From Engines to Emerald Cut: the Precision and Technique of Lilit Fine Jewelry
There’s a confidence in the way Kellie Alkayam talks about materials—an ease that comes from understanding how things are built from the inside out. Before gemstones, her world revolved around engines, torque, and mechanical precision. Today, that same sensibility lives on in her jewelry practice at Lilit Fine Jewelry where structure, durability, and beauty coexist with intention.
I photographed Kellie as part of my ongoing Denver makers portfolio, a personal project focused on artists and artisans whose work reflects both craft and process. As a Denver editorial photographer, I’m drawn to creators who bring depth and discipline to their medium.
A Foundation in Precision
Kellie’s journey began at a vocational high school, where she studied automotive technology before landing her first job rebuilding Subaru engines at a Denver engine shop. After further training at Wyotech, she was hired by BMW, working for several years as a master technician. It was an environment defined by problem-solving, exacting standards, and systems that had to function flawlessly. These skills now quietly inform her approach to jewelry design.
When the recession slowed the auto industry, Kellie found herself at a turning point. At her parents’ encouragement, she joined their jewelry business, where she spent 14 years learning the trade. Under her mother’s mentorship, she developed a deep understanding of design, stones, and craftsmanship. In February 2024, she took the leap to open Lilit Fine Jewelry, streamlining her practice to focus almost entirely on custom work.
Designing Around the Stone
Kellie’s creative process often begins with a center stone—its color, cut, and character serving as both anchor and inspiration. From there, she sketches, refines, and adjusts proportions, carefully considering how each piece will wear and endure over time. Longevity, comfort, and a client’s lifestyle are as important as aesthetics.
Once a design is finalized, it moves into production, where a team of skilled goldsmiths brings her drawings into physical form. For Kellie, seeing this sketch transformed into a finished piece never loses its impact. The most meaningful moment comes when a client sees their piece for the first time and the concept becomes something deeply personal.
Influence, Materials, and Meaning
Kellie finds a lot of inspiration from vintage jewelry, where ornate details and craftsmanship take center stage. She also draws inspiration from architecture, interior design, nature, and the gemstones themselves, allowing each element to guide the final outcome.
Her favorite stones shift depending on the moment, but sapphire, spinel, and tourmaline are current favorites. Each stone offers its own personality and unique qualities that shape the direction of a design rather than simply decorating it.
The Rhythm of a Practice
Creativity, as most artists find, doesn’t always arrive effortlessly. When Kellie finds her creativity needs coaxing, she seeks quiet moments with her sketchbook, allowing imperfect drawings to lead the way. Often, the idea she least expects becomes the most compelling.
Building an independent practice has required finding balance. A self-described perfectionist, Kellie has learned to release what she can’t control and focus on what she can do well. Her greatest success has been the steady growth of her business through referrals, which is a meaningful achievement in a field built on trust, collaboration, and respect.
Photographing Artists in Place
This portrait session is part of a broader body of work documenting creatives across Colorado. As a Colorado editorial photographer and Denver portrait photographer, I’m interested in capturing artists within their environments—spaces where process, material, and identity intersect. Through Denver environmental photography, these portraits aim to reveal not just what artists make, but how their work takes shape.
More from this ongoing series can be found in my forthcoming Denver makers portfolio, a visual exploration of craft, process, and the creative landscape of Colorado.
