For centuries women have played a passive role on the jewellery scene: They merely received and wore jewels. Nowadays a growing number of women have the power and the means, not only to buy the jewels they like but also to have them custom made. This alone explains why so many women around the world enjoy designing jewellery. Samya Abed, an enterprising Egyptian-Austrian currently based in Cairo, decided to combine the creative art of jewelery with the healing properties of natural stones. She teamed up with Ingy Sedky and Healing Jewellery was born. “I get pleasure from working with natural stones. I wear different stones according to my needs and instincts. The first instinct is the best. This is what I tell my customers,” says Samya.
Each stone is known for its particular healing properties.
The amethyst, with its beautiful colors ranging from violet to dark purple, relieves stress. When a woman is immediately attracted to that stone, she is probably showing her desire for inner peace and, according to Samya, would benefit from wearing an amethyst or amethyst jewelry.
Arab women have traditionally prized diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires. These expensive stones were seen as an investment and also as a means of showing off their wealth.
“Arab women’s interest in other natural stones is definitely new. But the women who travel and follow fashion trends recognize the value of the so-called semi precious stones. Jewelers all around the world are now making extensive use of semi-precious stones. Furthermore, today’s fashions are beautifully complemented by colorful semi-precious jewels,” explains Samya.
Women are also showing a growing interest in the jewellery-as-art movement. They value a jewel which is artistic and unique. To satisfy this need for something unusual, distinctive and exclusive, Samya has explored new locations. She has recently complemented her natural stones jewels with exquisite Murano glass jewels. “Murano glass is made from natural products and is produced in Venice. Murano glass jewelry is new on the market but it has already gone beyond Baccarat crystal glass. We have introduced Murano jewels to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Dubai. Murano glass is shiny, glistening and colorful. Each jewel is hand-made and one of a kind. There are never two similar pieces. The superior quality of Murano glass is recognizable by the absence of air bubbles,” points out Samya.
Samya Abed and Ingy Sedky have also created a successful “Beach Fun Jewelry Collection.” Colorful semi-precious stones and glass beads are strung on a highly resistant nylon thread which does not tear. These long strings can be worn as necklaces, chokers, belts or even bracelets at the beach or around the swimming pool. There is even an exclusive beach wear collection made with pearls and moonstones to be worn in the evening.
In her new collection, Samya uses lots of silver loops: “Silver is fashionable. The trend this year is to have more metal. A year ago necklaces were filled with semi-precious stones but now it’s the reverse — necklaces are made with more metal and less stones,” she says. She likes to tell her customers how to wear jewelry. She strongly feels that less is more. A woman should wear the most beautiful jewel and other pieces should be complementary. And her last piece of advice is simply: “Wear it and enjoy it.”