I had an iron gate section at the end of my driveway, between a four-story ash tree and my neighbor’s stone wall. It had fancy scrollwork at the top. It was securely lashed to the ash tree on one side and properly braced next to the stone wall. I felt it was an elegant entry point to my driveway. It was in place for two decades.
Then, one night last March, much to my surprise, the ash tree came down in light snow and hardly any wind. The gate section, with its 200 pounds of steel, came down with the tree. When the tree fell, it took the mailbox with it as well. I will admit I was surprised because the gate section seemed so sturdy. It was like it would be there for a thousand years.
I’ve always been fascinated with wrought iron detail, its swirls and curls. I have six other wrought iron gate sections, as well as Victorian candelabras, chairs, and tables of the same type of detailing.
This is the wrought iron fence section between the ash tree and stonewall. There is lacework detail in the upper part. partially lost in the shadows, and more lacework down below.
I’m laying the groundwork for establishing some light credentials for lacework detail in jewelry. I’ve always loved the detailing of the artisans of the Victorian Era. In particular, swirls and curls in jewelry evolved to the height of perfection in the Edwardian and Art Deco Eras. From 1890-1935, jewelry craftsmen achieved some of the finest jewelry designs the world had ever seen.
A new technology arose during the 1990s called CAD (Computer-Aided Design). This design-assist computer program allowed someone with no jewelry skills to design jewelry. Suddenly, everyone and his brother claimed to be a jewelry designer. It simply wasn’t true. Some of the worst jewelry designs I’ve ever seen were created by these instant, newly-minted CAD designers. The designs were cold, flat, cardboardy, and all looked like they were unfinished and incomplete. We avoided CAD designers like the plague.
Then, one day, we met two brothers of a jewelry firm who were making some of the most extraordinary designs I had ever seen. They were jewelry designers and jewelry craftsmen who had a traditional apprenticeship in making jewelry. I was impressed with the artistry and perfection of the design: light, airy, delicate, and yet solid and wearable. I’d never seen anything like it. My excitement and enthusiasm showed. They both were delighted to see my passion for their work. Then, the younger brother said something about CAD-assisted work, and I could feel my passion for their work rapidly drain away. Because of my contempt for all things CAD, it took a half hour of their deeper explanations to restore my confidence.
CAD, in the hands of a non-jewelry person, is cold and impersonal. CAD in the hands of a master jeweler can be breathtakingly beautiful. Kensington, as done by the brothers, is a magnificent creation.
Why We Love This Design
It features an awesome bright, brilliant, pure blue sapphire, It has twenty small natural earth-mined diamonds woven into the lace and scroll detail. It sits low and is smooth to the touch. It’s an awesome ring.
