Choo Yilin Artisan Jewellery

Choo Yilin's first Flash Sale of 2012!

2012-02-15T06:38:00.000-08:00

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We're popping up for 2012's first Flash Sale! Gentlemen, here's a chance to redeem yourselves with the missus if you've forgotten about Valentines' Day. We promise we won't tell you got the pieces at a steal. ;)

We're also celebrating with the February birthstone amethyst with discounts on all our full-priced amethyst pieces -- for one day only.

Date:
25th February, Saturday

Time:
1100hrs to 1700hrs

Venue:
The Metz
83 Devonshire Road
#05-01
Singapore 239864

RSVP:
gloria(at!)chooyilin.com
(+65) 9112 8117
or
The Facebook Event Page

Working on kerosang for our Peranakan collection

2012-02-08T23:53:00.000-08:00

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S came to us not just to do a jade Si Dian Jin set, but to commission us to do a set of Peranakan brooches, called kerosang, to wear with a gorgeous Peranakan kebaya on her wedding day.

We were thrilled with the challenge; kerosangs usually keep with the heavily ornate Peranakan aesthetic, so we had to create something that was at the same time keeping with that cultural sense, yet modern enough with that all important element of versatility.

Here's a rare shot of our work behind-the-scenes, where our craftman's wax carving matches K's sketch exactly. Stay tuned to see the final piece!

ELLE, Singapore. February, 2012

2012-02-04T01:12:00.000-08:00

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Many thanks to D for featuring us in the ELLE's Valentine's Day special, cheers!

Gentlemen, you can never go wrong with jewellery, so if you're still thinking about what to get for your special loved one this month, we can't give any better suggestion!

Project Sapphire Peranakan

2012-02-03T01:00:00.000-08:00

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We're always very excited when a client requests for something new, especially when it has something to do with culture. C came to us and told us that he wanted a ring that was inspired by the Peranakan culture because his beloved, B, a Peranakan, was very passionate about the culture and aesthetic. Yet, at the same time, he wanted a piece that weaved in the elements of modernity.

We had long conversations with C because he was insistent that the ring, apart from it being aesthetically pleasing, had to convey the essence of B as authentically as possible. He even employed the help of B's best friend to sneakily take pictures of her favourite jewellery pieces and share more of B's personality.

This was one of the most difficult pieces we had worked on, because we were working on three main sapphires instead of just one. Finding flanking side sapphires that matched each other in size, colour and luster was a detailed, mammoth task (unexpected, actually). Finding matching side sapphires to match the main sapphire picked out presented an additional headache.

We finally succeeded in a trio that we were happy with though, and as a special bonus, the main sapphire was a colour-change one, that shifted from a pale rose-blush to a silvery-grey depending on the light. The colour chosen was not random: it was one of B's favourite, ascertained through careful sleuthing. The side gemstones were an unconventional grey-green, that gave the piece slightly more colour than the usual engagement piece.

So this was our nod to Peranakan culture whilst keeping to our usual themes or femininity, glamour and organic asymmetry. Congratulations B and C, and thank you for allowing us to stretch our design muscle with this one!

Zaobao Fukan, Singapore. August, 2011.

2012-01-29T02:44:00.000-08:00

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Here's an interview with Y in Zaobao Fukan; a rare one where she talks about making the label sustainable.

Luxurious and Sustainable Jewellery

Three years ago, jewellery designer Choo Yilin started her own label ‘’Choo Yilin Artisan Jewellery’’ and worked with the Karen Hill Tribe in making jewellery in silver. The label uses reclaimed metals and fuses jewellery designs with concepts of sustainability.

Yilin’s passion in designing jewellery started since young and has since self-taught the skill. In 2008, she left her job as a political analyst and joined her husband to live in Thailand. During her involvement in local voluntary work, Yilin was introduced to the Karen Hill Tribe (a poor minority group in Northern Thailand) and their traditional and artisanal skill in making silver jewellery. When Yilin returned to Singapore, she decided to set up her own jewellery label. She collaborated with jewellery craftsmen from the Karen Hill Tribe under the fair trade agreement thus enabling a steady flow of income for the Karen people and preventing the loss of a traditional and artisanal jewellery making skill set.

Says Principal Designer Choo Yilin, “Working with the Karen people allowed the label’s designs to showcase the leading trend in today’s fashion industry; the fusion of old and new.

Buying reclaimed metals from refining fields

Yilin was inspired by the Karen people to introduce jewellery designs that are luxurious and yet sustainable. She bought reclaimed metals from refining fields in Thailand instead of plants that produce pure gold and silver. Says Yilin, “The metal is melted down from unwanted electronic products, circuit-boards and unwanted jewellery. However, the quality of the end product is exactly the same as that from the mining plants and the use of reclaimed metal help to minimize damage to Mother Earth significantly. Do you know that in gold mining, every 10 grams of 18KT gold produces 20 kilo tonnes of wastage?

Most jewellery labels pursue gemstones that are flawless. Yilin, however, goes against the norm and selects gemstones that are faceted and textured. The label’s philosophy is that while life is beautiful, it can be imperfect and we should embrace it. This belief is reflected by the use of heavily textured metals and organic asymmetry in the label’s jewellery designs.

Since the start of the label, Choo Yilin Artisan Jewellery has introduced a total of seven collections with over hundred designs of earrings, necklaces, rings and many more. The smaller pieces start at 195SGD and the statement ones at 650SGD. The label also provides bespoke services starting at 2500SGD.

Says Yilin, “The customer profile for the label is women aged 20 to 50 who have strong personal fashion style. They do not blindly pursue branded labels but instead wish to convey their stand through our jewellery.”

Using jewellery designs to enrich the public about sustainability.

The next important step for the label is to collaborate with non-profit organizations to spread the importance of conservation via jewellery designs. The label has collaborated with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in launching a collection that is inspired by trees and at the same time paying homage to UN’s declaration that the year is the Year of Forest. The soon-to-be-launched Pebble Collection has also been inspired by Mother Nature; the humble pebble.

Says Yilin, “The top two consideration factors when Singaporeans shop for jewellery are price and design. I hope to influence their shopping habits gradually by fusing sustainability and conservation with our jewellery. “

Style, Singapore. January, 2012.

2012-01-22T19:01:00.000-08:00

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We love Style's cover this January, with their flower print headline to herald Chinese New Year! Our Birthstone earrings get some love in this issue, thanks C!

Business Times, Singapore. December, 2011.

2012-01-17T00:24:00.000-08:00

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Our Birthstone collection gets some love courtesy of D, in the Business Times for eco-friendly gift ideas.

Project Engagement New York

2012-01-12T00:41:00.001-08:00

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We received an e-mail from lovely T a couple of months ago who had found us through the internet. As she was based in New York, we communicated entirely through skype and e-mail. She and her boyfriend, D, were an absolutely amazing couple to work with -- amongst other things, they responded with detailed, organised pdf files(!) to our queries. Equally, we were extremely touched by the absolute trust they placed in us without having met us in person, nor having a single acquaintance in common.

T, like so many of our clients (and us!), loved the shabby-chic aesthetic. Thus, our aim for this project was to incorporate our signature diamond-studded leaves into the piece whilst keeping things fresh. We came up with the idea of having a filigree cut-out for the shank, keeping the detailed, dainty artisanal aesthetic that brings to mind of times past.

The unheated blue-green sapphire we picked out for her was unparalleled in its luster and brilliance and in this case, it seemed a crime to do anything to detract from its brilliance. We left the top of the ring empty, with only the tiniest bits of the diamond-studded leaves creeping up to cusp the stone.

And here, ladies and gentlemen, is Project Engagement New York, now safely on the hands of T.

Fashion x Chinese New Year: jos + rachel & Choo Yilin

2012-01-07T23:02:00.000-08:00

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Join us on a Chinese New Year event with jos + rachel at their new loft on Seah Street.

jos + rachel offers dresses with touches of lace and modern interpretations of traditional Chinese cheongsams through silk chiffon and crepe. The colour palette features cobalt blue, red, lemon yellow, and fuchsia and lilac pink.

Choo Yilin's jade series gets inspired by the ubiquitous cheongsam this year. Featuring Chinese knots, intricate frog buttons and piping, we tell the story of the cheongsam through jewellery and jade.

HarriAnn's Delight's secret reciped version of pineapple tarts, kueh bangkit, almond cookies and love letters sell out consistently every year, but Auntie and Uncle are reserving bottles for the party that day. Also, at our request, she's bringing chocolate ondeh-ondeh too! To avoid disappointment, please let us what you'd like to reserve by 10th Jan.

Date:
14th January, Saturday

Time:
1100hrs to 1800hrs

Venue:
jos + rachel
38A Seah Street
Singapore 188394
(opposite Raffles Hotel)

RSVP:
gloria(at!)chooyilin.com
(+65) 9112 8117
or
The Facebook Event Page

Simply Her, Singapore. January, 2012.

2012-01-04T22:51:00.000-08:00

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Three cheers for our first media mention of the year; many thanks to C from Simply Her for this gorgeous feature on jade!

Psst, stay tuned for our next jade launch-- it'll be here before you know it!

Designare, Singapore. November, 2011.

2011-12-31T20:48:00.000-08:00

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Thank you for making 2011 an unforgettable year for us, for allowing us to share stories of conservation and love with all of you. Not least of all, we're also incredibly grateful to the media for their support of our work.

Project Heirloom Set (part 3)

2011-12-31T01:37:00.000-08:00

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As with most of our heirloom pieces, versatility was an important element, so that they can be worn both for both formal events, work as well as weekend-casual activities.

We've used our classic fancy leaf hooks, milgrained with the leaves and accents studded with diamonds. From the hooks hang the trellis vines, studded with 12 diamonds on each side, also heavily milgrained, which can only be done by hand. The spinel drops are framed by the trellis vines, encased in a bezel each set with 6 diamond leaves.

The trellis vines can be detached, with just the spinel drops hanging from the hooks, for a more informal look. As always, the hooks can also be worn alone for more discreet and subtle glamour.

The earrings match the engagement ring perfectly, with spinels of the same rare colour and leaf motifs on with pieces. The spinel on the ring is held by milgrained, diamond studded leaves of the same design on the earrings, with the shank carved in an artisanal bark-like texture to go with the theme.

And thus concludes our J-girl's engagement heirloom jewellery set.

Sneak peek

2011-12-29T13:02:00.000-08:00

Here's a sneak peek on what to expect come January 2012. We aren't telling the details yet but as usual, it tells a story of conservation. ;)

Project Heirloom Set (part 2)

2011-12-25T22:31:00.000-08:00

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We started the creation of the ring first, keeping in mind J-girl's temperament and likes: a subtle vintage glamour, nothing too ornate. The spinel was huge (we're not complaining) but this also meant that there were limits to how much we could dress it up; otherwise, there was a danger that the engagement ring would end up looking like a cocktail ring.

Thus, the finished product was a rather sedate ring but with our signature detailing: diamond-studded leaves that cusped the luminous spinel with our tree bark shank.

After we completed the ring, we started on the earrings -- to match the engagement ring. We'll be sharing the story soon.

Project Heirloom Set (part 1)

2011-12-23T10:50:00.000-08:00

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J-girl worked directly with us, with J-boy giving her full carte blanche (lucky her!) to do anything. The budget was incredibly generous, but J-girl didn't want a diamond solitaire. She wanted something subtle and elegant, and yet at the same time knew that she wanted something clearly artisanal and distinctive -- a piece that she would not be able to get in the usual luxury boutiques in town.

She loved the idea of making an engagement heirloom set instead of the ring and we struck gold when we chanced, completely by accident actually(!), upon a set of dusty rose coloured spinels. The spinels made us think of shabby luxe at its finest. What was even more incredible was that given the nature of spinels, it was extremely rare to find spinels in sets and to find three matching stones made this find even rarer indeed.

With this in mind, we started the creation process. Stay tuned.

AsiaSpa, Asia Pacific. September, 2011.

2011-12-22T21:16:00.001-08:00

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Many thanks to K for the mention of our humble Leaf Necklace in AsiaSpa! We're pleased to say that they are still available on Doorstep Luxury :)

2011 -- International Year of the Forest

2011-12-21T13:23:00.000-08:00

The UN declared this year to be the international Year Of The Forest, placing special importance on raising awareness of how “forests and sustainable forest management can contribute significantly to sustainable development and poverty eradication”. We joined in the voices worldwide by using jewellery designs to raise awareness of this crucial issue. The media picked up on our pieces, and with their support, we raised awareness of the importance of forests to over 1 million people.

Aquamarine earrings -- birthstone for March

We also collaborated with Doorstep Luxury and the World Wildlife Fund to demonstrate that reforestation was fun and relevant to everybody, and not only to hard-core environmentalists. With every purchase of our leaf necklace, we planted a baby tree in the purchaser’s name that was trackable on google earth.

To further reinforce the theme of how relevant forests are to us, we designed another collection of forest-inspired motifs with birthstones as the centerpiece. The idea was for clients to wear their loved ones on their body whilst paying homage to nature.

Black onyx earrings -- birthstone for July

2011 is drawing to a close but our work on raising awareness on the importance of forests has only just begun. Stay with us as we continue our journey weaving in the motifs of forests in our designs and working with non-profit groups on this important issue. Each Choo Yilin piece is designed to tell a story of conservation and start conversations.

To purchase our tree-inspired series, please go to doorstep luxury.

A Gift Giving Weekend: nana & bird + Choo Yilin

2011-12-14T04:59:00.001-08:00

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Not done with Christmas shopping yet this year? Join Choo Yilin and nana & bird for a full weekend pop-up shop over both Saturday and Sunday, where they offer great gift ideas from their latest collections.

nana & bird will be showcasing international brands Heirloom and Marie Turnor, which are available exclusively at the nana & bird retail store. Heirloom draws from New York's upbeat, high-fashion world and LA's glitz and glam with perfect juxtaposition, bags for the classy individual. Marie Turnor offers artisanal pieces with aesthetics of practical things that are also beautiful, chic bags that are for the stylish. Celebrity clients for this label include Cameron Diaz, Halle Berry and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Jeweller Choo Yilin will be having their latest collection, the Birthstone series. With a personalised stone used every month, and open-ended free size rings that fit any finger, this collection makes a great gift for loved ones. The label will also be offering select pieces from their popular Flower Jade and Tree collections from this year.

Date:
17th and 18th December
Saturday and Sunday

Time:
12 noon to 6pm

Venue:
nana & bird
Blk 79 Chay Yan St,
#01-02
Singapore 160079

RSVP:
gloria(at!)chooyilin.com
(+65) 9112 8117
or
The Facebook Event Page

ELLE, Singapore. November, 2011.

2011-12-13T01:52:00.000-08:00

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Our Tying the Knot rings make an appearance in ELLE's Fashion Notebook for November. Thanks to S for this!

Audrey Magazine, USA. Fall issue, 2011.

2011-12-07T23:01:00.001-08:00

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Here's one of our international media mentions from this year, featuring our well-loved Vine Trellis Bangle. Thanks to A for the shout out!

Female, Singapore. November, 2011.

2011-12-02T23:51:00.000-08:00

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Our Tree collection in covered in an article about local jewellers, in Female. Many thanks to K for the feature!

Jade Si Dian Jin Project

2011-11-30T22:44:00.001-08:00

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A bride-to-be, S came to us looking for a Si Dian Jin project. Being a fan of our Jade collection, it was decided that the project would consist of 4 different pieces from the collection, with the highlight being a very luxe, modified pair of our Jade shoulder duster earrings.

As with many of the bridal pieces that we do, we brought a level of versatility to the Jade shoulder dusters; making them detachable for wear at other events not as formal as a wedding. For this project, we swapped out the usual studs on the shoulder duster for a pair of diamond studded leafy vine hooks, in 18KT gold.

The hooks can be worn alone, or with a combination of drops from the earrings at varying lengths, suitable for different occasions. Stay tuned for shots of more combinations!

Travel+Leisure, Southeast Aisa. October, 2011.

2011-11-28T21:57:00.000-08:00

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Here's an interview with Y , in the regional edition of Travel+Leisure; read about where her favourite sustainable shopping is, or her favourite holiday stays. Many thanks to X for this!

Luxurious Vegetation: VICCAL™ + Choo Ylin + The Soirée Planner

2011-11-11T03:03:00.001-08:00

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Natural skincare label VICCAL™, sustainable jeweller Choo Yilin and food conceptualist company The Soirée Planner come together to present a Luxurious Vegetation event; with products and services surrounding that theme.

Blended with 100% active ingredients from botanical extracts, VICCAL™ is the luxurious natural skincare solution to achieving naturally healthy skin at any age. It contains no harmful ingredients like alcohol, and no artificial fragrance, colourant, filler, preservative as well as plastic and silicone. The label has created skincare solutions containing the finest natural ingredients and actives from flowers and herbs to improve the appearance of your skin. It protects, balances and renews your skin's cellular structures so you enjoy youthful and balanced skin naturally.

Choo Yilin will be launching their much awaited Birthstone series; using precious and semi-precious stones, some never before seen in their ready-to-wear collections, each month of the year is represented by a different stone. In keeping with their homage to the UN's International Year of Forests for this year, the pieces are in the label's organic aesthetic with leafy vines to frame the personalised stones.

What better place to showcase this than at the residence of The Soirée Planner-- surrounded by lush greenery and in the shadow of Telok Blangah Reserve; food conceptualist Lily Lim will be offering home-made vegetarian food. She'll also be chatting about the variety of events The Soirée Planner caters to, from planning and holding private dinner functions to cooking classes, all in the comfort of a cosy, forested setting.

Date: 19th November 2011, Saturday
Time: 1100-1700hrs
Venue: The Soirée Planner
9 Preston Road
Singapore 109347

RSVP:
gloria(at!)chooyilin.com
or
The Facebook Event Page

Birthstone collection preorder lunchtime event with Doorstep Luxury

2011-11-05T03:38:00.000-07:00

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In the lead up to Christmas, Doorstep Luxury is working with Singapore’s artisan jewellery designer, Choo Yilin to launch personalised birthstones for each month of the year. Pre-order your unique stone and have it delivered just in time for Christmas. Pop by the Doorstep Luxury boutique for a personal reading by Myichel Sarah Lam, who will be revealing the use of gemstones to boost one's aura and enhance one's life. What’s more, Luxola.com will offer complimentary Express Manicure using Deborah Lippmann nail polishes.

Date: 10th to 11th November
Time: 1100-1900hrs
Venue: Doorstep Luxury Boutique,
127A Telok Ayer Street

RSVP: events@doorstepluxury.com

For Enquiries, Please Call 6896 1661

Media love for Bronze Leaves

2011-11-04T01:19:00.000-07:00

Cleo, Singapore. September, 2011.

Designare, Singapore. October, 2011.

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Many thanks to all the media for the mentions of our Bronze Leaves; here are a couple that we've collected so far. They're available for purchase at Doorstep Luxury.

Project the More Sculptural, the Better

2011-11-03T00:30:00.000-07:00

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E and J loved the Poppy Garden project we previously did, and that served as inspiration when K was designing this ring. The shank has a gnarly tree-bark texture which is our organic aesthetic, with the spinel held by twisting vines and framed by one of the most sculptural flowers we've done so far.

When we first found the spinel, it was a classic oval shape. Wanting to enhance the colour and brilliance of the stone, it was decided that our lapidary artisan work his magic on the gemstone and re-cut it into a cushion cut.

It was transformed; bringing out its true luster and colour, a very bold blue with slight undertones of green, a hue that we've come to love working with. The brilliance was enhanced greatly as well – alas, we couldn't capture this on camera.

The overall effect was sculptural and dramatic, with a feminine touch. We're happy to say that E and his partner are as happy with their finished piece as we are!

Interviews with Y

2011-10-24T02:13:00.001-07:00

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Y has been interviewed a few times this month; click to read her recommendation of places that would make a great holiday stay, or her favourite chill out activities!

A Staycation Flash Sale: Choo Yilin + Ling Wu at Naumi Hotel

2011-10-21T03:02:00.001-07:00

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You’re invited!

For the first time, jeweller Choo Yilin and exotic bags designer Ling Wu team up to bring you not just a collaboration on a flash sale, but a staycation themed flash sale where they bring the holiday to you.

Held at the luxury boutique Naumi Hotel, spend the afternoon on a staycation with us, whether in consultation with the designers, or soaking up the sun by the infinity pool.

Past season collections on special discount from both labels, and sample pieces never seen before in stores from Choo Yilin, prices are discounted up to 70% and start at $80.

Date: 29 October 2011, Saturday

Time: 1100 - 1700 hrs

Venue: Naumi Hotel

41 Seah Street,

Singapore 188396

RSVP:

gloria(at!)chooyilin.com

(+65) 9112 8117

The Facebook Event Page

White quartz, just because

2011-10-17T01:25:00.000-07:00

M had a emerald-cut white quartz, and wanted us to set it any way we wanted, but keeping in line with the theme of forests and gardens that we were utilising so much of in 2011.

Set in solid 9KT gold, we added accents of blue sapphires and amethysts to imitate flowers, rather than the structural pieces we usually do, so as not to overwhelm the white quartz.

Bangle for a Bride

2011-10-14T02:07:00.001-07:00

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Wanting a wedding gift for her daughter, M came to us with her own heirloom jade bangle to be set with our Flower Jade bangle design. Hers was a gorgeous pale jade with a brush of vivid green, and quite a bit slimmer than the bangles we normally use. To get around that, we altered the clasp a little for it to sit well against her bangle. Additionally, as an heirloom piece it was only fitting that it be done in solid 18KT yellow gold.

PS: M was very nice to send us some pictures she took of the finished piece. Thank you M!

Tying the Knot rings

2011-09-30T01:16:00.001-07:00

Please click on the image to enlarge. On the left, the ring is plain while on the right, it is diamond studded.

Most of our engagement ring clients come to us, wanting it to be a surprise for their female counterparts. On the other hand, this means that their significant other wouldn't have a part in the process of the project, a situation that we're becoming increasingly familiar with.

To preserve the surprise and have both halves of the couple's participation in the design process, we've launched the Tying the Knot rings. Acting as a stand in engagement ring, the couple may choose to work with us on a bespoke project of their own, with this ring used to offset such a project. For any of you who might be wondering, our bespoke projects take at least 2 months to complete, from conceptualisation to the finished piece.

As a cheeky homage to the traditional phrase 'Tying the Knot', the design has a literal knot, with our signature aesthetic of milgraining on the borders and organic texturing that you see so often on our bespoke projects. As a final sentimental touch, we've also engraved the words "Marry me" on the inside of the shank.

We've done this design in silver, with a plain option or with diamonds. For a more luxe alternative, we've also done it in 18KT gold, also with diamonds.

Mad for moonstones

2011-09-28T03:01:00.000-07:00

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We know June is long past, but we're still mad for the birthstone of that month, moonstones!

Here is a pair of moonstone studs we did, with diamond studded leaves cusping the stones set in 18KT gold. The client, D, wanted them to look like pearls, and we searched the production floor for ages for the perfect pearly moonstone. Eventually we found a large moonstone which we re-cut for a pair, so that each side would be identical.

Jade Si Dian Jin Project

2011-09-21T01:01:00.000-07:00

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Having done complex Si Dian Jin projects in the past, S heard about us and approached us to work on a similar project of her own. For those not acquainted with the term, a Si Dian Jin project is a wedding trousseau of four pieces that a mother-in-law gifts to her new daughter-in-law.

As we pride ourselves in preserving and at the same time, updating tradition by making such traditional pieces more accessible to the current generation, what better collection to use for a Si Dian Jin project than our Jade collection? We set out with the jade collection in the hope to tell people that anyone of any age can wear jade, that it is as timeless as any other precious or semi-precious stone.

S was already a fan of our Jade collection, and it was decided that her Si Dian Jin would consist of 3 pieces from our ready to wear collection, plus a special customised piece. We've taken our jade shoulder dusters and made them even more luxe, by adding our diamond studded leafy vine hooks, along with an extra trio of gemstones on the jade. In addition, we've included the all-important aspect of versatility that brides-to-be want from bridal pieces so that they may be worn after the wedding; detachable hooks and drops that may be worn separately. They're being worked on as we speak, so here's a sketch from K to tide you over.

We'll be showcasing other customised ready-to-wear, as well as full bespoke pieces at our event this Saturday. We'd love it if you came by for a chat, or just to have a look at these pieces that we've enjoyed making!

A Shabby Chic Affair: Behind the Veil + Love, Yu + Choo Yilin

2011-09-15T01:54:00.000-07:00

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Bridal designer brands Love, Yu and Choo Yilin have always had a secret obsession for celebrating the union of two souls out in the open – green gardens, blooming flowers, and mother nature as the backdrop. That, together with shabby-chic touches, would create a glamorous yet intimate atmosphere – their idea of a perfect wedding. To fulfill a part of that dream, they’ve created pieces in homage to those inspirations and are hosting an intimate shabby-chic themed afternoon on 24th September at the Yu Studio.

Food and Wedding Conceptualist Lily Lim of Behind The Veil combines both her expertise in food and weddings by creating a shabby-chic, nature inspired dessert table for guests, with a variety of artisanal sweets as pretty as they are delicious, displayed in a way that makes it almost a sin to touch, let alone eat.

Be the first to see Love, Yu’s latest collection of bridal gowns, Effloresce, and ogle veil-designer extraordinaire Sara Gabriel’s bridal veils – Love, Yu being the only Singaporean stockist for this international brand.

Choo Yilin will be showcasing its bridal jewellery -- garden-inspired jade sets for bridal qi paos and si dian jins; its signature convertible shoulder-duster earrings that can be worn with both bridal and evening gowns, detached accordingly for even the most sober of occasions after the wedding; and sneak peeks of its existing wedding bands and engagement ring projects.

Date: 24 September 2011, Saturday

Time: 1100 - 1700 hrs

Venue: Love, Yu Studio

8 Mohamed Sultan Road,

#03-01

Singapore 238958

RSVP:

gloria(at!)chooyilin.com

(+65) 9112 8117

The Facebook Event Page

Project Sunrise Lily

2011-09-05T01:40:00.001-07:00

A came to us, confidently stylish, determined to stay away not only from the traditional diamond solitaires, but also from the subtle, cool colours favoured by most. She wanted warmth and intensity and shared with us that she was deeply inspired by sunrises. Also, she loved our sculptural pieces and requested that we tried to incorporate that element into her engagement ring whilst ensuring that it was "wearable" for everyday use.

It was a natural choice for her to choose a padpadradscha spinel for the main gemstone because it was a perfect representation of the sky at sunrise. As her favourite flower was a lily, we thought to construct a three-dimensional version of it, with three diamond-studded delicate stamens that we were all extremely chuffed with. As with most of our other projects, we wove our signature diamond-studded leaves and vines around the entire piece, enhancing the artisanal look of the project.

Cosmopolitan, Singapore. September, 2011.

2011-09-03T04:02:00.000-07:00

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Cosmopolitan magazine finally hits Singapore with its September issue! Our bestselling Tiny Flower Jade ring gets a rare mention, many thanks to T for this!

We're launching our Tiny Flower Jade rings in new birthstone colourways next week, at our event on 10th September, we hope to see you there!

ELLE, Singapore. September, 2011.

2011-08-30T23:29:00.001-07:00

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Our Pebble earrings get some love from the good people at ELLE this month, we're so pleased to be in it!

(S)kinship: Earth, Family and Self- JUJUBE® + Choo Yilin + VICCAL™

2011-08-29T02:46:00.000-07:00

Please click on image to enlarge.

Ecological designer brand JUJUBE®, natural skincare label VICCAL™ and sustainable jewellery brand Choo Yilin come together to present their take on (S)kinship; with products surrounding that theme; exploring relationships with the earth, family and self.

JUJUBE® Ecological Apparel's Sands of Infinity collection was inspired by a vision of a quiet sun setting upon a boundless desert in a post-apocalyptic world, where life has become scarce after humanity’s relentless plundering of the Earth. It reminds us of the limitations of our mortality against the infinity of nature's. Using a neutral palette of beiges and browns with hints of orange, the style here is a blend of minimalism and fluidity, characteristic of the desert's sand dunes.

Sustainable jewellery brand Choo Yilin responds to clients' requests, offering the label's best loved pieces, in personally chosen gemstones and colourways. In addition, the brand will showcase the first of its birthstone jewellery line. With this, clients have daily reminders of their loved ones through the jewellery they wear, where each special person and their kinship is represented through their birthstone piece.

Even closer to home, VICCAL™ reveals moments of truth in the skincare industry, delving into the world of “miracle” ingredients and what truly works for healthy skin. As much as one needs to focus on the important people in their lives, you also need to take care of yourself. Founder Vicky Xie will share how anyone can understand their skin and its personalised needs whilst giving away samples of VICCAL™’s product range of 100% natural actives skincare solutions.

Date: 10 September 2011, Saturday

Time: 1100 - 1800 hrs

Venue: Piece Of Mine

16 Mohamed Sultan Road,

#01-01

Singapore 238965

(+65) 6440 4886

RSVP:
gloria(at!)chooyilin.com

(+65) 9112 8117

or
The Facebook Event Page

I-S Magazine, Singapore. August, 2011.

2011-08-27T08:23:00.000-07:00

Please click on the image to enlarge.

Our latest collection, the Bezel II series gets some love in I-S Magazine. Who else also loves the pattern of tiles on the cover?

These pieces are only available through us at the moment, but will hit the shelves soon!

Which gemstone shape is your favourite?

2011-08-17T03:52:00.000-07:00

Please click to enlarge. Image taken from A Chic Direction.

The team looked at the answers for our little competition last week, about gemstone shapes and, the decision was unanimous.

We'll let you in on a little secret: you'll be seeing raw, uncut stones in one of our collections next year. We're nearly done with the production and we're super excited about them :)

So congratulations to the winner! Please email us at info(at!)chooyilin.com to redeem your $100 voucher. Many thanks to everyone else for participating!

Project Pear Diamond Feather

2011-08-16T21:00:00.000-07:00

D was very typical of our male clients, giving us a brief set of instructions, and then giving us full creative control over the outcome of the ring. We think we do our best work in those situations and are mighty chuffed by the outcome of this engagement ring project.

D is a huge proponent of up-cycling being an entrepreneur in the sustainability field himself and thus passed us a couple of old jewellery pieces to see if we could incorporate elements of it into this project. Amongst the things was his mother's beautiful pear-shape diamond, certified by HRD, and he gave us the following brief: a) an asymmetrical band, b) feathers because his girlfriend, C, had a tattoo of it; c) glamorous and elegant (meaning no over-the-top glamour bordering on vulgarity. ;) )

Please click to enlarge the image.

We did a split shank in the tradition of the classic half-eternity band. Our favourite part of the ring was the bezel where we created the motif of three different-sized feathers that had diamonds embedded in them. Two tiny diamond-studded prongs were used too, in a continuation of our label's aesthetic and the project was punctuated with a personalised phrase, chosen by D.

The Story of Bezel v2.0

2011-08-10T09:45:00.000-07:00

We're introducing a capsule collection, the Bezell v.2.0 series, a continuation of last year's inaugural bezel collection that our clients and the media applauded as extremely versatile. It'll be launched on 20 August, together with two wonderful designer brands: Mother And Child Project, a fashion social enterprise that works exclusively with marginalised communities in Singapore, and Piece Of Mine, a furniture brand that specialises in creative, up-cycled designs.

On our part, we've always been big proponents of using jewellery design as a tool to advocate for important environmental messages; this series tackles the modern woman's need for variety and choice while minimising waste at the same time. This is achieved by incorporating significantly different looks within the same piece, resulting in three distinct looks from a single pair of earrings. In continuation of the label's homage to the UN's International Year of Forests, this series retains that signature style of tree bark and twig textures.

We haven't been able to shoot everything yet as these are fresh out of the studio but do stay tuned as we upload more colour ways and designs in the next few weeks. Do come on by on the 20th of August if you can -- we're launching a sneak peek of the designs before they hit the stores in early September.

Three ways to wear this pair of earrings. (1) Just the pair of hooks; (2) With the main brilliant-cut oval gemstone; (3) With the trio of of brilliant-cut rounds.

The flip ring -- creating two entirely different looks. The pink amethyst gem on one side and a trio of blue sapphire, green sapphire and amethyst on the other.

Piece Of Mine: Up-cycled Furniture

2011-08-10T06:26:00.001-07:00

Our next event is on 20 August, and it's our first collaboration with a furniture designer! Not just any furniture designer, but one that actively up-cycles. We love how they've demonstrated that waste, when thoughtfully considered, can be made beautiful and functional. We thought to share with you some of the pieces they have in their gorgeous store.

This low-lying table was salvaged from an bull cart.

From a real tree trunk that was made into furniture and then converted one more time into cupboard. Double-upcycled. ;)

These four chairs are a set but can be bought individually. They're made from discarded banners, usually from the Ministry of Informaiton, Communications and the Arts (MICA). The graphics are beautiful in our opinion.

Versatility in design: Furniture, Fashion and Jewellery- Piece of Mine + Mother & Child Project + Choo Yilin

2011-08-06T23:46:00.000-07:00

Please click on image to enlarge.

On 20 August 2011, three designer brands from different fields- jewellery, fashion and furniture- come together to demonstrate that design, when fused with creativity and thought, can be used to minimise wastage.

Award-winning jewellery label Choo Yilin is launching the Bezel v.2.0 series, a continuation of last year's inaugural bezel collection which clients and the media applauded as extremely versatile. This is achieved by incorporating significantly different looks within the same piece, resulting in three distinct looks from a single pair of earrings. This was inspired by the modern woman’s need for versatility while finding creative ways to minimise wastage.

Fashion-led social enterprise Mother And Child Project presents a capsule collection designed by founder Anna T.; seven pieces of clothing that can be mixed and matched, interchanged and reversed- to create 25 different looks. Light to pack and easy to assemble, this collection is a stress-free dressing solution for the globetrotting modern woman.

Furniture designer Piece Of Mine demonstrates that beauty and functionality are not compromised by using otherwise discarded material. Their ingenious up-cycled furniture will be on display and on sale that day, together with brand new samples of beautiful bronze sculptures and vases.

Date: 20 August 2011, Saturday

Time: 1130 - 1800 hrs

Venue: Piece Of Mine

16 Mohamed Sultan Road #01-01

Singapore 238965

65.6440.4886

RSVP:
gloria@chooyilin.com
(+65) 9112 8117
or
The Facebook Event Page

L'Officiel, August 2011

2011-08-04T08:56:00.000-07:00

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M at L'Officiel covers local designers from Blueprint this year, and Y, our founder, gets a mention. If you missed Blueprint last May don't worry, it'll be back next year ;)

Project Birthstone-Three

2011-08-02T08:34:00.000-07:00

T wanted to do something really special for his wife's, A, birthday. Because her birth month was September, he thought that she'd like a sapphire. The bespoke project took another significant meaning too -- they had welcomed a beautiful baby boy and T wanted to commemorate that occasion.

The project started out as a surprise: sweet T even created a separate e-mail account and called us from work so A wouldn't suspect a thing. ;) But after the sapphire was chosen -- a very rare, grey-aquamarine shade that had amazing brilliance --, he decided that it would be best if A took over the designing lest he create something she didn't like.

A told us that while she loved our aesthetic of organic asymmetry, she wasn't sure if it was something she would wear in the long term. Thus, she felt that a more classic aesthetic would be appropriate -- especially given the heirloom significance of the project. (We figure A would be passing it down to her children and grandchildren in future).

Thus, we both decided on the "estate" look -- a frame of diamonds covered the sapphire and a milgrained half-eternity band was created. However, A requested our label's signature leaves and vines that curved all around the bezel, because it was subtle enough for classic aesthetic, while showcasing our artisanal strengths. We, and more importantly A and T, loved the finished product. :)

Own a baby tree AND a bronze leaf necklace?

2011-08-01T21:26:00.000-07:00

We've been planning this for quite some time and were bursting to share this with all of you. Our bronze leaves, which have been getting so much love wherever we go, are being offered on sale for the very first time. The necklace is intended for both men and women and is sold exclusively on Doorstep Luxury for 88 sgd. Each purchase of the bronze leaf necklace will also see a baby tree planted in Lombok, Indonesia in the recipient's name -- trackable on google earth. Who says reforestation is merely for hard-core conservationists? ;) For more information about the reforestation campaign, please check out World Wildlife Fund's My Baby Tree campaign.

More media love for our inaugural Tree series

2011-07-26T03:05:00.001-07:00

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The August 2011 issue of Simply Her is one of the last media mentions for our inaugural Tree series, before we move on to our other equally exciting collections. We love how the intricate Vine Trellis cuff is juxtaposed against the comparably simpler Pink Diamond Project, yet both keep in our signature organic aesthetic. Many thanks to C for the write up!

You can still get our Tree pieces in stores, and we'll be bringing them along to our event this Sunday as well ;)

Project Stealth Bird

2011-07-25T23:02:00.000-07:00

We got the happy news from T today that he "bagged the girl". The girl in question, A, was completely in the dark for this project and much kudos to T for pulling Project Stealth Bird so successfully! T never met us, working with us entirely through e-mail, gchat (with the recorded device disabled) and skype. To get A's ring size, we mailed him one of our portable ring sizers and he measured her ring size in her sleep.

Like so many of our clients, T decided against a traditional diamond solitaire set in a classic pronged setting. Instead, he requested we followed the themes of femininity, daintiness with a whimsy of vintage and this is what we got done.

please click to expand image.

The unheated sapphire was a pale rose blush with undertones of grey and green, a very subtle gemstone with a lot of hidden depth. It takes on various hues in different lighting.

The setting we chose was our label's signature organic aesthetic of twines and twigs and leaves, finished with a little three-dimensional diamond-studded peony perched on the side.

Lastly, T brought out the big guns and sent us a personally rendered bird that we engraved on the inside of the shank. You're awesome T -- and our big congratulations to you and A. :)

Sunday: An Outfit A Day

2011-07-24T01:25:00.000-07:00

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Colour and texture rules for the last day of the week. Purple jersey paired with richly textured python skin together with large black and yellow gold hoop earrings and cuff gets our vote for Sunday's outfit.

Saturday: An Outfit A Day

2011-07-22T23:55:00.000-07:00

Please click on image to enlarge.

Go drapey, casual and glamorous all together for our favourite day of the week: Saturday! A powder soft clutch paired with a classic black dress and a trio of layered necklaces takes you everywhere: be it the beach, a bar or a restaurant.

Project June Birthstone

2011-07-22T06:43:00.000-07:00

YS wanted the sweetest gift for his wife: a bespoke 18KT gold ring that symbolised the birth of his daughter, who was born in June. He passed us this picture and asked if we could use this as an abstract inspiration.

We found a gorgeous, creamy baroque south sea pearl and set it in the midst of a diamond-studded garden of flowers and vines. The pearl represented his daughter, given that she was a June baby, and the fullness of the it was a nod towards the picture he sent us. The garden theme symbolised fertility, a nurturing and warmth, and we included our signature intricate details of tiny 3-D diamond-studded flowers, shoots and leaves.

When worn

The detailing is different all around the ring -- we deliberately kept it asymmetrical.

Peek of three-dimensional diamond-studded flowers

Friday: An Outfit A Day

2011-07-22T00:44:00.000-07:00

Please click on the image to enlarge.

TGIF! Throw off the work jacket to reveal a beautiful neckline. The soft python rose clutch is a work of art in itself; that together with coral cabochon earrings and a large cocktail ring in 18KT antique yellow gold preps you for Friday night dinner and drinks with friends or that special someone.

Our first apertif earrings go long!

2011-07-20T22:58:00.000-07:00

M wanted a pair of earrings to go with her evening gown and wanted a lot of mileage from it. It's something we constantly stress to clients: that the jewellery created for the wedding should be versatile enough to wear after the wedding.

As M was not a fan of our organic asymmetrical aesthetic, the one thing that stood out above everything was our first apertif pieces. The problem was, we all felt it wasn't glamorous enough for such a high-significant event and thus, thought of ways to jazz it up. This was what we got done:

The full piece -- amethyst and smoky quartz cushion checkerboard gemstones with tiny rhodolite garnets, pink tourmalines and amethysts.

Just the hooks -- perfect for even the most conservative occasions.

Just the smoky quartz drops

And just the amethyst drops which can swapped around if you feel the smoky quartz drops should be worn above the amethysts.

Thursday: An Outfit A Day

2011-07-20T21:13:00.001-07:00

Please click on the image to enlarge.

Pair the soft blue jersey and glamorous brown, silver-studded shoulder bag with subtle sterling silver nautical inspired pieces. The long necklace drapes to the middle of the dress whilst the hill-tribe fine silver ring will be the perfect embellishment to this fashion forward but work-appropriate outfit.

Wednesday: An Outfit A Day

2011-07-19T11:28:00.000-07:00

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It's hump day! More neutrals with the elegant grey dress and luxurious soft black hobo but a small nod towards glamour for Wednesday night drinks with a fine silver gemstone cuff and large coral polyp studs, heavily embellished with London blue topazes and amethysts.

Tuesday: An Outfit A Day

2011-07-18T22:34:00.000-07:00

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It's still early in the week so it's best to keep a fashion-forward but low-profile silhouette with a twist on the black shift and beige signature twist hobo. The only splash of colour comes with the 18KT rose and yellow gold vermeil drops.

Monday: An Outfit A Day

2011-07-17T21:05:00.000-07:00

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Chase away Monday blues with splashes of red (from the rubies in the earrings and the hot-red python skin hobo) and still keep somber with the re-interpreted black dress to get your conservative boss' approval.

31st July 2011: Capri + Choo Yilin + Two Sparrows, An Outfit A Day

2011-07-17T01:59:00.000-07:00

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A different outfit a day keeps the fashion police at bay!

The designers of Capri, Choo Yilin and Two Sparrows come together to offer their views on dressing up to embrace different days of the week.

All pieces featured this week will be discounted for one day only on 31st July.

Stay tuned to see the designers' interpretation of each day's outfits!

Venue:
9 Taman Serasi, #01-11,
Botanic Gardens View

Time:
1100 - 1800 hrs

RSVP:
gloria(at!)chooyilin.com
or 9112 8117

You've got a pop of colour from us!

2011-07-05T01:17:00.000-07:00

Please click on image to enlarge.

E came by our booth during Blueprint and picked up a pair of amethyst marquise earrings from our bezel collection, to go with an antique cocktail ring her mother gave her many years ago. It's shown on the left, a picture that E has kindly taken for us. Don't they look so pretty side by side?

In her own words, E says "I thought I would never find anything to wear with my ring on days when I'm in black/monochrome and just want a pop of colour from my jewellery to brighten things up."

Thanks for sharing E!

PS: We're partially putting our Bezel series into retirement, get it while you still can :)

Pearls, one of the birthstones of June

2011-06-30T20:32:00.000-07:00

June's just over and we thought it would be appropriate to share some of our pearl projects, one of the main birthstones for the month.

Moonstone, white sapphire and pearl necklace chain. S is a lawyer and wanted something fancy but appropriate for work too.

D's tree-roots inspiration baroque pearl pendant. Wrapped in 18KT white gold and diamonds.

Metallic grey-blue button pearl studs with trio of diamonds.

Our signature leaves and vines wrap around creamy baroque south sea pearls. The pearls detach from the diamond flower studs. Heavy milgraining for a milgrained, vintage look.

Media love for our Tree Series

2011-06-27T04:19:00.000-07:00

The media love for our inaugural Tree Series has been phenomenal. Here are some snippets in the press thus far. Much love and thanks to the journos!

8 Days, Singapore, May 2011

Alexis, Singapore, June 2011

Designare, Singapore, June 2011

Style, Singapore, June 2011

"Throw on a big, statement jewellery piece like this cuff and leave the house with no other accessory on. All attention will be focused on it." -- CYL

"We have clients who bemoan their chubby cheeks or full face. The perfect fail-safe antidote is a pair of long, slender earrings -- they're bit on glamour, too!" -- CYL

9 July 2011: nana & bird + Choo Yilin - Pebbles, Polka-dots and Palette

2011-06-26T00:07:00.000-07:00

Please click on the image to enlarge.

Mult-label retail store nana & bird and sustainable jewellery brand Choo Yilin pop up on a (hopefully sunny) Saturday in charming Tiong Bahru.

nana & bird will present a sneak showing of carefully curated designer dresses and artisanal leather goods while Choo Yiin will feature a sneak preview of the label's yet-to-be-launched Pebble series.

Venue:

Blk 24, Tiong Bahru Road
#04-132
Singapore 164024

Time:

1100 - 1800 hrs.

RSVP:
gloria(at!)chooyilin.com or 9112 8117

Project Diamond-Studded Hydrangeas

2011-06-23T21:38:00.000-07:00

We made the decision to move towards more sculptural pieces at the beginning this year, because we wanted our jewellery to be more representative of the themes in nature and conservation that we were heavily inspired by. We love flowers, personally, and so do our clients apparently, as so many of them come to us and request to having some kind of 3-D flower as part of their bespoke piece.

This time, we has a tiny bouquet of diamond-studded hydrangeas perched on the edge of a large, brilliant round dark-blue spinel. To continue the bouquet theme, we had a diamond-studded curved leaf coming up to clasp the spinel gently on the opposite corner of the ring.

We are currently working on many more sculptural projects and cannot wait to share them with you.

Can't get enough of flowers!

2011-06-23T04:19:00.000-07:00

Lilies and Roses

This week we decided to run a small competition on Facebook; a quiz asking which flowers you think we'll be using next in our bespoke projects. We've done various flowers already, but we've still got several more up out sleeves ;)

Congratulations to both our winners for guessing lily and rose, you'll be getting your Choo Yilin vouchers soon. Many thanks to everyone else for participating!

Project Heirloom Diamond Engagement

2011-06-18T09:43:00.000-07:00

J came to us with a family heirloom diamond solitaire that was past down to him from his grandfather, to his mother, and then him. He bravely created the ring with us entirely by himself, asking us to keep the entire project absolutely secret. The amount of effort he put in was incredible; we worked on a series of specially commissioned renderings as he wanted to compile it into a special book when he proposed. Other men, would say, that he spoils the market.

The themes for this project were: vintage, glamour, and a trio of diamonds. J wasn't a big fan of the organic asymmetry aesthetic and seemed to gravitate towards the classic look instead. The challenge then was to take the classic and make it unique; after all, that was the point of bespoke.

The result was a very Edwardian antique style ring, with the most amount of filigree work we have ever embarked on and tiny round-brilliant diamonds that flanked the trio of diamonds (his own heirloom centre stone together with a duo of 0.3ct emerald-cut diamonds). The creation of the wax took two entire weeks, and the setting of the >100 diamonds took another 10 days. We also placed a ruby on the inside of the shank, to symbolise the month of August, a very significant month for the couple.

For more pictures, please visit our facebook album.

18 June 2011: One-day Flash GSS!

2011-06-10T07:13:00.000-07:00

To enlarge and read, please click on image.

One-Day Flash GSS!

For one day only, we bid farewell to new sample pieces and past season collections, including our beloved award-winning Alternative To Coral and Dewdrop series. Our cufflinks go on sale for the first time; a perfect gift for the beloved men in your lives.

Prices discounted up to 80% and start at 70 sgd.

Date:

18 June 2011

Time:

1 - 5 pm

Venue:

1 Amber Road,

#16-01,

Amber Point,

Singapore 439845

RSVP:

gloria(at!)chooyilin.com

9112 8117

The Edge Singapore on sustainable beauty

2011-06-06T23:40:00.000-07:00

If you'd like to read the article, please click on the image.

Part of the Braun Buffel Trailblazer series, here's an interview with Y about the challenges of being an entrepreneur. BB defines a trailblazer as 'a person who sets out with a vision and accomplishes his/her objective making an impact on society politically, socially or economically, hence leaving a trail for others to be inspired and motivated'.

Y's definition: “Being technically competent is one thing,” she says when asked about how she sees herself as a trailblazer. “But to be able to have a vision and use the tools you have – be it writing, singing or designing – to fulfill that vision, is what makes a trailblazer. As to what vision you want to follow, it comes from a lot of introspection…For me, I was able to think of a triple bottom-line model, unprecedented in the jewellery industry. Trying to factor in the social and ecological impact actually takes up a lot of my energy. But once that vision is set, doing the job, however tedious, becomes easy, because you know exactly what you’re working towards.”

Many thanks to Felix Cheong for the wonderful coverage!

Thoughts on our latest collection

2011-06-05T21:20:00.000-07:00

Our design aesthetic has always been organic asymmetry, and with our latest series based on trees this is all the more evident. Forests cover about one third of the earth, and it's a tall order for us to try and capture that majesty through jewellery.

One of the most breathtaking sights in a forest is when leaves change colour. We've learnt in school that chlorophyll is what gives leaves it green colour, and is necessary for the tree to process sunlight into nutrients. It is when the temperature drops or when the leaf is discarded from the tree that the other colours emerge. We've tried to imitate that, with our "leaves" accented with dewdrops of rhodolite garnets and nibbled on by the tree's residents.

Not all plants in a forest can stand by themselves, many plants cling onto their larger neighbours to get closer to sunlight and further from herbivores, using vines or creepers. That yearning for sunshine is what we've hoped to capture, with vines gripping a luminous stone.

Forests are disappearing, and through this collection we hope to raise awareness about why this is an important concern. You can do your part; we'll be planting baby trees this week for those who've bought pieces through us, through World Wildlife Fund's My Baby Tree Campaign.

Much thanks to GoodPlanet for the information on forests.

Lastly, many thanks to Christopher Chien for the brilliant photography!

Project You Had Me At Zug Zug

2011-06-03T01:12:00.000-07:00

Another incredibly enjoyable bespoke project, this time from B, who like many of our dear male clients, gave us carte blanche. We picked out a really blingy aquamarine trilliant, which was rare because aquamarines tend to have a slightly waxy undertone.

Then, we went to town with leafy vine theme, with the 18KT solid gold leaves and vines curving up to cup the aquamarine gently, together with a liberal sprinkling of milgrained diamond-studded leaves. The shank was heavily organically asymmetrical and a lot thicker in order to allow for more embellishments on the side. This was also because the trilliant was quite a bit bigger than our usual gemstone and thus justified a wider shank.

Just as so many of our bespoke clients before this, the engraving chosen was something personal; this time, it was a tongue-in-cheek reference to World Of Warcraft, and it’s likely you’ll go “awwwww” if you play it. :)

Business Times Article on our Silent Auction

2011-05-23T02:21:00.000-07:00

If you'd like to read it, please click on the image. :)

Hi everyone, Blueprint 2011 is over and it was thrilling! We're taking it easy for the upcoming week because we badly need the break. However, there's another exciting event coming up this weekend, our Silent Auction with Time Taken To Make A Dress and Calliope.

The Business Times' Melissa Lwee did a nice write-up of our event a few weeks ago. We thought we'd share it here.

Project Deep Pink Spinel

2011-05-22T20:23:00.000-07:00

HY's brief to us was simple: he wanted a double-loop band intertwining a warm-hued gemstone. The overall design had to be a stand-apart from the classical pieces but subtle, as his girlfriend, BH, was not the flashy, showy type.

We found an amazing deep pink spinel with purple undertones. The colour was rare but what made this stone a true keeper was the unparalleled brilliance. Spinels, like diamonds, have a single refraction, and thus have the potential to glitter in a way that double refracted gemstones (including sapphires and rubies), don't. This spinel, because of the way it was cut, actualised that lofty potential. ;)

As with all our other clients, HY chose to inscribe something personal -- so personal that we had absolutely no idea what it means. ;)

Blueprint 2011: Snippets of the work behind it.

2011-05-18T05:27:00.000-07:00

Set-up at Blueprint today, which was a culmination of months of preparation work. The 3 1/2 hours that we took for the actual set-up pales in comparison to the countless days spent on product development, booth logistics and marketing collateral.

One of the unlikeliest sources of work came from us having to hunt down all our o'seas media compilations in the last year. We shamefully confess that we haven't been very on-the-ball with media collations and scrambled to put them together after our agent told us that they were a must if we were to get the buy-in of reputed, o'seas boutiques.

We wanted to shoot the set-up process but it was way too chaotic and made for a terribly unattractive photolog. We promise to upload more photographs tomorrow! :) In the meantime, here are some snippets of our o'seas mentions since we haven't posted most of them before. As always, we're terribly honoured for the mentions -- not least because these were shout-outs on global platforms.

How To Spend It, Financial Times, UK, June 2010.

Alternative To Coral at International Jewellery London, Professional Jewellery, UK,

Our Inaugural Bezel Collection @ Leblas, Sublime, UK, December 2010

Interview with Choo Yilin, Principal Designer and Founder of label, The Peak, Indonesia, March 2010.

Choo Yilin selected to be one of 10 finalists for New Designer Gallery/Mort Abelson Award @ JA New York Summer Show. National Jeweler. July 2010.

One more mention about the Mort Abelson Award @ JA New York Summer Show, National Jeweler, July 2010.

In-depth write-up about Alternative To Coral Collection by National Jeweler, US, August 2010.

Choo Yilin mentioned as part of ethical jewellery movement in UK, Jewellery Focus, July 2010.

Fine Jewellery thought leader, Beth Bernstein writes about us in Instore Mag, US, August 2010.

Alternative To Coral gets more love in Audrey Magazine, US, Jan 2011.

21-22 May 2011: Choo Yilin Flash Sale at Blueprint Emporium

2011-05-15T00:35:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

Not to be confused with our silent auction with some of our favourite local artisanal brands, Time Taken To Make A Dress and Calliope, on 29 May, we'll also be involved in Blueprint Emporium, a two-day massive designer-label shopping extravaganza featuring over 100 exciting Asian labels.

We will be having a straight-out sale of our older ready-to-wear pieces. We are sad to bid farewell to our sterling silver and vermeil Coral, Dewdrop and some of our Bezel collections but am hoping that these babies will find a good home to go to. The sale pieces are going between 40-50% off for two days only.

Date:

21 May -- 11am - 10pm

22 May -- 10am - 7pm

Venue:

Marina Bay Sands

Hall F

Booth 10

RSVP:

Gloria Ho

gloria(at!)chooyilin.com

9112 8117

Some thoughts about our One-Of-A-Kind pieces

2011-05-14T22:36:00.000-07:00

Aquamarine druzy, pearls and green amethysts fancy bracelet. Hammered sterling silver.

I've mentioned before that putting together a ready-to-wear collection requires a lot of discipline and focus because each piece needs to fit within a single theme; in addition, designers have to factor in “practicality” for everyday use. Sometimes though, I would think of a single, extravagantly lush cocktail ring, which I would have to reject for my ready-to-wear collection for the above reasons, but indulge in the creation of it because it fulfills the need to create without any restrictions. I ensure that the piece stays true to the label’s aesthetic of organic asymmetry but other than that, I’m not held back by practicality or a particular theme. As such, the pieces tend to be bolder and true conversation-starters.

Necklace: Fancy-cut labradorite slabs embellished with scratched silver and sapphire ornaments.

These are some of the pieces that we'll be showcasing at our 29 May 2011 event -- TTMD x Choo Yilin x Calliope. It'd be lovely to see you there. :) In the meantime, please visit our facebook album if you'd like to see more of our pieces.

Statement agate slab necklace with a tiny green-blue sapphire hammered silver embellishment.

Media mentions for TTMD x Choo Yilin x Calliope Silent Auction

2011-05-14T07:35:00.000-07:00

One of the two events we're currently busy prepping for in May. The focus will be on one-of-a-kind items sold significantly below retail but we'll also be bringing in our two latest ready-to-wear collections: the Tree and Flower Jade series.

Elle, Singapore, May 2011

NuYou, Singapore, May 2011

Translation:

Silently appreciating

Exquisite artisanal fashion is worth appreciating. Three of our local fashion brands will be holding a silent auction to introduce their One-Of-A-Kind collections on the 29^thof May, at Spa Botanica (6 Nassim Road).

All three brands incorporate ancient methods of designing to present the spirit that ‘one can produce excellent designs using skills developed from the older days. The two designers from Time Taken To Make a Dress position themselves as trend-setters and focus on dresses that are complicated and make silhouettes stand out. As for award winning designer Choo Yilin, she presents jewellery that are made from reclaimed metals and gemstones that are heavily textured. The final brand Calliope presents handbags that are handmade from genuine leather, with only one quantity produced for each design.

Artisanal products are a rarity these days, and the designers of all three brands wish to use the silent auction as a creative platform to introduce consumers to appreciate artisanal products. More information can be taken from info@timetakentomake.com or tel. 66480316.

29 May 2011: Silent auction with three artisanal brands

2011-05-13T10:36:00.000-07:00

We bring to you incredibly exciting news! On 29 May 2011 @ 1400-1600hrs at the Spa Boutique on Nassim Road, we're collaborating with artisan designer labels Time Taken To Make A Dress (TTMD) and Calliope. We're holding an exhibition while auctioning off one-of-a-kind (OOAK) hand-crafted pieces at starting bids significantly below retail.

The public will have a chance to view and bid on these pieces while interacting with the designers over cakes by artisanal bespoke bakers, Cake Over Heels. The collections are a result of countless hours spent conceptualising, designing and hand-crafting by the three labels who pay homage to the various traditional craftsmanship techniques that are fast eroding. We’ll be uploading pictures of our OOAK pieces here in the next few weeks.

We're also exhibiting some of our ready-to-wear pieces from our Tree Series, Flower Jade and Bezel collections at the special request of clients.

Date: 29 May 2011

Time: 1400 - 1700 hrs (auction ends at 1600 hrs)

Venue: Spa Boutique @ 6 Nassim Road, Singapore

RSVP: gloria(at!)chooyilin(dot)com or 9112 8117

or our our facebook event page.

Little media snippets on our bespoke services

2011-05-02T06:03:00.000-07:00

Our bespoke work gets some love from the media. We offer an unprecedented level of customisation, including full supply chain transparency if requested. For more details, drop us an e-mail at info(at!)chooyilin.com.

If you'd like to read the articles, please click on the images to enlarge them.

April 2011, NEXT, Singapore

April 2011, Designare, Singapore

The story behind our inaugural Tree Series

2011-04-18T06:37:00.000-07:00

A recurring challenge for our ready-to-wear collections is to communicate themes of sustainability through visually arresting pieces of jewellery. Thus, given that United Nations had declared 2011 as the Year of The Forest, it seemed only natural to devote this year's RTW collections to the theme.

The UN marks deforestation as a global phenomenon for concern but it's not a theme that we, as urbanites, think of. The fact of the matter is that all lives are impacted by deforestation, on both an environmental and economic level; we hope, through this collection, to raise awareness of the issue.

There is much that urbanites can choose to do, from 'consider(ing) the environment before printing' with each e-mail to purchasing recycled paper products. Now, with WWF's Plant A Baby Tree campaign, anyone can take an active part towards reforestation. On our part, we are planting a baby tree for every person who makes a purchase of our Tree Series through us. Once planted, the baby tree may be seen and tracked on Google maps.

Our inaugural Tree Series is very characteristic of our aesthetic of organic asymmetry. For the first time, an entire series has been done in bronze -- the natural luster of bronze goes far to imitate the bark of a tree, yet gives it that hint of antiquity and a sculptural suggestion. Coupled with luminous hand-cut gemstones, this collection is a step closer to nature yet with the glamour you've come to expect from us.

For more pictures of the collection, please visit our facebook album.

Two media shout-outs

2011-04-13T19:00:00.000-07:00

Our twirled flower jade bangles get some love from Style, Singapore.

April 2011

Shout out about our work with reclaimed metal in Urban, The Straits Times, Singapore.

March 25, 2011

24 Apr 2011: Fashion That's Treely Yours

2011-04-13T03:09:00.000-07:00

Please click image if you would like to enlarge it.

Sustainable luxury jewellery brand Choo Yilin and womenswear label Ong Shunmugam come together in an independent cultural and social space in Little India to demonstrate that fashion and sustainable forestry can be interrelated. Choo Yilin's inaugural Tree Series features textured bronze and antique yellow gold that resembles tree bark and vines and is an homage to the UN's dedication to 2011 as the Year Of the Forest.

Ong Shunmugam releases its first Cheongsam collection, offering new perspectives on a timeless favourite. Cheongsams our mothers used to wear inspire classic cuts but this time in surprising fabrication and colours. To recognise the Year of the Forest, Ong Shunmugam experiments with soy fabric, - a byproduct of the soy food industry and a regenerated fibre from renewable and biodegradable resources - a small way of highlighting the positive link between responsible soy production and fashion.

The materiality that the designers use illustrates that even though urban fashionistas' lives may not be directly reliant on forests, everyone's lives are inevitably interlinked. Choo Yilin and Ong Shunmugam are supporters of World Wildlife Fund's Plant A Baby Tree Campaign. Anyone who purchases pieces that day will have a baby tree planted in their name.

Venue:

Show Room. Post-Museum

107 Rowell Road

Singapore 208031

Time:

1300 - 1800 hrs.

RSVP:
gloria(at!)chooyilin.com or 9112 8117 -- Choo Yilin Artisan Jewellery
p(at!)ongshunmugam.com or 8400 0040 -- Ong Shunmugam

Project Infinity Moonstone

2011-04-02T08:46:00.000-07:00

P is probably one of our most unorthodox clients ever. She came to us throwing out all the rules of what traditional engagement and wedding rings were meant to be. Instead, her request was a moonstone (initially to be set with amethysts which we vetoed) because it held great symbolic meaning for her fiance, N, and her. Apart from that, she allowed us carte blanche.

Because the moonstone is an incredibly soft stone, we had to find ways to protect it from potential knocks. Also, because the moonstone is traditionally not regarded as luxe, it was a challenge to transform this generally humble stone to something befitting of the significance of the event. P's a big fan of all things organic and natural and thus, in line with the UN's International Year of The Forest, we continued with the forestry theme but this time with a generous amount of vines creeping to protect the side of the moonstone.

The gemstone used was a highly lustrous white-grey moonstone with flashes of blue and embellished further with tiny white diamonds and set in 18KT rose and yellow gold.

D&M's 18KT white gold wedding set

2011-03-22T02:08:00.000-07:00

D sent this to us a couple of weeks ago. 1.17ct radiant-cut diamond solitaire engagement ring, an organic, fancy-set half-eternity wedding band for her, and a textured curved wedding band for him.

L'Officiel, Singapore. March 2011

2011-03-20T22:46:00.000-07:00

Please click if you'd like to read the article.

Project Supply Chain Transparency

2011-03-19T06:27:00.000-07:00

It's a terribly unsexy name for an engagement project we know but here's why: BY had found out about our site through an internet search on ethical jewellery. He had previously considered not proposing to his girlfriend with any jewellery at all, having read about the excesses of the industry. His exact words to me was that he wanted to find something “suitable that won't subtract her karma points”. (Truth to be told, we were feeling a little stressed out about being responsible for someone's karma! ;)) No diamond solitaires he said, and no gemstones from potentially conflict areas.

And so we went hunting for a gemstone that fit his criteria and hit the jackpot with a very rare coloured unheated sapphire from a Kanchanaburi mine. The blue of the sapphire is extremely rare in sapphires you see and that, accompanied with the stone’s luster and brilliance, made this extremely special. The project marked the first time we were able to trace the entire supply chain of a particular gemstone and we were extremely chuffed. The mine is a small, family-owned one and our lapidary artisan is good friends with the owners and has access to the mine and its operations. The joy at finding this was unspeakable.

BY proposed to P without the ring and it was P who came to us to choose the design. She wanted something extremely clean – a little different from the organic, ornate pieces that we’ve become known for – and this is what we got done. To add a little artisanal flourish, we created a flower bouquet that acted as a bezel with tiny leaves gently curving up to act as prongs for the sapphire. The shank was a nod towards the classic with a half-eternity diamond flanked with milgrain. Here's wishing a wonderful, great-karma marriage life of bliss. :)

27 March: Flash Sale!

2011-03-15T22:56:00.000-07:00

Psst, You're invited...

We're having a Flash Sale!

Here one day, gone the next.

Ready-To-Wear and

Never-Launched-Before Pieces

Discounted to 70%.

Date: 27 march 2011

Venue: 1 Amber Road

#16-01

Amber Point

Singapore 439845

Time: 12:30 - 17:00 hrs

RSVP: gloria(at!)chooyilin.com

9112 8117.

More love from the media

2011-03-14T01:53:00.000-07:00

We stand incredibly grateful for its support.

March 2011, Telescope, Singapore

February 2011, 8 Days, Singapore

A bespoke (alternative to) coral project

2011-03-06T08:36:00.000-08:00

M wanted a “just because” piece – she had this pretty cool 11.2 carat star sapphire cabochon and had been looking to set into a ring.

As part of every consultation process, we ask clients to flag out five designs that catch their fancy. This is very helpful for us, because it helps us understand the customer’s aesthetic and consequently allows for us to make appropriate recommendations. In M’s case, every single piece she flagged out had a common thread: they were all sculptural and extremely organic. Some were almost Gaudi-esque in design – mini 3-D architectural sculptures that totally overthrew the rules of traditional fine jewellery. Of course, we loved them. Thus, we recommended that we should try an extra-lush interpretation of coral polyps, tying in with our story-telling through jewellery theme.

We created 3-D polyps that emerged at varying heights around the sapphire. Each polyp had gemstones embedded in them – we chose a variety of white diamonds, grey diamonds and blue-green sapphires of the highest luster. To emphasise the organic theme, we had the two sides of the shanks asymmetrical, with more bezel-set gemstones embellishing the piece.

And thus concludes our very first sculptural bespoke piece – it’ll definitely not be our last. In fact, we think it’s the start of a new direction for the label. Big thanks to M for trusting us implicitly in this piece – she gave us a lot of freedom in deciding what worked best for the ring.

Flower Jade Series -- New Colour Ways

2011-03-05T07:09:00.000-08:00

K experimented our Flower Jade pieces in black rhodium and they look lovely, especially with our cooler jade pieces that border on lavender. They're being launched 6 March 2011 at Spring Is Here! event. Come on by if you can; if you can't, not to worry, they'll be at our stockists very soon.

Shot of N's anniversary poppy ring

2011-02-27T17:54:00.000-08:00

N sent us these pretty cool shots of her anniversary poppy ring. Love them! Thanks so much N.

6 Mar 11: Spring Is Here!

2011-02-21T17:55:00.000-08:00

We're not ready to leave Chinese New Year just yet, and long-time friends Yu and Choo Yilin, are partnering again for a Spring-themed event at the chic but ultra-cozy Yu studio (fully stocked with Vitamin Water in a nifty portable fridge!).

Ee-Lyn has woven magic with rich, jewel-toned fabric in deep red and blues. Her pieces incorporate her signature draping with ruching that's friendly to all figures.

Yilin will showcase her flower jade series as requested by those who missed her launch. There will also be new pieces offered in new colour ways and the team will be on hand to allow for guests to tweak their gemstone combination and colour finish.

Even if the theme of Spring isn't your thing, we'd love for you to come by and have a chat with the designers about their bespoke work and inspirations. The latest collections from Love, Yu's bespoke wedding and evening gown line and some samples of Yilin's bridal pieces will be on display.

Date: 6 Mar 11

Time: 1300 - 1800 hrs

Venue: The Yu Studio, 8 Mhd Sultan Road, #03-01

RSVP: gloria(at!)chooyilin.com or at 9112 8117.

Project Blue Ocean Coral

2011-02-17T19:10:00.000-08:00

J-boy, as many of my male friends would say, spoils the market. He planned an extremely elaborate surprise for his then-girlfriend, now-fiancee, J-girl, overseas; the details would make both genders sigh, albeit for very different reasons. Contacting us only in November 2010, he told me that he HAD to propose in mid-December during an overseas trip. On hearing that our engagement ring projects typically take between three to four months, he was amenable to proposing with a loose gemstone first.

J-boy gave me a lot of creative freedom for this project with only one explicit request: that the gemstone be the colour of the ocean because J-girl loved to dive. Like many other engagement projects before his, I went about looking for an unheated sapphire. I finally found the stone one afternoon through sheer serendipity and called J-boy excitedly to report the find. I’ve fallen in love with many gemstones in the course of my work, but I think that this gemstone is potentially my favourite one in the entire world: blue, grey and green shades all fused together in a brilliantly faceted trilliant. Rather moody, subtle and glamorous all the same time. The gemstone takes on a different hue in different lighting so there’s always a small element of surprise to see how it looks at various times of the day.

Because of J-girl’s love of diving, I suggested that we work with a coral-inspired theme and this is what we came up with. As much as I wanted to create a spectacular art-piece, I had to factor in practicality of everyday use. Thus, there was a deliberate tone of subtlety that accompanied the design. The stone is cupped in a bed of diamond-studded asymmetrical polyps and the shank is slightly asymmetrical with tiny pave-d diamonds set.

And The Winner Is...

2011-02-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

To hang earrings from

We decided to conduct an impromptu mini contest yesterday night on our facebook page. We asked clients to guess what these leaves were for and the answers that followed were hilarious and wondefully creative...but incorrect! On request of some, we posted a link telling people that the clue was embedded in the article and approximately 24 hours later, we have a winner.

Elizabeth Chan, congratulations! You are right -- the leaves featured are intended to be display tags as part of our visual display at our stockists. We'll be taking pictures as soon as they're in the stores and will be explaining the story as to how they came to be.

We actually didn't intend for the leaves to be on sale but we've had private comments from people telling us that they'd love to purchase them. You guys are absolutely right -- they do make wonderful bracelet charms, pendants, keychains etc. (although I'm not sure about them "covering your private bits" as recommended by one) Stay tuned -- we'll be unveiling how you can purchase them in a few months!

Thanks so much for participating everyone! We had awesome fun reading your comments.

AsiaSpa: Jan/Feb 2011

2011-02-13T02:29:00.000-08:00

AsiaSpa, January/February 2011

Thanks for the shout out!

Feb 2011: NuYou Magazine, Singapore

2011-02-07T18:53:00.000-08:00

Please click to enlarge.

Feature in NuYou magazine -- the emphasis was to get a sense of different public figures' inspirations. Mine, briefly, were my travels in Europe, sustainability and ballet.

Translation:

“I’m not a designer who draws, but there are many types of design and not everyone requires knowledge of the technical aspects of art.” Her creative process involves the everyday, while she absorbs her surroundings of colours and textures. To her, her art, jewellery design, is its own language. Her love for designing jewellery started because of her wanting to find a ‘breathing space’ from her work as a political analyst.

Shortly after, Yilin moved with her husband to Bangkok. Unfamiliar with her foreign surroundings, she met a 60 year old veteran who had already been in the jewellery business for many years, and he, step by step, showed her the ropes of the industry. “Without him, I wouldn’t have what I have today”. Yilin’s line of jewellery has already been awarded two international design prizes and has been invited by world-class exhibitions in London and New York to showcase her works.

Jewellery connotes luxury and flamboyance, but there is a different purpose and meaning behind Yilin’s jewellery. “I put an emphasis on sustainability. Thus I try to have recyclability and society in mind to counter the excesses that have long been associated with fashion”. While this concept is relatively new in this industry it is also one a concept that is gaining more attention and interest.

Yilin’s jewellery is produced by the people of the Karen tribe Thailand, and this gives added depth to the fast-developing society. Armed with only limited resources, their traditional skill faces the threat of extinction, but with the help of the modern customer who seeks unique jewellery, it allows such silver-smithing skills to be passed down and for businesses to gain from the profits in a mutually beneficial exchange. By using creativity and practicality, Yiin’s jewellery label allows the resources to be utilised to the fullest, extending the life of it. This is sustainability.

Yilin’s passion is travelling, when the best times were backpacking while she was in university. At the age of 29, she has traveled to over 120 cities in 4 continents. The initial source of inspiration for her jewellery came mainly from these trips and experiencing different cultures.

“Fashion and design have such a strong influence; its accessibility to the public allows its influence to be so much faster than other forms of art. We should leverage on this to get the audience’s attention (to communicate important messages).”

Urban, The Straits Times: 21 Jan 11

2011-01-28T22:13:00.000-08:00

Taken from our bezel collection. Our interpretation of the boyfriend ring.

An innovative bride's wedding earrings

2011-01-27T21:21:00.000-08:00

J wanted a pair of uber-versatile earrings and here's what we got done. Cobbled from various ready-to-wear collections, we're pretty pleased with the result.

The whole pair that can be interchangeable in various ways.

Just the hooks

Without the jade

Just the jade

A modern, Si Dian Jin project

2011-01-23T19:25:00.000-08:00

WM and M asked if I’d be able to work on M’s “si dian jin” (SDJ). SDJ is a Chinese custom and it literally translates to four pieces of gold; it is traditionally given to the bride by her Mother-In-Law. I had never done a SDJ before and was very excited by the project. The four pieces need to tell a coherent story you see, and as you already know by now, I love stories.

The other challenge that SDJs present to the modern-day designer is that the pieces traditionally regarded as “boring”, “dated” jewellery pieces. Many brides keep their SDJs in their safes, never to be worn after the wedding because the designs are somewhat at odds with most cosmopolitan women’s wardrobe.

Thus, we all agreed that we would move away from the classical design styles seen in the local goldsmith shops in Singapore. Rather, we’d continue with the label’s organic asymmetry philosophy while keeping to some traditional elements of what a SDJ would comprise of: loads of diamonds and gold.

The four pieces were as follows:

Bangle

M and I both dislike the thin chains used in so many of the classical SDJ styles. Thus, we chose to go for a cuff with substantial width instead, while keeping it feminine and dainty enough to match with the wedding gown.

The bangle comprised primarily of organic vines, interspersed with random flowers and leaves that were studded with diamonds. The shape of it was somewhat asymmetrical, a slightly off-kilter oval shape to reinforce the organic aesthetic.

Earrings

We used some colour to break up the monotony of gold and diamonds and this was reflected in fancy-cut cabochon gemstones that had the diamond-studded leaves and vines twining across them.

As a fan of versatility, I designed the piece such that each of the three components were detachable and could be worn in various permutations, depending on the formality of the event.

Pendants

The pendants followed the same aesthetics as the earrings with one tiny little difference. M, who loves her cat dearly, requested that Karupin be immortalised in the SDJ project and she was. Here, you can see the cat resting happily at the base of the teardrop pendant with a somewhat smug expression on her face.

Chains

The chains, like the earrings, were detachable from the diamond-studded clasp. Again, this allowed for maximum versatility; there are a total of 6 different ways to wear it.

This project was a massive under-taking. We started work in September 2010 and only completed it in late-January 2011. Hundreds of diamonds and many hours of goldsmithing later, here is the final project.

A poppy garden ring project

2011-01-21T19:26:00.000-08:00

N’s a fellow jewellery designer so it was a great honour when she asked me to work with her on her anniversary ring. We spent quite a long time searching for the perfect stone. In the end, we found a dark blue spinel from Sri Lanka that had very intense fire. It can’t be capture in these photographs unfortunately.

The design took awhile to come to as N searched for something that spoke to her. Finally, she articulated that she wanted a ring that had a theme that carried throughout. Specifically, she wanted vines that ran through the shank, bezel and prongs, which looked like the ring comprised of an entire garden.

We debated between using leaves, roses or poppies to break up the vines. In the end, leaves were chosen, because she found the flowers a tad too old-fashioned. The leaves emerged from the bezel to wrap around the stone but I think both our favourite parts of the project was the little diamond-studded poppy.