Special Order Earrings

I was recently contacted by someone who saw my jewelry in a local gallery that carries my work and asked if I might consider doing a special order.

Absolutely!

We met to discuss what was wanted, and my new client was hoping that I could make earrings similar to ones that I had previously made, using baroque pearls that she had received years ago.

The pearls have great sentimental value and the earrings were going to be a gift for a family member.
 

 

Seeing the pearls and appreciating the emotional significance of this project, I suggested using sterling silver.

We agreed on the choice of sterling and I was given the pearls to come up with my version of what I thought was wanted.

I needed to make sterling hoops/rings of very particular sizes and began scanning my studio for the right form for wrapping the wire into shape. 

In the past, I've used knitting needles, tomato paste cans and Sharpies to get a particular size.

 

 

For this project, I turned to my dapping punches and wrapped 14 gauge sterling wire to make coils that were then saw cut into individual rings.

 

The rings were soldered and then hammered, hammered and hammered.

And then I hammered some more.

 

 

I did consider using my planishing hammer to remove the texture marks, but chose not to do that.

I decided I liked the textural marks that capture and reflect the light at different angles.

At the base of each pearl is a small, sterling bead cap that I cut from a sheet of sterling textured with lace in my rolling mill.

The earrings were delivered last week.

 

When making the rings for this pair of earrings, it only made sense to make more for.....whatever.

 

 

I now have a little collection of various sized sterling rings for other projects like.....

 

 

my new favorite earrings.

 

These earrings have lots of movement with the outer and inner rings rotating independently of each other.

I think they're both simple and elegant, and I also think I have to keep this pair for myself.

 

But....similar earrings and others made from my collection of new sterling rings will debut at the upcoming 'Meet the Designers' show at Woodmere Art Museum on Saturday, April 11.