Jewelry can be imbued with meaning, memory, energy, or all of the above. At State Property, it’s also a source of protective strength. “
We envision our work as the modern-day armor, empowering our clients with confidence akin to superheroes,” says Lin Ruiyin, an award-winning jeweler. She and husband, Afzal Imram, an industrial designer, have built their Singapore-based contemporary fine jewelry label State Property to one that fuses contemporary approaches to design with traditional craftsmanship. “As designers, we hope our pieces can serve as versatile vessels – as reminders, sources of celebration, tokens of cherished memories, symbols of meaningful commemoration, or heartfelt expressions of grief.”
Here, she shares their sweet origins, design process and the treasured pieces that are loved across the globe.
On how they met…
Afzal and I first crossed paths back in 2009 when I was pursuing my studies in contemporary jewellery design at Central Saint Martins, while he was studying industrial design at the National University of Singapore. We had always found that our creative energies complemented each other. So much so that upon our graduation in 2014, we decided that we’d start working together. We were a pair of fresh-faced graduates, full of determination and with a desire to leave our mark on the world.
Fast forward to today, we are married and with a two-year-old boy! And it’s been a wonderful nine years of learning and discovery. With the coffee-fueled all-nighters, wild brainstorming sessions, and moments of rather crippling self-doubt that have paved our journey to this day!
On how Ruiyin leads on design…
In this delicate dance, I take the lead in designing most of the pieces in our lineup. Afzal is the meticulous curator, always thinking ahead to future launches and finer details. The real entertainment comes when I have to lovingly inform him that he is wrong. It’s a sacred duty that I take very seriously!
and Afzal creates the magic around each of her pieces…
When it’s time to bring our designs into the limelight, I graciously step back and let Afzal take charge. He becomes the maestro, naming our products and collections, spinning captivating narratives that tie everything together, conjuring up the perfect campaign concept, assembling striking lookbook imagery, and crafting marketing materials fit for each collection. That’s his playground, and he never ceases to amaze.
The 3 Essential State Property Pieces, according to Ruiyin:
1. The Everyday Pearl Choker – The Nemara Pearl Necklace is one of my enduring favorites. It’s a part of my daily uniform. I set out on a mission to design a pearl choker that is edgy but still feminine. It needed to be chic, wearable, and versatile. And this was it! The design concept was driven by my passion for the intriguing interplay between soft and feminine pearls and the striking, punk-inspired silhouettes.
2. The Ring That Put Them on the Map – The Battuta Ring is one of our most recognizable pieces, with a signature green emerald and Art Deco-inspired black stripe . It’s a part of the Voyager Collection, about the Voyager spacecraft drifting through the cosmos in its quest for the unknown. The captivating stripes adorning the ring symbolize the imaginary ripples created by the spacecraft as it journeys through the cosmos, or perhaps the ethereal sounds or signals it emits in its pursuit of the unknown.
3. The Sentimental Hoops – The Markeli Hoop Earrings were born out of my creative journey during my pregnancy with our now 2-year-old son. The design is symbolic in its own charming way: three spheres, each representing Afzal, myself, and our little one who was on the way. It’s like a wearable celebration of our journey together. Now, let me confess, I had this peculiar obsession with spheres during that period – maybe I was feeling a tad ‘spherical’ myself!
Designing these earrings felt like a sweet nod to this beautiful phase of our lives, encapsulating the anticipation, love, and a touch of whimsy. They truly are a piece of my heart, in more ways than one.
