Orchid Leaf Necklace with Detachable Orchid Brooch
There are pieces of jewelry that accessorize an outfit, and there are pieces that become the entire conversation. This is the latter.
The necklace is composed of articulated orchid leaves, each one chased and worked in repoussé from Argentium silver into full sculptural relief. Some leaves carry a satin finish, others are brought to a high polish — a deliberate interplay of surface that gives the necklace movement and depth as it catches the light from every angle. The leaves are connected to one another through small posts set behind their overlapping edges, allowing the necklace to articulate naturally as it drapes around the neck, conforming to the body with a fluidity that belies the weight and presence of the silver. Five pear-shaped green tourmalines, each set in a custom-made 14-karat yellow gold basket setting, are distributed across the leaves — points of warm, saturated color scattered like drops of light through the composition. At the back, the clasp itself is set with a tourmaline in 14-karat yellow gold, ensuring the piece is as considered from behind as it is from the front.
The detachable orchid brooch is a major work in its own right. Chased and repoussé in Argentium silver, the blossom is rendered with extraordinary fidelity — its ruffled, undulating petals captured mid-bloom, the labellum curling forward as if freshly cut. At the throat of the blossom, a large pear-shaped green tourmaline is set in 14-karat yellow gold, glowing from the center of the flower like a drop of morning light. When worn on the necklace, the brooch attaches at the front, transforming the leaf collar into a full sculptural statement. When worn independently, a hinged catch tucks discreetly behind a single leaf, invisible from the front.
Worn together or apart, this is a piece that asks to be looked at — and rewards every look.
One of a Kind
Necklace: 20" length x 1" wide leaves
Orchid Brooch: 3" x 3.5" x ½"
Year Completed: 2016
Photography by /Terry Weckbaugh, Image Quest Photography
Orchid Leaf Necklace with Detachable Orchid Brooch
There are pieces of jewelry that accessorize an outfit, and there are pieces that become the entire conversation. This is the latter.
The necklace is composed of articulated orchid leaves, each one chased and worked in repoussé from Argentium silver into full sculptural relief. Some leaves carry a satin finish, others are brought to a high polish — a deliberate interplay of surface that gives the necklace movement and depth as it catches the light from every angle. The leaves are connected to one another through small posts set behind their overlapping edges, allowing the necklace to articulate naturally as it drapes around the neck, conforming to the body with a fluidity that belies the weight and presence of the silver. Five pear-shaped green tourmalines, each set in a custom-made 14-karat yellow gold basket setting, are distributed across the leaves — points of warm, saturated color scattered like drops of light through the composition. At the back, the clasp itself is set with a tourmaline in 14-karat yellow gold, ensuring the piece is as considered from behind as it is from the front.
The detachable orchid brooch is a major work in its own right. Chased and repoussé in Argentium silver, the blossom is rendered with extraordinary fidelity — its ruffled, undulating petals captured mid-bloom, the labellum curling forward as if freshly cut. At the throat of the blossom, a large pear-shaped green tourmaline is set in 14-karat yellow gold, glowing from the center of the flower like a drop of morning light. When worn on the necklace, the brooch attaches at the front, transforming the leaf collar into a full sculptural statement. When worn independently, a hinged catch tucks discreetly behind a single leaf, invisible from the front.
Worn together or apart, this is a piece that asks to be looked at — and rewards every look.
One of a Kind
Necklace: 20" length x 1" wide leaves
Orchid Brooch: 3" x 3.5" x ½"
Year Completed: 2016
Photography by /Terry Weckbaugh, Image Quest Photography
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