Jewelry is a unique adornment about you, for you. It captures a history that you are living, adding to and perpetuating. For these reasons, jewelry needs to be personalized.
In 2008, Eugenia Lee launched Teufi for jewelry lovers who desire more. In the Tahitian Myth of the Black Pearl, Teufi (pronounced “tu’-fi”) is the enchanting daughter of the Sea God. Eugenia chose this name because of her fascination with the ocean and its treasures.
Designs by Teufi pay tribute to the glamour of jewelry in the early 20th century, when jewelry embodied emotion and encapsulated the story of its wearer. Teufi strives to emulate the bygone era by emphasizing a personalized approach to the jewelry experience.
As a child, I loved playing with my mom’s jewelry. It was the 70’s so it’s all the gemstone bead necklaces, chunky gold, ivory and coral jewelry, plus pieces collected during her travels. The style was bold, the material was so diverse and colorful. This was my candy store.I was hooked.
Throughout her studies in engineering and career in finance, Eugenia has always kept alive her love for jewelry design, an art she practiced while remodeling old family pieces. After over a decade in banking, Eugenia was inspired by the encouragement of her friends and the success of her earlier designs to begin this jewelry venture. In preparation for this new endeavor, she participated in design courses and jewelry-making workshops. She received her Graduate Gemologist (G.G.) certification from the Gemology Institute of America (G.I.A.) in 2003.
Jewelry played a prominent role in Eugenia’s upbringing. From a young age, Eugenia was fascinated by the handcrafted jade and gemstone charms she received as gifts from her maternal grandfather, a master jeweler in Hong Kong. By her teenage years, her love for gemology only grew. To encourage this, her grandfather bestowed upon her a collection of gemstone specimens. This life-long fascination with gems and for creating wearable, expressive objects evolved into her passion for the art of jewelry design.
To Eugenia, jewelry is comprised of three elements - preciousness, distinctiveness and meaning. Each piece in the ready-to-wear collection is singular and is designed around the uniqueness of the featured gemstones. The collection is a product of the artful workmanship of the lapidary and cutters, the fanciful creativity of the designer and the exquisite artistry of the master craftsmen.
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AN ENQUIRY
Every assignment begins with a private consultation, with special consideration given to style preference and lifestyle. Eugenia then produces a number of hand-drawn renderings, to be presented to the client for approval. Several revisions may be required to arrive at the perfect, exclusive design. Once the design is finalized, Eugenia works closely with master craftsmen (“Si Foo” in Cantonese Chinese) to bring the creative vision to life. The finished piece is the embodiment of intimacy, personalization, and distinction – an exclusive creation by Teufi.
My clients recognize the meaning and value of their heirloom jewelry and they love to gain more wearability of their heritage pieces through a remodelingcommission that reflect their personality and lifestyle.
All precious resources should be appreciated and conserved. Gems and jewelry, which capture our treasured memories and emotions, can be revived to reflect our current style. Whether these pieces are heirloom treasures or past personal acquisitions, they still encapsulate our family heritage and our personal stories. For a refashion commission, learning the history behind the existing piece is especially important before the creative process can proceed. Often, the uniqueness and beauty of the existing jewelry are retained and incorporated into the new design. The resulting revival is a union of the old and the new, and a triumph of our history and its continuance.
get a set of rubies just for doing something
wholesome like swimming laps?
Or win a diamond ring at ping pong with their husband?
Well, I did, and for all of these memories
and the people in my life I feel blessed.
I’m here to take care of it and to love it,
for we are only temporary custodians of beauty.
Design by 