For the designers at Caratell, inspiration can come knocking in any form. On a canvas of fine jewellery, fancy coloured gemstones become brush strokes, bringing to life ideas and concepts borne from the creative minds of designers Michael Koh and Achillea Teng. “Drawing our inspirations from the most miniscule molecules to towering cityscapes, we take pride in and value designs that capture the essence of the subject. These designs must also enhance and reflect who the customer is,” says the couple.

They established the brand a little over 10 years ago, at a time when jewellery was regarded as an investment and customers didn’t dare venture beyond safe designs featuring the expected diamonds, emeralds and rubies. Michael and Achillea, on the other hand, had a highly imaginative sense of aesthetic, conjuring up precious flora and fauna designs with a medley of coloured stones. They were not deterred, and their perseverance proved to be rewarding. Today, their customers, spanning high-flying corporates to royalty, have fallen for the dreamlike Caratell creations.

Validation and awards have since come pouring in. Caratell was the first Singapore-based jeweller invited to exhibit within the Designer Galleria at the Hong Kong International Jewellery Show, gaining recognition from esteemed global jewellery publications such as Jewellery News Asia. It received another honour this year at the Creative ASEAN Jewellery Design Competition 2015. The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore selected two of Caratell's designs to compete for the award, and the jury selected the Ever Foliage necklace (worn by the model) as the ultimate winner, congratulating the designers on putting a contemporary spin on jade, and the poetic nature of the piece.

Each jewel designed by Caratell is an expressive form of their attention to detail: for instance, a pair of Mystique earrings, recalling the exoticism of Moroccan lanterns, features an intricate filigree body holding a golden pearl that echoes the bright luminosity of the flicker of a candle. Teardrop peridots add a dash of mysticism.

The designers often travel to mines around Asia to select the best coloured gemstones. They are trained in lapidary, and cut these stones in-house, crafting each design within their ateliers in Singapore. Hence, unusual shapes come to life with a rainbow of sapphires, tsavorites, jade, diamonds and more, resulting in an audacious but harmonious blend of femininity and cutting-edge.