Jeweller In Focus: Keiko Uno
Updated: Mar 29
One of the reasons I started this blog was to help connect people with their perfect piece of jewellery, or an artisan who can create the vision they’re dreaming of.
Not all jewellers are the same; some specialise in bespoke jewellery designs; others’ strengths lie in sourcing stones or perhaps working exclusively in particular metals. You may be surprised that some offer a unique design aesthetic or price point that your most adored jeweller or brand can’t replicate.
For these reasons I’ve decided to spotlight some jewellers I’m familiar with and the different types of fine jewellery they have to offer. For the first profile I’ve focused on Perth-based designer Keiko Uno and her unique jewellery designs.
Keiko Uno
Keiko Uno has been making a name for herself in the Australian and Indonesian fine jewellery scene for over 20 years and is renowned for her ocean inspired jewellery collections. Let’s look at some of the details that make Keiko’s brand and jewellery unique:
Background
Keiko’s jewellery represents a mixture of traditional customs she gained from her Japanese family heritage, mixed with a relaxed West Australian lifestyle.
Growing up, Keiko’s family owned a jewellery store so it was only natural that her interests gravitated towards gems and jewellery design. After completing diplomas in gemology and travelling extensively to further develop her skills, Keiko went on to establish a highly respected private client business in Perth.
For years, Keiko specialised in sourcing rare and precious gems from all over the world for her clients, producing bespoke pieces, however the desire to launch her own ready to wear collection which reflected her own aesthetic was too strong.
“I was creating bespoke engagement rings, and classic jewellery items such as diamond studs and tennis bracelets, as well as remodeling jewellery. I was also contracted to do some ghost designing for jewellery shops. While I very much enjoyed this work, there was always a voice in my head, which kept getting louder and louder as the years went on, to focus on my own line that would allow me artistic purity in my work.” – Keiko Uno
Jewellery and design inspiration
Unlike the conventional items she created for clients, Keiko’s ready to wear collections are dramatic and artistic, drawing influence from the ocean and her own bright, personal style. She admits her passion for scuba diving has largely influenced her designs.
“I love the ocean, it's always been a great source of inspiration for me. Scuba diving gives me the time and opportunity to observe and be part of the magical underwater world. Diving or being in water in general is a form of meditation to me, it helps to clear my mind and get me into a headspace where ideas flow.” – Keiko Uno
Keiko launched her first collection Ocean Intrigue in 2011 which featured 18kt gold, diamonds and precious gems, before going on to create other popular stories including Sugarloaf Rock and Rockpool. She is currently working on her highly anticipated collection Echoes of the Sea which will launch in 2024.
Specialising in different metals and gemstones, Keiko has a large range of collection pieces across different price points. Her brand is perhaps best known for the huge variety of statement earrings and rings displaying bold gems in different sizes, colours and finishes. Her range is so extensive that the “Fragment Earring” has over over 38 different styles and colours to choose from: including rose quartz, Amazonite, Amethyst, Keshi pearls and aquamarine in different sizes.
Her rings and cuffs are beautifully moulded to sit perfectly around fingers and wrist, while still looking as though they are webs of coral delicately wrapped into place.
Point of difference:
The key to Keiko’s successful collections could be in her approach to mixing metals and precious/semi-precious gems to achieve her bold and colourful designs. These carefully selected materials ensure that quality is not compromised (which often happens in more fashion forward jewellery collections) but the price points are respectable.
Indeed, her jewellery brand now has a flock of devoted clientele who wear her products with pride; they love to be associated with her both as her friend and as her unofficial jewellery ambassadors.
Where to find Keiko Uno jewellery:
Keiko’s jewellery pieces are right at home in local designer showrooms including Elle Boutique and Island Gypsy at Rottnest Island. As well as art galleries throughout the state, from Aspects of Kings Park, Yallingup Galleries to Manyung Galleries.
Keiko clearly has her sights set on international markets and is setting herself up with a strong foundation to launch from, with jewellery stocked in the luxurious Bali resorts; Mulia Resort and Villas, Karma Kandara, and W Bali Seminyak where she attracts a variety of international customers:
“My goal has always been to become a global name in jewellery. My next venture overseas is shaping up to be coastal Europe. When I speak to my retail representatives both in Australia and in Bali, the feedback is that there is a great appetite for my designs amongst their European and American clientele, so I'd like to capitalise on this.” – Keiko Uno
In essence, Keiko's ready to wear jewellery collections are best described as wearable works of art. Her point of difference from many other Australian jewellers is the unique combination of her ocean inspired aesthetic, transformed into quality fine jewellery collections at respectable price points. The overall result is a thriving international jewellery business with a cult-like following of clientele and stockists.
What to find out more?
Visit Keiko’s Instagram page @keikounojewellery or her website here.
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