Surprise black pearl memorialized in a one of a kind custom necklace

When was the last time you found buried treasure in your food?!

Peter and his wife Kären were eating clams one night and to her surprise, she discovered a lovely little pearl when she bit into dinner.

This is no ordinary pearl - it is a beautiful irregular organic shape, black as the darkest night and packed with the wonderful memory of that evening of togetherness, love and life’s curious wonders.

I was thrilled when Peter asked me to make a custom necklace to hold this little pearl and all the memories it carries.

I set out to make a throne worthy of the pearl and also capture some of Kären’s other favorite things.

I pulled inspiration from the mighty clam, in honor of the pearl’s origin, and texture of rock from Kettle Falls, a favorite place of Kären’s in eastern Washington.

Goal: capture the essence of clam and rock texture without being too literal

Peter thought she might prefer something more organic and textured with an element of asymmetry - design elements I love to incorporate.

I formed a sheet of silver using the process of chasing and repousse.

This technique involves immersing the metal in pitch (kind of like tree sap), hammering and shaping it from one side, then removing it, cleaning, heating, cleaning, and putting it back in the pitch on the opposite side to hammer and shape from the reverse.

This process was repeated many many times until the desired shape and texture was achieved.

I then cut out the silver shape, fine tuned the edge, and soldered on a backing for structural support.

Once the silver portion was finished I set the pearl and added the chain to complete the necklace.

It’s always a treat to create one-of-a-kind work that reminds my clients of something special.

This necklace will always symbolize a happy memory.

I truly believe objects serve as visual reminders for what’s most important in our lives.

I love knowing that every time Kären wears her custom necklace, she is reminded of very special times with her husband.

Have a special memory or stone or object you always want to hold dear?

Contact me today to discuss your very own one-of-a-kind custom piece.