Today’s Jewelry Collection Story comes from Rabani of Sona & Jin. She is based out of Vancouver, Canada and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed following her. A mix of modern and vintage pieces with edge – lots of old motifs and new! Rabani also sells pieces she sources, and posts daily on Stories. Let’s get into her personal collection:
“I was born a jewelry collector, literally! As a south Asian woman, collecting is in my blood. It’s a vital component of our family history and heritage, so the collection essentially starts at birth. While I was aware of the cultural significance of gold jewelry from a young age, it wasn’t until my wedding, in 2018, that I really started collecting for myself. I don’t know if it was the process of designing our engagement rings, or inheriting heirlooms from mine and my husband’s families, but I was captivated. I desperately needed to know the story and lineage behind each existing piece, and create my own narrative through my growing collection. The intertwining of our two cultures is actually what is inspired the name Sona & Jin – as Sona means gold in my ancestral language, and Jin means gold in his.”
“For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by fashion and design from the 1980’s and 90’s and that has greatly influenced my collection. I gravitate towards chunky, audacious pieces, and almost anything with a postmodern feel – especially a black and gold combination! Regardless of the age or setting, any representation of dichotomy, balance and duality will always call my name. Yin yang symbols and checkerboards are some of my favourite motifs to collect, and the more architectural or abstract, the better. As for antique pieces, I tend to appreciate them from afar due to their more delicate nature and my tendency to really live in my jewelry.”
“For me, jewelry IS passion, love, connections and memories. I find such comfort and joy in knowing that even the tiniest charm can hold so much personal value. The ability keep a piece with me, regardless of where I’m going or what I’m doing, is pretty amazing too. I may not take my Granny’s wool sweater across the world with me, but you can bet that I will be wearing at least one piece of gold jewelry as I travel the globe! My ongoing adoration of jewelry is driven by the opportunity to provide my clients with these same feelings and I am constantly inspired by their own stories and collections.”
“One of the best parts about jewelry, is that it can be found almost anywhere! I love to feel and style pieces in person, so for Sona & Jin, I often source locally, in Canada. I’ve had the opportunity to develop relationships with those that understand my personal style and criteria for vintage and preloved pieces. I used to live in Florida, and some of those estate sales are in a league of their own. Spending a day treasure hunting while traveling has become routine now, and learning about a country or culture through art and jewelry is truly special.”
“As soon as I saw this piece in the personal collection of a fellow jewelry lover, I was in love. There was just something about the ring that called out to me and filled me with so many emotions. I thought about the ring for over two years, and one day, I decided to reach out to owner and let her know that I would love to adopt the ring if she ever decided to part with it. Much to my surprise, several months later, I received a DM – she was parting with the ring and remembered my request! Without knowing any of the details, I scooped it up, and it just happen to fit my ring finger perfectly. Whether it’s called jewelry fate, kismet or luck – it’s real!”
“I lost my mother at a young age, but I am fortunate enough to have an aunt that treats me as her own daughter. I would spend every summer with her and my uncle, often admiring her jewelry and trinkets – and without fail, I would play with the diamond solitaire on her finger. When I was about 5 years old, she told me the ring would be mine one day, and every year, she would remind me. Last year, before my uncle passed away, they presented it, as their Mother’s Day gift to me. While some might keep their heirlooms tucked away, my aunt checks my hands regularly to make sure that I’m wearing it!”
