Editors

3 Pieces with Sophie Bille Brahe

EditorsOct 17, 2016

3 Pieces with Sophie Bille Brahe

The innovative Danish jewelry designer is a trend-starter and non-conformist with a cult following.

20161017_3Pieces-SBB-HEADER.jpg
In our latest installment of “3 Pieces” Sophie Bille Brahe talks motherhood and modernity. (Portrait by Nikolaj Holm Møller)

It seems appropriate to me that Copenhagen-based designer Sophie Bille Brahe chose three single earrings to speak about for my “3 Pieces” series.

Brahe created her “Croissant de Lune” ear climber, to my surprise, in 2007, several years before this style of jewelry became a de rigueur piece that every designer churned out to meet customer demand (though the style has had moments of popularity in the past, notably in the 1950s and 1960s).

When I asked Brahe about this, she affirmed as much, saying that in the contemporary era, “I think I was one of the first who started doing this kind of ear crawler that goes up the ear.”

She didn’t belabor

the point, but since speaking with Brahe I’ve become more convinced than I already was that she’s inadvertently dictated a lot of what is considered cool in jewelry design now.

I don’t think it’s something she set out to do; rather, I imagine it’s been a natural effect of the appreciation people have for her work, which is at once modern but quiet, unique but elegant.

I was fascinated with everything Brahe had to say about designing the following three pieces, which ranged from bling to motherhood to astronomy to “stupid flower decorations.”

Read on for a little insight into the mind of one of contemporary jewelry design’s most riveting creators.


Sophie Bille Brahe’s “Croissant de Lune” earring in 18-karat yellow gold with white diamonds

Sophie Bille Brahe: The “Croissant de Lune” was one of my first pieces. I actually did it back in 2007, even before I started the company.

It’s 18-karat gold with VVS diamonds. The reason why I did it is because I really wanted to wear some big bling.

I wanted to wear some nice diamond earrings and then I did two kinds of studs, and it looked so Beckham-like. I was like, “Oh no, that’s definitely not the way I want to wear that.” I really wanted to use the diamonds in a way where you had the feeling of proper bling but without being this kind of status symbol--just let the diamond stand in its own beauty.

I think that’s very much the way I work with all the jewelry I make; I try to use the material to tell a story, I try to let them stand alone rather than cover a diamond with a lot of decoration. I like to have clean, clean lines in the materials.

At the point where I did this piece, people would normally only wear two earrings. I think it’s much different now that people are more educated in being able to just wear one earring, but I really liked this, that the jewelry could be worn in one ear and then you could put something in the other ear.
“I really wanted to use the diamonds in a way where you had the feeling of proper bling but without being this kind of status symbol.”
My face is not very symmetrical so if I wear a pair of earrings, you can see that I’m not symmetrical. I have always had this feeling that if I put a different earring in each side, it’s easier to create a balance.

I wear “Croissant de Lune” always.


Sophie Bille Brahe’s “Elipse” earring in 14-karat yellow gold with a Japanese Akoya pearl

SBB: I lived in London for some time and I came back (to Copenhagen) and I wanted to start a company. And then I got pregnant--not planned. I just knew that this was my child. I knew that I wanted him. So in 2013, two weeks after I had given birth to him, I had to do a collection. I was almost in tears because I just wanted to look at my little boy and it was the messiest thing about bringing him to work and during working hours he was sleeping and it was really kind of stressful.
“I didn’t want to wear anything pearl myself; I thought all the pearls I could find would be really ladylike.”
The only, only thing I wanted to do was look at him. So I was like, ‘If I need to do a collection, it needs to be really meaningful to me.’

When I had given birth to my son my mom gave me an old pearl necklace. And I didn’t like pearls, but I kind of thought it would be a really fun element to use.

A pearl has this same kind of magic touch as having a baby. It’s an oyster and suddenly, because of a little grain of sand, there’s a pearl. It’s linked up to the moon; there are all these magical stories around it so, to me, it made sense to use the pearl.

I didn’t want to wear anything pearl myself; I thought all the pearls I could find would be really ladylike. So I tried to put it together with piercing elements. In the little gold ball there is a screw mechanism--it’s actually a very industrial thing to do, just done in a miniature way.

Just like the “Croissant de Lune,” the pearl is just a pearl; there’s no stupid flower decoration, there’s just the beauty of a pearl. You don’t need to think about a lot of things, you can just enjoy the glow and the color and the pure shape.

It’s a Japanese Akoya pearl and the gold is 14-karat yellow gold because of the screw mechanism. You cannot do it in 18-karat because the gold needs to be harder.


Sophie Bille Brahe’s “Claire de Lune” earring in 18-karat yellow gold with white diamonds

SBB: For each collection I have a story, some kind of thing that is about somewhere where I am in my life. It’s always quite linked up to my personal life, so this was why I chose the “Claire de Lune,” because I did a whole collection about star constellations. This is because my great-great grandfather was a very famous astronomer who found a star in the constellation Cassiopeia.
“I try to have…the universe represented in each collection.”
I did a whole collection inspired by a feeling of the place where the sea and the sky meet. There’s a feeling of never ending. I think this piece explains a little bit about how I try to have some kind of the universe represented in each collection.

I do sketches on Post-its, more like not to forget my thoughts. Then straight from there you can say almost I do the sketches in metal.

If you look at my table there’s always kind of these rough, rough things done in metal. I just need to get a feeling of how I want it to look and from these metal sketches then I do them exactly how I want them in gold. I think I work very much into the metals from the beginning.
Ashley Davisis the senior editor, fashion at National Jeweler, covering all things related to design, style and trends.

The Latest

5 main.jpg
Supplier BulletinNov 21, 2024
Tasha R Releases 2025 Labbelle Lab Diamond Jewelry Catalog

Sponsored by Tasha R

18-karat gold Tiffany & Co. pocket watch Captain Arthur Rostron
AuctionsNov 21, 2024
Gold Watch Gifted to Titanic Rescue Ship Captain Sells for $2M

Three Titanic survivors presented him with the personalized Tiffany & Co. timepiece about a year after the tragedy.

Harris Jewelry storefront
MajorsNov 21, 2024
Harris Jewelry Ordered to Reopen Claims Portal for Refund Requests

A federal court found that the jewelry store chain violated terms of the settlement reached after it was accused of defrauding customers.

Jewelers Mutual Group Cybersecurity
Brought to you by
Navigating Cybersecurity: Essential Guidance for Jewelers

From protecting customer data to safeguarding inventory records, it's crucial to learn how to tackle cybersecurity challenges.

Cynthia Erivo wearing Have a Heart x Cynthia Erivo collection
CollectionsNov 21, 2024
Channel Elphaba in Muse’s ‘Have a Heart x Cynthia Erivo’ Collection

Cynthia Erivo chose Dreams of Hope, an organization dedicated to empowering LGBTQA+ youth, as the charity for this year’s collection.

Weekly QuizNov 21, 2024
This Week’s Quiz
Test your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Take the Quiz
Rocksbox San Francisco store
MajorsNov 21, 2024
Rocksbox Opens Pop-Up Store in San Francisco

The new space was designed to evoke a warm, inviting vibe.

Mary Moses Kinney
IndependentsNov 21, 2024
Mary Moses Kinney Is Now Part of The Edge’s Team

Kinney, who spent nearly 30 years at IJO, has been hired to head Abbott Jewelry Systems’ new virtual marketplace.

Article-Top-Image.jpg
Brought to you by
Enhance Your Expertise with IGI’s In-Person Courses in NYC

This fall, sharpen your skills in jewelry grading, quality control and diamond assessment.

Sotheby’s New York building
CrimeNov 20, 2024
Sotheby’s to Pay $6.25M Settlement to NY State for Alleged Tax Fraud

The auction house was accused of helping clients avoid paying taxes on millions of dollars’ worth of art purchased from 2010 to 2020.

Kering logo
Events & AwardsNov 20, 2024
Kering Debuts New Jewelry Award With Sustainability Focus

The four finalists will present their pieces at the 2025 JCK Las Vegas show.

Model wearing pieces from Camera Oscura collection
CollectionsNov 20, 2024
Pamela Love Channels Surrealist Artists in New Collection

The “Camera Oscura” collection showcases earring designs celebrating female Surrealist artists Claude Cahun and Leonor Fini.

Columbia Gem House “Pebbles to Pines” fundraiser
Policies & IssuesNov 20, 2024
Columbia Gem House Raises $10K for Reforestation Efforts

The money will fund the planting of 10,000 trees in critical areas across Oregon, Arizona, Montana, and other regions.

The jewelry symposium 2025
Events & AwardsNov 20, 2024
The Jewelry Symposium Opens Registration, Scholarship Applications

The event centered on advancing jewelry manufacturing technology will return to Detroit in May 2025.

Stock image of police cars with lights on
CrimeNov 19, 2024
Woman Killed in Armed Robbery of Sacramento Jewelry Store

Local reports identified the woman as the wife of the jewelry store owner.

Tsar Ferdinand I Bulgaria colored diamond pin and emerald diamond ring
AuctionsNov 19, 2024
‘A Tsar’s Treasure’ Fetches $2.9M at Sotheby’s Jewelry Sale

A collection of pieces owned by Ferdinand I, the first king of modern Bulgaria, and his family, blew away estimates in Geneva last week.

Trove NYC flagship exterior
MajorsNov 19, 2024
Trove Opens First US Flagship in NYC

The Australian jewelry box brand’s new West Village store will showcase new jewelers each month through its Designer in Residence program.

Snoop Dogg and Carolyn Rafaelian
CollectionsNov 19, 2024
Snoop Dogg’s New Jewelry Collection Is All About Love

“Lovechild” was created in partnership with Carolyn Rafaelian’s Metal Alchemist brand.

Andrea Jose jewelry
Policies & IssuesNov 18, 2024
Reciprocity Jewels Returns to NYC Jewelry Week

The group will host several curated events and an exhibition of designer jewelry made with Peruvian gold traceable to the miners’ names.

Dolly Parton and Kendra Scott
CollectionsNov 18, 2024
Dolly Parton Shines in Collaboration with Kendra Scott

The collection honors the 50th anniversary of Dolly Parton’s “Love is Like a Butterfly” song, which shares a birth year with Kendra Scott.

IGI Expressions
Events & AwardsNov 18, 2024
IGI Jewelry Design Competition Returns

This year’s theme asks designers to take inspiration from classic fairy tales.

Marie Lichtenberg and Raiz’in collection
CollectionsNov 15, 2024
Marie Lichtenberg Battles Counterfeits with New ‘Raiz’in Scapular’ Designs

The latest “Raiz’in” drop showcases a newly designed “Scapular” necklace and donates a portion of the proceeds to Make-A-Wish France.

Citizen 100th Anniversary Limited Edition #1 Pocket Watch
WatchesNov 15, 2024
Piece of the Week: Citizen’s Commemorative Pocket Watch

No. 1 out of 100, the timepiece was created to mark Citizen’s 100th anniversary and will be auctioned off at Sotheby’s next month.

My Next Question store security episode
Recorded WebinarsNov 15, 2024
Watch: 10 Tips to Keep Your Jewelry Store Secure

On the latest episode of “My Next Question,” two experts share best practices for store security during the holidays and year-round.

18th century diamond necklace
AuctionsNov 14, 2024
18th-Century Diamond Necklace Sells for Nearly $5M

Sotheby’s sold the necklace, which potentially has ties to Marie-Antoinette, for $4.8 million to a woman bidding via phone.

Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Window
MajorsNov 14, 2024
Saks Fifth Avenue Cancels Holiday Light Display

Instead of its usual elaborate display, the store will illuminate its façade and frame the windows to highlight its flagship’s architecture.

Grand Seiko store in Honolulu Hawaii
WatchesNov 14, 2024
Grand Seiko Partners With Ben Bridge on First Hawaii Store

The new Grand Seiko boutique is located in Honolulu’s Waikiki neighborhood.

Travelers on Gem Legacy Adventures Trip
SourcingNov 13, 2024
Gem Legacy Adventures Announces 2025 Trip

Eleven spots are available for travelers to visit Northern Tanzania and Southern Kenya from July 25 to Aug. 4.

×

This site uses cookies to give you the best online experience. By continuing to use & browse this site, we assume you agree to our Privacy Policy