The art of design

Working in pairs is not unusual in the world of design. Despite it being a field filled with passion and egos, siblings, friends and spouses often describe the advantages of joining forces. Therefore it's no surprise that when Elinor Avni discusses her creative process and that of her partner in Noritamy, their jewelry design company, she switches several times between "I" and "we" without even noticing. But when it comes to Avni's partner, there is nevertheless something unique about the arrangement - Tammar Edelman is not just any partner for Avni, but her mother.

When asked what it's like to work with her mother, it seems Avni has a prepared answer. "It depends on which mother," she answers with a smile. "It wouldn't have happened if we didn't have a good connection and if we didn't have the common language we've always had. We complement each other."

Still, how does it work?

"Each collection leads us to the next collection," Avni says. "We simply decide while at work what is right for the current collection and what is best to save for the next time. We usually end up launching two or three collections a year."

The differences between the mother and daughter are reflected in their varied backgrounds. Avni, 34, graduated from the College of Administration's interior design department in 1999 and for the next eight years worked as an interior designer for an independent studio, where she designed offices, luxury apartments, restaurants and more. Edelman, 62, has a background in art, sculpture and drawing. She completed a course in metalworking four years ago, and that's when the two suddenly decided to collaborate and create their first collection.

The favorable reactions to their efforts persuaded Avni to leave her job and devote herself to her new passion - jewelry design. And so, while Edelman has a more artistic perception of the art of jewelry design, Avni says architecture is a main element of her creations.

"Right away I wonder what kind of building the piece of jewelry we are working on would be, imagine people on a small scale standing next to it, like a model," she explains. "I'm influenced by graphic design and architecture and see jewelry pieces as a collection of lines. We don't think about the 'piece of jewelry' but take lines and sculpt them... imagine the space around the piece or the space between the various elements that comprise it. Only afterward do we think about how to turn it into an ergonomic and comfortable-to-wear piece of jewelry."

The company name, Noritamy, is a combination of their pet names. "Everyone is sure it's a Japanese brand and are surprised when they discover we're from Israel," says Avni. "But it's not coincidental and it fit in well with our clean, geometric line, simple on the one hand, yet sophisticated on the other."

Dramatic presence

It is hard to ignore their jewelry, as it seems they do not adhere to the standard rules of composition: Their pieces are big, dramatic and full of presence, combining the worlds of jewelry making and architecture in a unique way. The items are made from a wide variety of materials, mostly silver and gold, but also polymers, black silicon, graphite and others. The black polymer rings have become the brand's signature item. Noritamy jewelry is available locally mainly at Razili stores and their studio, as well as in New York and London, with prices ranging from 350 to 3,500 shekels.

"Right from the beginning," says Avni, "we were surprised to find that the fastest selling items were actually the larger and more unique ones." One of the recurring elements, she explains, is the balance between precise and polished components and those that are free and rough-edged - this combination creates a whole, aesthetic appearance. This balance, for her, is personal, "based on how the individual sees himself. It's like in the world of graphics, when you start to arrange the composition on the page and say 'Here there is more balance and here there is less.'"

Why aren't many items like these out yet? Is the market conservative? Are designers afraid they won't manage to sell?

"I don't know. It's hard for me to get inside people's heads, but I'm glad that we have our circle of buyers. I believe that if you do what you believe in, you will find your audience."

Do you miss interior design?

"Yes and no. I like it here - the planning stages, the interaction with the clients, working with my hands. It's not like working on a computer. Through working with your hands, entire lines develop. We already have plans for eyeglasses and bags, but we are stopping ourselves. We create sketches and set them aside, and say 'No, not now.' In the meantime, we prefer to focus on jewelry."