she wanted a pendant, another signature piece, to be created from a coin and the remnants of an antique family brooch.
her family is from the Czech Republic, and according to family lore the coin is Czech. passed down from family member to family member, she received the coin from her uncle. i wanted both sides to be equally important so the traditional back side of the pendant needed to be as finished as the front.
i am so very fortunate to be given free rein. i wanted the pendant to tie into her familial history and country, so i did a bit of research. my guess is the brooch dates from the late 1800’s – garnets were used loads in the Victorian era and this one had sixteen of them! unfortunately, the metal of the antique brooch was too brittle and damaged for reuse.
i worked with her remotely. i took photos of sketches and sent them via email along with thoughts and requests and questions. i am fortunate to understand her sense of style since she is a repeat customer. she is in an academic world as an administrator and always dresses professionally. that being said, she also wears her jewelry daily, so flexibility is key for downtime wear.
new design – a nod to Czech heritage
i was able to design a pendant using the rose cut garnets that gave a nod to her heritage and to the age of the original brooch while making a very contemporary statement. i supplied a long cable gold link chain that easily fits over her head, chosen because it is a timeless link that adds to, rather than detracts from, the pendant. the garnets are set into bezels with a hidden bail.
- pendant: 16 rose cut garnets, 14k gold mounting, a 24k gold coin, and 25″ 14k yellow gold cable link chain
- Location: Houston, TX
