Irish Design Spotlight: Síne Vasquez Jewellery

Tell us about you and your brand
I’m Síne and my brand is Síne Vasquez Jewellery. I handcraft contemporary fine jewellery that marks special moments and offers the wearer a connection to the skills and stories of the past. My work is influenced by my family heritage of stonemasonry and carpentry. I’m fascinated with how we interact with our dwellings, their detailed craftsmanship and the stories they can tell us. For me, considered craftsmanship is what true luxury is. As a former specialist cancer physiotherapist, I also partner with Irish-Tanzanian Charity TLM, so that every piece purchased contributes to the lives of children with cancer in Tanzania, one of Africa’s biggest gold and diamond mining countries.

What is your mission?
Fine jewellery, like an engagement ring or a remodelled piece, is such a meaningful purchase for people. I think sometimes that can feel intimidating. We can be bombarded by so much of the same types of traditional fine jewellery that it can feel like that’s the only option. I provide something completely unique that reflects the wearer’s own style and values while giving a connection to the stories held in our old buildings. I love making the bespoke design process really approachable and easy for people. I get such joy in helping clients figure out what it is they really want from their forever piece. If it’s something that feels uniquely them and that they‘re excited to wear every day, then I’ve done my job well.

Did you always know you wanted to be a designer?
No, but looking back, the signs were definitely there, I just never thought it was an option. I was a specialist cancer physiotherapist for many years before retraining in goldsmithing. I was very creative as a child, always making jewellery out of modelling clay, beads etc., but a creative career wasn’t encouraged. I loved my years as a physio but when I started taking jewellery-making classes as a hobby in 2013, it lit back up that creative spark again. I continued with it as a hobby until 2018. By that stage, I had three small kids and with my husband and I working the same hospital hours, and no grandparents around to help, something had to give. There definitely were more financially viable routes I could have taken, but instead, I took the leap to follow this new dream and went back to study goldsmithing full-time before building a business that works around the kids.

What kind of items do you stock?
I handcraft unique gold jewellery, from engagement and wedding rings to my fine jewellery collections. I also remodel people’s old gold and gemstones. My collections take a contemporary view of traditional masonry, carpentry, ironmongery and architectural detail. I love that the pieces tell the stories of our past through the buildings that inspire them. And it’s important to me that they’re unique. There’s nothing else like them on the market. I’ve just launched a new ring collection called Gather. They are uniquely intentional wedding or stacking ring sets. Each set is crafted bespoke as an intentional set of three rings, gathering together as one. Small diamond settings are carefully placed on the outer rings to sit snugly around a striking centre stone. Each is a one-of-a-kind set, made to be together forever.

What new brands or items are on your radar?
The brands that get me excited are always the small-scale independent brands, usually craftspeople who are making something very authentic and different. I adore the detail in Helen Hayes bags for example. Right now I’m coveting Cobblers Lane’s new Siren Song collection. I love the playfulness of the hand-designed fabrics and their vintage vibes. And Alison Nea’s Modh brand is definitely one to watch, she’s doing amazing things with natural hand-dyed fabrics and has just launched her Grounded collection.

Was money/funding a concern when starting out?
Absolutely. I’m essentially a craftsperson wanting to make a living from and keep developing my craft rather than someone that sets out with a business mindset. Because I slowly handcraft my pieces myself using traditional goldsmithing skills rather than outsourcing or mass producing, it’s harder to make it work financially. But each piece is so much more special for being made this way and I think my customers recognise that.

Best business advice you’ve gotten
“Look external for ideas and internal for answers.” That gem comes from Carly Jo Bell, the founder of WholeCo in the States. For me, it perfectly sums up the idea that, in business, while you need to be really open to advice and ideas from others, ultimately you need to filter all that down and go with what you feel is right for your business.

Favourite fashion/design accounts you follow
I love following people who do their own thing fashion-wise. Jennie McGinn (@jenniemcginn_) is definitely one of these people, and has so much wisdom and industry experience to boot. Another is Niamh O’Donoghue (@niamh_not_neeme), who’s now the global head of social at Stella McCartney. I’ve followed her for years and have loved watching both her career trajectory and her style. The Council of Irish Fashion Designers (@cifd_) is a great account to find lots of independent Irish designers in one place. For sustainable style, I love following Pat Kane (@iampatkane) and Jo Linehan (@jo_the_futurist).

Best fashion purchase
I’ve always been someone who keeps things for a long time. I have lots of great flea market and vintage finds and even some of my mum’s pieces from the 70s. But it’s probably no surprise that my favourite investment is fine jewellery as it lasts forever. A couple of years ago I invested in a solid gold locket from a goldsmith called Letters to Jinny whose work I’d admired for years. She specialises in making these very detailed lockets inspired by old objects and furniture, which really speaks to me. It was an investment purchase, but because it’s solid gold, I’ll have it forever and will be handing it down to my kids. And as it’s not trend-led and just a completely unique piece that I adore, it will never go out of fashion.

Other Irish brands you love
I love independent brands that are ethical and sustainable. Aoife Rooney had an incredible conscious store last autumn/winter that I was a part of and I loved all the brands involved in that. She now hosts a sustainable directory on her website (aoiferooney.com) which is a great resource. I have a beautiful hairband from one of the brands, She Goes Rogue which is made out of the most gorgeous 100-year-old ribbon. How amazing is that? It makes the piece so much more special, I love what Maria does.

Most useful learning since setting up a business
Asking for help. Reaching out to someone to ask a question still doesn’t come naturally to me but I’ve learned to be better at it. You’re not expected to be an expert at every aspect of business and you’ll never learn unless you ask. And people are generally so kind when you do reach out. The local enterprise offices are a great place to start for help and advice.

Proudest moment so far
Last year I was honoured to win a DCCI (Design and Craft Council of Ireland) Future Makers Award. The awards recognise vision, innovation and excellence in craftsmanship, and go through several rounds of judging by different expert panels, so it was such a huge achievement to win. I’m not very good at stopping to see how far I’ve come, but the Future Makers Award was a very special moment. I really stopped and reflected on what I would have thought six years ago when I was just starting on this crazy path if I could have glimpsed forward to that moment. I’m not sure I’d have wanted to see all the hurdles along the way but I would have been so proud of how far I’ve come.

I want my brand to be remembered for… authenticity. Both in terms of craftsmanship and design and in the way I run my business. It’s just me at my workbench handcrafting these forever pieces that hold such meaning for people. And to do that with kindness and authenticity is my biggest goal.

If I could have anyone wear my designs it would be… I would love to see Ruth Negga wearing my pieces. Apart from being an incredible Irish actor, she has the authenticity I admire in spades. And whether she’s walking a red carpet or keeping it casual she has such a great sense of her own unique style.

Imagery courtesy of Síne Vasquez