Originally, ith was founded in June 2014 with an atelier in Kichijoji, motivated by the desire to fulfill customers' wishes as much as possible. We aimed to stand close to each customer, finding rings together that the wearers would truly appreciate.
In these uncertain times of repeated emergency declarations, rather than just waiting for this difficult period to pass, I wanted to introduce a new collection as a positive step forward.
Since last autumn, I've been contemplating a new design for wedding rings - a set of 10 pairs, employing a manufacturing process not previously used at ith.
This collection features 'forging', a technique focused on strengthening the durability of the metal, symbolising the strong bond and unchanging love of a couple starting their journey together in an ever-changing world.
ith boasts over 100 ring designs, including organic curves and twists, artisanal craftsmanship, and playful craft-style designs. We offer a wide range to serve as a foundation for finding the perfect ring for each individual.
When choosing wedding rings, people have various preferences - a design that enhances the beauty of the finger, simplicity that suits as they age, or a reflection of their personality. Some customers are particularly concerned about the crafting process and techniques, which we previously couldn't always accommodate. However, the addition of the forging collection expands the possibilities at ith, and the variety of surface textures also increases the joy of discerning subtle differences.
While forging may seem like a hard departure from ith's usual style, there is a commonality between our previous collections and this new one: the warmth of handcrafting.
There are two main methods in forging: bending a metal line into a ring shape, and cutting the ring shape out of a metal block. ith's forging uses the former method, an old-fashioned technique where artisans use hammers to tightly compress the metal.
For shaping the forged rings, we use a lathe for precision machining, known as 'machining', to accurately create the surface and sides' width, thickness, and shape. This process relies more on the craftsman's experience than the machine's capabilities. The final texture applied to the surface is the result of skilled artisanal handcrafting.
The rings, completed through forging, machining, and texturing, represent a harmony of machine work and artisanal craftsmanship. This blend of techniques ensures each ring exudes the warmth only handcrafting can provide.
For this collection, we collaborated with Fujimori Workshop in Sangenjaya, Tokyo. Established in 1970, the workshop has over 50 years of experience in traditional forging and machining, specialising in handmade, custom-made jewellery. Their ethos of "custom-made for each individual" resonates with ith's philosophy, leading to our collaboration.
Interestingly, I visited this workshop as a student. The current president, Mr. Fujimori, offered me enthusiastic advice during my job-hunting days. 18 years later, it's incredible to think we're now working together on wedding rings. The connections in life are truly unpredictable.
ith is soon approaching its 7th anniversary. "Customer-oriented, warm craftsmanship" has been our ideal since the atelier's inception.
Many brands and businesses proclaim customer alignment as their ideal, but earnestly practising it is a challenging task. Meeting each customer's individual requests requires significantly more energy than operating under set rules for stability.
Yet, by embracing this COVID-19 crisis as an opportunity, I believe ith can become a stronger and more resilient brand as we all sincerely strive to align with our customers.
Ayu Takahashi, ith
