Necklace in 18K Gold and Tourmaline

Necklace by Sam Patania

This beautiful red/pink tourmaline was from the lot I have written about which I bought from Jeff Graham, www.cabbers.com. This necklace is a distillation of my grandfather’s vine designs. My grandfather worked in a larger scale with this vine motif than I do. I feel it is more current to have simpler pieces, more present day fashionable.  I feel the simpler variations of this design can be worn more often, not just to the opera or ball. A simple piece like this is not out of place anywhere where an open neck line would be worn. It is not taking over the room, it won’t be missed or ignored but, it won’t blind anyone.

I also love working with materials which have intrinsic value, materials whose intrinsic value enhance the fashion and push the design into another category. This piece is not regional or ethnic. It is delicate and feminine.

I love working large scale as well, my large scale pieces have been selling very well. They give me an opportunity to work with stones like turquoise and coral that lend themselves to a more regional look and yet be high fashion. The high fashion style I have been working in transcends the regional feel of the materials. High quality turquoise has been enjoying a more high fashion trend and I have always felt that high quality turquoise is a good fashion statement. Cheap jewelry will always look cheap. Quality is always going to be classic no matter what the material.

Gem stones give me pleasure to work with. Intense natural color is a joy to make jewelry with. I love having my grandfather’s and father’s work as an influence. If the desire to create in jewelry is something I was born with then I feel the love of this style of work was also something I was born with. My appreciation of my fore father’s designs seems to be innate in me. I try to make them  my own by using high karat gold and gem stones and making them simpler. I am proud to push what they did farther. I am proud to be influenced by them.

This piece sold right away, it never made it out of my studio.  The model who I shot this on was an apprentice of mine who was unappreciative and surly and often napped instead of working. I liked having her around anyway.

Tagged as: apprentice, Frank Patania, Gold, model, My Jewelry Designs : from Inspiration to Construction, Necklaces, Sam Patania, studio, tourmaline