The highlight of a single-owner jewelry and watch collection, it’s estimated to fetch up to $7 million at auction this December.
Young Designers Employ Marble in Couture Creations
Marble takes on luxury status in the hands of two jewelry designers new to Vegas market week.

Las Vegas--Among the materials one expects to see at Couture, marble might not make the list unless one includes the interiors of the Wynn itself. But Ioanna Souflia and Lily Kamper, both first-time Couture exhibitors, employed the material synonymous with sculpture and architecture to elegant effect in their fine jewelry designs.
Marble’s historical role in sculpture might have something to do with these jewelers’ adoption of the rock.
“Jewelry for me is a form of art. You have to find the right medium to express your vision in its full potential,” said Souflia.
Souflia is a Greek-born, Central Saint Martins (London)-educated designer who currently resides in Paris. She officially debuted her collection during London Fashion Week SS15 and came to Couture this year with the Valery Demure showroom.
Souflia works with White Thassos marble, which is quarried on its namesake island in Greece. It’s a stone notable for its relative lack of veins and inclusions.
“White Thassos marble is pure and illuminating and became the perfect companion of black gold,” said Souflia. “Each highlights the other in a symbiotic relationship of modern adornments.”
Souflia’s designs center on this contrast of colors, which transmute a unique, ethereal glow, dissimilar to the black-and-white contrast of shades of enamel, or black and white diamonds. Souflia imparts character to the white marble through carved motifs.
London-based designer Kamper, on the other hand, plays with different types of marble and its respective surface variations, highlighting their different patterns with clean, geometric obelisk-shapes.
Kamper explained, “The beauty of working with marble is that each time it’s cut the piece takes on its own new character with the pattern of the stone.”
Kamper, who noted architect Ricardo Bofill as an inspiration for her work, typically combines her marble obelisks with 18-karat yellow gold cubes that serve to anchor them in pendant form.
“I think it is a bold architectural statement,” she said, “but the combination with gold and diamonds elevates that luxury a little further … the reaction at Couture has been great.”
Kamper is a graduate of London’s Royal College of Art and is stocked by retailers such as Liberty London and Colette. She was awarded a place in Rock Vault in September of last year, which brought her to Couture.
Her interest in alternative materials isn’t limited to marble, she also creates her signature obelisks in hand-dyed acrylic.
Both Kamper and Souflias are interested in

“Marble is a beautiful, natural stone that challenged me as a designer,” said Souflias, “but also the concept of where luxury lies within a piece of fine jewelry, [which should be in] a material that adds to the preciousness of the making process.”
The Latest

CEO Efraim Grinberg noted a resurgence in the fashion watch market.

The “Bullseye” necklace, with vintage bakelite and peridot, August’s birthstone, is the perfect transitional piece as summer turns to fall.

Jewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.

Sponsored by Clientbook


It will classify lab-grown stones into one of two categories, “premium” or “standard,” in lieu of giving specific color and clarity grades.

President Duma Boko addressed the country’s medical supply chain crisis in a recent televised address.

As a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.

Former Free People buyer Afton Robertson-Kanne recently joined the retailer.

The jeweler teamed up with two local organizations for its inaugural “Back to School and Bling” event.

The singer’s new bling, reportedly a natural old mine-cut diamond, is no paper ring.

Dubbed the “Imboo,” or “buffalo,” emerald, the rough gemstone is part of Gemfields’ latest emerald auction, which is taking place now.

Plans for dining out, booking vacations, and buying big-ticket items were down.

The “Play” collection centers on nostalgic toys that have kinetic elements to carry playfulness and wonder into adulthood.

Designer Christina Puchi, the creative force behind CCWW Designs, has created charms and pendants based on iconic candies and crackers.

The Jonas Brothers star showed off new timepieces against the backdrop of his favorite spots in his home state of New Jersey.

The family-owned jeweler in Fayetteville, North Carolina, is in the hands of the second generation.

In his latest column, Emmanuel Raheb shares tips for encouraging customers to treat themselves to new jewelry.

The new stand-alone Rolex boutique is housed in the former Odd Fellows Hall, a landmark built in 1897.

The Brilliant Earth ambassador co-designed a diamond medallion featuring meaningful symbols.

The three-day watch collector show, coming this October, will feature 44 exhibiting brands, as well as a new dinner experience.

Sriram “Ram” Natarajan is now GIA’s senior vice president of laboratory operations and is based out of the lab’s headquarters in Carlsbad.

The one-of-a-kind collar represents the beauty of imperfection and the strength to rebuild.

Three C-suite executives, including former CEO Tom Nolan, have resigned as part of what the company describes as a “transition.”

The retailer, which recently filed Chapter 11, inked a deal to sell its North American business and intellectual property.

Target CEO Brian Cornell will step down in February and be replaced by the company’s chief operating officer, Michael Fiddelke.

The group met with the president's senior trade advisor earlier this week to express the industry’s concerns about the effects of tariffs.