April 2011

Friday, April 29, 2011

Sending us into the weekend is Belgium's Karen Vanmol, whose work in concrete, wood and silver contrasts urban and rural elements.

Bonus link:
If you're looking for wood that's a bit more stripped down and polished, check out Vancouver's Aland Irène Designs for this palm wood and silver ring.

Even more jewellery:

Silvina Signes (Argentina) - metal & wood
1064° Goldsmith Guild (Russia) - porcelain & pearls
Anna Gleeson (Japan) - giant earrings

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Thursday, April 28, 2011

Some women like to wear ice. Others, icebergs. This "miniature sculpture" iceberg ring in silver, topaz and magnets is Erica Leal's take on optical illusions. Also shown are the Halifax jeweller's constellation rings and rings based on that old Skip-It toy.

This ring, believe it or not, is a perfect fit.

It's an "over size" ring, another illusion, this time by Japan's Antamina (Atsushi Yamamoto). See more here.

Bonus link:
Here's another "oversize" ring that'll make you feel like you've got an iceberg of your own. Lucite ring by Australia's Alexandra Blak (Alexandra Anson).

Even more jewellery:

Videre (California) - optical lenses
MeDusa (Israel) - processed plastic
Estelle Dévé (Australia) - metal & leather

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Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Words cannot express the awesomeness of these hand-painted rings — but sounds can. Sounds like Oh & Ah. Visit the Malaysian design group for more!

Bonus link: for more rings in a cute, illustrative style (but in silver rather than painted wood), check out UK jeweller Helen Shere of Shere Design.

Even more jewellery:

Tiger & Hare (Australia) - cute lasercuts
Lindsay Grime (UK) - illustrated ceramic
Susanne Zutter (Switzerland) - layered neckpieces

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Tuesday, April 26, 2011

You could say I'm all aboard these subway train rings (sorry). Created by French jeweller Arthus-Bertrand for Hoon, they're part of an urban-themed collection that also includes ghettoblasters, gun cylinders and funky robots.

Bonus link:
Take the train across the Chunnel to England, just as UK-based French jeweller Silvene Froiun did, to find her "endless train" ring complete with bridge and tunnel.

Even more jewellery:

In Between (Illinois) - urban pendants
Cheri Messerli (France) - flag necklaces
Simone Bremner (UK) - glass & silver

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Monday, April 25, 2011

Who knew getting kicked in the back was an occupational hazard for jewellers? That's what Estonian artist Alina Jessipovich has endured while scouring the streets of London for found objects — and then bending over to pick them up. The busy city supplies not only her materials but also her inspiration, as she coats the "small scale rubbish" in layers of gold and silver to create bustling landscapes as packed as the city itself. Visit her site, Lisovsky Jewellery.

Bonus link:
Also inspired by London is UK jeweller Bronagh Kennedy, whose rings feature accurate London street maps; place names are engraved inside the band.

Even more jewellery:

TaliaSari by Talia Wiener (Israel) - cutout maps
Heybabylons (Australia) - chunky beads
Jade Ogden (UK) - recycled fabric

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Friday, April 22, 2011

Somewhere over the rainbow lies the weekend!

Pictured above:
· Red acrylic by Germany's Snou (Lucia Nieves Cortés).
· CAD-modelled orange by South Carolina's Michael Gayk.
· Painted yellow by Oregon's Sticks & Stones.
· Green succulents by North Carolina's Woodland Belle.
· Blue and indigo cabs by Japan's Mariha.
· Chunky violet wood by New York's Helveta Vyotlag.

Bonus link:
Check out California's Five and Two for awesome raw crystal jewellery, like these chunky rainbow crystal rings. Even better than a pot of gold.

Even more jewellery:

Sensylo by Laura Farbiarz (France) - rainbow bangles
Lazy Jane (Singapore) - happy colours
Michaela Gottstein (German) - black & gold

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Thursday, April 21, 2011

Similar in shape to yesterday's rings but using gems in place of glass are these rings by UK metalsmith Chris Boland. He considers gemstones "a visual punctuation mark" (I'm guessing exclamation point more than hyphen).

Bonus link:
This ring would fit right in with the above collection, with its similar flat, wide, angular style of oxidized silver band. Ring by Spain's Dalia Jurado.

Even more jewellery:

Fiona Hermse (UK) - modern metal
Spontaneity (Illinois) - crochet earrings
Anne Walker (Georgia) - contemporary silver

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Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Better have your smelling salts handy because Pavel Novak will have you swooning! The New Jersey-based Czech jeweller combines silver and hand-cut optical glass, creating these cool, geometric rings (and other jewellery). I'm obsessed.

Bonus link:
For sleek, faceted metal rather than glass, check out these rings from the "Geometrie" collection by Italian jeweller Alba Polenghi Lisca.

Even more jewellery:

Nae Design (Maryland) - fused glass
Luciana Barrandeguy (Argentina) - colourful leather
Catherine Melo (New Zealand) - woven metal

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Tuesday, April 19, 2011

I can't seem to formulate a post about these rings so I'm going to blame my writer's block on UK jeweller Jonathan Mathew Boyd. I mean, clearly, he's sucked the words right out of my typewriter. Because that's how I blog — I dictate out loud while my pet monkey jabs away at her Smith Corona. Somehow, you are not surprised.

Bonus link: inspired by a song, Korea's Jung Yun Yoon designed this ring with inner letters to leave an impression on your finger. Custom messages available.

Even more jewellery:

Type Key (Australia) - typewriter keys
Yasar Aydin (Sweden) - porcelain art
Oki Tokki (California) - hangul earrings

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Monday, April 18, 2011

Is it hot in here or is it just me Pennsylvania's Alyssa Feather?

Germany's Wellenzauber (Andrea Debernitz) likes to play with fire, too.

Bonus link: if you want to let your inner pyromaniac burn through even more, Poland's Ksoaga (Agata Bieńkowska) has a blazing set that includes a pendant, a bangle and the ring pictured here.

Even more jewellery:

Steel Flame (California) - biker skulls
Beige (Montreal) - b&w lasercuts
Jennie Hancox (UK) - strung metal

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Friday, April 15, 2011

Four out of five dentists recommend this ring.

When not creating silver beauties like the rings above, Korea's Hyun-Seok Sim is busy sculpting amazing cameras. Check them out on his site, CamerAg (as in camera + Ag, the chemical symbol for silver).

Bonus link: here's another one for the dentists by Los Angeles jeweller Lisa Shulman, aka Red Freckles. This gold-plated "grill" double ring was molded after the designer's own molars.

Even more jewellery:

Mary White (Pennsylvania) - teeth & bullets
Celine Sway (France) - acrylic pendants
Little Miss Drama (Massachusetts) - semiprecious stones

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Thursday, April 14, 2011

I can handle matching my eyeshadow to my rings. Matching my skin? That could take some getting used to. Then again, who would notice? Everyone would be too busy checking out the wild ceramic creations on my fingers. Rings above by Italian fashion and product designer Elena Salmistraro of Alla's Design and Alkostudio.

Bonus link:
For spots of colour on darker ceramic, check out these "ding dong" rings by French jeweller Claire Marfisi.

Even more jewellery:

Mrs Peterson Pottery (Australia) - stamped ceramic
Gioielli by Liat (Israel) - simple & modern
Virginie Monroe (France) - beads & charms

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Wednesday, April 13, 2011

A lovely display of linear thinking from Belgium's Lore Van Keer (top), Israel's Dana Bloom (middle left), the UK's Annie Cracknell (middle right) and London's Matt Mackeson (bottom).

Bonus link:
Here are some more lines from another Belgian jeweller, Hans Sonnaert. His xylophone-like "man-machine" ring features white gold and black diamonds.

Even more jewellery:

Sonja Bene (UK) - lines & tubes
Hanne Behrens (Denmark) - woven twotone
Epheriell (Australia) - simple silver

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Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Italy's Ute Kolar puts the petal to the metal — and the top must be down, because these beauties look wind-blown.

Bonus link:
Here's another ring featuring folded silver petals. Flower ring by UK silversmith Jo Candlish, who makes jewellery inspired by nature.

Even more jewellery:

HAPPYsthlm (Sweden) - botanical silver
Heather Keiko (Australia) - pleated felt
Chris Hawkins (UK) - chunky & masculine

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Monday, April 11, 2011

Most of us are familiar with Zeus, Aphrodite, Ares et al., but what about Xibalba, Camazotz and the hero twins, Hunahpu and Xbalanque? Inspired by the writings of Joseph Campbell, New York's Bevel draws on figures from Mayan mythology in creating their cool, somewhat menacing pieces.

Bonus link:
Israel's Daduche (Daniella Zylbersztajn) makes gold jewellery with clean, simple lines, like the "Maya" rings pictured here. Wear them alone or stacked for a wave-like effect.

Even more jewellery:

Maya Selway (UK) - organic metal
Maria Nilsdotter (Sweden) - snakes & talons
Arik Kastan (Israel) - rose gold

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Friday, April 8, 2011

Getting ready to tie one on this weekend? Let Isabelle Hertzeisen help you out with these rings that look like golden twist-ties.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

While New York's Joomi Lim is known for her cool spin on spikes and pearls, I especially love the screw detail on the underside of each spike. (Phillips head is always a fine choice when it comes to jewellery, though a Torx would work nicely, too.)

Also designing with spikes and pearls (of metal) is Norway's Linn Lømo, who made the rings above (including that terrifying gaping-beak bird!).

Bonus link: for more spikes, but in safer plastic (LEGO, to be exact), check out Lok'd Jewelry by L.A.'s Jayson Calderon.

Even more jewellery:

Bling Deenie (UK) - spikes & chains
Lullaot (Israel) - lace & pearls
Caterina Crepax (Italy) - paper spirals

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Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Iker Ortíz cuts no corners when it comes to cutting corners. The Mexican jeweller brings Corian and stainless steel out of the kitchen, using the materials to fashion sleek, modern, geometric rings.

Bonus link:
For more sleek stainless steel squares (including what she calls an "angle square"), see Germany's Brigitte Von Wysiecki

Even more jewellery:

Auralma Design (Italy) - stainless steel & Corian
Noon Passama (Netherlands) - shiny buttons
Nancy Miller (New York) - texturized silver

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Tuesday, April 5, 2011

The mighty oak makes for a mighty ring. Brooklyn's I Am Dorkas hand-carves oak and cedar to create statement rings that highlight that gorgeous natural wood grain.

Bonus link:
Florida's Steven Brownlee also works with wood (mahogany and tucum), preferring to both set it in and inlay it with silver.

Even more jewellery:

Lemon Park (Vancouver) - wood & silver
Deana Baker (UK) - anodized aluminum
Rosato (Italy) - enamel & charms

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Monday, April 4, 2011

I'd gladly be caged up in these pieces by Jin Kim. The UK artist uses metal and concrete in her large-scale wearable sculptures and "confinement jewellery."

Bonus link:
For an everyday cage ring, check out New York jeweller Janet Mazorie's cage collection. Some of the bands are adorned with little pyramid studs, like the ring pictured here.

Even more jewellery:

Michiel Cornelissen (Netherlands) - caged birds
Bunney (UK) - circles & studs
JJ Singh (Virginia) - contemporary classics

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Friday, April 1, 2011

Wondering what to do this weekend? Hang out with South Africa's Eric Loubser.

If you'd rather be alone, Los Angeles jeweller Johanna Becker-Black has an empty park bench waiting for you. (They're not rings but I simply couldn't resist also showing her shopping cart necklace and cuts of beef!)

Bonus link:
If your weekend involves travel, take along this rhodium-plated brass piece with a working compass. Ring by amp japan in collaboration with French designer Christophe Lemaire.