In the background, horses at play. I love this photo of the one horse biting the other one.

In the foreground, a bas relief style horse head ring.

The horse head is from a white plastic whole horse that came with a bottle of whiskey. Someone gave it to me after they finished the bottle. I don’t know the brand of whiskey, nor did I have the satisfaction of enjoying the mystery whiskey. I did however, live behind the famous White Horse Tavern several years ago during my first stint in NYC. I’ve always adored horses. They are such beautiful and amazing creatures.

Ring shown in 14 karat yellow gold. Custom design for an equestrian client. All materials/metals used in the process were from the client’s old gold.

Right now, I’m working on some new designs for men. I’m still in the wax carving stage, but hope to have some pieces cast in the next couple of weeks.

Since I’m thinking a lot about jewelry for men,  I decided to include some old designs. The rings below are a small selection of custom wedding bands I’ve made for guys.

Rough faceted file marked band. Shown in yellow gold with an antique finish.

The client had made a temporary ring from a washer at a hardware store that he wrapped in rafia. He wanted the custom ring to be similar to his original. Shown in silver with a patina finish.

This custom ring is made for a client that is a green builder. He wanted a ring that looked like a nut that he’d use in his own design projects.  This client was featured in Charleston Magazine and he said my ring is one of his favorite things. That’s so awesome! Shown in white gold.

Custom three ring band. This ring was designed to compliment the bride’s wedding set I made that had several thin stacking rings in different gold hues. Shown in silver.

I call this my doily ring, but that doesn’t sound very masculine. I call it that because the wedding ring for the bride did look like a doily. Her ring was tiny open circles that linked together and very delicate like a doily. His ring is very sturdy and not delicate. Shown in white gold.

My next posting will have some pictures of the bridal rings I’ve been referencing.

I’ve been thinking a lot about all of the custom designs I’ve been doing since 2003. Over the past seven years, I have been working with clients in a very unique and intimate process of transforming their past objects into a renewed and cherished object. Each client has a story, a history and a sentimental attachment to their past objects- whether it’s a former wedding ring, a tennis bracelet or capped tooth. There’s a greener “PastYour” (pasture) for their repurposed past object.

I thoroughly enjoy this intimate exchange with my clients and have always wanted to find an avenue of communication to tell others about this process. It’s green and it’s full of sentiment. I encourage you to take a good look at your own past objects and their potential for a new life. This will be the first of many entries on my stories of past objects transformations so please stay tuned.

These stacking rings of white gold and antiqued yellow gold with bezel set diamonds were originated from a client’s former platinum wedding band which housed all three diamonds.

The gold utilized to make this wedding set was from a client’s family gold. The couple had inherited gold on both sides of the family and requested it be used for both of their rings. The bride did not want to have diamonds at all and really wanted an opal. They are very fragile and not the best choice for an everyday ring. With my suggestion that it’s a little heartier, she settled on a pretty moonstone instead.

The silver that was used to make this ring was from a silver ring the groom used to ask his bride to marry him with. The original silver ring was a square shape. The bride wanted this ring to be worn on her right hand to compliment the above moonstone ring set. The stone is called a rutilated quartz and comes in many varieties of colors and striations.

All the gold in this ring is made from the bride and groom’s family heirlooms on each side like the moonstone ring set. The texture design is created with a rough file in the wax carving stage before it’s cast. This is the first ring the groom ever wore and he wanted it to be very comfortable. That is usually the only request I get from my groom clients.

This client, an old family friend of my parents had a big blue topaz that she had always wanted set into a pendant. The stone is quite large and angular. The hand carved setting has 3 prongs made from rose thorns to hold the topaz. All of the gold made for the wax carved setting was from past objects of gold from the client, including her uncle’s gold cap tooth! The tooth was still attached when she mailed it to me. What a surprise opening that package! I torched the tooth to get the gold to melt off which worked, but produced a not so pleasant burnt smell.

This client found about my nature inspired jewelry designs featured in Garden & Gun Magazine. He commissioned me to create a symbolic piece to celebrate his victory over lymphatic cancer. He’s a big hunter, so I chose to use this megoladon shark tooth from the waters of Charleston, SC. It’s not as big as some megoladon teeth out there- they can get really big, but it’s still a very strong symbol. On the back is engraved “NED” -an acronym for No Evidence Of Disease.  I loved doing this project. All of the gold used is from objects from his past. He was in a place of transformation and I was so happy to be able to create an object to assist him in this process.

The creation of the snake ring was a commissioned request from a client that had traveled to Greece and saw an ancient snake ring she liked and wanted me to created something similar to represent the strength she found within herself. She was no longer in a marriage and I used her former wedding rings to make this piece in it’s entirety. It was a very challenging project. This carved object is one of my favorites and it turned out so beautiful and strong- just like the client herself.

The same client had another platinum vintage wedding set. Her request was to use all of it in a necklace and earrings. This is the original delicate filigree prong setting for a fairly large diamond. I repaired some damaged prongs and added the bail for the white and gold cable chain to go thru. It’s a shorter necklace that rests in the delicate notch between the collar bone. The rest of the original ring had 2 tiers of tiny diamonds like little steps on either side of the large diamond. The tiny diamond tiers are attached to posts. I cut the shank in half and bent it to a curved shape to complete the look of small hoops or cuffs.  They are everyday small earrings. She wears them all the time. I don’t have a picture unfortunately.

This is a grouping of several custom rings and pearls that are all repurposed designs. Bespoke service jewelry- where I reuse client’s old fine jewelry into new high-end luxury pieces. Reusing the stones, fine metal and restringing pearls. Something old is now something new.

4 tiny rubies set in a clover pattern. Repurposed yellow gold and rubies.

Blue topaz bezel set ring in 14k peach gold.

Diamond cocktail ring using all repurposed diamonds and gold. 14k Peach gold hand carved and cast ring. Hand carved 14k white gold bezel for large diamond. Small diamonds are bead set.

Peach gold hand carved and cast dinner ring with mandarine garnet and diamonds. Repurposed materials with the exception of garnet.

I think I’ve already shown a picture of this ring, but thought it appropriate with the high-end grouping on the black sand. The stone is a rutilated quartz set in a vintage style hand carved prong setting. Cast in 14k peach gold.

Restrung pearls with handmade ball clasp. Incorporating client’s old diamonds into the design to go with her pearls.

This is a fancy, but also earthy cocktail ring. Sculpted in wax and  hand cast in peach gold with a sand blast finish. The small diamonds are bead set and the large diamond sits in a hand carved white gold bezel. The cut out center part of the ring was made from a button I’d found and made a mold of. All of the materials are repurposed from client’s old gold and diamonds.

Wild Onions & Hearts Charm Bracelet- Blackened Silver

Custom Man’s Link Bracelet- Blackened Silver & Gold

Charm Bracelets- Blackened Silver, Gold Thin Bangle

Charm Bracelets- Blackened Silver, Textured Cuffs- Silver & Gold

Textured Bangles- Silver

Thin Cuffs for Men

Cuffs & Bangles for Women

Circle Stamp Cuff- Silver

Drilled Cuff- Silver

Custom Gold Twig Bangle with Chocolate Diamond

Thin Grid Texture Cuff- Gold

Custom Oval Grid Bangle- Gold repurposed from client’s old gold.

White Gold Man’s Wedding Band with Bark Texture
This ring is repurposed, using the client’s original wedding band. The couple has been together for 10 years and wanted to rework their bands. The engraved script has both of their  initials and wedding date.

White Gold Engagement Ring with Sapphire and White Diamonds
This ring was made using the client’s old gold jewelry and white diamonds. The sapphire was cut for her when she was 13, by a famous gemstone cutter that her grandfather was friend’s with. Her grandfather photographed the cutting process of a 10 pound topaz that is featured in the Smithsonian. How cool is that?

White Gold Circle Ring with Chocolate Diamonds
This ring is really neat with the cut out circle for the skin to peak thru. The placement of the chocolate diamonds with the circle on a diagonal have a yin yang feel to it. I like carving bigger cocktail rings like this, but making them very delicate because the cut outs feature negative space.

White Gold Bezel Set Diamond Stud Earrings
These diamonds are repurposed from the client’s original set of prong set studs. She wears them everyday.

I work with different types of gold and also reuse old gold from my clients. My favorite gold is peach- it has some copper in it like pink gold does, but not as much. It casts beautifully and is a warm and lovely hue, complimentary to almost anyone’s skin tone.

Peach Gold Antique Prong Ring with Rutilated Quartz
I’m amazed at this photo- the quartz looks like it’s alive with the tiny veins running through it.

Peach Gold Wedding Set with Bark Texture & Chocolate Diamonds
This piece is made for a client that’s been married for 10 years. Her original wedding set is platinum with a sapphire and tiny white diamonds. She wanted to warm it up a bit with both the warmth of the peach gold and chocolate diamonds and also the organic bark texture. She’s got 4 rings now that are all worn together for a nice mixed metal look.

Peach Gold Auger Ring
This is part of my conchology collection.

Pink Gold Wedding Bands
Custom wedding bands with tiny white diamonds to look like the constellations. Bands go with a white gold engagement ring I designed with canary yellow and white diamonds.

Pink Gold Diamond Pendant with White Gold Cable Chain
I reworked and repurposed this piece for my client. The original diamond was a typical prong setting in white gold.

Antique Mirror Locket
This is a custom piece I made for a client as a “Push Present”. I had no idea what that was – it’s a present the husband gives to his wife after she’s given birth. Typically, most presents of this nature result in something like a tennis bracelet. No thanks. I’m so happy to have been commissioned to make this instead. The inside has the baby’s initials engraved in a lovely script and of course, the opposite side is for the wee babe’s photo. It was a challenging custom job, but worth the effort!

Anchor & Conch Necklace
This is a 14k yellow gold custom piece I made as another “Push Present”. The client lives at the beach and that’s why I went with the nautical theme. I have added an additional anchor to this necklace since this photo. She’s had another baby. Now the conch rests in the middle with the two anchors hanging at different heights along the neckline. There’s also some diamonds added that are from a old piece of her mother in law’s jewelry. Definitely a Bespoke Service type of job- working closely with the client to customize her jewelry.

Anchor Detail
The baby’s initials and birthday are engraved on the reverse side. I’ve since added a tiny diamond inset in the disc.

Conch Detail
I just love this sweet little conch nestled in the cable chain. It originally rested underneath the clavicle. Now it’s centered on the necklace with two tiny baguette diamonds on either side.