ALEX SOLDIER: ANGELS ARE IN THE DETAILS AND SIZE DOESN’T MATTER
by ANITA SARKO
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| PATTERN LOCKETS. Sterling silver deeply plated with 24kt gold and platinum with signature proprietary metalwork creating a diamond inlay effect. Made to match pattern cuffs. Limited Editions. PLAIN LOCKETS start at $2,500 (chain included). STONE LOCKETS: $4,500-$8,500. |
Although ALEX SOLDIER grew up as an artistic child in Russia’s Ural Mountains, he holds a master’s degree in computer engineering, not art. “I was fascinated with computers and artificial intelligence,” is how Soldier explains his educational focus. “It was a fairly new and mysterious world ... like space and the cosmos. I dreamed of building my own robot.”
Trusting Galina’s instincts, Soldier went to the largest jewelry plant in the Urals and asked for whatever position was available. Originally assigned as an electrician, he became the plant’s chief designer in less than a year. His superiors’ faith in his abilities proved well placed: Under his direction, the plant began to consistently win awards at Eastern European trade shows. In his pieces, Soldier celebrates what he could have easily taken for granted growing up where he did: The beauty of Nature. “I think it really depends on individual experience,” Soldier says of his use of this recurring theme. “Nature becomes just another part of your daily vocabulary (in the mountains) in the same way that someone who grows up in a big city could take (that environment) for granted. It all depends on how you perceive the world around you. If you take it for granted, then it becomes very ordinary and mundane.” Soldier’s engineering background gave him the technical knowledge and perspective that sets him apart from others in his field. “Historically you have a casted sculpture that is made of a single piece of metal. Each of my designs is made of several complex components that create a unique whole.” He explains. |
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| • Left: ANEMONE CORONARIA. Diamonds and rubies, finished with a 12.5 ct. rubellite tourmaline set in Soldier's signature etched 18K white gold. "Soldier's latest masterpiece." One-of-a-kind. $65,000. • Right: ANEMONE CORONARIA in Rose. Diamonds, finished with a 13.6 ct rare mandarin garnet set in Soldier's signature etched 18K rose gold. "Can be worn as a BROOCH, PENDANT, RING or be attached onto a cuff." One-of-a-kind. $75,000. |
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| • Left: KOKOSHNIK RING: 18k gold with platinum inlay, studded with diamonds. A Kokoshnik is a traditional Russian headdress. Made in 1997, it is one of a kind and its image has never been published before. "I don't have a price for it as it was sold a long time ago."  • Right: OXIDIZED COMPOSITION: Collection highlights amethysts, carnelian, spinel and white topaz set in oxidized silver with Soldier's signature "Dark Satin" hand finish. Limited Edition. Coronaria Flower Collection (From bottom to top): Black spinel and pearls. $2,600. SYMBOLICA BRACELETS: Japanese Amethyst and white topaz: $ 4,500; Carnelian and black spinel: $4,350. CUFF w/black spinel: $4,350. |
| Due to the intricacy of the details, he works under a microscope. “Ever since my first sculpture at 14, as well as working with microchips or painting on hot enamel, detail has been embedded into my DNA. You often need a magnifying glass to see all of the details. Each design is about structure, proportion, detail and composition: It’s like a Rubik’s Cube, with each piece dependent on the next to create the whole. All of the above characteristics give my jewelry that special touch and character that sets it apart from the rest.” He even makes his own tools with which to apply special decorative finishes onto metal. When he launched his avant-garde collection in 1996, at the Jewelers of America Show in New York, “... buyers looked at me as if I had two heads when I was showing my collection with all the versatile metal finishes. What they were used to seeing were highly polished trinkets and such.” |
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| • Left: RAINBOW RING: Diamonds and color sapphires. "The Rainbow symbolizes life's many different manifestations that form a colorfully intelligent unity of design behind all apparent diversity. It also serves as a reminder that rainbows come after rain." $30,000. • Right: SUNFLOWER RING: 18k white, yellow and pink gold, studded with fancy color diamonds and tsavorites. Made of 14 different components. Inspired by Vincent Van Gogh's celebrated Sunflower series. "The sunflower represents life's vibrant movement from joyous youth to the ageless wisdom of maturity. It is dedicated to every woman who lives life to the fullest." $25,000. |
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| COCKTAIL COLLECTION RINGS: 18k pink, yellow, and white gold, with exotic stones of citrine, Swiss topaz, peridot, and amethyst. "The RINGS' unique structure allows stacking, mixing and matching with each other, creating vibrant color combinations, enhancing each other's dramatic elements." $5,500-7,500. |
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| SWAN COLLECTION: "This collection is dedicated to every woman who is in love." BLUE SWAN: 18k white gold with diamonds and Swiss topaz. $8,500; LIME SWAN: 18k yellow gold with lime citrine and pink sapphires. $7,500. |
| Initially frustrated by the reaction, Soldier’s wife, once again, encouraged him. “She said that Leonardo da Vinci didn’t become a genius overnight. Now I see texturing and unusual shapes everywhere and feel blessed that I was able to change the way people look at jewelry. I feel inspired when my clients tell me how my jewelry or sculptures continue to fascinate them for years because they keep discovering new details in them.” Wanting to take his craftsmanship and knowledge to the next level, Soldier began working with miniatures. “Miniatures allowed me to experiment with metals, inventing structures and textures that were never done before. It’s very exciting to bring something completely new into this world; it’s similar to the birth of a child.” |
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| SNAIL RINGS. Clockwise from top left: • Dark Satin Snails: 18k gold and oxidized silver studded with diamonds and finished with Soldier's signature Dark Satin texturing. The snails in the gold and silver interpretations are available in two sizes. SMALL SNAIL: $2,900, REGULAR SNAIL: $5,950. • Cognac Snail: 18k yellow gold and platinum, studded with yellow sapphires, citrines, garnets and diamonds. Honored with the prestigious Spectrum Award from the American Gem Trade Association in 2002. "This snail was touched by the sun's warm rays. It embodies all the joyous moments that life brings. It is dedicated to every woman who has discovered the realms of gold that are hidden in the depth of her being." $27,000. • Diamond Snail: 18k white and yellow gold, highlighted with diamonds. "The pure embodiment of luxury." $26,500. • Sea Snail: 18k white and yellow gold. Studded with sapphires, aquamarines, diamonds, peridots, and tourmalines. "The sea is one of nature's most random and enigmatic manifestations — it constantly changes its appearance and yet remains tranquil at its core. Wearing this snail is like wearing an enigma." $27,000. |
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| ZODIAC PENDANT: 18k multi-color gold with smoky topaz and diamonds. Made of 10 separate components. "The special hand-cut, hand-selected center stone is placed on top of an individually carved and textured zodiac circle of twelve stations along the ecliptic. A pyramid points to the sign of its wearer with an individual birthstone located at its top. The pendant centerpiece is reversible with detachable bail that can be adjusted to any chain (as shown), or a strand of pearls or beads (as shown)." $8,500. |
| His first miniature, the Triumph Award, was commissioned in 1996. It is an annual prize awarded to exceptional Russian artists in art, literature, and music. “The statuette is based on a design by the famed sculptor Ernst Neizvestny. The deadline was beyond unrealistic and all my peers thought that it was physically impossible to accomplish. Yet, I managed it and put everyone else, including my clients, in a state of shock when they saw the final outcome.” Soldier is also the artist responsible for creating the Princess Grace Award statuette, “Toby Boshak (Executive Director of the Princess Grace Foundation-USA) was at one of my exhibitions and fell in love with the miniatures exhibited. She asked me to design a special Prince Rainier III Award for their annual Princess Grace Awards Gala.” |
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| • Left: TRIUMPH AWARD • Right: PRINCESS GRACE AWARD. Precious metals, primarily platinum-plated silver with black obsidian and Swarovski crystal accents. Commissioned by the Princess Grace Foundation-USA. "The name of the PGF-USA decorates the core of the sculpture. The right wing symbolizes the American flag. The left is a strip of film with the PGF-USA crown and the year when the award was made—2009. The film ribbon transforms into a cascade of stars symbolizing Hollywood actors whose images are cherished to this day. The mask symbolizes theater with its comic and tragic parts. The pedestal represents the steps taken by each award winner to achieve recognition." |
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| • Left: NUREYEV IN LE CORSAIRE. Gold and platinum with precious gemstones. Made of more than 40 different parts. Commissioned by the Russian World Gallery for the 60th Anniversary of Rudolf Nureyev. Displayed at numerous private exhibitions across the world, including the MougIns Gallery in Cannes, France and the United Nations. Part of a permanent exhibition of precious miniatures at the Russian World Gallery, NYC. • Right: THE DIAMOND PIN. Rhodium-plated silver, cubic zirconia, with an onyx base. Created in 2000 as a fashion award. "The design imitates a frozen piece of fabric following a woman's silhouette, pierced with a tailor's pin. The pin is removable and can be worn as an accessory, thus emphasizing the versatile nature of artistic expression." |
| And who, in his opinion, is the typical Alex Soldier client? “Individuality is the most important feature of my clients. They are not looking for jewelry only for fashion's sake, but for the soul; that which stays with them forever, like a favorite work of art. They understand that craftsmanship is not measured by the amount of gold or diamonds, but by a design value and quality that is priceless, withstands the ultimate test of time, and is appreciated by the generations to come.” So, if you are still stuck for that perfect and VERY special Mother’s Day gift … |
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| PATTERN CUFFS: Made with hinges and having rubies, citrines, black spinel and rhodolite set in sterling silver deeply plated with 24kt gold and platinum with signature proprietary metalwork creating a diamond inlay effect. Limited Edition. Available in all sizes. CUFFS WITH STONES: $4,500-$8,500. PLAIN CUFFS: $1,500. |
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