Especially in times of excess, achieving success in the jewellery industry is becoming increasingly difficult. But not impossible. Cyprian Chorociej, a talented designer and jeweller who found the opportunity for development at S&A, tells us about the proven ways to do this.
Especially in times of excess, achieving success in the jewellery industry is becoming increasingly difficult. But not impossible. Cyprian Chorociej, a talented designer and jeweller who found the opportunity for development at S&A, tells us about the proven ways to do this.
Talented designers, goldsmiths and jewellers are many, but only a few manage to make a name for themselves.
The best chances for professional success are for those who stand out - whether it is innovative design, unconventional materials or a perfectly mastered craftsmanship. Sometimes these distinguishing factors are just nuances, such as the use of a stone different from those commonly used to give the jewellery a completely new look. An opportunity to make a name for oneself can also come from working for a large company with ambitions to promote its designers - but this does not happen on its own either: one must constantly improve one's workshop, propose new solutions, give of oneself more than the employer expects.
To you, a large company has given you the chance to spread your wings.
When I started working at S&A in 1999. - I was 21 at the time - I was convinced that I already knew everything about the work of a goldsmith (laughs). But in a company like S&A, which is literally rushing forward, I realised that not only did I not know everything, but above all that I could not rest on my laurels at any stage of my work. The very high demands that I set for myself and that were placed on me in a modern company operating in many markets made jewellery design a challenge for me: I strived not only to find the best design solutions, but also the best technical solutions. I was so keen for my designs to be perfect that I would sometimes take home a piece of amber, which I wanted to frame in a special way, in order to think and feel even more about the collection that was to be created through close contact and observation.
Did you take the mammoth blows home too?
I also looked at them at great length to best match the shades of amber, diamonds and gold in the Maamu collection to this specific colour. Such an observation makes sense, as the stone itself suggests which aesthetic it would like to be set in: classical, fairy tale-inspired or with floral motifs. I used to associate the colour of amber with antiquity - settings made with handmade techniques inspired by antique jewellery turned out to be a hit! There are no shortcuts in design, especially if we have the ambition to create a really good design: one has to analyse the stone in terms of shape, colour, cut, size, think about other materials with which it would be combined, but also about possible techniques to use. These are skills that are much quicker to acquire in a large company, because there the demands are much greater than those we set ourselves.
Which project are you most satisfied with?
Definitely from the crown for Miss Polonia 2016. The complexity of the design and the extremely short turnaround time made this an almost impossible undertaking. With hundreds of unknowns and virtually no constraints, I had to create a crown that would fit on any woman's head and with any hairstyle. In designing it, I also had to take into account that it would be used for many years and by many different people, so I also had to consider the possibility of a quick service if necessary. The result was a crown in which every element is interchangeable. It really was a huge undertaking: we see the crown as if from a fairy tale, but there is actually a lot of mathematics involved. And technology at the highest level.
I have many such favourite projects, because I work on each one for a very long time and I am very attached to each one. One of them is the patriotic ring „My Heart, My Poland”, which was awarded 2nd place in the „Amber Craft” competition in 2013. I used the motif of an amber heart set on stable roots and placed it in a silver setting symbolising a map of Poland. I am also pleased with the „Snow Queen Ring”, which reflects my great love of fantasy and the world of elves. In the ring, I also placed the queen herself, chained to ice, on white stones associated with the Land of Ice, which I see as a prisoner of her own cold soul. I like designs with an interesting story attached to them.
Have you tried your hand at anything other than jewellery?
I have already designed various items in collaboration with metal, plastic and gaming companies. However, it is jewellery that I am most passionate about and I am proud of what I have been able to achieve in my 20 years in the jewellery industry. I design jewellery not because it is my profession, but mainly because I enjoy it. I put a lot of work and emotion into each design - that's how they have a soul. I get 100 per cent involved in every project, even the smallest ones, and unfortunately I no longer have time to be active in other areas. Even if I don't quite fulfil myself in these projects, because the market imposes a lot of restrictions. That's why I also have a lot of „non-market” jewellery ideas that exist only as sketches on paper for the time being, but I believe that one day they will be realised. I believe that one day I will be given the opportunity to create a collection that combines my two most important passions: jewellery and fantasy.