Art+ had a conversation with Yendy Yu-Yap, the creator and designer of homegrown fine jewelry brand Heart & Bolt.

Images courtesy of Heart & Bolt
January 30, 2023

Heart & Bolt is a homegrown brand of fine jewelry created and designed by Yendy Yu-Yap. Their carefully curated, handcrafted pieces – ranging from bracelets, earrings, anklets, rings, and necklaces – are bold and refined, classic yet fresh. Art+ chatted with Yendy about the ins and outs of jewelry design and how they are able to create timeless and meaningful pieces for their clients.     

Art+: How did you get into jewelry design?

Yendy Yu-Yap: I have vivid memories of my love for jewelry since early childhood—trips to the jewelry store with my mom, trying on different baubles, playing dress-up in the stores, recruiting my sister to go digging for diamonds in our yard, hammer and chisel in hand after watching the mine scene in the movie Snow White.  

Immediately after graduating from university, I left home to study in the Gemological Institute of America Manhattan to be a graduate gemologist and jewelry designer. There I was exposed to the world of jewelry trade, in awe of and inspired by the plethora of shops in the Diamond District, and seeing mesmerizing auction pieces at Christie’s and Sotheby’s. There was no turning back since.

What is your design philosophy?

Heart & Bolt’s design philosophy has always been about being fine, understated, and eclectic, and creating timeless everyday pieces that you’ll still gravitate towards ten years later. For us, you should wear your jewelry and not the other way around. It should be intimate, personal, and most importantly, comfortable. Personal style is something we respect, therefore, we cater to a wide range in assortment but it is consistently fine. 

Please tell us about your design process.

Designing has always been organic for me, inspired by things discovered through travels and sharing of experiences, and more importantly, listening to the nuances of my clients’ requests and fine-tuning this information. Our goal has always been to be your not-so-regular jeweller, offering pieces you will typically not see in stores. We want to offer an alternative way of wearing classic pieces to keep our assortment fresh and tasteful.

What are the considerations that you make as a jewelry designer?

Fit is often a neglected aspect of wearing jewelry. The comfort and ease the person exudes when they wear Heart & Bolt is key. It is also important that each diamond, no matter how big or small, is ideally set to highlight the sparkle of the gem, not drown its brilliance.

Please tell us about Heart & Bolt.

We are all about meaningful everyday pieces that you can wear alone or layer together. It can journey with you through milestones in your life. Each piece should mirror the personality of the wearer, and each layer tells a story. We also aim to make our prices accessible to our clients, with fine workmanship and quality gems at fair prices. 

What materials do you like to use? 

As a fine jewelry company, we use 18K and 14K gold, accented with quality diamonds and various gemstones.

What are the signature characteristics of your designs?

Our jewelry line is constantly evolving, flowing with the ever-changing vibes and tastes of our clientele, but it is consistently fine and fierce. We also like exploring non-traditional ways of wearing your pieces to make them more personal. Apart from classic pieces like studs and tennis bracelets, pieces like hand chains, ear cuffs, and piercing jewelry are constantly part of our selection to be able to add more interest and personality to your collection.

What do you think is the significance of jewelry design?

Jewelry is one of the oldest decorative arts. We can see how jewelry design has been with humanity, from talismans made out of shells, to today’s complex 3D printed pieces. It is an art form encapsulated in precious metals and gemstones, a marriage between visual arts, natural science, and technology. Apart from representing beauty and rarity, it is and will continue to be a representation of culture, progress, and wealth.