Award-winning jewellery designer German Kabirski creates contemporary, statement jewellery pieces that embrace unconventional jewellery materials, non-traditional techniques and exceptionally creative designs.
Established in 2000, German Kabirski’s eponymous jewellery brand has been a favourite of art critics and jewellery aficionados who enjoy a touch of avante garde in jewellery design. Kabirski believes that true artists never repeat their works. Instead they are constantly searching for a new challenge, whether it is a new texture, material or even a new jewellery making technique.
As a designer, Kabirski does not shy away from challenging the boundaries of jewellery design. And he manages to pull it off with flair. For instance, a ring of highly polished Koa wood enveloped in hammered sterling silver, a pendant featuring calibré-cut coloured gems set in a fine silver and titanium mesh or a sculpted rosewood bangle embellished with sapphires and rhodolite garnets are just a few of the artistic jewels designed by Kabirski.
A golden thread that runs through the brand’s creations is the use of bright and vibrant colour. This is evident in the designer’s use of coloured gemstones both in complementary as well as contrasting tones. Red rubies are set with purple amethysts, or blue topaz with bright green peridot, create palettes of colour that are unexpected but no less appealing. In addition, the use of black rhodium plating on sterling silver and 18k gold adds interest and allure to many other pieces.
Kabirski’s work is filled with gemstones in their raw, unadorned form. The brand’s Raw Gemstones collection features pieces set with coloured gemstones whose flat planes and raw edges light up like stained glass in a frame of gold and diamonds. Underpinned with the structural and textural elements of the brutalist style, this collection merges abstract nature with considered jewellery design, resulting in pieces that are as much jewelled adornments as art.
According to Kabirski, uncut gemstones have a soul and energy that speak to him as a designer. It is their unpolished beauty, alive with the vitality of nature, that Kabirski responds to, when working and designing with these gemstones.
Alternatively, the brand’s Minimalist collection is a study in the perfection geometry and how one tiny detail changes the aura of a jewel. Or consider the Freakwater pearl collection that pairs cultured white and coloured Freshwater pearls with rhodium-plated silver and lively coloured gemstones in refreshingly unique designs. Despite the myriad of styles, overall it is easy to identify the quintessential Kabirski style.
Recently Kabirski won the prestigious JCK Jewelers Choice Award 2024 for three separate pieces : a pendant in the brand new “Stained Glass” technique, a mixed metal bracelet with titanium mesh, and a minimalist ring embellished with a raw citrine crystal. Additionally, he also won first place in Jewelers of America (JA) 2024 CASE Awards in the Retailer Jewelry up to $2,000 (retail value) category.
Kabirski’s jewellery pieces can easily be described as wearable art. They speak a language that is quite their own. And this artistic language ranges from the unexpected to the sublime.
How did you get started in jewellery design, and what drew you to this particular art form?
German Kabirski: I started about 30 years ago. After a year, I realized that making mass-produced items wasn’t interesting to me, so I never made anything for others again. There was a time when I took a long break, but I still remained true to myself.
Can you describe your design philosophy and how it influences the pieces you create?
German Kabirski: It’s hard for me to answer this question. There’s really no philosophy behind it; it’s just pure organic creation. I work intuitively. Whether the client likes it or not is a secondary concern.
You’re known for working with unique and unusual materials. How do you source these materials, and what challenges do you face when working with them?
German Kabirski: Lately, since I’ve started creating more series products, I try to experiment less. Right now, I’m experimenting with combining titanium and silver in one jewelry piece. I might also try combining ceramics with metal.
What advice would you give to aspiring jewellery designers who are just starting out in their careers?
German Kabirski: I think it’s important for a person to understand their goals from the start. If someone wants to make a lot of money, they need to be able to adapt quickly to changing trends and stay in the public eye. But if someone wants to become a real artist, in addition to talent, they need to have free will and be uncompromising in their creativity.
How do you envision the future of jewellery design and where do you see your work fitting into that future?
German Kabirski: I can’t predict the future, but I think that with the rise of AI and other technologies, handmade work and unique pieces will be valued more. People will start to prefer items with meaning, pushing the value of metal and stones to the background.
Featured Image: Multi-Gem and Diamond Ring, German Kabirski
