CITYist

A fine piece of jewelry should last a lifetime. It should be so well made that it never loses the original luster. Its design should withstand the trends of fashion over the years. And the wearer should find the same delight in it at age 70 as she did at age 30. Grounded in tradition and inspired by eternity, custom jewelry designer Hirotaka carries these goals even further. He wants his work to last for generations, not simply a lifetime.

To illustrate, he recounts a story about a woman who purchased two of his rings. “She came in and said she wanted one ring made out of yellow gold and the other in beige gold, because they matched her daughter’s hair. She will wear them now, and when they become older she’ll give the rings to them.” His designs are for the clients who can look to the future. “I always hope that if people buy my things, they can always give them to their grandsons or granddaughters one day. I’m really aiming that people will want to pass their treasures on to the next generation. Not boring, but fun stuff!”

In this quest for the timeless, many of Hirotaka’s designs are inspired by symbols that are sure to never go out of style. His pieces often feature the flora and fauna of nature. He explains, “I was always intrigued by natural shapes, but more than that, the symbolism behind them intrigues me. The swallow is revered as bringing luck if it makes a nest in the entrance of your house. The butterfly is auspicious. The chameleon is the symbol of the creator of the universe in parts of Africa…when I make things with animal shapes I hope that I can convey the symbols to the wearer.”

Other pieces offer fascinating, modern twists on tradition. Here the wedding ring has been an inspiration. Rather than a simple band, Hirotaka makes rings shaped like thorns. Not because he views marriage as a painful proposition, but because, “even as a rose fades, the thorn remains and protects. It’s eternal protection and loyalty, very suitable for marriage, and can be worn as an amulet.”

Of course, the way people interpret symbols depends on the wearer—both their lifestyle and the culture in which they grew up. Hirotaka is from Japan, but travels extensively, exhibiting his work and finding inspiration in many places. He cites locations as varied as Cape Town, Bali and the Alhambra in Spain.

His career path has also been peripatetic. After a short period in Los Angeles where he moved to study international affairs, he found his way to Europe and worked in product development at a high-end jewelry firm in Paris. There he met a woman with an extensive collection of jewelry, and began auditing classes and learning how to create his own designs. His work came to span a range from high-end jewelry to lower priced pieces that were “more accessible and fun and funky.” In 2006 he quit his “day job” and began taking custom orders for private clients, and in 2007 he officially opened his own company back in Tokyo.

In the three years since, his work has gone global, desired by clients throughout the world. Here Hirotaka cautions that he must be mindful of the different styles that prevail in diverse cultures. He has been particularly inspired by New York lately, stating that the city’s energy lends itself to bigger, bolder pieces.

But put aside the eternal for a moment. What are Hirotaka’s plans for the immediate future? He hopes that in five years he will have his own stores rather than simply custom workshops, but will still need the freedom to travel through all the lands from which he draws his inspiration. And he will continue to focus on insuring the continued quality of the pieces he produces. “I always want to stick with truly original design and custom clients, too, because that’s part of my passion, to work one on one with people. And my pieces will always be hand made in Japan.”

With this direction Hirotaka may actually be able to transcend time. At least today his designs are sufficiently inspired to ensure that you will be passing the pieces onto your grandchildren – and yet still hip in a way that means you will have to stop your kids from borrowing them right now.