Sense
Jewellery as an autonomous object that brings together beauty, function, and artistic expression – this is how designer and goldsmith Mária Kobelová perceives it. Her work focuses on abstract and organic design in precious metals. Jewellery is not merely decoration to her, but a natural and comfortable extension of the wearer.
She studied goldsmithing and jewellery-making at the Secondary School of Applied Arts in Kremnica, before continuing her education in the Studio of Metal and Jewellery and the Studio of Ceramics at the Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and Art in Pilsen. Today, she works from her own studio at Varšavská 1338/15 in Prague’s Vinohrady district.
For her collection Euphoria, Mária received the Designblok Award for Best Jewellery Collection 2020 and was shortlisted for the Czech Grand Design Awards. Her collections SOFA, Spatula, AARU, and the Doux series were also nominated for the same award. Yet, in her eyes, the most meaningful recognition is that her jewellery travels the world with its wearers and becomes part of their personal stories.
Philosophy
Jewellery conveys perception and emotion – for Mária, it is the most natural language for expressing thoughts, feelings, and inner states. The act of creation is therapeutic: a process of working with raw, living matter, a space for experimentation, quiet immersion in the present moment, and full engagement with flow.
Her jewellery emerges as a materialisation of emotions. Intimate and powerful at the same time. Silver and gold offer resilience and permanence, yet also softness – through their light, lustre, and the sensation they provide in contact with the skin. Strength, structure, and fragility coexist in one medium.
Mária avoids overt symbolism. Instead of concrete motifs, she works with abstraction and organic energy, leaving space for reflection and interpretation. Each piece is the result of a search for balance between aesthetics, function, and expression. Design is never an end in itself – it is meant to live with the wearer and to become part of them.
Materials and Process
The form of each piece is sought and shaped physically through a wax model. This allows for direct contact with space and the immediate embodiment of form – with full awareness of how the piece will be worn. The result is a jewel that can be turned between fingers in a quiet moment, with the mind anchored by what the fingers feel. The tactile and sensory dimension is part of the design from the very beginning.
The model is then cast in gold or silver. Even after casting, each piece undergoes further refinement, which shapes the final character of the material. It is this precise level of craftsmanship that allows the forms and sensations within the jewellery to fully emerge – enabling each piece to accompany its wearer in writing a personal story.
Bespoke pieces are made in the same spirit, with greater attunement to the individual wearer. Yet Mária's sense and distinctive hand are always present.
Stones as Part of the Jewellery
Gemstones – whether diamonds, aquamarines, various types of garnets, or peridots, among others – add further dimensions to jewellery, bringing lightness, airiness, and freshness. Still, stones never take on a dominant role. Jewellery is always approached as a whole, with stones naturally merging with the metal.
While gemstone pieces in collections require closer visual consistency, bespoke and one-of-a-kind pieces allow each stone to shine in their uniqueness. All stones are carefully selected from trusted suppliers, with attention to quality, structure, and visual appeal.
Nominee - Czech Grand Design - Doux series - 2023 - Prague
Nominee - Czech Grand Design - AARU collection - 2022 - Prague
Winner of Designblok Best Jewellery Collection Award - Euphoria collection - 2020 - Prague
Nominee and Finalist - Czech Grand Design - kolekce Euphoria - 2020 - Praha
Nominee - Czech Grand Design - SOFA and SPATULA collections - 2019 - Prague
Nominee - Graduation projects - Jsem porcelain set - 2017 - Poland
Winner - Czech National Culinary Team - Gemstone porcelaine set of dishes - 2016 - Prague
Finalist - Master of Crystal - Roots jewellery - 2016 - Jablonec nad Nisou
Nominee - Talente - Epi jewellery - 2016 - Munchen
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