My client had frequently worn (and loved) the Jade Pi Pendant that she had acquired during her extensive travels to the Far East. Alas, after years of wear, and with great sadness on the part of my client, the pendant broke irreparably.
My enterprising client managed to salvage the most important part of her Pi pendant, the beautiful jade, which she kept safely in her jewellery box until the time was right to consider a redesign.
Her original Pi pendant was of a traditional, simplistic design but, she wondered, could a more opulent setting be designed for the jade in her new pendant?
With such an unusual shape of gemstone to work with, this commission was certainly going to test both my creative abilities and bench skills.
Once again, it was time to get busy at the bench.
Pi pendants have a storied history, being worn extensively in ancient China.
For the ancient Chinese, jade was considered a heavenly gem, connecting heaving and earth.
As such, in ancient China, jade was frequently used in Pi pendants, worn by those considered of pure and high moral standing.
Here, I am playing with possible accent gemstones for my client's new commission - rhodolite garnet and ruby - colours that directly complement jade.
The most important aspect of this pendant redesign was something on which both my client and I strongly agreed - that was to ensure that the beautiful jade from her original pendant should remain the main attraction in the new piece I had been commissioned to make.
The very unusual shape and size of this impressive gemstone created a whole host of technical challenges, not least to sympathetically and securely set the jade in to its new home.
Hence the rather complex gold "jigsaw puzzle" pictured here.
"Trying it on for size..."
Just like trying on that stunning new dress in the boutique's fitting room, here I've (partially) completed the gold jigsaw puzzle shown to you yesterday.
Nothing is soldered yet - just delicately placed together around my client's jade to give an idea of how the completed pendant will look.
Starting to get serious - assembling, soldering and (shown here) gem setting the gold jigsaw puzzle that will become the new pendant housing my client's beautiful jade.
Here, lying nonchalantly on my bench, the completed jade pendant redesign, awaiting its final polish.
Note the special elongated bail atop the pendant - designed for an equally special necklace upon which to suspend this gorgeous jade - more about this stunning necklace below.
Dirty fingers = shiny jewellery
Undertaking the final polish on my client's newly constructed pendant redesign.
Here, in all its glory, my client's redesigned jade Pi pendant - complete with a stunning 20" three strand necklace.
This head-turning necklace comprises more than 1000 faceted ruby beads belonging to my client and, before you ask, each bead was individually hand knotted on French silk by "yours truly"....
From a simple but stunning piece of jade from an original Pi pendant to a glowing gold, ruby and rhodolite garnet piece - redesigned to love for a lifetime!
