Works of Heart
Jason Dow was attending dental school on the continental U.S. when he realized he didn’t want to practice dentistry for a living. Sure, he had the grades needed to graduate. His manual dexterity and ability to work with precision on a small scale (essential for not botching delicate procedures, such as root canals) was also exceptional. But Dow wanted a career where he could be creative every day. “Nobody really wants you to make them a cool-looking tooth,” he says.
Dow decided to quit dental school in favor of becoming a jewelry maker. It may sound unusual, but crafting original works of art by sketching designs, molding metal, and working with ethically sourced and conflict-free gemstones energized Dow. It also provided an opportunity to apply his skills, from chemistry to engineering to marketing. He taught himself the basics of the craft before enrolling in the Gemological Institute of America to learn how to use gem crafting equipment and how to identify, grade, and work with hundreds of gemstones. After he graduated, Dow joined Maui Divers Jewelry as a designer and goldsmith for several years before launching his own brand, Jason Dow Jewelry (jasondow.com), in 2008.
“For me, it’s about being happy to go to work every day,” he says. “The challenging part isn’t creating new pieces; it’s setting yourself apart as an artist from the millions of other jewelers in the world.”
Luckily, it’s not difficult for Jason Dow to stand apart from others in his field. Dow’s distinctive handcrafted pieces employ intricate designs that result in one-of-a-kind creations. Some of his jewelry collections are inspired by cultural symbols; for example, his Mandala collection celebrates the many layers of a spiritual journey in Eastern religions, including Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Shinto. Other collections incorporate details from nature, such as Italian pink coral and black diamonds. Or architectural elements, including complex latticed Jali screens and dramatic hanging lanterns (to honor Prakāśa, or light in Hindi), which are popular throughout the Islamic world.
“My influences include a lot of Eastern motifs and I love the approach of East-meets-West,” says Dow. “In a way, I’m able to modernize some of these time-honored aesthetics from cultures around the world by adapting them into wearable art.”
Dow’s Lotus collection celebrates the flower of the lotus plant, which floats above the murky waters of material attachment and whose elegant beauty has long been revered in many Eastern cultures. The lotus symbolizes fertility, purity, and prosperity in Hinduism, while the flower’s petals represent each tenet of the Noble Eightfold Path, one of the key teachings of the Buddha. For Dow, the petals also have a special significance as a link to his home among the eight Hawaiian Islands; many of the necklaces, bangles, and rings in this collection feature eight (or multiple sets of eight) distinct diamonds, often encircling a cool moonstone.
Dow’s latest collection is inspired by Hawai‘i’s indigenous naupaka flower, famous for only seeming to have petals on one side, giving the appearance of having been cut in half. There are many Hawaiian mo‘olelo, or legends, associated with the naupaka flower. One version speaks of two star- crossed lovers: a fisherman named Kaui, and Naupaka, sister of the fire goddess Pele. Jealous of the couple’s affection, Pele sought to kill Naupaka and Kaui. To escape her fury, Kaui escaped into the mountains while Naupaka fled to the sea. After they died, similar yet distinctive flowers began to grow — naupaka kuahiwi in the mountains and naupaka kahakai near the seashore, two halves of a whole forever destined to live apart. Dow’s Naupaka collection is a tribute to this enduring love story, with studs, earrings, and cuffs that each have two naupaka flowers and are distanced but united.
“Another series I especially love is the Tattoo collection, because it’s such a wearable and functional line. All the pieces are flushed to the skin and it’s almost like you don’t even know it’s there, similar to wearing a tattoo. Yet there is still a very significant amount of diamonds and gemstones on each piece,” Dow says.
“Whether someone is religious or spiritual or not at all, I hope people from all walks of life can take away an essence of calmness and meditativeness and peace from this jewelry,” says Dow. “I love the process of designing jewelry, carving and bringing pieces to life, then seeing people enjoy the finished result. If you can come away with a meaningful vibe from an item of jewelry that I created — that’s my reward.”