One commonality between many of my clients is their love of coloured gemstones - a passion that I also share.
Such a client came to me with a rather unusual request.
As a little girl, her favourite toy was not a doll or a teddy bear - but a kaleidoscope - a gift from her beloved grandmother which she still treasures to this day.
Gazing through the kaleidoscope and watching the ever changing jewel-like patterns created, sparked a life-long love of all things dazzling, particularly gemstones!
The commission from my client?
To create a piece of jewellery that she could wear close to her heart that would remind her of her grandmother and also of the wonderous kaleidoscope she had been given as a little girl.
It was a challenge that would push my design creativity to another level - and I hoped that my daydreaming with gemstones would make my client's very specific wishes come true.
To recreate the mesmerising jewel-like patterns of a kaleidoscope was probably one of the most unusual commission requests I had ever received.
I normally commence most commissions by drawing design ideas, either by hand or on computer. However, with this commission, I quickly realised that sketching designs did not really convey the complexity and colour stories of a real kaleidoscope - so I had no other option but to create my very own kaleidoscope using gemstones such as pink tourmaline, london blue topaz, tsavorite, spessartine, tanzanite and sapphire.
By pressing the coloured gemstones into a tray of soft white synthetic putty, the stones could be quickly and easily swapped and switched until the most aesthetically pleasing colour combinations were achieved.
My client's kaleidoscope was starting to take shape...
Playing with gemstones by pressing them into white plastic putty was fun (and addictive!) and so much quicker and easier to design a beautiful bejewelled kaleidoscope for my client.
Having narrowed down some stunning colour combinations using different shaped gemstones, it was time to augment my gemstone layouts with some CAD images to more fully present these ideas to my client.
Wishing to keep her kaleidoscope-inspired fine jewellery piece close to her heart, I knew that the piece would need to be either a brooch or a pendant.
Here are some of my completed kaleidoscope pendant designs with decorative bail.
I hoped that my client would approve...
I will admit to being a little nervous when showing my client the various kaleidoscope jewellery designs I had created.
Would my deigns be able to capture the same emotions in my client as those of her original toy kaleidoscope?
I need not have worried. my client loved the colourful kaleidoscopic designs I had created and was keen to take my ideas even further with design input of her own.
As I suspected, my client swiftly dismissed the option of having the piece as a brooch, preferring the wearability and versatility of a pendant - and expressed some brilliant and definite ideas as to her preferred design and coloured gemstone choices.
Pictured is the white gold pendant (minus bail) showing the intricate goldsmithing required to set each of the many different types, colours and cuts of gemstone that would comprise the finished piece.
With the bail attached to the pendant it's time to start the pre-polishing.
Pictured: both front and back of the unset kaleidoscope pendant.
My "to do" list for today.
- Polishing
- Polishing
- Even more polishing!
Gemsetting well and truly underway at the bench.
Often clients ask me in what order their gemstones will be set.
Do we start with the centre stone and move on to the surrounding accent gems?
Or is it the other way round?
The answer is in the picture!
The final gemstone to be set in this dazzling white gold kaleidoscope pendant is a stunning deep pink sapphire, a gemstone belonging to my client from a piece she no longer wears.
Comprising 42 coloured gemstones in total, it's now time to thoroughly check every prong.
This mesmerising piece is now complete.
My client's gem set kaleidoscope pendant is such an impressive size, measuring 65mm (width) and with a drop length of 90mm (including the bail) that it required a bespoke pendant box to be manufactured to house the piece as none of my jewellery boxes were large enough to accommodate it.
Although the professional photos of this gorgeous pendant are excellent, they really don't capture the kaleidoscopic nature of this unique commission.
It was clear a video of this stunning piece would also be required!
Having taken you behind the scenes in the studio to show you the creation of this stunning pendant, you probably already guessed that the little girl who loved her kaleidoscope is no longer a "little girl" but a fully grown, highly successful and very confident lady.
For me, the beauty of this piece serves an important purpose - not just to my client but to us all.
No matter how "grown up" we must be to navigate our way through life, it's essential to always carry and nurture the inner child that never leaves us. To find joy in simple pleasures, to laugh and play with those we love.
My client fell in love with her new kaleidoscope pendant and wears it often. Its outward beauty reflecting the inner beauty we all have.
A magical pendant to recall fond memories of childhood and the joy my client felt when gazing through her kaleidoscope so many years ago.