|
Realising new beauty and life in unique jewels   "A piece of jewellery is often a piece of art. However, it only becomes valuable when emotions are added to it." Jewellers have been re-imagining and bringing new life to historic jewels and gems for centuries. Just as I do with my clients' treasures. Gemstones and jewels create stories of their own going through several transformations in their lives normally far outliving their original owner and designer. Their story quite often adding to their value and creating fierce bidding wars in the modern auction rooms of today. A favourite story of mine was when several great jewels of note, and ones that have since been re-mounted and resurrected, were saved by surviving Romanovs smuggling their royal jewels across borders sewn into their skirts and hidden under elaborate hair-do's to escape the Bolshevik revolution. Historic jewels and gemstones, crafted from diamonds, sapphires and emeralds, have, since their creation, made their way from central jewels on a 19th century royal pagri (turban) to a Maharaja's necklace, to a 1920's women's brooch used to schmoozing amongst American high society to a British diamond and pearl tiara worn to a coronation. Each re-creation reflecting its new owner's taste, the designer's personal flair and the fashion of that time. In my design studio, I too have great fun with my clients in delving into their boxes of 'hand-me-down" treasures to create earrings, right hand rings, bracelets, pinky rings, necklaces and re-inventing engagement rings. Just as those gemstones and jewels from past royals have a history, so do all our treasures. I've spoken before how each new piece of jewellery reflects upon a chapter or an event in our lives. Whilst we re-imagine the old to create the new we add a layer of meaning and significance to that piece. That jewellery box is a story within itself. Jewels should be loved and worn, not put away in a box. Alice x Legacy by Alice Herald: Realising new beauty and life in unique jewels. Legacy: A much loved sapphire is re-mounted into a setting designed to inspire elegance and happiness. Inspired by the mountain air and flight, the open, 'winged' shoulders allow for air to pass freely around the gem and reflections to bounce off the angled V.  Legacy: A princess diamond from an engagement ring, rubies from an anniversary ring and a pair of diamond earrings were the starting inspiration for this beautiful creation.  Legacy: We used diamonds from a couple of different rings to create a necklace and bracelet matching set like the above 18kt gold foxtail chain for the client to wear everyday.   Legacy: A 23 carat Aquamarine ring bought at auction was re-cut to maximise its colour and brilliance and set into this bespoke 18kt rose gold and diamond ring setting.  Legacy: A sapphire from a Grandmother and one given for a 21st. We re-cut one to match the other and sourced the extra diamonds and central grey cushion spinel.  This ring highlights an aspect of Legacy that I love. We had 1 sapphire and 1 diamond from 2 of Grandmother's rings. The diamond was an old miners cut so its facets are cut differently to a modern day brilliant cut diamond. As a result they sparkle and perform differently. Whilst we matched the low colour of the old diamond, we kept the modern vs. old to add to the story of the piece. Uniquely beautiful. |