This self-taught designer, Yokabid Worku has a keen eye for unique jewelry characterized by natural motifs, pops of color and clusters of melee gemstones.
Born in Ethiopia and now based in Virginia, USA, Yoki Collections founder Yokabid Worku brings an eclectic and vibrant mix of influences to her one-of-a-kind jewels. Her trademarks include vivid motifs, intricate settings and bold juxtapositions of colors.
With no formal training, but an intuitive feel for how the finished design should look, Worku draws inspiration from her love of travel, history, architecture and the natural world. “The advantage of not having conventional training is that it has allowed me to have no limitation,” she says.
“I’ve spent many years in the corporate management field, which has had its own impact on my source of inspiration. Particularly if I create a design around gemstones, I always find myself designing a more balanced, structured design with a contemporary look. I believe it’s because I would like the piece to make a woman feel empowered.”
What are the most distinct features in your jewels?
I frequently use many mixed sizes of round melee gemstones, setting them evenly to enhance the center stone in a design. I also often sprinkle diamonds disproportionately in between the colored gemstones, to replicate as much light as possible.
What is your creative process like?
It usually starts with a vision of a 3D image of a jewelry design that all of a sudden comes to my mind. It is funny because I can be anywhere, like sitting in an airplane or socializing with friends. Over the years, I have learnt to not ignore these images and adopted a process to capture them. I will quickly sketch the design and write down the details of the colors and shapes on a napkin or a piece of paper. If I’m not able to do that, I notate as many details as I can on my iPhone. This approach helps me capture the design for later reference.
Sometimes the creative process is also inspired by something I have encountered. This can range from travels, nature or architecture to archaeology, fairy-tales and so forth. Once in a while, the creative process gets initiated when I encounter a special gemstone that happens to be a very appealing color. For example, I remember this bubble-gum pink Siberian tourmaline – it was the prettiest pink and the gem was an usually deep cushion cut. I came across it via a collector and it later inspired a ring.
Another method I use to kick-start the creative process is designing around a gemstone and integrating additional types of gemstones. I play around with their colors and shapes until I land on a design with a cohesive look.
How do you source and use gemstone materials?
I source gemstones through recommendations or referrals received from industry insiders and via long-term business relations with gem dealers. Trust and transparency are both key. I like to maintain a preferred list of trusted contacts for sourcing quality natural colored gemstones of any kind. I’m always actively researching to expand my list of sources, by looking at reference checks, history in business and a source’s affiliation with industry-recognized associations and networking bodies.
I love to work with color gemstones because they can exude certain moods or sensations, plus they are naturally beautiful. I do have a few favorites, like sapphires and tourmalines, which come in multicolors. I also like rubies, amethysts, garnets, beryls and diamonds. I mostly use faceted gems because of their sparkling nature. I like cabochons, too, because they have a cleaner modern look to them. Although I love the organic look of South Sea and Tahitian pearls, I have yet to make jewelry with them. I have many designs consisting of pearls that I plan to produce in the near future.
What are you working on at the moment?
I’m currently working on a collection inspired by the shapes, textures and colors of the underwater world. The pieces are fun and consist of diverse motifs with vibrant colors. They’re a mix of imaginary and dramatic geometric shapes, and are three-dimensional with varying textures and patterns.
I wanted this collection to highlight nature’s remarkably beautiful, diverse underwater world. This was interpreted through the use of natural colored gemstones and diamonds, mostly in melee, all set in 18-karat mixed pieces of rose, yellow, white and blackened gold. I’m always looking for playful and unique sets of jewels, and with these pieces I wanted to create something ideal for daily wear that can also easily transition into an evening look.
How do you see the future of one-of-a-kind jewelry making?
It will continue to grow exponentially due to the strong demand for items that celebrate personality and uniqueness. One-of-a-kind jewelry is like a tailored dress or suit – it’s an extra step in showcasing one’s individuality, which makes it more exciting.
