Sustainable jewelry designed and made in Montréal, Canada
Be bold. Be unique. Be you.
A piece with a past. A story that becomes yours.
Perhaps it recalls a fond memory, expresses something you believe in or simply makes you feel more yourself. I’m Tonya Dickenson. I create statement necklaces from antique, vintage and recycled treasures I have collected since 1978, bringing their character and craftsmanship into wearable art that is yours alone.
Asymmetric by Design is a Canadian jewelry brand and studio in Montréal, Québec, founded by designer Tonya Dickenson. Its distinctive designs are handmade predominantly from antique, vintage and recycled materials. Tonya also redesigns jewelry people already own and creates custom commissions.
Each design comes with an Environmental Impact Statement estimating the carbon emissions and water impacts avoided by reusing materials rather than sourcing equivalent newly produced materials. These are calculated using Asymmetric by Design’s proprietary model, developed by Oxia Initiative.
Latest designs
New one-of-a-kind pieces from the studio
Find the piece that feels like you. Discover new combinations of color, texture and history, each made only once. When a piece is gone, it is gone.
Seven collections. Different stories. Shared values.
Every collection begins with an idea I care about, from women’s empowerment to peace. Materials, composition and names give it a voice. Find a piece that speaks to your story and values.
Women’s empowerment and gender equity, worn close to your heart. I use pearls to express courage and resilience and rough-cut diamonds, crystal and quartz to evoke ceilings shattered and conventions challenged. For those claiming their place and making room for others.
Canadian pride, worn boldly. Real maple leaves and vintage freshwater pearls honor our flag, our sovereignty and our resolve. Handmade in Montréal, for those who want to wear what Canada means to them.
Standing for what is right, no matter the storm. Inspired by the Southern Cross, the celestial compass that guided Saharan nomads safely through the desert. Designed for those who lead with their values.
Beauty in every difference. Contrasting textures, shapes and sizes meet rainbow hues and the richness of skin tones. Carved wood, colorful beads and antique silver come together to celebrate diversity, equity and inclusion. Wear your belief in a world where everyone belongs.
Hope for coexistence, reconciliation and everyone’s right to live in peace. White evokes peace. Dark tones recall conflict and colors echo the flags of people facing oppression. For those who stand for human dignity, democracy and the rule of law.
Unexpected materials and combinations. Designs made to be taken apart and reimagined again and again. For those who believe the future of fashion is slow and beautiful, and that beauty and care for the planet belong together.
Heirlooms and treasures, reimagined. Delicate filigree, antique silver from Yemen, Morocco and Afghanistan, and vintage carved stones find new life in distinctive necklaces. Discover what is known of their origins, craftsmanship and earlier lives, and make their next chapter yours.
Our values
Sustainable jewelry that begins with beauty
Asymmetric by Design is a contemporary artistic practice and circular-design company.
My designs began with a love of beauty. Since 1978, I have collected vintage and antique beads for their character, history and remarkable craftsmanship. The beauty already exists. Imagination gives it a new life.
Sustainability is part of how I create, not a look you have to wear. Choose a piece because you love its shape, its colors, its story and how it makes you feel. Its materials have another life ahead of them.
Unique
A work of art, a piece as unique as you. Each design is handcrafted from carefully selected beads sourced across the Middle East, South America, Asia and Africa, bringing distinctive materials together in unexpected and unique combinations. The asymmetry is deliberate: it draws you in and sparks conversation. Like an irregular pearl or a jagged coastline, a piece need not be perfectly symmetrical to be extraordinary.
Empowering
My customers tell me they feel bolder, more confident and more themselves in my designs, at important meetings, milestone celebrations or simply on an ordinary day.
Supporting women, championing equality and advancing women’s health are central to my work and the causes I support.
My pieces are made for women ready to make a statement about themselves and their values.
Sustainable
Like a painter uses paint or a sculptor uses stone, my medium is the bead. The older and more unusual, the more it inspires me. I give forgotten treasures a new life, working with antique beads, reclaimed silver, vintage pearls, recycled glass, bone and horn.
Each design comes with its own Environmental Impact Statement, with modelled estimates of the carbon emissions and water impacts avoided by reusing existing materials rather than sourcing equivalent newly produced materials.
Wear Your Values.
The environmental difference reuse can make
What changes when we use what already exists? Each design’s Environmental Impact Statement explores that question using its materials and their weights, comparing reuse with an equivalent quantity of the same newly produced materials.
The model was commissioned by Asymmetric by Design and developed by Oxia Initiative, an ESG certification and environmental-impact company. Master’s students working on a capstone project with McGill’s Desautels and DataSphere Lab are reviewing, updating and refining the methodology and expanding its coverage.
One example: Our North Star
An antique Southern Cross pendant in silver, 100 to 200 years old, paired with vintage barrel coral. At 245 grams, its reuse is estimated to avoid 35 kg of CO₂e, roughly the tailpipe emissions of driving 140 kilometres in an average car, and 531 litres of freshwater.
Estimated environmental savings are based on the materials and weights in this piece and Asymmetric by Design’s proprietary environmental-impact model, commissioned by Asymmetric by Design and developed by Oxia Initiative. Results estimate the impact avoided by reusing existing materials instead of sourcing an equivalent quantity of newly produced, mined or sourced material. Figures are modelled estimates, not direct measurements.
The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.
Robert Swan
The future of luxury is slow fashion. Redesigned, not mined.
About
Montreal jewelry designer Tonya Dickenson
My fascination with beads began in Egypt in 1978, where, as the daughter of a Canadian diplomat, I discovered antique beads and silver. I became a collector of these unique time capsules and a student of their role in culture and history, on hundreds of journeys across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and South America.
Seeing firsthand the remarkable inequalities and the disproportionate impacts of climate change, I understood the importance of empowering women, and the urgent need to protect our planet.
I am the founder and designer of Asymmetric by Design, self-taught, with more than 30 years of design practice. Designed and made in Montréal, Québec. Personal consultations by appointment, and the work can be seen in person at the Montreal Art Center and Museum, 1844 William Street.
Recognized in Montréal and beyond
Featured by CBC, MTL Times, CTV News Montréal and La Presse, and invited to speak on ESG at HEC Montréal. The recognition, in order:
- Recognized artist, Canada Council for the Arts, since 2024
- Global 50 Women in Sustainability, 2025
- Top 25 Emerging Entrepreneurs of Québec, 2025
- MMODE: three finalist placements in 2025, finalist in 2024, and the Coup de Coeur du Président shortlist in 2023
- Certified Made and Designed in Québec by Les Produits du Québec
- Exhibitor, Salon des métiers d’art du Québec, December 2026
- Environmental figures from a model developed by Oxia Initiative
Coverage of my jewelry and of my Army of Masks work.
Seal of approval
Keep the connection. Reimagine the piece.
Your grandmother’s necklace. A cherished brooch. Pearls you love but never wear. All sitting in a drawer. It may be broken, dated or simply not your style, and you cannot bear to part with it.
Tell me what matters most and what you would love to be different. Together, we can explore a new design while preserving the elements and memories you want to keep. The moment I love most is when clients tell me: “I did not realize that what I already own could become something entirely new.”
Dreaming of a redesign or a custom commission? It begins with a private consultation by appointment; I then propose the materials and the price, make the piece by hand, and send it insured and tracked. If a piece you loved is sold, tell me, and I will design an alternative for you.
Frequently asked questions
Is every piece one of a kind?
Most designs are one of a kind. Occasionally, limited quantities of particular components allow related designs. Each product description makes this clear.
Are all the beads antique?
No. I work with antique, vintage, recycled and some recent components. I do not work with any newly produced resin. Product descriptions explain what is known about their materials, age and origin. Generally it is a mix of beads from different eras and origins.
How do I choose a piece for myself or as a gift?
Start with the colors, shapes or collection story that speak to you. Consider length, weight and clasp too. If you are choosing for someone else or have questions about a design, contact me for guidance.
Where can I find sustainable jewelry made in Canada?
Asymmetric by Design makes one-of-a-kind sustainable jewelry in Montréal, Québec. Each necklace is assembled by hand, predominantly from antique beads, reclaimed silver, vintage pearls and recycled glass, and ships across Canada by Express Post, insured and tracked. The work can also be seen at the Montreal Art Center and Museum.
Can you redesign jewelry I inherited?
Yes. I redesign inherited, broken or unworn jewelry, especially beads, pearls and semi-precious pieces, into something you will love wearing. It begins with a private consultation by appointment in Montréal; I then propose the materials and the price before anything is taken apart, so the memory and the value of the original are respected.
What makes your jewelry more sustainable and ethical?
For me it means three things: beginning with what already exists rather than newly mined material, respect for the people and cultures behind each bead, and honesty about impact. My pieces are made predominantly from antique, vintage and recycled materials, and each design comes with an Environmental Impact Statement estimating the carbon and water impacts its reuse avoids.
Can I change the length or add earrings?
Yes. A length or clasp change is $20 CAD plus materials, and matching earrings are $25 CAD. Write to me before you order and I will tell you what the piece allows.
What does a piece cost?
Every price is shown on the piece itself, in Canadian dollars. The necklaces featured in the collections range from $85 to $950 CAD, and most orders fall between $150 and $450 CAD. Redesigns and commissions are quoted after the consultation, once the materials are chosen.
Do you ship across Canada?
Yes. Orders leave within 1 to 3 business days by Express Post and arrive in 2 to 5 business days, insured and tracked. International orders travel by Canada Post in 2 to 3 weeks, with duties paid by the buyer. Returns are accepted within 14 days of delivery, with return shipping at the buyer’s cost.
Can I see the pieces before I buy?
Yes, at the Montreal Art Center and Museum, 1844 William Street, or at a private consultation by appointment, and this December at the Salon des métiers d’art du Québec, at the Grand Quai of the Port of Montréal. Write to tonya@asymmetricbydesign.com to arrange it.
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Or find the piece that is yours today.