Designing and Inspirations - From Idea to Finished Piece
All jewellery starts with an idea, be it something from the imagination, something seen in nature or architecture, or simple words that have evoked an emotion or image in your mind. Every jewellery designer approaches design a little bit differently and it often depends on what kind of jewellery you want to create.
Although a sketch is not always necessary, sketching is a useful tool when it comes to designing. Occasionally we will sketch designs to work through a few different ideas, although more often than not we will begin the making process straight away; it can be difficult to sit on an idea for long!
Below are some sketches of the beginnings of our hand forged 18ct yellow gold pave rings. They can be viewed on our website here and you can see how to moved through the idea to finished product.
Also seen below is a sketch of a flower and how the different elements of its stem and petals can be moulded into jewellery designs, which is where the inspiration for the hand forged rings that are above came from.
When it comes to designing here at McCaul Goldsmiths, there are several elements we take influence from. Ornate flowers, architectural curves, ocean waves, wood carving and sculptural art are just a few of the elements you will find in both our collections and bespoke work.
Below are some pictures of natural curves and artwork that we enjoy and have prompted the design and unique style of our jewellery.
Nature plays a big role in our designing as well. Here are a few of the sights around the grounds of our Dublin Atelier in Ardgillan Castle. The Walled Garden is a particular favourite for it’s vast array of unusual and vividly colourful flowers.
Often, the design for a ring or pendant starts with a stone. Although diamonds are a very popular choice for our customers (we adore them too!) and we feature them in several of our designs, we have a particular love for coloured gemstones. We favour unusual cuts and unique shapes and a gemstone can dictate the design just as much as the maker. The stones we use have come from all across the world and we love finding shapes we haven’t seen before and creating jewellery that will last a lifetime. Below are just a few stones that feature in our ever growing collection.
What would a journal post about designing and inspiration be without showing some of the rings we have designed in their finished state? Below is just a small fraction of some of the rings we have created over the years. From the cool blues of Paraiba Tourmalines to the fiery reds and oranges of Malay Zircons, colour is a definite staple of McCaul Goldsmiths designs.
We also work closely with all of our customers and take influence and direction from them. Starting with an initial chat, in store at our London or Dublin Ateliers or over the phone or by email, we will discuss what each individual customer is looking for. Stones are often a starting point, however an occasion like an engagement or anniversary is usually the reason for creating a bespoke piece. Once we have an initial idea from the customer, we will get to work creating their unique piece. If you would like to enquire about designing your own bespoke piece, please get in touch.
