Founded in 2017 by goldsmiths, designers, and longtime friends Zaneta Maskova and Sara Vanicek Milesson, SEEN BY QUEEN is a women-owned jewelry label redefining fine jewelry through a contemporary, playful lens. Handcrafted entirely in the brand’s Prague workshop, each piece blends precious materials such as solid gold and diamonds with durable 316L stainless steel, creating modern heirlooms that balance luxury with strength. Drawing inspiration from pop culture, gaming aesthetics, and sculptural design, SEEN BY QUEEN transforms traditional jewelry into wearable symbols of empowerment, where hearts, flowers, and crowns each carry their own intention. Guided by the belief that “being a Queen isn’t just about shining, it’s about being ready for battle,” the brand champions originality, durability, and craftsmanship, producing timeless pieces designed to be worn every day without compromise.
SEEN BY QUEEN describes jewelry as armor rather than adornment. Where did that philosophy begin?
This comes from the experience of conscious wearing. When wearing solid materials you feel the weight, the gravity simply puts you back on your feet, back to yourself- and when you are there, you are stronger! You know therapy with heavy blankets? This is the same, but a jewel you are can wear anywhere all day <3 And if it is a subtle and light piece of jewel, then the SYMBOL makes the heaviness- you wear a manifesto, an affirmation- for all the world around, for yourself. All that is armor, not fashion. Armor up! We’ve got your back.
If someone could only wear one SBQ symbol forever, which would you encourage them to choose—and why?
The heart- LOVE. Because that is all you need <3
Your work redefines femininity through ideas of strength and resilience. How has your definition of feminine power evolved since founding the brand?
Pretty deep stuff. Womanhood comes with a lot of contrasts. Positively softness, resilience, intuition… but also comparison and even envy, insecurity. That is a lot to think about and deal with all life long… in western world women are more or less free but still we have to mask, pretend and behave nicely since childhood… and this hurts our women to women relationships…
The two of us, girl founders, work together for more than 10 years, I think first we felt the SHE power more in terms of a sisterhood- sharing, support and honesty… which principles still are very actual for us, but in meantime we also discovered multiple motherhood, so the definition of femininity super powers grew instantly towards extreme (here I would like to put very much extra points on the word extreme) mental resilience, endurance, patience, the strength of the body, but it came also with the other part of the thing- to allow ourselves to be openly weak and allow emotions out, also being openly soft and very gentle- to be really true to ourselves and transparent to our surroundings, build healthy borders and therefore healthier relationships… So basically I think the idea moved from being a powerful loud wolfpack (with no leader), to just trying to be the best versions of a Human being we can- humble but strong and somehow proud- qualities of a Queen. (Lol. It’s called adulthood, no? :ddddd )
…not all comes with gender or life experience, we all have these qualities somewhere encoded inside our souls and it lives with us in our beautiful bodies- discover it, name it, cherish it- and put a SBQ ring on it as a reminder- no matter what you do, if you change a diaper or you sit at a corporate meeting or travel the world on your bare feet.
In an era of trend-driven fashion, what does it mean to create something intended to last for years?
Personally, we have a thing for clichés, sentiments and guilty pleasures! Because we don’t think it’s necessary to be so serious while working with these- we don’t want our jewels to intimidate with perfectionism and unachievable fancy looks, but to empower and boost confidence.
Trend does not necessarily mean that the product can’t possess the real artistic, technical or material value, nevertheless we feel it is simply a basic moral responsibility of present days to create products which last – for the customer, who doesn’t have to buy every season a new piece because the first tarnished, for the concept of power and armor which should last all the battles one takes, for simplifying the way of thinking about ones garderobes- owning less but better quality, keeps you feel less burdened, and very importantly, we do it for our beautiful environment!
Is confidence something a piece of jewelry can amplify, or does it simply remind us it was already there?
It can do both. Different effects for different individuals and situations!
Has growing the brand changed your own relationship with creativity?
Of course, the change is huge! Creativity becomes just one part of a very complex set of work- the technical, practical and economical part of the brand very much reduces its freedom. But as you can see, we like to keep it playful.
If someone discovered SEEN BY QUEEN with no context, what would you hope they felt before they even put on a piece?
- Curiosity.
- aaawwww <33333
