I love Art Deco-inspired designs, but I don’t often work in that form, because it’s quite different from my typical flowing style. However, for this unique Delicate Deco commission piece, I was able to incorporate elements of heirloom Art Deco pieces with the signature Kristen Baird® aesthetic. My client and I are both obsessed with the final result!
Fun fact, this client came to me through my relationship with Tharros Place, a shelter for victims of human trafficking. This is one of my absolute favorite local charities, and I’m so proud to work with them whenever possible. This client won an (extremely rare) gift card to work with me through the Tharros Place silent auction. Please visit their site and donate if you feel inspired!
Heirloom Materials and Artistic Inspiration
When this client came to me, she brought a set of heirloom stones that had been in her safety deposit box for thirty years. It was high time we did something with them! The pieces included four trillion-cut cabochon rubies from an Art Deco piece belonging to her grandmother and 11 old mine-cut diamonds in various sizes.
The client loved the Alexandrite Graduation commission piece but wanted something two-toned. She also wanted to honor the vintage nature of the gemstones while staying within the Kristen Baird® style. Finally, she envisioned a piece that could be easily layered with another necklace that she wears daily. It was time to start designing!
Design and Process
The first step for this process was simply taking a photo of the Alexandrite Graduation piece and drawing over it to create the initial sketch. I added yellow-gold bezel accents and the Art Deco-inspired central piece: a complete circle composed of four bezel-set trillion rubies.
Because all the stones were different sizes, including the four rubies, my next step was to build the piece in CAD. The CAD model did not show the white gold prong settings, which I worked in once the piece was fabricated. Then, it was time to set the stones.
The central stones all slid into their bezels and were locked in with prongs on the outside, a very unique way to set a stone. I used the laser welder to add the white-gold settings and finished everything off with lots of hand-texturing. The piece is integrated into the Flow Chain with my signature Crescent Connection.
Delivery
Once the piece was finished, the client stopped by my studio to pick up her one-of-a-kind necklace in person, right before she left for a trip to Italy. As soon as I revealed the piece to her and her husband, she broke out into a grin and put it right on.
After so many years locked away in a safe, her heirloom pieces had finally come full circle. She couldn’t wait to show off her new necklace all over the world. Ciao, Bella!
