A Chance Meeting
It’s always an honor when a new project comes to me via word-of-mouth recommendations from former clients. But recently, I’ve been tickled to work with more people who find my work online and felt compelled to reach out. (I’m giving credit to my social media team for that!)
This wonderful couple initially found me on the Gallery 209 website. They were looking for a local designer to create a custom piece for their daughter’s birthday from a variety of heirloom diamonds. They wanted someone they could trust who had already been vetted by a gallery. Of the three designers they contacted, I was the only one who got back to them. That’s how the story began!
Inspiration: Melt Necklace and Family History
While browsing my website, the couple was initially drawn to the Melt Necklace, one of the classic designs from my Ripple Collection. But when we met in person, they felt it was too much of a large statement piece for their daughter, who prefers dainty and delicate pieces. So, I deconstructed the necklace components and we decided that the smallest link in the Melt necklace would become the largest link in the Through the Ages necklace.
The title of this elegant piece comes from the impressive lineage of the family’s heirloom diamonds. Some of these stones have been in the family since the 1890s! The stones were re-set into a ring in the 1920s and now I would set them in a necklace. In total, I had one large round diamond, one medium round diamond, two medium oval diamonds, and an impressive 22 petite diamonds to work with. With so much family history to care for, I knew this piece had to be extra-special.
(As a side note, this couple took the time to have diamonds appraised before handing the gemstones over to me. This is a smart idea if you’re ever thinking about creating a custom piece with heirloom gemstones.)
Sketching and Design
At our second sit-down meeting, I drew out the sketch for the design. In addition to finding homes for the diamonds, I also incorporated a “swoosh” element inspired by the Pinnacle Necklace. The design is reminiscent of the mountains of Colorado, where their daughter lives. Finally, as a further ode to the Melt Necklace, we added five blue topaz round stones. Talk about some serious bling!
As if that wasn’t enough, I was able to incorporate 20 of the petite diamonds into the design, quite a feat in a piece of this size. To make this happen, I utilized a technique called “split micro-prong setting,” which I learned way back in my days at the New Approach School for Jewelers. While I don’t use this technique often in my jewelry, it was perfect for this piece.
CAD Process
A build of this detail and complexity obviously calls for a CAD design. After digitally rendering the piece, we found that the first iteration was still larger than what we were going for (and would also cost more, because of the amount of gold being used.)
After taking careful measurements of the stones, I ended up thinning out the links a lot. My favorite part of this phase of the process was getting to see the blown-up profile view of the piece, which showed which stones were raised and which were flush with the metal. This gives a great idea of just how thin and dainty this piece is. I used six-prong settings on everything that was raised and that micro-prong setting for the small stones. Once the rendering was approved, it was time for printing!
3D Printing and Ancient Casting
After CAD, the piece was 3D printed in wax. (Yes, really!) This model was then cast in white gold through a method called “lost-wax casting.” This method has been in use in jewelry making since the Ancient Egyptians. Talk about combining the old and the new! I’ll go into more detail about lost-wax casting in another blog post, but the short version is that as the wax melts away, the white gold fills the cavity. Hence, “lost” wax. This all happens within a matter of seconds because the liquid metal is so hot.
Once the piece was cast in beautiful 14K white gold, the real fun began. (Let’s be serious, I was having fun the whole time.)
Hand Crafting and Stone Setting
I love CAD renderings, but they tend to be very flat and lack personality. The real magic of jewelry making comes from the hand-crafted portion. After setting a total of 29 gemstones of different shapes, sizes, and colors, I added my trademark hand-texturing to the piece. Then, I connected the five links using my signature Crescent Connection and finally added my favorite white-gold rolo chain.
The final step was cleaning and polishing and then… voila! A stunning statement piece sure to become an heirloom in its own right.
Personal Touch
The couple gave their daughter this priceless gift while on a trip to Colorado for her birthday. Here’s what she said:
“...She loved it! Could not be happier. It was a busy weekend that included side trips to Royal Gorge, the Broadmoor Inn and Pikes Peak.” Sounds amazing!
Including the final delivery, I met with this couple in person three times during the commission process. There were also numerous emails, phone calls, and renderings sent back-and-forth. At the end of the project, my client informed me that he was so happy that, of all the Google searches they could have done, they landed on me. This is the greatest compliment I could have received!
