• RARE JEWELRY INTERVIEW - FOUNDER DANNIE LARSSON

    Written by Jahwanna Berglund

    Dannie Larsson, the founder of the renowned jewelry empire Rare Jewelry’s
    Journey into the world of jewelry began with an unwavering passion for craftsmanship and an inherent eye for beauty.

    Dannie's relentless pursuit of perfection led her to the start of her own company Rare Jewelry. After her math studies in Paris and working at a bank she calculated her own fortune in the world of gems.

    Driven by a desire to create something truly exceptional, she seeks inspiration from all corners of the globe in search of the rarest and most exquisite gemstones.

    Her creations stand out not only for their breathtaking beauty but also for their storytelling and the meticulous craftsmanship that is put into every piece.
    Dannie Larssons Jewelry has quickly became synonymous with elegance, rarity, and timeless sophistication.
    Dannie's commitment to ethically sourcing materials and supporting local artisans has endeared her to both her clientele and the industry. Her jewelry isn’t only about luxury; it is a testament to her respect for nature, culture, and the skilled hands that brought her visions to life.

    Can you tell us about the craftsmanship that goes into creating each Rare Jewelry piece?

    Craftsmanship is a bit long to explain since I tend to create rare and complicated pieces. But all the pieces go through some similar steps.

    1.Hand drawing by me
    2. Cad drawing/ 3D drawing
    3. Search for gemstones-cutting gemstone
    4. Gold casting 
    5. Diamond setting /Gemstone setting
    6. Polish
    7. Control

    How do you ensure that the details and quality of each piece meet the highest standards?

    When the piece is ready we have a controller at each manufacturing step. One for setting and one for polish and one for overall ( can be the closure/lock, changeable size or titanium check). Also if there is a novelty it Will be tested for a period of 3 Months to make sure it Will last. As we sometimes produce different steps in different countries, we have to check on both places. Later when the product arrives at the shop the brand manager checks the pieces once again so the pieces do not get damaged in the shipping. We also have a gemstone expert in Sweden who checks the quality of gemstones and the quality of the cutting/polish. It has to be Perfect.

    Could you share some insights into how you source rare gemstones and materials for your collections?

    We have an expert in Sweden who travels around the world to find the perfect raw materials for gemstones in Rare Pieces. Most of our gemstones are cut and polished in Sweden. If we find a high quality stone we can also create a Rare cut out of it. We also look at vintage stones.

    What criterias do you use to determine the rarity and uniqueness of the materials used in your jewelry?

    For the diamond we follow specific requirements and standards. We check for color, clarity and cut. We use for pave setting G-H color very small-small inclusion and for larger diamonds F-G color Very small inclusions -very very small inclusion. Always an excellent cut.

    Lately we started to use titanium in the jewelry. Why? Because it will last forever. Very good material to work with. We use it Inside the pieces and gold, as before, around the diamonds.

    Can you give us examples of some of the most remarkable and uncommon gemstones featured in your jewelry pieces?

    We found an amazing raw stone with perfect clarity from Madagascar that we cut into petroleum blue Rare Heart for the ”heart of the ocean”.

    We also found an amazing Sapphire from Sri Lanka. For this specific ring we bought a vintage stone with very good quality no inclusions and re-cut it as a specific Rare-cut.
    In the mines of Tanzania we found an amazing untreated Emerald . ( 99% of all emeralds are oil treated. ) Best stones found in 4 years. Cut and polished in Sweden.
    Extra info about Rare-cut.

    In 1919, Dr. Marcel Tolkowsky designed the modern round brilliant cut. His work was based on years of studying diffraction of light through the facets of a diamond. Rare Jewelry has created a novel cut for gemstones that – inspired by the work of Tolkowsky – aims to elevate the brilliance of colored gemstones to levels previously associated only with diamonds. We call it the Rare-cut. Rare Jewelry’s unique gemstones’ cut to make the gemstones sparkle more than normal. The Rare-cut draws upon the highest standards of Swedish craftsmanship. We have so far created 8 different Rare-cuts.

    Sustainability is a growing concern. How do you ensure ethical sourcing practices are maintained while acquiring rare materials for your jewelry?

    When it comes to gemstones, the biggest hurdle is traceability. At gemstone cutting factories, rough gemstones from different origins are often mixed. This makes it a challenge for buyers down the line to know the background of their gems. The mining & cutting of a gem may be done fully sustainably, but unless its story has been preserved you would never know.

    Most jewelry manufacturers and designers approach this challenge by sourcing from cutting factories or other wholesalers that are highly experienced and demonstrate excellent business practices. That way, while the origins are usually still mixed and the background of each gem may not be known, the cutting factory is expected to handle their sourcing in a responsible way.

    Every chance we get, Rare Jewelry goes one step further. We work tightly with several gem cutting artisans and a gemstone sourcing specialist in Sweden. Our gem expert travels regularly to gem-producing areas including south Asia, west Africa and east Africa to buy rough gemstones as close to the source as possible. This is why we know the country of origin of almost all colored gemstone center stones in our Rare pieces.

    Sri Lanka has gone further than most countries in making small-scale mining environmentally friendly. Through clever regulations, the government has managed to make almost all Sri Lankan mine pits now filled in and the land restored. As a bonus, malaria has been eradicated (malaria mosquitoes used to live in the flooded sapphire mines).

    One of the largest ( now empty ) sapphire mines in Sri Lanka Will be completely restored in one Year to a rice Field.

    All diamonds from Rare Jewelry are sourced according to the Kimberley process.

    GIA is a member of the Kimberley Process, which is an international certification system for rough diamonds. This means that all GIA diamonds are guaranteed to be conflict-free. We buy all Lägerchef stone through GIA.

    Do you collaborate with artisans or experts in other fields to create your pieces? If so, how does this collaboration enhance the final product?

    Yes I do. I always discuss with experts in different fields about smart solutions to the locks and flex and setting in the jewelry. Often when I come with a new idea they say it will not work. Then we together come up with solutions. I like to think outside the box in craftsmanship.

    Are there opportunities for customers to request customization or bespoke rare jewelry pieces? How do you approach these requests while maintaining the essence of rarity?

    Yes indeed, bespoked Jewelry is my speciality. I custom make both from scratch and from old pieces. The bespoke process is the most inspiring for me as a designer. I get to draw something completely New. I Can draw for days. But as I am the only designer of the brand, the custom made pieces will always look a bit ”Rare”. I try to read the client at the same time as I draw the bespoked pieces in my own way. Sometimes, however, I have to say no to clients with special designs I don’t believe in.

    Rare jewelry is often considered an investment. Could you elaborate on how investing in rare jewelry can hold value over time?

    Because of the quality of production and quality of material rare pieces will last for a long time and keep their value.

    A piece of jewelry that is made with great skills and attention to details will be more valuable than a piece that is mass-produced. (Unless you rely on brand awareness).

    www.rarejewelry.se

    Makeup and Hair: Shada Gharib / Zap Talents 

  • CHANEL 2023/24 MÉTIERS D´ART SHOW IN MANCHESTER MCR

    Written by Jahwanna Berglund

    Punk + tweed = a colorful Chanel story by Virginie Viard

    For this year's Métiers d’art collection, Chanel traveled to Manchester, UK.

    Manchester has a rich history rooted in the textile industry, which made the city a notable player in the evolution of fashion. In the 19th century, the city was a powerhouse for cotton and textile production, earning the nickname “Cottonopolis.”

    Gabrielle Chanel herself also had a big love for Great Britain and often visited the islands.One part that had a big impression in particular and influenced her was Scotland. Coco started visiting Scotland around 1924 when she met with Huge Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster.

    It was also here that Gabrielle discovered the tweed fabric, something Scotland had been famous for since the early 19th century, worn both by farmers and the upper-class, particularly for outdoor activities like hunting.

    The tweed came to shape some of Chanel’s most enduring designs and maybe one of the most iconic pieces from the house, the Chanel tweed jacket.

    This year, Virginie Viard, creative director of the powerful fashion house Chanel reflected back on her own history and the influence Britain had had on the house over the years.

    “Tweed is central to this collection. I thought a lot about Gabrielle Chanel but I didn’t want to recreate Coco’s look, when she was wearing the Duke of Westminster’s jackets. I took my cue from the Coco who brought colour to her tweeds. I added a vibrant, pop spirit to them.”

    “For me, Manchester is the city of music, ” says Virginie Viard.  It incites creation.”

    Manchester has given birth to a large number of legendary bands from the early 1960’s until today and these talents have influenced not only other musicians but also the fashion industry.

    Mirroring the history of the house's long standing love for Great Britain in a chic, elegant and punk way she mixed the history of the house with her own life and cultural experiences.

    With some punk and color she uplifted the gloomy city of Manchester.
    Tweed in a retro pastel color palette styled with pearls and leather, the models unveiled the collection to the mixed sound of  British punk and pop hits like
    David Holmes & Raven Violet’s “Necessary Genius” , New Order’s “Bizarre Love Triangle”,
    Cilla Black’s “Anyone Who Had” and a grand finale with New Order’s “Blue Monday” blasting from the speakers.

    See the full collection here. 

  • photography Johan Scarsbrick 

    Interview with Adele Marcia Kosman

    Written by Alicia Hurst by Alicia

    Swedish composer Adele Marcia Kosman unveils a world of emotion on her debut album, “VOLVM 2. pieces.” Through dissected voice, pump organ performances, and algorithmic synthesis, Kosman explores the delicate dance of pleasure, disruption, and persistence in time. Drawing from diverse experiences, her music offers a brief yet immersive journey into a realm of emotional depth and subtle revelation.

    Your album, VOLVM 2. pieces, features a blend of intimate, raw emotions and digitally manipulated sounds. Can you share personal experiences from your life, such as those in “Closer to Trust,” inspire these elements in your music?

    It is truly challenging to derive the origin of an idea or inspiration. I highly rely on intuition when composing and the many different musical circumstances and periods of my life effortlessly resurface when needed and when relevant, and I remain ignorant to whythis relevance occurs. With that said, the tools I use certainly dictate the music to a large degree. The pump organ landed in my possession by chance and has influenced the album deeply. The summer of 2021 we built a studio in my family’s summer house and I was on the lookout for a small piano. Suddenly this cute organ pops up in the Facebook-page of the village. Its sensitive fluctuations in dynamics and the rhythmic aspect of the pumping has allowed me to find new sounds and expressions in my vocal performance and I believe this also heightened the raw sensation of the album immensely.

    The digital processing, as an aesthetic, ie. Beyond mixing and effects,comes from an urge to dissect sounds – hoping to find hidden treasures.“if it were for me you’d piece me up” is a good example of this tendency and also shows how the tools at hand shapes the end result. I also love clicks and pops!

    With your background as a back-end developer and experiences in major-label-signed electronic pop, how have these diverse influences shaped your creative process, particularly in crafting the unique sound found in VOLVM 2. pieces?

    I would first of all like to say that the major-label electronic pop allowed me to become a musician. Before For BDK was signed I had no faith in pursuing a musical career. A naivety in me was born in thatsigning moment and it has since served me well. The naive dream of stardom and fame gives me so much energy and will. A side note is that studies in composition allowed me to do computer development. It’s all intertwined, like it should.

    Moreover, I had a wish to mix and merge the different sonic tendencies Ihave. The sparse and live-recorded on one hand, the heavily processed on the other, and perhaps a few instances in between. Perhaps this is something significant to the record. My intention with this has something to do with sincerity. These are the most beautiful tracks I have made in the past few years and they belong together.I won’t keep anything from you! I promise!

    Your music explores recurring themes and leitmotifs. Do any of these draw directly from personal experiences, and how do they contribute to the overall narrative of VOLVM 2. pieces?

    As many, I find it easier to compose when starting off with a little seed of sound. So, you borrow excerpts from previous works. Sometimes the resemblance of its origin is lost along the way, and other times the resemblance works to tie a story (album) together. Apart from this, ever so often you write something which has a huge potential, and I'm sure to make use of this.

    Lyrically the album is strictly personal. All texts are from diary notes. Many of these diary entries were written in the aftermath of separation. In the ebb and flow of grief, emergence of new dreams and wishes, reconciliation and all the things.

    The dualistic nature of your vocals from intimate to abstract suggests a personal touch. How do your own emotions and experiences influence the way you choose to sing, especially in songs like “Always” and “If ItWere For Me You’d Piece Me Up”?

    The dualistic nature of the album has a somewhat practical origin. How Lust and practicality impact decisions, particularly when years of movements of lust are accounted for.
    “if it were for me you’d piece me up” I wrote during my studies in composition. I wished to deepen my artistic practice beyond the voice.At the same time – the voice is my main instrument. I used recordings from earlier live concerts of mine and put my voice to good use, with new tools.
    Graduating The Royal College of Music I was again longing for the fragility and corporal aspects of vocal performance. Not unrelated to my degree project where I dwelled into the topic of liveness and how this can (should) be incorporated in a concert of electronic nature.

    In your role as a stylist and model, how does your identity in these fields intersect with or influence your musical identity? Are there moments where your work in one realm directly informs the other?

    Today, I am a composer and artist. The time I spend with shape and form,clothes and expression, is to aid a musical expression. Music is the beginning and end!

    Reflecting on your electroacoustic academic endeavors, can you share a specific concept or discovery that significantly impacted your artistic perspective and found its way into your music?

    We have already mentioned “if it were for me you’d piece me up” a few times and I find it necessary to do so again. This piece is the oldest track of the album and at the time of birth it evoked a new musical era.I set off to expand on the use of voice and to generally explore new techniques of processing recorded sounds. My exploration led me to databending and glitch. Damaging the source code of an audio file is one way to perform data bending, it is a tedious process but it brought about the most interesting and surprising variations to the motif of the piece. In the track I also explored the simple mechanism of using a gate with a side chain. This basically allows one sound to affect the volume of another sound. This is a technique that I often use and it’s easily spotted in “Intro: Unusually Lost Bits.”

    As a rising artist from Stockholm’s experimental music scene, how has the local community influenced your growth, and are there collaborations or interactions that have been particularly impactful for your creative journey in VOLVM 2. pieces?

    I am very happy for this question! The collaborations on this album are life-changing for me. It has also emphasized the concept of collaborations itself. Working together makes everything more fun, and to be honest – making music is not fun. It is seriously difficult and exhausting and heartbreaking. Ah! But! Together! Fabian Grytt mixed the album and is also featured on one track, “always.” Our discussions leading up to the mixing and his investment in the music has been more than I could ever dream of. It has been the most precious thing to digdeep and write and then to thoroughly, sometimes, slaughter the music with Fabian and see it grow far beyond my initial intention.
    In the process of working with the album we decided to start a record label of which my album would be the first release. This has also been incredibly FUN! Arvid Kraft and Anton Berglund I studied together with at the Royal College of Music, and Saga Fagerström I know via the two.The four of us run Echo & Altar Records. Sharing this with my dear friends makes it all deeply meaningful, and that’s what it's all about.

    Link to VOLVM 2

    photography Johan Scarsbrick

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