Gold remains the foundation of high jewellery, valued for its permanence and centuries of cultural significance. Yet in recent years, another material has begun to establish its place among collectors and designers seeking something less conventional. The rise of coloured titanium marks a quiet but meaningful shift — one driven not by trend, but by technical innovation and a growing appreciation for materials that offer new visual and structural possibilities.
Unlike traditional precious metals, titanium allows colour to exist within the metal itself. Through a controlled anodisation process, its surface develops tonal variations ranging from deep blues to violets and other saturated hues, achieved without pigments or applied coatings. The effect is both precise and permanent, giving titanium a visual character distinct from gold or platinum. Its exceptional strength and lightness further expand what can be achieved in fine jewellery, allowing for forms and proportions that would otherwise be difficult to realise.
At Calla Lily Singapore, this evolving material found its fullest expression in a bespoke titanium collector piece, created as a singular exploration of colour, structure, and balance. Conceived for a private client, the piece reflects a deliberate approach to rarity — not only through the gemstones it carries, but through the material itself. It represents a moment in contemporary high jewellery where innovation, technical expertise, and individuality converge, and where titanium has begun to define a new category for collectors.
Titanium may be tinted in a wide array of colours to create extremely lively and colourful jewellery! In the picture above you can see the leaves made in titanium are coloured in purple and green.
The colour effects are creating using an electrochemical process called “anodising”, by immersing the titanium in a salt solution and passing electricity, which adds to the thin layer of titanium oxide. The thickness of the oxide layer then changes the perceived colour.
In the pictures below and above, you can see the various colours that have been created on the titanium.
Titanium is exceptional amongst metals for the highest strength-to-weight ratio, making it ideal for creating large earrings that are also very light and comfortable to wear.
Appraised for its resistance to corrosion, it’s a perfect choice for people who like to accessorise to the beach, as it’s remarkably unaffected by the effects of salt water and chlorine (we are not necessarily recommending you swim in it, though).
It’s also hypoallergenic as it’s not mixed with potentially irritable alloys, so it can be worn by those prone to allergic reactions to other metals.
The special qualities of titanium, however, also mean that creating jewellery with the metal requires very specialised equipment and techniques that does add significantly to the cost as compared with using gold. But with the amazing colours that can be created along with its light weight, it’s definitely a metal that we love to work with!
Many people wonder how it performs compared to stainless steel. So let us break down the major differences to you…
On the surface, they may look pretty much the same, but there are some key distinguishing features to consider. While both are relatively light, Titanium wins the prize by miles, with a density of 4.54 kg/m3. There is a
reason why it is used for building aircrafts… Making it a very comfortable choice for earrings, for instance.
If we are comparing wearability, the pivotal difference between the two is their components. Stainless steel contains nickel in its composition, hence why it not being considered hypoallergenic, as many wearers with sensitive skin may react to it. Titanium, on the other hand, is all around a safe choice on that end.
Appearance wise, their colours are slightly different: Titanium has a darker shade of silver gray. It also possesses a more weathered look, even when polished. A trait we actually love about it, as it creates beautiful contrast against our colourful gemstones when left in its original shade.
For all of these reasons, Titanium is surely experiencing a rise in popularity. We for one are excited to keep exploring creative options with it in the making exquisite bespoke jewels!
Titanium as a Collector Material: The Future of High Jewellery
Titanium now occupies a distinct position within high jewellery — not as an alternative to precious metals, but as a material valued for entirely different reasons. Its technical demands, the specialised expertise required to shape and colour it, and the precision of its anodisation process naturally limit its use. This inherent difficulty contributes to its desirability among collectors, who increasingly recognise titanium as a material capable of producing jewellery that cannot be replicated through conventional means. Pieces created in titanium often exist as singular works or in extremely limited number, defined not only by their design but by the mastery required to realise them.
At Calla Lily Singapore, titanium offers a level of creative freedom that aligns closely with our bespoke practice. Its strength allows for finely articulated structures, while its ability to hold colour within the metal itself opens new possibilities for nuance and expression. This makes it especially suited to highly personal creations, where every proportion, tone, and element is considered in relation to the wearer.
The Starfish Titanium Earrings embody this approach. Designed as a modular composition — a signature of Calla Lily — they may be worn in multiple configurations, allowing the piece to evolve with the wearer and the occasion. Their surface reveals a shifting spectrum of underwater colour: deep ocean blues dissolve into green, violet, and flashes of pink, like light refracted beneath moving water. Opals introduce an inner luminosity, their iridescence echoing the surrounding titanium tones, while sculpted titanium elements unfold into delicate kelp fronds and organic forms that suggest slow, fluid movement beneath the sea. The result is both structural and atmospheric — a piece that feels alive with colour and depth.
Titanium allows us to explore jewellery as a form of personal authorship, where material, colour, and form are developed in direct response to the individual. For collectors and clients seeking something truly distinctive, bespoke titanium creations offer an opportunity to commission pieces that exist entirely on their own terms. We invite you to discover the possibilities of coloured titanium at our Tiong Bahru atelier, where each creation begins with a conversation and evolves into something uniquely yours.
