Behind the Scenes: Making Custom Baroque Earrings
Two of my great friends had special birthdays coming up, so I decided to make them each a personalised pair of Baroque Drop Earrings. The original design was inspired by antique lace as one friend is an ecclesiastical embroiderer with a passion for sewing and the other is an art teacher and artist they seemed like the perfect fit.
I thought I would take you behind the scenes of how I created these unique pairs of personalised earrings - I've kept a photo diary which I've shared with you below. I make most pieces from my collection to order - so do get in touch if there is a design you'd like to personalise with your choice of precious stone, birthstone or metal.
My Existing Baroque Drop Earrings
These are the earrings I chose to customise. They are shown here in sterling silver with citrines.
and with chrysoprase, a striking green stone with a slight touch of milkiness.
Both women are keen gardeners and nature-lovers so I further personalised the design but using the petals from my Aster Pendant necklace for the drop part of the earring. One of the friends also treated herself to the Aster Pendant necklace so she'll now have a pair of complementary earrings.
Here's the page from my notebook from when I first designed the Aster Pendant necklace. My Aster Pendant necklace hangs like a tassel with its bobbled head fringed with a series of long elegant flowing petals that twirl pleasingly to create elegant movement and interest.
Here I am starting to make the earrings. I work from my Tunbridge Wells jewellery shop in the Pantiles Lower Walk. I was inspired by Victorian ateliers where you could see a craft person at work while you shop their wares, so I have my jewellery workbench on view in my Tunbridge Wells jewellery shop.
Being a craftsperson and maker, I find it's impossible to disguise the toil of my craft on my hands. I use to avoid having my hands photographed but I've decided to embrace the reality and not worry.
Next I needed to decide which stones to use. I'd narrowed the selection down to yellow citrines, deep red garnets and milky green marquee chrysoprase.
With the help of one of my friends daughter's I chose chrysoprase for one friend's earrings and citrines for the other.
Next, I had to set the stones into their new homes and consider the colour of the metal. I chose oxidised (blacked) silver for one friend to work with her black and gold Aster Pendant necklace. For the other friend I chose shiny sterling silver to complement the green.
One of friends doesn't have her ears pierced, so I used omega clips which I think are the best type of clip to use for clip-on earrings, as they are comfortable and secure. One thing I always carefully consider with my work is how earrings feel to wear - it's important that they sit comfortably and are not too heavy.
Personalised Baroque Earrings
Below are the finished designs. Bespoke sterling silver clip-on earrings with green chrysoprase stones.
Oxidised silver, personalised Baroque earrings with yellow citrine stones.
The final stage was to box and gift wrap the personalised earrings. I've recently had some book marks made with images of my work so, I include one with each order and have them to give away to people who stop by my Tunbridge Wells jewellery shop.
I hope both women enjoy wearing their gifts. To shop my range of special earrings click here. If you'd like to discuss commissioning a pair of unique earrings, click here to get in touch.
If you've enjoyed this photo diary I've also shared my process for creating a bespoke ring here.