CollectionsAug 14, 2025
In Midst of ‘Sardine Girl Summer,’ Pippa Small Looks to ‘Flounder Fall’Her new “Ocean” collection was inspired by Myanmar’s traditional articulated fish jewelry, with depictions of flounder, catfish, and more.
TrendsJul 05, 2018
Wwake’s New Objects Collection is a Lesson in Upcycling
The brand’s limited-edition glass vessels contain opals that didn’t make the cut for jewelry.
Wwake designer Wing Yau collaborated with friend and artist Colin Lynch on a limited-edition series of glass vials containing opal castoffs.
New York—In addition to the inherent challenges that come with being an artist running a small business, Wwake designer Wing Yau has tasked herself with a greater goal: making her line as traceable and eco-friendly as possible.
Ethical sourcing is a process—and Yau is knee-deep in it—but she’s found one creative means of limiting her business’s footprint.
Launched last week in collaboration with glassblower and jeweler Colin Lynch, whom she met while studying at the esteemed Rhode Island School of Design, Wwake’s “Art Objects” are a limited-edition collection of glass vials based on Greek Hellenistic artifacts filled with the opals that couldn’t be incorporated into Wwake jewelry.
“When you make jewelry, there’s such a strong focus on the most rare, beautiful material,” Yau explained. “But when you trace your materials from the mine to the cutting process and then to the jewelry, you see exactly how much precious material doesn’t actually make the cut; it becomes waste. As such, jewelry can be expected to represent our most perfect selves and not the whole of what we do.
“For me, the process and the imperfections are beautiful too—they show intention—and this is so much of what Colin and I do as designers. Our vials are intended to highlight the beauty of our ‘imperfect’ opals in timeless artifacts.”
Yau studied sculpture at RISD, and while she also produces larger-scale jewelry under the moniker Closer by Wwake, her delicate 14-karat gold and opal earrings and rings are what really caught the attention of stores, editors and consumers.
Opals are now synonymous with the brand and have become even more meaningful to Yau as she educates herself on their provenance and becomes more involved in their sourcing from mines like Coober Pedy, Lightning Ridge and Mintabie.
“I told (Lynch) how much our opals mean to me, being that we’ve started to work directly with our miner and cut our stones custom for Wwake jewelry, so we bring the material to life from start to finish,” Yau said. “Opals really hold a sense of place for me. So, naturally, we began collaborating on making vials that captured this emotional quality behind our materials.”
Lynch has his own line of jewelry called Keane, comprised of glass vial necklaces containing sand from different beaches around the world.
Riffing off of that concept, the Wwake Art Objects function as a sort of altar to
the opal itself—the combination of rough and cut stones is preserved in the vials the way a painting might be protected by a frame or behind glass.
“The vials’ shapes are modeled after Greek Hellenistic artifacts,” Yau said. “It’s a nod to items that hold value for the history of mankind, because they’re rich with clues about how and why people made things. I hope that our customers feel this way about our opals too.”
Yau, who took home a CFDA + Lexus Fashion Initiative Micro Award for her dedication to developing a fully traceable jewelry line, said that working in a category outside of jewelry felt “like coming home.”
The Art Objects are available at The Primary Essentials and on wwake.com. The limited-edition group of 75, all of which are handmade and one-of-a-kind, is priced at $180 to $300.
“The vials’ shapes are modeled after Greek Hellenistic artifacts,” Yau said. “It’s a nod to items that hold value for the history of mankind, because they’re rich with clues about how and why people made things. I hope that our customers feel this way about our opals too.”
Yau, who took home a CFDA + Lexus Fashion Initiative Micro Award for her dedication to developing a fully traceable jewelry line, said that working in a category outside of jewelry felt “like coming home.”
The Art Objects are available at The Primary Essentials and on wwake.com. The limited-edition group of 75, all of which are handmade and one-of-a-kind, is priced at $180 to $300.
More on Trends
The Latest
MajorsAug 14, 2025
Casio America Names New CEOLongtime Casio executive Yusuke Suzuki is the new president and CEO of Casio’s U.S. subsidiary.
SourcingAug 14, 2025
West Coast Orgs to Host Trading Event, Mixer in LAThe full-day sourcing and networking event, slated for Aug. 18, will be followed by the fifth annual Mega Mixer Summer Soirée.
Brought to you by
Taking the Moment Head On: How Rio Grande Champions the Present & Future of Fine JewelryAs a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.
SourcingAug 13, 2025
ICA Names 2025 Board of DirectorsThe board elected 9 new directors at its recent ICA Congress in Brazil.
Weekly QuizAug 08, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SurveysAug 13, 2025
These Are The 25 Hottest Retailers, Says NRFJD Sports and Wawa were among the fastest-growing retail companies in the U.S. last year.
SourcingAug 13, 2025
Columbia Gem House Launches Winza Sapphires, RubiesThe new inventory, all untreated, features vibrant hues and unique bicolor combinations.
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench JewelersThe Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.
SourcingAug 12, 2025
Gemfields Sells Fabergé for $50MAcquired by a tech investor, the historic brand will continue to focus on jewelry, accessories, and timepieces.
Policies & IssuesAug 12, 2025
Higher Tariff on Chinese Imports Paused for 90 Days, Trump SaysPresident Donald Trump issued an executive order extending the pause on higher tariffs to November as negotiations with China continue.
CollectionsAug 12, 2025
Jacquie Aiche’s New Collection Harnesses the Energy of the ThunderbirdThe “Thunderbird Slab” collection features a thunderbird motif as a symbol of power, protection, and boundless possibility.
ColumnistsAug 12, 2025
Creative Connecting: How to Take a Better HeadshotColumnists Jen Cullen Williams and Duvall O’Steen share tips on how to elevate your professional image.
CrimeAug 11, 2025
Man Convicted of First-Degree Murder in Death of Colorado JewelerPeter Damian Arguello, a jeweler in the Denver suburb of Wheat Ridge, was found dead inside his store in November 2023.
IndependentsAug 11, 2025
Lisa Bridge to Depart Ben Bridge JewelerThe retailer, owned by Berkshire Hathaway, is becoming part of the Berkshire Hathaway Jewelry Group with Helzberg.
Events & AwardsAug 11, 2025
Bethenny Frankel to Give Keynote at CBG’s Experience ShowThe Continental Buying Group’s 2025 Tampa Experience Show is slated for Sept. 8-10.
EditorsAug 11, 2025
The Colors Expected to Be On-Trend in a Couple YearsAssociate Editor Lauren McLemore recently attended a fabrics trade show where a trend forecaster shared her predictions for summer 2027.
FinancialsAug 08, 2025
Brilliant Earth’s Q2 Sales Up 3% as Engagement Ring Sales RiseThe company raised its full-year sales guidance while noting it has not yet assessed the potential impact of the latest tariff news.
Events & AwardsAug 08, 2025
GJEPC’s Jewellers for Hope Celebrates 10 Years of FundraisingThe organization has raised more than $1.3 million for charity since its inception.
TrendsAug 08, 2025
Piece of the Week: Rahaminov Diamonds’ Bezel BangleThe brand’s latest iteration of a bezel-set diamond bangle features clean lines and a timeless design for a new modern silhouette.
WatchesAug 07, 2025
Bulova’s New Collection Honors Tony BennettThe first watch in the series commemorates his participation in the Civil Rights movement, marching from Selma to Montgomery in 1965.
Lab-GrownAug 07, 2025
Chatham Releases Catalog for Loose Lab-Grown GemstonesThe catalog contains a complete listing of all the loose gemstones in stock, as well as information about the properties of each stone.
TechnologyAug 07, 2025
Rembrandt Charms Debuts New Website, Bird CharmsThe company added a retailer dashboard to its site and three new birds to its charm collection, the cardinal, blue jay, and hummingbird.
Policies & IssuesAug 06, 2025
Tariff on India to Rise to 50%, Trump Says An additional 25 percent tariff has been added to the previously announced 25 percent.
MajorsAug 06, 2025
Claire’s Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy AgainThe jewelry and accessories retailer plans to close 18 stores as part of the proceedings.
IndependentsAug 06, 2025
Smith & Son Jewelers to Close 107-Year-Old Location Its Springfield, Massachusetts, store is set to close as owner Andrew Smith heads into retirement.
CollectionsAug 06, 2025
Zahn-Z Swims With Whales in ‘Beluga’ CollectionDesigner Hiba Husayni looked to the whale’s melon shaped-head, blowhole, and fluke for her new chunky gold offerings.
TrendsAug 06, 2025
Paola De Luca to Release Trendbook 2027+She will present the 23rd edition of the trend forecasting book at Vicenzaoro on Sept. 7.
