Masanori Yamazaki started his journey as a jeweler, driven by the collective energy of subcultures and a deep fascination with the individuality of diamonds. With a passion for highlighting the unique character of each stone, he explored the creative potential of jewelry as both art and expression.
In 2003, he founded CORE JEWELS, redefining the boundaries of traditional jewelry. One of his early innovations was the introduction of a bold black diamond collection. Always pushing the envelope, he later merged luxury with technology by launching jewelry enhanced with NFC (Near Field Communication) features and integrated social media experiences.
Under Yamazaki’s vision, CORE JEWELS has collaborated with iconic names including Hiroshi Fujiwara, UNDERCOVER, NEIGHBORHOOD, Tim Burton, Daido Moriyama, Tomokazu Matsuyama, Sony, and more—bridging street culture, art, and innovation.
As a teen, I formed a community where we wore only black—from knit caps to sneakers—and hit the streets together. I’ve always been drawn to black as a color. For me, black symbolizes freedom. It’s a color that cannot be dyed by any other. One day, the idea of black diamonds just clicked in my mind. When I began searching for them in real life, I discovered that very few dealers handled them.
Black diamonds are the strongest and most beautiful black in the world. They became the perfect medium to express my identity.
I’ve always been deeply interested in bridging the gap between Web3 culture and the real world. At COREJEWELS, we previously created a closed community where jewelry—infused with technology and social media—served as the gateway. That experience strengthened my passion for merging digital innovation with tangible experiences.
Currently, I’m in the process of launching a Web3-powered platform designed to connect creators in the real world. We first unveiled the concept during last year’s largest Web3 event, TOKEN2049, co-hosting a sponsor event with Coinhako.
Since then, we’ve continuously refined the project, and now we’re finally preparing to launch the service this year.
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