Titanium and diamond earrings by Suzanne Syz.
Suzanne Syz
Suzanne Szy Art Jewels has teamed up with the Swiss tech company Origyn Foundation, on the first complete high jewelry collection to be fully certified on the blockchain. Szy now offers digital certification for each of the 1001 pieces she has designed in her 24-year career, via full digital passports detailing the jewels and the provence of materials, in a process which she is “thrilled” to be able to undertake.
“Because my jewels are one-of-a-kind creations, I wanted to ensure authenticity and that the story behind each one could travel safely. Blockchain offered exactly that,” she tells me in a telephone interview.“ Held in a private, secure space in the client’s own digital vault hosted by Origyn, the certification acts like a tamper-proof digital ledger. Once written, the information cannot be changed, making blockchain the idea tool for safeguarding the identity of a jewel.
Swiss jewelry designer Suzanne Syz typically uses less-used stones and materials in her fine jewelry.
Suzanne Syz
How does blockchain jewelry certification work?
As the jewelry industry shifts to meet the sustainability expectations of younger buyers, blockchain is fast becoming an essential tool for ensuring transparency. Tracr, a blockchain certification provider from De Beers, has recorded 4,277,439 natural diamonds on the blockchain since it was launched in 2022. Meanwhile, Provenance Proof serves over 700 companies around the world, listing more than 30 million gems and jewels; and providers like Aura Blockchain Consortium serve the wider luxury industry following the same principles.
Each Suzanne Syz jewel now comes with a secure digital certificate and other information about the item in metadata, images, videos and documentation, available for the client in a digital wallet operated by Origyn Foundation. If they decide to sell or pass on the jewel to an heir or family member, they transfer the certificate and data with the jewel. The owner is the only person authorized to do so, ensuring complete transparency throughout the lifetime of the jewel.
“I chose Origyn for their expertise in digital certification and vision of bringing trust and transparency to luxury. Their focus on respect and innovation was decisive for me,” she says. The Origyn protocol was created by a foundation and is decentralized, meaning that it essentially belongs to its users rather than a single company or authority controlling the data it collects about luxury goods, jewelry, bullion, art and collectibles. This neutrality builds trust in the system, currently to the tune of $51.3 million in certified real-world assets, and “trust is exactly what I want to offer collectors,”continues Syz.
“Beyond protecting the value of my jewelry on the secondary market, blockchain jewelry certification provides collectors with reassurance and transparency, giving them a deeper connection to the story behind each jewel,” Syz explains. “Blockchain adds both practical and emotional value, but it’s the emotional value of the idea that captured me.” Syz is not the only designer to put their faith in technology when it comes to certification. Louis Vuitton’s LV Diamonds and Prada’s Eternal Gold collections both use Aura Blockchain Consortium, and interest amongst independent brands is growing.
Earrings by Suzanne Syz
Suzanne Syz
Where technology meets jewelry art
Known for her sculptural and poetic jewelry, the Swiss jewelry designer Syz describes her work as “celebrating humanity and the joy of self-expression.” She uses materials that are less often seen in fine jewelry, like aluminium, and has all her pieces produced by artisans in Geneva. “For me, sustainability is about both materials and people,” she explains; “we only use Responsible Jewelry Council-accredited suppliers and aim to ensure fair practice, support skills and contribute to the local community,” which includes her involvement in the Geneva art scene.
Over 24 years, the former artist has grown an arty following for her playful high jewelry, that includes mismatched earrings made from precious buttons, a Chesterfield-style, diamond-studded aluminum and rubellite ring, and a cuff of titanium, gold, diamond and amethyst asparagus spears.
Cufflinks by Suzanne Syz
Suzanne Syz
Her collectors have received the news positively. Their demographic is wide, Syz reports buyers of all ages from around the world connecting with her work, but believes that Europeans react especially well to the humor inherent in her work. She describes them as “intrigued and enthusiastic” about blockchain certification. Younger clients are naturally drawn to it and older ones appreciate the added security.”
“I see no contradiction between technology and art,” says Syz, who believes blockchain will become an essential part of the luxury experience in the future. “Both are about imagination and pushing boundaries. As technology helps preserve my jewels and ensure their story lives on, it becomes part of the art itself. With creativity and technology, nothing is impossible.”
