Jennie Kwon’s Creative Endevor

An unlikely start: “I stumbled upon jewelry design in a very roundabout way. After studying at a music conservatory for five years, I spent the first chunk of my adulthood as a classical violinist, and the second chunk as corporate attorney, first at a big firm and then at a major studio. After having my twins, I really had a strong desire to return to doing something creative and from the heart. I wanted to find something that I was passionate about (after selling my soul during my corporate years) and found satisfying enough to want to spend the other half of my days doing. After taking a metalsmithing class at a local arts school, I decided to take the plunge, without any training in design or a single connection to my name. I’m sure all of my friends and family thought I was crazy. But here I am, just a few years later!”

Design Philosophy: “I draw inspiration for my pieces from everywhere—architecture, fashion, music, art, nature, the materials that I work with, charismatic and passionate people, and, of course, my children. Visually, I love clean lines, balance, unexpected twists on otherwise traditional things, subtle statements, modesty, and understated luxury. I really believe in creativity, hard work and integrity. With as small of a community as the jewelry designing community is, it’s hard not to get caught up in what others are doing, but I make an effort to stay honest to my own voice and vision, and feel like that really resonates with people.”

Playing Favorites: “It’s nearly impossible to choose my favorite piece from the collection—it’s probably a different answer depending on the day. Today, it’s the Diamond Float Rings, which are new to the line and made of three channel-set diamonds that look like they’re floating between two lines of gold. Channel setting has been around forever, but I took the traditional technique and created a piece that looks modern, delicate and eye catching. It’s a great stacking piece, but also a quiet attention grabber on its own.”