Sweet and sour. Hard and soft. Swedish jewelry designer Annette Welander says she is fascinated by contrasts and sought to explore one through her latest collection, Sphere.
For Sphere, that dichotomy comes from man-made versus naturally formed objects. Welander says she wanted to show the beauty and delicate balance between them, something crafted out of something raw.
The collection comprises a ring ($3,250), a pair of stud earrings ($1,900), and a necklace (price on request). In all three pieces, round black Tahitian pearls are juxtaposed against 18k gold.
For the ring, Welander uses the latest technology to manufacture gold cubes set with natural white diamonds. Every piece of Sphere jewelry has a diamond hidden somewhere—her brand’s signature.
Annette Welander’s Sphere ring ($3,250) is made with 18k gold and holds an 8–9 mm Tahitian pearl and 0.035 cts. t.w. of diamonds.
“Tahitian pearls are very special to me, and they are among the rarest and most valuable pearls in the world,” says Welander. “Their unique allure, impressive luster, and a compelling mystique has always fascinated me, and they are the only pearls that are naturally black in color.
A full color spectrum can shimmer across the surface of a Tahitian pearl, Welander says, and the colors remind her of the nature and depths of the ocean.
“The Tahitian pearls make this collection feel both contemporary and timeless,” she adds. “The perfectly round Tahiti pearls instantly create a connection with the natural world, thanks to their resemblance to the shape of our own planet.”
Stud earrings are also in the Sphere collection.
That shape gave the collection its name. Welander believes people are drawn to the sphere (spherical spaces have always played a role in architecture, she says) because it is symmetrical in all directions.
She worked with sustainable Tahitian farms for the collection’s pearls, staying true to her responsible sourcing ethics. As for her idea for a concealed diamond in every jewel, Welander explains: “Everywhere around us are hidden gems. They exist in the shape of unique memories associated with objects, buildings, spaces, or a specific period of time.
“The beauty of the world is perhaps at its strongest through our various attachments to our own individual and unique perspectives of something easily regarded as mundane by others.
“At our design house, we have developed our own vision of this,” she says. “Our signature entails a hidden diamond within each piece of jewelry, only known to the wearer. The hidden story of our jewelry is something that can be felt, appreciated, and imagined.”
Top: Annette Welander’s three-piece Sphere collection, out this spring, features Tahitian pearls on earrings, a ring, and a necklace. (Photos courtesy of Annette Welander)