Deux Yeux: Of crown & country

Crown jewels have captured the imagination of many collectors, jewelers, writers, adventurers and even rogue would-be thieves like Colonel Blood, who dared to steal the British Crown Jewels in 1671.

After all, crown jewels are more than just pretty, priceless baubles. Symbols of monarchy and representations of power and wealth, their brilliance is meant to dazzle and elevate mortals to god-like stature. As The Duke of Newcastle advised Charles II before his coronation, “Ceremony though it is nothing in itself, yet it doth everything — for what is a king, more than a subject, but for ceremony, and order, when that fails him he is ruined ... therefore ... when you appear, to show yourself gloriously, to your people; Like a God...”

For those who have seen crown jewels up close, there really is a jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring quality to these jewel-encrusted crowns, scepters, and orbs. The sheer size and quantity alone are out of this world and precious beyond belief. The Golden Jubilee, a 545-carat brown diamond and the largest faceted diamond in the world, is kept at The Royal Thai Palace. The Great Star of Africa, at over 530 carats, is found in the British Monarch’s Scepter with the Cross. Even just accounts of Maharajas and Mughal lords who have a deep-rooted appreciation for jewelry, covering themselves in gemstones, are breathtaking by themselves.

It is with these astonishing stories of opulence that jewelry artists Kristine Dee and Paul Syjuco came up with the idea of Deux Yeux, roughly meaning “two eyes” in French. Launched last Nov. 11 at Firma, Greenbelt 3, both artists presented their own view of court jewels, re-imagining the original pieces, keeping in mind the original cuts of the gems, and made these more wearable, and priced within reach.

As with their last collection in Firma, Deux Yeux is produced applying the principles of renewable luxury. On The Radar speaks to Kristine and Paul about their latest collection, their favorite royals and what they think of “commoners” wearing tiaras.

Your past collections at Firma were about futurism and recycling precious metals. What brought about the inspiration to do something decadent this time, inspired by royal jewels?

KRISTINE DEE: I wanted to look back in time, to the image of jewelry then, especially royal jewels.  All of the royal jewels originated in India during the Mughal period and after this very fascinating time, eventually ended up with the French, English and other European royals. These royals really wore their jewelry and they wore them well, even piling them on. But even when they did so, the whole ensemble looked tasteful and never ostentatious.  

PAUL SYJUCO: When you think of jewelry you generally peg these with court jewelry. At least that’s the first thing that comes to my mind. You had to be so privileged to wear or even possess jewelry as it was a symbol of national wealth and power back then. But things have surely changed now in that there is some form of bauble accessible to everyone. I guess for me it is more a nod to the romance and tradition. As well as a bit of escapism. 

Are we going to be seeing big, impressive stones in your current collections? 

Kristine: Yes, there are some big stones in the collection. And stone-cut shapes and cuts that were popular then, and still are to this day.

PAUL: I have seen these insane period pieces as bibs filled with diamonds as big as coins, and they are awe-inspiring. These are definitely not justifiable to replicate but I just took a cue from the large pieces in general. I took the feel of the layers and the patterns more from the Mughal dynasty and tried to reinterpret that into more current, updated and wearable pieces. Also “big” would be a relative term. 

What sort of pieces should we expect in this collection?

Kristine: We will be showcasing a fresh take on royal jewels, pleasant and easy on the eyes. Nothing heavy-looking, but lots of elegant and classic pieces with a twist.  Many colored stones were used, in the colors of pink, yellow, violet, red, blue, green, diamonds and also pearls.

PAUL: Layered necklaces, rose-cut stones, old-world feel, new-world sensibilities.  

Did you have any blue-blooded aristocrat in mind while designing your collection? 

Kristine: Not really. I just imagined my clients wearing “royal-inspired” pieces while designing them. 

PAUL:  Fantastically and unbelievably wealthy Mughals with their large diamonds and layers of natural pearls. There is a fine line between reality and fairy tale from the stories of the era. They started it all. 

What kind of jewelry should modern royals wear?

Kristine: It should be something that suits them, their personality and their face shape. And something that would complement them too, especially in their photos, since they are photographed a lot.

A nice pair of earrings, a simple but eyecatching neckpiece, or brooches would be lovely on modern royals since these are worn near the face. These are the best pieces for closeups.

PAUL: I think their collections are just fine. They have to be stately and are definitely worn for such occasions. I believe most pieces have been in some houses for many years and the designs are still relevant today. Because they were designed to primarily be of beauty, without sparing expenses. It is what all jewelry designers should aspire to produce: timeless, impeccably made pieces. 

If you could have any member of any royal family wear your jewels, who would it be? 

Kristine: Now that you mentioned it, I would love to have Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, wear one of my pieces. But that is me dreaming.  She is one modern royal who is simple yet elegant. And if Princess Diana were still around, it would be nice too.

PAUL: Charlotte Casiraghi.

Do you guys ever get stuck in a creative rut?

Kristine: Yeah, it is quite a challenge to come up with a theme each year but it keeps our creative brains warmed up and continuously running so we can create better collections every year!

PAUL: It is part of the process, I guess. There are short bouts. But that just means you have to step back and refocus.

What do you think of jeweled tiaras? Apart from beauty queens, should “commoners” wear them?

Kristine: Hahahaha! Nice question! Good you asked! Unless she is a bride who fancies wearing a simple one on her wedding day, I suggest no. Let us leave the jeweled tiaras to the royals and beauty queens.

PAUL: As long as one is stylish enough or has the personality to pull it off, why not? It is not for everyone, though.

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Kristine Dee and Paul Syjuco’s collection for Deux Yeux is now at Firma Greenbelt 3.