Last week we reported that jeweler Kristine Dee collaborated with her good friend and fellow designer Paul Syjuco on Deux Yeux, a two-part jewelry collection that presents their respective takes on ancient court jewelry. Paul focused on the famed jewels of the Mughal dynasty from the mid-1500s to the late 16th century. Their historic jewelry are prominent for their opulent Islamic and Hindu motifs.

“I took inspiration from Mughal jewelry—really far out, priceless, national budget-crippling pieces of the Maharajas that are short of impossible to replicate at present. It was a period of excess and opulence that was really unheard of,” Paul tells us.

“I’m sort of a history nerd and I’ve always been so fascinated by the romance and crazy stories from the old world,” he continues. “And so for this collection I really think the old world feel came through, or at least that’s what I wanted to bring out, though still keeping with my design aesthetic to streamline. It was a bit of a challenge as most of the period pieces I based my designs on were really huge body pieces and head (turban) gear. But it was an interesting process in that even selection of the types of stones and the cuts and the shapes were considered.”

Read on to find out more about Paul as a designer, and don’t forget to click on the photo gallery to see his Deux Yeux collection.

What was your point of realization when you knew you wanted to design jewelry?

I’m actually a third generation jeweler. After university, I started out as a stock market analyst and then moved to consumer finance. After a few years doing that, I just really needed to do something that involved some creative output, [but] not to be a designer per se. So I got into one of the family businesses for its potential. I then took up gemology and jewelry design. The latter really helped me put my ideas on paper more fluently, and [helped me] think more three-dimensionally. I didn’t really seek to be a designer, but I guess it just happened for me in that it was part of the job as a whole. It’s been 11 years since.

How would you define your aesthetic, and your design perspective?

I really think about my pieces. I refine them quite a bit. I like things clean and streamlined. Very deliberate. I could make things glamorous and out there but I think majority of the things I design have a sort of subdued luxury feel to it, which all the more works with my focus on producing wearable pieces.

What do you find is the best thing about designing jewelry?

When I design for somebody or when I do a bespoke piece, it really is the greatest feeling to see them really appreciating the end product and for them to actually wear it.

What kind of jewelry do you love to see a woman wearing?

I like it when women mix it up a bit. Things don’t necessarily have to match all the time. So whether it’s a rope necklace or a cocktail ring or cuff worn all together, if it doesn’t look contrived at all and they’re really rocking it, I find that really sexy.

What are you in the mood to see, in terms for jewelry, this season?

More movement, more colors, more wit. Though fine jewelry design tends to focus on being contemporary than seasonal, really.

If you had to pick, what is your favorite piece from Deux Yeux, and why?

The Y-necklace of faceted spinel beads with the lemon topaz and honey quartz drops; I just love the feel of this piece. I find it quietly extravagant. There’s a rawness to it but it’s still sophisticated. The stones are faceted but retain the general shape of the rough and I can just imagine using diamonds of these sizes back in the day.

What are you looking forward to in the year to come, both personally and professionally?

Maybe go somewhere I’ve never been to before. Just to open the mind a bit more. To be inspired. I’ve also been considering opening a new showroom somewhere but things have yet to come together in that aspect.

To view the original article click HERE
Thanks to Jae De Veyra Pickrell.

*Inset are earrings and ring of carved peridot cabochons and diamonds set in yellow gold.

The Deux Yeux collection can be found at Firma, Greenbelt 3 and at Aum Jewels, TriNoma.

Earrings in passionate pinks. Translucent flat cut sapphires in peach and rose hues surrounded by multi colored faceted sapphires set in rose gold. Quite the looker, this one.

Kunzite is an attractive pink to lilac colored variety of spodumene. Minerals are sometimes named after those who discover them, like comets and stars. In this case, kunzite was discovered in 1902 by then Tiffany & Co’s chief jeweler George Frederick Kunz. It’s believed to be a powerful healing stone; said to reduce mood swings and depression and helps one cope with the stresses of modern life. I just like how it looks, really. And set in these earrings are beautiful samples of  large, transparent and deep pink gemstones. Quirkily contrasted by blue topaz and encircled by diamonds.

Tangerine is set to be a popular color for 2012. Energizing and exciting; a great way to start the new year! Orange hues tend to be some of the most under-used colors, but we should all find ways to inject youthfulness in our lives. Inset are bespoke earrings of trilliant cut citrines surrounded by textured yellow gold and diamond pave segments.

‘Tis the season… for getting together and reconnecting with friends and family. But what to wear?

Inset are some new items that were designed to be predominantly neutral; flexible enough to wear day and night. On top is a double strand of white cultured pearls. Which can also be worn as a long, single strand by detaching the clasps from behind. On it hangs a pendant of rose-cut, white and pastel colored sapphires set in yellow gold. The  pendant is also movable and can be worn with other necklaces; be it a cord, chain or ribbon.

These earrings are also composed of white rose-cut sapphires. Also with blue sapphires, rubies and diamonds. Of which the danglers are detachable and the tops can be worn as chic studs.

These are part of the recently launched 2011 Deux Yeux collection. Available at Firma, Greenbelt 3.

Shamcey wears my lotus flower inspired rose cut rhodolite garnet earrings with yellow sapphires in this month’s issue of Sense & Style Magazine. When worn, it covers a good part of the lobe. Sometimes its not just your clothes you match your jewelry with but your skin color as well. And I love how it goes well with Shamcey’s olivine skin tone. The earrings are part of the Deux Yeux collection coming out this November 11, 2011 at Firma Greenebelt 3.

Glad to be in this month’s Town & Country’s list again.

The spinel earrings is at number 1.

You can click on the image to enlarge or click here to check the archive entry on spinels for a bigger view.

Thanks again to Rorie Manzano for “liking”!

Next month’s pretty exciting; big news then. But as a preview of new things to come, I’ve been sort of fixating on the Mughal dynasty lately. The look. The incredible stories. The history. And I’ve sort of taken inspiration from the jewels as well. Not to reproduce impossible pieces but to take off from them. As an example here are earrings, influenced by ancient patterns, updated and interpreted. With drop center stones about 0.75cts each set in white gold.

Angel skin coral is characterized by its soft, even pink hue and is highly prized along with the deep red varieties. Corals were traditionally given to babies as protection against the “evil eye”. But these earrings will probably get the attention of eyes in general. It’s so delicate and feminine.

Historically, red spinels have been incorrectly labeled as rubies. But it’s quite understandable how this happened as:

1.) Spinels are usually found in the same places where corundum is found; with ruby being the red variety of corundum. In fact spinels are often used as indicator stones by sapphire miners when looking for new sites as they occur together quite commonly.

2.) They have similar qualities in that corundum and spinels are hard minerals. And when faceted gives a similar sharp brilliance. There are blue spinels as well and some outstanding samples intersected with the colors of blue sapphires (also corundum).

3.) Basically anything red was labeled as rubies back in the day.

Today, however, gemology has allowed for clear separation/identification of these two gems. And I happen to love spinels because it comes in these moody shades. Yes, exceptionally rare ones are red or sapphire-like blue. But they also come in bright pinks, deep purples and deep greens. Transparent, clean, faceted spinels are really fine examples of colored gems and posses an almost diamond-like brilliance. Plus they’re never really treated to enhance their colors or clarity in any way.

Inset are earrings and a necklace of multi-colored faceted spinels with round brilliant diamonds set in white gold.