Temple of the Sun

About Temple of the Sun

Handcrafted in Byron Bay Australia, Temple of the Sun Ceremonial offers both a bespoke design service and a collection of unique engagement rings and unisex wedding bands in their signature modern ancient aesthetic.

All styles are designed by co-founder and creative director Yonna Derofe who skilfully weaves archetypal symbols of love and devotion into contemporary silhouettes brought to life in ethical and responsibly sourced solid gold and precious gemstones.

Temple of the Sun ceremonial speaks to the timeless allure of gold jewellery, as an object of devotion and an enduring language of love.

Behind The Brand

How would you describe your aesthetic?

We are known for our unique modern ancient design philosophy. Our jewellery skilfully weaves ancient archetypal symbology into contemporary silhouettes to create unique designs that are at once desirable, timeless and destined to become meaningful heirlooms.

What inspires you creatively?

All Temple of the Sun jewellery is designed by Co-Rounder and Creative Director Yonna Derofe who draws upon her Turkish heritage and background as a silversmith and ceramicist.

Both Yonna and Darren share a passion for ancient history and travel – both of which inspire Yonna’s designs and feeds her creative process.

From a young age Yonna loved visiting museums and ancient archeological sites, developing into a fascination for the stories behind ancient objects. To see gold jewellery displayed in museums, thousands of years old, still shining like it was gifted only yesterday fills her mind with curiosity around the many memories it carries.

Growing up around solid gold jewellery, Yonna is drawn to its richness and when paired with precious gemstones, the power to speak to significant experiences in ones life.

What advice can you give to couples when shopping for their engagement ring?

Enjoy the process and seek unique, meaningful experiences that you connect with on a deeper, personal level. Ceremonial jewellery is not an everyday purchase, it’s an acquisition of a piece of your own history, a representation of your connection and significant moment with the one they love.

As you embark on your ceremonial jewellery journey, take a moment to be fully present with the feeling and meaning you would like to carry with you throughout the experience and wish to embody within your rings.

What are you drawn to in wedding jewelry right now? What would you like to see less of in your industry?

True to Temple of the Sun heritage, we will always be drawn to yellow gold ceremonial jewellery. As gold becomes purer, the depth of colour and lustre is truly intoxicating. Gold itself has ancient roots, as a finite natural element it has been with us since the beginning of time and has been used in jewellery as a symbol of love and commitment for thousands of years. Gold jewellery has a timeless allure, as an object of devotion and an enduring language of love.

Ceremonial jewellery speaks to honouring oneself or the one we love, this meaning and connection expressed through multiple touchpoints is something we see our clients increasingly looking for. The modern ceremonial customer seeks a meaningful and luxurious experience through co-creation, conscious materials in terms of ethics and sustainability and connection through symbology and design.

Clients are asking for jewellery that will last the test of time, manifesting designs that they will wear forever and eventually become an heirloom. We encourage purchasing with purpose, looking for hand-crafted pieces in quality materials that have been responsibly sourced.

Editor’s Notes

Why we love it…

We love Temple of the Sun’s artful, symbolic approach to jewelry and when we heard they were launching a Ceremonial collection we knew it would be something special for the engagement jewelry world. We’re in love with the artfully suspended stones and contrasting geometric cuts with organic shaped bands. We also love that their pieces are unisex.

For the couple…

Who want an engagement ring or wedding band that feels like a natural extension of their personal aesthetic – a unique piece rich with meaning and all ethically sourced and handcrafted.

Our Advice…

Think deeply about your personal style, the type of heirloom you want to own and let the Temple of the Sun team guide you toward a piece from the collection that feels uniquely you, or have a bespoke custom designed.