Walking along the streets of Vienna, Austria, you can’t help but be mesmerized by the city’s beauty and architecture. Towering sculptures of Habsburg emperors and other edifices created by the nobility stand tall despite the wear and tear of centuries past. This is where Janina Dizon, a renowned global Filipino gemologist, found inspiration for her latest series, one that pays homage to the architectural wonders of the City of Music and its cultural impact on the world.
Cadre, according to Janina, is a mid-century French word that means square, and this, for her, particularly meant the shapes of windows, frames, and turrets that were used for frames and exterior design on famous buildings such as the Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna State Opera, and Schönbrunn Palace. With her children making the city their home for university, it left plenty of opportunities for her to explore the city. “Personally, Vienna is similar to Paris, but cleaner,” she laughs.
There is plenty of inspiration in how much effort and thought they put into their architecture—the buildings, the ceilings, the windows.” Honestly, it’s better if I show it to you, she gestures to one of her staff, who goes into another room to get the pieces out. Turning towards me, she says,” the city gave me the idea of creating just as elaborate and neat jewelry.“
Her assistant comes out of the room carrying a jewelry tray with some of the star pieces of the latest collection, and it is indeed a sight to see. Janina points to a mini frame pendant in blue enamel, gilded with gold. For instance, this piece was inspired by this window frame,” she says, showing a picture on her phone. “Since I’m a very visual person, and when I see something beautiful, it brings out this inner joy.”
Like many of us, Janina loves taking photos during her travels. On one of her days out, she found herself in the National Museum of Vienna, standing in front of the grand paintings of Empress Elisabeth ‘Sisi’ of Austria and 17th-century Archduchesses who were captured wearing elaborate gowns and an abundance of jewelry. Yet, the frames caught her attention, made in various sizes.” Those images, in my eyes evoked a sense of timelessness that I can’t easily describe with all its regal elegance, a thought came to mind, and that was when I started thinking, ‘What would those women wear in that time?’ That’s where the idea of Cadre came from,” she says.
The Cadre collection is not just about jewelry, but a reflection of history and culture, making it a unique and meaningful addition to any collection.
Throughout the years, her designs became known for being symmetrical and geometric, with a nod to the architectural framework. But this time around, she wanted to introduce another element that she hadn’t done before by referencing the intricate and grandiose moments from the past. “In my quest to introduce something new and unexpected, I wanted to reference something Baroque in design.” The Baroque period’s exaggerated lines yet ornate style became a focal theme in Cadre, with Janina infusing her signature cross-boundary aesthetic.
She noted that the intricacy was made possible by CAD design, which allowed them to blend timeless craftsmanship with modern methods. “The pendants in this collection are modeled after frames, and I envision them evolving—you could even insert a picture in the future. And staying modern, they transform—pendants that become earrings, or earrings that transform into brooches.”
Transformable jewelry became synonymous with Janina’s work long before the trend was recently revived. Traditionally called by the French as parures, or ‘sets, ‘ it became popular in court circles because it included necklaces, bracelets, earrings, brooches, and tiaras. These sets were also modular, which meant that individual elements could be added or removed from each piece. As a result, these transforming jewelry sets allowed their owners to keep up with the changing fashions by adapting their pieces however they wanted over time.
This is why Janina’s pieces have won over a steady stream of longterm clients and admirers; they bring joy to wearers because of how exciting and new they are, no matter how many times you wear them. In her own words, “It’s like playing with Legos—a playful, interactive factor that makes jewelry fun.” European royals in those days regularly commissioned pieces that they could adapt for different occasions. For instance, Napoleon gave several parures to his then-wife, Empress Joséphine, which included pieces that members of the royal families of Sweden and Norway wear today.
Janina glanced over to another piece, this time a hand pendant “holding’ an Ethiopian opal cabochon in gold with diamonds, “see this one, whenever we (my partner, Walter McCaffrey, and I ) come up with designs, we often say, “Think Duomo,” because our way of thinking focuses on blending intricate detailing with artisanal craftsmanship that not only utilizes modern laser technology, but the end results help us achieve something extraordinary.”
How Does Architecture Fit Into Her “Think Duomo” Design Philosophy
Architectural design has always been at the forefront of her design philosophy. She takes inspiration from several significant cultural periods throughout history and applies it to her craft, by taking her work to the next level by creating unique and provocative designs that make her clients genuinely want to wear and style them however they please.
“With my pieces, I want my clients to be able to style and wear them out— forget about what should match with what, jewelry shouldn’t just be tucked away in a safe or a jewelry box only to be worn during special occasions,” she explains.
Janina’s vision for Cadre as a collection is for her clients to use it long-term, wearing the pendants as brooches, earrings, and clips for scarves. What are her thoughts on Cadre having a sequel? “That’s definitely a yes! I believe jewelry should tell a story. It’s not just a one-time purchase—it’s a reflection of your tastes, memories, and moments. I love adding to existing collections, making them personal and seasonally adaptable. For instance, my Praia collection is inspired by seashells and my love of water. We add something new each year to keep it fresh and meaningful,” according to her.
She picks up one of the charms once again,lifting it up for inspection. This time, it’s a mini chandelier pendant with so much detail that you would think it’s a piece from one of those Victorian dollhouses outfitted with mini porcelain china plates. According to her, the design was her take on creating something witty, tongue-in-cheek: “We wanted to make it a little bit more special with the design, old-school but timeless.” she says, while lifting the chandelier pendant up for closer inspection
When it came down to the design process, however, Janina admitted that while everything flowed smoothly, it all came down to proportion, but despite that, she still loves the idea of experimenting and turning the pendants into smaller sizes, wearing them on a charm necklace that is really fine and thin. While there is no big launch for this collection, she hopes that people will appreciate it when they come to the store. “Maybe next year, I’ll do something more elaborate that isn’t necessarily a big, formal launch.”
To discover Cadre and Janina’s other collections, you can visit her store on the second floor of the Peninsula Hotel, Makati City, Metro Manila, The Philippines, or check out her website and social media for more information. www.janinadizon.store
