To celebrate the birth of my son, I wanted to create a wearable, physical artifact: a family coat of arms that symbolizes the union of his mum’s Dalmatian heritage and his dad’s Bantu origins.

I designed a classic signet ring and an oval pendant in sterling silver.

The three swords represent Croatia, Congo, and the United Kingdom. The squirrel, my nickname for his mum, signifies her vital role in our little family. The ‘B’ stands for our shared last name. The laurel wreath and stripes symbolize Split, the Mediterranean city where his mum grew up. The inscription in my native tongue, Lingala, reads: “Wrong is wrong… right is right.”