Bibi van der Velden Brings Jewels on Wheels to Rosewood Amsterdam
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By PAGE Editor
For Bibi van der Velden, sustainability is not an accessory to the jewelry—it is embedded in the material, process, and philosophy behind each piece. During Amsterdam Fashion Week, the sculptor and jewelry designer brought her Jewels on Wheels to the newly opened Rosewood Amsterdam, creating a mobile extension of her Amsterdam flagship where guests can experience her fantastical approach to fine jewelry up close.
“Jewels on Wheels is an extension of our flagship store in Amsterdam, but also the jewelry cart that we have in Rosewood, which drives through the hotel and can come to your suite with a little ring for jewelry,” van der Velden explains.
Inside the cart is a selection of the designer’s collections, including Enchanted Forest, a body of work inspired by “the magic of nature.” Among its sculptural characters is a frog ring carved from quartz, its interior populated by tiny mushrooms made from sapphires. Yet beneath the fantastical forms is a deliberate consideration of materiality.
“All the gold that I use is 100% recycled gold that we get from New Zealand,” she says. Van der Velden’s relationship with responsible gold sourcing extends beyond her own studio practice. “I was an ambassador for a sustainable way of gold mining for many years with Solidair Dudok, which is an extension of Max Havelaar. We endorse projects in South America and in Africa.”
After years of research into responsible sourcing, she says her approach has evolved toward recycled gold derived from industries that already use the material. “After many years of research, I really find that this is one of the most sustainable things out there,” she says. “So it's gold that's derived from the tech industry and the medical industry, 100% certified recycled gold, and I mean, we really pride ourselves in being as sustainable as we can.”
That commitment exists alongside Van der Velden’s fascination with engineering. Her alligator bracelet, for example, incorporates “a little hidden button” that allows the piece to snap shut on its tail. “The mechanism becomes part of the design,” she says.
The result is jewelry that treats sustainability, sculpture, and technical ingenuity as interconnected rather than competing ideas. In van der Velden’s world, responsible material choices do not diminish the fantasy—they give it another layer of meaning.
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At Rosewood Amsterdam, Bibi van der Velden’s Jewels on Wheels introduces her Enchanted Forest collection while underscoring a longstanding commitment to recycled materials, responsible sourcing, and sustainability as integral elements of fine jewelry.