By Ase Anderson in London
The saying 'you've got to take the rough with the smooth' takes on a whole new meaning when confronted with the new collection of Kara Ross jewellery.
By juxtaposing rough gemstones with their polished counterparts, the Raw/Smooth collection is bold, harmonious and, above all, unlike anything we've seen before.
A certified gemmologist, Kara designs each piece around the gems, allowing their natural beauty to shine through. One of the first jewellers to mount raw gemstones in her creations, earlier this year she won the coveted GEM Award for Design.
The earrings, pendants, bracelets and rings in the Raw/Smooth collection - part of Kara's PETRA fine jewellery line - showcase the rough and polished stones side by side, separated only by a delicate, jagged row of pavé diamonds. The result is a distinctive before/after effect.
Producing the pieces is a time-consuming process as the raw stones have to match in both colour and cut to realise Kara's vision. While the rough stone remains as nature created it, with uneven and irregular surfaces, the smooth stone is cut and polished to reveal its most intense sheen and brilliance.
Kara has also produced two colourful handbag designs inspired by the Raw/Smooth jewellery line. Many of the bags in her Fall/Winter 2014 collection also feature a closure that mimics the Raw/Smooth effect of the jewels.
