After living for over a decade in two of Europe’s most cosmopolitan capitals, London and Paris, Daphne escapes the Paris Covid lockdown and returns to her childhood country house in Athens, Greece with a dream of creating her own jewelry brand. Jewelry that is timeless, authentic and original. So, about a year ago, on a small Olive grove hill, a house full of boxes and a woman full of experiences and dreams, Alkemeya was born.
Using materials such as gold, precious and semi-precious stones, Daphne designs timeless jewelry drawing inspiration from nature, history, but also from women who have played a decisive role in her life. „Jewels are not just a beautiful object, they are a constant form of personal expression, representing an idea of who we are and reminding us that even if we live in a changing world, there is an eternal deeper flow of things that keeps us close to our roots and connects us to our past„. The idea of expressing oneself through jewelry becomes intense in Paris, where Daphne explores with curiosity the aesthetics of the French. But it is motherhood that ignites the desire to create and capture stories in precious jewels that will accompany her daughters in the course of their lives, just like the jewels that passed on from older generations of women in her family.
„I think the need to realize this dream became more intense when I lost my grandmother two years ago and unconsciously felt that I had to somehow keep her close to me. Before she died, she gave me a ring, and when I wear it, I feel close to her. I think a jewel keeps the aura of the wearer and that aura never dies. Alkemeya is a tribute to the women in my family who raised me.” The name was inspired by the art of Alchemy, an ancient branch of natural philosophy that sought alternative ways of understanding the world and creating something as stable and timeless as gold.
„Today in the Western world and in the consumer society in which we live, these constant changes are terribly evident and are also reflected in the way we consume. The things we buy are made to have a short life cycle, so we can buy them, use them and then throw them away. What is fascinating about gold and stones is their timelessness. They have been the same for millions of years. I think this is the idea captured in Alkemeya. Even if we live in a changing world, there is a deeper eternal flow of things that keeps us close to our roots and unites us to our past.” The jewels carry a certain symbolism that can be translated and take color from one’s personal story.
„In my daily life I always wear jewelry and I never take it off, not even to sleep or to excercise. For me, jewelry is part of a person’s identity, not just a nice accessory. I grew up in a matriarchal family that has been handing out jewelry for generations and I feel that each jewel contains the stories of the women who wore it. I’ve seen how a jewel can revive a person who’s no longer alive, or an entire era, and that’s magic for me. My goal is the timelessness of jewelry so that it can be handed down from generation to generation, awakening stories, a connection with our ancestors but also giving a unique sense of identity.„
The inspirations in the line are different: in the Alchemie collection there is a reference to alchemical symbols. The Forêt collection is inspired by nature, as a tribute to the importance of our forests and how their prosperity is literally the source of our life. The Uranus collection is inspired by the sky, the moon, the stars and the planets. Uranus is a reminder of a universe that is bigger than our existence. The Egyptian collection is an acknowledgement of one of the oldest civilizations that formed the roots of the modern world. The ancient Egyptians were the first to develop a fundamental understanding of the world in which they lived. They were electrified by the movement of the sun and planets and developed very sophisticated theories for understanding the forces of nature. In addition to nature and history, a great inspiration are women who have had or still have an important role in Daphne’s life. The female names given to the jewels in fact, are never random.
„I want those who wear my jewel to feel stronger and empowered. Wearing symbols so dense with meaning can enrich and give colour to your personal history. I want these jewels to be vehicles of stories in time and generations to come: it is my tribute to the timelessness of the soul.”
Alkemeya jewels are visible on OVERJEWELS
https://www.overjewels.com/homepage/430/alkemeya/61363279d133c
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