Tag Archives: ring

By Hand

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In this blog, I have used the descriptor “hand drawn” a few times.  By that, I mean that the jewelry designer has created a three-dimensional object — an unyielding form — that also manages to have the charm and spontaneity of a drawing.  It can mean that the designer has tactfully left something looking less finished or added details in a way that seems so fluid and casual.  For me, it is among the highest design compliments.  While, of course, I didn’t make up the words hand drawn, I sort of feel as if I made up its use in this context — I suppose it was time to define it.

Laura from Octopus Studio has a line available on Etsy which displays the best of what it means for jewelry to have a hand drawn quality.

silver stars earrings
natural ring
natural ring

I Like This Stuff

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Hello All:  Yesterday, I posted by 50th post!  Just saying. Thanks for reading, sharing and re-posting!

So, on to today’s post.

Normally, I try to find a theme for my posts — bracelets, enamel, lost wax casting etc.  Maybe, I am just tired but I’ve found this wonderful designer who I’d like to write about but I can’t find a unifying theme.  So, rather than try to create a tortured context, I will just share some of the beautiful pieces of anatomi in her Etsy store.

Cobaltocalcite Druzy Ring
Geode Ring
Solitaire Amethyst Ring No. 5

Maybe it is the awesome selection of stones.  Maybe not.  I just like this stuff.

I’m a Lyric Person

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I’ll be honest – I’ve sort of been putting off writing this post.  Why?  There is just too much to say and, somehow, it seems like the pinnacle of my blogging experience and it is just too early for that.  On the other hand, the mental pressure is building up and I can’t hold in my love for Jeanine Payer‘s work much longer.  So, here it goes.

When it comes to music, I am basically a lyric person.  Ultimately, it is the words that move me and stick with me.  Perhaps that is why the work that has made Jeanine Payer famous speaks to me so — it combines words with beautiful, delicate jewelry.  Jeanine obviously has a great love of words which enables her to find the music in quotes that are worthy of being worn.  Beyond that, though, she is a design genius.  She brings subtly and taste to each piece — pure poetry.

Atia earrings
Shauna ring with stone
Turning Tide necklace
Kothari ring

I met Jeanine Payer once at the grand opening of Alexis Bittar‘s store in San Francisco.  She was so kind to take a few minutes to talk with me and, truly, I was in awe.  I recall that she mentioned that she wanted to work bigger and begin to stretch the aesthetic of her line a bit.  (I felt so honored to have a discussion with her about her amazing line of jewelry.)   Indeed, her fall 2011 line began to introduce some new elements.

New Love necklace
Bay Fabric necklaces

Wearable Sculpture by Katie Johansson

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Katie Johansson, as the creative force behind Dollybird Jewelry, is flat out fearless in her designs.  They are sculptural and bold.

This necklace in particular puts me in mind of modern art mobiles with its open metal structure and artistically placed stones.

Particle Necklace

Lapis Temple Ring

Katie’s creative use of materials in her line is admirable.  She selects unusual stones on a large scale for a huge visual impact and, occasionally, ventures away from stones and uses other objects as the center piece of the design.

Vintage Horsehair Earrings

Many of Katie’s designs are available in her Etsy store, Dollybirddesign.

New Moves

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Good jewelry design is often about movement.  The way earrings turn and flip.  The way a necklace swings.  That is not usually the case where rings are concerned, though.  While ring designs can be dynamic in many respects, movement isn’t natural to the ring form.  There are some clever designs, however, that can add movement to a ring.  This is one way that also manages to maintain its delicacy:

Twosome 18k Gold Pearl Ring

This absolutely sweet and beautifully executed piece was created by the very talented Arosha Luigi Taglia.  It is currently available for sale in his Etsy store, Arosha.

Bold Creativity by Allison Sattinger

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I meant to take off from blogging for two days, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  However, it seems that bad planning got the better of me and I didn’t have one ready to go up today.  But, the holiday is officially over – no more slacking off.

I saved the following piece of jewelry in my Etsy favorites a week or so ago.

Volcano Ring

There’s something that I really love about this ring by Allison Sattinger. Pairing raw with refined, I think it makes a bold statement and definitely captures the eye.  From the perspective of an amateur jewelry maker, however, I am impressed with the concept and the execution.  I can tell that the construction of the ring took a lot of planning.  I am still not really sure when or how Allison set that stone.

Great Pairing

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The big, chunky, wooden rings that you can get import stores are nice but can be a little unrefined — a little like napkin rings.  Vintage buttons have been added to handmade jewelry for some time now.  That was novel for a while but its become harder to find a unique use.

Enter Jessica J. Fein who has breathed new life into both ideas — the wooden ring and the use of vintage buttons.  She’s taken the best of both concepts and came up with a fresh approach.

Swirly Vintage Metal Button on Wooden Ring
Moroccan Inspired Vintage Button on Wood Rings

Continuing Ring Thing

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Rings are my favorite type of jewelry.  A lot of rings have passed through my hands over the years.  I still have quite a collection.  My addiction to rings was once so well known among those close to me that my friend, Kate, who was in art school at the time, photographed me with my collection of rings.  (The details of those photographs I will not share here.  Look, it was for art school after all …)

The post yesterday was about a sampling of some daring designs from Teresa Arana‘s collection and two of them were really unusual ring designs.  That got me thinking.  I began to wonder what else was out there that varied from the typical ring design and I found these blow-your-mind examples of two-fingered rings.

These designs are available in the Etsy stores of Galit, jeneseque, and WearKatherineLincoln.

Black Onyx and Sterling Silver Two Finger Ring by Galit
Two Finger Jasper Drusy Ring by jeneseque
Carnelian and Silver Two Finger Ring by WearKatherineLincoln

Amazing Alternative Rings

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Well, as I think I’ve mentioned before, I look at a lot of jewelry.  Just when I think there isn’t anything new out there for me to ponder, I find something like Teresa Arana‘s collection.  Flat out, it’s amazing.  I really love the alternative ring designs — especially the open ring.

These gorgeous pieces and more can be found in Teresa’s Etsy store, aranajewelrydesign.

Tiny Armour Says It Well

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I love it when people really get their own work.  Being able to articulate your point of view to yourself allows your work to have a consistent voice to others.   I think that can be said of Angi Glenn-Quincy.  She called her Etsy story “Tiny Armour” and describes her designs as  being inspired by “texture, geometry, mid century modern design, rainbow colors, and all aspects of nature.”  In her work of shapes and symbols, I see all of that and more.  The words that come to mind are “graphic design jewelry.”  For my money, the whole line hangs together all the better because she understands her own work.

As a side note, I have to commend the liberal use of brass.  As we know, the cost of precious metals has gone through the roof.  Brass allows Angi to offer affordable pieces to her customers.  But, aside from that, I love brass.  It has a beautiful, warm color and can take on a patina that gives it such character.

Pyramid Stud Bangle
Scallop Collar Necklace
Pyramid Stud Ring with Crystals