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It is February 2026, and the New York air holds a different chill than it did last November. Yet some exhibitions refuse to be confined to the calendar. They linger in the mind, reshape the way we see, and quietly alter the questions we ask. ReCrafted: The Upcycled Jewellery Story, for which I was honoured to be a media partner during NYC Jewelry Week 2025, called for reflection because it touches a line that runs through all my work and writing — the historical dimension of jewellery made contemporary.
The past is never static. Never objective. We interpret it, interact with it, and respond to it through the lens of our own experience. I do not see this exhibition as a collection of objects “made of this or that”. It was an invitation into a dialogue across centuries, across hands, across the weight of history and the lightness of contemporary vision.
The common thread was heritage. In this context, heritage became a verb. Active, mutable, charged with potential. It made me wonder: what do we truly inherit? The past speaks as a living language, waiting for new speakers and new listeners.
A Conversation with Natasha Kietiene, Curator of ReCrafted
LIJ: I find the idea of ReCrafted deeply poetic. It speaks of a dialogue with time. What was the first spark? What inspired it?
Natasha Kietiene: It began with a shakudo bracelet by Ida Faerber in 2022. It was a conversation piece: modern, yet carrying the quiet weight of centuries. It showed me how a jewel could engage with history without imitation. That revelation coincided with broader reflections about responsibility in jewellery. For me, true responsibility begins with respect: respect for history, for craft, for the human legacy contained in every material. ReCrafted emerged less as literal upcycling and more as a nuanced relationship. The designer becomes a reader of time, interpreting what an older jewel wishes to reveal and continuing its story in today’s language.
LIJ: You describe the designer as a “reader.” What are they reading in these fragments of the past?
Natasha Kietiene: They are reading intention, skill, narrative. A cut or a chosen motif — each is a word in a sentence from another time. The contemporary act is to write the next paragraph. It is about that delicate tension where the whisper of history meets the pulse of the now.
LIJ: The title itself, ReCrafted, emphasizes craftsmanship. How do you see that in practice?
Natasha Kietiene: Craftsmanship is at the heart of everything in this exhibition. To be re-crafted is to work with the same rigor and care as generations before us, to understand every material, every technique, every detail. It is in the careful shaping of metal, the setting of a stone, the way a line or curve carries meaning. When a piece feels alive in your hands, when skill reaches such mastery that it feels almost physical, that is the true art of the craft.
This philosophical framework was brilliantly articulated by critic Vivienne Becker, who contributed an essay for the exhibition:
“The jewel is the original, ultimate recyclable luxury… These jewels follow the path of historical archaeological revival movements… honouring history and inviting us to imagine their stories, their makers, owners and past lives. They are jewels with depth and character.”
The exhibition made this depth and character tangible. Seven designers offered their own interpretations in the language of time. Each approach engages with history differently — some through material, others through form or gesture — all are rooted in craftsmanship and a careful dialogue between past and present.
Strebkov Jewelry
The journey began with Strebkov Jewelry, where innovation emerges from time itself. At the exhibition, I discovered bog oak, wood submerged for thousands of years, transformed by tannins, minerals, and water into a dense black no painter could replicate.
Nikita Strebkov shapes this pre-industrial, historically sustainable material with architectural precision. The stone sets the tone, and the ancient wood adapts, forming a dialogue with contemporary design. Every line, every angle responds to the material. Time itself becomes a collaborator. The past speaks in a structured language, uniting history, material, and form.
Every great design passes through recognisable stages. First, it captures its moment and becomes a symbol of its era; then it is quoted, reinterpreted, and enters the realm of popular culture. So it was with Aldo Cipullo’s remarkable jewellery piece. I wanted to enter into dialogue with this object – just as major houses today remain in constant conversation with the work of independent designers.
Olga Leclair
Olga Leclair discovered a Greek arrowhead from 300 B.C., preserved for centuries until it found its contemporary voice. She transformed its original purpose into a ring of emeralds, turning a weapon into a gesture of love.
For Leclair, recrafting is the act of translating fragments of the past into symbols. Every curve, every setting, respects the story embedded in the material while opening space for a new narrative. The ancient object gains life in the present through careful design, attention to detail, and an understanding of the gesture it carries across time.
For me, recrafting means more than reuse — it is the act of turning fragments of the past into lasting symbols of love. No matter what the past held, we can still rediscover love and beauty in it for the future
Elizabeth Gage
Elizabeth Gage’s work begins with curiosity and dialogue. A Roman coin in a museum sparked a conversation across two millennia. She incorporates mythology, historical references, and gemstones, translating the past into contemporary jewellery.
Each piece carries a sense of continuity, connecting the original coin, its story, and the present wearer. The forms are deliberate, the settings precise, and the gestures thoughtful. History is present through material and design, allowing the ancient and modern to coexist naturally in a single piece.
History has always influenced my work and the characters are fascinating. When I pick up an ancient coin I am aware that I am touching a piece that has been handled by people many hundreds of years ago. Coins are a connection to the past.
Austy Lee
Walking through the exhibition, I stopped at a piece by Austy Lee. The blackened metal held a story centuries in the making. Shakudō, “red copper,” a gold-infused alloy, darkens to black when treated, once used for delicate samurai sword fittings. After the sword ban of 1876, these fittings became obsolete. Craftsmen transformed them into jewellery for the European market, giving objects a new life while preserving their past.
Austy Lee continues that tradition. The metal bends and curves around stones, each line a conversation between history and the present. The weight of the past is felt without burden, every surface shaped by time and human hands. The work is bold, precise, alive, translating centuries-old fragments into forms that speak today.
While many people preserve antiques in their original state for their intrinsic value, I see an opportunity to re-mosaic some of these treasures. By integrating the old with the new, the pieces aim to enrich their existence and enhance the dialogue between tradition and contemporary artistry.
Lydia Courteille
Egyptian faience eyes, antique cameos, and coral motifs converge in Lydia Courteille’s work, each element chosen for its story and character. Her pieces speak through narrative, translating history into wearable forms that are lively, playful, and intelligent.
The designs balance ornament and gesture, allowing ancient fragments to interact with contemporary vision. Every curve, every detail carries meaning, connecting past and present while preserving the individuality of each component. Courteille’s jewellery demonstrates how historical material can inspire, guide, and coexist seamlessly with modern creativity.
I wear two hats! The lower part of my outside window is dedicated to my Lydia Courteille designs. The upper part is dedicated to antique jewelry and vintage pieces that don’t belong to me. My brand is built on talking pieces. Each and every piece of jewelry comes with a story-telling… with an explanation on the journey that led to its creation.
MS Art Jewelry
MS Art Jewelry began with a chance discovery: a group of Art Deco Egyptian revival brooches. These highly ornamental objects became the foundation for contemporary necklaces. Vintage silver, recycled materials, and the brooches themselves determine the character and rhythm of each piece.
The designs honor the Egyptian heritage while remaining wearable today. They carry history without overpowering the whole, allowing past craftsmanship and contemporary vision to coexist naturally. The brooch transforms from a static object into a focal point, setting the tone for the necklace and guiding its dialogue with the present.
I believe vintage and ancient pieces deserve to live and be part of modern culture, especially those that symbolise the Eternal Cycle of Life, as the scarab did for the Ancient Egyptians. That’s what we’ve done by framing these scarab brooches—literally and figuratively—so they can be cherished and worn today.
Lena Esaulova
The first thing I notice in Lena Esaulova’s work is the dialogue between fragments. A broken French cameo, an Italian micro mosaic, coral beads — objects once complete, now reimagined. Kintsugi repairs meet carved amber faces, and the combination sparks a quiet conversation across centuries.
Her pieces carry gestures from the past but speak clearly in the present. Each element occupies its own space and interacts with the others. History becomes material and narrative. Her jewellery feels lived-in and thoughtful: objects that trace the passage of time while asserting a voice entirely their own.
For me, each piece is a story where the main characters—the elements of the jewellery—take the spotlight. Like the great storytellers I admire—Carroll, Recuenco, Lynch, and Švankmajer—I let the narrative dictate the form, mood, and meaning of each creation.
ReCrafted made me reflect on the essence of heritage. Is it the objects we see in catalogues and museum displays? Or is it stories, gestures, intentions? Jewellery is alive. It transforms and carries experience across generations.
Perhaps the value of heritage lies in continuity. It is dialogue. It is curiosity. A jewel becomes a living presence when it is handled, interpreted, worn. It carries memory and artistry, reminding us that the past shapes the stories we live today.
Exhibitions like ReCrafted matter. They honor craftsmanship, forgotten techniques, and materials. They illuminate the threads connecting creators, materials, and audiences. They show that beauty, meaning, and innovation coexist when objects hold the weight of time and the energy of human hands.
