London

Sergei Novikov

Jewellery maker | Saint Petersburg, Russia

Creating hidden treasures

Becoming a jeweller was Sergei's childhood dream
He spent two years designing fantasy video games
He uses jewel beetles and sea urchins in his works

Bird's nests, butterfly wings, spider's webs… the world of Sergei Novikov’s jewellery resembles a magical forest. A native of the ancient Russian town of Yaroslavl, he is a true nature lover, and has British textile designer William Morris as one of his aesthetic icons. In Sergei’s hands, a sea urchin shell found on the shores of Crimea becomes a thistle flower ring. He thrives at skilfully fusing together ebony and ivory, silver and mother-of-pearl, precious stones and beetle shells. Sergei takes particular pleasure in decorating the backs of his pieces, pairing birds with leaves and frogs with mosquitoes or dragonflies.

Interview

Do you remember when you first thought of becoming a jeweller?: I have always loved drawing, and I got interested in jewellery making very early on. My father was working at a state jewellery enterprise in Yaroslavl – his job was to make rubber moulds – and he would sometimes take me with him. I caught the bug instantly, and never doubted my choice.
What was your first object like?: It was a large ring decorated with the owner’s initials. It was a chance assignment: I was training at my friends’ studio when a client came by, and they invited me to try and make the ring for him. It came out well, and gave me the confidence to move on from being a trainee and start my own career.
What is your signature style?: Each of my works has a little hidden treasure, an element that only the owner knows about. For example, a ring in the form of a fantasy bird’s head opens up, and inside there is a head of a sleeping girl. The back of a woodpecker brooch which I made for my wife is decorated with maple leaves.
Besides nature, what are your sources of inspiration?: I admire the building of the Stieglitz Academy of Art and Design in St. Petersburg, designed by Maximilian von Messmacher. It reminds me of an enormous fabulous piece of jewellery, and I would spend ages marvelling at its astounding decor. Also, I am a big fan of Arthur Rackham’s book illustrations.

Sergei Novikov is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2006