Caratell: An Artful Tradition of Handcrafted Jewellery

Singapore is known in the whole world for its extremely successful breakthrough in the economy, international financial companies and fast moving forward. However, this success has bypassed the jewellery industry since Singapore has but few qualified specialists and the cost of jewellery manufacturing is too high. Nevertheless, you can find truly talented jewellers in this Asian country who stop at nothing in order to do the thing they are so passionate about – creating incredible jewellery.

A perfect example of such a jeweller is Michael Koh, who founded his jewellery brand Caratell in 2004. He creates exquisite and elaborate jewels that surpass many European designers and brands in their refined aesthetics. Michael has a special approach to the creation of each piece and works through every small detail of design idea until a beautiful piece of jewellery is born, worthy to become a family heirloom.

Michael Koh: As you know ‘carat’ is the unit of weight for all gemstones, and we believe every gem and our creations have a story to tell. Therefore, the brand’s name is a combination of ‘carat’ can ‘tell.’

MK: In the last 20 years, after taking my first step in jewellery-making, I have learned and mastered the skill in all specs of manufacturing. It allowed me to stretch my creativity further. My curiosity did not stop with fabrication, but expanded into exploring gem mining and understanding the property of gemstones as well as their origin. With that I was able to get hold of rough gemstones and think of different ways to bring out their beauty. Another skill I have learnt is the art of lapidary, which allows me to incorporate carved gems in my designs. In the Verge collection, I cut gems in an unconventional way and retained parts of natural inclusions that add to the design’s beauty. The settings of Verge jewels are meant to follow the contour of uniquely shaped gems that make each piece different.

MK: Singapore is more known as a financial, medical, shipping and educational centre. It does make it difficult for jewellery designers to get recognition and we all have to put in double the effort to make us stand out. Most local people would never associate arts and designs with Singapore, so they prefer international brands and designers, and that’s why we would like to expand overseas. Another challenge we face is the cost of fabrication: since it is a dying art in Singapore, most factories have moved elsewhere due to high costs and lack of skilled craftsmen. We are indeed lucky to have been able to retain our workshop for 20 years, and this is where we exercise control to reduce the chances of being infringed upon in terms of intellectual property.

MK: Well, receiving compliments and being recognised by new clients and the media in the international market definitely gives us a lot of encouragement. We take pride in being able to let the world know that there are artists and designers in Singapore. It is from this international platform that we get to better understand ourselves and our position in the industry. We have been told that we have a fusion style of ‘East meet West,’ which is quite unique for Singapore as we are multinational country.

MK: We plan to develop Caratell into an international brand known for fine quality gems, exquisite designs and an artful tradition of handcrafted jewellery. Most importantly, we want to nurture a brand that is highly looked upon for undying honesty that helps customers understand and appreciate what they buy. We would be delighted if overseas retailers, who share our passion for design and views, evince interest in showcasing our brand in their boutiques.