From vibrant hues to pale and saturated tones, the pieces take on maximalist, geometric forms.
Created at the start of the year, when the world was in the throes of readjusting its focus and rebuilding the future, Paul Syjuco’s latest collection revolves around bursts of colors.
Chromatic contrasts abound, particularly with the use of opals, which are known for their intrinsic optical phenomenon of reflecting a kaleidoscope of hues or “play of color.”
“The body color of an opal is usually clear or neutral black or white, but a natural diffraction occurs when light enters it, resulting in this display of intense colors within the stone that’s also dependent on movement,” Syjuco expounds. “And that basically encapsulates what I want to convey: color and movement.
The iridescent opal cheerfully sits together with other natural gemstones such as blue moonstone, pink tourmaline, turquoise and champagne topaz, and brilliantly colored precious gems like Zambian and Colombian emeralds to carve out nature-inspired designs, graphic arrangements and seemingly random geometric styles.
A spider brooch that made its debut a few years ago weaves itself back into the picture, this time fitted with white opal and pavé diamonds. The mesmerizing piece takes center stage along with a pair of gold dome and Zambian emerald pompom earrings, and a multi-layered gold and white gold necklace anchored by blue sapphire, kunzite and keshi pearls.
Despite the use of precious stones, a thread of carefree playfulness runs throughout the collection. “There’s the intent of being able to wear these pieces every day if you wish,” Syjuco says. The pieces in this collection can be just the thing to put the fun in functional—a pair of statement earrings in a mood-boosting pop of color can easily elevate an otherwise-simple ensemble.
Similarly, a long necklace of irregularly formed baroque keshi pearls feels less fussy than a strand of uniformly perfect pearls. “We’ve always focused on designing around baroques. I’ve always loved the uniqueness or singularity of every baroque pearl,” says Syjuco.
Though the designer has been exploring the possibilities of pearls for some time, it’s only in the last couple of years that he’s experimented with removing the precious gem from its traditional perch in fine jewelry and reinventing it for a more casual sensibility. You see this in a coral, pearl and cameo necklace that feels like an assemblage, and in a pair of South Sea keshi pearl flower earrings that deftly straddle the line between serious and fun.
And it’s that kind of fun that’s contagious. From earrings that feature moonstone cabochons with an intense adularescence to a textural gold chain fringe pair, each piece that make up Play echoes the human inclination to express joy and appreciation through valuable and beautiful objects. Says Syjuco, “This collection is a call to come out and play. To celebrate life.”
Play will launch on September 26 at Aum by Paul Syjuco at The Peninsula Manila and at shop.paulsyjuco.com
