I first heard about Alexandra Mor last year, when I found
out that she was one of the 36 international jewelry designers selected by Gemfields
- mining company and the world's leading supplier of colored gemstones, to produce
one-off jewels using its emeralds, rubies and amethysts. Mila Kunis was then
named the company’s newest ambassador and wore the jewels at movie premieres
and award ceremonies throughout 2013. I fell in love with the emerald ring that
Alexandra Mor created for the collection right away*.
I also remember how impressed I was when I first saw one of her
photos. She is not only a very talented jewelry designer but a beautiful, confident and
elegant woman. I read afterwards that she got the affinity and love for design
since childhood, when her mother, a French dressmaker, tailored her clothes by
hand, until she was in her teens.
The Alexandra Mor haute couture house of fine jewelry offers
a signature collection of limited-edition and one-of-a-kind jewelry, as well as
individual, made-to-order pieces.
Ladies and gentlemen, meet the artist who
likes to think of her pieces as “heirlooms
in the making”!
1. What are the main
differences between Alexandra before discovering the passion for jewelry design
and Alexandra Mor we know today?
To compare the place I am in right now, versus my younger
years, is truly no different to comparing the experiences, tastes and
perspectives of an 18-year-old girl and those of a 40-year-old woman.
My brand and designs are reflections of my own
journey-to-date, as a woman. There are constantly juxtapositions between the
hard and soft; my love for history; maintaining the significance of old-world
craftsmanship, whilst maintaining my pursuit to interpret contemporary
aesthetics and technologies employed.
My first collection was made after I was invited to have a
piece of mine included in the ‘Spring 2010’ lot with auction house Phillips de
Pury. From there, the pieces developed into a very bold, geometric collection
of work.
Ever since the launch at Phillips, I have designed pieces
that always aim to celebrate the wearer, but there is a softer direction for
the new pieces I am adding to my Signature Collection this Fall. These are
being made to celebrate the launch of my first retail location, the Alexandra
Mor Salon, in Boston.
My personal experiences always find their way into my work,
and will influence the choices I make during the design process. These upcoming
additions to the Signature Collection will be softer, curvier and rounder in
design.
The lines will be less severe and restricted, but will
maintain feminine touches with a neo-futuristic edge – a little similar to the
way I have been dressing this past Spring!
2. What piece of
jewelry took you the longest time to create?
Within my Collection of one-of-a-kind jewels is a pair of
Emerald and Diamond Drop Flower Earrings, which were worn in a recent editorial
by the beautiful Brooke Shields. This pair of earrings took 17 months to craft,
as I wanted to perfectly arrange the Diamonds that complement a pair of 53
carat Emerald stones, which were given to me by my father-in-law, master
diamond cutter Abe Mor. There are 175 gradually colored Diamonds that drop down
on these earrings, and almost look like a gradient with the Diamonds in White,
Green, Yellow, Peach and Pink tones.
3. Which is the jewel you are the most proud of?
Whenever I design for either my Signature Collection, or a
bespoke design for a collector, I always intend to encapsulate true meaning for
the woman, or man, who wears an Alexandra Mor piece.
With regards to my collections-to-date, I sincerely hope
that all my pieces bring out my best – both as a creative and an individual.
4. Do you have a
favorite gem?
Gemstones are like people. Each have a unique character and
story, and so each can bring a different stimulus to the design process. I love
real personalities, so I tend to love gemstones with quirk and character, too!
I do gravitate towards larger sized stones, and stones with
perfect cuts. The overall symmetry and proportion of the gem I use, does play a
big role in my work process. This will then influence the way I approach a
stone, to then design into a piece, rather than exclusively selecting on the
type of stone itself.
Diamonds, however, are a lot of fun to work with by
themselves. With that said, when Diamonds surround any large center stone, they
never take away from that stone, and only enhance the beauty of other
surrounding stones from the Diamonds. It’s a win-win situation!
5. Which is the jewel
in your private collection that you love the most?
A Rose Gold Watch that was inherited from my Grandmother.
6. What are the 3
principles that you learnt from your mother’s work and apply in your business?
- Maintain an attention to detail.
- Always dress to the nines! You never know who you’ll meet
getting groceries.
- Never visit anywhere empty-handed.
7. The woman wearing
jewelry signed by Alexandra Mor is ... (in 5 words please).
My Collectors are authentic, empowered, nuanced and
unapologetically bold.
Labels: Alexandra Mor, bracelet, Brooke Shields, citrine, diamond, earrings, emerald, fine jewelry, Gemfields, Georgiana Petcu, jewellery, jewelry love affair, meet the designer, Mila Kunis, pearl, ring, tourmaline, watch
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