Manufactory

Ksenia Podnebesnaya:

"It all began with a deep love for cultured sea pearls, which I discovered during my time in Japan. After thoroughly studying the cultivation processes of pearls and gaining extensive knowledge and expertise in the country where the unique pearl culture was born, I wanted to share this beauty with others. My family, including my brother Ilya and my mother Tatyana Nikolaevna, supported me in this decision. Together, we began shaping the history of our family jewelry brand. We are pioneers in the creation and sale of collectible pearl jewelry. In 2014, the company was accepted into the Japan Pearl Exporters' Association, becoming the only foreign representative in this esteemed organization. That same year, with the active participation of Ilya Podnebesny, our jewelry brand expanded into colored gemstones. Using the finest examples of minerals, we set out to create settings that would match the quality of the precious stones. This marked the beginning of our search for jewelers who could share our spiritual values and aesthetic vision. As a result, we have gathered a unique team of professionals and like-minded people.

Company’s story began in 2010. Since then, we have established our own manufactory in Bangkok, where exceptionally skilled artisans create jewelry defined by a distinctive style and impeccable craftsmanship. At SORA, we follow quality standards that often exceed those of leading global jewelry houses. These rigorous principles are upheld throughout the production of both our haute joaillerie pieces and our core collections.

I’m proud to say that every craftsman in our manufactory is a jeweler of the highest qualification. Candidates for these positions undergo extensive retraining under the guidance of our senior jewelers — and I must admit, not everyone succeeds. Only the best remain with us: those who possess exceptional skill and deep loyalty to the brand.

And what do I mean by that seemingly vague term — “loyalty to the company”? It’s the unwavering desire to be part of a true family-run jewelry brand. It’s the ability to solve the most complex technical challenges, often under tight deadlines, while flawlessly bringing my boldest design ideas to life — turning creative visions into tangible beauty. This often demands tremendous focus, inner strength, and self-overcoming. But only through this can true creative fulfillment be achieved.

I believe that every artisan at SORA understands their role in a genuinely beautiful story — one that carries not only the spirit of the brand but their own personal values and craftsmanship as well.

What is the true value of the SORA manufactory?

Our pride lies in the stone-setting techniques mastered by our artisans. The signature style of Podnebesny jewelry features raised, open diamonds, creating a floating effect. Tiny, mirror-polished hollows beneath the diamonds provide a unique side view, enhancing the sense of "lightness" and adding expressiveness to the front of the piece. 

Among our secrets are the original methods of setting central stones. Every professional jeweler knows how challenging it can be to approach such a delicate task, especially when dealing with complex stones like emeralds or Paraiba tourmalines. During the process of securing a solitaire gemstone, the jeweler experiences immense pressure! It’s essential to strike the perfect balance between applying enough pressure to secure the stone without overdoing it, as there is always a risk of chipping or even breaking the stone. To prevent this, the jeweler must enter a state of calm focus, much like meditation. This level of expertise is acquired over decades. Typically, setting central stones takes us anywhere from two to five days.

I am incredibly fortunate that my guide into the world of colored gemstones has been my brother Ilya. Thanks to his contributions, we established our own cutting laboratory at the manufactory. Here, we uphold the highest standards of cutting stones, whether in classic or fantasy shapes. It’s important to note that when cutting, we don’t prioritize increasing carat weight at the expense of quality. As a result, all our stones exhibit rare color intensity and saturation, stunning clarity, and remarkable light play. Our cutters know how to reveal the inner potential of each stone, highlighting its strengths and allowing it to truly shine.

Every piece of jewelry is crafted with meticulous attention to detail, with artisans working under microscope lenses to ensure precision in even the smallest elements. There are no "internal seams" in our pieces. This means the "reverse" is as refined and polished as the "front." The soldering or backside of our jewelry can be considered an art object in itself—delicate golden lace, perfected by skilled hands. Hard-to-reach surfaces are treated to a mirror finish, achieved through hours of meticulous hand polishing. This is why our jewelry can withstand macro photography without the need for retouching. In fact, the real piece in your hands will likely exceed the impression given by the photograph. 

Harmony between aesthetics and functionality is another core value upheld by SORA by K.P. Each piece is created with the utmost attention to ergonomics and balance at every stage—from sketching and 3D modeling to the final polish. This is why our jewelry feels so comfortable that you won't want to take it off. Developing a new design, especially one that becomes part of the core collection, can take weeks or even months of work. 

Jewelry fittings are one of the most challenging areas of the craft. Only a few on the global market have their own beautiful, and most importantly, well-engineered mechanisms. When developing fittings, we conduct dozens, sometimes hundreds, of experiments and 3D models, which is why each new mechanism is unique. I consider this our small victory. Let me give a couple of examples. The fitting that clasps our pearl necklaces is based on the brand’s logo—angel wings embracing the pearl. It’s a complex mechanism with built-in gold springs, combining beauty and multifunctionality. Special attention is given to hidden safety elements. Often, the time spent on creating such a clasp is equivalent to that of crafting a full piece of jewelry. We don’t allow ourselves to "attach" the same mechanism to all models, which is a common practice even among great names.  

The connecting elements in our jewelry are designed not only for functionality but also to enhance the beauty of the gemstones. We often use hinge mechanisms for earrings instead of the commonly used "ring-in-ring" connection. Hinges, of course, require more time for processing and assembly, but they provide a more refined connection, offering a precise and moderate swing for the hanging parts, while preventing premature metal wear as seen with rings. Additionally, we always test our finished jewelry and mechanisms with silk, cashmere, and other delicate fabrics. Our pieces do not catch on or damage clothing.

The brand's core collections are characterized by the deliberate heaviness of the gold. This is sometimes met with mixed reactions from new clients who are used to hollow, stamped models. However, I firmly believe that a piece of jewelry should have a substantial weight. Just holding any of our pieces, you can feel its satisfying heft. We don’t skimp on gold, and this is one of the reasons our clients love us. 

A new guest doesn’t always immediately understand what makes a seemingly simple piece of jewelry so special. It takes a trained eye to appreciate it fully. After getting to know our jewelry more closely, trying it on, and examining it carefully, they often choose SORA. Our pieces never end up in random hands — only in those of true connoisseurs of fine jewelry.

Anticipating a common question from our clients, "Will your wings be there?" – the answer is yes, all of our pieces bear our signature mark. We believe in the bright, protective symbol they represent and strive to uphold this beautiful image through our dedication to the family business. 

Looking back at the challenging journey of building our manufactory and knowing the beautiful, talented people who work there every day, I always tell our clients: "The finest hands create the jewelry of your dreams." I like to think that our creations aren’t just bought, they are found—like true love, friendship, and trust. And we are truly delighted when even the most discerning clients eventually become close friends of the family, starting out as just visitors."