Kindred Spirit

 In Conversation with Ruth Benjamin-Thomas

As the founder and head designer behind Kindred Color, her approach is both intuitive and exacting. Pieces begin with sketches, loose ideas, fragments of poetry, random images and the living glow of opal itself. From there, form takes shape—modern but warm, sculptural but wearable, created to be held close for a lifetime.

The Kindred Spirit Collection is an exploration of duality: earth and wearer, color and metal, past and future. Featuring 18kt gold and platinum pieces set with Australian opals and colored gemstones, the collection celebrates the quiet electricity of connection—how something forged from the earth can mirror our inner world.

It was with these ideas of kinship, spirit, and intention that we sat down with Ruth to talk about her creative practice, her design philosophy, and the vision behind Kindred Color.

 

What first sparked the idea for Kindred Color? Where did the collection begin for you?

Kindred Color has been living inside me for a long time. Designing for Black Opal Direct opened a doorway into how deeply people connect with gemstone jewelry—how these pieces become markers of personal history. I wanted to build something dedicated entirely to that feeling. Kindred Color is about intimacy and the spirit of the wearer.

 

How would you describe your creative process? What does designing a collection look like for you?

I tend to work in layers. I collect words, colors, tiny impressions of landscape, the way opal shifts when you turn it in your hand. Then I sketch, usually imperfectly at first—little gestures on paper to sense out proportion and movement.

But the real designing starts when I hold the gemstones. Opal teaches you what it wants to become. Colored gemstones give direction with their clarity and tone. The metal becomes the grounding force. It feels less like dictating a form and more like listening for it.

 

What rituals or practices anchor your creativity?

I always begin with stillness. A quiet cup of tea. A clean work surface. Jazz playing softly. And then I place the opals in front of me and let myself just look. No agenda. Just attention. It helps me remember that design isn’t forced—it unfolds.

There’s also a ritual in movement for me. When I reach a sticking point, I go for a walk. Light on water, shadows through leaves… nature reminds me that the simplest forms are often the most elegant.

 

The Kindred Spirit Collection feels both modern and deeply sentimental. What themes were you exploring?

Connection. That’s at the heart of everything. The “spirit” in the name refers to both the earth—opal, gemstone, the origins of material—and the wearer, who brings their own story, energy, and future to the piece.

I'm deeply attracted to the idea that at our core we are unconventional souls, searching beyond the safe and predictable.

 

How does your experience at Black Opal Direct shape your work with Kindred Color?

Working so closely with opal for so many years has given me a deep respect for its individuality. No two gemstones ever mirror each other. You learn to listen, as opal won’t be squeezed into something it doesn’t want to be!

That philosophy carries through everything at Kindred Color. Each design is a collaboration: between opal and me, between wearer and piece, between nature and craft.

 

Which pieces from the Kindred Spirit Collection resonate with you the most?

The by pass rings, especially in their Spirit interpretations. There’s something incredibly moving about two stones leaning toward each other—two lights in conversation. They are also incredibly comfortable wear.

What do you hope people feel when they experience Kindred Color for the first time?

A sense of recognition. As though they’ve found something that already belonged to them. Jewelry can be profoundly grounding when it reflects a truth about who we are. My hope is that each piece becomes a companion—something lived with, not stored away.

 

Shop the Kindred Spirit collection today and discover what speaks to you.