The Sassi Story

Discover the Sassi Story

Sassi means (gem)stones in Italian and so our story begins with a gem, an aquamarine, buried in Renilde’s jewellery case. The stone was bought years earlier for Hannah who was curious about her birthstone. When she was about to turn eighteen, her mother wanted to create a special necklace, just for her. She based her design on a Roman necklace, integrated the aquamarine and ‘modernised’ its look….

When the gold necklace was finished, Hannah and Renilde were both thrilled. And so was the workshop where the necklace was made: they invited Renilde to create more pieces. Sassi was born.

Throughout her studies in history of arts and research for her Ph.D., Renilde would often imagine art as a piece of jewellery. She began to create, drawing on her historical knowledge as well as her long-cultivated appreciation for exquisite design and craftsmanship.

Each piece is meticulously researched. Renilde loves the stories behind the art, the history, the gemstones. She extracts the essence and inserts this in her unique and timeless creations to retell the story.

The design is not finished however, as long as her daughter Hannah has not been involved. Hannah, an architecture student, brings in her own view on the designs. The duo keeps on working until both are happy with the final result. “Intuitively it seems that our clients feel the influence of Hannah” shares Renilde. “Often mothers buy with their daughters in mind, buying a piece they will both love and share or buy the same piece twice. It creates a very special bond.”

“It is very important for a piece of jewellery to have history, to have a soul. Our contemporary designs are rooted in history – each piece a timeless re-interpretation of traditional forms in jewellery, art or architecture. All Sassi jewellery is handcrafted in 18 karat gold, using millennia-old techniques such as lost-wax casting, granulation or filigree. The pristine gemstones are hand-cut to fit our creations.”

Renilde Vervoort

Renilde loves the double-entendre of Sassi. She identifies with her clients, confident, smart, sassy women who know what they want. “When you buy jewellery for yourself, it has to reflect who you are” says Renilde “and you want to wear your jewels often because it is a shame to lock them away in a safe.”

Sassi pieces are therefore designed to be worn every day. Versatile and eye-catching, many Sassi jewels can be combined and worn in different ways for a look that is stylish yet always comfortable, glamorous yet accessible, fashionable yet timeless. Sassi jewellery, designed with the comfort of the wearer in mind, comes in handy leather, hand-made travel pouches that slip easily into a handbag or a suitcase, for every-day luxury.

From the outset, Renilde knew coloured gems were used in ancient jewellery long before diamonds, but lacked the knowledge to source the stones. Back to school! She became a certified gemologist at the International Gemological Institute.

She is absolutely passionate about coloured stones and works with cut-to-order gems, handpicked and sourced directly from lapidaries around the world. Utilising colour in unique gems and stunning combinations is a constant theme throughout the collections of Sassi.

All of this makes each piece truly, uniquely Sassi.

The Sassi Story

Discover the Sassi Story

Keep in touch

Contact Us

Follow Us

Press Corner