Tag: necklace

Fresh off the bench: amethyst cluster dream catcher necklace

central asia, china, gemstone, kashgar, metal clay, Our jewellery, silver, stenciling, uyghur, world, xinjiang

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

By Jenny Ekberg

Just finished this necklace after tweaking, re-shaping and re-patinating for the millionth time; my version of the obligatory dream catcher necklace. I made it in fine silver using the same techniques as for my Kashgar ring, and with LOTS of effort and help from my husband managed to set this irregular cluster of amethyst crystal tips, as dark as the darkest violets in a springtime forest.

So, here are the facts:
Material? fine silver, amethysts, liver of sulphur patina
Inspiration? architecture in Kashgar, China
How long did it take? About 3 months (note that I can only work at the bench a stolen night here and there)
For who? Myself this time!

It is 00.30 so I better go to sleep. Outside the darkness is like black velvet and the poodles are howling at possums jumping on the roof like drunken ghosts.
Good night!

Lucky horse shoes

central asia, decor, jewellery by others, Our jewellery, uzbekistan

fine silver bronze hs
By Jenny Ekberg
There is something about horse shoes. How can something so rustic feel so magical?
As a child in Sweden, I would watch in awe my practical, earthy grandparents turn silent and supersticial when stumbling over a rusty horse shoe digging in their garden. Inspired by old Central Asian Turkoman silver necklaces, and by jewellery artist Pamela Love (see my post about Pamela here), I suddenly got an urge to make my own spiked horse shoes. These are my first attempts; one in fine silver, one in bronze. Already, they are amongst my most worn pieces of jewellery; they are extremely versatile and do feel a little magical, actually.

Left: bronze horse shoe necklace with varigated silk cord. Right: Fine silver spiky horse shoe necklace, and real old horse shoe from India in my bedroom.
Left: bronze horse shoe necklace with varigated silk cord. Right: Fine silver spiky horse shoe necklace, and real old horse shoe from India in my bedroom.

My Sweet Home Necklace

fashion, Kalmar, Our jewellery, Sweden

My fine silver Swedish house necklace, and Swedish autumn flower skeletons.
My fine silver Swedish house necklace, and Swedish autumn flower skeletons.
When I get homesick for Sweden, where I grew up, I always do one of two things. I either make some mulled wine, even if it is almost 40 degrees Celsius outside, or I make a Swedish house necklace.
This one in fine silver is my favourite, it has a chimney and little golden heart on the door and looks a lot like my family’s falu red summer cottage outside the small town of Kalmar in the south of Sweden. No straight angles, wild garden, pear trees full of white fragrant flowers in springtime, surrounded by fog thick like dancing elves in Autumn mornings.

Matte gold jewellery

fashion, Our jewellery
Real skeleton leaf that has been plated with 22 karat gold
Real skeleton leaf that has been plated with 22 karat gold

I love our new range of jewellery that has been plated with matte 22 karat gold; it is sleek and sophisticated but still with our usual edge. The different necklaces in the series look amazing layered and also look great with silver; the mixed metal look is still huge this season as you might have noticed if you have been checking out the scene at NY fashion week.

Top: Golden Angel Wing Padlock Necklace. Bottom: Half Moon Seed Pod Earrings, and Feather Bracelet with tiny bird charm.
Top: Golden Angel Wing Padlock Necklace. Bottom: Half Moon Seed Pod Earrings, and Feather and Bird Bracelet.

 

Style icon: the amazingly talented Pamela Love

fashion, jewellery by others, Style icons

Pamela Love. Image from Free People’s Building 25 Blog
Pamela Love. Image from Free People’s Building 25 Blog
New York jewellery artist Pamela Love has not only created some of the most beutiful jewellery I have ever seen, she also has amazing style. I will let the photos speak for themselves; words are not really necessary here. I found out from her website (www.pamelalovenyc.com) that she began making jewellery in her apartment in Brooklyn seven years ago, and since then built up a full production facility and design studio in Manhattan. Pamela’s jewellery line is also ethical; most metal is recycled and all the stones are ethically sourced. And everything is made in that studio in Manhattan, that it would be a dream for me to one day visit.
From top left: 1. Pamelas beautiful hands. Source: Elle. 2. Pamela's Tribal Spike Necklace, found on Pamela Love NYC.com , which I will one day buy when my credit card has recovered a little (this is NOT overly expensive, just me who has overspent!), 3. Pamela in Time magazine Bottom from left:1. Pamela with her shoes, I believe she has designed these for Nine West (?). 2. Pamela's Paramount Double Finger Ring (from Pamela Love NYC )
From top left: 1. Pamelas beautiful hands. Source: Elle. 2. Pamela’s Tribal Spike Necklace, found on Pamela Love NYC.com , which I will one day buy when my credit card has recovered a little (this is NOT overly expensive, just me who has overspent!), 3. Pamela in Time magazine Bottom from left:1. Pamela with her shoes, I believe she has designed these for Nine West (?). 2. Pamela’s Paramount Double Finger Ring (from Pamela Love NYC )

Paramount double finger ring
Tribal spike necklace

My obsession with Mokume Gane

Our jewellery

Available now in our shop Oak Mountain Jewellery .
Mokume gane is an old Japanese technique for creating mixed-metal woodgrain patterns. Thanks to Hadar Jacobson, I have learned to make such patterns from metal clay. I just had to try making my own metal clays of traditional Japanese alloys to incorporate in this work and have now successfully made both shibuichi and shakudo clays by mixing commercially available clays in gold, silver and copper. I am really happy with the result, but it took forever to get it right… I can’t really afford metal clays at the moment so this technique will be an occasional treat to myself.

Check out our shop! Oak Mountain Jewellery

My Matte Gold Geometric Necklace has found a home…

Our jewellery

Image

… in the city of Churches! I will ship it to a gal down in Adelaide today…

I LOOOOVE the modern take on art deco that is so huge now, and I particularly love matte gold. I made this necklace made from a vintage raw brass art deco finding and a sleek matte gold chain.

Neon graduated woven chain necklace

Our jewellery

Here I am wearing my new woven chain necklace that I made today. I love it!! I have seen these necklaces and bracelets getting more and more popular since they first caught my eye in Vogue earlier this year. I got the idea from a fantastic website, honestlywtf.com, which features an amazing collection of DIY tutorials. I had lots of amazing, textured and non-textured matte and shiny chunky chain sitting around, as well as lovely silk and nylon ribbons and thread. I have made a whole heap of woven chain bracelets and necklaces which will be for sale in my shop soon. I will be making deluxe versions of this style using the finest hand dyed silk thread you can possibly get your hands on in all the rich, jewel-inspired colours that we will see everywhere, both for Fall 2012 and for 2013. Very exciting!