"Damn it Granite, I love you!"

I was recently asked to transform a customer's own cube specimen of pyrite into a ring for a surprise gift for their partner.

The pyrite for their commission was more of a gunmetal colour than most gleaming "Fool's gold", and after discussing different colour options, we decided together that it would be a great contrast to use a pale pink for the ring.

The pyrite cube provided was gun-metal grey, metallic with hard edges.

Bringing together these opposites, a crisp cool metallic with something so soft and delicate seems unnatural, but we can find references in nature. Think of pink granite!

Granite is an igneous rock is formed from the crystallisation of magma below the Earth's surface. It's composition from many different minerals including quartz and feldspar give the colours white, pink and grey with dark flecks.

Pink Granite

We encounter granite everywhere in our daily lives inside and outside our homes:

We run our hands over cool, smooth counter tops,

We are warned not to slip on floor tiles when it's raining,

We are impressed by the grandness of pillars, stairs and building fronts,

We carve in it the names of those we wish to remember

I love plundering the rich resource of rocks and minerals for less obvious uses of colour to evoke and appreciate them.

If it is found somewhere in nature there is still a harmony to be found.

 

 

I walked past this lamp-post everyday in Manchester and it was part of my inspiration for my Modern Ruin series.

Although man made, the bark like texture from the natural rust made this painted metal pillar pleasing to my eye, and I grew to love it in the same way I would instantly connect with  a tree in the woods.

 

The commissioned pink pyrite ring

One of the leading PANTONE colours of 2016 is ROSE QUARTZ, one of the components of granite.

"A persuasive yet gentle tone that conveys compassion and a sense of composure. Like a serene sunset, flushed cheek or budding flower"

"Rose Quartz reminds us to reflect on our surroundings during the busy but light-hearted spring and summer months."

I hope this specially commissioned ring is able to also carry these properties to the new wearer it was made for!

If you have your own mineral or materials and you would like to know more about how it could be made into an object to keep or wear, just drop me an email.

I'm happy to answer your questions or have a chat about some ideas: info@jademellor.com

A Twist on Tradition

"Something old,
Something new,
Something borrowed,
Something blue,
& a silver sixpence in her shoe"

A mixture of vintage beads and sterling silver chain with a hand engraved detail on the safety clasp to match the bridesmaid necklaces with the brides new initials as a secret personal touch to mark the occasion.

Interior designer, artist, model and all round babe, Laura letting me borrow her body when I was testing out the design.

I enjoyed working closely with the bride to be to create something unique and special for her big day, that could also be adapted for future wear so that it could join her treasure trove of jewellery. Worn shorter for the wedding to show off the delicate décolletage of a strapless, sumptuous wedding gown I also designed it so that a long line of vintage rhinestones could drape dramatically down work as a statement with a chic sixties cocktail dress or sparkling on a long-line bold coloured dress. I researched antique jewellery sets when coming up with this piece as I love the versatility of historic fine jewellery where secrets between the master jeweller and the highborn wearer would mean pieces could be broken up or joined together to create different styles, making the most of their wondrous precious rocks and stones.

if you have some ideas you would like to chat about or know more about having your own bespoke pieces get in touch! info@jademellor.com 

Behind the Bespoke

The first cast from a mould taken from a one-off master. A mixture of naturally formed raw quartz crystal and cast resin. the rest of the body of the ring will now be built up and cemented with more material.

Here is some background on a recent ring I was commissioned to make for a lover of bold, unique sculptural jewellery. Experimental and organic, it takes time and observation to let a piece like this develop.

This scrummy chunk of ferrous pyrite has the same textures I want to evoke through my processes. Naturally rusty and glittering due to it's combination of minerals and metals.

Hand shaping with files and emery paper, enhancing the natural shapes and creating my own angles and protrusions.

You may notice the cast was originally a dull grey colour. The coloration on the finished ring is due to the iron inclusions in the resin, it is essentially controlled rusting, a process usually prevented at all costs when causing a deterioration in metal objects (just see my poor tools). This ring is rusting to become the glittering metallic-brown, enhanced with lots of graded polishing and finishing. Here are some of the rusted metal fragment residue in my bowl from the shaping I did. To me it looks like a swirling galaxy in the surface of the dirty water. Even the messy work can become beautiful if you look at it closely.

Finished ring, coloured by rust, and finally encrusted with pyrite.

A crown or crystals

For enquiries into having your own bespoke piece made or giving the opportunity as a redeemable gift certificate just get in touch via info@jademellor.com and I'll be happy to answer any questions.

Wish Upon A Star

Here's a recent bespoke order for a unique astronomical piece of jewellery as a gift for a special birthday. Set with a constellation of vintage marcasites (and a sprinkling of extra stardust).

If you would like to know more about ordering your own special piece get in touch! info@jademellor.com Orders will need to be made very soon to guarantee them ready for Christmas gifts or to sparkle as a one of a kind piece at all of those festive parties! 

Pyxis; A Box of Secrets

Iceland Spar Ring

I was recently working on a very special project. Inspired by a previous ring I made using Iceland Spar, known as a Viking Compass or "Sunstone" I was asked to create a ring using this stone but with personal references to an Italian heritage inspired by childhood tales of erupting volcanoes, family heirlooms, and treasured ancient artifacts.

Inspirational images personally provided by the commission

At this time I had been researching ancient vessels known as Pyxis after seeing them first hand on my visit to Greece. Used to contain jewellery and personal objects they had been made throughout time using of many materials including glass, clay and stone all over the world.

There was so much rich history and personal details to put into this very special piece of jewellery, we decided it needed to grow and become so much more. To make a vessel that would hold some of the precious fragments inside, it would also represent the person it belonged to through details in it's design.

More significant details to be included in the piece as part of their identity

In researching ancient Pyxis, this particular vessel caught my attention. The handle on the lid reminded me of my Hewn rings. I thought instead of the vessel merely holding the ring inside as a jewellery box, it could actually became part of the design. This would display the ring when not worn and make a sculptural combination of the pieces fitting nicely together.

For the actual aesthetics and technical creation of the piece, I needed to experiment. The image of the worn but vividly coloured tiles provided in the commission and the stories of forebears escaping volcanic eruptions meant the colours and formation of lava flows would be a fitting choice.

Studio experiments trying to capture lava's viscosity.

This gave me the method of unique marbled colours hinting at movement and with a lot of shaping and layering I had my vessel! The lid was cast and shaped to fit with a deep lip and hand carved with the niche to fit the bespoke Iceland spar ring to stand on top.

And here it is, the full combination! This piece also has a few more hidden details requested especially to make it personal but I will keep a lid on those...

If you have any niggling notions about having a unique piece made, get in touch! I'll be happy to answer your questions whether for just a little special somethin' or a wild and crazy idea you're not even sure is possible!