The Protagonist - Jewelry Connoisseur

In its first year in a new location, The Protagonist showcased 15 designers who display a commitment to sustainably produced luxury jewels.

The opening night of the Salon Art + Design fair on November 14 was filled with people eager to see the 56 galleries showcasing a variety of vintage, modern and contemporary art and design works. However, the space that was perhaps most jammed with lovers of original creations was in a separate room away from the main show floor. This is where 15 designers from around the world were displaying their luxury jewelry creations.

The Protagonist is an annual gathering of jewelry designers in New York. It was founded in 2014 by the now-defunct Vogue Gioiello and has since been adopted by Vogue Italia, which curates the designers. This year’s group is arguably the most diverse, mixing prestigious names in the international jewelry world with a few newcomers who have shown potential to be established brands in their own right.

The designers are: Alessio Boschi, Alexandra Mor, Alexander Laut, Chiara Passoni, Chris Davies, Amedeo by Faraone Mennella, Feng.J, Munnu The Gem Palace, Karen Suen, K. Brunini, Liza Borzaya, Lydia Courteille, Neha Dani, Peggy Guinness and Yair Shimansky.

In recent years, led by New York-based jewelry designer Alexandra Mor, the event has taken on a mission of sustainability, with each exhibitor presenting works created with “mindful practices, responsible sourcing and sustainability,” Mor said.

“I find the term ‘sustainability’ is broadly used to indicate marketing campaigns, initiatives and actions aimed at the preservation of a particular industry,” she added. “Some lack the inherent connection to four main value pillars that drive the term sustainability. These values are human, social, economic and environmental.”

While Vogue Italia curates The Protagonist, Mor explained, “I was their sounding board in the industry, advising on who was working within the parameters of the four pillars in fine jewelry.”

Alexandra Mor Honoring the Earth wide eternity band set with 20 carats of Muzo-mined Colombian emeralds (15 stones) and diamonds, platinum set on 18-karat yellow gold.

Alessio Boschi Frangipani set made from tagua seed, recycled mango wood and 18-karat gold, yellow and white diamonds ethically sourced, naturally dyed with Persian saffron and scented with pure Frangipani essence.

Neha Dani Arunima “Glow of Dawn” earrings set with 37.06 carats of fire opals, blue sapphires, yellow and orange diamonds, titanium, 18-karat gold custom rhodium finishes.

International innovation
The jewelry designers and artists represent four continents and a range of individual vision. This includes Boschi and Courteille’s ability to tell stories with colorful gems in lavish settings. There are also the colorful gem-centric creations of Laut and the diamond-centric designs of South African jeweler Shimansky. Mor presented sculpted works of art using the tagua seed, the botanical alternative to elephant ivory she has used the past few years. She also offered a new hexagon-shaped ring made with emeralds from Muzo, which produces sustainably sourced emeralds from the Muzo mine in Colombia.

High-jewelry artist Dani showcased pieces from a new collection made by twisting colorful titanium set with thousands of diamonds, multicolored sapphires and other colored gems, and centered with translucent fire opals. The creations were inspired by cosmic nebula. The high-jewelry designs and craftsmanship of Feng.J, who commutes between Paris and Shanghai, included a V-shaped red cuff made from the sap of a Chinese lacquer tree, native to China and India. The V is adorned with a sprinkling of rubies and red spinels.

Another feature was the combined vision of cameo artisan Amedeo Scognamiglio with the luxury-jewelry brand Faraone Mennella. A new designer, in business barely a year, Passoni, based in Milan, created a collection dedicated to endangered sharks using fossilized shark teeth mounted on gold and silver and highlighted by diamonds and sapphires.

Chiara Passoni ring in 18-karat white gold and sterling silver with blue sapphires, diamonds and the fossilized shark teeth of the Carcharias Taurus, sand tiger shark, Pliocene-Miocene epoch - approx. 5 million years old, found in Bone Valley Group, Venice, Florida. (USA). — Chiara Passoni ring in 18-karat white gold and sterling silver with blue sapphires, diamonds and the fossilized shark teeth of the Carcharias Taurus, sand tiger shark, Pliocene-Miocene epoch – approx. 5 million years old, found in Bone Valley Group, Venice, Florida. (USA).

Farone Mennella Fireworks earrings in 18-karat yellow and black gold with 7,14 carats of diamonds.

“Lily of the Valley” Brooch - Tsavorite, colored sapphire, chrysoberyl, rose-cut diamond, diamond, 18K electroplated gold. — Feng.J. Lily of the Valley brooch set with tsavorite, colored sapphire, chrysoberyl, rose-cut diamond and diamond in 18-karat electroplated gold.

Adding character
This year was the first time The Protagonist took place at Salon Art + Design, at the Park Avenue Armory, and represents the first installment of a three-year engagement. Previously, Christie’s and Phillips auction houses hosted the event.

Jill Bokor, executive director of Salon Art + Design, was particularly impressed with The Protagonist’s sustainability initiative. “It’s inspiring to know that these world-class jewelers are considering the future of the environment while creating the most beautiful and highest-quality jewelry imaginable,” she noted.

All of the jewelers participated in a presentation on November 16, titled, “Collecting Fine Jewelry in a Sustainable World.” This session was part of Mor’s commitment to educating collectors, the press and retailers to keep the issues of “sustainability, social responsibility, and the good of the planet top of mind,” she said

As for The Protagonist’s new environment, Mor observed the jewelry designers were a good fit with the collectors who attended the art show.

“There is a deep and long-standing relationship between the art world and high-jewelry world. The Salon collector is someone who understands and is passionate about art. He or she appreciates craftsmanship and quality. At The Protagonist, we believe in collaboration, transparency, diversity, history and quality. When we met with the Salon for the first time, we found we shared many common values, including a passion for leading the conversation of sustainability, through the preservation of human stories and craft,” Mor said. “We have found our home.”