We wanted to start off 2023 by taking a moment to welcome new faces, reintroduce our brand and share some of Satomi's journey from an inquisitive young girl to an expert diamond setter and brilliant jewelry designer.
Growing up in Japan, Satomi was strongly influenced by her mother, a dress-maker who fashioned most of her clothes when she was a little girl. This led to a fascination with design and inspired her to create. As a 10 year old, she originally dreamed of becoming an origami architect.
Her passion led her to study wood, metal, clay and textile design at Saga Art College in Kyoto, eventually working as a glass blower for artist Takeshi Tsujino. While Satomi enjoyed glass blowing, she wasn't quite sure the medium was a good fit. As time went on, the studio ended up closing down, and Satomi began to experiment, discovering her love for smaller objects. She taught herself to make jewelry with glass beads and started her own business - the very beginnings of what was to come.
In 2002, she moved to New York City to study jewelry making and began working as a diamond setter in the heart of New York City's "Diamond District", under master setter Richard Scandaglia.
Six years later, in 2008, she launched her eponymous jewelry line, Satomi Kawakita Jewelry. Today, 15 years later, with a growing team of 12, in a gorgeous showroom and studio space in lower Manhattan, Satomi and the team strive to build the brand according to Satomi's unique sense of design and commitment to sustainability. Sourcing reclaimed diamonds and casting with recycled metals, Satomi Kawakita Jewelry is proud to create beautiful, timeless, and ethical pieces that bring her vision to life.
