Lifelong Love: The Captivating Creations of Jewellery Designer Narcisa Pheres 

If you have been following KaterinaPerez.com for some time, you will know how much I love a compelling career story that traverses humble beginnings and arrives at eye-catching luxury. Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with Narcisa Pheres, a bespoke high jewellery designer and the founder of her self-titled brand, PHERES, who told me about the origins of her career in Japan and her fusion of East-meets-West sensibilities. Sometimes, people who end up being fabulously creative and important designers never intended to follow this path in life… but aren’t we glad that they took this road?! Here are some of the highlights of our conversation, as well as an inside look at Narcisa’s one-of-a-kind jewels.

As someone who has lived in multiple countries, I often find myself drawn to other ‘women of the world’ who have built deep connections to international cultures. Narcisa Pheres spent many of her formative career years in Japan, but she studied fashion design in Milan, marketing in London, and jewellery design in California, so she’s the epitome of well-travelled! Her first role with a Japanese firm meant she was put in charge of trading antiques, fine art and vintage wines. Occasionally, luxury jewels would come across her desk, and she would use her European connections (Narcisa is of Greek and Romanian descent) to redesign pieces for key clients. “I did this a few times and thought to myself ‘I absolutely love this!’ and that’s when I decided that I wanted to learn more and know more,” Narcisa tells me.

Ready-To-Wear and One-of-a-Kind

Since 2004, Narcisa has spearheaded her eponymous fine jewellery business from Hong Kong, although she still considers Japan a home away from home. Her company can be split into two halves: the PHERES Italian luxury jewellery brand with ready-to-wear collections and Narcisa Pheres Fine Jewellery, which specialises in one-of-a-kind jewels and bespoke commissions. I was fortunate enough to photograph many of these unique pieces that really push the boundaries of scale, dimensionality and proportions but in a beautifully feminine, almost ethereal way. Interestingly, though, PHERES takes a more unisex approach, which is especially notable in the Fluidity collection of diamond-set, miniaturised tools, like hammers, spanners, saws and screwdrivers! “I love the collection because it symbolises so much,” Narcisa says. “I was being invited to do a lot of talks about women in power, and I imagined the hammer as a reference to breaking the glass ceiling. I wanted to demonstrate the power of genders rather than the limitations.”

It’s All About The Gems

The designs she produces are whimsical and slightly magical but always with a mineral focus that is breathtakingly large and saturated. She explains: “I am drawn to Asia, especially the beauty, nature and architecture. But when I come to Europe, I never miss a museum or art exhibition. I believe I see so much more in both Eastern and Western culture because I can view both from the outside and the inside at the same time.” Flowers and butterflies are a core theme, which is especially evident in a remarkable multi-finger ring featuring a pink sapphire and diamond butterfly ‘landing’ on a diamond-set flower with a soft, triangular Paraiba at its heart. “I used to spend a lot of time in gardens in Kyoto and that was my favourite time to get inspired,” Narcisa explains. “Just being quiet and meditating allows me to see everything.”

Unconventional Gems

Another common feature of Narcisa Pheres’ jewels is trillion-cut gemstones, often with a very subtle three-sided appearance that feels more organic. She is also drawn to shield-shaped diamonds because “not many designers are working with them, and you get to be more creative and unique”. Even when more ‘traditional’ oval and cushion-cut gems are used, they are often surrounded by gem-set wings or petals that add plenty of dynamism. If I had to pick a favourite, however, it would be a remarkable elongated aquamarine ring, in which the stone is floating on a cloud of sapphire and diamond-set butterfly wings. To me, it looks like something straight out of a Disney film!

Narcisa’s Evolution

Over the last two decades, Narcisa has continued to evolve with the times, whether she’s creating pieces for American football stars, dressing celebrities for the Golden Globe Awards or producing from her own imagination. “There can be no evolution in stagnation,” she says. “That’s not good for anybody, we must grow and change as artists. Being a mother, I have grown not just as a woman but as a designer. I see the world around me differently; the more I travel, the more I meet people, the more I listen to them and hear different stories, the more my imagination grows.”

Princess Moment

Finally, something else on Narcisa’s radar that fascinates me is tiaras! She has been making beautiful headdresses for attendees at The Grand Ball of Princes and Princesses in Monte Carlo, including lovely examples with pink sapphires, diamonds and yellow diamonds. I photographed a lovely example with cushion-cut yellow diamonds and white diamonds, which will no doubt end up on the head of a European aristocrat with an impeccable sense of style!

I really enjoyed meeting Narcisa, especially as she is a fellow world traveller, to share her story and tap into her archive of sensational high jewels. As I have mentioned, she is a woman whose creative ambitions span high jewels and meaningful ready-to-wear pieces, so there is plenty to capture your imagination. Should you have the opportunity to attend one of her private events for collectors, whether in London, Monaco, Hong Kong or Singapore, I hope you feel as inspired as I did.