My first sterling silver, artisan jewellery ring, featuring a micro mosaic and completed on Valentine’s Day ‘26. Complete with a watching eye, stylistically reminiscent of the Powerpuff Girls cartoon from the 90s.
This is accompanied by a gorgeous pink tourmaline, a gemstone alined to the heart chakra and symbolising love, compassion, emotional healing.
It’s almost a year since my visit to the Mosaic art school in Ravenna, Italy, to follow a course on the ancient technique of micro mosaics.
During the course, I discovered a love for fire, as I pulled fine filati threads from melted smalti blocks in contrast to the slow, therapeutic process of cutting the coloured filati into minuscule pieces and setting them into the fudge-like stucco. Each pendant took many hours to complete.
Once home, with the idea of creating more unique pieces, I researched and purchased sterling silver bezels online. They were handmade from Bali and beautiful, but I decided it would be more cost effective to learn to make my own to avoid the exorbitant charges of import tax.
With no prior experience (best way), I embarked on a two-month jewellery course and binge watched YouTube videos. This taught me the basics of how to cut, shape and solder precious metals. Soldering is a real learning curve and all I can say on this one is - ignore the molten attempts and persevere - it will pay off.
For simplicity’s sake and until I have a proper torch set up, I ordered a selection of filati colours online, so I can dive into my new found passion of jewellery design. My mother was an exceptionally creative jeweller, so I recon it’s probably in the genes!
Creative assistant: Missy
