Light, Landscape, and Form: A Conversation with Camilla Weirich of Sal Jewellery
Inspired by Brazilian modernism, natural landscapes, and sculptural form, Camilla Weirich creates jewellery that enhances, reflects, and transforms.
At Precious Room in Paris, I met Camilla Weirich, the founder of Sal Jewellery, whose work feels both sculptural and deeply connected to place. Her pieces reflect light in unexpected ways — through crystal, gold, and carefully considered form — creating jewellery that feels as much like architecture as adornment.
The name “Sal” carries a quiet but meaningful origin.
“Sal means salt in Portuguese,” Camilla explains. “I’m Brazilian, so it felt natural. And just like salt enhances the flavour of food, jewellery enhances everything you wear.”
It’s a simple idea, but one that perfectly captures the essence of her work — subtle, yet transformative.
Although Sal Jewellery has been established for two years, Camilla brings with her over a decade of experience in the fashion industry.
“I worked as a creative director in fashion for fourteen years,” she says. “Then I decided to create something of my own.”
That transition is evident in the clarity of her aesthetic — refined, intentional, and grounded in strong visual references.
Camilla primarily works with 18-carat gold, often combining rose gold and white gold to create contrast and depth. Her choice of materials is not only aesthetic but also ethical.
“It’s very important for me that my stones come from traceable sources,” she explains. “I work with recognised mines in Brazil for tourmalines and emeralds, and my diamonds come from Botswana. Everything is fully traceable.”
Alongside these traditional materials, she incorporates something more unexpected: sculpted crystal.
“It creates these reflections and transparencies,” she says. “It allows the light to move through the piece in a different way.”
Light, in many ways, becomes part of the design itself.
Her inspirations are deeply rooted in Brazilian modernism and architecture. “I’m inspired by designers like Sérgio Rodrigues, Lina Bo Bardi, and Roberto Burle Marx,” she says. “I’ve visited their homes and gardens, and that had a huge impact on me.”
More recently, her move to Dubai has introduced new architectural influences. “I visited the old Abu Dhabi airport, and it was incredibly inspiring,” she adds. “There’s so much modernist architecture there.”
This connection between architecture and jewellery becomes especially clear in her signature forms. “I work a lot with organic shapes,” she explains. “It started with a dune I saw in Lençóis Maranhenses in Brazil. I took that shape and translated it into jewellery.” These flowing, sculptural lines appear across her pieces, creating a sense of movement and softness.
Another recurring form is what she describes as a “bean-like” shape — drawn from the landscape designs of Roberto Burle Marx. “It’s a shape that comes from one of his gardens,” she says. “I transformed it into something wearable.” Her designs often feel like fragments of landscape — abstracted, refined, and reimagined.
Among her newest pieces is the “orbit ring,” which carries a particularly vivid sense of place. “It was inspired by a night I spent in the dunes in Lençóis Maranhenses,” she explains. “There were no lights — just the stars and the sand. I wanted to capture that feeling.”
As she speaks, I notice how the piece catches the light — subtle reflections that echo her description of that night sky.
Camilla’s design process is equally intuitive and unconventional. “I collect images — sometimes just random details, like the corner of a chair or a piece of wood,” she says. “Then I layer them together and sketch on top.” This collage-like approach allows her to build ideas organically before refining them into wearable forms.
“I work closely with my graphic designer to develop the final piece,” she explains. “We think about how to make it wearable while keeping the identity of Sal.”
Looking ahead, Camilla is focused on expanding her brand internationally.
“I’m very present in Brazil, and also in Germany,” she says. “But I want to grow more in Europe, and now in the Middle East as well.” Having recently moved to Dubai, she sees strong potential in the region. “I would love to expand into Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and the wider MENA region,” she says.
When I ask where she sees herself in a year’s time, her answer feels both personal and aspirational.
“In a beautiful new home in Dubai,” she says, smiling. “Maybe with a baby, a new collection, and hopefully my own store.” It’s a vision that reflects the same balance found in her work — between ambition and intimacy, structure and softness.
As our conversation ends, what lingers is the clarity of her perspective. Camilla’s jewellery is not only about adornment, but about enhancement — of light, of form, and of the everyday moments that shape our lives.
