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This Designer Has Found a New Way to Bring Gemstones to Life
Svetlana Lazar’s “Wishing Well” collection utilizes an innovative component to mimic the movement of water beneath them.
Svetlana Lazar’s “Queen Bee” Wishing Well ring, featuring a 2.03-carat cabochon emerald on a hand-carved, tapered 18-karat gold band with the brand’s signature “dragon scale” texture ($3,500)
New York—Jewelry designer Svetlana Lazar wants to help make dreams come true.
At least, that’s part of the inspiration behind her “Wishing Well” collection, which features a unique gold setting that mimics the movement of water.
When she created the collection, she had been experimenting with translating into metal the tranquility one feels when observing the movement of water and its resulting ripples dancing across the surface.
At the same time, the self-proclaimed lover of fairytale illustrations also had an image in her head of a woman sitting by a wishing well, ready to cast her wish, captivated by the floating bubbles coming from a magical creature at the bottom of the well.
“Somehow, miraculously, Wishing Well is what came out of this after much tinkering and fabrication at the bench,” Lazar told National Jeweler.
What Lazar created is a visual effect that looks exactly like there is water moving under the stones.
The illusion is created using an all-gold setting with a kinetic component and some very precise fabrication.
See: The Wishing Well Collection in Action Below
At least, that’s part of the inspiration behind her “Wishing Well” collection, which features a unique gold setting that mimics the movement of water.
When she created the collection, she had been experimenting with translating into metal the tranquility one feels when observing the movement of water and its resulting ripples dancing across the surface.
At the same time, the self-proclaimed lover of fairytale illustrations also had an image in her head of a woman sitting by a wishing well, ready to cast her wish, captivated by the floating bubbles coming from a magical creature at the bottom of the well.
“Somehow, miraculously, Wishing Well is what came out of this after much tinkering and fabrication at the bench,” Lazar told National Jeweler.
What Lazar created is a visual effect that looks exactly like there is water moving under the stones.
The illusion is created using an all-gold setting with a kinetic component and some very precise fabrication.
See: The Wishing Well Collection in Action Below
While the result makes it seem simple, there were a lot of details to work out to create the effect, Lazar said.
She also noted that selecting the right gems is vital to the pieces, since the translucency, color, saturation, and inclusions can all affect the final “experience.”
The collection is one the designer said she’s been perfecting and experimenting with over the years, organically becoming an integral part of her brand’s lineup.
And it continues to evolve; Lazar said she has retired the mixed metal styles she used to offer and currently is working on 18-karat gold styles that start at $1,475.
But Wishing Well is just one of a few fantastical lines from the designer.
“Jewelry has always been a portal and retreat away from the chaos of daily life, so I want that space to be soothing and filled with light, whimsy, and magic. Sometimes I joke that my jewelry is for introverts as a means of an escape.”
See: Jewels from the Sceptre and Tiara Collections
She also noted that selecting the right gems is vital to the pieces, since the translucency, color, saturation, and inclusions can all affect the final “experience.”
The collection is one the designer said she’s been perfecting and experimenting with over the years, organically becoming an integral part of her brand’s lineup.
And it continues to evolve; Lazar said she has retired the mixed metal styles she used to offer and currently is working on 18-karat gold styles that start at $1,475.
But Wishing Well is just one of a few fantastical lines from the designer.
“Jewelry has always been a portal and retreat away from the chaos of daily life, so I want that space to be soothing and filled with light, whimsy, and magic. Sometimes I joke that my jewelry is for introverts as a means of an escape.”
See: Jewels from the Sceptre and Tiara Collections
This “Sceptre” pendant features a 4.96-carat free-form opal as well as tourmaline, tsavorite garnet, and diamond accents in 18-karat gold ($4,600).
The “Castle in the Sky” ring from the Tiara collection, featuring a Mexican fire opal and diamonds set in an 18-karat gold band carved with the brand’s signature “dragon scale” texture ($3,125)
The brand also has its “Sceptre” and “Tiara” collections to continue the fantasy theme while empowering the wearer via its classic regal symbols.
“These ideas are a metaphor, so I don’t try to literally copy these shapes into metal form; I only aim to translate and distill their essence into my jewelry.”
Both feature a plethora of colored gemstones, which, much like Wishing Well, require an investment of time to choose each stone and figure out which setting will best enhance it.
Some she might give a closed reflective backing to enhance the already present glow of a stone, she noted, while for others she may leave the back open to allow the color to better blend with the wearer’s skin.
To create a sense of light and motion that keeps the wearer’s eyes engaged with the jewels, Lazar utilizes her signature “dragon scale” texture on the metals, designed to reflect even more light.
To see her collections in person, visit Svetlana Lazar at the upcoming Melee New York jewelry trade show, slated for Aug. 15-17 at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers.
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