Heart in Bloom Apo lima by Yi Xiong is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Kala in Hoʻolālā Lei a me Kahiko Competition Category.

KalaLei Kahiko· 2026

Heart in Bloom Apo lima

by Yi Xiong

Client: Aris Fine Studio

A' Design Award Kala Winner in Lei Kahiko Category

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Verified Award Winner

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Colors

The Design

About Heart in Bloom Apo lima

He apo lima ʻo Heart in Bloom i hana ʻia me ke gula 18K a hoʻokomo ʻia me kahi safaira waihoʻoluʻu piki i ke ʻano puʻuwai, he 1.1 karata. Ma muli o ke ʻano hāmama a kaulike ʻole o kona kūkulu ʻana, hiki ke komo i nā nui manamana lima like ʻole, a paʻa mau nō hoʻi ma o ka māhele kaulike ʻana o ke kaumaha. ʻAʻole i hoʻonoho ʻia ka safaira ma ke ʻano he kikowaena paʻa, akā puka mai ia mai loko mai o nā ʻano lālā e hoʻopuni hapa ana i ka pōhaku. Hohola aku nā lālā kālai i waho a hoʻokumu i nā pilina papa e hāʻawi ana i ka manaʻo o ka māmā. I ka loli ʻana o ke kihi nānā, loli pū nā pilina ākea ma waena o nā lālā a me ka pōhaku.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Kala

Ua lanakila ka hoʻolālā Heart in Bloom Apo lima i ka A' Design Award Kala, he ʻike hoʻohanohano nui loa i hāʻawi ʻia i nā hoʻolālā kiʻekiʻe loa, nani a kupaianaha. He mau hana ʻālohilohi loa a hana noʻeau nui nā lanakila Kala e hōʻike ana i ka loea, ka makakoho a me ka ʻoi aku o ka noʻonoʻo o kā lākou poʻe hoʻolālā. Manaʻo ʻia ʻo ka hoʻolālā Heart in Bloom Apo lima he hana kupaianaha, kūlana ʻoi aku, ʻoihana kiʻekiʻe a hou loa. ʻO kēia hoʻolālā i lanakila i ka A' Design Award Kala he mea hoʻokumu kūpono loa, mahalo ʻia e hāʻawi i ka pōmaikaʻi a hoʻoneʻe i nā palena o ka hana noʻeau, ka ʻepekema, ka hoʻolālā a me ka ʻenehana. He mea i ʻeleu ʻia e nā mea he nui ka hoʻolālā Heart in Bloom Apo lima e hoʻāla i ka makemake, lawe mai i nā manaʻo maikaʻi a hoʻāla i ka kamahaʻo a me ka mahalo.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: The open structure accommodates a range of finger sizes while maintaining stability through controlled balance. The heart shaped peach toned sapphire is not treated as a fixed focal point but emerges within the branching structure, partially enclosed through layered relationships. As the viewing angle shifts, spatial relationships evolve, creating a dynamic visual effect. The asymmetrical composition disrupts a singular viewing path, allowing the act of wearing to become part of the experience.
Dimensions & Packaging: Ring size: US 6.25 (inner diameter approx. 16.7 mm)
Center stone: 1.1 ct peach toned sapphire
Material: 18K gold, total weight approx. 6 g
Custom sizing available upon request
Tags: Organic Growth, Symbiotic Relationship, Asymmetrical Structure, Open Construction, Spatial Hierarchy, Fluidity, Sense of Suspension, Branching Forms, Sculptural Metal, Contemporary Femininity
Production Technology: Materials: 18K gold, 1.1 ct heart shaped peach toned sapphire
Craftsmanship: This design reinterprets botanical jewelry through structural abstraction. Controlled asymmetry maintains balance, with weight distributed across an open form to create a subtle sense of suspension. Sculptural metal integrates with precise setting, where the heart-shaped gemstone is not a focal point but is partially enclosed within the branching structure. Color functions as a structural element rather than decoration.
Design Challenge: The core challenge lies in achieving stability and visual lightness within an open, asymmetrical form. The heart shaped peach toned sapphire is not a focal point but a structural node, partially enclosed by branching elements serving as both extension and support. Through adjustments of metal thickness, connections, and placement, the structure remains stable. Controlling weight and density ensures a balance between sculptural presence and everyday wearability.
Research: This design translates the principle of organic growth into a non centralized structural system. Through open and asymmetrical construction, directional flow and spatial hierarchy define the composition, allowing elements to balance within the whole. The gemstone is not a visual center but a structural node, shifting from a center dependent hierarchy to a multi-generative structure. Spatial relationships and layering translate natural rhythms into a structural expression.
Inspiration: From a center based composition to structural generation, this ring translates organic growth into a wearable system of spatial relationships. Within a non centralized framework, directional flow defines the composition. The heart shaped peach toned sapphire, echoing the peach of longevity, is not a focal point but emerges within layered branches. The piece unfolds continuously, transforming jewelry into an expression of growth, renewal, and spatial relationships.
Project Duration: The project started in March 2025 in New York and was completed in June 2025 in New York.
Operation Flow: The open structure accommodates a range of finger sizes while maintaining stability through the distribution of structural weight. As the wearer moves, the spatial relationships between branches and the gemstone continuously evolve, creating a state of visual transformation. The asymmetrical composition disrupts a singular viewing path, allowing the act of wearing to become a dynamic experience. By controlling structural complexity and weight, the piece maintains spatial layering and sculptural presence while balancing everyday wearability.
Team Members: Yi Xiong
Image Credits: Aris Xiong (Yi Xiong)