Russian jewellers: 10 names that you need to know

How well do you know Russian jewellery? When I mention my native land, the image of a Fabergé Egg is usually what pops into people’s minds and, often, that’s all! However, in today’s Russia there are jewellers and designers whose ingenuity impresses even the toughest of critics, with their ability to create remarkable masterpieces that bring something new, mysterious and original to the art of high jewellery.

Today I want to tell you about 10 expert jewellers whose work has already become popular amongst collectors – and not only those in Russia, but aficionados the whole world over. Who are they? If you don’t know already, this article is definitely for you.

Ilgiz Fazulyanov

An artist and a jeweller known in professional circles as the ‘King of enamel’. Ever since mastering enamel techniques over 20 years ago, the colourful material has become an integral part of his pieces. IlgizF. creations combine the unusual qualities of being expressive, vivid and unique simultaneously – no other enamel maestro in the world can imitate the spectrum of colours Ilgiz delivers!

Ichien Ballaga

Ichien Ballaga, founder of the inspirational Ichien jewellery brand, creates his pieces three times over: the first in his imagination; the second on paper; and finally, in jewelled form. This gradual process allows him to weave together designs that are multifaceted. All of his pieces – whether one-offs or part of a collection – are voluminous and multidimensional, just like life itself.

Chamovskikh

Russian jewellery house Chamovskikh produces modern, technologically advanced and often transformable jewellery, which captivates the eye at first glance with its luxurious, extravagant, unique gemstones. Only after this initial impression do the pieces truly reveal themselves before already admiring eyes, literally and figuratively speaking. They have it all: volume, lightness, an attractive combination of materials in all shades – pearls, stones, gold, nothing in their design is superfluous. 

Liza Borzaya

Liza Borzaya is the founder and designer of a very unique and brand of modern jewellery. Her first piece attracted public attention and introduced her brand to the jewellery industry – an exclusive transformable bracelet. In thrilling and unpredictable ways, her design intertwines with the exceptional standards of high jewellery art, for the pieces are both complex but wearable, at once convenient but humorous and charming, and always original and audacious!

Vladimir Markin

Vladimir Markin knows everything about his pieces – literally, right up to the very last screw. “High quality gold can afford provocation, and real diamonds are pure levity,” declares one apostle of Markin Fine Jewellery. Vladimir’s style is original and easy to recognise, not least because it is inextricably linked with perfect, detailed, jewelled mechanisms. This harmony is often incredibly dynamic: touch it, and hitherto secret surfaces will blossom before your eyes.

Ekaterina Kostrigina

“Petersburg Classics” – this is how people are describing jewellery by Russian designer Ekaterina Kostrigina, and what an accurate description it is! Her calling card? A harmonious combination of tradition and old techniques with modern ideas. This visionary jeweller from St. Petersburg works with all the usual materials, with a special interest is using black gold in her designs.

Podnebesnaya and Podnebesny

Unique gemstones or the finest pearls? If you have ever been faced with this decision, you will certainly appreciate what jewellery company ‘Podnebesnaya and Podnebesny’are creating. You do not have to choose between the finest of each within your jewellery design; Ksenia Podnebesnaya creates jewellery blending pearls’ delicate palettes with all types of gemstones, from pastel toned gems to others in vivid hues tones. Ksenia promotes wearing pearls regularly and informally, affectionately referring to them as “grains of perfection”, but her brother and business partner Ilya prefers natural, untreated, coloured gemstones and diamonds with vibrant characteristics. 

Yaroslav Argentov

Yaroslav Argentov and his jewellery house ARGENTOV have been offering clients varied stylistic jewellery solutions for over 20 years. The modus operandi of Argentov is to design and manufacture their pieces in a manner which maximises the beauty of the gemstone. To achieve this, the company’s jewellers use modern technologies hand-in-hand with manual production, and they also employ the lost art of intaglio – a unique stone-carving technology.

Ilya Klyuev

Ilya Klyuev, founder and originator of the CLUEV jewellery brand, sets himself highly ambitious goals: innovating attitudes to jewellery itself, establishing new trends and unravelling the unknown. He achieves this by creating unique jewellery with incredible gemstones, which he personally selects for each of his pieces. His jewellery cannot be imitated, because it is simply impossible to find gemstones of the calibre he chooses!

Vlad Glynin

Vlad Glynin is a private jeweller and designer whose works are exhibited across both museum and private collections all around the world. The unexpected and powerful design of his jewellery creates dynamic illusions which cannot be replicated – each of his pieces is one-of-a-kind. 

The talents of these jewellers and designers are in no way inferior to their global counterparts in their artistic scope. Expand your geographical boundaries in your quest for fine jewellery and you may be pleasantly surprised!