Meet The Designer Inspiring Men To Wear More Gold
WITH RAFAEL INDIANA CEMO CETIN
Jewelry design is a fascinating field that requires a combination of technical skill, creative vision, and an understanding of the materials being used.
Photography, Jeremy Mitchell
Words, Igee Okafor In Conversation with Rafael Indiana Cemo Cetin
VIEW GALLERY
Growing up in Istanbul, Turkey, Rafael Indiana Cemo Cetin was surrounded by the world of film from a young age. His father was a film director and producer, and his mother was a cinematographer. Rafael spent countless hours on film sets and developed a natural inclination toward the craft. Despite his exposure to the film industry, Rafael initially struggled to find his path.
Rafael admits to being a bit of a rebel in high school. Despite his rebellious nature, his creative side was evident in his love of movies. Rafael would watch movies daily and be known for his impeccable style while exploring different paths to find his place in the world.
The product of his explorations now sees him as a jewelry designer who aims to push the boundaries of colorful gems and eccentric design while maintaining a fine balance of simplicity and size. His brand, Rafael Indiana, is a unique and unisex line of jewelry made primarily of natural, unheated gemstones of the highest quality, hand-engraved by master artisans with various mythological symbols. The rings are hand-sculpted from wax and then cast into solid gold or vermeil. Indiana specializes in intaglio and cameo. All his pieces are hand-sculpted with a more amorphic, mystical, and undefinable design that ensures the ancient and mysterious quality he seeks to capture.
The ethos behind the brand was influenced by Rafael’s fascination with the ancient world, specifically the history of Turkey and the allure of gold. The designer wanted to blur the lines between men's and women's jewelry, as all jewelry was historically unisex, and princes and kings primarily wore rings and adornments. Rafael believes most men are afraid to wear gold, with silver being the preferred material of the masses. He enjoys the idea that gold and bronze were the preferred metals of choice in the ancient world, so he aims to break this prejudice and inspire men to wear more gold.
I often see designs or gems in my dreams. Some of the best ideas I get are right before I go to sleep.
The designer's jewelry resonates with many people, from older women to young girls, as jewelry is very personal. A simple accessory can make one feel special, regardless of whether anyone notices it.
When making a Rafael Indiana original, it all starts with the stone. Rafael goes gem hunting at least once a week, finding inspiration anywhere from flea markets to traveling to breaking down ready jewelry and reinterpreting it. Each stone is individually hand-picked by the designer to ensure the best quality and sparkle. Rafael takes pride in his work and humbly claims that no other jewelry brand offers this quality standard and a wide selection of affordable pieces. He experiments with peculiar materials like bone, shark tooth, glass, and mother of pearl.
Each piece is perfectly imperfect, with a balance of astonishing and authentic beauty, making it a personal and unique accessory that can make anyone feel special every time they wear it.
THE LOOK
Turtleneck, Tom Ford
IO: I am a big fan of your films. They always seem to merge themes of luxury and rebellion which I find very amusing. It got me thinking about your upbringing and if you identify with the character themes that make up your films and your brand. What were you like growing up?
RC: I grew up in Istanbul, Turkey. My father was a film director and producer. My mom was a cinematographer. I spent a lot of time on film sets growing up. Naturally, I gravitated toward the craft. During high school, I was a bit of a rebel. Smoking pot, being naughty in general. I was shy, but I always had a creative side. I watched movies every day. I would win best dressed every year in high school. I was a skater, a punk, whatever you wanna call it. I was lost for a while; I didn’t figure things out until my late 20s. It took me a minute, but now I’m happy and excited about the future.
IO: It makes complete sense. Your eye for great work is pristine, especially viewing them through the lens of Rafael Indiana, which we’ll discuss shortly. Where does the inspiration for your films come from?
RC: I’ve always been a cinephile—I’ve seen every movie. Cinema is life. Jewelry comes second. Growing up with a filmmaker father has always been an inspiration. I started making home James Bond videos when I was 6, just fooling around with my friends. Then I made a lot of skate videos. Fast forward a few years, and I’m shooting fashion films and commercials. Shooting these films may look easy but believe me; it’s blood, sweat, and tears from budgeting to racing with time on set. It’s a sleepless marathon and a logistical nightmare. However, once the film is complete, no feeling compares. Climbing that mountain gives you a particular high of success.
IO: I can imagine. Is a jewelry brand something you’ve always wanted to do too? Did you have any other aspirations?
RC: Not really; it just happened. I made a ring for myself and one for my girlfriend. Everyone kept asking about the pieces, so I decided to keep this going and turn it into a brand.
THE LOOK
Jewerly, Rafael Indiana; Jacket, Sandro; Shirt, Tom Ford
IO: Initially, when you launched the brand Rafael Indiana what was its ethos?
RC: I launched the brand in April of 2021. It’s been two years now. All the jewelry is handmade in the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul, Turkey. I’ve always been fascinated by the ancient world. Growing up in Turkey has exposed me to a lot of history. Whether it be Babylon of Mesopotamia, Constantinople of the Byzantine Empire, the Ottomans, and ancient Romans, it’s all tied together. Adding to that, I have always been under the allure of gold. Since I was a kid, gold has made a strong impression on me. Combining these two inspirations, it was inevitable to create jewelry. I also wanted to blur the lines of men's vs. women’s jewelry. All jewelry is unisex; rings and adornments were historically worn primarily by princes and kings. Only in the recent 200 years has it become a more feminine fashion. Most men are afraid to wear gold. Silver is the preferred material of the masses. However, silver was not used in the ancient world. Gold and bronze were the preferred metals of choice. Some people say, “I can’t wear gold; it’s too much on me,” but you want more once you break that prejudice. I always say, “Once you go gold, you never go back.” I’ve witnessed it dozens of times with my clients.
IO: What design characteristics in your jewelry set it apart from similar brands in business today?
RC: First off, we specialize in the art of intaglio and cameo. This is an Engraved or incised stone carving where the design is sunk into the surface, called intaglio, and is the opposite of a cameo, where the procedure is carved outwards.
Secondly, all of our pieces are hand sculpted. Many brands work like this but not in our aesthetic. Each piece is perfectly imperfect. For example, Instead of carving a flawless lion head from the monture, we try to keep the design open for interpretation. Therefore having a more amorphic, mystical, and undefinable design. Where one can’t quite understand what exactly the design looks like. This ensures the ancient and mysterious quality that we try to capture.
Last but not least, I like to add my youthful touch. For lack of better words, I know what’s cool and what’s not. Most antique-based jewelry brands are run by older artisans or modern brands like David Yurman. Our brand has a balance of cool and authentic beauty.
when you’re doing something you love, it doesn’t feel like work.
IO: Walk me through how a Rafael Indiana is made.
RC: It all starts with the stone. I go gem hunting at least once a week. Even if I don’t turn the stone I purchased into a piece of jewelry, I try and collect as many gems as possible. One can find inspiration anywhere. Sometimes at flea markets, sometimes when traveling, breaking down ready jewelry and re-interpreting it. The same goes for materials. I often experiment with peculiar materials like bone, shark tooth, glass, mother of pearl, or sea shells.
I’ve self-educated myself to become an amateur gemologist. There’s a galaxy of endless gems, each carrying a different energy that speaks to you. Once I have picked a stone, the design process begins. I always carry a notepad to do random sketches on. I often see designs or gems in my dreams. Some of the best ideas I get are right before I go to sleep. Next, I meet with my artisans and go over the actual execution of the sketches I have. There are lots of technical factors to consider. The ring must be ergonomic; its architecture must be comfortable first and foremost. The lighter and smaller the piece, the less expensive it will be to cast in gold, increasing the possibility of a sale. When Creativity and technicalities meet in harmony, a perfect piece of jewelry can be born.
I spend a lot of time looking at ancient books for inspiration. Exploring museums and searching for the natural beauties of historical jewelry is essential. I’ve replicated several iconic jewelry artifacts with my twist.
IO: What are some of your favorite stones to design with?
RC: Our gemstones are primarily unheated natural stones of the highest quality. There is a galaxy of colors, hues, sparkles, and tones. Each carries its spiritual energy compressed throughout thousands of years. Aquamarine is one of my favorite stones. Hessonite has a lovely lava fire color. Tanzanite is rarer than diamonds with a deep candy blue. Colombian Emerald, of course, is the ultimate gem of elegance. There are infinite colors and choices, depending on the client's wants. Our stones are hand engraved by master artisans with various mythological symbols. Then the ring is hand sculpted from wax, which we believe gives it its authentic ancient beauty. Lastly, it is cast into solid gold or vermeil.
My preferred material is pure 22k gold. This was the metal of choice in the ancient world. All hellenistic greek jewelry is forged from raw gold, giving it a bright yellow sunshine color. Gold, when beaten, shines. Therefore our piece’s textures are always crafted in a rustic manner. We superficially age the gold to give it an ancient patina. One can not tell the difference between a two-thousand-year-old ring at the met museum versus a brand-new Rafael Indiana ring.
THE LOOK
Tank Top, Schieser; His Trousers
IO: Do you have any unique pieces that are standouts for you?
RC: Every piece! They are all my babies because I invest so much energy into each piece. They all have a story for me. Crosses are a big thing for the brand. Our selection of gem-adorned crosses is beyond fabulous, and no brand makes anything comparable. If I had to pick one piece, this recent ring we made entirely out of rock crystal is insane. This is next-level craftsmanship. The entire ring is hand-carved out of quartz. Check it out on our Instagram.
IO: What kind of audience are you finding your jewelry resonates with the most?
RC: It varies. As I said, I try to break the male mold to inspire men to wear more gold. Most of my clients are women, from older ladies to young girls. Jewelry is for everyone, and it is a very personal thing if you ask me. A simple accessory can make you feel special; it does not matter if someone notices the ring you are wearing. What’s important is how it makes you feel.
IO: I couldn’t agree more. What is the brand’s relationship like with its male audience?
RC: Most men tend to gravitate towards silver jewelry. I often try to persuade people that gold is the only way. Our jewelry offers a wide range of more masculine designs—for example, the engravings of Roman emperors and other male-dominant figures. I also turn original ancient Roman coins into necklaces. These medallions are pretty popular with our male clients.
THE LOOK
Sweater, Nautica
IO: What was the singular goal for your latest collection?
RC: I wanted to take the designs to the next level. To push the boundaries of colorful gems and eccentric design while keeping a fine balance of simplicity and size. Every stone is individually hand-picked by me to ensure the best quality and sparkle. We produced over 140 one-of-one unique pieces for this collection. I’m proud of every one of them. I can humbly say that no jewelry brand is out there today offering this quality standard and this wide selection of pieces within affordable price ranges.
IO: Have you been able to feature the line in any commercial work? Styling, movies, celebrity? Does it mean anything to you?
RC: Sure, I’ve had many Turkish celebrities purchase my jewelry. Lots of international influencers as well. Alessandra Ambrosia bought some necklaces from me. Although I haven’t yet reached the exposure, I am hoping for it. I think it will come with time.
IO: What have you learned about yourself and your work ethic throughout creating your brand?
RC: I learned a lot. Where do I start? I free-styled it, lots of baby steps to build something big. I had told people I would start a jewelry brand for a while. It wasn’t until the pandemic hit that I told myself enough is enough; either I do this, or I don’t. So I invested everything I had saved and went for it 110%. I discovered a work ethic in myself I didn’t know I had. Because when you’re doing something you love, it doesn’t feel like work. You become obsessed with it and snowball your way into turning it into a profitable business. Every day, I learn something new about myself and jewelry. I’m humbled to enjoy the process of evolution.
IO: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
RC: I want to be a filmmaker more than anything, but it’s not easy. I have dreams of shooting a full-length feature film and winning the Venice film festival someday. Some projects are in the works, so let’s see. I'll be happy if I can keep making jewelry and films. For Rafael Indiana, I see boutique stores in Paris, new york, Los Angeles, and Istanbul. I want to continue making art and incorporate my filmmaking within the branding.
THE LOOK
Boots, Saint Laurent; Suit, Dolce & Gabbana; Shirt, Valentino
Everyday, I learn something new about myself and jewelry. I’m humbled to enjoy the process of evolution.
