A commissioned piece of jewellery is always a special item, but with the pandemic still raging, the treasures that I had the pleasure to create during 2021 took on a particularly meaningful role. Heirloom gemstones took centre stage in many pieces with fully traceable gems making up the majority of the rest. I have also been working hard on developing my sketching and rendering skills!
Aquamarine Earrings
These beautiful aquamarine earrings were commissioned as a gift for a March birthday. They feature two stunning deep blue aquamarines that are responsibly sourced from the Garimpo Jatoba, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and set into recycled silver nuggets.
Moldavite Pendant
A childhood friend asked me to make a setting for this beautiful moldavite stone that she had collected a few years ago. Moldavite is glass that was formed during a meteor strike and is found in a crater in Southern Germany. As moldavite is quite a fragile stone, I had to take a lot of care whilst setting it.
The "Treasure Trove"
A few months ago, a couple brought a collection of old jewellery and loose gemstones to me with the intention of creating a few pieces that were more to their taste and, most importantly, wearable. The result was three necklaces, a bangle, a pair of earrings and four rings! The lariat-style necklace features what is thought to be garnet, citrine, emerald and sapphire, the earrings are thought to be pink and yellow sapphires and the large oval garnet in the gold granulation ring used to be the central feature of a large gentleman's ring. I nicknamed this project "the treasure trove" whilst I was working on it and the name has stuck!
Moonstone Bangle
This stunning moonstone cuff bangle was commissioned as a thank you gift. The moonstone was responsibly sourced from an artisanal mine called Corrego Vazante da Cachoeira - Divino da Laranjeiras, Brazil and cut by a cooperative in Teofilo Otoni, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The majority of the silver is 100% recycled (the bezel wall surrounding the stone is fine silver and not 100% recycled).
Aurora Ring
I called this the "Aurora" ring because it reminds me of the forest of thorns surrounding Sleeping Beauty's castle, with one gorgeous rose sitting amongst them. The ring itself is made of 100% recycled silver, with the top oval consisting of scraps and off-cuts that have been melted together to form something beautiful. The gemstone is a Moyo rhodolite garnet, mined by women miners in Tanzania. They have formed a collective called TAWOMA where they work together to gain knowledge and support, fair prices for their gems and access to safer working practices. You can read more about their story here.
It has been an honour and a privilege to work with such beautiful materials and create such gorgeous pieces for my wonderful clients. I'm really looking forward to what 2022 has in store for me - the people I get to create for, the stones I get to work with, the dreams I get to bring to life.
Thank you for continuing to follow my jewellery journey!
Kate xxx
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