Julia

Crafts of the World - crystal glass from Huta Julia

Anna Orska, visiting workshops of the world, discovers rare crafts, often completely unrelated to jewelry, and adapts them to jewelry forms. A Polish manufactory with a long tradition, located in the heart of the Karkonosze Mountains, has recently appeared on the trail of her expeditions. Huta Julia, located in Piechowice, is a small manufactory producing crystal glass products. Hand-formed, thanks to blowing, pressing and free-form techniques, and decorated glass has been produced within its walls for 150 years. This last crystal glass factory in Poland is a place for glassworkers and decorators from all over the region to perfect their craft. Its heart is the people. One glass, vase or decanter passes through 25 pairs of hands. Creating the perfect glass requires not only patience, but also great precision.

Nothing is wasted at the Julia Glassworks, as the glass produced consists of 60% cullet and can be easily recycled. The mass, heated at 1,200 degrees Celsius, is poured into wooden molds. The material is very malleable for only a short while, after which it quickly cools and hardens. The molded mass goes to the annealer and is then richly decorated. The characteristic ornaments from Piechowice are among the most popular in the world, many of them original, developed by the designers of the Julia Glassworks. Today, traditional designs are often combined with other materials, proving that tradition and avant-garde get along.

The Julia Collection – handmade jewelry from two workshops

The crystal elements adorning the jewelry in the Julia collection were created at the Julia Glassworks. The ORSKA workshop made delicate brass circular molds, as those traditionally used and made of wood proved too large for Anna Orska's designs. Once the drops of liquid glass solidified in the metal circles, they were cooled, and then each piece was decorated with a unique cut. The finished discs made their way to the jewelers' table, where, under the watchful eye of the ORSKA masters, they were transformed into long necklaces, drop earrings or magnificent rings.

The Julia collection is the first ORSKA collection to be made of gold-plated brass. We used 23.5 carat metal, which both protects the jewelry and gives it a warm hue.

The limited jewelry collection - Julia

Glassworks and jewelry have a lot in common, although the connection is not obvious. Perfectly clear crystal glass disperses light, making it sparkle with the colors of the rainbow. For its processing, the so-called diamond cut is often used, thanks to which the resulting artifact can look like a diamond. Traditionally, the ornamental cut hid tiny imperfections and air bubbles that got into the glass molds and disturbed their perfect transparency. Anna Orska reversed this process and let the cut define the shape. She reinterpreted traditional Piechowice ornaments, creating her own compositions that adorn the handmade jewelry in the Julia collection. Working with Karkonosze artisans, she set crystal glass in a completely different context. She moved it from the cupboard to the dressing room. As a result, the striking qualities of crystal glass can be admired adorning ears, necklines and wrists, not only during formal occasions.

Jewelry from the Julia collection - how to wear designs with crystal glass?

Handcrafted jewelry from the Julia collection attracts attention. The crystal glass is unique and striking, and the brass settings delight with their elegant shapes. This juxtaposition of geometric minimalism and organized cuts with artistic material and rich ornamentation has resulted in a collection that will satisfy the most demanding tastes. Crystal glass is sometimes called glass for connoisseurs. Anna Orska reflected this characteristic in her jewelry. The Julia collection will delight the most discerning artistic souls who are sensitive to true beauty.