Little Flames Necklace with diamond

Janja Prokić’s LUMO collection took several years to form in her mind. She worked on the fragile theme of light by using the motif of fire and flame as symbols of life-giving power, security and inner strength. “These can often be difficult, unforgiving and painful times to live in. The pandemic and Russia’s war are transforming our lives. On top of that, we have our own personal fears, hardships and anxieties. With all that is happening, we could slip so easily into the gloom,” says the designer. Janja sees a way out in the focused pursuit of goodness around her and in the sheer will to live – that is, in the search for goodness and light within herself.  “The darkness is faster, much more powerful, and more alluring. It can devour and stifle the light within us very easily,” she adds. LUMO sends people a message about how important it is to take care of their light and how it needs to be consciously cultivated. When the light is not there, it becomes very precious. Everyone has a different idea of light. “I thought about what it means to me,” says the designer. “I associate it with the flame of a candle. I remember it from old paintings in churches and even from temples and shrines themselves.”  I also drew inspiration from the archetypal cave fire, which was a life-giving source not only of light, but also of warmth and food, for our prehistoric forebears.  “Fire and light is life…”
For this collection, Janja picked out minerals that are linked to light by their structure and strength. This is also the first time that Janja has worked with the purest AAA-grade stones. “Working with them calls for sensitivity and patience, but also strength,” says the jeweller.LUMO sets pink morganite beryl in gold. This stone is tied to the sacral chakra and carries the wearer forwards in life. It promotes harmony with both nature and the inner world. It helps the wearer to find a path to what surrounds them. With love and humility. Morganite, as a “relationship stone”, has the power to guide a person along the right track.The unique quality of tanzanite comes to life in the hands of a skilled cutter. This stone can shimmer blue on one side and purple on the other. Earth has one remaining source of this rare stone, which changes colour from its natural brown to blue when heated. It has a soothing effect on the mind and muscles. It is beneficial for stress and anxiety. It can gather a person’s last vestiges of strength and give them the power to overcome difficulties.The collection’s third key element is the bright orange mandarin garnet, symbolising fire and flame. Its role in this collection is to dispel darkness and unerringly seek out light. Legend has it that Noah carried it with him as a protective stone that could light up the night and find a way out of the darkness. With no new deposits of mandarin discovered in years, the stone is becoming increasingly rare.