Alchemy
‘Alchemy is the last true magical art to survive the ravages of the modern world. It combines astrology, mysticism, spiritualism and metallurgy and is described as a yoga of the east. With practice, the mind and spirit of the alchemist changes. However, the story of Alchemy in the west is the story of gold and our relationship with it.’
Ana de Costa returns with her eagerly awaited and spiritually inspired collection, since receiving high acclaim for Mystical Tarot in 2007. This collection won her the coveted ‘Young Designer of the Year’ award at the UK Jewellery awards in 2008. Her new designs titled ‘Alchemy’ are a continuation of themes and are an extension of Ana’s bohemian freethinking character. The collection was born out of a rather turbulent time in her life and as a result is a mixture of lightness and darkness; flights of fantasy, pure joy and deep sorrow. Naturally the collection is a mass of contradictions, displaying a raw honesty and passion. As a true artisan, these designs proved to be a powerful elixir to soothe and heal. The thought process and concepts are particularly poignant in this collection. Ana spent periods of time researching Alchemy and Magik (encompassing occult and esoteric themes) in the infamous bookshop Watkins. Throughout the 1900s leading occult figures such as W.B Yeats and Aleister Crowley would gather and converse at Watkins. This informed and all encompassing approach has meant that Ana’s level of creativity has transported her to a bright and exciting place.
The collection includes thirteen celestial pieces including studs, a set of stackable magik wand rings and bangles, sautoir style pendants and dress earrings- one pair draws inspiration from medieval magik and celebrates the art of crystal gazing. The intricate design is sculpted in 18ct yellow gold and pave set with vivid green tsavorites, echoing magical potions. A crystal gazing pendant showcases a 3-dimensional rock crystal ball as a nod to scrying and crystal gazing. The design of a pair of diamond set star studs called ‘Sirius’ reference the brightest star in the night sky and has a huge significance in the magical world. The design of a crescent moon called ‘Luna’ forms a stunning pendant, studded with white diamonds which overlays a shiny black onyx- here Ana visually recreates the ambience of a blanket of black sky studded with stars. A dramatic pair of asymmetric studs featuring the moon and sun, ‘Luna’ and ‘Sol’ show an example of Ana’s avant-garde approach to fine jewellery, and her innate sense of styling jewellery. As a dedicated colourist and storyteller, Ana selects the most beautiful, decadent coloured gems to emphasise the narrative theme of the collection. A combination of stones including tsavorites, rubies, manderine garnets, amber, onyx and diamonds demonstrates Ana’s playful use of colour and reflects her freethinking spirit.
At the core of this collection lies Ana’s multifaceted personality. A delicate and mystical fine jewellery collection, with darkly romantic undertones. Ana clearly demonstrates that she is a designer of our time, who can interpret zeitgeist powerfully and is proving to be a key trend maker in the world of fine jewellery. However, the most powerful aspect of this collection is that it resonates hope; hope that the lightness and creativity has returned.