Founded in 2021 by Nelson Foo and Joshua Tan, Kaimirra specialises in contemporary jewellery made with ammolite and meteorites, alongside a curated selection of gemstones.
Its latest boutique reflects the brand’s aim to make these materials more accessible, allowing visitors to examine their individual characteristics, compare different pieces, and learn more about what goes into selecting and caring for them.
A space for discovery
Unlike familiar gemstones that many customers may already know, ammolite and meteorites often come with questions about their origins, appearance, and natural properties. Kaimirra’s new boutique addresses this through a setting that encourages visitors to take their time with the jewellery rather than simply view it behind a department store counter.
The space offers a more immersive introduction to the brand, with opportunities to explore the collections, receive styling guidance, and understand the materials behind each design. Seeing the jewellery in person is particularly important when it comes to natural materials, where no two pieces are exactly alike. Differences in colour, pattern, and texture can influence the character of a finished piece, making close observation part of the selection process.
Ammolite, in particular, can reveal different colours and patterns depending on how light meets its surface and the angle from which it is viewed. Examining a piece under changing light allows customers to appreciate these variations for themselves, while conversations with the team can help clarify what makes one stone different from another.
The boutique also introduces visitors to Kaimirra’s wider range of meteorite jewellery, with pieces featuring Muonionalusta, Aletai, Lunar meteorite, and Sericho pallasite. Each material has its own geological story and visual character, offering a different perspective on jewellery beyond conventional precious stones.
The stories behind the materials
At the centre of Kaimirra’s collections is ammolite, an organic gemstone formed from the fossilised shells of extinct ammonites. Dating back at least 66 million years, it is commercially mined for gem-quality material almost exclusively in Alberta, Canada.
Its iridescence comes from light interacting with thin layers of aragonite within the fossilised shell, producing colours that may range from red and orange to green, blue, or violet. No single piece necessarily displays the full spectrum. Instead, each stone has its own distribution of colour, brightness, and pattern, giving the finished jewellery an individual character.
This natural variation is part of what makes selecting ammolite a personal experience, and why the opportunity to view it firsthand plays such an important role in Kaimirra’s boutique concept. Kaimirra also works directly with miners in Canada to source ammolite, with material origin, natural character, and clear product information forming part of its approach to customer education.
On the other hand, meteorites offer another kind of natural history. Muonionalusta, an iron meteorite found in northern Sweden, reveals a fine interlocking pattern of nickel and iron when polished and etched. Aletai meteorite, found in China’s Xinjiang region, can display a broader, more graphic pattern.
Lunar meteorites, meanwhile, are fragments of rock from the Moon that were ejected by impacts and eventually landed on Earth. Sericho pallasite, found in Kenya, combines olivine crystals with an iron-nickel matrix, creating a contrast between translucent mineral and metal.
Together, these materials bring a sense of natural history to contemporary jewellery, with each piece reflecting geological processes that span millions of years. Through its collections, Kaimirra celebrates the distinctive beauty of ammolite and meteorites, while giving customers a deeper appreciation of the stories behind these extraordinary materials.
A closer look at Kaimirra
The appeal of Kaimirra’s new boutique lies in the opportunity to experience these remarkable materials up close. Visitors can take their time comparing the colours and patterns of ammolite, examining the intricate textures of meteorites, and discovering how each finds its place in contemporary jewellery.
With guidance on styling and care, the experience offers a more personal way to explore the collections and find a piece that resonates with them. The opening marks a new chapter for the Malaysian brand, further cementing its place in the niche world of ammolite and meteorite jewellery.
Located on Level 3.14 of Pavilion Damansara Heights, the boutique invites curious visitors and jewellery enthusiasts alike to discover something beyond the familiar. Whether drawn by ammolite’s shifting iridescence or the extraordinary origins of meteorites, visitors can explore Kaimirra’s jewellery at its new Damansara Heights boutique or kiosk at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.
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Photography by Imran Sulaiman.