By Ase Anderson in London
Combining the edginess of London with the sensuality of his native Brazil, Fernando Jorge's eye-catching designs have catapulted him onto the international jewellery scene.
These contrasts are evident throughout his work, where traditional craftsmanship meets contemporary technology to create sculptural yet delicate pieces, which are both elegant and provocative. In an interview last year he cited chandeliers and sex toys as the inspiration behind his collections, which carry names such as Cheeky, Adonis and Electric.
Less than four years after graduating from London's Central St Martin's College of Art and Design, Fernando is widely considered to be amongst the brightest emerging talents in the world of jewellery design. He now divides his time between London, where his sketching and inspiration take place, and Sao Paulo, where his jewellery is made. Fernando's use of uniquely cut Brazilian gemstones, often overlooked due to their abundance, has become a trademark of his work and led to a collaboration with Gemfields last year.
His collections are sold at Matches, Browns and CoutureLab in the UK and, more recently, luxury e-tailer Net-a-Porter. The Jewellery Editor highlighted his spiked drop earrings with emerald crystals were highlighted as one of the most original designs to come out of 2013.
For his new Spring/Summer 2014 collection, Fernando delves into the inner workings of the natural world. Entitled Fusion, the designs explore the juxtaposition between micro and macro and a sense of life from atomic to cosmic level. Using fine materials in two combinations - one mixing 18 ct rose gold, rubies, and rhodolites and another mix of black diamonds, black jade and howlite - the results are typically powerful.
His signature finish, with a delicate snake chain and gold wire frames, is also evident in the pieces, which are designed to be 'small universes' - sculpturally complex yet beautiful in their own right.
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