An inherited ring turned into a 

one of a kind piece

This ring has been created from the old wedding ring of my customers father, which she wanted to wear, but changed into something special and personal to her. On the exterior the 18k gold ring was to look radically different, but it was a prerequisite that all engravings on the inside were preserved. 

I solved the task by locally file a bit away of the width of the ring, stretch it and shape it into an organic, curved design. The ring was given a coarse surface and had a slim curl and some bubbles added, which hold an oval and juicily beautiful green tourmaline.

The ring turned very, very beautiful and my client was happy when she left the gallery.

In retrospect I created a number of sketches of rings inspired by this design. I chose to put a blue stone in it, but materials and surfaces are as always interchangeable and optional.

Want to see another ring based on the same directions but with a different outcome? Take a look at this amethyst ring

 Custom made

– How old jewellery can be turned into a

stunning new ring

Most of my work is custom made – for customers, who have a jewellery dream which can’t be bought in normal shops. They ask me to create that extra personal piece of jewellery, maybe even recycling old, beloved, but aesthetically less pleasing heirlooms.

 Here is an example of how an old ring of my customer Louise’s much loved mother was turned into a new ring which reflects my customers taste and personality.

My customer Louise brought me a simple ring with a 40’s design featuring a large, and very beautiful blue gem. It had been worn every day by her mother and showed the signs of it: the facets were ground smooth and the stone had lost its lustre. However, when I removed it from its setting and turned it over, a whole new gem showed itself to us:

Suddenly the facets were crisp and new and if set upside down in the new piece, this would become a very unusual ring with a uniquely cut gem.

I set about to sketching designs which would showcase this lovely stone, while reusing the gold of the original ring. My customer brought more inherited gold than was needed, especially since she preferred a combination of silver with only accents of gold.

I chose to melt everything in one bowl

And cast it into a sheet

Which was milled down to a more useful dimension

A piece of thick-walled tubing served as the base of the setting

It was shaped oval and tapered

And the gold was shaped into a brim to rest on top of it, ready to enfold the gem

It is a trademark of mine to place oval stones diagonally on the finger, and so I filed the bottom of the setting accordingly

Now for the ring shank: A piece of oval silver wire was first milled stepwise smaller and smaller and then filed smoothly tapered

By melting the tip of it, a delicious drop emerged and served as the delicate starting point of the tendril, smoothing itself around the base of the setting

After much adjusting, the shape was right

And the ring and setting were soldered together

Another trademark of mine is the use of bubbles. I love them, because they lend life to the design – much like champagne wouldn’t be the same without its lively bubbles.

The spheres are created by melting tiny pieces of gold, which naturally draws up on to itself in order to find its new shape

Now I arranged the bubbles. This stage takes time and an artistic eye. My designs are fluid and asymmetrical, but never out of balance. The bubbles play a vital role in balancing out the design correctlyand often it takes quite a bit of fiddling around before I am satisfied by the arrangement

The last solder is done; the ring has soaked in hot acid to remove stains from the process and has had its initial polish. Now for adjusting the setting in order to fit the stone perfectly. With a setting burr I grind a seat for the stone

And repeatedly test if it fits without rocking

Perfect fit! Now I carefully push the brim of the gold over the edge of the stone in order to hold it securely

A small, green tzavorite garnet is to play the role as the cheeky companion of the lead actor and so I grind a seat for it into one of the larger bubbles

And set the vivid gem

After a last, thorough polish, here is the result, baptized “Sing Blue Silver”

(which she had engraved on the inside of the ring) by Louise:

See more handcrafted rings with each their personality here

SALE - 50% off everything vermeil!

Save 50% on this years Christmas gifts.

I am discontinuing producing vermeil jewelry. Therefor I am selling my entire stash. Once it's gone, it's gone, so hurry up and grab these beauties. Send me a mail ( design@gallericastens.dk ) or visit me in my shop.  The stated prices are BEFORE prices - you pay only half.

Hibiscus
Small flower earrings 700 kr., Flower necklace (chain 42 cm) 750 kr., flower necklace with pearl (chain 80 cm) 1100 kr., flower ring with diamond SOLD OUT, flower ring size 54 1000 kr., flower ring size 56,5 with small flower and bubbles 1090 kr.

Dragonling  
 Dragon necklace with prehenite (chain 45 cm) 1300 kr. Dragon necklace with pearl (chain 42 cm.) 1300 kr.

Dragonling ring size. 51 (adjustable), 1050 kr.

 Extra artsy Curly Hoops
Curly hoop-like earrings 1400 kr.
With facet cut blue topazes: 1900 kr

Drops
Slender drops with pearls (chain 70 or 80 cm.) 1350 kr.

Chubby drop with pearl (chain 42 cm.) 1350 kr.
Slender drop with smoke quarz (chain 80 cm.) 1250 kr.

Gold, silver, diamonds and PEARLS

Recently, I have been working with pearls. I actually have a whole lot of them lying inside Franz (my safe) which I for some reason have not done anything with for much too long. But now that has changed!  

Here are 3 pieces of jewelry combining my 3 favorite materials: silver, 18k gold and diamonds with the prettiest white freshwater pearls:

Double Drop necklace where the pendant also represent a lock. Silver, 18k gold, freshwater pearls and 0.04 ct TW / VVS diamond
3300 kr

Earrings from Elven Leaves series of silver, 18k gold and a total of 0.06 ct TW / VVS diamonds
3650 kr

 
Bracelet which can also be used as a short necklace with a 0.04 ct TW / VVS diamond
3600 kr
 

More pearl jewelry – also somewhat simpler and less pricey - coming up, so stay tuned on my homepage or Facebook page!

Jewelry with content: "Sprout" celebrates new beginnings

I have been working with my newest collection "Sprout" for a while. It is based on the notion of a seed on the brink of bursting and letting out the already juicy and impatiently waiting sprout. The amulet symbolizes a future promise of becoming something great! Be it a new job, new year, new relationship or a new life forming inside the belly of a lucky woman...

The original version, which I still sell in my shop, was very simple and just tied into a lace of leather. However lately, I have transformed it into a collection of unisex pieces, featuring necklaces in 3 different sizes (2,6 cm, 2,2 cm and 1,5 cm) hung from a bail as well as bracelets. The large Sprout is a bold statement piece, mostly meant for men, while the middle size suits men as well as women. Both are held in place around the neck with a sturdy leather cord (smooth or braided) with a beautifully flowing S-hook to lock it into place. The smallest version however, is much more delicate ornament, and hence hangs by a slender silver chain.

The bracelet is based on the medium size and like the two larger necklaces fastened to the arm by a smooth or braided leather cord. Find this new collection of hope talismans at my homepage

Sprout necklace medium pendant, with smooth leather cord

1200 kr.

Oh the arts...

Artists create all sorts of art: paintings, sculpture, literature, jewelry and… music. Inspired by recent musical encounters, this issue is dedicated to thoughts on being an artist and especially how music and jewelry creators have certain traits in common

“I create, therefore I am” Michelangelo said, and I think this is true for every person who is creating any kind of art. Most of us aren’t famous and wealthy, and would probably do a lot better financially if we were doing other kinds of jobs, but I daresay, that any person who is doing art in any shape or form “for a living” is doing so, because he or she just can’t NOT do it. It’s a strange urge that drives us into constant refinement and exploration of our respective fields and when we manage to achieve something close to what we consider perfection, all is well – the heavens open, the angels sing, we smile and are calm, energized and happy.

At least that’s how it works for me, but I have been wondering lately, if that is the case for all artists. I know, that I create the best pieces when I am happy and feel good – often they come to me in the morning, just after waking up. Something I have seen in the days before that particular night has apparently crystalized into a new and very much Karin shape. See an example of that process here :

Others, however, use their pain and frustration as fuel for creation. The philosopher (okay, now I am taking the notion “art” onto another level completely) Kierkegaard said: “What is a poet? An unhappy person who conceals profound anguish in his heart but whose lips are so formed that as sighs and cries pass over them they sound like beautiful music. People crowd around and say to him, "Sing again soon"- in other words, may new sufferings torture your soul.” While I understand the urge to create when being unhappy – freeing yourself or at least making some sense of your misery by expressing it - I am however unable to work like that myself, though it would be terribly bohemian, wouldn’t it?

Jewelry inspired by elven harp music

I call this issue the musical issue, because I have lately been very inspired by music when creating my own art. As you might have noticed, I was so fortunate as to host a small concert with the brilliant harp player Kim Skovby in my gallery at midsummer. If you weren’t able to join, here is a video:

The upcoming of this event spurred me into creating four pendants and a ring, all featuring the cool and opaque green chrysiophrase:

The harp pendant inspired by the shape of the Irish harp. I love both the shape and the sound of this instrument, and created my own silver version with a small chrysioprase and – of cause – strings of gold. 3100 kr.

The Lyra ring inspired by the ancient harp of antiquity. This symmetrical harp is naturally lending its shape to my love for curls. A large oval chrysiophrase is featured as the centerpiece, while small golden balls dance non-symmetrically along the lines of the instrument. As an extra little treat, I have cut out a tiny artwork at the back, which will become the personal secret of the future bearer. 2800 kr

The G-notes inspired pendants are right up my alley: elegant and curly shapes created with wire. All are adorned with small chrysioprazes and the smallest with happy golden balls. This will look good on a shorter chain, while the two larger ones I think are best on 70-80 cm chains. 2800 kr - 1400 for the larger ones made of only silver

By the way: Kim will be performing at the gallery again later this year. We are fondly playing with the idea of a Tolkien inspired concert leading up to the launch of the new Hobbit movies this winter. I’ll keep you informed on the exact date as we get closer!

Your gift to me as an artist

Kims lovely and calm music in the somewhat private setting of my gallery was a complete contrast to “Kløften Festival” – a music festival in my hometown Haderslev in Southern Jutland. I haven’t attended this festival for 20 years and it was definitely a very interesting trip down memory lane when I finally joined the fun this summer.

However, unlike previous concert experiences, this time I found myself identifying with the performing artists on stage. Our media is different for sure, but as I watched the small and still rather unknown indie/rock band Öberg on one of the smaller stages, it occurred to me, that both of us strive for perfection. What I also realized was, that while we are totally engulfed in each our art, being absolute experts on it, we will probably never be completely satisfied with what we create. I listened to a band, which I judged very professional and talented, but I am sure, that they themselves constantly heard each other play a chord slightly off or being just not quite on track with the others.

In the same way I am almost never 100% satisfied with my pieces and always find some larger or smaller fault. I have accepted that most of my customers will never see these “flaws” or just perceive them as a part of a perfect whole and that, in fact, is a gift from you to me:

Just like I was able to enjoy the concerts by the many musicians at the festival, thereby telling them, that their work is great and seems like a perfect work of art to me, you are able to see and appreciate the whole of my pieces and not the tiny details that I, as a somewhat nerdy professional tend to obsess about.

My work looks perfect as it is mirrored in the eyes of you, my wonderful customers.

Thank you so much for that gift!

A fabulous mermaid necklace

My jewelry is very much inspired by fairytales – or at least looks like it could have emerged from one. Once in a while I like to create something which refers directly to a specific fairytale. I have made a Snow Queen brooch and a Rapunzel full – body adornment and now I felt like paying homage to the Little Mermaid, another story by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, which he wrote in 1836.

Actually I have been dreaming about creating this necklace for the last two years, when I happened upon a lovely facet cut aquamarine heart. I have made countless sketches, which I have abandoned again, because they just didn’t work. 

And so I went back to square one and started pondering on the story: What was it that happened in the end? The text says, that as the little Mermaid dies, her body dissolves into foam, but instead of ceasing to exist, she feels the warmth of the sun; she has turned into a spirit, a daughter of the air. The other daughters of the air tell her she has become like them because she strove with all her heart to gain an eternal soul. Especially since she refused to kill the prince in order to regain her fish tail. Now she will earn her own soul by doing good deeds for 300 years; for each good child she found, she would obtain one year less while, for each bad child, she would cry, and each tear would mean one month more and she will eventually become an angel.

Well, I would like to believe, that the physical heart of this tragic figure, which so valiantly dies for love, petrifies into an aquamarine during this cleansing process. This beautiful facet cut stone eventually washes ashore to be found amidst the glittering seaweed on the beach.

  

Right. Seaweed. That’s some black stuff that smells bad when it dries up, but while still fresh it is actually rather soft and glittering from the water.

I chose to do a combination and went for a design made of two layers of seaweed cut from a sheet of 1 mm silver, adorned with balls of 14 k gold and 5 diamonds set in some of these balls for glitter. The silver was to be oxidized for contrast. The pearl? Well, it looks pretty and has a natural sea-touch to it, right?

So, here we go:

A sketch, the stone and the outer layer of seaweed. I have already filed the edges of the silver into soft, 3 dimensional shapes to give it the organic grown texture.

Bent together, it already seems to frame the heart beautifully

Then the back layer. I cut out the part of the seaweed which was going to shape the hoop and folded it down over the finished silver part. 

Then I started sketching: Where would it be most harmonious to have the back part peeping forth? Balance was very important!

This was the result. No symmetry (I hate symmetry) but balance – absolutely!

The back layer is cut, filed and bent into place. Does it fit? Yes it does!

Now the golden balls. Again: Symmetry is out, but balance paramount.

After setting the heart and the diamonds (a total of 0,09 carat W/VS), I carefully oxidized the piece and attached the pearl. I have to say, it looks fabulous! Not exactly a lightweight piece of jewelry, but oh so sumptuous!

In the gallery I have created this little display for the necklace, explaining it and giving it the perfect backdrop. The blown glass bell gives a lovely rippled effect as the light shines through – just like it would had the sun been shining through shallow water.