A new client came in with a very specific design request. As a graphic designer, his eye for detail and strong sense of design made him a pleasure to collaborate with. The fact that he arrived with renderings of what he envisioned was the icing on the cake. The piece he requested was a slip-on bangle: a two-part intertwined bracelet incorporating diamonds from an existing ring, originally envisioned in karat gold. He had very particular ideas about the wire profile and the overall shape of the bracelet. My initial estimate came out quite high, largely due to the need to special-order wire with the exact profile he wanted. During our conversation, I learned that his wife enjoys mixing metal tones and planned to wear the piece alongside two gold slip-on bangles. I suggested an alternative approach: constructing the bracelet in sterling silver wire while setting the diamonds in 14k yellow gold bezels. Using his renderings as our guide, we allowed the natural movement of the bracelet to determine the final shape and the placement of each bezel. To further highlight the contrast between the metals, we finished the silver with a soft satin texture and polished the gold bezels to a bright shine. The final result was incredibly striking. When they came in to pick it up, their reaction mirrored my own. She slipped it on and it fit beautifully with her other signature bracelets. Seeing how much she loved it was wonderful. I even received the suggestion that I should make one for myself. I just might!
- Materials: Sterling silver 10 gauge wire with 14k yellow gold bezels and three European cut diamonds
- Client location: Avon, CT
