Of Metal and Stone

Perhaps it is a bit of an odd observation on my part but I have been noticing an increasing trend among various jewelry artisans on deviantART. With so many skilled craftsmen and women showing off their skills on the website, perhaps it's just me but I've been seeing much more in the way of wire wrapped jewelry items. The process is just as it sounds: the artisan uses a stone or jewel as either the focal point or accent of the piece in question which is an intricate curling of either copper or silver wire. Wandering around the site, I found some amazing examples of wire wrapping so that you can see what I mean.

IMNIUM.deviantart.com (Croatia)

"Purple Poison" by IMNIUM

A jewelry designer from Croatia, Ivona's gallery is filled with beautiful intricate works made mostly of silver wire and semi-precious gemstones. In the description to a pair of silver earrings she had given the name of Purple Poison, she lists off that she used black, red and purple spinel, rhodolite garnet, amethyst, labradorite, smoky quartz and pink tourmaline to be the colorful accents.

"Queen of the Night" by Magdalena Marszalik

MagdalenaMarszalik.deviantart.com (Poland)

Perhaps one of the more intricate necklaces that I've seen using this particular method, Queen of the night is an amazing work in itself not only for the emmense effort that went into it but it's size. In one of the various photos that is on Magdalena's Facebook page, she show's one with the pendant in her hand and it covers her entire palm.

"Cornflowers" by Joanna Watracz

JoannaWatracz.deviantart.com (Poland)

Cornflowers is a lovely set of earrings made of Sterling and fine silver with marquise cobale blue quartz. Though simplistic in shape, Joanna's wire weaving techniques remind me of some of the impressive illuminated manuscripts I've had the joy of looking at.

Facebook: Joanna Watracz - Designer Jewellery 

"Ruby and Copper" by Black Currant Jewelry

Blackcurrantjewelry.deviantart.com (Canada)

Irina of Black Current Jewelry states in the description of her piece Ruby and Copper:
“I was commissioned to set ruby in copper wire. I've never before set in wire such a small stone without hole. It would by quite clumsy if I had to used round wire, but fortunately I made recently this flat wire. I flattened round wire with rolling mill and made it soft with torch. When it gets bent it hardens again.”

Etsy: Black Currant Jewelry

"BlueAntiquity Leaf Labradorite" by Nambroth

Nambroth.deviantart.com (United States)

Jennifer's jewelry is a wonderful example of how wire wrapping can be both simple and elegant at the same time. Her piece BlueAntiquity Leaf Labradorite is perhaps one of her most lovely pieces, the graceful curves of the wiring marrying perfectly to the shape and lines of the stone.

Website: Featherdust.critter.net