and joy take flight
Birds in Poetry, Simone’s 2018 collection, takes inspiration from three iconic English poems, using birds as analogies for love, hope and joy. The exquisite collection embodies the poets’ expressions in three parts: Enduring Love, Romantic Hope & Purity in Joy.
Simone has set hearts aflutter with her unique renditions of birds and the use of vibrant gemstones in red, blue and green in this collection. She has vividly crafted the language of love, hope and joy.
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The history of architecture in miniature
For her first-ever capsule collection in 2017, Jewels of Architecture, Simone collaborated with Jason Pomeroy, an award-winning architect, professor and TV presenter.
Jason chose six buildings that not only chronicled the evolution of British architecture, but also influenced his personal journey. One of it was St Paul’s Cathedral. He had visited it as a child with his father, and it was there that he had decided to become an architect.
Simone then reinterpreted the buildings in her designs. The result: six truly unique bejewelled rings. Each one comes with a secret compartment under its sugarloaf-cut gem that holds micro-sized details inspired by an important feature in the building’s interior.
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English charms
Georgian style refers to the various styles in Britain’s architecture, interior design and decorative arts from 1714 to 1830 when the four King Georges reigned. Two centuries on, Simone revisited the Georgian style for Quintessentially British, her 2017 collection.
The collection unites a wide array of influences – from English rococo to gothic to neoclassical – to tell the stories of Georgian ladies like Georgiana Spencer, the Duchess of Devonshire who was also the great-great-great grand aunt of Princess Diana.
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The birth of a new art
When artists of the western world first encountered Japanese ukiyo-e paintings and woodblock prints, they were struck by their irregularity, curved lines and vibrant colours. The ukiyo-e style was vastly different from the prevailing historical styles in Europe.
Ukiyo-e art strongly influenced the birth of the Art Nouveau (“new art” in French) movement. Art Nouveau, defined by linear designs and flowing curves based on natural forms, set off new directions for many artists. These included Antonio Gaudi, Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet.
In Romance du Art Nouveau, Simone’s 2016 collection, the oriental elements of ukiyo-e meet the resplendent touches of Art Nouveau, reigniting the magic of modern Art Nouveau in the 21st century.
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Stories that have inspired stories
Thousand and One Nights, also known as Arabian Nights, is the first romantic prose-fiction collection with exotic tales from various ethnic sources. It has been pivotal in influencing Western writers, including Hans Christian Anderson who wrote The Little Mermaid, Thumbelina and The Emperor’s New Clothes. Famous tales in Arabian Nights such as Aladdin, Ali Baba and Sindbad the Sailor, having been adapted into movies and stories, have also become part of Western folklore.
For her 2015 collection, Simone drew inspiration from the incredulous and beautiful tales of Arabian Nights. The pieces in this collection are magically whimsical and enthralling – just like the tales themselves.
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Magnificent gems
Ancient Ethiopians valued personal adornment. Men and women of all social status then wore jewellery. But what jewels would have been the Queen of Sheba’s favourites? How did she enchant the wise man of that time, King Solomon, with her beauty? What magnificent gems did she present to him? This historical story inspired Simone’s 2014 collection, Jewels of the Nile.
Marvels of intricacy set with stunning gems from Africa, the pieces in this collection exude exotic glamour with rich jewel tones and sparkle with delicate motifs. With its majestic splendour, this collection is truly fit for any queen.
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Falling under the spell of an ancient wonder
What did the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of ancient world, look like? As legend has it, luxurious vegetation cascaded down its terraces like waterfalls. Exotic flowers and fruits perfumed its passages. The garden was also a monument to love: King Nebuchadnezzar II built it for his queen, Amytis, who had pined for her verdant homeland, Media.
Simone has reimagined the garden’s beauty for Hanging Gardens of Babylon, her 2013 collection. Taking cues from its flora and fauna, she has brought to life the wonder’s splendours with intricate compositions and spellbinding motifs. Set with jewels in tones inspired by the garden, the collection is both dreamy and romantic.
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East Meets West
In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, the Chinese adopted French glass-making techniques. Meanwhile, the French applied the decorative styles of Chinese blue-and-white porcelain to their own ceramics.
Such cultural exchanges were all thanks to the French Jesuits who had been dispatched to the Qing court by King Louis XIV of France. Although the royals had never met in person, they introduced each other’s arts and culture into their lifestyles and that changed the history of fashion forever.
Simone’s 2012 collection, Parisian Chinois, reinterprets the fusion artistic styles that emerged from the Sino-Franco interactions. Its pieces dazzle with a blend of European and oriental motifs. Think Chinese songbirds perched inside a French birdcage, cherry blossoms in bloom, and delicate jade carvings in acanto style. Parisian Chinois is a rich treasure trove of wearable fusion art.
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Celebrating the Russian Heritage
It is no secret that the Russian royalties owned some of the world's most exquisite jewellery. The details of their craftsmanship and the intricacy displays the right combination of superiority in every piece. The Empress of Russia, Catherine the Great, who ruled during a Golden Age (1762-1796), believed great jewels were as important as a great army.
From Russia With Love, Simone’s 2011 collection, encapsulates the finest elements of Russian heritage. From the secret guilloché technique used in the famous jewelled eggs to enamel work and fine figurines, Simone has recast these motifs as the collection’s delicate vocabulary.
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The era of ribbons & laces
Victorian Vintage celebrates the great Queen Victoria with a collection inspired by her love story. Ascending to the throne as a young girl and meeting the love of her life, Prince Albert, the young Queen ruled with passion. Her style became a great icon and continued to influence the history of fashion till today. The Romantic Period marks the time she was blissfully married; with child and dubbed the happiest time during her reign.
Featuring an artistic interpretation of intricate lace, chandelier earrings, flower garlands and delicate ribbons, the designs are inspired by the femininity and elegance of a Victorian lady. The craftsmanship embodies the technique of vintage style such as filigree and old world charm.
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