Putting Japanese sense of beauty into jewelry – Tranquil jewelry-

At OKURADO, we are always thinking about creating jewelry that is uniquely Japanese.

In this issue, I would like to share with you why I came to believe this.

This may overlap with what I have told you before, but about 30 years ago, I went to France for three years to study jewelry.

In Paris, where I lived for two and a half years, I was asked by so many people about Japanese culture and art. (I still regret that I could not answer them adequately due to my lack of knowledge.)

Since the time I was there, French people were very interested in Japanese art and culture, including Japanese movies, anime, novels, and ukiyo-e prints.  I was at first quite taken aback by the French interest in Japanese art, thinking that France is a much more advanced art country than Japan and that I wanted to absorb as much French art as possible.

As I had more and more opportunities to see the landscapes, formative objects, and museums in France and neighboring European countries, I was constantly thinking about the differences between Japan and these countries.　

I believe there are a number of elements in the so-called “Japanese sense of beauty.　

These include finding beauty in the transitions of nature, finding beauty in imperfection, finding meaning in space (margins), a culture of modesty, asymmetrical forms, and so on.

The European paintings and sculptures I saw at the Louvre and the objects and jewelry I saw at the Museum of Decorative Arts were all wonderful, but I often felt that it would be interesting to use simpler decoration, narrow down what I wanted to express, and emphasize only those things I had narrowed down.

I think now that this was the beauty of “subtraction,” which is one of the “Japanese aesthetic senses.

Ring from the “Moonlight” collection, inspired by the full moon

Jewelry is gorgeous.

The designs are ornate, the diamonds sparkle, and the gold and platinum used are carefully polished to a luster.　　

On the other hand, there is jewelry that is not extremely ornate, that has as little ornamentation as possible, and that quietly appeals to the heart.　I began to think about the possibility of creating such jewelry in Japan, even though I was in the last months of my life in France.

I was not sure if I could create such jewelry, but I was convinced that if anyone could create “non-flamboyant jewelry,” it would be us Japanese.

Even after returning to Japan and entering the world of jewelry design and production, the idea of creating “non-flamboyant jewelry that quietly touches the heart” never left my mind, and it was with this in mind that I launched OKURADO in 2009.

Even now, I am thinking about what this unique “Japanese sense of beauty” is and where it comes from for us Japanese.

And we strive every day to make sure that the jewelry we create at OKURADO embodies this “Japanese sense of beauty”.

Ring with demantoid garnet surrounded by discreetly sparkling rose-cut diamonds

Brooch cum pendant expressing only the beautiful flow created by the knot

Hitoshi Okura

OKURADO

▼ Please read this articles as well.

About my story of days in French, Japanese scene, various ways of represesntation.

Feelings From Different Cultures

Kyoto Design

Symmetry, Asymmetry, Colorful, Monotone