The Story of Custom Jewellery - Part 1

Way back in the ancient world, gold was the preferred metal for making jewellery. It was relatively rare, would not tarnish and best of all gold is relatively malleable. Therefore, it could be worked easily. Magnificent bracelets, pendants, necklaces, rings, armlets, earrings, diadems, head ornaments, pectoral ornaments, and collars were all produced using this natural metal.

Even in ancient Greece, beads shaped as natural forms like shells, flowers and beetles were manufactured on a large scale. Necklaces and earrings have been found in burial sites in Northern Greece. By 300 BC Greek artisans designed multi coloured jewellery and used emeralds, garnets, amethysts and pearls.history_jewelry_1_greek_jewelry_300_bc_jewellery_vancouver_300w

Etruscans in the Tuscany region of Italy produced granulated textured gold work. They made large fibulae or clasps, necklaces, bracelets and earrings as custom jewellery pieces. They also made pendants that were hollow and filled with perfume. There are some notable gold jewellery manufactures in Italy that still create high quality stylish trend making gold work today.

But then the sumptuary laws in 13th century Medieval Europe came into force and capped luxury in dress and in jewellery. Townspeople were not allowed to wear jewellery made of pearls, gemstones, gold, or silver. Similar laws existed in England. The fact that these laws forbade even yeomen and artisans from wearing gold and silver indicates how the status of jewellery and lavish dress had become widespread beyond just the nobility.

history_jewelry_1_napoleon_diamond_necklace_jewellery_vancouver_350wWhen Napoleon eventually emerged as emperor of France in 1804, he revived jewellery, and thus fashion evolved into a new court of pomp and ostentatious display. 'Joailiers' worked fine jewellery and 'bijoutiers' used less precious materials. The members of the new French imperial family had the former French royal family gems re-set in the latest neo-classical style. This is not much different than what individuals choose to do today, in Vancouver BC, when they have us re-set their grandmother's engagement diamond into a newer updated style that they will enjoy wearing (often complete with an extra splash of diamonds so they can put their own mark on it too!). These new trends in jewellery were copied in Europe and particularly England. Greek and Roman architecture were the main influence for designs, as famous discoveries of more ancient treasure had not yet happened. The diamond necklace shown here was commissioned by Napoleon I of France for his wife Marie Louise in 1811 in celebration of the birth of their son. Thanks to Cliff 1066 for a fabulous photo of this stunning display of diamonds! This necklace currently resides in the Smithsonian Institute.

When Queen Victoria came to the throne in 1837, gold jewellery was romantic and nationalistic. It gave attention to the pressure of European folk art, which later influenced the Arts and Crafts Movement. Until mid century, most western jewellery came from Europe, but soon jewellery began to be made in North America.

At Jewellery Artists 3D, we specialize in personalized, custom made jewellery created with respect for the best of traditional techniques coupled together with an emphasis on high tech, CAD and laser aided manufacturing for our fine platinum and gold jewellery. Stay tuned for the second part of our series on the history of jewellery and jewellery making.

David Penner

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Chad's Engagement Ring....Update!

You all remember the ultra cool proposal Chad did on the mountaintop for Lauren? Well....just to make things extra perfect, their ring made it into the pages of Real Weddings magazine. The great folks at Real Weddings loved his story so much that they did a full page spread about Chad's escapades with his Jewellery Artists 3D engagement ring & secret mountaintop proposal. Wow, hey?

Our work on Chad's engagement ring was complemented by the work of Angela Hubbard. Huge kudos to Angela at www.HubbardPhotography.com for the amazing photography....with more still to come. So stay tuned....

Engagement Ring in Real Weddings Magazine

Jewellery Artists 3D Engagement Ring in Real Weddings Magazine

Chad and Lauren, our best to you both!

David & Jennifer

 

 

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Chad's Vancouver Surprise --- Engagement Ring!

When it comes to proposals for marriage, David and Jennifer at JA3D have been close to some of the imaginative best—including the magical mystery tour involving first-time design-jewellery clients Chad and Lauren.

 The key word in Chad’s proposal would be memorability, an event that could be recorded with images in an over-the-top location. He had remembered Lauren saying that some of her friends couldn’t even remember their big moment—it was all too overwhelming. Lauren would remember!

 Chad’s plan? Their regular Sunday morning routine would include a hike.  But unknown to Lauren, the route would include a trail on North Vancouver’s Cypress Mountain, and the abandoned cabin where Lauren’s dad had proposed to her mom years before.

“I thought this would be the perfect place,” said Chad. And when he mentioned it to JA3D designer David, David said that he had the perfect photographer who could document the event. That would be friend and colleague Angela Hubbard (www.HubbardPhotography.com), who has documented many weddings for JA3D clients.

Chad met with Angela and they worked out the hush-hush details. Like an undercover spy, Angela would follow the couple incognito along the trail, quietly snapping pix of the event.

Engagement Ring Vancouver Proposal

Engagement Ring Vancouver

It all worked, and as they neared the cabin, Chad went down on one knee, and in the tradition of all great romantics, proposed to Lauren. WOW!  And not a sign of hidden Angela until the big reveal at precisely the right moment.

Engagement Rings Vancouver, Chad Engagement Ring Vancouver Proposal

Engagement Ring Vancouver, Chad Engagement Ring Proposal Vancouver

They immediately took a cell phone picture of the JA3D-designed ring and e-mailed it to family in Penticton. Memories of their magic moment on a mountain will remain with them forever.

Engagement Rings Vancouver, Chad Engagement Ring Vancouver Proposal

“When I figured out that Angela was taking pictures of us, I was not only surprised, but incredibly wowed at how much time and effort Chad had put into the proposal,” said Lauren. “He did it right!”

Engagement Rings Vancouver, Chad Engagement Ring Vancouver Proposal

Our congratulations to you both...Chad & Lauren! It has been a pleasure working with you on your engagement ring and both your wedding rings. Very special!  --- Thanks for choosing us to create your special custom jewellery.  -- David & Jennifer, Jewellery Artists 3D

Engagement Rings Vancouver, Chad Engagement Ring Vancouver Proposal

Photos by: www.HubbardPhotography.com

 

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Inspired Wedding Rings Travel to Cuba

The Magic of Cuba Keeps Beckoning....

Ernest Hemingway heard and surrendered to Cuba’s siren song. Onshore and off the Caribbean island he would write, drink daiquiris and mojitos, and fish for marlin—the ‘old man’ at home with the sea.

Many other adventurers were there before ‘Papa’ Hemingway, and tens of thousands have followed. Today, Fidel Castro’s Cuba continues to beckon with her exotic, tropical beauty, and the Cuban people’s unbridled, indomitable passion for love and life.

Who knows what of these elements kindled fires for a Vancouver high-tech couple who decided that the destination for their wedding—complete with a guest list of forty friends and family—would be remarkable Cuba? And that their memories would be reaffirmed forever with two totally spectacular Vancouver-designed and crafted rings?

Yes, more and more destination weddings have become events of choice in recent times. And as David and Jennifer at Jewellery Artists 3D in Vancouver’s Point Grey have discovered, exquisite, one-of-a-kind rings are invariably part of the package.

 

The ‘Story Ring’

CAD models of the design in progress

 

Rings were certainly inclusions for the Vancouver couple bound for Cuba. They would be important, highly personal symbols of the couple’s bond in marriage.

The bride’s platinum ring, with 28 diamonds and 12 sapphires, reflected their travels in India, and was inspired by the shape of the lotus blossom. At JA3D it became the ‘Story Ring’—its design, a reflection of love in the couple’s journey through life.

Hints of the lotus blossom were used in the base design, alluding to the life of the lotus and human parallels—from swampy, physical beginnings, through sensory desire, into a world of thoughts and ideas, toward spiritual illumination and the light of the sun. A collective of the virtues of nirvana.

'Eternal’ platinum was the perfect metal for a ring that represents enduring love, and a long-lasting commitment.  A metal within its design securely holds the sapphires and diamonds.

Platinum Wedding Ring Vancouver, Platinum and Sapphire Wedding RIngSapphires have a storied history. It is told that the tablets containing the Ten Commandments were composed of sapphire, so strong that a hammer swung against them would be smashed to pieces. The Persians believed that the earth rested on a giant sapphire, and its reflection colored the sky. Princess Diana received a sapphire engagement ring and the British Crown Jewels are full of large blue sapphires, the symbol of pure and wise rulers.  Since the sapphire symbolizes sincerity and faithfulness, the jewel was an excellent choice for this ‘Story Ring’.

The diamonds? They have been described as windows into ancient times; sparkling time capsules that we revere as the treasures they really are.

 

A Reflection of the Unexpected

Mens Palladium Wedding Ring Custom made in Vancouver with DiamondsThe groom’s ring was designed with themes of uniqueness and the unexpected. Square rather than round. Made of palladium, another pure precious metal, and finished with a hammered and sandblasted texture to contrast with the highly polished centre, which holds three diamonds. In elegant design and structure, a match for the groom’s personality.

Cuba, with family and friends as witnesses, brought it all together—the historic surroundings of Havana a delicious contrast to ‘new’ Vancouver. The event was captured in unique images by renowned photographer (name), who flew in his full crew to document the special day in magazine-like snaps.

 

David, Jennifer and JA3D were honored to have been invited to participate in this exciting nuptial adventure. Along with the ghosts of Hemingway, and all who discovered magic in Cuba, we join in a collective salute to legacies and love.

Platinum and Palladium Wedding Rings made in Vancouver, Custom Diamond and Sapphire Wedding Ring, Mens Diamond Wedding Ring

Wedding Rings, Engagement Ring, Engagement Rings Vancouver, Custom Engagement Ring, Custom Wedding Ring

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Custom Made Jewelry: You Never Know what the Day will Bring

The other day, a long-time client brought an antique ring into our store. He had found it with his mother’s effects at the time of her death, adding that it had been packed away in her jewellery box and he had never seen his mom wearing it. He was very curious as to its age and wondered if there was anything else I could determine from the markings inside the ring.

While he told us that his mother had never talked about her family, he discovered at the time of her passing that her maiden name was British.  It was a good start, and looking at the markings on the ring, I could not only tell him that the ring was made in England, but determined the village where it was made, along with the year it was made. Even the jeweller who made it!

Our client was delighted to find out this new family history, and subsequently he tracked down his mother’s younger brother, who still lives in the same village. He has since had many chats with his previously -unknown family.  He discovered that his mom ran away to Canada at a very young age with her Canadian soldier lover. Yes, his dad.

We have since learned that our client plans to take his own family over to that that small English village to meet his newly found relatives.  All because of a ring he found in his mother’s jewellery box.

Wow, I love my job!

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What You Really Need to Know About "White Gold"

In our last post, we discussed how to interpret the purity of karat gold and said that gold was always yellow in colour. But "hold on" we hear you say, I thought gold could be white too? Yes, absolutely true, but it would be the “gold alloy” combination that is white, not the “true gold” added into the alloy. That will always be yellow. Depending on what additional metals you add into the mix, and all kinds of other colors and textures start happening to what we think of as gold.

So, how do they make white gold? White gold—a favorite with many—is an alloy of gold and a ‘white’ metal, traditionally nickel, palladium or manganese. And as with yellow gold, the purity of white gold is noted in karats, using exactly the same system as described for yellow gold in our previous blog article "Good As Gold?".  Copper may be added for added malleability when the goldsmith needs to shape or form jewellery pieces by hand. Nickel alloys are very good for pins and other parts that will be worn by two metal surfaces rubbing together as it is very hard. Silver can also be added to the alloy portion of the white gold mixture, as can Zinc, which is considered a secondary bleaching agent.


White_GoldWhite gold varies considerably in colour, which, now that we all understand how it is made, makes complete sense. The exact formulations for gold alloys are like old family recipes. They are top secret and rarely disclosed. Another reason why the expertise of your chosen goldsmith and jeweller is so important. They need to know just how each type of gold alloy will react to heat, touch, and wear. If some of the alloys added for malleability, for example, are reddish (as in the case when copper is added), then that will have an effect on the final “shade of white” of the final white gold alloy.

The last step on your way to becoming a white gold expert is understanding rhodium plating. "What plating" you ask? When white gold jewellery looks really super white and shiny, like it is made from platinum, then it is invariably coated with a material called rhodium. This metal is similar to platinum in its physical properties. And when it coats white gold, it looks like platinum. Underneath the coating, however, the ring, pendant or earring pair is still the whiteish-yellowish colour of the white gold mixture. So, when brides come into our wondering why their white gold engagement rings bought elsewhere are turning yellowish, then this is the answer. The rhodium plating is wearing off and exposing the true metal colour underneath. Unfortunately, other stores usually do not tell their clients that their white gold is plated as they are not required to disclose it by law. At Jewellery Artists 3D, we believe you deserve to know everything about what you are purchasing. Clients are always shown white gold samples with and without rhodium when they are ordering, so that they can make an informed decision about what suits their lifestyle and taste the best. Knowledge is power.

To answer that little question going around your head, yes, there are more colours of “gold” available beyond the white and yellow choices already discussed. But enough for today. The rest will follow at another time.

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Good as Gold?

While the world divides itself into ‘likes’ and ‘dislikes,’ about gold as the metal of choice for custom jewellery—we often see the division here at Jewellery Artists 3D—there’s no doubt that gold, precious and rare, sets a standard that just keeps on going and going.

We all know what gold looks like. Right? Well yes, but perhaps not.

Gold is bright, shiny and kind of yellowish correct? True. “Gold” is always yellow in its pure, natural form. When you see gold made into jewellery, the yellow colour varies. Why? Simply put, purity. And how do we determine the purity of gold?

Here’s how it works. The karat makings on metal are, by definition, a fraction. When you see 18K stamped inside a ring, the manufacturer is stating that the jewellery is 18 parts out 24 parts gold, or 18/24ths gold by content. The rest of the 24 parts, 6 in this case, can be a variety of metals. The specific metals used determine the malleability (“softness”), ductility (ability to conduct / transfer heat), colour and other characteristics of that specific blend of “gold”, or more technically correct “gold alloy”. Likewise, 14K (or Kt) is 14 parts gold and 10 parts other metals.

So that means that we have various types of 18K gold made for different purposes. One alloy with a specific metal combination is optimized for casting, another type of 18K made for hand work, another type for stamping out pre-fabricated dyes, and so on. Each metal combination, or alloy, is proprietary to that particular metal producer, and also specific for certain purposes. So, if you are requesting a ring be made in 18K gold, for example, how do you know the jeweler has the knowledge to use the best mix of metals for your purpose and not just what happens to be what is most handy at the time?

Here's the first set of critical questions to consider... Ask for written guarantees for your finished jewellery piece, demand your jewelers have a track-record of manufacturing jewellery for many decades, sense their dedication to knowledge, and ensure a pioneering reputation and industry recognition for their talents. It's ok to be blunt. Ask what awards they have received or competitions they have won....won recently. Accolades do not count very much if they are a decade or two old! Be brazen. After all, you are depending on your jeweler to make the right decisions for you. The jewelers are secretly hoping you don’t know enough to ask these types of questions. So, next time you are in a jewellery store, ask them what type of 18K metal they use in their jewellery. See what they say..not to mention the shocked look on their faces…giggle giggle.

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How to Find a Designer

So, how do you select a jewellery designer you can work with and who will achieve what you are hoping for?

Jewellery design, like clothing design, is very personal. Like your clothing, the jewellery you wear stamps your personal taste, and in many ways, it’s an extension of you. Individual jewellery design is not for the masses, it’s just for you. So selecting the correct designer is crucial.

Your designer must be talented and knowledgeable in their craft. And don’t forget patience. Patience is key for a stress-free design process. Like a psychiatrist, a good jewellery designer also asks in-depth questions, and then listens like a bartender. What else? Your designer is also like a priest, accessing your deepest thoughts. And an engineer, skilfully building your complex, everlasting item. And don’t forget a computer genius, manipulating jewellery design CAD software in all 3 dimensions.

So find yourself a patient, talented, knowledgeable psychiatrist, bartender, priest, computer genius, and you’ve got yourself a perfect jewellery designer. No problem!

David Penner & Jennifer Gargon

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A New Leash on Hallowe’en at JA3D

“So Duke, you gorgeous hunk of Rottie dog power, what happened? Like, what’s the scoop? Even if I hate that human word!”

“A thing on DogBook, Suzy-Q. Hey, is that you real name? Even if I must admit it does work for a Yorkie . . . There was this thing saying Cesar Millan had been in town and packed the joint. I love that guy. Must tweet him some time. WOOF!!

“It’s so SCARY when you do that. And . . . what else?”

“Doggone CRAZY Suzy-Q. . . You know about Hallowe’en, right?”

“KNOW it? I HATE it! Firecrackers can scare the collar off a Yorkie!”

“This was different. These two very cool human places—Jewellery Artists 3D, the Jewellery Design people, and 3 Dog Bakery, the make-it-for-us people—had this idea to get a whole bunch of us dogs together, dress us up, and at noon on the day before Hallowe’en, would take us doggy trick or treating all over Point Grey Village.”

A New Leash on Life“Wow. Sounds fun. Like a long walk and endless food at the same time? It doesn’t get any better than that, huh? Did everyone bite? So to speak?”

“Unbelievably well, Suzy-Q. No less than one hundred and seventy five of us. The biggest, brightest, sniffingest, bunch of bow-wowsers I’ve ever seen. WOOF WOOF!”

“Don’t DO that!”

“Foxy Terrier dressed as a rabbit. Doober the Great Dane went as an IKEA checkout girl, Bobby and Bert had the usual rhinestones and designer shades.
With denim no less . . . those guys are sooo tacky! Chi Wawa as a piñata. And LOOT? I went home with three plaid jackets, two hot dogs, and a bag full of milk bones. See my teeth? Shiny, huh?”

A New Leash on Life“Wish I’d been there Rottie. Maybe next year.”

“And why weren’t you there, Yorkie?”

“Stop by on your next walk Rottie. A Yorkie called Randy has just moved in. Met him in a chat kennel. Hate to say it Rottie, but some things are even better than Hallowe’en !”

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Off the Rack? Or just for You?

From time to time we’ve all window shopped in a big mall and been stopped by the  sparkle of a gemstone in a jeweller’s window. That’s the thing about jewellery. It  attracts attention.

But with a closer look at the displays in these brand-name stores, we often find that beyond the sparkle of an individual piece, there’s a sameness to everything. It’s designed for “everyone”. There’s not much on display that is really you.

Branded stock items are designed to appeal to an infinite number of worldwide consumer tastes. Wear one of these pieces and while it may sparkle, it makes you one of the crowd.

Custom designed jewellery items are one of a kind. In an exchange of ideas between client and designer, they have been uniquely crafted to be precisely right for the individual who will wear them. It’s the precious metal, the gems, and how they come magically together that separates you
from the pieces that are being worn by many others. Getting your jewellery designed, the way you want it. One of the most exciting and rewarding
things you’ll ever do.

Jennifer Gargon

 

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