Jewelry designer Jason Dow with his dog, Kona, outside The Curb coffee shop near his Kaimuki studio. He is wearing American Apparel shirts, Volcom shorts and Vans.
His namesake jewelry line can be found in some of the island’s most luxurious resort boutiques, with designs that mix Asian influences with modern, clean shapes. Jason’s newest collection, Jali, is inspired by East Indian architecture, featuring beautiful gold rings embellished with diamonds.
Inspire
“I’m inspired mostly by nature, architecture, and ancient Asian motifs and designs. Anything that evokes a feeling of balance and intrigue.”
Style
“Personally, I’m a pretty laid back person and I don’t invest a lot into my own personal image. I just go with what feels comfortable and makes me feel good about myself. Otherwise, I guess I’m kind of a sloppy artist type.”
Career
“Art and Science were always my favorite subjects in school and I naturally gravitated towards the idea of creating with a purpose. Jewelry design was eventually my calling but my first career path was as a Dentist. When I realized I wasn’t going to be happy unless I was living with creativity, art, and design as my daily focus I had to bail on drilling teeth.”
Design
“I work with precious metals and precious stones. 18k gold and diamonds are my signature looks, but I will also use platinum and other colored precious and semi-precious stones. Design-wise, I like to integrate Asian and Old World designs and motifs into modern and clean shapes and forms.”
Customer
“[The woman who wears my pieces is] strong, independent, balanced, and centered. She is confident and appreciates fine quality without needing in your face, obnoxious bling to bolster her image. My jewelry aims to give her confidence and enhance her natural beauty without being overpowering or overly flashy.”
Memory
“It’s funny, but I don’t normally wear jewelry at all. I do have one thing that my Chinese Grandmother gave me when I was 6 years old. It’s a small Jade Buddha pendant that I used to wear for special occasions. She told me it was good luck and I have cherished it ever since.”
Trends
“Trend-wise, I’ve been seeing a lot of earrings where the right and left are not mirror images and different colors or shapes instead. Also, I think there will be a lot more chokers and long chained pendants that are a lot larger.”
Dream Vacation
“Oh wow, that’s a hard question. There are so many things I like to do on a vacation and so many different kind of vacations. Snowboarding was my first real passion in life, so my first choice would be a trip to Alaska when there’s lots and lots of snow. All my favorite friends staying a luxury cabin in the woods with a helicopter to access all the mountains all day long. My second choice would be to visit a really old place like Morocco and stay at a luxurious palace and experience amazing food, art, design, and rich history.”
Favorite Hangout
“Also a tough question. It sounds cliche, but wherever the waves are breaking the best for the day. Otherwise, being alone and hiking in the jungle with my dog is one of my favorite places to be.”
Photos: Dominique Kahale-Webster
