In a unique collaboration, bespoke Australian tapware manufacturer Sussex has teamed up with celebrated Adelaide jeweler Cassandra Mamone to create a highly exclusive range of diamond-set tapware. The partnership – which came about through Sussex director Vanessa Katsanevakis search for the perfect engagement ring – is incredibly apt, as Sussex was founded by Katsanevakis’ father, a jeweler, and watchmaker himself.
Dedicated to making high-end artisanal tapware showcasing the tactile the pleasure of metal, especially raw brass, Sussex is the only Australian a tapware manufacturer with its own foundry, sustainably recycling the precious metal shavings that are a by-product of each hand-finished object they produce.
“Hand-crafted quality is a matter of honor for us so any venture we undertake must align with those principles,” says Katsanevakis. “In working with Cassandra, we discovered a kindred spirit and the results we achieved are not only beautiful but a source of pride for both our companies.”
Utilizing Sussex’s architectural Calibre collection, and inspired by the natural glamor of evening twilight, diamonds have been arranged into a star constellation atop each tap. The result is an elegant and on trend conversation piece for any interior setting that will retain its allure for decades to come. The collaboration came about after a serendipitous discovery by Katsanevakis.
“I found Cassandra on Instagram and was instantly drawn to her dedication to craftsmanship and beauty. Her uncompromising quality is exactly what we do here at Sussex,” says Katsanevakis. “I thought Vanessa’s proposal was exciting and original,” Mamone adds.
“The creative challenge of setting diamonds in taps was so compelling.” The challenge was to make it work on both an aesthetic and technical level. The pair embarked on a trial period to find ways to arrange best and set diamonds in raw brass and have them finished entirely at the other end of the plating and polishing process.
Katsanevakis sees the taps as the ultimate in luxury fittings and believes interior decorators, designers, architects and their clients will embrace their potential. “Our collaboration with Cassandra illustrates what’s possible when like-minded craftspeople come together to explore how everyday objects can become pieces of art,” she says. The diamond Calibre collection from Sussex Taps and Cassandra Mamone Fine Jewellery will be available internationally from early 2017.
