Essays

Essay Four: Inspiration

January 8, 2024

When introducing the Bespoke Section of this website I make mention that the pieces that are exhibited with in came to be as a result of being inspired by an external force. Recently working on the forthcoming Alchemy Book it struck me that this inspiration could in of itself be a topic for an Essay. So I was inspired to address inspiration! Borrowing from Essay One if the proceeding sounded haughty I apologize there seemed to be no other way to write what was trying to be expressed.

The first source of inspiration for the Alchemy collection is the gems themselves. One of the tasks with my job, although I would not call it a task, that I most enjoy doing is buying gems. Equating it to a kid in a candy store does not even do justice to the pleasure I receive from the buying of gems. I seem to approach it as a one for the client and one (or two or even THREE) for me!! If I look at every gem within the Bespoke section I can tell you what gem I was supposed to be buying the day I bought that gem too. I never quite know what I will do with them and they often sit waiting patiently until I do! Gems just inspire me!! For me a truly exquisite gem dances with a life of its own. It is not always the “best” color or the highest “clarity” or the most precisely cut. I have come across many gems that excel in these areas and they are “flat”. Perfect but lifeless. For me a gem must be vibrant and pull you in. I must get lost and need to catch my breath. In that moment inspiration is born. 

The second and third grouping of inspiration behind the Alchemy collection is Art and Architecture both of which I approach in very different ways.

For me and I can only speak for myself, Art is a discipline. I study, reflect and discuss it. I question what is trying to be expressed and if it evokes a response. I never come from good or bad but from how I feel when I experience it. It is through this discipline that often I become inspired. It could be the colors of the paint, the shapes of a sculpture or the relationship of the subjects that when I experience them I become inspired to build upon that and add to the conversation through the Alchemy Collection. (Note to reader .. I think I crossed the Haughty line!) When I go to a museum or gallery it is with the intention to be inspired for the Alchemy Collection.

With Architecture there is no focus or discipline and most often the spatial relationship of the Alchemy pieces are inspired through architecture. As I walk about my daily life, I just see what I see. It can be a grouping of buildings, the curve of a roof, the detail of a fixture. It can be anything and everything, anywhere and any style that my eye is caught and inspiration stirs. I will snap a picture of this subject and then contemplate it and how to express it through the Alchemy collection. I will often sit looking at the photos and doodle future designs never quite knowing where the doodling and inspiration will take me but knowing it will lead to a place of beauty.

Essay Three: White Precious Metals

June 22, 2022

Ever wonder why your White Gold does not look so white after awhile? Or why your stunning platinum engagement ring now looks dull? Or why your high end Silver bracelet that may or may not have come in a little blue box is now tarnishing? There is one simple explanation for all these phenomenas! Read on and you’ll find out why…

One of the most interesting (at least to me!) things about jewelry made in any white metal is that almost all of them are dipped in White Rhodium. This process initially began in the 1930´s. What this means is that with the naked eye looking at three identical rings one made in Silver, another in White Gold and third in Platinum there would be virtually no visual difference between them. However once you picked them up and felt them then there would be a substantial difference! This would be because the ring in Platinum would be 20% heavier than ring in 18k (750) white gold and the 18k(750) white gold ring would be almost twice as heavy as the Sterling Silver ring. This is because Platinum is more dense than Gold and Gold is much more dense than Silver.

The reason these metals are dipped in Rhodium differs greatly. Inherently Platinum is not a particularly shiny metal when polished. So to give it a really bright shine it is dipped in White Rhodium. 18k (750) White Gold on the other hand naturally because it’s Gold has a noticeable yellowish hue to it so pieces of jewelry made in White Gold are dipped in White Rhodium to give them that bright white finish. Although sometimes for design or artistic purpose they are not dipped in White Rhodium as is the case with the Alchemy rings above. Alternatively Silver does have a white finish when it’s polished but not bright white as well as it will tarnish over time so often silver jewelry is dipped in White Rhodium so it will not tarnish and is able to have that bright white finish for a longer period of time.

Eventually over time the White Rhodium will wear away from any of these metals and their true patina will emerge but if you are like many people and you do not like your platinum dull, your white gold with a yellowish hue or your silver tarnished you can always have your piece polished and dipped again. It should be noted that White Rhodium will usually not wear off earrings and pendants. However it is normally more noticeable and wears off much more quickly for rings and bracelets.

Although this was a brief essay I hope it gave you insight into White Rhodium and how it is used with jewelry made in White Gold, Silver and Platinum. On a final note I know we all are lead to believe Gold, Silver and Platinum are the most precious of metals but at the time of writing this Rhodium was trading at $20,000 per ounce while Gold, Silver and Platinum were trading at $1915, $27 and $1010 respectively!

Essay Two: Gold

June 29, 2021

At first glance it would seem that there would not be that much to say about gold to warrant an entire essay, but to the contrary, there actually is a tremendous amount to be said. So much so that it has occurred to me, after trying to write this several times, that there is enough for at least five separate essays! In discussing gold there is composition of the metal itself and what makes it 14k(585), 18k(750) or 22k(916). There is what gives it it’s color be it Yellow, White, Rose or Pink (Rose and Pink are not the same! Nor is Red!) or outliers like Green or Black. There is much to be said about finishes of the metal, dynamics of wearability, attributes of manufacture as well as comparison to other precious metals. So as you can see it’s not just simply Yellow or White and 14k(585) or 18k(750). So as to not bore, overwhelm or confuse everyone I will hone in this essay on composition and color and discuss how they are relevant to the Alchemy Collection.

Due to it’s well rounded workability, at present all Alchemy pieces are manufactured in 18k(750) gold. I would like to touch on a couple of points before delving into the attributes of 18k(750). First, when you say gold most people conjure up images of stacks of gold bars like in the movies centered around elaborate bank heist. In actuality, in the manufacture of jewelry we work with small pebbles of varying shapes and size like the ones pictured through out this essay. By now you have most likely noticed that every time I have written 18k I have followed it with a 750 in parentheses. The reason for this is that this would be the European equivalent to the American Karat system for Gold fineness. I will continue to include this so my international clients are able to follow along in our conversation. Last, only 24k (1000) is pure gold while all other designations 22k(916), 18k(750) and 14k(585) are considered gold alloy because they contain other metals along with gold. There are other gold designations as well however these three are the most often used in fine jewelry. This now leads us to what are those “other” metals with in an alloy and the impact they have on the finished piece of gold jewelry!

Due to it’s well rounded workability, at present all Alchemy pieces are manufactured in 18k(750) gold which is essentially 75% pure gold and 25% other metals. In mixing 18k(750) Yellow gold, normally the other metals used are copper and silver in equal parts. However if you the shift the balance between them just a little and add a bit more copper you will get a deeper richer yellow and if you shift it to a bit more silver you get a brighter vibrant yellow. Since each Alchemy piece is a unique individual creation I discuss with my goldsmiths and casters how the tonality of each piece should be in accord with the overall statement being expressed by the composition.

18k(750) White gold is a fairly straightforward affair being that it is 75% pure gold and 25% white metal. Most jewelers use silver as the other metal while naughty jewelers use nickel because it is less expensive. If you have ever heard that people get a rash from White gold this is the reason! For my 18k(750) White gold Alchemy pieces I use Pallidum as the other metal when I have it mixed for the reason that it gives the gold alloy more flexibility which is important when fabricating the handmade bezels. It is more expensive than using silver but gives a more precise edge and has less risk to breaking the stones during the setting process.

18k(750) Red, Rose and Pink are all made with 75% Pure gold and 25% Copper for Red gold, 22.5% Copper plus 2.5% silver for Rose gold and lastly 20% Copper and 5% silver for Pink gold. The difference between them is fairly subtle and often is up to the personal taste of the client. Again, given I mix the gold alloy for each Alchemy piece I will select the one that is most complimentary to the composition being expressed.

As you can see we’ve barely scratched the surface of what can be said about gold and we are at the conclusion of this essay! If you’ve wondered why we even bother mixing anything at all with pure gold it really stems from need for durability, wearability and choices! Interesting enough when gold ore is mined it is often combined with silver and platinum in the same piece of ore that is then separated using a process called gold parting. All gold jewelry from before 500bc actually contained these metals until this process was first utilized in minting pure gold coins! However this would be a discussion for another day!

Essay One: Sapphires

March 15, 2021

Disclaimer: I worked and worked on this to not have it sound to haughty or artistic so if I failed and in fact it does, do know I tried!

It would appear that color is the foundational component within each Alchemy piece and then it’s relationship to shape, spacial relationship and materials is what is being expressed in each composition. In reality no single component is more significant than any other. Each component carries the same amount of importance in the overall composition. The visual language of circles relating to rectangles, of ovals to squares, or even of like to like as in a composition of all circles demonstrates that it is in fact shape that gives visual harmony to a composition. Additionally, it would seem that spacial relationship just happens by circumstance but in actuality it is carefully thought out to complement and accentuate the visual conversation created by shape. Lastly, but certainly not an after thought, materials have a strong impact on the overall composition given they dictates the physical limitations of each of the three other components. In fact, all four components are reliant on the others to achieve its fullest expression. Given this reliance it’s difficult to discuss a single component without discussing another therefore this first essay will be on Sapphires which will draw on all four components!

Sapphires are a form of mineral called corundum. When people hear the word Sapphire an image of velvety blue stones comes to mind. What most people do not realize is that Sapphires come in every color one can think of and even more surprising is that a Ruby is actually the red shade of sapphire! More over, Sapphires can be opaque or translucent as well as come in the softest of watercolors, the brightest of burst color you have ever imagined or even change colors depending on the source of light hitting the gem. Thus, making it a “go-to-favorite” of mine in creating Alchemy compositions.

Sapphires are also second-to diamonds on the hardness scale, making them very appealing to me. On a scale of 1-10, Sapphires rate as a 9. This is important for two distinct reasons. In all Alchemy pieces the stones are set in bezels which is when the metal wraps all the way around the stone. To achieve this setting and have it look clean and beautifully presented a master goldsmith must hammer the metal onto the top of the gem forming a perfect edge all the while not damaging the gem itself; it is not an easy feat! Given its hardness, a Sapphire is a perfect choice for this process. Second, the design aesthetics in some of the Alchemy pieces, having the smaller stone eclipsing the larger stone requires the smaller bezel-set stone being soldered onto the bezel of the larger stone. Given the heat of the blow torch every time this process is done we risk shattering both stones. With sapphires and diamonds their hardness reduces the risk of this occurring.

Lastly, not only do Sapphires come in a variety of shapes but within those shapes there are many different cuts. For other types of stones the offerings are very limited. Diamonds have a very exact science of how they are cut, so while there are choices of shape there really is a finite amount of options. Many color stones, let’s look at an Emerald for example, are only available in a limited number of shapes, which are basically driven by what shape people expect them to be! Meaning Emeralds are usually rectangles, round or oval! These expectations are not placed on Sapphires so they come in an infinite variety of shapes and cuts. Thus allowing masterful gem cutters to exercise their skills to create an entire whimsical array for me to chose from in forming each composition. This freedom also allows them to create different depths of gems which ties together, in the case of Sapphires, a juxtaposition between shape and spacial relationship; two of the four components of Alchemy.

When you have the opportunity please take a few moments to really look at the Sapphires in each Alchemy composition that contains them to see these attributes of Sapphires come to life. I think you will be surprised and amazed at the diversity of these stunning gems.

Introduction

January 1, 2021

Before delving into the individual components it is important to give you an overview of the Alchemy Collection. Although the pieces are quite simple in presentation they are in fact extremely complicated to produce. The clean lines you see in the photographs belies the skills of the master craftspeople who hand make each and every component. The stud earrings for example contain fourteen separate parts with each earring consisting of two hand formed bezels, four handmade bars on the back side which are used to counterbalance the weight of the smaller bezel set gem, so it can sit where you want it and not have it droop to the bottom, and lastly the handmade post. The gemstones must be set prior to assembly which means if the craftsperson is not vigilante they could actually shatter the stones from heat during the soldering process. This is only one example of the complexity of the manufacturing process!! I will share more of them in the future as part of the “Materials” essays.