The idea behind Aktaie was born during my long beach walks along the shores of the North Sea in Norfolk, UK.  Watching the waves, I could not help but admire the fluidity of their movement and cleanliness of lines as they move towards the shore before curling and finally breaking.  The waves would often bring beautiful stones such as sardonyx, smoky quartz and carnelian that were shaped and tumbled by the ocean over many years making them smooth and rounded. There was such beauty in those natural stones and their flawed shapes that it inspired me to create jewellery that is simple yet sophisticated, jewellery that is perfectly imperfect, create designs where nothing detracts from the beauty of the stone..

 

​

The name Aktaie was chosen with intention and care. As one of the fifty Neireids, Aktaie is the Greek goddess of the seashore, and it feels as though she herself inspired the creation of the brand. 

​

I draw much of my inspiration from Ancient Greek and Roman  jewellery, and my latest collections reflect the timeless shapes and styles of those eras: intricate granulation, garnets and the rich warmth of gold. Each piece begins as a meticulously hand-carved design in beeswax, which is then cast in metal and carefully finished by hand in my little Norfolk studio. I find great beauty in slight imperfections and organic forms, with each stone I use being unique, ensuring that every piece is truly of a kind.

​

​

Ksenia 

 

​