Jewellery that moves, miniature lightning experiments hidden in a workshop, music box memories brought to life: The Contrast Club isn’t your typical jewellery brand. Founded by Suvi Ellilä and James Cole, this Finnish atelier creates pieces that blur the line between wearable art and mechanical wonder.
With our upcoming event on January 28th, we spoke with Suvi Ellilä, co founder and creative force behind The Contrast Club, to explore what happens when watchmaking precision meets jewellery design, and how movement can add magic and storytelling to what we wear. From balancing artistic vision with industry expectations to perfecting pieces that can take years to develop, discover a brand driven by one simple goal: creating amazement and joy.
Read the full interview below!
Portrait of the Founders
The Contrast Club is a family-run company. How does this dynamic shape your creative process and long-term vision as a brand?
To be honest, historically the creative process itself has always been quite strongly the brainchild of me, Suvi, as I was working on this concept for a long time by myself, but today with the expansion of the company into the family, it means that there are a lot more discussions around the creative concepts. On one hand this means a positive input of good ideas from others, and on the other hand also toning down of the wilder concepts.
Looking at the long term vision of the company, there is sometimes a need for some balancing of opinions. Some people might want to focus on the financial growth of the company whereas others are more interested in the artistic output. The jewellery industry is difficult because it is so huge and includes such a wide range of options that coming to a decision about where you should position yourself can be a complicated process.
With a background in precision engineering and watchmaking, how do these disciplines influence your approach to jewellery design?
I feel like it makes us look at the items in a different way from our colleagues. Where they might see the techniques and traditional methods of production, we see a 3D space with physics-induced limitations. We need to remind ourselves constantly that this still needs to be wearable and that we need to use certain materials, not because we would naturally lean that way, but because the industry and customers expect it. It is like a constant balancing act of fitting in versus being ourselves.
The Moth Ring
Can you describe the dialogue between designers, goldsmiths, and micromechanics during the development of a piece?
We typically start a piece with a general theme and come up with storylines for the products that could fit this theme. From here on the brainstorming and the back-and-forth discussion begins. The design wants the bird to fly in a circle, land, eat a nut and fall asleep. The mechanical designer laughs and says never. The idea is then revised, maybe the bird only eats the nut and falls asleep. Okay, better, let’s start thinking about that. Some drawings are put together and tests are done. The goldsmith is only brought into the conversation once the bird’s story and movement is decided and the visual look of the animal needs to be defined. These are easier conversations, mainly to do with the production process, but they may throw some curveballs into the mix and the item’s movement and look needs to be modified towards a more realistic direction.
Some pieces take months or even years to perfect. What determines whether a concept is worth that level of time and dedication?
Well until now, we have just based it on the artistic theme and vision as we are building our repertoire and working on our longer term plans. The next collection that is on its way is already quite different, as we have picked up ideas and suggestions from customers and stakeholders. Some of our items are also ones that, even though they take long to design, have longer term potential and are pieces that we will be developing further as time goes on.
Movement plays a central role in several of your creations. What does motion allow you to express that static jewellery cannot?
The concept of using motion came simply from curiosity, as I wanted to see if we could add an extra level of intrigue to a static item using different forms of motion and energy. The aim is to push that boundary of when an item stops being an item and becomes something more, and of course, can we bring in some magic and more of a storytelling aspect. Static jewellery is incredible and it can hold such history and value, but I think when automata or interaction is added, it brings out a more playful side. It speaks to the child in us, it takes us back to being that girl opening the music box and seeing the ballerina dancing so beautifully to a tune. Time stops and we are filled with the feeling of joy and peace.
Caterpillar Earrings
Are there materials or mechanical ideas you are currently drawn to but have not yet fully explored?
There are very many ideas that are either being made as we speak or that are in the queue waiting for their time. Some of these require a larger collaboration, but others are simply items waiting for the next collection. There are also some that are very experimental and will probably never see the light of day beyond our workshop, such as the miniature lightning that we tried last year but which was not impressive enough to be used. We will probably develop it further into something else.
What kind of emotional response do you hope someone experiences the first time they interact with one of your pieces?
What we are ultimately seeking is a mixture of amazement and joy. There is no point in making these types of items if they do not bring joy to the owner.
What does exhibiting at The Unique Gallery Dubai represent for The Contrast Club at this stage of your journey?
Exhibiting at the Unique Gallery Dubai has allowed us to have a home base for our first collection and to learn a lot about the industry.
What would you like visitors to take with them after experiencing your pieces in this space, beyond the visual impact?
In an ideal situation we would like the visitors to leave with a feeling of amusement. We would like them to feel like their day was made a little more special because of their interaction with our work.
How do you see The Contrast Club evolving while staying true to its core philosophy?
We have very clear plans for the future that revolve around our core expertise and interests. I feel like we have found the niche that we want to be in and the craft that we want to represent. We will be working on our small collections in which we test the extent of our creativity and experiment with different types of innovations, hopefully working through the list of ideas that I mentioned before as well. We are also moving more towards bespoke items and international collaboration. The core passion that we have for pushing these physical boundaries still remains, and we are more interested in staying true to that calling than selling out and following the road of trends and traditional jewellery design, even though it would make our lives a lot easier.
The Bracelet That Comes Alive
Creating jewellery for me is really a form of escapism. I am running away from the dirty factory environment, men with black t-shirts and sweatpants and the stressed politician who is running at me with yet another STEM booklet. It opens a door into a world where beauty and skill are truly valued and where one can be creative to a further extent than in most other professions. Being in the jewellery industry is a safe place that gets you away from the mundane grey world.
The magic of The Contrast Club lies not just in what you see, but in what you experience: that moment of childlike wonder when an object comes alive in your hands.
You can discover these extraordinary creations in person at The Art of Jewellery, The Unique Club‘s exclusive showcase on January 28th at Firetti Contemporary, leading art gallery in Dubai. The gallery will host The Contrast Club’s kinetic jewellery alongside works by Hugo Cahill and Nafees, all pushing the boundaries of contemporary design.
Whether you’re a collector, a design enthusiast, or simply curious, this is an opportunity to experience something truly special. To attend, please RSVP via email at welcome@theuniquedubai.com or via WhatsApp at +971 54 563 0713, and follow us on Instagram to stay updated on this and future showcases.