Smog The Silver, 18ct Gold, Tanzanite & Diamond Dragon Necklace

by Aimee | Oct 29, 2017

Smog The Silver, 18ct Gold, Tanzanite & Diamond Dragon Necklace

Silver, 18ct Gold, Tanzanite & Diamond Dragon Necklace:

This beautiful pendant began its story as a selection of gemstones that have been given as a gift from a friend. After a discussion of the type of jewellery styles and themes some sketches of some dragons, as well as some dragonflies began. All would be statement pieces using a number of the tanzanites, citrines, and diamonds.

The dragon designs looked quite whimsical and the chosen design was handmade in sterling silver and 18ct yellow gold with tanzanites in the wings, diamonds in the body and a citrine in the gold firey flame.

How was the silver dragon pendant made:

From the beginnings of a conversation and a few sketches, some CAD designs were created. The settings for the tanzanites were made using silver firstly. Sawing and filing many grooves into the square wire and soldering together I created the outline of the wings and body. Once all soldered together some shape was given to the wings using a doming punch from the reverse side and filing and sawing from the front to make it look more delicate. All of the settings were soldered onto the wings and body (this was exactly like a game of operation with a shaky hand and tiny tweezers) and it was ready to be set, polished and placed in a nice big wooden box. My stone setter also decided to call him smog!

Commission your own jewellery

Begin with an email

If you would like to discuss a similar piece of jewellery please send me an email via my contact page. Alternatively come and follow one of my social media accounts, leave a comment, like, review and share. I’d love to hear from you.

Handcarved Gold Elephant Pendant and Earrings

by Aimee | May 5, 2017

Handcarved Gold Elephant Pendant and Earrings

Hand-carved Gold Elephant Pendant and Earrings:

This elephant jewellery collection was made for a 60th birthday present for someone who loves to travel and had a love of elephants keeping many elephant decorations around the house.

The birthday gift had to be for everyday wear with a particular love of emeralds to be included in the designs.

I chose to research into the decorated elephants of Burma as part of the birthday present was also a holiday in Burma. The trunk and saddle would be the perfect areas to set the emeralds and rubies. All set in delicate grain settings these would make a great feature on the pendant and earrings.

How were these made:

The elephant pendant was carved by hand in wax. I choose a green wax for its strength. The wax was then sent off for casting in 9ct yellow gold. During this process, I chose to have a cold mould made as well. Whenever I have spent a long time creating a wax piece I usually have the cold mould made in case there is any casting disaster resulting in having to start again.

The earrings were designed using a CAD computer program, each piece was then 3d printed and cast in gold.

Once the elephant pendant and earrings were in a gold form I could clean, polish and send it for hallmarking. On their return the emeralds and rubies were set along the trunk and saddle.

The final stages of hand making this elephant jewellery collection were to mask off everything I wanted to stay a yellow colour. All surfaces left would be plated white with rhodium, I used a red resist pen to do this. There were 2 reasons to do this, 1: I wanted the decorated saddle to be a white metal, 2: Many gems show a better colour when set in a white metal.

The red resist can be removed when the pieces have been rhodium plated and the pendant and earrings are then ready to wear.

IMG_0108

IMG_0112

IMG_0118

IMG_0232

IMG_0219

IMG_0245

IMG_0230 (1)

IMG_0243

IMG_0264

IMG_0290

Commission your own jewellery

Begin with an email

If you would like to discuss a similar piece of jewellery please send me an email via my contact page. Alternatively come and follow one of my social media accounts, leave a comment, like, review and share. I’d love to hear from you.

Silver and Diamond Knot Pendant

by Aimee | Oct 20, 2016

Silver and Diamond Knot Pendant

Silver Diamond Knot Pendant:

This silver diamond knot pendant was designed using a very sentimental diamond taken from an heirloom ring.

The pendant was fabricated by hand; creating the silver wire, carefully wrapping it into the desired shape and soldering it all together. It was then ready to polish, hallmark and have the diamond set securely.

Initial Pendant Designs

Sketching various pendant ideas.

making a silver knot pendant

Making the silver pendant design and diamond collet to set the stone.

ready to solder together

Each piece has been made and is ready to solder together.

all soldered together

The pendant is soldered together and is now ready to polish, hallmark and stone set.

Commission your own jewellery

Begin with an email

If you would like to discuss a similar piece of jewellery please send me an email via my contact page. Alternatively come and follow one of my social media accounts, leave a comment, like, review and share. I’d love to hear from you.

Gold, Jade and Diamond Pendant

by Aimee | Apr 5, 2016

Gold, Jade and Diamond Pendant

Chinese cloud inspired jade pendant:

This jade stone had been a gift and had once been made into a ring with diamonds. I was asked to remodel the stones into a piece that could be worn as an everyday piece of jewellery.

As the jade had been bought in China, using this as inspiration seemed an obvious direction to take. Auspicious cloud patterns represent the heavens, symbolising luck and fortune, whilst repeated in a pattern symbolises never-ending fortune. Jade is believed to promote wisdom, balance, and peace.

If you would like to discuss a similar piece of jewellery please send me an email via my contact page. Alternatively come and follow one of my social media accounts, leave a comment, like, review and share. I’d love to hear from you.

Moroccan Inspired Pendant & Ring

by Aimee | Mar 28, 2016

Moroccan Inspired Pendant & Ring

The 9ct yellow gold Moroccan inspired sapphire pendant & ring:

This matching 9ct yellow gold pendant and ring set with sapphires and diamonds had been made as a Christmas gift. Inspired by Moroccan architecture these 2 complementing pieces were designed. Each piece was set with a large blue sapphire to pick out the colour often used in Marrakech’s Morjarelle Gardens flower pots.

How it was made:

Each of these pieces were designed using CAD software ArtCam Jewelsmith. Once the designs were completed on the CAD program I was able to have each piece printed and cast in 9ct yellow gold. The pendant and ring could then be cleaned up using files, emery paper and finally polishing. It is at this point the sapphires could be flush set into each piece and the diamonds grain set.

Stay in Touch

Email Aimee

If you would like to discuss a similar piece of jewellery please send me an email via my contact page. Alternatively come and follow one of my social media accounts, leave a comment, like, review and share. I’d love to hear from you.