The Story

As a child, you could always find me standing in front of the display windows of jewellery stores, mesmerised by the shimmering jewellery pieces. I was enchanted by the beautiful jewellery my mother, grandmother and aunties wore. I am from a Dutch family with Indonesian and Turkish roots, where women usually have an extensive gold jewellery collection. By family tradition, a piece of jewellery is bought or gifted for special occasions in life. Therefore, the jewellery boxes of the women in my family fill up from birth ‘till the end, documenting a lifetime of experiences. 

Whenever I’d ask about their jewellery, I got to hear a story of the strong memories and emotions behind their valuable pieces. It reminded them of their childhood, romantic endeavours, and milestones or served as a keepsake to draw strength from in times of hardship. The stories that impressed me the most were about the celebratory jewellery pieces they bought for themselves. 

What makes these celebratory jewellery pieces so special to you?
What made the pieces of jewellery magical to me weren’t the milestones they represented, but that they were bought to celebrate the wearer. I think there is something very powerful and intriguing about a woman celebrating herself. 

Why do you find this intriguing?
By celebrating yourself you’re not just celebrating you, but all the women that came before you. The mothers and grandmothers who forged a path for us to be able to live our current lives. Which reminds me of one of my favourite quotes by Maya Angelou:

• I come as one, but I stand as 10.000. 

And by celebrating ourselves we inspire other women to celebrate themselves as well, which reminds me that we are all connected.

How did this influence your vision for Dilly?
Put together, these are the reasons I decided to start my own jewellery business. I want to share the admiration I have for all that comes with a gold jewellery piece and the power it can give the wearer. It is my mission to establish a brand that creates jewellery which can be bought and gifted for oneself. By celebrating yourself, you allow yourself to be in touch with your feelings, which is what female energy is in essence. Therefore, I truly believe and stand by my brand Dilly, which is inspired by the female energy that resonates within every being, expressed through solid, 14 karat gold jewellery.

Why do you like to create jewellery made of gold?
Because gold is a more solid material than silver, that makes it possible for these pieces to be passed on to the next generation. The stories of our jewellery will therefore always remain inspiring. And although I think this should never be the main reason to buy gold jewellery, gold does retain its value over time, as it has done for many centuries.