One of the most wonderful parts of my job is getting to be a part of the special relationship between families. It’s even more of an honor when one family comes to me multiple times, integrating my work into the journey of their lives.
About a year ago, I designed the Sister, Sister commission, a pair of matching rings that was a heartfelt gift from one sister to another. Imagine my surprise when the recipient came to me and said it was her turn to be the gift-giver!
Just as with the previous commission, this pair of matching pendants would honor the memory of their beloved mother. The client had a diamond watch as well as a few gold rings that belonged to their mother. Soon, they would be transformed into something completely new!
Design Inspiration
For this project, my client had a unique vision. She wanted to create a landscape pendant in a similar style as my Pinnacle Necklace but in gold. She wanted the piece to evoke the family’s favorite place in the world: a mountain near a lake that the family called home. She specifically wanted to capture the way the stars in the night sky reflected in the smooth waters of the lake. I had my work cut out for me!
I adapted my initial design from a sketch from the client, simplifying the landscape and adding in elements from several collections. This unique design was going to require some brand new techniques… good thing I have a laser welder!
The Process
First, I rolled down the two gold rings and melted them to form the circular frames. The watch was melted down as well, poured out, and shaped by hand to form the mountains. Once my twin mountains were sculpted, I used the laser welder to create the texture and zap in all 18 settings (9 for each pendant!) Because of the intricacy of this piece, particularly with the gem settings, it would have been nearly impossible to accomplish this design before we had the laser welder. Next, the diamonds were set like stars in the sky in groups of 3’s, symbolizing the mother and the two daughters.
Once the settings were placed, it was time to add the “water” element to the piece, representing healing and renewal. I used gold wires similar to those found on the Solar Flare Pendant, and set a few additional diamonds in between the wires, like reflections of the stars above. I used my signature melting technique to create the little granules at the end of each wire and add some additional texture to the frame.
Finally, I used a variation on the Crescent Connection to attach the stunning new pendants to their bail and popped each one into the sonic cleaner!
A Christmas to Remember
My client gifted this beautiful pendant to her sister on Christmas Day, along with a poem she wrote titled “Time is Not Lost.” In the poem, she explains how the watch worn by their mother has been transformed into a beautiful memory for both of them. She highlighted the symbolism behind every element of the pendant and how, although their mother isn’t with them in person, they continue to hold her close to their hearts.
When she sent me a copy of the poem, I couldn’t help but get choked up myself. I am forever honored and grateful to both of these sisters for letting me be a part of their memories!
