Languid days, sultry nights

Summer moves to its own relaxed beat: easy and sensual. And as the weather warms, sounds of joyous celebrations and wedding bells are faintly heard in the distance...

Of recent, I had the great honour and pleasure of designing and fabricating a custom engagement ring for our beloved friend, Chandra, who happens to be my best friend's former girlfriend (all are on wonderful terms!). Her taste leans towards the traditional, and she wanted a ring that was modest, low-profiled, as she is a paediatrician, yet at the same time, unique with a few curves. Her soon to be fiance, Andrew, wanted a beautiful center stone that was not masked by other flourishes.

I am attaching the gouache drawing of the design we all settled upon. Andrew was so excited about the proposal that I did not have an opportunity to have the final ring professionally photographed before having it couriered out! I also am updating a photo of the lovely couple on their wedding day held amidst the scenic mountains near Los Gatos, California. The image is compliments of Encarnacion Photography.

In celebration of the nuptial season, here are a few other projects that have been in the works... ranging from a unique two-loop ring (called the "Chicago Loop"), traditional eternity rings for three special brides in June, a dark and striking cocktail ring for a future mother-in-law who has a penchant for quartz, a delicate series of petite sapphire nugget engagement rings paired to an avid rock climber, and a pair of star burst earrings for a special maid of honour.

Slow arrival of spring

Spring sojourns in Sicily: warm breezes, ancient ruins, quiet cobblestone streets, and the heady scent of orange blossoms. Everywhere you go, life's simple pleasures. The Spring collection embraces the island's relaxed sensuality and airy lightness of being... all hand crafted back at the New York studio (where spring is sadly slow to arrive).

And the competitions begin...

The 2011 jewelry design and fabrication competition line-ups have already begun... at present, I am trying to balance incoming commissions and outgoing submissions!

Here is one entry in the hollow contemporary metals challenge hosted in Belgium... The keywords I included in describing my submission are: clarity and softness, black and white, geometrical and flowing.

Season's tidings...

Wishing all of you a splendid holiday season and warmest new year's greetings! May this holiday be filled with family, friends, good health and great joy!

Please find below a nod to my silversmithing roots (which dates back to when my father first taught me how to melt metal in the garage at the curious age of 4)... just a pet project I worked on as the last of the commissioned pieces were couriered out in time for surprised recipients, and the frigid cold of Chicago's winter was settling in. Until 2011...

Milano Design Weekend

Milano's charisma lies in a glamour founded on restraint, on the exquisite tension between sensual pleasure and rigorous decorum. It is with that vision in mind I had the opportunity to showcase an edgier, and perhaps darker side, of Atelier Linde Lim at Milano Design Weekend competition, which opened on Thursday.

I am humbly honoured to have two of the submitted designs place in the finals. The news only added to the upbeat welcoming of autumn in Italy where I am accompanied by my infant twins. All four of us continue to delight ourselves in striking Italian design shopping (namely exquisite handmade children's paraphernalia!), as well as share in the numerous gastronomical delights found off the beaten paths of Milano!

I look forward to providing further updates on the grand opening of the school in a few weeks, as well as sharing more projects from the Chicago studio.

Ciao!

Summer Shimmers...

I must admit it has been challenging balancing time in the studio whilst caring for our new twin boys! Nevertheless, here are a few new pieces that were created in the wee hours of the morning when silence finally descended upon our household!

In the meantime, I am hoping the jewelry school will be officially open by mid-November as we had some unforeseeable construction delays due to the chaotic weather here in Chicago. Private lessons will be available the entire months of September and October for the Munich, Germany studio. Should you have an interest, please email or phone the studio.

Enjoy the remaining weeks of summer and until autumn...

New Arrivals...

It is with great pleasure I introduce you to two new members of the Atelier Linde Lim, our recently arrived twin sons, Armand and Tristan!

During my three months of strict bed-rest, I had numerous opportunities to stretch the limits of my design paradigms with new shapes and more unique custom cut stones.  A warm thank you to Claude Fouché and Nancy Abelmann for providing me enormous emotional support during that time! I am eager to get back to the jeweler's bench and look forward to sharing the outcomes in near future posts.

On a slight aside, kindly note from now until the end of May, the studios here in Chicago and New York will be by appointment only. In Munich, I will be available during business hours from 26 April - 06 May.