Showing posts with label Starfish Bracelet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Starfish Bracelet. Show all posts

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Ocean Reef Flip Cuff Bracelet






Ocean Reef Flip Cuff Bracelet

Have you ever thought about buying an heirloom?

An heirloom can be a piece of jewelry you purchased or a piece you had made...either way, this special piece of jewelry should bring out your emotions, your thoughts or just put a smile on your face. It's something that has brought you joy and you want to pass it down to the next generations for them to cherish and enjoy as well.

Needless to say, my daughter will be getting quite a few heirlooms especially this one. It only took one trip to the islands to fall in love with the ocean and everything in it but the most fascinating part of the ocean to me has to be the sea fan coral...its soft skeletal design gracefully moves with the currents. It's that movement I wanted to capture with this new Collection. I wanted to recreate that movement without it actually moving but I also wanted the piece to tell a story.

Such as the Starfish finding a safe place to land or the tip of the sea fan capturing a large pearl for its own enjoyment. I hope that whoever wears a piece of my sea fan jewelry, sees the movement that I see and simple takes you away for just a moment.

So whether it's a piece of jewelry that I create or one that I have made especially for you, I always imagine it being passed down to the next generations and bringing joy to the one wearing it.


Materials: Sterling Silver & 14k Yellow Gold
Pearl: Natural Color Freshwater Pearl, No Dyes.
Finish: High Polished
Size: Medium

A Few Options

The starfish is cast in 14k Yellow Gold and the Pearl shown is a 11mm Natural Fresh Water Pearl. Other pearl options are South Sea or Tahitian. Pearls that are 10mm-11mm work well with this design.

I have sculpted several starfish in various sizes, so a cluster would also look fabulous on this cuff.

Additional Pearl Options: Please let me know if your would like another pearl besides Freshwater. I would be happy to locate your pearl at the best price available.

My process for creating my Sea Fan Coral Jewelry

A piece of 16 gauge wax wire is cut into 2-4mm lengths and each one is soldered together to create the fan coral design. There are no shortcuts for me when creating my wax pieces. It's a labor of love and the results are something that I am very proud of. It takes great equipment from my caster to get these right. I push the limits when it comes to sculpting and casting.

When Volker (Master Jeweler) ask me, what did I want to learn? He said I can teach you everything about making jewelry! I asked if I could think about it overnight. I came back to him the next day and ask if it was OK just to concentrate on sculpting the wax to make jewelry? I told him I felt my time would be better spent on design, and spending the time needed to creating realistic wax models with the detail I felt they needed. He said it was OK and I never regretted my decision not to do it all.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Starfish and Fan Coral Cuff - Updated


Just finished the sculpting on the Starfish & Fan Coral Cuff.
The starfish is going to be 18k gold (heavy plated) and the 
Fan Coral is going to be Sterling Silver.

This piece can be pre-ordered from our Etsy Shop.



Starfish and Fan Coral Cuff

Wow, talk about still being in the rough on this one, three days of work
and it still looks like this. Oh well, my family has given it a two thumbs up so
in a couple of day (Monday or Tuesday) I'll follow up on some new updated photos.


Width: 1 3/4"

Got my Dots on

One side done, now the other...

Time consuming but worth it.


Working on the other half.

Friday, September 30, 2011

Ocean Fusion


Fusion Starfish Cuff
Fusion will be available
November 1, 2011

Fusion Starfish Ring
                In 1968, noted trumpeter and composer Miles Davis produced an album entitled “Miles in the Sky” incorporating electric instruments in a combination of jazz and rock elements to form a slick, smooth, and elegant jazz sound with a rock rhythm. They called it Jazz Fusion, and the name stuck! Since then many noted music artist have been noted for their contribution to Jazz Fusion.  Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Santana, Cream, Blood Sweat and Tears, Chicago, Steely Dan, Frank Zappa to name a few.
                In 1983, Wolfgang Puck, said to be a Pioneer of Fusion Cuisine, opened Chinois of Santa Monica. Known for creating Asian dishes using California’s fresh and accessible produce, combined with French Culinary Techniques, where you can find such savory dishes at “Whole Sizzling Catfish with Ponzu Dipping Sauce” or “Mongolian Lamb with Cilantro-Mint Vinaigrette.
                In 2011, Dawn Vertrees Jewelry Designer melded the design of Fan Coral with that of a Starfish, or form a bracelet like none other you’ve ever seen! Yes, she’s taken the Fusion idea to a new level.  Cast in Sterling Silver, this striking bracelet exhibits mirror polished fan coral seemingly cloaking a smooth tectured starfish that’s slipping out from under it. The bracelet fits on the wearer’s arm as if it found it’s way there while scuba diving in the Caymans.  Or is it off a ledge near Punta Bunda, Mexico. It means something different to each viewer, but one thing’s for sure, its awesome fusion!
Don Vertrees