Hi There! Do you know what happens when a goldsmith crafts unique jewelry? Let’s dive into the dazzling world of jewelry designer Alex Maryaskin!
Picture provided by Alex Maryaskin
Now, speaking of unique gems, let me spin you a tale about a ring so special it could make a unicorn do a double take! 😃🌟
My dad, who passed away over 30 years ago, decided he’d be the ringmaster (pun intended) of my bling universe. 😍💍
Picture this: a four-leaf clover-shaped ring with a pink quartz rock smack right in the middle. 🍀😲
Dad wasn’t crafting it with his own hands, but he orchestrated the design, making it a legacy of love and humor that still shines today. 😍🌞
Oops, I did it again. I’m famous for taking detours into the land of random, where the roads are made of tangents and the street signs lead to who-knows-where! 😳
I won’t blame it on my parents, who made me, but on my imaginary friend, who’s a bit of a conversational rebel. Don’t expect me to blame it on myself. 😬
Time to circle back to Alex Maryaskin! How does one transform a maintenance shop into a jewelry haven, complete with award-winning hand-fabricated filigree and structural stability through bezel sets? 💎😊
It’s a unique tale, just like his unique jewelry. Now, come along my dear readers, as we talk to the designer behind the special bling and discover the secrets of his one-of-a-kind creations! 💠💍✨
Picture provided by Alex Maryaskin
What is your name, function and the company you work for?
Alex Maryaskin, Owner & Goldsmith
Simply Unique Jewelry Designs | Yorktown, Virginia, USA
How old are you?
54
What kind of work do you do, or what are you studying to be?
I’m a Master Goldsmith with a retail shop I co-own in historic Yorktown, Virginia. Unlike typical jewelry stores, we don’t buy off-the-shelf designs and then resell them in our store.
We design and make each piece that we sell. So, I spend more of my time crafting new jewelry pieces. I also do a lot of custom orders and repair work for our loyal clients. Custom jewelry is our true specialty. I sit and talk to the customer, figuring out how to build exactly what they desire.
What made you decide to become a Jewelry Designer?
I didn’t go to school for jewelry design and fabrication. I’m completely self-taught. It started many years ago, when I was in the Ukrainian army. I had to choose between working in -20 degrees or fixing the commander’s jewelry.
It was an easy choice. I learned quickly how to repair jewelry. Each day I learned a new technique. I later had the opportunity to work in a 2,000-year-old church, restoring the gold leaf ornamentation. So I became well-versed in that technique as well. I’m forever drawn to the creativity of jewelry design.
Is fashion important to you? Why?
In a way. The fashion or style that our client desires is important, but we don’t turn to the latest gimmick. We intentionally stay away from trends, designing our jewelry to be more classic so they can stand the test of time. We’ve found that trends change so quickly, we end up sitting on merchandise that we can’t sell.
My design process is a bit different than most. We start by buying a lot of different gemstones, with no particular plan. Then I sit with them until they tell me how they want to be set. I have 25-30 stones on my workbench right now. Sometimes I pick one up, and I just suddenly get inspired.
Picture provided by Alex Maryaskin
What are your successes, and how did you achieve them?
I currently hold three international awards—from 2014, 2017 and 2019. The most exciting one was from the 2019 International Jewellery Design Excellence Awards (IJDE) in Hong Kong. There were only 15 contestants from the USA, and no one from this country had ever won before.
I ended up being a finalist in front of a panel of nine judges, four of whom were from Hong Kong. Also, five of the other finalists were Chinese. So, I didn’t have much hope of winning.
I thought the all-expenses-paid trip was going to end up being my prize. I ended up winning the “Champion of Champions”—the top spot in the competition and considered to be the highest honor in the jewelry design industry. I think one reason I won was the fact that I both design and produce my jewelry, while many others in the competition only did the designs.
What’s something you might want to do in the future?
Jewelry design used to be done by hand, from the drawing of the designs to the hand-carving of the wax molds. Everything has transitioned to computer-aided design (CAD) design now.
Our company uses a computerized tool to help us design, but our goal is to transition to 100% CAD designs in the near future. The wax cutting machines are just so precise, to one-hundredth of a millimeter!
Is the name of the Brand important to you when you buy clothing or jewelry?
Brand names are actually hurting our industry. Nearby jewelers attempt to carry and sell the same brands within a few miles of each other and end up having to lower their prices to make a sale.
We don’t do brand name products, other than Citizen Watches. This keeps us from having to compete with other local stores or, even worse, with online sales. Many folks are name chasers, but they pay more for the name. We can design the same thing for less and with higher quality.
Describe your personal style of fashion?
I create in a classic style using modern techniques, technology and design. I prefer “Old World” designs and tend to do a lot of filigree creations, which is old-school, intricate work. There aren’t many people left doing it, so it’s highly sought after and specialized.
How did you find your personal style? Do you have a signature look?
In Ukraine, I couldn’t buy gold parts, so people came in with the metal they wanted to make something with. I then had to render it into usable form by melting it, rolling it, etc., to create wire or sheet metal.
I had to hand fabricate everything. When I arrived in the US, I was able to buy parts much more easily, but how I started really shaped my personal design style.
The first award I received was for a filigree vanity mirror. I actually bought silver quarters from a pawn shop, and through a very labor-intensive process of melting and pulling, I created the end product.
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Picture provided by Alex Maryaskin
Do you have an influence on other people’s fashion style?
We do custom design per the client’s exact specs. But we do extract information from them. We talk through everything together. We give them ideas and ask many questions. It’s a creative process.
My influence is more on the durability and structure of the piece, although I also give advice on style and what will work well with the components they’ve chosen.
I worry about them being happy and the piece being in good shape many years from now, so I want it to have good structure and be classic, so it won’t go out of style. Not throw-away jewelry!
What are in your eyes the best trends at the moment?
The recent influence of color diamonds (not lab grown) in jewelry design is a positive trend I’ve seen.
What are in your eyes the worst trends at the moment?
Today’s retail jewelry can’t even be repaired because it’s so lightweight and hollow… often thinner than aluminum foil. This is because the cost of gold is high, so mainstream jewelry is made poorly to save money and increase profit.
Folks come in with big hollow chains that can’t be repaired because they’re too lightweight. Sadly, this trendy jewelry is cheaper to throw away rather than repair, so customers have to purchase it more often.
Halo diamond engagement rings (halo around the ¼ point diamond) are all the rage right now. Unfortunately, their tiny stones and prongs are not sturdy, so they do not last. We get many requests for them, but we turn down a lot, because it’s not worth it. Even cleaning them can make the stones fall out.
What kind of fashion advice would you give us?
I’m a big proponent of buying quality over trendiness. Instead of buying 20 pieces of tiny, cheap, lightweight items, we recommend that clients save up and buy one to two very nice, sturdy pieces instead. They mean more over the years, tend to be more of a conversation piece, and can be passed down to family members.
Who is your style icon and why?
Stone cutter John Dyer does amazing cuts on colored stones. I really appreciate his design style.
Thomas Daily is a younger guy that I met at an international awards show. I admire his unique ideas and designs. He isn’t a big name or famous… yet. But he is amazing.
Is there something else you would like to share with us?
When dealing with jewelry for personal needs, we always recommend dealing with independent jewelers. It may not always be cheaper, but the pieces will last way longer and be of much higher quality and structure, by far.
Plus, you’ll be supporting small businesses, their families and an industry/art that is quickly dwindling due to cheaply produced items from overseas.
Picture provided by Alex Maryaskin
A big thank you, Alex Maryaskin, for tackling my questions. I completely share your sentiment about the unfortunate inability to repair retail jewelry.
If you find yourself with some free time, take a peek at several of my previous interviews with jewelry designers on this page.
Hope you like my blog.....Until next time.....Have a nice day
Renata (Seadbeady)
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