Jewelry designer Yilin contacted me recently to let me know about her line of “sustainable luxury” artisanal jewelry. Yilin is Singaporean but she has been living in Thailand for the last few years, where she has been working hand in hand with the hill tribe artisans of the area. Not only does this partnership help to preserve the centuries-old cultural craftsmanship of the region, it also creates income and employment for this traditionally marginalized group of people so that they don’t have to leave their villages to seek other work.
Yilin combines hill tribe silver and other pieces with gemstones for unique and luxurious jewelry. These pieces are a bit more decadent in style than what I usually go for, but for some reason I still find myself really attracted to them, particularly this ring:
Handmade from silver by the hill tribe artisans and finished off with a cluster of sterling silver balls, amethysts and tanzanites by Yilin, at $85 I think this piece is totally worth the price. It’s every bit the quality of what you would find in a major jewelry store (probably higher quality, really!), and it’s definitely more unique. You can find more of Yilin’s pieces on her website or Etsy shop, or check out her blog for a behind the scenes look into her jewelry.
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I’d love to carry Yilin’s work on http://www.C5jewelryboutique.com.
There just aren’t that many jewelry designers committed to sustainability. Our boutique helps to promote them and get their work out into the public.
Wear Your Commitment.
Those are really beautiful!
Handcrafted artisan jewelry has been popular for thousands of years. Gold and copper were the first known metals used to sculpt adornments for those with the ability to pay the price. The uniqueness of handcrafted artisan jewelry continues to keep the demand and market both alive and well around the world. http://www.gemfind.com/Designers/24/Scott_Kay.aspx