KonoandSono.com jewelry designer Lynn Okura Bey

Kono & Sono is a handcrafted jewelry line made in Chicago by Lynn Okura Bey. The name means "This & That" in Japanese, a nod to my family heritage. It's also a perfect descriptor of the collection: There's a little bit of this, a little bit of that. I hope you find something you love!


ABOUT ME

In addition to launching Kono & Sono, I make my living as a fashion writer and editor working for brands and publications like Oprah.com, Chicago magazine, and Louis Vuitton. 

 I started taking metalsmithing classes to make the pieces I felt were lacking from the very market I write about – not the throwaway stuff made from cheap materials and even cheaper labor, and not the fine jewelry you only pull out once a year. Something meaningful and special for every day.

 

CRAFTED BY HAND

Most Kono & Sono pieces are created through a process called Lost Wax Casting, my favorite metalsmithing technique.

I start with a sketch on paper and carve my design into a wax block, making a three-dimensional piece. A mold is made of my carving and cast with molten metal, turning my original creation into bronze, silver, or gold. The resulting jewelry is completely unique, crafted by real human hands, and made in the USA.

 

 
 

In alchemy, these symbols represent copper, diamond, silver, and gold. The foundation of Kono & Sono.