By Cynthia Unninayar
“In today’s world, where every other design looks alike, I like to push the limits,” says James Kaya. And push the limits he does with highly creative, progressive, and edgy designs that are unlike any others.
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The designs of James Kaya are decidedly modern, where the fluid organic meets the urban mechanical to create unique and eye-catching rings, pendants, and earrings. With angular edges and accents that seem more reminiscent of nuts and bolts, many of his creations have an almost industrial look about them. Industrial, maybe, but the materials he uses are fine 18K gold, platinum, precious gemstones, diamonds, and pearls. Other designs, however, evoke a more fluid form with gentle curves and simple lines. All of his pieces testify to a desire to create elegant yet edgy jewellery that is stylishly precise and simple. “Simple designs may look easy,” Kaya muses, “but because of their simplicity, they need to be of the best quality since they leave no margin for error.”
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Most of Kaya’s pieces are one-of-a-kind, and are handcrafted by this classically trained goldsmith. “It takes time and patience to produce high-quality jewellery,” he says, “but I refuse to mass produce because the personal aspect is lost when the designer does not participate in the actual creation process.” James Kaya’s interest in jewellery design began when he was very young, ultimately leading him to pursue an apprenticeship in metalworking. As an accomplished designer and goldsmith, he now runs his own studio, Solair Jewelers, in Boston.
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Where do his design ideas come from? “I draw my inspiration from infinite sources, including of course architecture and art, that let me combine the traditional qualities of fine jewellery with the best of modernism. My goal is to create pieces that are visually exciting with elegant simplicity.” Kaya’s designs have won numerous awards, including the Saul Bell Award (three times), the American Vision Award (two times), and various other accolades such as Designer of the Year from the International Jewelry Designers Guild. The winning pieces include a beautifully crafted platinum ring set with yellow sapphires and diamonds, an 18K gold rubellite and diamond pendant, a platinum tension-set ring with yellow sapphires and diamonds, and many others.
When asked about the future, James Kaya says that he will continue designing while pushing the limits of fine jewellery.
