Anouk Jewelry is known for our handmade custom rings, hammered gold jewelry, teal green sapphire solitaires and diamond halo rings. Anouk Jewelry’s designer Anat recently gave an interview to Subkit, discussing her design philosophy and process.
“The treasures of ancient and natural worlds have captivated me since girlhood and are my inspirations for Anouk creations still today. In terms of inspiration, it’s funny as I was never into jewelry before starting making my own. When I studied art history, I saw jewelry from ancient Rome and Greece, and something clicked for me there. I was really fascinated by the ancient treasures. It was the opposite of modern jewelry, as every piece had a personality and character. Moscow-born, Israel-raised, and now Toronto-based, I solder a myriad of modern-day cultures with ancient mythology, crafting custom rings and jewelry a Roman goddess would wear”.
“Inspired by treasures of the ancient and natural world, every Anouk Jewelry creation is a piece of handcrafted art made in Toronto. We follow ethical and environmentally-sustainable practices, working with local suppliers and jewelry professionals.
We select only the highest-quality metals and individually chosen precious gemstones for our jewelry. Each Anouk Jewelry piece is an object of beauty, evoking a feel of treasure with an element of mystery, a personal message of its wearer. Often people ask us to reuse their pieces, and we are always happy to redesign old jewelry into custom heirloom rings.”
“Recently I realized I’ve created more than a thousand pieces for my clients, rings, necklaces, earrings, etc. Each piece represents a couple starting a life together, a mother celebrating her family by wearing a birthstone ring, or a woman reclaiming her womanhood and freedom after serving others. Each piece of jewelry represents a personal story, an heirloom created with the view of the future. I am honoured to be part of people’s lives and to help them create pieces of legacy and treasures.”
Anat also discussed the challenges of being a her own boss:
“When you are a business owner, you wear all these different hats. You are not only the designer, the producer, the bookkeeper, the marketing director – you are the one in charge. You are the one that’s ultimately responsible for all the good decisions, and also, unfortunately, for all the bad ones as well. Another difficulty is learning to manage your time so that you are effective in all the roles that you take upon yourself.”
When asked for a few words of advice, Anat had this to say to any designer at the start of their creative journey: “Love what you do. Listen to your clients, really listen to them. Always be open to learning and evolving.”
Anouk Jewelry gives back by planting a tree for every custom handmade ring, necklace or a pair of earrings purchased. To-date we’ve planted close to 800 trees across Canada! Check out the little tree logo at the bottom of our website.
As always, any of our pieces are available in yellow, rose or white gold. We have access to a wide variety of gemstones. You are welcome to get in touch and create your next piece of jewelry in collaboration with Anat!