b'I s it too bold of a statement to make that the The Silk Road bracelet jewelry industry is experiencing a renaissance?from Silvia Furmanovich If we look back in time, contemplateis 18-karat gold, diamond, Paraba the present, and then think about whattourmaline and garnet.the future holds, there is one thing we know for certain. Jewelry designers have been staying true to one thingtheir unique voice. There is one other thing we know for cer-tain. Jewelry is the most personal of all purchas-es, an expression of self that we want to carry with us daily. Jewelry designers have learned to listen to customers desires but also, as true artists, have found ways to support their clients growing need for newness and express their artistic vision at the same time.A great jeweler is a visionary; trends do not apply to them. They persevere instead through storytelling, the use of inno-vative and nonconventional materials, and, like all artists, their fascination with color. These are the themes that have risen to the fore and will contin-ue to dominate the industry for the next five years and beyond. While these are three distinct categories, they support one anoth-er in equal measure and have made watching developments in jewelryFurmanovich then integrated these textiles into her designs, which design a thrill. feature bamboo from the Amazon rainforest or wood marquetry. The designer also is celebrated for her courageous use of color rooted in her Brazilian heritage. Weaving a Tale British jeweler Alice Cicolini spent a significant amount of time in Storytelling can take on many different forms.India where she learned about the art of meenakari, the Hindi name With the industrys acceptance of the fact that we all have a storyfor champlev enamel as it is practiced in Jaipur. to tell and there is plenty of room for talent, the jewelry landscapeInspired to bring meenakari to the rest of the world, she paired has become richer, more vibrant, and multifaceted.this complex technique with a cornucopia of gemstones to create Storytelling is also the root of experimentation. It is what has ledpieces that are exuberant and joyful. jewelers to seek new ways of expressing them- Her latest exploration of enamel, created in collaboration with selves and their creations. London-based enamel master Stanislav Reymer, features marbled Brazilian jeweler Silvia Furmanovich,motifs on her jewelry. an intrepid world traveler, creates herInspired by the beautiful multicolored endpapers of collections from the stories, andbooks, Cicolini learned that the marbling look could by the hands, of craftspeopleonly be achieved using lacquer enamel.whose heritage is woven intoAlways eager to experiment, Reymer and Cicoli-her work. ni discovered that since lacquer enamel, unlike Each collection hasvitreous enamel, is not heat fired, the colors brought to life the art anddont mix and therefore it is easier to emulate traditions of Italy, Egypt,the swirling pools of color seen on paper. Japan, and Brazil.The marbling effect can be seen in Her most recent body ofthe High Sari collection, which was inspired work was inspired by the Silkby a pattern Cicolini saw at the Victoria & Road and focused on Central Asia,Albert Museum in London that incorporated classic where artisans hand- Indian chintz into a Westernized dress.crafted jewels that in- In addition to working with enamel, Cicolini corporated swatchesAlexia Cicolinis Highsometimes selects stones that are rich in color but of traditional suzani,Sari marbled ring innot of monetary value. which are hand-em- 14-karat yellow goldIn fact, less pricey stones like zircons and spinels, broidered textiles,with brown zircon andwhich are frequently found in her work, are increasing lacquer enameland ikat, which arein popularity among designers who paint with stones. dyed textiles. NATIONAL JEWELER 69'