Collana (Necklace)

Giampaolo Babetto Collana, 1977 18kt yellow gold and niello necklace l 64cm unique and signed Giampaolo Babetto’s work reflects contemporary art movements such as concrete art, minimal art, kinetic or pop art in a unique, purist and plastic manner. His pieces are immediately recognisable by its simple design. He is inspired by the architecture of his homeland, by Palladio’s villas, and by the geometries in which he finds poetry. His jewellery is innovative in concept. Made up of different abstract elements, broken down into modular units, or rendered moveable through the use of ingenious links, Babetto’s works are like small architectural pieces or small sculptures. Babetto prefers working in gold due to its stable malleability and its warm sheen which he combines with unconventional materials such as plastic or glass, ebony, dusting the internal surface with a velvet-like pigment in luminous primary colours of reds or blues or using enamel and age-old niello-based techniques. These materials are used as highlights and contrasts in works of increasingly pure and essential geometrical forms that have come to characterise the Padua School.    

Sophia Vari Crios, 2023 Ebony and yellow gold necklace L 32 cm unique and signed Crios (Krios) is the Titan God of stars and constellations. The son of Ouranos (The Sky) and Gaia (The Earth), Crios’s name means ‘The Ram’ and is associated with the constellation of Aries. Sophia Vari’s “portable sculptures”, as she likes to call them, first became part of the artist’s body of work 30 years ago; at a time in her life when demanding international schedule kept her constantly on the move. While travelling, she carried with her a small box of plasticine, from which she would mould miniature sculptures. “From that day on, I had a new creative challenge that gave me a lot of joy because I could see the pieces being worn,” she recalls. Vari approaches wearable art in precisely the same manner and strength as her abstract sculptures, collages and paintings. Her thorough exploration of bold geometric forms, the examination of volume, painterly curves and lines result in the composition both peaceful and elegant but also captures a harmonious theatrical tension. “It is a real challenge for me, and it is very much like creating a sculpture, made to be worn. No doubt, the fact […]

Sophia Vari Hypérion, 2023 Amarante wood, yellow gold and leather necklace 23 x 15 cm edition of 3 plus 2 AP signed and numbered In Greek mythology, Hyperion is one of the twelve (or thirteen) Titans, the children of Gaia and Uranus. As a Titan, one of the oldest generation of gods, Hyperion was a fitting father for these three sky-gods who, as elements of the natural world, must have been conceived of as having come into being near the beginning of the cosmos. Hyperion means “he that walks on high” or simply “the god above”, New materials such as amaranth wood and resin appeared in front of her by surprise. Vari was looking for something distinctive and by chance, when looking at the different colours of wood, she discovered the beautiful exotic amaranth wood. What is special about this wood, is that it is green in colour and then in contact with the sun, it transforms and stabilises into pink/purple. This new colour naturally redefines certain forms that the artist perceives differently with the other woods previously used.  

Alba Lisca Collana Incisa, 2021 Engraved silver satin plate necklace L 31 cm 15 cm diameter torque unique When I started creating jewels, I discovered the beauty and strength that shapes can communicate. Dialogue becomes enriched with another element, the intrinsic relationship between surface and shape. The artistic discovery took a step forward, revealing a relationship with the material, the hard metal sheet, which achieves a structure made of precision, rigor, and measure. The jewel, an artistic object, was to move from the meaning sought within a chromatic semantic field, to a language of form and volume. Acquiring shape the surface takes on itself to transmit lights and shadows, the form is cut to generate another surface, animated to make the geometry fluid. The artist jewel includes his/her own aesthetic – artistic research, deepening of his reflection, thus becoming a piece of art independent of the jewel intended as an ornament. For me, the jewel reflects the anticipated discourse in painting translated into a new language with different materials, the design of which comes from a design – shape – sign, a process that I follow from the beginning of the work in each piece.’ – Alba Polenghi Lisca  

Joanne Thompson Braid, 2023 14kt rolled gold and blackened silver necklace L 38 cm Unique With 25 years of experience , specialising in chain making and working intuitively with her materials,  Joanne’s award winning iconic chain designs are created through experimentation with ancient chain maille patterns. Joanne plays with the scale, weight, form and texture of the chains, making sculptural forms, necklaces, bracelets and earrings which are voluminous yet light, tactile and extremely durable. Her aim is to create striking contemporary jewellery which can be worn for both special occasions and every day. Joanne is fascinated by unit construction techniques in jewellery making, enjoying the way hard precious metals can be translated into soft forms which flow and stir with the body.  Every circle in each unique handcrafted piece is formed, soldered and finished by Joanne. Her distinctive silver and soft black palette is playful and sensual; elegant movement is integral to her jewellery – beautifully made, beautiful on and loved by women.”  Christina Jansen, Scottish Gallery.  

Joanne Thompson Lockhart, 2023 14kt rolled gold and blackened silver necklace L 45 cm Unique With 25 years of experience, specialising in chain making and working intuitively with her materials, Joanne’s award-winning iconic chain designs are created through experimentation with ancient chain maille patterns. Joanne plays with the scale, weight, form, and texture of the chains, making sculptural forms, necklaces, bracelets,and earrings which are voluminous yet light, tactile, and extremely durable. Joanne is fascinated by unit construction techniques in jewellery making, enjoying the way hard precious metals can be translated into soft forms which flow and stir with the body.  Every chain design is unique, handcrafted, formed, soldered, and finished by Joanne. In 2021, Joanne received the Goldsmiths’ Fair Best New Design Award as well as the ‘Gold Award – The Worshipful Company of Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers in the category ‘Wire Innovation’.  

John Moore Elytra Collection, 2023 Burgundy red aluminium, silver links and catch necklace L 18 cm Unique The elytra primarily serve as protective wing-cases for the hindwings underneath, used for flying. Elytra is the entomological name for beetle wings, which inspired this collection. Multiple elytra, made from dyed, anodised aluminium, are clustered together to form overlapping patterns that remind us of fish scales,  flower petals and bird feathers. Earrings can be suspended upside down, causing the elytra to flare outwards, like an open pinecone.  

John Moore Elytra Collection, 2023 blue and green aluminium , silver links and catch necklace L 18 cm Unique The elytra primarily serve as protective wing-cases for the hindwings underneath, used for flying. Elytra is the entomological name for beetle wings, which inspired this collection. Multiple elytra, made from dyed, anodised aluminium, are clustered together to form overlapping patterns that remind us of fish scales,  flower petals and bird feathers. Earrings can be suspended upside down, causing the elytra to flare outwards, like an open pinecone.   Elytra Burgundy Necklaces / Pendants 0 Elytra Necklaces / Pendants 0

Joanne Thompson Lusk, 2023 Oxidised silver necklace 150 cm length Handmade Unique Joanne’s award winning iconic chain designs are created through experimentation with ancient chain maille patterns. Joanne plays with the scale, weight, form and texture of the chains, making sculptural forms, necklaces, bracelets and earrings which are voluminous yet light, tactile and extremely durable. Her aim is to create striking contemporary jewellery which can be worn for both special occasions and every day. Joanne is fascinated by unit construction techniques in jewellery making, enjoying the way hard precious metals can be translated into soft forms which flow and stir with the body.  Every circle in each unique handcrafted piece is formed, soldered and finished by the Artist.  

Gigi Mariani 16 Disc necklace, 2022 18kt yellow gold, silver and niello necklace Unique and signed