An Interview With the Designer

KOZAKH was founded in 2013 by Cyntia Kozak, right after she moved to the US. Originally from Argentina, and with a background in fashion, Cyntia arrived with a head full of ideas, and a desire to create beautiful things. KOZAKH came to life as a creative outlet for Cyntia, who has been a lifelong accessories lover. 

“I was spending every minute making jewelry at my boyfriend’s house, for months! I wanted to create something that had a modern feel, but was also timeless. I was my first customer, so it had to be affordable, and the kind of jewelry I could live in every day. Quality and materials are things I was focussed on from the beginning. This type of jewelry is now called “demi-fine,” but back when I started, it was just an idea for a kind of jewelry that was high quality, but still affordable.”

One of the special aspects of Cyntia’s designs is her creative use of Gold Filled metals. Gold Filled is a hybrid metal that is essentially a layer of gold “filled” with another metal, like brass or copper. It has a much thicker layer of gold than other more commonly used metals, like gold plated or vermeil. Additionally, the “filling” process creates a much stronger bond between the gold and base metal, so the gold layer is much more durable. 

“The biggest problem with gold plated and vermeil jewelry is that the gold layer tends to wear off very quickly, resulting in discolored splotchy jewelry, and sometimes even green skin! So, I never wanted to use these “disposable” metals to make my jewelry, because it would soon end up in the trash.”

If it’s so much better, why don’t more brands use Gold Filled? 

“Simply put, Gold Filled is much more difficult to work with. On the other hand, it’s very easy to make something gold plated, which is why most fashion jewelry brands use that method instead. I decided to take this as a challenge, and figure out a way to make the designs I wanted in Gold Filled. This really challenged me creatively, and I think it is one of the major reasons my jewelry has a unique style.”

Cyntia continues to design exclusively in 14K gold, gold filled and sterling silver, and only uses real gemstones and pearls on all of her pieces. Her mostly dainty designs range from minimalist staple pieces, to statement pieces that are made to be lived in everyday.