Garnet mānuka pendant

Have you seen the fleeting beauty of the mānuka flowering? I like to think of it as the native NZ version of the cherry blossom.
This pendant has a garnet centre star with hand carved petals, then I have blackened the background to make the petals glow,
I drill and burr out the holes for the gemstones which have to be exactly the same size and shape of each individual gem, this is the tricky bit because if I take away even a fraction too much metal, I can’t put it back and the gem won’t be set well. Once I have the gemstone seated perfectly, I burnish the metal down onto it, to lock it in (no glue is ever involved) For the finishing touch, I hand engrave the details to make the shapes, I do this with a hand held, hand push graver. This takes years of practice to master, it is very easy to slip out and cut unwanted marks into the design.
The top of the sterling silver pendant measures 13mm across and 1.8mm thick.
I make many of these pieces but they are all different as I engrave each one by eye.
I love engraving with a graver, the process, the simplicity, the skill and the result. You just can’t get that bright sparkle and hand crafted feel with laser cut or cast or roll printing techniques.
Enjoy a rare piece of jewellery that is made with skill and passion.
Please feel free to contact me if you would like specific gemstones (perhaps loved ones birthstones) and I’ll see if I can find the right sizes.
Thank you for your interest in my work,
Adele