Meet SHIR Fine Jewellery: Designed to make you feel
Many designers find their love of fine jewellery while working in a different industry - we often meet designers who have jumped ship from the fashion, art or architechture industry.
But for Shirley Navone, founder of SHIR Fine Jewellery, going into the world of jewellery was never a conscious choice. Growing up in a family of diamond dealers in one of the world's great jewellery, cities, she was surrounded by gemstones before she could articulate why they fascinated her.
But on her own accord, she has built a brand that is far from traditional. SHIR’s aesthetic is dark and mysterious, but playful and deeply personal. The pieces are all crafted in Shirley’s hometown of Antwerp, using recycled gold and diamonds, with with shapes and motifs that truly is not like anything we’ve seen before.
We’re so pleased to have SHIR Fine Jewellery join us at The Jewellery Room, and we spoke to Shirley about how her hometown and family heritage has shaped her work, where she finds inspiration - and who she designs for.
You grew up in Antwerp, a modern epi-centre for European design. How do you think that has influenced your own creative process?
Antwerp is a small and versatile city also known for its sense of fashion and art. This city taught me that design should have a point of view. It gave me the confidence to create pieces that stand for individuality rather than trends.
You also come from a family of diamond dealers - when did you first become aware that you too wanted to spend your life around gemstones?
Pretty much from the moment I entered the gemstone office of a family member. In that moment I was mesmerised and realized how drawn I am to these earths treasures. It became very clear to me that choosing a specific gem is not a rational decision; it's an emotional one. It's almost like love at first sight. You don't choose the stone, the stone chooses you.
There is an instant connection, a feeling, an emotion that is impossible to explain but impossible to ignore. That is what continues to fascinate me today: every gemstone carries its own story, and every person sees themselves reflected in a different one.
"If I've learned anything in life, it is that freedom lies in the choice of how we conduct ourselves. That is my inspiration."
Where do you find inspiration?
If I've learned anything in life, it is that freedom lies in the choice of how we conduct ourselves. That is my inspiration: How would my course of action unfold if I had complete freedom behind every collection´s story?
Who do you design your jewellery for?
For those who choose authenticity over fitting or blending in. For those who want to feel something.
What do you see for SHIR in the future?
I want SHIR to become a symbol of self expression, a tool that empowers people to wear their identity, their stories, their emotions, and their individuality with confidence and shine stunningly bright while doing so. As for me, jewelry isn't supposed to just look nice but to make you feel something.
Shirley Navone built SHIR in Antwerp - the city that shaped her eye, her standards, and her conviction that jewellery should make you feel something, but she’s taking on the world with diamond pieces like you’ve never seen them before.
We’re thrilled to now have SHIR Fine Jewellery available here at The Jewellery Room, discover the brand here.