I’m going to go with “yes.” It’s the most delightful thing I have seen in the “non–jewelry gifts for jewelry lovers” category since discovering this line of porcelain trinket trays and keepsake boxes.
This charming Lady of the Rings jewelry memory game, made exclusively for Valery Demure, owner of London-based Objet D’Emotion, places images of jewels by the designers Demure carries on 24 handmade recycled paper cards. Its design is a collaboration between Demure and Nur Kaoukji, creative director of Ecru, a Kuwaiti lifestyle brand that, according to its website, is “inspired by the ethos and culture of Arab hospitality.”
The featured designers include several JCK editor favorites: Alice Cicolini, Francesca Villa, Cora Sheibani, Melanie Georgacopoulos, Silvia Furmanovich, Sharon Khazzam, Ioanna Souflia, Yael Sonia, Monique Péan, and Neha Dani.
This small, stocking stuffer–size creation is the product of many minds and talents coming together. Demure tapped Silvia Serravalle, an Italian watercolor artist and close friend, to create the illustrations of the rings. The printed cards and paper box were manufactured by Craft Boat, a paper company in Jaipur, India.
The idea for the memory game was brought about by 2020’s innumerable challenges. Spending time with her daughter Paloma reminded Demure of her own childhood, when she played memory games with her grandmother Marie-Louise. Involving Jaipur in the project was important to Demure, as India is one of her favorite places to visit, due to its strong jewelry history and prominence in the industry.
Demure has also personally witnessed the obstacles the communities in that country face, even more so now during the pandemic. So in addition to involving a Jaipur-based business in the memory game production, Demure is donating proceeds from the game to the Disha Foundation, a center for the special education and vocation of disabled children in India.
I keep hearing from various folks in our community that shipping gifts has been a unique nightmare this holiday season, but with a little luck, you might be able to have this little treasure Express-Mailed in time for Christmas. But even if it arrives on Boxing Day or later, I’d say it’s worth the wait.
And you didn’t hear it from me, but there’s an idea here, one that’s applicable to your own collection, maybe for next year. There’s got to be a local maker or gift shop owner who might be the perfect creative partner with whom to collaborate and cross-promote. Start planning now…
Top: The Lady of the Rings jewelry memory game invites you to sharpen your memory—and make memories with the littlest people you know, $81. Proceeds benefit the Disha Foundation in India.
Follow me on Instagram: @aelliott718
Follow JCK on Instagram: @jckmagazineFollow JCK on Twitter: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Facebook: @jckmagazine