Process & Inspiration
My design process
All my work is made 100% by me. I like working alone because, for me, a design evolves as I make it. To bring the design to life in the way I want it, I have to do every stage of the manufacture.
I start with an idea, but this develops as I solder, hammer and add the final details. That is why every piece I make is unique, even when I am working on the same basic design - no two pieces will ever be the same. I strongly believe that jewellery should be unique rather than mass-produced.
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My workshop is small but full of life – tools I trust, stones I love, and memories of places and people. I work intuitively, learning from each metal and gem. Every piece begins with care, curiosity, and quiet experimentation.
My inspiration
I live and breathe jewellery. Every design that strikes me, from interior design to sculpture, can find its way into my work. Fashion, and the way it evolves in terms of colour and texture as well as shape, is another great interest and finds a reflection in my pieces. Copying another piece of jewellery has never interested me. Finding a way to put my personal mark and aesthetics into a piece is always my quest.
Crafted to endure
Jewellery, by its nature, has certain limitations - an earring has to fit an ear. Finding a way to bring something new to something that people have made for thousands of years, and have the result seen as distinctively mine, is the greatest source of inspiration.
When I make each piece of jewellery I feel the obligation to create something that can be passed on for many years to come, carrying the memories of the people that owned it.
Maria has designed a number of pieces for my girlfriend, sometimes using stones I have brought back from journeys to the Far East. After all this time, I can trust Maria to come up with an original and fresh idea that will delight.
– R TIMO