Pendant and Earring set
This pendant and earring set is set with premium Bisbee turquoise from the Bisbee mine in Southern Arizona, 60 miles Southeast from Tucson. I buy all my Bisbee turquoise from my friend Bruce Mead. To match Bisbee turquoise into sets is very difficult so when I find a matchingset of stones I usually keep them together. The stones in this set have a depth to them that is unusual and wonderful.
I have made a couple of pieces in this ” Flowing Water” design in silver but to date these are the only pieces I have made in gold and platinum. The chain is all 18K yellow gold. The idea that I wanted to translate into metal was water flowing around rocks and the visual complication of looking at a stream. The complication is also contemplative and harmonious. Eddies and different shapes of obstacles all divert the flow but the flow is not stopped. I think forging metal is the best technique for delivering this idea to metal.
These pieces were special to me for several reasons primarily was the use of the fantastic turquoise. I love working with turquoise and being able to work with this grade of Bisbee is special. I usually grade my turquoise in terms of the metal I would put it in. I have platinum, gold and silver grades of stones. To have enough platinum to make an entire set like this is not in my means at present so I combined the platinum with gold in two colors.
I had fun with the chain and wanted to continue the flow of the pendant into the chain. Commercial chains are very good for many pieces but have a uniformity that would not compliment this pendant.
The earrings pick up the flow motif as if I were pouring water on top of the turquoise or a spring were sprouting from the top of the stone.
This piece is presently available for sale through Vicki Turbeville, www.southwesternjewelry.net, Ph. 347-256-0127, 40 West 25th Street, NY, NY, 10010
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