Beauty isn’t always perfect and Retrouvaí’s latest one-of-a-kind piece speaks to that notion.
The “Diamond Vein Bond” collar features 18-karat yellow gold links and 11.30 carats of baguette-cut diamonds that represent light coming through “cracks” in the links.
The collar launched as part of the brand’s “Bond” collection, which debuted at Couture in June.
It was inspired by the delicate yet resilient nature of flowers and the Japanese art of Kintsugi.
In Kintsugi, broken pottery is put back together with gold lacquer as the glue. Looking at the design of the Diamond Vein Bond collar, diamonds are used in the same way as gold lacquer.
“This piece emulates strong banded gold that has been broken into pieces with light shining through the cracks,” said Kirsty Stone, founder and designer of Retrouvaí.
“The collection is inspired by the Japanese art of Kintsugi, and encourages us to reconsider the traditional ideals we hold about beauty and perfection. I was working on these pieces when the catastrophic fires happened here in LA and this collection became very personal.”
In January, devastating fires broke out in Los Angeles—home to many, including Retrouvaí’s atelier—burning more than 40,000 acres and killing at least 27 people.
The Bond collection is an invitation to find beauty in things that have been broken and put back together and to appreciate the fact that trauma adds layers of strength and story, said Retrouvaí.
The Diamond Vein Bond collar is price upon request.