The magnificence of India’s heritage structures has been the artistic inspiration for jewellery designers but Zoya’s latest signature collection Samāvé takes this penchant to an all-new level. Capturing the beauty of India’s Stepwells (Baolis), Beate Steinfeld, Head Trend & Design, Titan Company Limited, has designed this breath-taking collection and proudly shares with Jewelpedia some interesting facts about it.
Beate Steinfeld: Kindly take us through the story behind Zoya’s latest signature collection Samāvé? What were the main inspirations and references for this collection?
Jewelpedia: With Zoya, we are invested in continuous design innovation and reinventing the luxury jewellery category. The inspiration for all our collections has the Zoya woman at its core, and all that is meaningful to her. Keeping this in mind, we wanted to come up with a collection that unfolds the story of a woman and her journey as she sails through life.
For a woman who is discerning and aesthetically astute, we imagine that the engaging architecture of the stepwells and their historical significance would resonate with her heart and mind. Historically, these were important spaces for women. Many stepwells were commissioned by queens, and women gathered here ritually in those days. The stepwells or Baoli’s were unique spaces that served as catalysts for women wherein they found a sense of belonging. They used to come together over chores, worship and recreation to create meaningful bonds within themselves and their tribe. These bonds nourished women, enabled them to reconnect with their feminine power, and became a source of strength.
Beate Steinfeld: What facets of India’s Stepwells (Baolis) and their architecture make appearances in this collection?
Stepwells known as Baoli’s or Baori’s are exquisite architectural marvels, most commonly found in arid areas like the Chand Baori in Rajasthan, Rani Ki Vav in Gujarat. These wells were sources of water wherein women climbed down several storeys deep into the earth to get water for their families.
At Zoya, we are always looking for inspiration that defines the core of meaning and purpose for a woman. The diamonds and white gold in Samāvé reflect the clear purity of water, while the gentleness of the rose gold is similar to the earthy stone steps of the well and the recurring, patented, diamond collet of the ‘ZoyaBaoli Setting’ with the strategically placed baguettes create an unending stream of light around the shimmering central core.
Connecting the past with the future, the collection recounts the age-old story for women of today in a fresh and essential form of language.
