Shop for Beautiful Custom Jewelry by Mariana Wilson Sage & Stone Designs on the HBL Website
Andrea commissioned me to rework a few pieces of jewelry she had not worn in years. The pieces were constructed of quality stones, however, the beauty of the individual stone was lost in the overcrowded strands. I knew that by reworking these items I could showcase their beauty and give them a new life. The end result was a harmonious balance of Andreas style as well as mine. I invite you to visit the www.HelloBeautifulLadies.com website under the shop section to view an amazing portfolio of jewelry designs inspired by nature. Marianna will feature her work for sale at the www.HelloBeautfulLadies.com Launch Party and Fundraiser.
Coral & Freshwater Pearl set
The original necklace was chunky and incorporated a very evenly spaced symmetrical alternation of beads. There were very beautiful chunky pieces that I immediately wanted to showcase. I love going simple with beautiful stones, and I knew that I wanted the coral to take center stage and not be overshadowed. I decided to make a pendant out of the coral and flank it with freshwater pearls. I tend to gravitate towards irregular cuts and asymmetrical styling for a deeper visual interest. This rework was probably my favorite because it is delicate yet bold in design. I also added another coral piece flanked by freshwater pearls by the clasp. I love necklaces that have hidden details, and if Andrea decides to wear a low back top she can rock this necklace coming and going! I made a matching pair of earrings in a similar fashion to the necklace, complementary and not too imposing to wear as a set.
Turquoise & Spiny Oyster set
Turquoise is my absolute favorite stone to work with. When Andrea presented me with the original necklace I immediately had a head full of ideas. Turquoise pairs so well with numerous other stones and metals, but I knew instantly that I would want to incorporate spiny oyster. This particular rework I did focus on symmetry with the color spacing and added interest by mixing textures. The smooth spiny oyster beads pair seamlessly with the rough irregularly shaped Turquoise beads. I added a brilliant orange spiny oyster pendant for a vivid pop of color. The construction is simple yet visually interesting and not overly worked. I wanted to make matching earrings and took my inspiration from the Navajo squash blossom. I inverted the colors, spacing three Turquoise chips with Sterling beads as the focal and flanking the Turquoise with two different sizes of spiny oyster beads. The earrings were strung on 22 gauge Sterling wire for a clean minimalist finish.
Ruby in a Sterling cage set
The necklace that Andrea originally presented me with was chunky and very evenly spaced. The number of large Ruby stones was overpowering and didn’t rightfully allow to the stone to be appreciated. My initial thought, “less is more”. I decided to frame a Ruby round with a hand forged and hammered Sterling orb. I attached the ruby with Sterling wire and strung the caged pendant on a Sterling box chain. Very simple and clean allowing of the rich Ruby to take center stage and not get lost. The earrings are similarly made, however, I decided to use the irregularly shaped Ruby for visual interest. The hand forged cage for the earrings is also asymmetrical, further lending to the visual interest of this set.
Watermelon Tourmaline set
The original necklace was a simple strand of Watermelon Tourmaline chips with Sterling Silver accents. I updated the new piece by combining delicately faceted tourmaline pieces, sterling spacers, and an irregularly shaped Watermelon Tourmaline pendant. Reworking the original piece with these additions allowed for a greater texture and deeper interest with delicate stones as well as more chunky pieces. I decided to make a matching pair of earrings that incorporated those delicate Tourmaline pieces with a larger Tourmaline slice.
