A lot happened in 2022.
Having been away from the atelier in the first half of the year due to childcare, the year felt especially condensed.
In June, shortly after returning, I was consulted for a commemorative ring by a customer for whom I had made a wedding ring in 2014.
To celebrate a new start in their career, I crafted a family ring, embedding the birthstones of all three family members, so it could be worn as a charm at all times.
While thinking together about the color of the material, the way the stones were set, and the width of the ring, and when applying the delicate "Mese" texture, I felt the same sense of engagement with the ring and the customer as I did in the early days of ith.
It was a nostalgic reunion, and the time away from the atelier seemed to bring me back to the essence of ith.
Apart from discussing the new ring design, we also reminisced about when they first discovered ith eight years ago and about the delivery of the ring. It was a joy to talk about these memories. Since the delivery, I've wanted to remain close to them and be responsible for the rings I create for a lifetime. I feel that wish is now being fulfilled.
This year, besides the ring, there were also reunions with customers who remembered ith and me for important occasions. This included the creation of the "Bambino" baby ring for a son's second birthday, a surprise "Grano" necklace for a partner's sixth wedding anniversary, and a gold "Leone" for someone embracing a milestone birthday and their desired future.
The realization that ith has been a part of our customers' history, and the daily accumulation of efforts in our atelier are truly becoming a part of history, bit by bit, has been a profoundly special memory for us this year. Feeling these two aspects deeply has been particularly meaningful.
Additionally, memorable events of 2022 included closing the Shinsaibashi atelier in Osaka and opening the first overseas atelier in Singapore.
The bond with Shinsaibashi customers continues through the craftsmen in the Umeda atelier, and the overseas venture has brought many new colleagues together. Our greatest strength at ith is always having the heart to stay close to our customers, no matter the time or place.
Every year brings various events, some within our control and others not. Often, it's the latter, but I want to find 'joy' in these varied experiences.
I believe that accumulating small 'joys' daily leads to a sense of fulfillment.
I look forward to your continued support in 2023.
Ayu Takahashi, ith
