Opal Magic

It's always fun to create new pieces, explore new concepts. I have regular clients that just let me explore my creative side and just push the limits of my designs. Most of the time design concepts have some input from the client since after all they are the one wearing it. My clients are always very open to my ideas but there's also clients that leaves you on your own. This particular project the client's request was just to make use of all her opals and create 3 very different pieces. In her words "just go crazy and surprise me" and it was quite a very difficult task since she's one very contemporary lady...hard to surprise someone that "has seen it all". She's one of the very select clients that would have private viewing when one of my new pieces are created prior to displaying it in my showcase. She certainly didn't give me much to work on...and I have a tough month ahead to try and create a truly amazing set for her.

Opals are tricky gems to work with, trying to use pieces that would complement each other. She had 10 opals but only 9 were useable and they are in few different sizes and 1 opal has a very unique shape. During the sketching stage trying to develop the initial artworks it was by far the most challenging project. Lots of very unique ideas but I was never happy with them... I gathered up my thoughts and just rest on it for a few days until I tried to put another idea on paper. And that few days rest did pay off, I came up with an artwork that I was just so excited to create. I presented the concept to my client and she was just so excited to proceed with it.

A custom piece is always very special to me, I get to let my creative side show but sometimes when a concept get too unique the transistion from sketch to the wax model can prove very difficult. I cut waxes myslf if there's no possible way for me to put it down on paper and that's the fool proof way of achieving exactly what I want. Since trying to orchestrate 5-7 projects in March-April I had to stick to my pencils and let my goldsmith carve the wax. We explored about 3 variations of the wax model before actually deciding on the actual casting model for the pendant. The earrings were perfect and the ring was quite straight forward, the pendant was certainly the difficult one. The bale configuration was quite unique to fit a 10mm Omega or Herringbone necklace. The rib detail was just exquisite! it gave the piece a design consistency that both simple yet very elegant. The attention to detail on this piece is second to none, the fabrication quality showed impecable skills of my goldsmith, even the click back closure on the earring was hand made.

This project is one that would always be truly special to me not only because of the gorgeous pieces created. But also the reaction of my client when they finally get to try on the finished pieces. I always get compliments from my clients but not in the way that they described how truly "blown away" they were... "you certainly blew my expectations away...". That made all the confusions and mind blowing conceptualizing stages all worth it... the few wax re-cuttings and other behind the scene HARD WORK that made this project a success.