NOVICA, in association with National Geographic, offers thousands of limited edition and one-of-a-kind gifts, jewelry, and home decor treasures handmade by master artists and artisans throughout the world. Ruby Yallouz takes her inspiration from the loveliest places in Rio de Janeiro for this design series. The elegant vase suggests a sailboat at sea, at the same time taking the shape of the mountains that ring the beach. Working in burnished sheets of nickel, she creates an extraordinary vase. Artisan Info: "My fascination with metals began when I was 14 years old, when a friend of mine invited me to join a course in jewelry design. It wasn't until I was studying for a degree in architecture that I was able to make my dream come true: I was so excited I invested everything I had in materials and tools. "When I was a student of Architecture and Urbanism, in the beginning of the 1980s, the atmosphere was very optimistic. I studied hard in order to be able to design different pieces. I worked as an architect for some time in fact I received awards for some of my projects. Yet I decided to leave it all and dedicate myself exclusively to jewelry. "Everything was running smoothly until the economic crisis that accompanied the early 1990's. I had to diversify and began to create different types of jewelry and other items. By 2001 I was able to consolidate everything: architecture, design, jewelry and other items. Whether it is a piece of jewelry or a vase, I manipulate metal a
