Modern Heirloom® Fine Jewelry

Latest Inspired Design Do you know what is so truly fascinating about our internet driven world? The fact that a person like myself can start my Sunday chatting with masterful artists around the world via video and watch them work. Our meeting ground.... Steve Lindsey's Engraving Forum . It is an excellent forum of the world's engraving talent and an excellent place for a budding engraver like myself to pick up tips and tricks from the world's best. I signed up for an observation opportunity observe the engraving of a side plate by  Roland Baptiste Engraveur. This is the Side plate I am observing Roland Baptiste engraving Literally,I get to look at Roland's graver block as he engraves. Observation and practise are after all two of the most important things when mastering engraving.      As I observed his work , I chatted with another engraver/jeweler in Belgium and an engraver in London. To  be able to connect with artists in my field all over the world is a

 For the past couple of days, we have paused the creating for a moment to enter into an amazing phase of reorganizing our studio. As I mentioned a few posts back , it is crazy how many bits and pieces that collect in a goldsmithing shop after thirteen years of making things there. Time for a deep clean. I didn't want this pause in creating to pause my blog writing so I will give you a tour of our newly organized studio and introduce you to some of our favorite tools. Enjoy the tour! This is our Studio assistant ,Jimmie Lee and he is siked on his newly organized desk ...Now he is ready for the challenges we will be throwing his way..... "One more thing"as I like to say.  Although I prefer Hand Engraving  occasionally the job and budget call for a Machine. That is when we turn to our Signature Engraver ... My Favorite Bench because my  grandfather sat at it for 50 years, he was a watchmaker and I love the feeling of this bench. This is our CAD

     Sketching helps inspire the mind  Today as I approached the table of many parts,I was beckoned by these lovely little sterling leaf shapes and some silver wire which had been partially forged. They were asking for completion and I was in the mood for a stream of conscious creative session. One of those days where I throw the rigidity of predestined design rules out the window and rely on technique and instinct. Once I have selected my pieces, I begin with sketching to get the creative juices flowing. My intention is not to make these sketches (at least not today) but forging the silver to evolve it's shape  to get my mind working in a general direction to take my pendants in today. Keep in mind my goal...no particular design.   Polishing and cleaning          Feeling inspired, I begin to work.This is the Stream of Conscious part...much like the writing assignment we all know from grade school. My goal is just keep moving and don

I headed to the table yesterday and was greeted by 2 ring blanks screaming to be completed. After all, we originally casted them in 2002. Unbelievable right? Especially considering they were in 14K yellow Gold. You would have thought we'd have used them by now. The good news is...when we originally cast them the gold market was $310 . So we tucked them under our mattress so to speak and they have since quadrupled their value before I even begin. The even better news......I have improved my skills in engraving so much I can really make something of them now.The perfect Blank canvas ready to be primed and painted    For more of the steps involed hit the play button below....    Step one is to clean the blanks.When I found them, they were so old they hardly look like gold and they actually are from the days when we hand carved every wax. So I sand and polish my blanks to a nice clean surface.I find no matter the finish you want in the end...a perfect polish is the best gro

A nother year ends and a new one begins . I t's time to reflect on the accomplishments of 2010 and look to the goals of 2011. I first began blogging with the goal to inspire and teach through which I would inevitably learn. The two go hand in hand after all and it was an honorable goal. Then the day to day demands of our custom jewelry shop take control of our time. This blog sits collecting dust as do many of the pieces we begin in the moments between deadlines and de sign challenges presented us throughout the year. So to begin this year, I am wiping off the dust and collecting the pieces. I am transforming this blog into a bird's eye view into the goldsmithing shop at our Gallery.... Si lver Bonsai Gallery . Rather than try to fit this blog into the spare moments of our daily shop demands, I will be highlighting them for you  project by project.  In turn I still plan to achieve my goal... to inspire an

18K Palladium White Gold , 14K Yellow Gold, Chalcedony , Diamond, And Akoya pearls. Designed by Kathryn Stewart , Crafted by Ben and Kathryn Stewart Our to do list of jewelry making projects has kept us logged into the jewelers bench and I have been unable to write a new article. To fill the gap I will be posting the steps of some of our favorite creations . This Georges Fouquet inspired Necklace is crafted 18K palladium White Gold, 14K Yellow Gold. Set with Chalcedony, Diamonds and accented by akoya pearls. Hand carved and sculpted detail accents the 20+ carat chalcedony centerpiece. Pave' diamonds create a hallow of sparkle aroung the stone.