Jewelry Art: "Ivory Tower" pendant

"Ivory Tower"

click image to enlarge

This piece from my archives, completed many years ago, was almost 5 inches tall. I don't know what originally gave me the idea that hanging a building around your neck would be good jewelry design, but this was the second successful effort in that vein. The first one, titled "the Castle", was one of the very first large-scale ambitious pieces I ever made. This variation is more refined than the first, because I developed wax-carving skills by the time I designed the Ivory Tower - the Castle was handwrought, using different techniques.

This piece is done in sterling silver with 14K gold accents. The towers are made of old ivory, inlaid with fossil walrus ivory bricks. The large lower stones are Fire Agates - these are a form of chalcedony with an interior color-play similar to opal ... but fire agates are found only in Mexico and Arizona! They are tricky stones to cut, to reveal the fire within. The "moat" is inlaid with Afghani Lapis Lazuli, and the leaves on the side are made of malachite and faustite laminated together.

The tiny little door is hinged on the bottom like a drawbridge, and when it is open, it reveals a miniature painting on a tiny linen canvas stretched over wood. The door itself is made from Brazilian Cocobolo, a variety of rosewood, and is framed in gold, with a tiny clasp to keep it closed and a little chain to support it when open. The painting is of a little knight in armor, with a heart on his shield - the Guardian of the wearer's heart!

A third piece on this theme was also designed, with predominantly turquoise inlaid towers, called Fortress of the Heart, that was sold to Lilly Lawrence, the People's Princess. It featured the same tower layout, with even more complex inlay in the bottom stones, and another painting of the courtyard scene behind the door.

A piece of this complexity would be $25,000 - 30,000 today .... much more if it were solid gold. Call me at the studio (505) 296-1400) if you would like me to make a fortress for your heart!

DESIGN, PHOTO AND TEXT © DAVID LLOYD STEWART - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Jewelry Art: "Mokume Necklace"

"Mokume Pendant"

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Here's another one from my archives. The term Mokume-Gane is Japanese for wood grain, and it refers to the pattern in the metal "wings" on this piece, which sort of look like the swirls in burled wood. It's a meticulous process that involves layering different metals like copper, brass, silver & gold in many alternating layers. When the back is hammered, and then the rough spots filed off on the front, the pattern is revealed.

Mokume detail

The central part of the pendant is carved ebony, inlaid with a piece of old ivory. The main stone on top of the ivory is a Fire Agate, set in a bezel encrusted with gold chunks. The smaller stone is a piece of sugilite, accented with a gold drop. The little green stone on the one wing is Faustite. The wings on the side are set on forged silver wire, connected to a woven black leather cord with silver sleeves accenting it.

This was a one-of-a-kind piece that went to one of my collectors in San Diego. Something with a similar "feel" could be done for you - call me at the studio, (505) 296-1400, to discuss the details and price (somewhere around $3600).

DESIGN, PHOTO AND TEXT © DAVID LLOYD STEWART - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Jewelry Art: Scorpion

W-a-a-a-a-a-y back at the beginning of my career, one of my new collectors commissioned me to do a large gold scorpion pin/ pendant. The colored-pencil drawing below is what I came up with:

The black areas would have been carved ebony, inlaid with Australian opal in the center and the left claw, as well as the little stones in the tail segments. It would have had fire agate eyes, as well as turquoise, diamond and coral accents.

Well, as it turned out, the customer had in mind something more "realistic", and wanted me to use some really cheap, dull opal triplets someone had given her. I drew a new design, got approval and did all the goldsmithing by hand, but when it came time to set the stones, I just didn't have the heart to put those ugly stones in my design. I refused - hey, a fella has to draw the line somewhere to maintain his integrity! So this was a piece I had to "eat"! Luckily, I had some really stunning Mexican Opals and Fire Agates to use - the colors of the desert. The final piece was about 4 inches long - really dramatic.

The price on this piece was originally $8,000, but that was a l-o-o-o-o-ng time ago, and it has since found a home with some good friends & collectors. I've had a lot of requests over the years for one in a smaller size, but I haven't made one yet. Call me at the studio if you want me to quote you a price on the first one : (505) 296-1400, or Email me: David@StewartArt.com
DESIGN, PHOTO AND TEXT © DAVID LLOYD STEWART - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED