Karin Luvaas Jewelry



Karin Luvaas Jewelry

About The Artist

Karin Luvaas • Bainbridge Island, WA
Jewelry • WHOLESALE AVAILABLE • CUSTOM COMMISSIONS

Karin's work fuses the enchantment of the natural world with the sophistication of fine jewelry. The foundational pillars of color, natural stones, elegance, and simplicity come together in every piece. Her work ignites curiosity and delight by combining unexpected and uncommon gemstone materials into wholly unique creations. The journey of jewelry making is just as significant for Karin as the final product. Whether she's carving wax, casting, designing 3D models, or fabricating jewelry, her greatest joy springs from continuous learning and exploration. The art of cutting and carving gemstones is both meticulous and labor-intensive, and results in one-of-a-kind pieces that capture the distinctiveness of every gem. Karin relish's handpicking raw materials or collecting them directly from the earth as a way of remaining deeply connected to every step of the process, from rough materials provided by nature to hand-crafted masterpiece.



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Q&A with the Artist

Tell us how your work is made.

The journey of jewelry creation is just as significant for Karin as the final product. Whether she's carving wax, casting, designing 3D models, or fabricating jewelry, her greatest joy springs from continuous learning and exploration. The art of cutting and carving gemstones is both meticulous and labor-intensive, resulting in one-of-a-kind pieces highlighting the distinctiveness of each gem. Karin is committed to using solely recycled precious metals and ethically procured gemstones in her creations.


What makes you passionate about the medium you work with?

During the making, the ""Ah Ha!"" moments are the best part of her day as she's always learning and discovering something new. Complicated designs push her creativity and improve her skill set. Learning new ways to improve the process inspires Karin to develop better habits and better jewelry. A passion to continually explore and experiment informs her creative process and drives her to constant innovation in her craft. She's a proponent of life-long learning, and works tirelessly to expand her skills, exploring new techniques, and allowing herself to be inspired by the field she loves.

What is something unique about you or your practice?

Kintsugi is a traditional Japanese art form that has been practiced for over 500 years. The word ""kintsugi"" means ""golden joinery"" in Japanese. Kintsugi is often seen as a metaphor for the beauty of imperfection and the power of transformation. The process of creating kintsugi art is incredibly time-consuming and requires a high level of skill and precision. Mending one broken gemstone and restoring it into a beautiful piece of jewelry takes a lot of patience and can take a week or more to complete. Meticulously shaping recycled 14k gold into the natural crack of the gemstone reduces the need for new mining and further symbolizes the transformation of materials from one form to another. The restored stone becomes a symbol of resilience, strength, and beauty. It also promotes sustainability and responsible consumption.