I created OYUKIO for the digital native, blending pixel charm with ultimate craftsmanship. Innovative, playful design combined with high-end jewelry.
Recession Chair 2
Client
Tjep.
Design
Tjep.
Production
Tjep.
The Digital Revolution
In the dawn of the digital revolution, as screens flickered to life and pixels danced in their rudimentary grids, a passion was ignited that would shape the essence of OYUKIO. Having lived through this transformative era—from the birth of home computers to the explosion of virtual worlds—it was the early pixelated games, like the epic quests of Ultima 3, that truly captured my imagination.
Blocky Realms and Profound Artistry
These blocky realms, born from the constraints of 8-bit technology, weren't mere entertainment; they distilled the very essence of visual communication, forcing creativity to thrive within limits and turning simplicity into profound artistry.
A Grand Game
On a deeper level, this philosophy extends beyond screens: life itself is best approached as a grand game, full of levels to conquer and adventures to embrace, rather than a rigid system burdened with endless requirements. It's in this spirit that OYUKIO was born, crafting rings that weave the pixelated charm of retro arcade aesthetics with the vibrant glyphs of modern emoji traditions.
Playful Pop-Culture Heritage
Drawing from those nostalgic grids of gaming culture, our designs fuse playful pop-culture heritage with the timeless allure of precious metals and gemstones—leveling up digital fantasies into tangible treasures we can hold dear, cherishing them as symbols of continuity and joy.Unisex Harmony
The name OYUKIO draws from Japan, the birthplace of 8-bit gaming, blending the classic Japanese names Oyuki and Yukio in a unisex harmony that defies convention. Rooted in Japan’s legacy of pioneering pixelated worlds and minimalist elegance, OYUKIO bridges ancient artistry with the modern digital frontier.
Endless Loop
With its twin circular letters mirroring the rings we create, the name embodies an endless loop between yesterday’s pixel grids and today’s glamour, gaming’s playful spirit and sophistication’s allure, and the intertwined paths of two souls.
Visionary Design Studio
Emerging from Tjep’s visionary design studio in Amsterdam, OYUKIO invites you to wear a piece of this pixelated history—a portal where nostalgia meets exquisite luxury, transforming fleeting digital magic into heirlooms for the bold.
Life is a Game
Visually delicate, yet unyieldingly strong.
The Bronze Age collection showcases meticulously hand-crafted pieces, rooted in traditional techniques that once defined human survival. Each work is a labor-intensive creation, forged from bronze—the material that heralded the dawn of civilization.
“For this project, I sought to counter the technology-driven trends fueled by digital innovations like 3D printing. Bronze, with its inherent value, embodies sustainability: it is either cherished and preserved or melted down and reborn, never discarded. Who knows—some of these pieces might even carry the essence of ancient bronze swords, remelted and reimagined,” says Frank Tjepkema, lead designer and founder of Tjep.
The bronze foundation of this collection evokes stability, strength, and enduring sustainability, as the material can be endlessly recycled. The furniture designs draw on classic forms but are transformed to reflect a modern narrative. The collection boldly engages with contemporary issues, evoking the specter of human-induced crises—such as climate change or nuclear fallout—positioning these pieces as both timeless and urgently relevant.
The result is a series of sculptural works that marry a pure, elegant aesthetic with robust physicality. Do these pieces bear the scars of great calamity, or do they stand as testaments to the enduring power of tradition, like an ancient bronze sword?