By Ase Anderson in London
The ultimate in versatility, transformable jewellery allows you to alter a piece of jewellery to suit the occasion, your wardrobe or simply your mood.
It is an innovative concept that an increasing number of jewellery designers are embracing. Among them is Japanese jeweller Atsuko Sano, whose AS collection is sold by Barneys, Luisa Roma and Dover Street Market in London and Ginza. Sano was a well-established men's jewellery designer, renowned for her bold, abstract pieces, before launching her first range for women earlier this year.
Her latest collection, Arabian Night, is described as an oriental interpretation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Tranquil moonstones are brought to life by flashes of bright red spinel, while turquoise, pink opal and pale tourmaline add a dreamlike glow to the jewels.
The drama of pieces such as the Arabian Night cuff bracelet, with its rhapsody of colourful gemstones, is soothed by the inclusion of jewels featuring only white gold and diamonds. In the latter, the intricate circular designs lend the pieces a sense of movement and vitality that perfectly complement the delicate lucidity of the materials.
Extraordinary in their own right, the fact that the jewels are transformable elevates them into a league of their own. The drop earrings can be turned into stud earrings and a pendant. A necklace worn to a black tie gala event can be altered so that it is suitable for the office or school run the following day. The eye-catching cuff bracelet is in fact four pieces in one: it can be broken up to create a pair of drop earrings, a pendant and a brooch.
From the outset, Sano's vision has been to create "Jewellery in Fashion" that can be adapted to match any outfit. With this latest collection she has surely earned a place in even the most discerning fashionista's wardrobe.
