THIS INSANE OPAL RING!!!! This was an intense ring to carve and set and oh so very worth it!! 18K + Australian opals and diamonds. Please click through for more photos of different angles…
Continue readingart nouveau opal ring
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‘E’ initial pendant
breaking wave solitaire
Hokusai’s Wave-inspired solitaire, set with a wonderful sea-green Tourmaline. I gave the ring a satin/brushed finish for the most part, but with some brighter bits at the wave crest, etc.
Colored stones are often cut with deep bulbous pavilions, and while I prefer the tidy look of a bezel setting, sometimes I hate to enclose so much of the stone. However, carving a little opening in the side of the setting creates a little window to view the pavilion, and also lets additional light enter the stone for a brighter overall effect up top.
I continued the carved design around the gallery view and side window: one side has the lower wave/water, and this side I carved some clouds scudding across the sky.
Continue readingcicada #1
What better muse for a fantastic jeweled insect than a giant beautiful weird cicada? They have incredible wing structure and a slightly robotic look about them. A perfect candidate to recreate in 18K gold and multi-colored sapphires.
It is no fun to leave the backside plain. The chain used for this pendant was an antique watch chain; we did end up swapping out the circular spring-clasp for another swivel clasp to match the other side.
Many more photos after the click:
Continue reading1/4ct peacock band
My original version of this ring was carved for a stone around 2.5mm in size, but in the past few years, I’ve altered it to fit a stone that was closer to 4mm.. So, I decided to carve a new ‘master’ wax that was specifically designed around a 1/4ct / 4mm stone and here is the first piece made from that new mold.
19K rose gold with a vivid peacock blue diamond (the diamond has been heated and/or irradiated to create and intensify the color. It was likely a brownish color originally). More pics after the click:
Continue readingfantastic insect pendant #1
This dreamy full spectrum opal I picked out of literal thousands a couple years ago at the Tucson gemshow. Let’s just say that this was not the first time I was unable to pass up a stone… Lately, I’ve been looking through my stock at these gems I’ve collected over the years and decided it was time to make something for them. I’ve always loved jeweled insects, and the weirder/wilder the better, so it seemed like a perfect match: design a series of fantastic insects for these singular stones I’ve acquired over the years. Here is the first I completed: Ethiopian opal & diamonds in 18K.
Continue readingsea holly pendant
The photograph below, taken by Susie Dranit, the woman behind one of my favorite Instagram feeds, @bobandmarge, inspired a doodle that eventually turned into this pendant. Apparently, I have a thing for circular, wreath-like pendants, as this is not the first I’ve made that have a round thing going.. I think the pendant turned out so cool; I love making metal lacy. 18K
Susie sent me some Sea Holly seeds early this spring to try out! I got them started a bit late due to a random really late freeze/snow, but the plants are doing their thing and hopefully I’ll get some of my own feather-spikey blooms soon.
Continue readingcalifornia poppy band
Perfect little California Poppy Wedding band in rose gold. One side of the band is even so it will rest nicely against its accompanying solitaire, the other side has a little bit of edge flair.
Continue readingwide platinum cushion solitaire
This gorgeous 1 1/2ct cushion diamond needed a strong setting: Wide shiny platinum band with just a little bit of something-something going on.
Continue readingphoenix pendant
Phoenix pendant in 14K gold carved with roses, and set with rhodolite garnets in the tail feathers.