Loupe designers-in-residence series
A burgeoning contemporary jewellery designer from Japan, Masahiro Nakata is acclaimed as a prominent jewellery engineer today. He constructs his own 3D design programmes and printing devices in a bid to actualise his trailblazing ideas from scratch to finish.
“I combine 3D CAD with other software which helps generate new design beyond my imagination. And then I use computer programming to control the parameters,” Masahiro said when explaining his design process to Hong Kong Jewllery. The subsequent fabricating routine include 3D printing and casting. ‘I’ve never seen anyone in Japan doing this,’ he added.
Contrived by carefully positioned lines and dots, his designs draw inspiration from architecture and organic forms around. The iconic swimming swan pendants, for instance, is arguably a paradigm of the designer’s intricate structure, aesthetic patterns and well-balanced geometry. The textured hand-finished metal lends it an artistic charm.
Masahiro runs a workshop for his handmade jewellery in his home city Osaka. He started venturing into overseas markets four years ago when he took part in the Hong Kong jewellery show in November. Besides maintaining his presence at the fair, he has joined several private shows in the region.
Since May 2019, he joined Loupe’s Design Residency Programme in Hong Kong which is a design incubation space established by Chow Tai Fook with the aims to inspire creativity and provide a platform for international designers to engage with the general public.
“The programme allows me to meet interesting new people from around the globe. It is a good experience for me,” Masahiro said. He aspires to try more new styles in future using 3D printing to work on metal directly. (Jewellery photo courtesy: Masahiro Nakata)
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